《Apocalypse Descent: Farming with My Harem》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Ice Seal Age Open Beta Begins ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Ice Seal Age Open Beta Begins Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Ice Seal Age Open Beta Begins ¡°` ¡°Axing, big brother is dead!¡± ¡°They say he was beaten to death by some workers at the construction site for owing them money!¡± Xiangjiang, inside an office building. Cao Xing heard someone calling his name, glanced at the other party indifferently, and saw a young man in a suit with slicked-back hair. Then, Cao Xing looked down again. He was playing a survival adventure game on his tablet called ¡°Ice Seal Age.¡± The art style was realistic, making it a more hardcore survival game. Players started next to a bonfire because, in this world¡¯s extreme cold weather, they could only move safely within the fire¡¯s range. If they stayed away from the fire for too long, the game character would freeze to death. Players needed to build shelters and unlock various basic constructions. These constructions could be upgraded by collecting materials; for example, a bonfire could be upgraded to a big bonfire or a melting furnace, and eventually even to an energy tower in later stages. Apart from that, players could develop a military force or territory technology to unlock different paths¡­ According to the official announcement, a team mode would be released later. However, since the game was still in beta testing, Cao Xing didn¡¯t see anyone around him playing it, nor could he find any information online. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï At this moment, a prompt appeared on the tablet screen. [The game will enter public testing in two hours and will soon enter maintenance status.] [More content is being unlocked, stay tuned¡­] Was it finally going public? Cao Xing felt a little excited, and at this moment, the young man with slicked-back hair naturally sat beside him. Wu Jiahui put an arm around Cao Xing¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Axing, you followed the big brother for a while, and he was your boss.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset that he died?¡± Cao Xing put down the tablet, glanced at him, and said: ¡°Come on, after he founded Yongsheng Group and cleaned up, he cut ties with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just been his dedicated driver all these years, it¡¯s not like there was any real connection.¡± ¡°Besides, with a heart so black, being beaten to death is nothing unusual.¡± ¡°True,¡± Wu Jiahui nodded. At this point, an intriguing smile appeared on his face, ¡°It¡¯s a pity big brother spent so many years pursuing Liu Muxue. Just when he was ready to get married, this happened.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Liu Muxue is truly a remarkable woman!¡± ¡°That figure, and those long legs, tsk tsk, anyone would be mesmerized.¡± ¡°Too bad big brother couldn¡¯t savor it¡­¡± Cao Xing didn¡¯t respond to this because his phone vibrated. After checking it, Cao Xing got up from the sofa, turning to leave. ¡°Axing, where are you going?¡± Cao Xing shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m a driver, where can I go? Of course, I¡¯m off to pick someone up.¡± ¡­ Cao Xing went to Yongsheng Group¡¯s underground garage, expertly finding a deep brown Maybach among the luxury cars. Entering the car, the interior was extremely luxurious. The car¡¯s value, including the interior, was at least over seven million. Of course, this car was certainly not his. Cao Xing was alone, with no family, making it tough to live in a city like Xiangjiang. Let alone have the money to buy such a luxury car. Half an hour later, the Maybach stopped at the entrance of a five-star hotel in the city center. Cao Xing took out his phone and sent a message. ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m downstairs.¡± A message came back. ¡°Okay.¡± A few minutes later, a tall woman in a black dress walked out from the hotel¡¯s entrance. Her demeanor was poised; the tight-fitting dress outlined a perfect body curve, with her long legs moving gracefully, like exquisite jade artifacts. This woman was Liu Muxue. Cao Xing didn¡¯t get out of the car; the woman naturally sat in the back of the Maybach. ¡°Axing, to the funeral home.¡± Cao Xing nodded, and the car started. On the way, Liu Muxue took a call, her eyebrows furrowed, seemingly troubled by something. ¡°I said, agreeing to marry Yongsheng Group was something you requested back then. Now that Chen Jiang is dead, I have no relationship with him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think you can use me as a bargaining chip for profit!¡± She seemed quite angry, but due to her good upbringing, she quickly calmed the anger in her heart. ¡°Sorry, Axing,¡± Liu Muxue said softly. Cao Xing shook his head. He knew Liu Muxue¡¯s character; she wasn¡¯t the type to berate people below her because of her status. On the contrary, she had always been nice to her subordinates, and her reputation outside was good. Since Liu Muxue quickly rose to fame, the media had done detailed reports on her family and personal experiences. Her original family wasn¡¯t particularly wealthy. But due to her outstanding looks and figure, she quickly rose to fame after becoming an adult. Naturally, she attracted attention from many who had ulterior motives. Yongsheng Group¡¯s chairman Chen Jiang, aka Cao Xing¡¯s big brother, was among them. ¡­ The car soon arrived at the funeral home. Before exiting, Liu Muxue put on a sad expression. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? She knew that no matter how much she disliked that man in her heart, she still had to put on a show. Cao Xing remained in the car waiting. An hour later, Liu Muxue returned. It was clear she had cried, her makeup was slightly messed up, with a subtle smoky look. Her elegant aura was accompanied by a touch of decadence, giving her a unique beauty. Back in the car, Liu Muxue¡¯s expression calmed down, then she said, ¡°Axing, take me back to the hotel.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cao Xing nodded. Just as he was about to start the car, everything suddenly went black. Then, everyone heard a synthesized mechanical voice by their ears. ¡°The new version update of ¡®Ice Seal Age¡¯ is complete, officially opening the era of public testing. In a minute, all humans on Blue Star will enter this game.¡± ¡°Game instructions: This is a world where the sun does not shine. It is vast and boundless, but shrouded in cold all day. Your task is to survive in this world.¡± ¡°Once the game begins, you¡¯ll appear next to a bonfire, your flame of survival. Remember! Do not leave the space illuminated by the firelight easily!¡± ¡°Your goal is to gather more supplies, expand your territory, and develop more units.¡± ¡°The new version features family survival mode, with families as units, up to four people per group.¡± ¡°If you have no relatives, you¡¯ll be randomly grouped with people around you.¡± ¡°So, in this brand-new world, strive to live on¡­¡± ¡­ When Cao Xing regained his sight, he suddenly found himself in an icy snowfield. Everything before him was covered in ice and snow. ¡°What the hell, where¡¯s my Maybach?¡± Before his words finished, an icy coldness swept over him. Cao Xing felt like he would freeze stiff on the spot in an instant. ¡°Hiss!¡± Cao Xing took a deep breath, instinctively hurrying close to the burning bonfire before him, finally feeling a trace of warmth. At this moment, a character panel appeared before him. [Name: Cao Xing] [Race: Blue Star Human Clan] [Level: Level 1, 0/100] [Profession: None] [Life Value: 100.] [Power: 4, Agility: 3, Spirit: 5, Constitution: 5] [Lord Interface: Not open] [Current Status: Cold] [Current Temperature: -31?¡ãC] ¡°Damn¡­ this system panel is exactly the same as the one I played on the tablet!¡± Then, the second system prompt appeared. ¡°All Survivors, please choose your professional system as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Currently, there are five major systems: Cold Iron Mechanic, Polar Warrior, Frost Mage, Aurora Knight, Snow Hunter.¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. He could choose a profession! Clearly, these professions were the same as the ones he had played before. Of course, Cao Xing knew that these five professions did not have significant combat power in the early stages. For instance, the Cold Iron Mechanic¡¯s early skill was summoning a small self-destructing robot, and its power wasn¡¯t even comparable to the firecrackers we used to blow up outhouses in childhood. The Polar Warrior just had a simple slash attack. The Frost Mage was a little better with an initial Ice Ball Skill. As for the Aurora Knight and Snow Hunter, they had Purification Skill and Hunter Perception, respectively. To truly gain extraordinary power, one needed to continuously develop and acquire more skills. Cao Xing thought, ¡°I have experienced all five professions before when playing this game.¡± ¡°The strongest is naturally the Mechanic, but it¡¯s a late-game profession, and the material consumption is too high.¡± ¡°In the early stages, both Polar Warriors and Snow Hunters are strong, but they become weak in the late stages.¡± At this moment, realization dawned on Cao Xing¡¯s face. ¡°I see, this game introduced the family survival mode so we Survivors can allocate professions reasonably, safely passing through early, middle, and late stages, and survive better.