Chapter 56: Brothers Striking It Rich

Chapter 56: Brothers Striking It Rich

Qi Sheng’s consciousness quickly browsed forum content.

Two days had passed since the campaign to purify Gloomspire Caverns ended, and players were still buzzing about Dizhong Village’s expansion and the integration of Gloomspire Caverns into their territory.

Mining efficiency had skyrocketed, eliminating travel time for most players.

This successful containment of the Domain Node also made players realize the game’s dual-core gameplay:

First, personal growth—boosting stats to hunt stronger monsters and Malevolent Spirits.
Second, faction development. Every purification of a Domain Node or containment of a Primordial Monster benefited the entire Imperial Omen faction.

The campaign eased many internal conflicts.

Take the rivalry between Fanzui Guild and Divine Wings Guild, for example. Before this, their members clashed repeatedly in Dizhong Village, Ancient Battlefield, and Gloomspire Caverns—meeting with instant bloodshed.

But to secure Gloomspire Caverns swiftly, the two guilds finally cooperated under mediation, uniting against the Obsidian Legionnaire. Their alliance dissolved lingering tensions.

This victory reignited Qi Sheng’s plans to recruit new players.

Switching to his Imperial Omen Form, data flooded his mind:

Player Count: 10,329
Primordial Traits Acquired: 15
[Gargoyle (Petrification), Hawk-Headed Demon (Vengeful Howl), Black-Scaled Serpent (Venom), Bonefire (Inkfire), Malevolent Fury, Shattered, Sweeping, Soul-Stealing, Nether Phantom, Tauntweaver, Shadowforged Duskmare, Lumenshield, Qi Devourer, Resilient Core, Mana Cagebound]
Sacrificial Power Generated Today: 1,325,520 points
Average Monster Tier: 11.3
Controlled Domain Nodes:
Dizhong Village (Burial ground of Imperial Omen’s final divine spark, with territory rules enabling life-flesh regeneration)
Gloomspire Caverns (Resource-type Domain Node, continuously refining Spirit Ore-class resources)
Sacrificial Power Reservoir: 3,239,480 points

The Gloomspire Caverns campaign netted four new Primordial Monsters:
Tauntweaver (Second-generation), Qi Devourer, Resilient Core, and Mana Cagebound.

Resilient Core granted massive elemental resistance and damage reduction—perfect for Gargoyle players seeking complementary Stellar Vein builds.

Mana Cagebound, discovered in Gloomspire’s fifth subterranean layer, resembled a plant trapped in an ice chamber built by the Frostblade tribe. Players killed it, unlocking its ability: rapidly conjuring energy cages around targets using mental energy.

While discussion about Mana Cagebound’s Life Soul was muted, its utility shone in controlled environments. Though inferior to Tauntweaver’s hate-generation, its cages completely halted damage output until broken.

Gargoyle players found it moderately synergistic, enabling tank-and-control playstyles. However, lower-tier Stellar Vein players prioritized Tauntweaver and Resilient Core over Mana Cagebound’s niche utility.

Qi Sheng closed his eyes, resolved. With 3.2 million Sacrificial Power unused, he decided to recruit 2,000 new players, saving 1.3 million for future rewards and upgrades.

---

At 8 p.m., Human Federation’s Starnet Security Center:

“Smart Assistant A, did you secure the download slot?” Ding Xiu asked.

The holographic robot shrugged, emitting a humanoid sigh:
“I used high-frequency connection as you suggested, but all attempts failed. The system says slots are full and downloads are locked.”

Ding Xiu slumped. His superiors tasked him with uncovering the link’s origin, but dead ends abounded. The only clue—a restricted download link—remained impervious.

“Keep trying,” he muttered, returning to report processing.

Suddenly, Smart Assistant A blurted:
“Ding Xiu! The link’s response changed!”

A virtual screen materialized, displaying:
[Connection Failed… And This Time, You Cheated.]

Ding Xiu stiffened. The link’s operator had detected his high-frequency hacking.

Smart Assistant A added:
“High-frequency methods failed. Recommend switching to manual mode.”

---

Meanwhile, in Yelan City’s Human Federation:

Tongxin’s eyes burned red amid a cluttered room strewn with snacks and energy drinks.

The once-bustling “Kindergarten Chat Group” lay silent. Members vanished after entering the game, resurfacing only during respawn cooldowns.

“Damn you bastards… leaving me behind!” he muttered, furiously clicking his mouse.

The same error message persisted:
[Download Limit Reached. New Permissions Not Granted.]

“I won’t give up!”

He’d quit his job to chase this download. Days earlier, Drunken Healer’s screenshot showing 13,000 yuan earned from selling in-game currency shattered his resolve.

Three days of grinding yielded that sum. Three days… while he toiled for peanuts.

The pain of watching brothers strike gold alone gnawed at him.

He clicked harder, sleepless for three nights—black circles deepening to clownish levels.

“I deserve this! Let me in!!”

His body, weakened by stress, gave out. Darkness swallowed his vision as his head slammed the desk.

Above his unconscious form, the screen flickered:
[Download Initiated… 0.01%]

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end