Chapter 89

Chapter 89: The Calamity's Revenge! A Bountiful Harvest​

When Black-Eyed Rui Ge and the Chimera Wraith squad discovered the camp,​ the elite Calamity Army, composed of wealthy player Ye Li Meng, top expert Lone Boat, Artist Faction Leader, Niu Shisan, and others, mobilized once again.​

They responded to the Lord's bounty mission.​

The objective of this operation was singular:​

Kill Lizardmen!​

And avenge their previous grievances!​

"Let these big lizards understand the consequences of offending us players and opposing the Lord!"​

They also learned that the territory had recently constructed a stable, providing players with the option to rent spirit horses.​

Each rented a spirit horse without hesitation.​

A deposit of 1,000 Contribution Points was required.​

The hourly rental fee was 100 Contribution Points.​

This price was quite steep, unaffordable for ordinary players.​

However, for these elite players, any expense that improved efficiency was worthwhile.​

They also paid 100 Contribution Points to teleport from the Luoshui main camp to the ruins of Shangyang Township, the teleportation point closest to the Abyssal Fog Gate.​

"Hahaha!"​

"This is so close to Woniu Mountain!"​

"Thanks to Wraith Girl and Rui Ge!"​

"It'll be much more convenient for us to hunt in Woniu Mountain from now on."​

Niu Shisan and Mad Blade Old Wang were very excited; this location was only four li away from Woniu Mountain.​

Of course, the Abyssal Fog Gate spanned several dozen to nearly a hundred li, so the corresponding positions in Woniu Mountain would vary.​

The Stone Monster Valley was at least eight or nine li away, requiring significantly more time to reach on foot.​

This was where the spirit horses proved their worth.​

After renting horses from the stable, each player received a Spirit Horse Bone Whistle, with the following attributes:​

【Spirit Horse Bone Whistle】, special item, used to summon a spirit horse, cooldown time 100 minutes. If the spirit horse dies during use, the whistle will automatically be destroyed... Note: Please take good care of your spirit horse. If it dies, the deposit will not be refunded.​

Blowing the whistle,​ countless lights converged, first forming a transparent spirit body, then quickly materializing into a warhorse.​

Finally, accompanied by a high-pitched and resonant neigh, a tall, black-maned horse appeared before them.​

【Black Spirit Horse】, Level 5 normal unit, HP 150/150,... Description: Although it lacks a true physical form, the spirit horse performs no worse than a top-quality warhorse during use.​

The others also blew their whistles.​

Upon seeing the majestic and handsome horses before them,​ everyone showed expressions of surprise and excitement.​

Niu Shisan, stroking his spirit horse, exclaimed excitedly, "Damn! It's so cool! I've always wanted to experience galloping across the Inner Mongolian grasslands, but work and life have always been too busy!"​

Ye Li Meng laughed heartily, "Then let's thank Twisted Three Kingdoms. Not only does it let us experience the thrill of vengeance and passion, but it also helps us fulfill many dreams we never had time for in real life."​

Mad Blade Old Wang mounted his horse, "Our stamina is limited; let's not delay and set off immediately!"​

"Let's go!"​

"Let's go!"​

Lone Boat, Chenxi, Little Bell, Artist Faction Leader, and others mounted their horses.​

Although most had no riding experience, their bodies retained various soldiers' muscle memories.​

Moreover, with their current physical attributes, controlling a horse wasn't difficult.​

Soon after,​ twelve black horses departed from the teleportation point.​

These spirit horses were quite fast, reaching speeds of at least 50 to 60 miles per hour, and had strong endurance, capable of running for several hours continuously.​

"Awesome!"​

As players galloped across the primitive wilderness,​ whether it was the magnificent and mysterious nebula sky above or the surrounding ruins filled with historical atmosphere,​ whether it was the sensation of the wind hitting their faces or the jolting of the horse's hooves,​ all contributed to an intense sense of immersion and involvement.​

This kind of unrestrained galloping and the freedom of vengeance and passion were impossible to experience in real urban life, which was why Twisted Three Kingdoms was so addictive.​

