"Wow...it's a 'high-level recovery item'! And it even has an area-of-effect effect! Thanks, Bai Zhi!"

A burly player with a large gash in his chest and a pale face felt the tingling and healing sensation from the wound. He was both surprised and delighted, and quickly thanked the player.

"Thank you! That's just in time!" Another player, whose arm was unnaturally twisted, also showed gratitude and quickly took out bandages and medicine, taking advantage of the healing effect of the mist to begin treating his injury.

The other players, realizing what was happening, also expressed their gratitude to Bai Zhi. They seized this precious moment to catch their breath, sitting or leaning against something, taking out various recovery items to silently heal their wounds and try their best to recover.

Amidst the swirling mist, for a moment, only heavy breathing and occasional suppressed groans of pain could be heard...

————

The milky white miasma of rejuvenation had not completely dissipated, lingering around the remaining Z-country players, bringing a false sense of warmth and respite.

Just then, heavy footsteps and deliberately hushed conversations came from the depths of the ice field.

Bai Zhi and the other players suddenly looked up, a hint of wariness flashing in their eyes. The players stood up and gripped their weapons tightly, but Xiao Jin did not move.

Only after recognizing who the newcomer was did everyone's tense nerves relax slightly, but they were immediately enveloped by an even deeper gloom.

It's the group that went out to hunt down the Yeti guards.

They had apparently agreed on a meeting point beforehand and were now returning together. Each of them bore new wounds and traces of frost, and their breathing was somewhat disordered, clearly indicating that they had been through a fierce battle.

Luo Feiyu, who was leading the group, walked heavily. After seeing the mess around him and the only remaining people, Xiao Jin and the others, his face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Upon receiving the news, he led his men back. However, upon arrival, he discovered that the situation was far worse than Bai Zhi had described.

Beside him, a burly man carrying a heavy hammer turned ashen-faced, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

The weariness on the faces of those behind him was instantly replaced by immense shock and grief. Some clenched their teeth, their eyes reddening, while others staggered to the familiar corpses, letting out suppressed sobs.

"Old Li... Fatty... how could... they're all... gone?" A young man with frostbite on his face asked in disbelief as he looked at the horrific scene before him.

Luo Feiyu took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, and said in a hoarse voice, "Those bastards from Country Y... sooner or later, I will make them pay the price."

Bai Zhi then briefly recounted the battle, emphasizing the scene of the opponent's chaotic retreat.

However, this could not mask the fact that they suffered heavy casualties, and the atmosphere was as heavy as lead.

At this moment, the burly man took a bag out of his storage space and smashed it on the ground with a dull thud.

He untied the bag, and more than twenty fist-sized, ice-blue, rhomboid crystals rolled out—these were the energy crystals he had obtained from hunting the Yeti Guard.

“Twenty…twenty-three.” The burly man’s voice was low, filled with suppressed anger and grief: “…We did our best.”

Each crystal represents the death of at least one Yeti Guardian, and also the sacrifices made by the players.

They can't eliminate it without any casualties every time.

Looking at the energy crystals on the ground radiating a cold luster, and then at his heavily wounded comrades, a resolute glint flashed in Luo Feiyu's eyes.

He looked around and raised his voice: "Rotation! We must rotate! Those who go out hunting and those who guard the base must take turns!"

Otherwise, if this continues, even if all those guarding the house are wiped out, the totem pole will be lost!

He pointed to the crack on the totem pole: "The durability has dropped by 15%, we can't afford any more damage! Hunting takes a lot of energy and we need time to recover. The people guarding the base are in the same boat, they're in terrible shape and desperately need a rest!"

This proposal was immediately and unanimously approved by the surviving players.

No one objected; the devastating losses made them realize that sticking together and allocating resources rationally was their only hope for survival.

Just as the atmosphere remained heavy and the rotation list was about to be finalized, another series of hurried footsteps came from the other side of the ice field, accompanied by suppressed whispers of excitement.

It was the same squad that Dong Yang led before, responsible for "stealing the base"!

They numbered less than the team guarding the totem pole, only fifteen people, and all of them were wounded. Two of them were even helped back by their companions, indicating that they had also gone through a fierce battle.

But their faces showed expressions of immense excitement.

"Old Luo! We did it! We did it!" Dong Yang had a bloody mark on his face, but he grinned, his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed excitement.

Luo Feiyu was taken aback, then seemed to realize something, her pupils suddenly contracted, and she asked in a trembling voice, "Who? Country L or Country X?"

"Haha, it's Country L."

Not only Luo Feiyu looked like he had seen a ghost, but the other players did too.

Those were the key targets of protection for other player factions. Even the Y country sent about forty skilled fighters, but Dong Yang and his group only had fifteen people.

How did you do that!

"The totem pole of Country L...were you really the ones who destroyed it?" Luo Feiyu was completely baffled.

He suddenly remembered that not long ago, the system notification sound had rang twice in the minds of all players:

[WARNING: The L Country faction's war totem pole has been destroyed!]

[WARNING: The X Country Faction War Totem Pole has been destroyed!]

The battle was so intense that he didn't have time to think about it carefully. He assumed it was the work of other powerful factions and was lamenting the loss of two more competitors.

To my utter surprise, one of them was actually done by one of our own people!

"Of course!" Dong Yang nodded vigorously, his voice filled with pride despite the pain from his wound.

"We were lucky! When we reached L country's territory, we ran into their main force being besieged by a group of Yeti guards! They suffered heavy casualties!"

Seeing that they couldn't hold out any longer, those bastards abandoned the totem pole and ran for their lives, leaving the wounded behind! We took the opportunity to sneak over...

Hehe, the totem pole's durability was already pretty low from the guards' attacks, so we went up and gave it a few more hard hits, and it shattered! The system announcement went off with a really loud bang!

I see!

Luo Feiyu and the other players suddenly realized!

No wonder the system broadcast that the L country totem was destroyed was so "quiet," without any intense battle information flooding the screen. It turns out they got a great deal!

Although the team that went out to "steal" the base also paid a price, losing several people, they successfully destroyed L country's totem pole and eliminated a strong competitor ahead of time, which is definitely great news!

The originally heavy and oppressive atmosphere was finally eased a little by this unexpected victory.

"Well done!" Luo Feiyu patted Dong Yang's shoulder heavily, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.