Chapter 448: The Gods' Grand Banquet
Chapter 448: The Gods' Grand Banquet
"Viewers, thank you all for joining us promptly in-game. I'm announcer Hua Xiong."
"I'm announcer Pan Feng."
Tonight, the two of them had made an unprecedented appearance...
At 12:58 AM (converted to sleep mode gametime, with twenty minutes remaining until the match), their faces appeared on the main screen in the mall. Sitting side by side behind a table like news anchors, they began their broadcast.
Their appearance was drastically different from what Feng Bu Jue had seen in the scenario—heavily edited into a serious Western attire. If they'd chosen ancient general outfits like those in the scenario, the moment might've become hilariously absurd...
"Wonder if Bu Jue's been doing alright these past half-months", Hua Xiong mused.
"Ah, it feels like we just got used to being commentators, and now it's already ending", Pan Feng replied.
The two exchanged chuckles before Hua Xiong continued, "Anyway, today's final battle is a free-for-all, so our broadcast format will differ accordingly."
"Good news for us!" Pan Feng chimed in. "Once the match starts, you won't hear our voices anymore." He winked mysteriously. "The reason? Let's keep that under wraps for now. You'll all find out soon enough."
Hua Xiong interjected, "To prevent viewers from missing crucial moments, let's briefly explain our broadcast methods..." As he spoke, the main screen shifted to a slide show resembling a Ppt presentation. "The final battle will focus exclusively on combat tracking. In other words, we won't show any player actions outside of active combat scenes."
"So at match start", Pan Feng continued, "the main screen will display basic scenario status reports and world-building text. The feed will only switch to combat locations once battles begin."
Pan Feng then took over, "Now for the critical part—our simultaneous combat broadcast rules." He paused as the slide advanced. "As everyone knows, the gamemall is a multi-phase space containing several regions. Starting at 1 AM tonight, we'll adjust the region names. When you return to the Login Space and open the mall region selection menu, you'll no longer see 'Region One,' 'Region Two,' etc. Instead, you'll find options like 'Contestant Broadcast Zone 1,' 'Contestant Broadcast Zone 2,' or 'B-Contestant Broadcast Zone 1.'"
Hua Xiong added, "Simply enter the contestant's exclusive broadcast zone to watch their match. If you want to watch with a group, just coordinate your zone numbers beforehand."
Pan Feng explained further, "Each contestant has 'broadcast priority rights' in their zone. When they're not in combat, the zone's screen will show other scenario duels. But as soon as they engage in battle, the feed will immediately switch to them."
Hua Xiong continued, "For viewers with no specific contestant favorites, you can also choose 'Random Broadcast Zone 1, 2, 3...' in the Login Space. These zones receive system-assigned broadcasts in chronological order, showing relatively complete combat sequences. Once a fight ends, the feed will randomly jump to another ongoing battle."
Pan Feng concluded, "Of course, you can still watch the match on screens in the Login Space or conference room. In private spaces, you can freely adjust broadcast priorities like changing TV channels. Plus, tonight's commentary will remain synchronized regardless of your viewing environment. The only differences when watching outside the mall are smaller screens and a quieter atmosphere."
Before the two could finish their introduction, players in the mall had already begun rushing toward the elevators. Whether heading to broadcast zones or the conference room, everyone needed to return to the Login Space first.
Truthfully, there was no need to hurry. The final battle's scenario map was enormous; combat wouldn't erupt immediately. Those rushing early would only stand staring at empty screens...
...
1:00 AM.
Fifty top experts from Terrifying Paradise stood ready in the Login Space.
Not a single contestant dared claim they weren't nervous. Even Feng Bu Jue found himself pacing the elevator, humming The Ballad of Heroes while stomping rhythmically to the tune—a nervous habit to calm himself.
The contestants' excitement burned hotter than fire...
[The Peak Conquest Tournament is about to begin. Your data will load in thirty seconds. Do not leave the Login Space.]
