“Is there really anyone sympathizing with these big shots? They usually run rampant in the partition, but now that it’s their turn to contribute to the partition’s welfare, they’re acting like shrinking turtles? How could there be such a good thing?!”
“Run rampant?? I think you’re the one who’s crazy. Which big shot exactly has been running rampant? I, for one, really hope these big shots would come out and say a few words! They know much more than we do; if they shared even a little bit, it would be our gain!”
“Stop arguing! What is there to even argue about?! The dungeon details haven’t even been announced yet, and you’re already arguing like this! Once it’s public, won’t it blow up the regional channel directly?!”
“No matter what you say, I will support big shot Crow. As long as big shot Crow is willing to participate!”
“Big shot Crow isn’t participating? Are you kidding me? She is the number one on the grand regional leaderboard!! The grand regional one! Not our partition one! If she doesn’t participate, won’t our grand region be finished?”
“Regardless of whether big shot Crow participates or not, everyone should think twice before acting!!”
Cheng Shuili closed the regional channel; the noise was giving her a headache.
As for whether she would participate, she had already made up her mind long ago. Wouldn't more challenges mean better rewards? Cheng Shuili would never miss out on better rewards.
This crappy system had been playing coy for so long; it was about time to announce the details of this dungeon.
After a long while, just as the noise and arguments in the regional channel reached a peak, Weaver’s playful voice rang out once again.
【It seems everyone is very eager to win! So now, let’s announce the details of the first full-server dungeon! Of course, players who choose not to participate in the full-server dungeon will still enter this dungeon through their respective partitions!】
【Dungeon Details: Welcome to Nightmare Island】
【Description: Welcome to Nightmare Island!! Welcome to Nightmare Island!! The gray-purple sky, the hazy and impenetrable mist, the swaying dance moves, and the bright red blood! Welcome to be a guest here! All guests, please note: here, you have three chances to make a mistake. The first mistake, we will forgive your offense; the second mistake, we will take away what you cherish; the third mistake!! You will become an eternal dancer on the island, using your flesh and blood to adorn this never-ending feast!!】
【This dungeon is a team dungeon. The way players participating in the partition dungeon join is the same as the last dungeon. Players who choose to participate in the full-server dungeon, please check your invitation in the trading channel. It is distributed for free to the top 500 players on the grand regional leaderboard; players outside the top 500 must pay 1,000 game coins to purchase one! Note: The full-server dungeon is guaranteed to be a hell-level dungeon, and the difficulty will be further divided according to your rank on the grand regional leaderboard! Please act according to your ability!】
【Special Hint: This dungeon is a faction confrontation mode. All participating players will be randomly assigned to one of two factions: “Feast Attendants” or “Sacrificial Guests”. The attendants’ goal is to maintain the order of the feast, while the guests’ goal is to escape Nightmare Island, or, overthrow this feast!】
As soon as Weaver’s mischievous voice finished, the entire regional channel was like a deep-sea bomb had been dropped into it. After a brief dead silence, there was an even more violent eruption.
“Hell-level?! Are you kidding me! I originally wanted to participate, but if you put it that way, can I only place my bets on Crow?!”
“I still feel like the 1,000 game coin threshold is highway robbery! Who on earth would spend money to join this dungeon?!”
“Faction confrontation? Does that mean we might need to fight our own people?”
“It’s over, it’s over. No matter how you look at it, the Sacrificial Guests faction is at a disadvantage!”
Cheng Shuili ignored the panic and complaints almost overflowing from the channel and immediately opened the trading channel.
Sure enough, a virtual envelope icon with a scarlet color and twisted gold patterns on the edges was quietly lying in the most conspicuous position.
【Nightmare Island Invitation】 (Full-Server Dungeon Entrance Ticket)
Price: 1,000 game coins (Free for top 500 players on the leaderboard)
Status: Claimable (You are ranked 1st on the grand regional leaderboard, free)
Cheng Shuili clicked “Claim” without hesitation.
【You have obtained the “Nightmare Island Invitation”.】
【The dungeon will officially open in one hour. Please prepare yourselves. You will be forcibly teleported when the time comes.】
【Note: The number of people required for this dungeon is 2-10! Please confirm your team within one hour!】
Team…
Cheng Shuili was uncharacteristically silent for a moment.
If it were a partition dungeon, she would have just taken those few people with her.
The few of them were considered strong in the partition, but that was only within the partition.
