"Go!" someone growled.
The players from Country Z exchanged silent glances, their eyes filled with solemnity and determination.
Without a word, everyone tacitly gathered together, braving the raging winds that could tear flesh and the freezing temperatures that could almost freeze a person, and followed the blinding red arrow, plunging headlong into the howling snowstorm.
But once they left, they realized that every step they took was extremely difficult.
Their boots sank deep into the snow, which reached above their calves, and each step required tremendous effort to pull them out. The biting wind, carrying icy particles, cut like countless tiny blades, relentlessly slicing at their exposed skin.
Only the blood-red arrow was the sole guide in this white hell.
Xiao Jin was alright; unlike the other players who were huddled in the snow and ice, she had a good night's sleep.
Therefore, although it is somewhat difficult, it will not make her lose her vigilance and ability to fight back.
About ten minutes later, after what felt like hours of trekking, a huge, blurry outline appeared in the dark, snowy landscape ahead.
Closer, even closer.
"We're here! We're here! We've finally arrived!"
"Damn, southerners have never seen snow this heavy!"
Some players couldn't resist looking into the distance, and Xiao Jin also took out his binoculars.
Through the swirling snow, a majestic altar, resembling an ancient behemoth, was visible, its silhouette appearing menacing against the wind and snow.
The rough, massive ice rocks are piled up into a pyramid-like stepped structure, the top of which is hidden deep in the wind and snow, exuding a desolate and majestic aura.
Around the base of the altar, five equally enormous and breathtaking pillars, like silent giants, guard the altar in the center, with a distance of over a thousand meters between them.
Five? That's one for each country!
Xiao Jin and the others walked toward the pillar belonging to Country Z.
The thick pillar, which would take seven or eight people to encircle, is carved entirely from an unknown gray-black rock that gleams with a metallic sheen.
The pillar is covered with intricate and ancient patterns—totems belonging to the Leopard Tribe!
The ferocious leopard head, the agile leopard body, and the abstract lines symbolizing power and speed, all appear even more chillingly fierce in the dim light.
At the base of the pillar, a long energy channel is clearly visible, but it is empty at this moment, like a dried-up riverbed.
“There are life fluctuations on the other pillars as well, and quite a few of them.” A player with a reconnaissance skill lowered his voice and cautiously scanned the direction of the other four pillars whose outlines were blurred by the wind and snow.
"They must be from other factions; they've all arrived too."
[Stage Task: Activate the totem pole.]
[Quest Description: Totem poles can only be activated with specific amounts of energy. Powerful Yeti Guardians roam the Howling Icefield; defeating them will reward you with 'Frost Energy Crystals'. These crystals can be used to recharge totem poles.]
[Note: Players must protect their own totem poles from destruction. If a totem pole is destroyed, all players in that faction will immediately fail the mission and be eliminated.]
Penalty: Points will be deducted, and a serious negative status effect (debuff) will be randomly applied in the next instance world.
[Bonus Mission: Successfully destroy other faction's totem poles. Rewards: Points, 1 random purple-quality item, 1 team card.]
The cold, impersonal system text scrolled across everyone's screen.
The air froze instantly.
The penalty for low points! For most players, even if it doesn't bankrupt them, it's still extremely painful!
Every time she bought or upgraded items, she basically emptied Xiao Jin's savings.
To be honest, she would also be very upset to lose those 50,000 points out of nowhere.
However, what Xiao Jin cared about more was actually that random debuff.
Whether it's blindness, lameness, continuous bleeding, or a power seal, any one of these conditions appearing in the next dungeon will lead to your demise!
Therefore, Xiao Jin would never allow such a thing to happen.
While the reward for destroying the enemy is tempting, it seems rather mediocre compared to the penalty for failure.
Only the "team card" caught the attention of many, as it meant that they could have more reliable allies in future missions.
"This punishment... is too harsh." One player's face was pale and his voice was a little hoarse.
"We must protect the totem pole!" another player declared resolutely.
"Don't forget, besides guarding the totem poles, activation is also part of the quest!" A player who seemed relatively calm said, "The quest description is very clear: activation requires killing Yeti Guardians to obtain crystals."
I suggest we split into several small teams and take turns hunting down the guards. This will be more efficient and allow us to support each other. Also, we must leave enough people to guard the totem pole!
"No! Too slow!" a burly player immediately objected, his voice filled with impatience: "The Yeti Guardian's strength is unknown, and the kill efficiency is hard to say!"
And all you're thinking about is guarding?
That would be incredibly stupid! Do you think the other factions would just obediently attack the guards? I bet some sneaky bastards are already figuring out how to steal our pillars!
Or rather, they might send people to harass us, keeping us constantly on our toes!
He swept his gaze across the crowd, a fierce look in his eyes: "If you ask me, we need to split into three groups! One group should stay here and defend the totem pole to the death, that's the key!"
Another group went out to hunt down the Yeti Guardians and collect crystals! The last group…” He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: “Take the initiative! Harass, restrain, and even try to destroy the totem poles of other factions!”
Let's muddy the waters! Make them too busy to bother with us!
This plan is extremely aggressive, but also exceptionally dangerous.
Hunting guards is at least a target, but raiding other factions' totem poles is like venturing into a dragon's den or a tiger's lair!
While guarding totem poles may seem safe, the pressure can be immense if they become a primary target for enemy attacks.
"Go out and launch a sneak attack? Who's going? Facing the elites of other factions and the unknown totem pole defenses, it's a nine-out-of-ten chance of death!" Someone immediately questioned, "You make it sound so easy."
"Guarding the totem pole isn't foolproof either; what if it gets besieged by several factions at the same time?"
"So, according to you, hunting the guards is just as dangerous. Those Yeti guards don't sound like easy targets!"
Everyone started talking at once, and they actually began to argue.
The truth is, nobody wants to take any risks.
"Alright! Time is running out, this argument will never end!" A hot-tempered player stomped his foot, sending snow flying: "Damn it, let's just draw lots!"
Three mission directions: Guard, Hunt, and Raid! We'll catch whichever we get, it's all down to luck, so no one can blame anyone! It's better than wasting time arguing and waiting to die here!
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