Chapter 123 : Harvested One Million Essence, Unprecedented Territory Expansion
Chapter 123: Harvested One Million Essence, Unprecedented Territory Expansion
【Player “Autumn Moon” has died, Essence +100……】
【Player “Ugly Freak” has died, Essence +100……】
【Player “Past Like the Wind” has died, Essence +100……】
【Player “One Who Won’t Return” has died, Essence +100……】
【Player “Peeing Against the Wind for Three Thousand Zhang” has died, Essence +100……】
【……】
This was the greatest massacre in the history of Twisted Three Kingdoms. Nearly nine hundred players were completely slaughtered within less than five minutes—no one survived!
As the saying goes, even a mosquito is still meat. Even if a level-1 Player only dropped 100 Essence upon death, then with nearly five hundred Players dying in one wave, that would still total around fifty thousand Essence!
At that point, it was no longer just mosquito meat.
Moreover, there were still over a hundred level-5 Players in the Novice Village.
As the saying goes, little drops of water make the mighty ocean. This unprecedented massacre in the Novice Village astonishingly earned Hang Yu 240,000 Essence.
This wasn’t much different from what could be gained from one wave of over a hundred high-level Players dying.
The Territory’s Essence Reserve had already broken past the one-million mark.
And this was only the beginning, because Hang Yu had granted every Player participating in the event three free resurrection opportunities. After this wave of Players was killed, they quickly revived at the Territory.
Logically speaking—
After suffering such a brutal massacre—
The Players should have been dejected or furious.
But in truth, the situation was the exact opposite of what one might expect.
When nine hundred Players resurrected at the Base Camp, every single face beamed with excitement and fervor!
“Holy crap!”
“That was awesome!”
“That lightning-imbued offensive skill, that fire-breathing Ground Dragon mount—will we Players be able to have those too in the future?”
“This game doesn’t just have insane realism!”
“The special effects are absolutely over the top!”
“I want to experience it all over again!”
“Same here!”
“Dying to an attack like that felt amazing!”
The Players felt no pain during their deaths—only shock and awe.
Most of this crowd had just joined the game and were all newbies. They simply thought it was the most badass, most visually spectacular cutscene they had ever seen!
And if it were only the special effects, that would’ve been fine.
What was truly rare was the attention to detail and sense of realism!
From the subtle interactions between every flame or bolt of lightning with air particles as they passed, to the effects of collisions with dirt, stones, and grass, and even the visuals, sound effects, and impact feedback—everything was top-tier.
Not even Hollywood’s top-level special effects could probably match this.
It was absolutely nothing like those games whose battle effects looked flashy but were just blinding light pollution. This made Players feel that even if they died, they died feeling satisfied and thrilled!
Toasting the Moon had also returned after dying.
But his mood was completely different from that of the other Players.
If the Players were shocked and delighted, then his mood was one of horror—perhaps even fear—because he had begun to suspect that this so-called Abyss Three Kingdoms was in fact a real, existing alternate world.
If this assumption proved true—
Then Chi Lin was a truly existing lifeform!
If one day, for whatever reason, a creature like that descended upon the real world, what kind of destruction and impact would it bring? The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became!
No matter what—
The Territory must be defended.
According to what had been revealed in the game, once the Territory fell and the Lord was killed, the game would be suspended indefinitely!
If this really were just a game, that would be one thing. But it was clearly not a simple game. Who could say what unpredictable things might occur if it were suspended indefinitely?
“Everyone, listen to me for a moment!”
“The Dragon-Lizard People are too powerful!”
“However, we’re not completely useless either!”
“I believe the Lord and the other big shots will be back soon!”
“I’m sure even the Dragon-Lizard People have limited stamina and mana. Even if we can’t pose a threat, we can still wear them down and contribute to the defense of the Territory!”
Toasting the Moon called upon the Players.
To put it bluntly—
It was suicide!
Yet in the face of such a proposal, the hundreds of Players weren’t repelled at all. On the contrary, each of them was full of enthusiasm!
“Absolutely!”
“I died too fast last time—I didn’t even react!”
“This time, I want to properly experience it!”
“Hahaha, getting flung, scorched, and crushed into paste by the Dragon-Lizard Lord—how is that not more thrilling than bungee jumping or skydiving?”
“Anyway, everyone still has two free resurrection chances!”
“Exactly! No point in wasting it!”
“……”
This wave of new recruits from the Calamity Legion once again surged out of the Territory in a large swarm. They quickly encountered the vanguard led by Chi Lin from the Dragon-Lizard Tribe.
“You again!”
“Are all human soldiers unkillable?!”
Chi Lin had never heard of such a situation. While this group before him posed no real threat, they were annoying like a swarm of flies!
So be it!
Can’t kill them once?
Then kill them twice!
If twice isn’t enough, then thrice!
Chi Lin didn’t believe in resurrection without cost, nor did he believe in true immortality. As long as they were killed enough times, they could be completely eliminated!
He prepared to strike.
“Wait a moment!”
“I have something to say!”
Several Players jumped out.
Chi Lin actually paused, his movement stopping mid-air as he instinctively decided to hear what these residents of the human Territory had to say.