Now, she was facing completely unknown situations and players from other grand regions who were absolutely hostile. For the sake of their respective grand regions’ interests, they were almost naturally enemies.
Before Wanyi and the others had fully spread their wings, Cheng Shuili would not take them on such a risk.
Then…
She would have to find a new teammate.
Cheng Shuili frowned and opened the grand regional leaderboard again to take a look.
In the entire twelfth partition, besides Cheng Shuili, only one person was still on the grand regional leaderboard.
This person was not Qian Xun, nor was it the current third-place holder, Shi Zhi Jiu, but the fourth-place holder, Hao Hao.
The ranking method of the partition leaderboard was different from the grand regional one, so it was reasonable for this situation to occur.
Just as she was thinking, 001 suddenly reminded her that there were messages needing a reply.
Cheng Shuili opened the private chat and saw that the person who sent the message was none other than Hao Hao.
【Hao Hao】: Big shot Crow, I finally gathered the courage to send you a message! I finally have a legitimate reason to contact you!!!
【Hao Hao】: Big shot!! Do you need a teammate? The kind that can fight, take hits, and is obedient. If you say go east, I absolutely won’t go west; if you say chase a dog, I absolutely won’t steal a chicken!
【Hao Hao】: Big shot Crow, I really don’t have any teammates left. Please take me in; I beg you! Taking me in will absolutely have no downsides for you!
Cheng Shuili was stunned by the long string of messages popping up.
【Crow Takes Flight】: You...
Before she could even finish one word, the other party bombarded her with messages again.
【Hao Hao】: Ahhh big shot, you replied to me!
【Hao Hao】: That’s great! I know I might be a bit noisy, but I promise I absolutely won’t drop the ball at a critical moment! I am also someone who received an invitation; I didn’t buy a ticket with game coins to get in!
【Hao Hao】: I really can’t find a teammate, big shot Crow! Just form a team with me! Qian Xun and the others aren’t participating. Besides you, I really don’t know who else I can team up with!
【Hao Hao】: If it really doesn’t work, we can discuss it properly. I’ll give you supplies, I’ll give you game coins, anything you want, as long as I have it, it’s all negotiable!
Cheng Shuili rubbed her temples. This guy…
A bit too noisy!
Really!
Even when she encountered the slacking guide, Cheng Shuili had pondered how they became friends. After interacting with Hao Hao today, Cheng Shuili knew the reason.
Noisy! They were all people who talked too much! Even if it was awkward at first, they could probably chat their way through it!
Setting aside these minor flaws, Cheng Shuili also happened to need a teammate, so she simply replied.
【Crow Takes Flight】: Stop. Fine, but the team will only have the two of us. Can you accept that?
【Hao Hao】: Two people?! Just the two of us? But the dungeon says 2 to 10 people…
Cheng Shuili had just finished reading this message when the next one came through.
【Hao Hao】: But two people is also fine! This way, we don’t have to worry about teammates betraying us! Big shot, do you want to sign a trading contract with me? I know the rules; I absolutely won’t say what shouldn’t be said! I absolutely won’t do what shouldn’t be done!
【Hao Hao】: Big shot, did you think of this point long ago? As expected of the number one, you really are different! Then what should we prepare? Do we need to carry anything? I have here...
Cheng Shuili decisively interrupted.
【Crow Takes Flight】: We still need to sign a trading contract. Don’t worry, we are teammates; these conditions are good for both you and me.
【Hao Hao】: Clear, clear! I have no problem with that!
【Crow Takes Flight】: Forced teleportation in one hour. Now, agree to my team invitation.
【Hao Hao】: Okay, big shot! No problem, big shot! (Obedient.jpg) I’m going to prepare right now! I promise I won’t bother you anymore!
Cheng Shuili looked at the dialog box that had finally quieted down and let out a soft sigh.
This teammate... I hope they can be this obedient in the dungeon.
Cheng Shuili shook her head, opened the five-person small group she hadn’t opened for a long time, and explained the team formation.
【New Snow Clearing】: That’s great! I was worried that Boss would insist on taking me. I know what a little trash I am!
【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Same here!
【Ai Mi Li】: Boss, do you really not need anyone else? I want to follow along too. Boss, you know me; my marksmanship is very good!
【Wanyi】: Just right! @Ai Mi Li, come and form a team with us? Boss isn’t there, and if you aren’t there either, those two girls probably won’t have any sense of security.