¡± However, Cao Xing glanced beside him. Apart from him, there was only Liu Muxue here. Although he didn¡¯t know why he was grouped with her, now was not the time to think about it. She was looking at the bonfire with a bewildered expression, seemingly trying to digest the system¡¯s prompt. Cao Xing understood, ¡°It seems that achieving the four-person cooperation mode is not possible.¡± So¡­ What profession should he choose? After a moment of contemplation, Cao Xing directly chose ¡°Frost Mage.¡± A system prompt appeared. ¡°Congratulations! You have successfully chosen the profession: Frost Mage. Elemental Affinity unlocked, slightly increased Cold Resistance, and initial equipment placed in Storage Box.¡± Cao Xing breathed a sigh of relief, and just as he was about to search for the initial Storage Box, a second system prompt solemnly appeared! [Detected that Survivor ¡®Cao Xing¡¯s fate aligns with this world. Personal Talent: Eternal Power has been activated.] [Eternal Power (Hidden Unique Talent)]: Causes all friendly units within the territory to gain permanent enhanced status when receiving temporary enhanced status. Cao Xing was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed, ¡°Holy shit! Cheat mode activated!¡± ¡°` Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Bonfire Upgrade, Recruit Polar People! ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Bonfire Upgrade, Recruit Polar People! Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Bonfire Upgrade, Recruit Polar People! ¡°` Obviously, if the ¡°Eternal Power¡± talent were to function, it¡¯s necessary to gather more territorial forces. ?€€?€€¡±It seems I should develop along the line of Lord Stream,¡± Cao Xing thought to himself. ?€€?€€At this moment, Cao Xing noticed a countdown overhead. ?€€?€€[Time until nightfall: 4 hours 32 minutes¡­] ?€€?€€[Note: During the newbie protection period, there will be no monster attacks on the camp, newbie protection period remaining: 5 days 17 hoursa€|] ?€€?€€¡±Only 4 hours left until dark!¡± ?€€?€€Cao Xing¡¯s scalp tightened instantly. ?€€?€€He knew that in this extremely cold world, the temperature would plummet drastically at night. ?€€?€€Cao Xing¡¯s gaze turned to the bonfire in front of him. ?€€?€€[Camp Fire: Level 1] ?€€?€€[Bonfire Effect: Can increase the temperature of a 10-meter radius by 5~20a??] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 ?€€?€€[Materials required for upgrade]: Stone *5 ?€€?€€Currently, the temperature near the bonfire was already at -32a??, and it would drop another 20 degrees or more at night. ?€€?€€Obviously, the heat emitted by this Level 1 bonfire was not enough to let him pass through the night safely. ?€€?€€Cao Xing then looked at another collapsed small hut nearby. ?€€?€€[Damaged Lord¡¯s Hut: Repairable] ?€€?€€[Materials needed for repair: Stone *10, Wood *20.] ?€€?€€Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ?€€?€€This is it! ?€€?€€Once repaired, the territory interface could be opened, and he could hide inside at night to avoid the harsh cold. ?€€?€€However, repairing the Lord¡¯s Hut required materials like stone and wood. ?€€?€€Cao Xing surveyed the surrounding snowfield, where there were a pile of white stones and some cut wood near the bonfire. ?€€?€€[Stone (white): A basic material.] ?€€?€€[Wood (white): A basic material.] ?€€?€€Just as Cao Xing was about to pick up the wood, Liu Muxue softly inquired nearby: ¡°Axing, the prompt sound asks me to choose a profession, what should I choose?¡± ?€€?€€Obviously, this woman had already digested the system information and accepted the fact that she was in a new world. ?€€?€€Cao Xing nodded secretly, her adaptability was quite fast. ?€€?€€¡±Sis-in-law, you should choose Aurora Knight.¡± ?€€?€€Cao Xing had a personal bias for letting her choose this profession. ?€€?€€Because Aurora Knight had many powerful boost skills in the later stage, but the effects were always short-lived. ?€€?€€And with his own ¡°Eternal Power¡± talent, he could turn these boost effects into permanent states. ?€€?€€Imagine, at that time, Cao Xing controlling a group of permanently buffed units, how terrifying their combat power would be. ?€€?€€Although, be it in demeanor or appearance, Liu Muxue didn¡¯t match the knight image at all. ?€€?€€Especially since today she was wearing white silk stockings. ?€€?€€Thinking of Liu Muxue wearing armor on top and white silk stockings below, Cao Xing felt it was quite a mismatch. ?€€?€€Uh¡­ no, maybe it¡¯s not bad? ?€€?€€A white-silk knight¡­ hehe¡­ ?€€?€€¡±Alright, then I¡¯ll choose Aurora Knight.¡± Liu Muxue didn¡¯t doubt Cao Xing¡¯s decision. ?€€?€€In this unfamiliar world, Cao Xing was the only person she knew. ?€€?€€Cao Xing nodded and then saw a small wooden box next to the bonfire. ?€€?€€[Territory Storage Box: Level 1] ?€€?€€[Storage Box Capacity: 40 slots] ?€€?€€[Note: There are some initial supplies and tools inside, please open it as soon as possible.] ?€€?€€Cao Xing stepped forward and opened it, revealing many supplies inside. ?€€?€€[Successfully opened: Obtained Bread *20, Obtained Iron Pot (white) *1, Obtained Stone Axe (white) *4, Obtained Stone Hammer (white) *4, Obtained Wooden Magic Wand (white) *1, Obtained Wooden Round Shield (white) *1] ?€€?€€The supplies inside were for four people, and the system didn¡¯t dock the supplies even though they were only a two-person team. ?€€?€€Cao Xing nodded with satisfaction. ?€€?€€With the stone hammer, he could start building the Lord¡¯s Hut. This was key to safely passing the first night. ?€€?€€Then he began to gather nearby stones and wood, moving them piece by piece. ?€€?€€System prompts appeared continuously. ?€€?€€[Stone +1] ?€€?€€[Stone +1] ?€€?€€[Wood +2] ?€€?€€¡­ ?€€?€€These stones were quite heavy; after a while, Cao Xing was drenched in sweat. ?€€?€€As a modern person, my physical fitness really is lacking. ?€€?€€However, after nearly twenty minutes of hard work, he finally gathered enough materials to repair the Lord¡¯s Hut. ?€€?€€Cao Xing stood before the small hut. ?€€?€€[Start repairing the Damaged Lord¡¯s Hut? It will take 17 minutesa€|] ?€€?€€¡±Yes.¡± ?€€?€€Then, Cao Xing began wielding the stone hammer himself, hammering away to the system¡¯s given template. ?€€?€€There was no choice; only after repairing the Lord¡¯s Hut could he unlock other territory constructions. ?€€?€€Before recruiting Polar People, Cao Xing could only do it himself. ?€€?€€Seeing him busy, Liu Muxue crouched on the ground, hugging her arms tightly against the cold, perfectly displaying her curves. ?€€?€€She looked at him with curious eyes and asked: ¡°Axing, is there anything I can help with?¡± ?€€?€€Cao Xing glanced at the fire on the ground and then at the scattered stones and wood in the snow, nodding: ¡°You go collect the nearby stones and wood first, then upgrade the campfire as soon as possible.¡± ?€€?€€Liu Muxue, hearing this, had no hesitation. ?€€?€€She stood up directly and walked out to the fire. ?€€?€€Soon, she returned, awkwardly carrying a stone. ?€€?€€It was clear that the weight of this stone was quite burdensome for her. ?€€?€€Liu Muxue held it in her arms, her arms turning red from the cold. ?€€?€€But she gritted her teeth and continued moving stones. ?€€?€€[Stone +1] ?€€?€€The high heels were inconvenient, so Liu Muxue took them off, walking barefoot in the snow, her face pale with cold. ?€€?€€Cao Xing, busy repairing the Lord¡¯s Hut, did not stop her. ?€€?€€In this world, to survive, everyone had to exert effort. ?€€?€€¡±Hmm¡­¡± ?€€?€€When Liu Muxue put down the stone, her perky hips faced Cao Xing, perfectly showcasing her curves, making blood rush. ?€€?€€Cao Xing quickly turned his gaze away, focusing on his work. ?€€?€€There he was, repairing the Lord¡¯s Hut. ?€€?€€Liu Muxue was transporting stones to upgrade the bonfire, the two collaborated in division of labor. ?€€?€€Soon, Cao Xing heard a system prompt. ?€€?€€[Your campfire has been upgraded to Level 2.] ?€€?€€[Campfire: Level 2] ?€€?€€[Bonfire Effect: Can increase the temperature of a 20-meter radius by 10~20a??] ?€€?€€[Consumption]: 1 wood per 13 minutes. ?€€?€€[Materials required for next level]: Stone *10 ?€€?€€a€| ?€€?€€The upgraded bonfire¡¯s coverage was significantly larger. ?€€?€€Even Cao Xing, who was working, felt a bit of warmth, and his efficiency improved. ?€€?€€A few minutes later, a system prompt appeared. ?€€?€€[Lord¡¯s Hut built successfully, territory interface unlocked, congratulations! You can now build more basic infrastructure.] ?€€?€€Cao Xing smiled joyfully, he could finally construct other buildings! ?€€?€€The next step was to build the ¡°Polar People Hut¡± and then summon some Polar People to formally begin his path as Lord! ?€€?€€Simultaneously, a second system prompt appeared. ?€€?€€[As the first survivor on all servers to build a Lord¡¯s Hut, you earn a reward: Ice Healing Skill (Skill Book).] ?€€?€€[Ice Healing Skill (white): Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to cast Ice Healing Skill on a target, restoring Life Value at 0.8 times Spirit per second, lasting 3 seconds.] ?€€?€€Smack! ?€€?€€A yellowed skill book appeared in the snow in front of Cao Xing. ?€€?€€Great! It was actually a skill book! ?€€?€€And one for himself. ?€€?€€Although combat rarely occurred during the rookie protection period, this skill book undoubtedly increased Cao Xing¡¯s confidence significantly. ?€€?€€[Learn Ice Healing Skill (white)?] ?€€?€€¡±Yes.¡± ?€€?