In the desolate city of the Chaos Realm, a deathly silence reigned. Yellow sand covered the shattered buildings. Occasional psychic fluctuations drifted from afar, like the whispers of a lurking monster. An indescribable aura of danger hung in the air.
Ning Yuge sniffed his nose like a shrewd hound and said excitedly, "Boss, I smell the scent of spirit stones! There must be a big treasure up ahead!"
Xiang Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced around calmly, and gently reminded: "Don't be too optimistic. This place doesn't look like a place where you can easily make a fortune."
The Xuanwu guard raised his shield and patted his chest with a solemn oath: "No matter what happens, don't panic, I'm here! Even if the sky falls, I can hold it up!"
Ling Ruoxi frowned, looking at the desolate scene before her with some doubt: "Is there really a treasure? It looks like a trap no matter how you look at it, right?"
As they passed the ruins, the city center came into view. A massive golden treasure chest stood in the center, radiating a dazzling light and permeated with spiritual energy, as if announcing to everyone, "Come and get me!"
However, the pitch-black Jindan-class AI mecha next to the treasure chest instantly brought the atmosphere to a freezing point. Its black armor was like a cold iron plate, reflecting a faint light and imposing. The scanning device popped up a line of data:
Jindan-level mecha - spiritual energy level: peak of Nascent Soul, suspected to be initial stage of God Transformation.
The air seemed frozen, and even the sound of breathing became unusually heavy. The players watching whispered among themselves:
"This is impossible! A Jindan mecha, the spiritual energy is actually as high as the Yuanying peak?"
"The Chaos Realm is really crazy! Who can withstand something like this?!"
Ning Yuge raised an eyebrow and muttered softly, "Boss, this thing's psychic data is too outrageous, isn't it? If our group of foundation-building mechas rush forward, wouldn't that be courting death?"
Xiang Fan looked at them calmly for a few seconds, his lips twitching slightly as he gave a meaningful smile: "Don't panic, at a time like this, someone will definitely take the lead and commit suicide."
They crouched behind a collapsed building, secretly observing as more and more players gathered around the golden treasure chest. The atmosphere on the battlefield was tense, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.
"Looking at the situation, everyone is eyeing the treasure chest." Ling Ruoxi said in a low voice.
Ning Yuge touched his chin and smiled obscenely: "Don't worry, there will definitely be someone who will jump out to be a hero in a place like this. We just need to wait for them to test our abilities first."
Xiang Fan nodded and added in a low voice: "Don't expose yourself rashly and let others be cannon fodder. Let's wait and see what happens."
The Xuanwu guard held up a huge shield in front of him and muttered quietly, "You guys are so cunning, each one more sinister than the other. You even asked me to hold up the shield so that you could hide behind and watch the show!"
Ning Yuge gently patted the Xuanwu guard's shoulder, his tone full of teasing: "Hey, little Xuanwu, you have to learn to use professional terms! This is not called insidious, it's called rational use of battlefield resources."
The Xuanwu guard rolled his eyes. "Reasonable? You're clearly trying to trick us, yet you're still trying to make it sound so grand!"
Ling Ruoxi, who was listening to the conversation, couldn't help but chuckle, her nervousness slightly relieved. She secretly glanced at Xiang Fan and found that he still had a calm expression, but there was a hint of coldness in his eyes, as if he had already grasped the situation.
"This boss is really unfathomable." Ling Ruoxi sighed in her heart, then squatted down, staring intently at the treasure chest in the center of the battlefield, waiting for a good show to begin.
The treasure chest's light grew increasingly dazzling, like a blazing sun, drawing the onlookers closer. Finally, a peak-level Jindan player, clad in gleaming golden armor, stepped forward and shouted, "Brothers! Let's unite and take on this AI mech! Let's fight for the treasure chest's contents and split them evenly, how about that?"
His voice was like a drumbeat, stirring up the surrounding players. Someone chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go together! We have no chance if we go it alone anyway!"
Another player's eyes lit up: "If we can knock that thing over, we'll make a killing!"
Others were eager to try: "A golden treasure chest! The things inside will definitely sell for a huge price!"
The peak Jindan player glanced around with satisfaction and decisively issued an order: "Foundation Establishment players, hold the periphery! Peak Jindan players, follow me and suppress the enemy head-on! Attack together!"
The battlefield instantly boiled over, players adjusting their weapons, the hum of psychic energy activating echoing one after another, like a makeshift army assembling. Meanwhile, in the ruins behind the team, the protagonists burst into laughter over the communication channel.
Ning Yuge rolled his eyes as he played with his short sword: "That's it? Do you really think you can crush them just by having more people? Tsk tsk, these people are really brave."
Xiang Fan continued to calmly control the mecha, his tone calm, "Ignore them, blend in with the crowd and pretend, then wait for the opportunity to take action. Don't be too high-profile."
"High-profile? Are we that kind of people?" Ning Yuge said with a wicked smile, "My dagger is not for heroic rescue."
The Xuanwu guard had already begun to shrink behind the shield. He responded seriously: "Don't worry, we will cover you. Really!" However, the angle of the shield quietly shrank back.
Ling Ruoxi looked at the actions of these three people and sighed helplessly: "You guys...are you really not the champion paddling team?"
Ning Yuge said seriously, "What do you mean by slacking off? This is a strategic retreat! Do you understand high-level tactics, Xiaoxi?"
Even as they chatted animatedly, the players ahead had already begun preparing for battle. The Jindan-level mechas formed a crude formation, while the Foundation Establishment-level players attempted to harass the enemy from the periphery. The atmosphere on the battlefield grew increasingly tense, and it seemed as if a devastating melee would erupt at any moment.
The protagonists still maintain their "dirty tactics", staying away from the sight of the Jindan AI mecha while being ready to deal with the subsequent chaotic scene at any time.
"Remember our slogan." Ning Yuge chuckled, "Screws are also trophies!"
Ling Ruoxi finally couldn't help but fight back: "Then go pick it up! Let's see if you dare."
Xiang Fan silently gripped the joystick tightly, a slight arc on his lips: "Relax, their actions will tell us when the real show will begin."
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