“I really admire you!”
“Could you sign an autograph before you kill me?”
“I don’t ask for much, just a photo. I’ll hang it on my wall as a keepsake!”
“You’re the first big shot to kill me, and also the first Foreign Tribe Lord we’ve ever encountered.”
“I died too fast last time. I want a death with some feeling this time. Can you stomp me flat with your mount? I think that would be more interesting!”
“……”
Insane!
Utterly insane!
These residents were completely out of their minds!
Could the price of resurrection be complete mental collapse?
Though he had guessed there’d be a cost to resurrection, wasn’t this cost a bit too extreme?
Could such mentally deranged troops really be used to expand territory?
“Die!” Chi Lin swung his battle spear, releasing a wave of lightning that instantly cut down dozens to over a hundred Players like harvesting wheat. The rest scattered in panic, heads ducked and fleeing.
“Mother!”
“Totally dishonorable!”
“He suddenly attacked out of nowhere!”
“Forget it, let’s just see who can survive the longest!”
The Players’ reactions made Chi Lin’s expression grow darker and darker, his rage swelling.
These mentally broken, brain-fried soldiers didn’t take him seriously at all, nor did they treat this as a true life-and-death battle that threatened the very survival of their Territory. On the contrary, they were playing games and mocking him.
A bunch of lunatics!
Chi Lin immediately intensified his attacks!
All sorts of strikes were unleashed one after another.
Players screamed and scattered, only to be hunted down one by one.
Meanwhile, the battle on the Shansang Ancient City front had already concluded. The attacking Dragon-Lizard Soldiers numbered only around five hundred. Though they caused some damage to the city, it was still far from being breached.
Although the defending forces did suffer some casualties,
The losses were extremely limited.
The Calamity Legion elites had charged in and out of the Dragon-Lizard ranks several times. Though they paid the price of multiple deaths, their gains were extremely fruitful—at least three hundred effective Dragon-Lizard kills were confirmed.
What did that mean?
Just the direct Contribution Points reward alone exceeded two hundred thousand.
With around 120 Players, each could receive approximately 1,600 to 1,700 Contribution Points.
In addition to that—
There was a large amount of Essence.
And a massive haul of loot!
【You picked up loot: Abyssal Magic Crystal +30, Abyssal Essence +4000, Coldiron Spear (Dragon-Lizard) +1, Refined Chestplate (Dragon-Lizard) +1, Bearbone Helmet (Dragon-Lizard)……】
【You picked up loot: Abyssal Magic Crystal +30, Abyssal Essence +5000, Flame Stone Staff (Dragon-Lizard) +1, Radiant Deer Robe (Dragon-Lizard) +1, Mithril Ring (Dragon-Lizard)……】
【……】
After the battle,
Players had obtained more than 10,000 Abyssal Magic Crystals in total.
Average Essence gained per person exceeded 10,000, which not only made up for the two to three average deaths per Player in terms of experience but even allowed many Players to level up directly.
The number of Tier-Two Players had not decreased—in fact, it had increased.
From 8 before the war to 14 now.
In addition, over a dozen level-9 Players had leveled up to level 10, drawing closer and closer to the Tier-Two breakthrough.
“Finally done!”
“The loot was really bountiful!”
“Too bad we missed out on some Dragon-Lizard kills. Otherwise, we could have earned even more this round!”
“Don’t be greedy. Getting results like this is already amazing. Don’t forget—there’s still a huge wave of Dragon-Lizard People waiting for us to kill!”
“……”
Ye Li Meng, Black-Eyed Rui Ge, and the others quickly gathered the loot. At that moment, they received word from the Base Camp Players that Chi Lin was already within striking distance of the Base Camp. If they didn’t return immediately, it would be too late.
No other choice!
They had to die to return!
Though losing experience was a pity—
The current situation was too urgent to worry about that.
Ye Li Meng directly removed his helmet, then raised the ferocious Thousand-Skull Hammer and slammed it down on his own forehead—blasting his skull open on the spot.
352 (Lethal Critical!)
“Holy crap!”
“Headshot!”
“Uncle Meng is a beast!”
“I can’t do it myself. Can someone help me out?”
“Everyone help each other! Be quick—there’s no time left!”
“……”
At this moment, Hang Yu had also returned to the Base Camp, and he quickly received a fresh batch of death notifications.
【Player “Ye Li Meng” has died, Essence +4000……】
【Player “Lone Boat” has died, Essence +4000……】
【Player “Black-Eyed Rui Ge” has died, Essence +4000……】
【……】
Gotta say—
The Players were ruthless.
They decisively killed themselves to return.
But the Players were also smart. They clearly understood that upon death, all Abyssal Magic Crystals and Abyssal Magic Stones would drop, and around 20–30% of other items might drop as well. So before suicide, they stored their supplies in Shansang Ancient City with NPCs like Zhou Ji, effectively reducing their losses.
As for the Essence lost, that was a fixed penalty that couldn’t be avoided.
Fortunately, each death only dropped at most one-fifth and at minimum one-tenth of the required Essence for their current level-up. For a level-11 Player, that meant losing only 1000 to 2000 Essence—completely manageable.