€€Cao Xing clicked to learn directly. ?€€?€€At this time, many functional panels appeared before Cao Xing. ?€€?€€They were: [Territory], [Construction], [Carrying Backpack], [Crafting], [Channel], [Personal], and [Territorial Forces]. ?€€?€€These interfaces nearly covered all functions. ?€€?€€Cao Xing first opened the [Backpack], which had only 20 slots of storage space. ?€€?€€Of course, it was empty inside. ?€€?€€Then, he opened [Construction]. ?€€?€€Clicking it, many Level 1 constructions popped up. ?€€?€€Including: [Level 1 Simple Stove], [Level 1 Simple Hearth], [Level 1 Smelting Factory], [Level 1 Logging Factory], [Level 1 Blacksmith Shop], [Level 1 Polar People Hut], among others¡­ ?€€?€€Without looking at the other basic facilities for now, ?€€?€€Cao Xing first opened the [Polar People Hut] introduction. ?€€?€€[Level 1 Polar People Hut: Can summon Polar People to work for you by spending food.] ?€€?€€[Area: 12 square meters] ?€€?€€[Capacity: 4 people.] ?€€?€€[Materials required for construction: Stone *10, Wood *30.] ?€€?€€[Repair time: 45 minutes (Population can be added for repair, accelerating repair time, limit: 2 people)] ?€€?€€a€| ?€€?€€Cao Xing thought to himself: ¡°It takes 45 minutes for one person to build, that¡¯s a bit slow.¡± ?€€?€€¡±There are only three hours left until nightfall, and I still need to do other things.¡± ?€€?€€Thus, he looked at Liu Muxue, ¡°Sis-in-law, come help me.¡± ?€€?€€¡­ ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? ?€€?€€¡­ ?€€?€€Liu Muxue, due to moving stones and wood, had consumed a lot of physical energy, her dress soaked with sweat. ?€€?€€Through her dress, one could see the outline of her white lace underwear. ?€€?€€Hearing Cao Xing calling her, Liu Muxue put down her tasks and walked over slowly. ?€€?€€¡±Axing, what do you need me to do?¡± ?€€?€€Cao Xing pointed to the empty space in front of them and said, ¡°I want to build a Polar People Hut here, but constructing it takes too long.¡± ?€€?€€¡±Help me build it together, and it will be much faster.¡± ?€€?€€Liu Muxue looked slightly confused, seemingly not understanding, but nodded anyway. ?€€?€€Then, the two started cooperating to build the Polar People Hut. ?€€?€€¡±Clang! Clang!¡± ?€€?€€Rhythmic hammering sounds echoed in the vast snowy field. ?€€?€€Half an hour later. ?€€?€€A system prompt appeared. ?€€?€€[Successfully built: Polar People Hut, Territory Population +4] ?€€?€€[Now, you can recruit Polar People to work for you by consuming food.] ?€€?€€[Note: As a Lord, you need to provide daily food for your subordinates, if left in hunger for long, they will abandon you.] ?€€?€€In front of the two, a small hut resembling a camp tent suddenly appeared on the snowy ground, standing just under two meters high. ?€€?€€At this moment, another system prompt appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s ear. ?€€?€€¡±As the first survivor on all servers to build a [Polar People Hut], you earn a reward: Bread *50.¡± ?€€?€€Seeing this system prompt, a glimmer of delight flashed in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. ?€€?€€Great! A full 50 pieces of food, this reward is quite impressive. ?€€?€€Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for having played this game, allowing him to construct these buildings ahead of everyone in the shortest time. ?€€?€€Cao Xing thought to himself: ¡°Recruiting a Polar Person requires 5 units of food, if not for this system reward, I could only recruit a maximum of 2.¡± ?€€?€€¡±But now, I can directly recruit 4 Polar People.¡± ?€€?€€Thinking of this, Cao Xing clicked on recruitment directly. ?€€?€€[Consume food *20 to recruit Polar People *4?] ?€€?€€¡±Yes.¡± ?€€?€€As soon as the words fell, the tent-like camp began to tremble. ?€€?€€Then, the door was pushed open. ?€€?€€Out came four figures, each less than 1.5 meters tall, dressed in thick snow suits, with rough appearances. ?€€?€€These were the Polar People. ?€€?€€After coming out, they looked at Cao Xing and Liu Muxue, respectfully saluting. ?€€?€€¡±Honorable Lord, the Polar People pledge their service to you!¡± ?€€?€€On the side, Liu Muxue was completely taken aback by this miraculous transformation. ?€€?€€Her small mouth opened slightly, and she exclaimed: ¡°Ah ah ah ah, Axing, they came¡­came out!¡± ¡°` Chapter 3 - Chapter 3 Chapter 3 World Chat Channel ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: World Chat Channel Chapter 3: Chapter 3: World Chat Channel ¡°` Liu Muxue was shocked by the sight of four Polar People materializing out of thin air in the snow, while Cao Xing was not surprised at all. Anyone who had been a Lord knew that this was perfectly normal. ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï At this moment, the four Polar People were staring with wide eyes, expectantly looking at Cao Xing. Cao Xing started to check their attributes. [Polar Person: Alfanasi (name can be changed)] [Level: 1, 0/100 (can gain experience through combat and other activities)] [Detailed Attributes: Click to expand] ¡­ [Polar Person: Zack (name can be changed)] [Level: 1, 0/100] [Detailed Attributes: Click to expand] ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï [Polar Person: Mama Duo (name can be changed)] [Level: 1, 0/100] ¡­ The attributes of these four Polar People were mostly similar, although the one named Zack had a slightly higher constitution. Because these names were of a more Western style, Cao Xing didn¡¯t want to put effort into memorizing their names. So, Cao Xing pointed at the Polar Person named Zack and said, ¡°From now on, you shall be called Dazhuang; you are the captain of your small team.¡± ¡°The others are Erhuang, Sanhuang, and Sizhuang, respectively.¡± ¡°Do you all understand?¡± Beside him, Liu Muxue chuckled, seemingly amused by Cao Xing¡¯s simple and crude naming style. However, the faces of the Polar People, covered with hair, showed joy. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord, for granting us names!¡± [You successfully named the Polar Person; Dazhuang¡¯s loyalty increased by 5 points¡­] [You successfully named the Polar Person; Erzhuang¡¯s loyalty increased by 5 points¡­] ¡­ Cao Xing was surprised; could he increase loyalty with that? Seventy-five loyalty points were already very high; at least they wouldn¡¯t defy Cao Xing¡¯s orders. Once the Polar People were recruited, they needed to start working. Cao Xing opened the [Construction] interface to check the buildings that could be constructed. [Level 1 Simple Furnace: Can be placed indoors, raising the temperature by 15~20 degrees Celsius.] [Consumption: 20 minutes/1 wood] [Construction materials required: Stone*6] Note: If you don¡¯t want to freeze to death at night, I suggest you build it immediately! ¡­ [Level 1 Simple Stove: Can be used for cooking, steaming, and other actions.] [Construction materials required: Stone*8, Wood*4.] Note: This is for eating, pal; you should know how important it is, right? ¡­ [Level 1 Logging Factory: Can be used to process logs.] [Area: 30 square meters] [Construction materials required: Stone*30, Wood*50.] Note: To get rich, start chopping trees; I suggest you prioritize building the logging factory. ¡­ [Level 1 Sewing Shop: Can make simple cold-resistant clothing or armor.] [Area: 30 square meters] [Construction materials required: Stone*40, Wood*60.] Note: As a Lord, you wouldn¡¯t want your subordinates to go naked into battle, right? ¡­ [Level 1 Ore Processing Plant: Can smelt and sort collected ores from the wild.] [Processable ores: Coal, Iron. (Upgrading the processing plant can smelt higher-grade metals!)] [Area: 50 square meters] [Construction materials required: Stone*80, Wood*150.] Note: To create more advanced equipment, a processing plant is indispensable. ¡­ [Level 1 Blacksmith Shop: Can forge weapons or tools inside] [Area: 30 square meters] [Construction materials required: Stone*100, Wood*200, Iron*20] Note: Listen, pal, soldiers without weapons are like toothless tigers. ¡­ ¡­ There were many types of level 1 buildings; besides these, there were also [Medical Room], [Small Shelter], [Wall], [Gate], etc. However, these buildings required a lot of stone and wood, as well as higher-level materials like fine iron. Clearly, Cao Xing didn¡¯t have a piece of iron. Moreover, the stone and wood near the campfire had already been used up. In this icy world, where else could resources be gathered? Cao Xing scanned his surroundings, suddenly his eyes lit up. About a hundred to two hundred meters away, he could see a patch of snow-covered small woods and some large stones. These should be the initial resource points. Thus, Cao Xing took out four stone axes and four iron shovels from his backpack and handed them to the four Polar People. Then he said, ¡°Dazhuang, Erzhuang, you team up to chop wood over there.¡± ¡°Sanzhuang, Sizhuang, you take the tools and go collect more stones.¡± The four Polar People straightened up immediately and respectfully said, ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± After speaking, they each took their tools and walked toward the snow outside the bonfire. Because of their talents, they could work outside the bonfire for longer than Cao Xing and the others. All four Polar People were sent out by Cao Xing to gather supplies. Liu Muxue blinked her pretty eyes, ¡°Axing, what should we do now?