In less than twenty minutes,​ the group rode through the Fog Gate and reached the next area.​

"Everyone, be careful!"​

"Dismiss the spirit horses first!"​

"This is the Stone Monster Valley!"​

"Lizardmen might be ambushing nearby!"​

Ye Li Meng and others quickly blew their Spirit Horse Bone Whistles, causing their mounts to rapidly transform into spirit forms and disappear, switching from riding to walking.​

"Did you hear something?"​

"It sounds like a battle ahead!"​

Not long after entering the Stone Monster Valley, the group suddenly heard the sounds of combat coming from ahead.​

Lone Boat activated Shadow Step to scout ahead.​

Within minutes, he returned swiftly and reported,​

"Five Dragon Lizardmen are hunting the Stone Monster leader!"​

Ye Li Meng, Little Bell, and others were delighted upon hearing this.​

The Stone Monster leader in the valley was a Level 9 elite monster.​

Although players had encountered it before, they hadn't attacked due to uncertainty.​

These Dragon Lizardmen, like players, were essentially territory soldiers, vassals under the Stars Lord, and naturally had the need to hunt wild monsters.​

After successfully ambushing and killing humans attempting to infiltrate, they discovered valuable monsters to ambush and eliminate for loot.​

At this moment,​ a Dragon Lizard Mage, a Dragon Lizard Priest, and three Dragon Lizard Warriors were besieging the filthy Stone Monster leader covered in crystal clusters.​

Although these five Dragon Lizard soldiers ranged from Level 8 to Level 10, the Stone Monster leader had a high HP and defense, requiring significant effort even from them.​

"Perfect!"​

"A godsend opportunity!"​

The players immediately took action.​

Hang Yu closely monitored the situation through the Lord's vision.​

He glanced at the five Dragon Lizard soldiers: one Level 10 Mage, one Level 10 Warrior (the main damage dealer and tank), one Level 9 Priest, and two Level 8 Warriors.​

Their equipment and skills were quite impressive, with an average strength comparable to Level 7 or 8 elite monsters.​

In a direct confrontation,​ the twelve players might not prevail.​

Although the players were also around Level 7 or 8, their equipment quality, enhancement levels, and skills were somewhat inferior to the Dragon Lizardmen.​

Fortunately,​ the Dragon Lizard soldiers were currently engaged in monster hunting,​ providing the players with a significant opportunity!​

Lone Boat directly activated Shadow Step to approach the Dragon Lizard Mage from behind.​

He activated his aura and Blood Sacrifice, stabbing the Mage's heart with the Bloodstain Sword.​

201 (Fatal Critical Hit!)​

Dragon Lizardmen were extremely resilient; even with a pierced and shredded heart, they could survive for a while.

"Shit!"

"These damn lizards can poison!"

"Kill them all now! Make it quick!"

All the players rushed forward and launched their attack.

"Chain Lightning!"

Little Bell raised her staff and summoned a bolt of lightning, which instantly arced through four Dragon Lizard soldiers, dealing 20 to 30 points of damage each.

The Dragon Lizard Priest swung his staff and cast a healing spell, instantly restoring HP to himself and three others.

The healer had to die first!

Otherwise, the battle would drag on endlessly!

Lone Boat, suffering the effects of Blood Sacrifice and the poison curse, charged forward with max-level Gale Step and reached the Priest.

He dodged the fireball spell cast by the Priest and stabbed directly at the Priest’s throat with his sword.

The sword blade was blocked by an invisible barrier.

The Dragon Lizard Priest had activated some unknown defensive spell.

Just then, an 8th-level Dragon Lizard Warrior lunged forward, thrusting a spear with lightning speed.

"No choice but to go all out!"

"Qi Gathering Slash!"

Knowing he wouldn’t last a few seconds with his current HP, and that dodging wouldn’t help, Lone Boat gave up evasion and swung his Bloodstain Sword again.

The white sword light howled and struck the same spot.

After a slight resistance—

Lone Boat seemed to shatter an invisible layer of glass, and the sword light successfully landed on the Dragon Lizard Priest’s neck.