【New Snow Clearing】: I’m not afraid! But Sister Ailin should still be with us. Bullets are useless against those high-ranking players, but if you get hit, you really will die.
【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Exactly, exactly! Sister Ailin, what will I do without you?! Boss went to the high-end match to bully the weak, leaving us three little noobs splashing in the fish pond. Can you bear it? In the days without you and Boss, Xinxue and I are just two unwanted little bitter melons! Oh, little cabbage~ yellow in the fields~
Cheng Shuili silently closed the group chat.
Let them discuss it themselves; it looked like they were discussing it quite well.
The faction group chat was also very lively. Everyone knew that the best thing was to team up with players from their own faction to get the bonus from the cohesion aura, which naturally gave them an advantage over players without a faction!
Plus, everyone was familiar with each other; not only was their coordination smooth, but they also trusted each other more. Many people were typing in the group:
“After leaving Black Feather, where else could I find such good teammates?!”
But the number of members in Black Feather wasn’t an even number. If the teams were fully filled, it was inevitable that some members would be left alone.
The only two paths before these few members were to either not fill the team or go to the regional channel to recruit people.
Although they were already elite players, the strength of a team often depended on the number of people on both sides. Therefore, choosing the former was almost equal to admitting defeat, while the latter had the possibility of betrayal.
But this problem was completely a theoretical one. The reality was that members chose teammates according to their own preferences and who they were more familiar with.
Some teams even had nine people, and if another member wanted to join, they would be rejected with the excuse of “not knowing them.”
This kind of thing was understandable, but that didn’t mean it should happen.
Cheng Shuili read dozens more messages. Although there were rational members, they were the minority. There were also some socially anxious members who didn’t dare to find teammates in the group chat at all and simply joined teams randomly on the regional channel.
Cheng Shuili frowned slightly.
She founded Black Feather to unite strength, not to watch members engage in internal friction or fall into danger for such reasons.
She pondered for a moment and posted an announcement in the faction group chat:
【Crow Takes Flight】: @All members, for all incomplete teams, prioritize internal coordination and team formation based on the principle of complementary strengths. If coordination is impossible, Xinxue and Guanghui will designate the assignments. Those who refuse internal team formation or contact outsiders without permission will be considered to have automatically left Black Feather.
As soon as this announcement was made, the channel went quiet for a moment, and then more discussions broke out.
“Boss has spoken!”
“Internal coordination? That’s great! I was just worried about not finding a reliable teammate!”
“Designated? That’s also fine, it saves us from worrying about it!”
“Boss is wise! This way we don’t have to worry about being left alone!”
Cheng Shuili didn’t look anymore and directly handed over the coordination authority to Xinxue.
She believed Xinxue could handle these trifles well.
For the remaining time, Cheng Shuili simply did some light activity and cleaned up the inside of the Abyss Ring.
Even just in case, she brought along a few rocket shells. With this stuff, no matter what the opponent was, Cheng Shuili could just bomb them; she could definitely bomb the opponent to death!
Everything was prepared. Cheng Shuili informed Su Rui and lay on the sofa, quietly waiting for the countdown to end.
Weaver didn’t mention the duration of this dungeon. Just in case, Wanyi still prepared some meals.
The moment the countdown ended, a familiar feeling of teleportation struck.
Cheng Shuili’s vision was instantly swallowed by white light, and when it became clear again, she was already in a gray-purple, oppressive world.
Damp and fishy-smelling mist filled the air, twisted dead forests were like ghostly shadows, and strange music in the distance was intertwined with muffled human voices.
Cheng Shuili stood firm quickly and scanned her surroundings rapidly.
Standing beside her was a tall woman, none other than Hao Hao.
She was wearing a sharp, dark-gray combat suit, and her chestnut-colored short hair was casually tousled, looking capable and full of vitality.
This person had bright, atmospheric features, and there was an unyielding, heroic spirit between her brows.
And at this moment, those bright amber eyes were vigilantly looking around, and her right hand was subconsciously pressing on a pair of uniquely shaped short blades hanging at her waist.
Unlike the boisterous image in the channel before, she was now pursing her lips, her expression focused and tense, revealing a steadiness honed by actual combat.
Seeing this image, Cheng Shuili knew this was a reliable teammate.
“Cr-Crow big shot!” Hao Hao’s voice carried the tension of being in a dangerous situation for the first time, but she wasn’t panicked. “We’re here? This place… feels very ominous.”
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