[Loading countdown begins: Ten, nine, eight... two, one.]
When the countdown finished, no opening remarks or teleportation occurred—only the elevator began moving.
[Loading completed. You are now entering the Peak Conquest Tournament.]
[This mode provides scenario overview only. No side quests, hidden tasks, or special world views available.]
[Scenario victory reward: ???]
[Scenario overview will begin immediately. The game will start upon completion.]
As the elevator ascended, the scenario overview suddenly launched:
[Nine Demons descend, parting the tranquil clouds, as blood rains down and the fiendish leader emerges.]
[The cycle of cause and effect rests in one's palm—Who judges good and evil across realms?]
"Hey hey hey... They're starting with poetry? Never mind the quality—why do these lines remind me of something unpleasant..."
[This place was once a modern metropolis—towering skyscrapers, endless traffic, overpopulated streets, and polluted air, just like today's first-tier cities.]
[One fateful night, the sun set... and never rose again. Through drifting dark clouds, pale moonlight faintly illuminated the silent, lonely city.]
"Hey! These lines sound familiar! Haven't I heard them somewhere before?!"
[An invader named Samo di er overtook the city, slaughtering every human within. It severed this land from the river of time, transforming it into a subdimensional space drifting outside conventional reality.]
[The Time Lord discovered Samo di er's actions and imprisoned it.]
[But... this land could never be restored to its former state.]
[Distorted space-time continuously released immense energy. Wandering endlessly through the cursed city, restless spirits birthed countless evil creatures in the corrupted earth... They devour, slaughter, rebirth—repeating endlessly.]
[Many years later... The Chaos Wasteland's ruler glimpsed this untouched land through a rift in the Hellgate.]
[The Sovereign of the Realm of the Dead discovered his long-lost subjects here.]
[As the River of Order's guardian and Samo di er's former master, the Time Lord claimed this territory long ago.]
[And the Tribunal of Truth—the arbiter of all existence—watched from the shadows, eager to act.]
With that, the scenario overview concluded.
The next second, the elevator screeched to a halt. Whether Feng Bu Jue liked it or not, the doors swung open on their own...
Feng Bu Jue stood inside a massive structure. Long ago, this place might've boasted fine architecture, but now its walls and floors had lost all their original color and material. Everything was coated in a grimy film, tinged brownish-gray. The tiles and walls were riddled with fine cracks, and peering closely revealed something resembling blood vessels pulsating within these crevices.
Piles of blackened corpses filled corners and floors—most reduced to skeletons, with only a few retaining fragments of internal organs. None resembled human remains. Even ignoring their unnatural colors, their bone structures were wrong—skulls bore horns, nose-less faces, or rows of fangs.
This scenario's environment alone could chill most people to the bone. Feng Bu Jue, however, felt only mild disgust—not fear.
Speaking of disgust... When the elevator doors opened, a wave of nauseating stench hit him.
Feng Bu Jue barely covered his nose in time, muttering, "Oh come on... What is that? Did a skunk that gorged on durians commit suicide by stuffing itself with feces?"
Muttering curses, he stepped out of the elevator.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a system prompt sounded: [Main Quest Triggered]
Feng Bu Jue instinctively opened the game menu. He expected the usual [Become the Sole Survivor] objective since this match followed the same free-for-all rules as the Mantlescramble Battle, merely expanding from six to fifty players...
To his surprise, the quest read: [Eradicate Other Players to Earn Points]
The word "Points" glowed brightly. Hovering over it revealed a detailed explanation: [Defeating a player grants 2 points; defeating a seeded contestant grants 3 points; points from cooperative kills will be distributed at the system's discretion; kills assisted by faction forces earn 1 point. When only two players remain, defeating your opponent by any means grants 5 points.]
Below this explanation, a simpler rule appeared: [When only one player remains, the Peak Conquest Tournament ends. The system will announce points and determine final rankings.]
(End of Chapter)
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