76 (Critical Hit!)

Although Lone Boat had learned Qi Gathering Slash and greatly increased his attack, his strength still couldn’t compare to a warrior.

The Dragon Lizard's neck was protected by scales, and the attack only made a shallow, non-lethal cut.

295 (Fatal Critical Hit!)

A Dragon Lizard Warrior pierced Lone Boat’s chest with a spear.

Seeing Lone Boat fall and the Priest preparing to heal himself, Ye Li Meng quickly raised the Thousand-Skull Demon Hammer and slammed it heavily into the ground.

A wave of invisible force spread in a fan-shaped burst!

New Skill — Earth Shock Wave!

The Dragon Lizard Priest, caught at the center of the blast, was stunned and interrupted mid-spell.

Niu Shisan and Mad Blade Old Wang, ignoring the poison, charged forward.

Mad Blade Old Wang body-slammed the Dragon Lizard Warrior guarding the Priest with his shield.

Niu Shisan then raised his greatsword and landed a max-level Qi Gathering Slash on the Priest’s neck.

【You killed a Dragon Lizard Citizen. You received 700 Contribution Points!】

Beheading successful!

Before dying, the Dragon Lizard Priest also self-immolated and released toxic fumes, affecting even more players.

Their HP rapidly dropped, while the Dragon Lizards remained unaffected.

A Level 10 Dragon Lizard Warrior killed several players, including Grey Wood and Ning Caichen II, and then charged at Chenxi, the team's healer.

"Chenxi, watch out!"

Little Bell cast Chain Lightning again, but the bolts that bounced between three Dragon Lizard Warriors were blocked by the strongest one with his shield.

He then threw a short spear that pierced straight through Chenxi.

Twelve players had now lost four members, and most of the others were poisoned.

Without a healer, they were struggling to hold on.

The Stone Monster Leader's crystal-covered body lit up, and a powerful energy beam shot from its mouth, striking the Level 10 Dragon Lizard Warrior with significant damage.

"Perfect timing!"

Niu Shisan and Mad Blade Old Wang led two players in a charge.

Finally, at the cost of three more deaths, Mad Blade Old Wang brought the warrior down with a slash.

【You killed a Dragon Lizard Citizen. You received 800 Contribution Points!】

Only two Dragon Lizard Warriors and the nearly-dead Stone Monster Leader remained.

The players quickly divided their roles.

Ye Li Meng charged straight at the Stone Monster Leader.

"Die!"

He activated the charge attack skill from the Thousand-Skull Hammer and slammed it onto the monster’s massive body.

184 (Critical Hit!)

The Stone Monster Leader’s HP finally bottomed out.

Cracks spread across its body, and with a mournful cry, it shattered and collapsed.

Only two Level 8 Dragon Lizard Warriors remained.

The outcome was no longer in doubt.

【You killed a Dragon Lizard Citizen. You received 500 Contribution Points!】

【You killed a Dragon Lizard Citizen. You received 500 Contribution Points!】

"We won!"

Only four out of the twelve players remained standing.

They were Ye Li Meng, Mad Blade Old Wang, Niu Shisan, and Little Bell.

The others were either slain by the Dragon Lizard soldiers or killed by poison.

These four survived thanks to better gear, some of which granted HP and resistance boosts.

They also carried healing pills, barely slowing their HP loss.

"That was way too dangerous!"

"Even in a sneak attack, we nearly wiped out… If it had been a head-on fight, it would've been a bloodbath!"

Among the five Dragon Lizard soldiers, the most dangerous was the Mage who Lone Boat assassinated at the start.

The Mage’s Exploding Flame Spell could cause group damage and even stun players.

Had the Dragon Lizard soldiers made the first move, the odds of victory would have plummeted.

"Whatever the case—"

"At least we won."

"Each lizard came with extra Contribution Point rewards."

"Just from the bonuses alone, we earned 3,300 Contribution Points, not to mention the loot."

"Start collecting loot!"