¡± Looking at her frostbitten skin and face gradually turning pale. At this rate, Liu Muxue would either freeze to death or fall seriously ill. Getting sick in the snow was a troublesome matter. Cao Xing said, ¡°Sis-in-law, you should work indoors next, build the furnace and stove first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liu Muxue whispered in response, not forcing it further, and walked inside gracefully. Cao Xing checked the remaining supplies. [Food*50, Wood*27, Stone*17.] ¡°The most lacking material now should be stone, but wood is also essential, as we need it for warmth at night.¡± ¡°Although the current temperature can barely get through the first night, it¡¯s still not very safe.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s upgrade the campfire.¡± The system prompt appeared. [Do you want to consume Stone*10 to upgrade the campfire¡¯s level?] Cao Xing clicked ¡®yes¡¯ and started clanging away. A dozen minutes later. Cao Xing saw the bonfire in front of him piled with stones over a meter high, gradually taking the shape of a furnace. The roaring flames burned brightly. [Campfire upgrade successful, current level: 3.] [Campfire: Level 3] [Bonfire Effect: Can increase temperature by 10~20a?? in a 40-meter radius area] [Consumption]: 10 minutes/1 wood. [Materials required for the next level]: Stone*20, Wood*10. ¡°Great, although the temperature hasn¡¯t increased, the heating range has doubled!¡± But similarly, the consumption was greater, with 1 wood consumed every 10 minutes. At this rate, the camp¡¯s wood wouldn¡¯t last long. Once the wood was exhausted, they would lose their heat source, facing at least minus sixty degrees of harsh weather. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they froze to death. Cao Xing furrowed his brow, ¡°Hopefully, those Polar People can gather wood smoothly¡­¡± Working outside for too long, Cao Xing felt almost frozen stiff. So, he also went into the Lord¡¯s Hut. Inside the hut, due to the lack of lighting equipment, it appeared dim. A shapely figure was building a stove in the corner. She bent down, her long white silk legs were straight, and looking up, her hips were wrapped in a dress¡­ This pose accentuated her curves round like a bowling ball. ¡°Wow¡­ so big,¡± Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but remark. Liu Muxue thought Cao Xing was there to supervise the work, wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, and said softly, ¡°Axing, the furnace is almost done.¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°Sis-in-law, let me help you.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Liu Muxue responded softly. With Cao Xing¡¯s help, the construction of the furnace sped up significantly. A few minutes later, a system prompt appeared. [Level 1 Furnace construction successful¡­] However, this time, Cao Xing didn¡¯t hear a reward prompt. His mind was suddenly clear. It seemed that the [Furnace] was such a basic building and wouldn¡¯t trigger rewards. Of course, it was also possible that other survivor teams had already built it in advance. This time, more than 7 billion people worldwide had landed in the snowy world, among them naturally would be many with amazing adaptability. ¡°Sizzle!¡± As the sound of wood catching fire emerged, the furnace gradually emitted an orange-red glow, illuminating the entire Lord¡¯s Hut. Currently, the Lord¡¯s Hut was empty; apart from a furnace, there was nothing else. Near the furnace, the two felt waves of warmth coming over them. Cao Xing glanced at the indoor temperature. [Current temperature: -16a??] Although still very cold, it was much better compared to the outside temperature of minus several dozen degrees. Liu Muxue curled up her body, continually shivering. Having been working without feeling it before, she now realized her body was already a mass of frostbite. Cao Xing furrowed his brow, thinking. ¡®It seems the Sewing Shop should quickly be put on the schedule, considering our thin clothing is practically like being naked.¡¯ ¡®At this rate, let alone Liu Muxue, even I would freeze to death.¡¯ A strong sense of crisis reemerged. Cao Xing started to explore other functions in the Lord interface. Clicking on the [Crafting] interface, a slew of basic tools appeared. Such as: Stone Axe, Stone Hammer, Stone Pickaxe, Wooden Bowl, Wooden Table, Wooden Chair, Wooden Bed, etc¡­ Cao Xing reviewed them and got the gist. ¡°Here, I can craft simple work tools or furniture items.¡± Then, he began to check out the [Chat Channel] feature, revealing four options. [World Channel: All servers, limited to one message per person per day] [Regional Channel: This is a 500*500 kilometer square area, including all survivors in the area, with no message limit.] [Team Channel: Only survivors within your territory can speak here, with no message limit.] [Private Chat Channel: 1-on-1 unlimited chatting.] ¡­ Cao Xing opened the world channel and was greeted by a flood of information. Zhao Shengbing: ¡°Good heavens! Why did I suddenly come to this godforsaken place? I¡¯m freezing to death!¡± Chen Erya: ¡°Help! So cold, so cold!¡± Zhang Qiang: ¡°Didn¡¯t the system say we¡¯d be allocated according to family? Who are these folks? I don¡¯t know any of them!¡± Bell Grylls: ¡°A survival game? I like it; this presents an unprecedented challenge for me!¡± Yamagami Tetsuya: ¡°Let the boomstick once again shine brightly!¡± Ma Dongxi: ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t let me find out whose prank this is, or I¡¯ll smash his balls!¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Child, You Are Invincible! ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Child, You Are Invincible! Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Child, You Are Invincible! ¡°` Cao Xing mused to himself, ¡°Just as I expected, besides me, no one has played this game in advance, and everyone is in a state of utter ignorance.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t take action and quickly adapt to this world, a lot of people might die on the first night¡­¡± Even though they were currently in a beginner protection period, and no monsters would attack the camp, the cold at night was no joke. Just then, Cao Xing heard a frantic knocking at the door. Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Lord! Something has happened!¡± ¡°Lord¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 please help me!¡± Hearing the cries for help, Cao Xing frowned, feeling a bad premonition. He quickly tossed the Small Wooden Shield to Liu Muxue and took out a Wooden Magic Wand, preparing for battle. When he pushed open the Lord¡¯s Hut door, he saw two Polar People huddled together, fear in their eyes. Cao Xing asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Erzhuang quickly replied, ¡°Lord! There¡¯s a snake!¡± ¡°In that grove, there¡¯s a huge Snow Poison Snake. It bit Dazhuang, and he¡¯s fading fast!¡± Cao Xing looked over, and Dazhuang¡¯s face was turning purple, his body trembling. At the same time, purple numbers of -2, -2 kept appearing above Dazhuang¡¯s head. It was a sign of severe poisoning. Seeing this, a look of concern also appeared in Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes. Cao Xing checked Dazhuang¡¯s attributes. [Polar People: Dazhuang] [Level: 1 Level 0/100] [Life Value: 52/140] [Current Status: Poisoned (Level 1 Snake Venom)] Seeing this poisoned status, Cao Xing felt relieved, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just Level 1 snake venom. Madame, just cast a Purification Skill.¡± Liu Muxue seemed a little confused, but she quickly understood. Then, Liu Muxue raised her right hand, and a colorful Aurora condensed in her palm. ¡°May the Holy Aurora bless you!¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s cool voice rang out. With those words, the Aurora entered Dazhuang¡¯s body. At the same time, Dazhuang felt a pure power surge in, melting the snake venom like ice and snow. His complexion gradually improved. Dazhuang gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, great and kind lords!¡± However, although Dazhuang was free from the snake venom, he still looked weak. His Life Value had dropped to half, indicating he was in an injured state. Without a Medical Room, treating injuries was troublesome. Cao Xing checked his skill bar. Besides an [Ice Ball Skill], there was an [Ice Healing Skill]. Then, Cao Xing raised his Magic Wand, and an unusual Frost Power gathered within it. With a wave of his hand, the Frost Power surged into Dazhuang¡¯s body. The next moment, green numbers of +3, +3 continuously appeared above Dazhuang¡¯s head. Then, a system prompt appeared. [Successful use of [Ice Healing Skill], talent [Eternal Power] activated, this skill has become a permanent state¡­] Hearing this prompt, Cao Xing¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Holy crap! Healing Skill works too?¡± He recalled the introduction of this talent. [Eternal Power]: Makes all friendly units within the territory, when receiving a temporary boost, permanently gain the boosted state. But to have a Healing Skill also classified as a boost was something Cao Xing had never considered. At that moment, sheer joy appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. Because it meant Dazhuang now had an infinite healing buff! Watching Dazhuang¡¯s continuously recovering Life Value, Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Kid, you¡¯re invincible! Of course, Cao Xing¡¯s current spiritual strength was low, so he could only restore 3 Life Points. Even though Dazhuang could heal infinitely, if he encountered an enemy that was too strong, a single slap could still end him, so he wasn¡¯t truly invincible. Before long, Dazhuang¡¯s Life Value was fully restored, and he was lively once more. At this moment, an excited Dazhuang exclaimed, ¡°Lord, I feel a healing power within me, constantly restoring my life!