"Lord City Lord," Sifu greeted Bai Yi respectfully. He still resided in the missile silo, a critical location. If anyone were to infiltrate and crack the launch codes, they could unleash 300 missiles on Dongwu City, potentially obliterating it.
Of course, such a feat would be extremely difficult—unless the intruder was an alchemist. To mitigate this risk, Sifu made the silo his home, only leaving for missions.
"No need for such formality," Bai Yi replied, settling in front of the missile control panel to begin debugging. Soon, the bone dragon's perspective appeared on the large screen.
The newly upgraded thrusters were the most powerful Bai Yi could produce, allowing the bone dragon to reach speeds of Mach 7—approximately 2.4 kilometers per second. At that velocity, it quickly halted over a barren wasteland.
Bai Yi measured the distance: 2,380 kilometers. This was still within missile range. His objective was straightforward: when the mysterious town intersected with reality due to the boss's appearance, he would obliterate it. He had little doubt that no second Netherworld could manifest here.
He adjusted the missile settings, preparing to launch with the press of a button. Turning to the strongest alchemist present, a silver-level mechanic, he instructed, "Wait for my command. No changes to any parameters until I say so."
The alchemist nodded eagerly. "Understood, Lord City Lord."
Bai Yi stood up, cutting off the bone dragon's perspective. Players needed to maintain it; a sudden attack from their own side would cause chaos. If an actual mission arose, they could handle it. Players were willing to die once, but betrayal from their own ranks would incite anger.
To mitigate this, he planned to post a task, using the players for experience points—a win-win situation. As the Lord of Dongwu City, his mission authority was significantly greater than before, though its limits remained untested.
At the inner city wall, Bai Yi waited quietly until a sonic boom reverberated through the sky. The rumbling sound approached rapidly, finally stopping above the inner city.
Perched on the bone dragon, he felt a rush of exhilaration as it flapped its wings and soared into the sky, propelled by its thrusters.
Zero chimed in: [Ms. Diane is nearing the end of her retreat and will soon exit the network coverage area.]
Before Bai Yi could respond, Zero continued: [I've connected to the network through the AI clone. Operation speed has decreased significantly, but basic communication is still possible. This function has a maximum range of 4,000 kilometers. Mr. Bai Yi, please upgrade Zero as soon as possible.]
Bai Yi paused, choosing to ignore the request for now. Ahead lay a wasteland devoid of animals, yet thriving with plants. The Nether energy only targeted living beings, sparing flora unless they evolved to possess souls.
As the bone dragon descended, Bai Yi felt a wave of nostalgia. Players had impressive mobility; their motorcycles, easily modified, could reach speeds of four to five hundred kilometers per hour. Many real-life speed enthusiasts enjoyed the game.
The players' excitement was palpable as they spotted him.
"What the hell! White Plague? He's here to play the dungeon too?"
"What dungeon? This is obviously some we-media creation. He's manually closing the dungeon!"
Bai Yi chuckled at their banter. "Wonders, I need your help."
At his words, the players erupted with enthusiasm.
"Is there really a mission?"
"Whatever Mr. Baibai needs, we're on it!"
"Mr. Baibai, you're so handsome! Can we have a baby? Don't worry, I won't tell Diane."
"City Lord, can I ride the dragon?"
Ignoring the bizarre comments, Bai Yi smiled and addressed them: "You wonders have discovered a mysterious town. After investigation, it appears to originate from a terrifying realm known as the Netherworld."
"The Netherworld's characteristics are alarming. If it enters our city, it could spell disaster for Dongwu City. Since you are immortal, I ask you to help contain it, giving the missiles time to lock onto the target."
"Rest assured, any wonders killed by missiles will be rewarded with ten gold coins."
The players were momentarily stunned before erupting in cheers. From their excitement, Bai Yi inferred that this task had triggered a large-scale mission.
Simultaneously, the mission activated his specialty, [Swindler], which had lain dormant for some time.
[You have issued a large-scale task to 23 players. Your specialty [Swindler] has been activated. Rewards for completing the task are now reduced by 30%.]
[Current number of participants in the large-scale task: 23.]
[Current experience points: 20,700.]
[Current gold coins: 69.]
Bai Yi felt a surge of satisfaction. "It seems you're all on board. I'll be waiting here. Please spread the word about this mission."
The players quickly departed, excitement in their eyes as they headed toward the mysterious town. A few lingered, still trying to engage him in conversation, but as the bone dragon took off, they were left behind, disappointed.
Bai Yi calculated the missile's travel time. With a speed of Mach 30—10 kilometers per second—the launch site was nearly 2,400 kilometers from Tobu City. If timed correctly, this mission would be straightforward.
Why not simply enter and eliminate the boss? That would be challenging. Although the ghost was weakened by evil thoughts, it remained a formidable foe above the gold level. If it chose to flee, capturing it would be nearly impossible.
Initially, Bai Yi's plan for the mysterious town was to gather materials and, once its value was nearly depleted, launch the missiles. That plan still held.
As players ventured into the mysterious town, the mission spread rapidly. Once major streamers like Wei Lu picked it up, the dungeon's allure skyrocketed, attracting even more players—though it would take time for them to arrive.
Even at maximum speed, traversing the map would take seven to eight hours. This delay was a key factor in preventing the dungeon from becoming too popular.
With players' physical capabilities improved, Bai Yi considered setting up a teleportation array similar to those in the ancient god kingdoms. If players had access to teleportation, they could actively engage rather than passively wait.