【You picked up loot: Abyssal Magic Crystal +30, Abyssal Essence Points +6000, Firecopper Spear (Dragon Lizard) +1, Firecopper Chestplate (Dragon Lizard) +1, Firecopper Helmet (Dragon Lizard)…】

Ye Li Meng picked up a piece of loot.

He was stunned by the harvest.

Not only did these Lizardmen drop Essence and gear that rivaled or exceeded elite monsters of the same level—

They also dropped Abyssal Magic Crystals, something that had never happened before.

【Abyssal Magic Crystal】, a special material refined from Abyssal Magic Stone, each piece worth 100 Contribution Points.

5 Dragon Lizard Soldiers.

Each dropped 30 Magic Crystals.

A total of 150 Crystals, equivalent to 15,000 Contribution Points.

Adding the 3,300 extra bonus points, they had earned a total of 18,300 Contribution Points.

Each person could get at least 1,525 Contribution Points.

That didn’t even include Essence gains or loot value.

When the Dragon Lizard Citizens died, most of their bodies were disintegrated by the Will of the Stars—

But most of their gear still dropped.

Each had at least three to five pieces fall to the ground.

Of course, while units of the Stars faction dropped a lot of loot, the items were all race-bound.

Players couldn’t see the gear’s detailed attributes or use it directly.

There were only two current options for handling them.

One was to dismantle them into materials.

The other was to take them to the Forging Workshop for modification, changing their stats and size to fit human use.

Naturally, modification was a type of forging and came with a high cost.

The only disappointment—

Was that the Stone Monster Leader didn’t drop anything valuable.

Most of its damage had been dealt by the Dragon Lizard soldiers.

As a result, the Heavenly Dao’s Blessing effect didn’t trigger.

Naturally, it didn’t drop loot worth ten times the norm.

"This operation cost us a lot of lives!"

"But we gained a lot too!"

"Yeah, even without the high rewards, just eliminating enemy troops and weakening the local Lord's forces was a huge contribution!"

"I suggest we post this on the forum as soon as possible!"

"Let other players start preparing to deal with the Dragon Lizardmen too!"

Ye Li Meng and the others had just stored away their loot and were preparing to retreat along the same route when, unfortunately, they ran into a Dragon Lizard reinforcement unit.

……

Luoshui Main Camp.

Hang Yu looked at the data scrolling across the logs.

【……】

【Player “Ye Li Meng” has died, Essence +2000!】

【Player “Mad Blade Old Wang” has died, Essence +1600!】

【Player “Little Bell” has died, Essence +1600!】

【Player “Niu Shisan” has died, Essence +1600!】

Not bad.

The players had successfully taken revenge.

They had wiped out a small enemy force.

Though in the end, they were still completely annihilated.

But for the territory, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Hang Yu managed to reclaim over 20,000 Essence in the process.

The Filthy Stone Monster Leader was a Lesser Nightmare Source, granting him 3 Tier-One Talent Points.

Current Essence Reserve: 189,000!

And it was likely to keep increasing.

Only one day had passed since the start of the second beta.

Several exploration teams made up of high-level players had already been wiped out multiple times, not to mention the low-level players wandering and dying all over the Luoshui map.

This constant stream of deaths meant Hang Yu’s Essence reserves had never stopped growing.

Several reconnaissance squads of the Calamity Army had made long treks, died many times, and exhausted their stamina significantly.

By now, they had gradually returned to the barracks to rest.

Though they had logged off in-game—

They were still active in reality.

After logging off, players like Black-Eyed Rui Ge, Chimera Wraith, and Little Bell became active on the forum again, sharing the day’s discoveries with cloud players.

The first day of the second beta had been fruitful.

Whether in terms of intelligence, resources, or Essence gains, the results were enormous.

Because the players were even better at getting themselves killed than expected, the speed at which Essence was produced was insanely fast.

What Hang Yu needed to think about next was how to digest all this Essence.

For example, should he continue strengthening the personal guard unit?

Or should he issue more missions to players—

To better use the Essence on hand and create even greater value?

There would be at least one more update today.