¡± Cao Xing nodded knowingly. ¡°Thank you, Lord. Your power is so great and vast!¡± [Dazhuang¡¯s loyalty to you increased, current loyalty: 80.] Cao Xing began pondering a question. If the [Ice Healing Skill] could infinitely heal Polar People, then could it also work on him or Liu Muxue? Cao Xing thought for a moment, then cast an [Ice Healing Skill] on Liu Muxue. The same system prompt appeared. [Successful use of [Ice Healing Skill], talent [Eternal Power] activated, this skill has become a permanent state¡­] Cao Xing and Liu Muxue widened their eyes, and both saw the shock mirrored in each other¡¯s pupils. Holy crap! This talent could also work on human survivors! ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Cao Xing could only say, ¡°This is incredible!¡± This meant his survival capability would experience a qualitative leap! He was eager to cast a green light on himself. As he was about to raise his Magic Wand, his head suddenly felt dizzy, almost causing him to faint. Cao Xing shook his head and quickly realized the reason. ¡°Because my spiritual power is insufficient, releasing two Ice Healing Skills is my limit?¡± Restoring spiritual power requires rest or eating. However, the urgent task now was to expel or kill the venomous snake in that grove. Otherwise, the source of the territory¡¯s Wood would be cut off. Currently, the team had two beings with infinite healing, and they should be able to handle ordinary beasts. Cao Xing said directly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, follow me to deal with that snake.¡± The two Polar People raised their Stone Axes and shouted, ¡°Follow the Lord¡¯s steps!¡± Then, he led Dazhuang, Erzhuang, and Liu Muxue out of the Lord¡¯s Hut. As for Sizhuang and Sizhuang, they were busily transporting Stones into the territory. [Stone +1] [Stone +1] System prompts appeared continuously. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. Before long, they stepped out of the Bonfire¡¯s range. In an instant. The temperature dropped by more than ten degrees! The cold rushed in like invisible blades, continuously slicing through everyone. Waves of stinging pain struck. Liu Muxue instantly shrank, her body trembling with cold. Even Cao Xing felt his body stiffen. With temperatures at minus fifty degrees, without the Polar People¡¯s constitution and cold-resistant clothing, they couldn¡¯t last a few minutes before turning into icicles. Fortunately, the grove Cao Xing headed for was not far from the Bonfire, just over a hundred meters away. The four of them walked across the snow, leaving a trail of footprints. Before long, they reached the small forest, where dozens of white birch trees were planted sparsely, their branches covered in ice and snow. ¡°Lord! That poison snake is over there!¡± Following the direction of Dazhuang¡¯s point, Cao Xing indeed saw a large snake about two meters long, coiled on a tree branch. ¡°Hiss! Hiss hiss!¡± The Snow Poison Snake, entirely snow-white, stuck out its crimson forked tongue at the four, posing a threat. Cao Xing saw the attributes of the poison snake in front of him. [Snow Poison Snake: Level 2] [Race: Beast] [Life Value: 160/160] [Attack Power: 8~10] [Attributes: Power 4, Agility 7, Spirit 5, Constitution 8] [Skills: Raid, Neurotoxin] [Note: This is a snake adapted to polar conditions, having undergone unknown evolutions.] ¡­ A Level 2 Beast, no wonder Dazhuang and Erzhuang together couldn¡¯t defeat it. Even with Cao Xing, they would have to approach carefully to withstand it. But now, things were different. Because in his team, there were two beings with infinite healing! Of course, Liu Muxue currently had no combat power. Cao Xing brought her along just to help her adapt to the battle rhythm of this world. Liu Muxue was a smart woman. She understood Cao Xing¡¯s intention and was swiftly acclimating to everything in this world. ¡°Dazhuang, attack!¡± Cao Xing ordered directly. As the words fell, Dazhuang charged forward with his Stone Axe raised. With a loyalty of 80 points, he could basically follow orders without hesitation, never defying Cao Xing¡¯s commands. ¡°Hiss hiss!!!¡± The Snow Poison Snake¡¯s body arched and then shot out like a spring! Whoosh! Like a white shadow, it flashed by in an instant, biting Dazhuang on the shoulder. Its sharp fangs pierced through the thick icy snow clothing and into Dazhuang¡¯s flesh. [-6] The next moment, purple numbers of -2, -2 appeared once again above Dazhuang¡¯s head. Dazhuang was poisoned again. Yet, after a while, green numbers of +3, +3 emerged. A look of joy appeared on Dazhuang¡¯s face. ¡°I have the Lord¡¯s blessing upon me! You, evil creature, can no longer harm me!¡± With that, Dazhuang reached out his large hand and grabbed the Snow Poison Snake by the neck. Then with a swing of the Stone Axe, he struck down. ¡°` Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 Chapter 5 First Kill Reward Snake-man Tribe Priest Recruitment Scroll ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5: First Kill Reward: Snake-man Tribe Priest Recruitment Scroll Chapter 5: Chapter 5: First Kill Reward: Snake-man Tribe Priest Recruitment Scroll ¡°` Puff! This axe strike carved a bloody gash into the smooth body of the Snow Poison Snake, skin and flesh splitting open instantly. [-8] A damage number floated up. The Snow Poison Snake, in pain, bit down even harder. However, in an infinite healing state, Dazhuang fought as if he was on stimulants. He grabbed the Snow Poison Snake and started slashing and hacking chaotically. Slash! Slash! Slash! [-10] [-9] [-9] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï The sound of flesh being hit repeatedly echoed. After several bites, the Snow Poison Snake seemed to realize something was amiss. Its life value was continuously decreasing, quickly dropping below 80. Yet, this opponent, clearly weaker, was still lively and vigorous after all this! The snake was bewildered. It also realized that the enemy in front of it was in an unusual state. Twisting its body, it turned around, trying to slip away. Cao Xing had been watching the actions of the Snow Poison Snake from the back, and upon seeing this situation, he quickly said from behind, ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape, Erzhuang, you join in too!¡± ¡°At your service, my Lord!¡± Erzhuang obeyed the order, rushing up to tangle with the Snow Poison Snake. With Erzhuang¡¯s joining, the life value of the Snow Poison Snake decreased even more quickly. Slash! Slash! Slash! Two stone axes continued slashing at the snake¡¯s body. In no time, its life value dropped below 30. Meanwhile, after a brief rest, Cao Xing also recovered a bit of spiritual power. So, he raised his magic wand, and the nearby frost power gathered. In a short while, a fist-sized ice ball formed at the tip of Cao Xing¡¯s magic wand. ¡°Go!¡± Cao Xing flicked his wand. The ice ball catapulted out instantly. ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï It landed on the Snow Poison Snake, and with a ¡®pop,¡¯ it exploded! [-21!] An exaggerated damage number emerged from the Snow Poison Snake. The enemy¡¯s life value hit zero, collapsing completely. A system prompt appeared. [Successfully killed Snow Poison Snake lv2, you gained 30 experience points. [Combat personnel: Dazhuang gained 15 experience points, Erzhuang gained 15 experience points.] [Congratulations! You are the first creature in this area to kill a wild creature, earning a first-kill reward: Snake-man Tribe Priest Recruitment Scroll *1.] ¡­ Seeing the power of the [Ice Ball Skill], a shock appeared in the eyes of Dazhuang and Erzhuang. ¡°My Lord, your power is intimidating!¡± ¡°Our Lord is so powerful!¡± Cao Xing glanced at them lightly. These Polar People were always amazed by trivial things. The profession of a Frost Mage was like this, with high damage also comes high consumption. This one Ice Ball Skill directly drained the spiritual power he had barely recovered. Meanwhile. Cao Xing came to the corpse of the Snow Poison Snake, and a system prompt appeared before him. [Snow Poison Snake corpse (can be decomposed)] Cao Xing directly clicked decompose. In an instant, the body of the Snow Poison Snake vanished. Then, on the icy snow ground appeared a torn snake skin, more than a dozen segments of fresh red snake meat, and a purple poison bag. [Torn snake skin (white) *1] (Though torn, it can still be used to make simple leather clothes.) [Fresh snake meat (green) *17] (Fresh snake meat, 1 piece of snake meat = 5 food units) [Poison bag (green) *1] (A snake¡¯s poison bag, when smeared on a weapon, may have unexpected effects?) ¡­ Seeing the items on the ground, a look of surprise appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Whoa! So much snake meat, and a snake skin, this is a big haul!¡± 17 pieces of snake meat meant a total of 85 food units! And the most crucial part was that apart from dry bread, they now had new food. And it was fresh, delicious snake meat! At this moment, Dazhuang and Erzhuang were staring intently at the fresh red snake meat on the ground, the sound of gulping saliva continuously heard. ¡°Meat¡­ it¡¯s meat!¡± ¡°Heavens! How many years has it been since we¡¯ve seen meat?¡± ¡°Erzhuang, pinch me, am I dreaming?