Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The cave was about eight meters deep. As the Corrupted Player players burrowed downwards, the surrounding strata vibrated.
This caused the tremors from the earth spikes to go unnoticed.
They thought it was them breaking through the ground.
It was only when sharp earth spikes burst out of the ground that they finally reacted.
But it was too late.
Two Corrupted Player players had the misfortune of being impaled by the earth spikes on the spot.
At the same time, the second wave of earth spikes, guided by Claudia and slightly less powerful, also broke through the ground.
However, the other three Corrupted Player players who dodged the spikes were already on guard and immediately moved out of the casting area.
It was a pity for the two unlucky fellows, tossed around by the earth spikes shooting up from the ground, leaving them riddled with holes.
“This is Earth Spike, a mid-tier earth magic spell. Which Magus player from Winter City is it?”
The Abyss Corrupted Player players were stunned.
The sky was filled with dust from the Earth Spike spells, making it difficult for them to see the situation within the casting range.
However, the System map still promptly marked dozens of red dots.
“It could be a native Magus from Winter City. How are Second and Fourth? Still alive?”
“Yep, we don’t die that easily after being modified. Didn’t the leader get the materials for Abominations from Most City last time? Half the players have been fitted with them already, Second and Fourth are among them.”
Corrupted Player Player A said with a relaxed expression.
In the team chat, Second and Fourth’s health bars showed only a thin layer remaining, less than a tenth, but they weren’t decreasing any further.
It was evident that their spawned sub-entities had already hidden in a safe place.
After a while, the duration of the Earth Spike spell ended, the ground tremors gradually subsided, and the dust cleared. A group of people gradually appeared.
The Corrupted Player players stared intently.
The enemy’s team configuration was perfect, mainly consisting of Warriors, along with over a dozen Dragons, eight Priests, a Star Magus whom they had never seen before, and a native Magus.
What they found strange was.
There was only one Player, easily identifiable: “Qi Wub” with the strange ID.
The area covered by the Earth Spike spell was in ruins.
Two Corrupted Player players crawled out of the ground, looking dejected. They were Second and Fourth, who had been impaled earlier.
They had already resurrected using their sub-entities.
However, this convenient resurrection came at a price, requiring half of their current level’s Experience Points to be converted into flesh and blood energy for their bodies to regenerate. Furthermore, their brains couldn’t be damaged.
If their brains were damaged, they could only drop a level and return to the resurrection point.
“Good morning, everyone… Oh, you probably don’t have mornings here, so I should say good evening…”
Qi Wub gave a polite yet awkward smile.
The Corrupted Player players who had scattered around also heard the commotion and returned.
Although their numbers were fewer than the Winter City soldiers, they still surrounded Qi Wub and his companions.
“You know we don’t have mornings here either… Keke…”
CN Bai Zhu grinned menacingly, slowly drawing his spine from his back.
His facial skin twitched, as if the act was accompanied by intense pain.
It was a long, flesh-and-bone structure.
After being pulled out, it made a “creaking” sound like a bug, then coiled around CN Bai Zhu’s arm. The other end of the joint straightened, eventually forming a bone spear.
This was the latest modification feature from Qi Wub.
After drawing the spine spear, the Corrupted Player players’ agility would significantly increase, and the spine sword itself had the hardness comparable to a master-level weapon.
“We are all Players, so why do you Players from Winter City live in the prime material plane? You can eat delicious food, breathe fresh air, and see beautiful scenery, but what do we have?”
CN Bai Zhu snarled, baring his fangs.
“As you can see, the Blood Moon rises every three days. Other than that, we can only rely on the lava flowing on the ground and various firestones for light. Our air is filled with the smell of sulfur. Every day is either fighting or on the way to fight. As for food… Keke… we can only eat our own kind and bugs!”
Qi Wub was left speechless by CN Bai Zhu’s question.
He felt that these Corrupted Player players were too engrossed in the game. No matter how fun the game was, one had to return to reality. If one was uncomfortable in the game, they could just leave. If the food in the game wasn’t good, they could go home and eat! Wasn’t Huang Pao’s delivery tasty?
Qi Wub was unaware that even after returning to reality, the Abyss Corrupted Player players found it difficult to adapt to normal food. However, they couldn’t eat raw meat in front of their relatives. The internal conflict and physical torment made them increasingly irritable and gradually led to impulses of violence. The game’s nutrition pods could barely sustain their bodies’ energy needs. This was because their bodies were gradually changing, a change that deviated from normal humans.
“Emmm, at least you guys look cool now. Look at your armor, and the spine sword on your arm, it’s totally awesome!”
Qi Wub tried to ease the relationship between himself and these Abyss Corrupted Player players, wearing his signature business smile. If fighting could be avoided, it should be. Fighting meant death. He felt pained each time one of his soldiers died.
However, this remark struck a nerve with CN Bai Zhu. Fire suddenly erupted from the cracked patterns on his body, making him look like an about-to-explode powder keg.
“Cool? Keke… To become stronger, pain must be turned off during modification.”
“Kid, have you ever felt what it’s like for someone to drive steel nails through your spine, one by one?”
“And without any anesthesia!”
CN Bai Zhu’s spittle almost landed on Qi Wub’s face.
“The key is, you remain conscious the entire time.”
“To maintain the viability of the modification, I usually don’t turn off the pain receptors. Especially when pulling out my spine. At first, I cried every time I pulled it out…”
“But it doesn’t matter anymore.”
CN Bai Zhu stroked his spine spear as if it were his child.
“I’ve adapted to the pain, and I’ve become stronger. In my eyes, you are just a weakling.”
His gaze gradually became frenzied. His scarlet eyes were like a hidden predator in the jungle.
“The weak don’t deserve the abundant resources of the prime material plane. They should belong to the strong, to us, the purifiers.”
Behind CN Bai Zhu, the Corrupted Player players who had already had their spines modified menacingly drew their spine spears from their backs. The Corrupted Player players who had not yet undergone modification crouched low, gripping their weapons, leaning forward slightly, adopting a hunting stance.
“Kill them!”
CN Bai Zhu let out a loud, chilling roar.
“Leave no one alive!”