Unfortunately, stable teleportation arrays were scarce, and he needed to consult Heidinger for potential solutions. His current arrays lacked the precision needed for distances beyond 10,000 kilometers, and the strain of tearing through space was beyond what players could endure.
[Current number of participants in the large-scale task: 709.]
[Current experience points: 638,100.]
[Current gold coins: 2,127.]
Originally, players were rewarded with 3,000 experience points and 10 gold coins for this task, but now only 2,100 experience points and 7 gold coins remained.
Of course, the players were unaware of this adjustment.
As the wait continued, players in the dungeon grew increasingly cautious. Many felt that ten gold coins for a life was not worth the risk. Yet, when combined with the mission rewards, it amounted to seventeen gold coins—equivalent to 510 real currency.
Spending 500 yuan for a game life was appealing, especially for those who weren't wealthy or established in the game.
Additionally, the task offered 2,100 experience points. For levels below 20, it generally required 10,000 to 20,000 experience points to level up, and levels below 25 wouldn't exceed 30,000. This made the mission enticing for many.
Of course, there were those who opted out. Those unwilling to participate could simply decline the task and exit the dungeon.
As time passed and dusk approached, heavy snow began to fall once again.
At this moment, Diane completed her retreat. During the past month, their communication had been limited to the first few days. Had she not been waiting for Or, she might have already entered her own plane for training.
Her sub-dimensional plane was filled with undead creatures, making it easier to connect with the realm of the dead and understand its rules. This was the foundation of the Difeng family, known for their vast soul resources, which they used to connect with influential figures in the undead world.
Utilizing the power of these figures, they projected their plane toward Xia, ultimately locating the entrance to this world, which became Diane's exclusive domain.
Bai Yi was astonished when he first learned of this arrangement. It was akin to purchasing a world!
The Difeng family's wealth stemmed from an artifact akin to the Soul Lantern, known as the Soul Master—an artifact associated with a deity of souls. No one knew the whereabouts of the Soul Master or if he was even alive, especially since no Plane God had participated in the War of Gods. However, his artifacts had been lost in Xia.
The soul resources generated by this artifact constituted 50% of the soul resource trade in the federation. Essentially, the Difeng family set the market price, believing they could sell at any rate as long as they broke even, making them unchallenged in price wars.
Diane messaged: [I want to see you.]
Bai Yi replied: [I'll come find you, but it will take two days. I'm busy right now.]
Diane responded: [Okay, I'll wait. When you come, I'll take you to my dimension. You must help me transform some of my subordinates. You can't refuse!]
Bai Yi quipped: [Can you pay me? I'm quite poor.]
Diane shot back: [o(￣ヘ￣o#)]
Bai Yi chuckled: [Just kidding! Don't worry, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is still mine. I wouldn't charge for modifying my own things.]
Diane replied: [That's good enough. When you come, there will be a mysterious reward (￣︶￣)]
Bai Yi inquired: [What reward?]
Diane teased: [Secret!]
Bai Yi prompted: [Video.]
As the video connected, surprise flashed in Bai Yi's eyes. Diane looked even more stunning; her pupils had turned dark purple, exuding a regal aura.
Diane blushed under his gaze, asking, "Why didn't you use this function earlier?"
"I was crafting equipment. I couldn't afford to be distracted by your presence," Bai Yi replied earnestly.
Diane beamed: "You passed the test! Where are you now?"
"I've sent a task to the wonders, and they are currently waiting," Bai Yi said, glancing at the forum. Players were progressing rapidly, but he recalled that the dungeon's boss was notably difficult.
He was unsure how to revive the boss, but that was inconsequential now. Nearly 10,000 players were participating in the mission, all top players in Dongwu City, except for those who chose to opt out.
This wave of experience points would be substantial and should suffice in a few hours.
"Wonder. I've read the manual you wrote for utilizing wonders, but I always feel something strange when I interact with them," Diane confessed, pausing. "They seem to want to steal my things!"
"It's fine. If you encounter any suspicious behavior, take action immediately. They won't hold a grudge against you for dealing with a humiliating defeat," Bai Yi advised, his expression growing serious.
At that moment, a new task notification appeared on his panel.
[Due to special circumstances, the Saint 2: Netherworld mission has been altered. Felix, the master of the Soul Tower, has taken notice of you, increasing the mission's difficulty.]
[Felix's favorability: -10.]
[Mission: Ghost of the Netherworld.]
Attributes: Second stage of the extreme mission.
Description: Survive for thirty days.
Rewards: None.
Failure Penalty: None.
Introduction: The Saint should perhaps not reappear. Even a fellow Saint has grown disgusted with you. He. It. Perhaps he is not a guide but a roadblock!
"What's wrong, White Plague?" Diane asked, concern evident in her voice.
Bai Yi snapped back to reality, forcing a smile. "It's nothing. Just a minor issue, but I can handle it."
Diane sighed in relief. "If something's troubling you, please share. The Federation is more powerful than you think. I'll do my best to assist."
"Don't worry; I'm not one to boast about my strength," Bai Yi replied, though his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
He focused on Wei Lu's live broadcast, contemplating the implications. The panel wasn't connected to these formidable beings, meaning the prompts it provided were unknown to them.
Even without the panel, he would strive to upgrade himself and improve other aspects, regardless of his soul reaching its limit.
However, the sudden increase in crisis difficulty could only mean one thing: the Soul Tower was an enemy.
He mentally commanded: [Instruct the alchemists of the Apocalypse Army to prepare. Equip all three hundred launch silos with flame missiles.]
Zero responded: [Message sent.]
(End of this chapter)