¡± Polar People were creatures living in the subterranean world for long periods, seldom able to eat fresh meat. Cao Xing was unaware of their way of life, but from previous conversations with some Polar People, he could infer that their living environment was probably very harsh. Erzhuang pulled Dazhuang¡¯s goatee and exclaimed, ¡°Dazhuang, you¡¯re not dreaming, this is real meat!¡± ¡°Oh my god, if someone would let me taste delicious meat, I would give my life for them!¡± Cao Xing knew that these Polar People were saying it for him to hear. ¡°Alright, you all speed up your work, tonight everyone gets to drink snake soup.¡± Hearing this, Dazhuang and Erzhuang immediately sprang up from the ground, shouting loudly. ¡°Long live the Lord!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get to work right away!¡± Then, the two Polar People, wielding stone axes, enthusiastically went off to chop wood. Watching their energetic demeanor, Cao Xing collected all the materials on the ground. He looked at Liu Muxue, who was standing to the side, and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, did you remember?¡± ¡°When encountering enemies in the wild, you also need to fight like this to defeat them.¡± Liu Muxue hugged a shield to her chest and nodded firmly, ¡°Mm-hmm, I remember, Axing.¡± Cao Xing nodded in acknowledgment, then led her back near the bonfire. The moment they stepped into the fire¡¯s coverage, the coldness was significantly dispelled. ¡°Hiss!¡± The two of them shivered instantly. This time, they had been active outside for roughly seven minutes. According to Cao Xing¡¯s estimation, their maximum current activity time was fifteen minutes. If they could make cold-resistant clothing, their activity time could be greatly extended. Cao Xing glanced at his territory¡¯s resources. [Food *135, Wood *36, Stone *54] ¡°Still not enough materials to craft a Sewing Shop, it seems it won¡¯t be made today.¡± ¡°So, are there any other ways to resist the severe cold?¡± Cao Xing turned his gaze to the Polar People nearby, clad in thick snow suits. Clearly, the set of clothes these Polar People wore was very thick and had excellent cold-resisting features¡­ It¡¯s likely that most survivors at this point were considering using some forceful means to seize these Polar People¡¯s clothing. But it¡¯s advised not to do so. Because once you kill the first Polar Person, the goodwill of this race will immediately drop by 50%. When you kill the second Polar Person, you will become directly hostile to this race. Not only will you be unable to recruit Polar People to work for you, but any Polar People encountered on the road will also launch attacks on your camp. Cao Xing mused internally, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just hang on like this for today.¡± ¡°Probably by tomorrow, enough wood and stones will be gathered to build a Sewing Shop.¡± At this moment, Cao Xing recalled the first-kill reward that the system just gave, which seemed to be a recruitment scroll. After taking it out from his backpack, the scroll¡¯s attributes appeared before him. [Snake-man Tribe Priest Recruitment Scroll: Can summon a level 5 Snake-man Tribe Priest to assist the Lord in battle.] [Occupies 2 population.] Seeing this system introduction, a look of joy instantly appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s face. Goodness, it¡¯s actually a scroll that can summon a level 5 creature! This reward is really nice! However, the Snake-man Tribe, this race, was something Cao Xing had never encountered in the game before, so he didn¡¯t know what they were like. Of course, it could also be because Cao Xing hadn¡¯t developed to the later stages, and hadn¡¯t explored the full range of that game. The vastness of this world exceeded Cao Xing¡¯s imagination. [Do you want to consume the scroll to summon the Snake-man Tribe Priest?] ¡°Yes.¡± With the words spoken, a hexagram array emerged in front of Cao Xing out of thin air. The next moment, the hexagram array emitted a dazzling light. Liu Muxue, beside him, was also curiously watching Cao Xing¡¯s actions. Meanwhile, they suddenly felt as if a strong, cold aura had descended. Then, the cold wind blew. A winding, white-bodied creature appeared. The five-meter-long snake body was covered in scales, and the slender tail swung casually in the snow. And atop this serpentine body, there was a human female head. With elongated eyes and chiseled features, one glance exposed an air of enchantment. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue, both stunned, gazed at this towering snake-woman. ¡°Wow¡­ what a massive snake¡­¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s small mouth hung slightly open. Cao Xing, also seeing such a creature for the first time, found it beyond his expectations. ¡°So this is the Snake-man Tribe? Truly living up to its name.¡± At this moment, the snake-bodied human-headed creature locked eyes with Cao Xing using its ghostly green pupils. It opened its dark purple lips and softly spoke. ¡°Esteemed Lord, Yilena, the Priest of the Snake-man Tribe, at your service.¡± The attributes of this Snake-man appeared before Cao Xing. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 6 - Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Discovering Wild Coal Mines ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Discovering Wild Coal Mines Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Discovering Wild Coal Mines ¡°` [Priest of the Snake-man Tribe: Yilena] [Race: Snake-man] [Level: 5, 132/4000] [Life Value: 480] [Attack Power: 51~54 (Weapon Bonus)] [Attributes: Power 21, Agility 17, Spirit 18, Constitution 24] [Skills: Scale Armor (can provide 10 extra Armor for oneself or ally, Cooling Time 90 seconds). Snake-man Tribe Frenzy (gives Berserk effect to oneself or ally, Move Speed +20%, Attack Speed +20% for 60 seconds, Cooling Time 120 seconds.)] [Frost Ice Bloodline (can survive longer in extreme weather)] [Hunger Level: 67] [Loyalty: 68] a€| ¡°Wow¡­ Such strong attributes, truly worthy of a level 5 creature!¡± Cao Xing was amazed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Moreover, the crucial thing was that Cao Xing saw Yilena¡¯s two skills: Snake-man Tribe Frenzy and Scale Armor! These two skills were both buff-type skills. With his own SSS-level Talent, they were equivalent to a permanent increase of 10 Armor! (For easy calculation, 1 point of Armor offset 1 point of Attack Power.) For Ordinary Creatures like Polar People, 1 point of Power roughly equaled 2 points of Physical Attack Power. (Depending on Profession and Race Talent, Power bonuses to attack vary between 1.5 Attack Power to 3 Physical Attack Power.) In other words, apart from Dazhuang, the other Polar People¡¯s attacks hardly posed any effective Damage to Cao Xing. This showed how terrifying the boost from this skill could be in the early stages. The other skill, Snake-man Tribe Frenzy, increased Move Speed and Attack Speed by 20%, a percentage boost skill that was even more frightening. At this moment, Cao Xing felt as if he had found treasure! Suppressing his excitement, Cao Xing said, ¡°Yilena, please cast the Snake-man Tribe Frenzy skill on us first.¡± In this world, he obviously needed to seize every opportunity to enhance his Power. Yilena flicked her scarlet tongue and said, ¡°With pleasure, my Lord~¡± As she spoke, Yilena raised her Spear, and a red Energy gathered around it. Then she pointed her Spear, and the Energy fell upon Cao Xing. In an instant, Cao Xing felt a surge of hot Energy flowing through his body, significantly boosting his hand speed and Move Speed. [Casting Snake-man Tribe Frenzy successfully, Talent Eternal Power activated, the skill has become permanent¡­] Seeing this prompt, Cao Xing clenched his fists in excitement. It really worked! Meanwhile, Yilena raised her Spear again, and a white Energy fell upon her own body. Cao Xing felt an invisible scale forming over him. [Casting Scale Armor successfully, Talent Eternal Power activated, the skill has become permanent¡­] This layer of scale was extremely hard and smooth, and only appeared when attacked. This meant that normally, Cao Xing appeared as an ordinary person. Cao Xing exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Great, great, with this, my defensive power has skyrocketed!¡± After the skills¡¯ Cooling Time ended, Cao Xing had Yilena cast the same two Statuses on both himself and Liu Muxue. After the Talent activation prompt sounded, Yilena also found that the power in her body did not disappear as before, but remained permanently. She was somewhat puzzled, then when Cao Xing used a permanent Ice Healing Skill on her, Yilena understood the reason. ¡°My Lord, your power truly is immense and unfathomable, it stays permanently within me.¡± Cao Xing had a somewhat strange look in his eyes. Why did it feel like something was off with that statement¡­ Shaking his head, Cao Xing began thinking about other matters. This Berserk skill could increase speed by 20%. In other words, if he could apply it to all four Polar People, their work efficiency would increase. So, Cao Xing asked, ¡°Yilena, can you continue casting skills?¡± Yilena gently shook her head, ¡°My Lord, these skills consume my spiritual power, I need some time to recover.