"bite--"

The Spirit Realm Battleground's server-wide announcement rang out in the virtual space, and a message instantly popped up in the center of the screen:

[Spirit Realm Battlefield Official Announcement]

Dear players, Spirit Realm Battlegrounds has launched its first internal beta ranking competition, using the "Capture the Flag Points Battle" mode:

Five-player teams compete, earning points for killing mechs and delivering flags. The match is limited to one hour. Each mech will need to wait 15 minutes for its resurrection after it dies, so plan your team's tactics accordingly. This competition will feature the "Glory King" title, and the top-ranked team will receive exclusive rewards.

The entire server exploded instantly, and the public channel was filled with players' excitement:

"Capture the Flag! Oh my god, the Spirit Realm Battleground finally has ranked matches!"

"The reward actually includes an exclusive title! I have to get this!"

"Hurry, hurry, big guys, take me flying!"

At that moment, Shadow Killer was lazily leaning against a broken mech in a ruined area of ​​the Chaos Region, chewing on a psychic lollipop. The moment he saw the announcement, his eyes lit up. He casually slapped the lollipop stick off, opened the communication channel, and shouted excitedly, "Boss! Xuanwu! Ruoxi! The ranking competition is here! 'Glory King'! We have to charge!"

The Xuanwu guard's deep voice came from the channel, with a hint of excitement: "It's necessary! How can we call for help if we don't rush in for something like this?"

Ling Ruoxi calmly joined the channel, her tone filled with reserved excitement: "Okay. But we're a five-person team, and we're still short one person."

The Shadow Killer scratched his head and chuckled, "Don't worry, our boss must have connections."

Ling Ruoxi suddenly interrupted, her tone nonchalant: "My brother has just reached the ninth level of Qi training, so it's a good opportunity for him to join the team."

The Shadow Killer nearly swallowed the stick of his lollipop and coughed, "Ruoxi, are you sure you don't want to bring your family members along to experience life here?"

Ling Ruoxi said calmly, "Qualifying matches require teamwork. He happens to be free and his strength is not bad."

The Xuanwu guard smiled innocently and agreed: "I think it's possible. A mecha pilot who has reached the ninth level of Qi training, if we train him, he might become a powerful figure."

Shadow Killer sighed: "Alright, now that Ruoxi has spoken, let's get him online and try out the new mode."

The channel suddenly became lively. Ling Ruoxi silently operated the system and recruited people to join the team, while Shadow Killer began to imagine: "Hey, the title of first place this time must belong to us! Just go for it!"

Far away on the other side of the virtual space, Ling Ruoxi's brother looked at the invitation sent by his sister, and a row of question marks floated over his head: "Sister? Are you serious? I... Can I really do it?"

Ling Ruoxi replied domineeringly: "You have teammates, what are you afraid of?"

Shadow Killer opened the team channel and said with emotion: "With this sister, there is really no choice."

A few minutes later, a young and assertive voice suddenly exploded in the voice channel: "Hahaha, I heard that you need a mecha genius, here I come!" The voice echoed with its own arrogance, which made people's teeth itch.

The Shadow Killer was stunned when he heard this, his brows furrowed in a frown. "Who is this? Who released it? Why is the smell so strong?"

Ling Ruoxi sighed and said helplessly: "My brother, Ling Ruochen, just failed in his foundation building and now ran to the Spirit Realm battlefield to 'adjust his mentality'."

Ling Ruochen's voice was filled with a cold snort. "Adjust your mindset? Sister, stop being ridiculous. I'm the future hope of our Ling family! Oh, and I heard there's a guy called Zero on your team? Who is he? I want to defeat him and become the number one 'Glory King'!"

The channel suddenly became silent, and the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Shadow Killer coughed, his tone mixed with sarcasm: "Boy, do you know who our boss is?"

Ling Ruochen didn't care: "Isn't it just a matter of relying on basic mechas and luck to win the competition? I've seen through this routine a long time ago."

The Xuanwu guard burst out laughing: "Okay, okay, kid, you're welcome to experience the fear of being dominated by Zero firsthand!"

Ling Ruoxi finally couldn't stand it anymore and said coldly: "Ling Ruochen, if you say another word of nonsense, I will kick you out!"

The corner of Ling Ruochen's mouth twitched, and he muttered softly: "Sister, I'm just saying it, it's not like I really look down on him."

Shadow Killer ignored the sibling bickering and took over the conversation directly: "Alright, Zero is the main commander, Xuanwu and I will control the situation, and Ling Ruoxi will be responsible for damage. Ling Ruochen, you will be the guerrilla. Less talking, more action, do you understand?"

Ling Ruochen's voice exploded immediately: "Guerrilla? Who do you think I am? This arrangement is such a waste of me!"

Shadow Killer sneered: "Boy, if you say another word, I will turn invisible and send you back to the Novice Village to experience life."

Ling Ruoxi ordered coldly: "Shut up and listen to my instructions!"

Ling Ruochen finally calmed down. Although he stopped arguing, he was already holding his breath. He muttered quietly in the private chat channel, "Hmph, guerrilla warfare is fine, but I must prove my genius with my actions!"

At this moment, Xiang Fan's voice came, gentle and low-key: "Are you ready... Let's go."

The channel finally fell silent for a moment, and even Ling Ruochen didn't dare to say anything more.

The five players entered the ranking matchmaking interface, and the system countdown slowly began. Shadow Killer licked his lips, his tone tinged with excitement, "As usual, the first match will definitely be against a tough opponent, so everyone, cheer up."

The Xuanwu guard laughed so hard his chest shook. "So what if they're tough? We have the boss here, and sooner or later the enemy will be on their knees and chopped down!"

Ling Ruoxi gripped the joystick tightly, her eyes calm, "We're all here this time, so don't make any mistakes and win the game cleanly."

Ling Ruochen finally couldn't help but interrupt: "Don't worry, I'm here, we're sure to win."

The Shadow Killer said calmly, "As long as you don't just talk and don't take action, I'll be thankful."

The system's notification chime rang out—matching successful. The screen went black for a moment, and then a prompt popped up: "Opponent loading..."

The five mechas were simultaneously transported into the initial scene. The metal floor of the virtual arena gleamed with a cold light, and distant battle flags fluttered high in the void. A tense atmosphere permeated the air. Everyone knew that this match was not only the beginning of the points race, but also a true test for the team.

Ling Ruoxi finally warned: "Follow the instructions and don't run around."

Shadow Killer flexed the mecha's control lever and said casually, "I wonder if this tough guy is a rabbit or a wolf." He then changed the subject and sneered, "Whatever it is, it's going to have to lie down obediently!"