“The gains really aren’t small!”
Through this campaign,
Hang Yu had already earned over a million Essence.
He directly promoted fifty Personal Guards to level 11.
As a result, all seventy Personal Guard Soldiers under Hang Yu’s command were now Tier-Two Combatants, each equipped with the best gear and skill loadouts. These seventy alone were enough to withstand the eight hundred Dragon-Lizard People led by Chi Lin.
One could say—
The Territory’s defenses were now ironclad.
With full confidence, Hang Yu was in no rush to make a move. Instead, he continued observing the situation. Stepping out of the Lord’s Office, he saw a great number of Players in the Base Camp, while the advance units from Wo Niu Mountain were also returning one after another to resurrect.
“Boss!”
“Bosses!”
“You’ve finally made it back!”
“Thank goodness! The Territory is saved! The Territory is saved!”
When Black-Eyed Rui Ge and the others once again appeared in the Base Camp, hundreds of freshly resurrected Players gathered around them. Seeing the excellent equipment and powerful presence of Ye Li Meng, Rui Ge, and the others left them all in awe.
“So these are the top warriors of our Calamity Legion?”
“No wonder they’re boss-tier figures!”
“Compared to them, we really do look like junk pickers!”
“Hmph, why should nobles and generals be born different? They just logged in earlier and developed for half a month more. Give me one month and I’ll surpass them!”
“……”
The scene was chaotic.
The Players were all chattering noisily.
Hang Yu saw this and could only shake his head helplessly.
The Calamity Legion Players were great in every way, except for one flaw—poor discipline. They were too loose and free-spirited in daily life, with no sense of order. Often acting on impulse, they frequently pulled off surprising stunts.
Of course—
On the matter of free will—
Hang Yu and Chi Lin held completely opposing views.
Chi Lin believed it to be a major flaw—potentially even a fatal one.
But Hang Yu considered it an advantage, and a highly significant one at that. As the Territory’s land and population continued to expand, this advantage would only become more evident in the form of increased benefits and efficiency.
In the future, when the population grew too large, Players could be granted the right to establish Guilds or Teams. That way, they could form autonomous organizations and more efficiently harness each member’s ability to generate value.
As for Hang Yu?
He only needed to remain behind the scenes—
Controlling the larger picture through quests and a system of rewards and penalties.
“Lord!”
The Players quickly spotted Hang Yu.
Many of the new Players were seeing the Lord for the very first time.
At that moment, their eyes lit up. They all felt that the Lord was even more commanding and dashing than they had imagined. Truly the highest commander of the faction in Twisted Three Kingdoms, the supreme ruler who created the Calamity Legion.
“Chi Lin is about to arrive at the Base Camp!”
Hang Yu spoke in a deliberately solemn tone, “His power is immense, enough to pose a true threat to the Territory. So if necessary, this Lord will have no choice but to act personally!”
Hearing this,
Little Bell quickly said, “Please give our Calamity Legion one more chance!”
Salty Fish Charge also spoke up, “Yes, Lord, with you personally stationed at the core, the Base Camp will surely be impregnable. We just want a chance to prove ourselves!”
The Players wanted to die a few more times.
Hang Yu couldn’t be happier.
How could he possibly refuse?
But Hang Yu asked in return, “Then how do you plan to defeat Chi Lin?”
Everyone was momentarily speechless. They had fought Chi Lin before, and even with nearly a hundred of them working together, they had all been crushed. Although their numbers had increased now, most were still just a disorderly mob with little combat power. The outcome likely wouldn’t be any better.
“So be it. Since you have such fighting spirit, this Lord shall give you another chance!”
Upon hearing this,
The Players’ faces lit up with joy.
Everyone expressed their gratitude to the Lord.
Hang Yu continued, “Though Chi Lin is fierce, he is not without weaknesses. His powerful defense, in my observation, comes from a certain mount-related skill.”
Black-Eyed Rui Ge quickly asked, “What? A mount-related skill? What kind of skill is that?!”
Hang Yu said, “You can think of it as a special skill that provides Buff Enhancement from the mount. Chi Lin’s Ground Dragon is a rare and precious mount that significantly boosts Chi Lin’s defense.”
The Players’ eyes lit up.
No wonder Chi Lin, as a humanoid monster, had such high defense. Even Tier-Two Players’ spells or attacks couldn’t break through, only dealing negligible damage. That completely defied logic!
Now it seemed they had simply failed to understand the mechanics!
But with guidance from the Lord—
The Players’ confidence surged.
“Awesome!”
“This time we’ve got it!”
“Thank you for the guidance, Lord!”
“Please await our good news, Lord!”
“The Calamity Legion will surely take off that lizard’s head for you!”
Hang Yu nodded slightly. He also didn’t want to waste too much time on a mere Dragon-Lizard Lord. After all, this vast world still had too many mysterious lands and powerful beings waiting to be conquered!
The true significance of this battle lay in allowing Hang Yu’s Abyss Territory to expand from one region to three. In both territory size and number, it would be an unprecedented expansion.
This would firmly establish his foothold in the Abyss,
And lay a solid foundation for the upcoming expansion.