¡± Cao Xing nodded. Then, he turned to look at the four Polar People working in the distance. At that moment, Dazhuang and Erzhuang were each jogging over with a bundle of processed Wood. Sizhuang and Fourzhuang were carrying several Stones. Watching the four little Dwarfs running across the snow was somewhat comical. They placed the materials near the Bonfire where they would automatically disappear, prompting a series of System Prompts. [Wood +5] [Wood +5] [Stone +3] [Stone +3] ¡­ Cao Xing calculated their round-trip time to be about ten minutes. There was still an hour and a half until nightfall. This meant that before dark, they could gather up to 90 Wood and 54 Stones for Cao Xing. ¡°I need more labor, but I can only build one Polar People Hut.¡± ¡°To recruit more Polar People, I have to upgrade the Polar People Hut.¡± ¡°A Level 2 Polar People Hut can recruit 4 more Polar People, greatly increasing work efficiency.¡± ¡°But at the same time, these Polar People will consume more Food and occupy my Population Cap.¡± Cao Xing glanced at his population. [Population: 8/50] (Level 1 Territory¡¯s maximum Population Cap is 50, can increase by upgrading Lord¡¯s Hut.) At this moment, Sizhuang ran over to Cao Xing¡¯s side and spoke. ¡°My Lord, I have something to report to you!¡± Cao Xing looked at Sizhuang, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sizhuang replied, ¡°When Fourzhuang and I were gathering Stones, we discovered a small Coal mine about three to four hundred meters ahead on the right.¡± ¡°However, there seem to be two Snow Wolves guarding it, so we didn¡¯t dare to approach.¡± ¡°I¡¯m concerned that the Snow Wolves might pose a threat to our Camp, so I came to report to you, my Lord!¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®Coal mine,¡¯ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. As we know, Coal is a more advanced energy material than Wood, not only burning longer but also emitting more heat. If he could seize the Coal mine, it would save him a lot of Wood for constructing other facilities. Cao Xing quickly asked, ¡°Do you know the strength of those Snow Wolves, and how many are there?¡± Sizhuang nodded, ¡°We watched for a while and currently, we¡¯ve only seen two Snow Wolves.¡± ¡°These Snow Wolves appear to be slightly stronger than that Snow Poison Snake.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xing¡¯s grin grew wider. Two Snow Wolves, according to Sizhuang, slightly stronger than the Snow Poison Snake, would be around level three to four Monsters. Before summoning Yilena, Cao Xing wasn¡¯t confident in facing them. But now, he could devise a plan to take over that Coal mine. So, Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Sizhuang, excellent work!¡± ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll reward you and Fourzhuang with a portion of snake meat!¡± At the mention of snake meat for dinner, Sizhuang¡¯s eyes almost sparkled like Stars. He nodded excitedly, ¡°Thank you for your Generosity, my Lord. Sizhuang will do his utmost to contribute to you!¡± After speaking, Sizhuang continued his short-legged strides back to collecting Stones. Liu Muxue also heard their conversation and asked nervously, ¡°Axing, is it time for combat?¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Yes, the Coal mine is an important resource, it¡¯s better to secure it sooner.¡± A trace of fear appeared in Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes, but she mustered the courage to say, ¡°I will fight alongside you.¡± Cao Xing didn¡¯t refuse. Although the Snow Wolves were formidable, Liu Muxue had already been enhanced with three permanent buffs. Both defensive power and recovery ability were greatly improved, and with Yilena at level 5, handling two Snow Wolves shouldn¡¯t be an issue. However, before combat, he could use some Items to increase Combat Power. Cao Xing took out a Purple Poison Bag from his backpack. [Poison Bag of the Snow Poison Snake (Green)] [Effect: Apply to Weapon to inflict ¡®Level 1 poisoned¡¯ state for the next 15 attacks.] [Remaining Uses: 10 times.] Cao Xing applied the Poison Liquid to Yilena¡¯s Trident and Liu Muxue¡¯s ordinary Stone Axe. Their Weapons glowed with a faint Purple light. Having finished these preparations, Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s set out now.¡± Saying this, he raised his simple wooden staff and headed into the snow. Yilena, holding the long Spear, led the way. Her snake-like body slithered across the snow, leaving a distinct trail. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue followed behind her. Shh¡­ shh¡­ The farther from the Bonfire they went, the thicker the snow on the ground became, nearly reaching their ankles. ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0 The cold pierced deeper and deeper. After about four minutes, they arrived at the location Sizhuang had mentioned. Indeed, there was a dark Mine shaft, and beside it, a pile of mined Coal lay stacked. [Small Coal Mine: Special Resource Point] [Remaining resources available for mining: Coal*1754, Stone*754, Dirt*5360] [Current status: Cannot be occupied] a€| ¡°` Chapter 7 - Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Big Bang! ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Big Bang! Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Big Bang! Seeing the introduction of this coal mine, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. So many resources! If they could occupy this coal mine, they would not have to worry about resources in the short term! However, the mine was currently in an ¡°unoccupiable¡± state. This was because there were enemies inside the mine. They saw two snow-white figures moving about inside. It seemed they sensed the dangerous aura emanating from Yilena. The two Snow Wolves emerged one after another. ¡°Aooo!!!¡± Their all-white fur, two-meter-long bodies, and protruding fangs exuded a strong oppressive feeling. The two Snow Wolves stood at the entrance of the mine, their limbs tense, warily watching Yilena and growling threateningly. Cao Xing saw the attributes of the Snow Wolves. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0 [Snow Wolf: Level 3] [Race: Beast] [Life Value: 220/220] [Attack Power: 16~18] [Attributes: Power 8, Agility 9, Spirit 7, Constitution 11] [Skills: Tear, Pounce] [Race Talent: Wolf Pack Effect (If the number of Snow Wolves participating in the battle reaches 10 or more, the wolf pack talent is activated, increasing attack power and move speed by 20%.)] ¡­ Sure enough, they were level 3 Snow Wolves, and the attributes of the other wolf were quite similar. Cao Xing realized this. Fortunately, there were only two Snow Wolves here. If there had been more, it would have triggered their race talent, and Cao Xing would have had to run away. But now, looking at the thick fur on the two Snow Wolves, Cao Xing saw them as if they were slick, enticing young women. ¡°Hehehe¡­ Little Snow Wolves, kindly offer up your fur!¡± At that moment, Liu Muxue and Yilena turned their heads to look at Cao Xing. Cao Xing froze, extremely embarrassed. Damn it, did he just say his thoughts out loud? The two Snow Wolves also seemed to know that Cao Xing and his companions were not to be trifled with, keeping their heads low and continuously issuing threatening growls. Snake-man Yilena opened her crimson forked tongue, not showing any weakness. ¡°Sss! Ssssss!¡± The atmosphere between the two sides was incredibly tense. Meanwhile, Liu Muxue was a bit nervous, holding up her wooden shield. After several seconds of standoff, the Snow Wolves were the first to lose their patience. They fiercely pounced toward them. ¡°Aooo!¡± Liu Muxue held up her shield, feeling immense pressure from the Snow Wolves¡¯ massive two-meter bodies. Her slim yet slightly meaty legs trembled slightly. Just then, Cao Xing¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Saozi, raise your shield, block its attack!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your attributes can take it.¡± In the midst of chaos, Liu Muxue, upon hearing this, felt as if she had found her backbone and instinctively did as told. She raised her shield, and the Snow Wolf¡¯s claws swiped at that moment. Bang! ¡°Umm¡­¡± Liu Muxue let out a soft gasp. After the impact, the anticipated scene of Liu Muxue being flung away did not happen. A layer of snow-white scales appeared on her arm, greatly reducing the impact. ¡°Did it¡­ block it?¡± Liu Muxue was surprised by the scene before her. Cao Xing praised from behind, ¡°Saozi, well done!¡± With Cao Xing¡¯s encouragement, Liu Muxue gained more confidence. She took a deep breath, making her proud chest rise significantly. Liu Muxue repeatedly raised her shield, withstanding the Snow Wolf¡¯s attacks. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sounds of impacts continued, but Liu Muxue gritted her teeth and didn¡¯t take a step back. The muscles on her legs, covered in white silk, tensed, and her rounded buttocks trembled intermittently. It was evident that Liu Muxue must work out regularly as holding the shield showcased her perfect body curves unquestionably. ¡°Saozi, besides withstanding the attacks, remember to use the other hand with a weapon to strike back at the enemy.¡± Cao Xing was instructing Liu Muxue on how to fight. Liu Muxue did exactly that. Seizing the moment when the Snow Wolf missed a swipe with its paw, she raised her Stone Axe and chopped towards the Snow Wolf¡¯s head. Psh! [-8] [-2] [-2] The numbers in front represented the slashing damage caused by Liu Muxue, while the latter represented the additional snake venom effect. Although the damages were low compared to the Snow Wolf¡¯s over two hundred life points, it still gave Liu Muxue confidence. ¡°So, I can also block these monsters¡­¡± Then, Liu Muxue gradually found her rhythm of attack. Psh! Psh! [-8] [-9] [-14!](Critical Damage) She blocked the Snow Wolf¡¯s attack while looking for an opportunity to counterattack. Cao Xing was behind her, gathering the Ice Ball Skill. Snap! [-19] The damage from the Ice Ball Skill wasn¡¯t as high as the first time. ?¦Ï???.§ã0 This was because the Snow Wolf is a level 3 creature with higher defensive power than the Snow Poison Snake. The two working together against this Snow Wolf was somewhat scary but manageable. As for the Snake-man Yilena beside them, she was single-handedly suppressing another Snow Wolf. Her spear was so sharp, each thrust would puncture several bloody holes in the Snow Wolf¡¯s body. [-37] [-2] [-32] [-2] ¡­ In no time, this Snow Wolf¡¯s life value had been reduced to less than half. On the other hand, every claw strike from the Snow Wolf that hit Yilena was greatly reduced by her scaly shell, inflicting damage in single digits only. During this time, green +3, +3 would appear over Yilena¡¯s head. In no time, her life value was replenished. This sight made the Snow Wolf in front feel despair. How could it fight against an enemy that healed infinitely? In less than thirty seconds, Yilena had killed the Snow Wolf. [Your Territory Member: Yilena has killed Snow Wolf lv3, gained 40 experience points.] [You gained 20 experience points.] Liu Muxue received the same system prompt. After Yilena finished the fight here, she quickly twisted her body to help Cao Xing with his fight. With Yilena¡¯s addition, the subsequent battle had no suspense. The last Snow Wolf cried out in sorrow before collapsing dead. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue both sighed in relief. As modern people, this was their first time fighting in such a manner. Although Cao Xing seemed calm, he was actually quite nervous inside. If Liu Muxue couldn¡¯t hold on, his slight frame would stand even less of a chance against the Snow Wolf¡¯s attacks. Fortunately, Liu Muxue did not disappoint. Cao Xing walked over, saw the pale-faced Liu Muxue, and patted her back, saying, ¡°Saozi, you worked hard, your performance was really good!¡± After hearing this, Liu Muxue nodded lightly, and some of the tension in her heart dissipated. Cao Xing shifted his gaze. At that moment, there were two wolf corpses on the ground. [Snow Wolf Corpse*2 (Can be Disassembled)] Cao Xing immediately clicked to disassemble. A white light enveloped the two wolf corpses, and a second later, a pile of materials appeared on the ground. [Slightly Damaged Wolf Skin (Green)*2] (Thick wolf skin, can be made into coats with decent cold resistance.) [Fresh Wolf Meat (Green)*134] (Chewy wolf meat, 1 piece of wolf meat = 5 food) [Snow Wolf Skeleton (Green)*32] (Hard bones, you can use them to make simple armor or weapons, or maybe even for making soup?) [Wolf Teeth (Green)*11] (Sharp wolf teeth, you can use them to make arrows, or tie them onto sticks to make spears.) [Frost Wolf Knight Recruitment Scroll (Blue)*1] (A scroll imbued with the power of a contract, you can immediately summon a powerful level 10 Frost Wolf Knight, but make sure you have enough food before doing so.) ¡­ Seeing all these materials on the ground, shock deepened in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Damn! This is a fantastic loot haul!¡± Cao Xing was overjoyed! Two wolf skins directly solved their raw material needs for making cold-resistant clothing; it was an urgent need just addressed! No need to mention the wolf meat, easily over a hundred portions that, if rationed properly, would last them half a month. And, of course, the most extravagant item was that Frost Wolf Warrior Recruitment Scroll! It could actually summon a level 10 creature, even more powerful than Yilena! Joy also appeared on Liu Muxue¡¯s face; she too understood the high value of these resources. ¡°That¡¯s great, Axing!¡± Cao Xing nodded. He picked up a white wolf skin from the ground and draped it over Liu Muxue. Although not yet made into a coat, just these two wolf skins had a great warming effect. Liu Muxue immediately felt a wave of warmth envelop her and, gratefully looking at Cao Xing, said, ¡°Thank you, Axing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Saozi.¡± Cao Xing replied, then draped the other wolf skin over himself. In an instant, the harsh cold of this world was much dispelled. Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but reflect. Finally, he was no longer fighting in the snow in shorts and a t-shirt! ¡­ Chapter 8 - Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Ancient Weapon?·Barrett ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Ancient Weapon?¡¤Barrett Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Ancient Weapon?¡¤Barrett Cao Xing had collected the other materials on the ground. Afterward, he came to the coal mine, full of anticipation. [System Prompt: A small unclaimed coal mine has been discovered. Do you wish to occupy it?] ¡°Yes.¡± [System Prompt: Occupation successful, you have obtained a small coal mine*1, you have obtained a Bronze Treasure Box*1.] [System Prompt: Congratulations! As the first survivor in all servers to occupy a resource point, you have been awarded: Ancient Weapon Barrett (Purple)*1, 12.7mm ammunition*10 rounds.] Cao Xing: ¡°???¡± What the hell? Barrett? Did I hear that right? However, when Cao Xing saw the heavy sniper rifle lying in the snow before him, its entire body painted black and its barrel a full meter long, he confirmed his guess. This really is a Barrett! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï But then again, he thought about it, and it seemed normal. After all, this world is a mix of science and magic. Cold Iron Mechanics could eventually pilot Gundams and summon bomber fleets in the later stages, so what was a Barrett in comparison? With this in mind, Cao Xing joyfully picked up the Barrett and the bullets from the ground. [Ancient Weapon Barrett (Purple)] [Quality: Rare] [Attack Power: 967~993] [Attack Interval: 2 seconds per attack] [Attached Effect 1: Armor Penetration (There¡¯s a 50% chance to ignore 100 points of the enemy¡¯s armor when attacking)] [Attached Effect 2: Headshot (When attacking the head, inflict an additional 50% damage)] ¡­ ¡°Holy shit! This is freaking awesome!¡± Without a doubt, this was a real killing machine. With more than nine hundred attack power in the early stages, it was like a god-slaying weapon, unstoppable by anything! Plus the two additional effectsa€¡±if both triggered, monsters below Level 20 couldn¡¯t withstand a single shot! Even though he was a mage, who said mages couldn¡¯t use the Barrett? Sadly, Cao Xing only had ten rounds of ammunition. Cao Xing thought, ¡°I remember, after the territory levels up to Level 4, some new technological buildings like [Bullet Factory] and [Small Snow-land Robot Production Workshop] would be unlocked.¡± ¡°Then, I won¡¯t have to worry about bullets!¡± Pleased, Cao Xing tucked the Barrett into his backpack. At this moment, he remembered another prompt from the system. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï In addition to the coal mine resources, there was also a Bronze Treasure Box. In other words, there might actually be a treasure box inside! So Cao Xing turned his head and said, ¡°Saozi, I¡¯m going to check inside the mine. You start by collecting the coal scattered here.¡± Liu Muxue nodded lightly, ¡°Mm.¡± After speaking, Cao Xing jumped straight into the mine. It was just a small mine, stretching no more than four to five meters deep. In the soil nearby, one could see the lumps of black coal and stone, clearly indicating the richness of its resources. According to the system, over 1700 pieces of coal could still be mined here. Based on the standard ratio of 1 coal=5 wood, the resources here could last him for quite some time! Cao Xing even considered sending some Polar People over to start mining right now. But, at present, the four Polar People in the territory were all busy with tasks, and there were no spare hands for this stage. Cao Xing mused to himself, ¡°It seems I need to prioritize upgrading the Polar People Hut.¡± ¡°I must recruit more labor; otherwise, these veins will remain unmined.¡± However, more pressing at the moment was finding the treasure box within this coal mine. Cao Xing made his way to the end of the mine, and in the pitch black, he discovered a bronze-colored treasure box. ¡°This is it!¡± The system prompt appeared. [System Prompt: An unlocked Bronze Treasure Box*1 has been found. Would you like to open it?] Cao Xing clicked ¡®Yes¡¯ right away. [System Prompt: Bronze Treasure Box successfully opened, you have obtained Believer¡¯s Staff (Green)*1, [You have obtained Snow Boots (White)*2] [You have obtained a Medical Bag*1, Food*15, Fine Iron*5] [You have obtained Market Construction Blueprints*1.] ¡°Huh? A Market Construction Blueprint?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. Only after building a market could one trade with other survivors. Although only a few hours had passed since Cao Xing arrived in this world, given over 7 billion humans had been transported to Blue Star, with such a huge population, many would have already built a [Market]. Cao Xing looked over the blueprint¡¯s description. [Market: After construction, trade resources with other survivors.] (Note: Before merging, you can only trade with other survivors within your territory.) [Occupied Space: 20 square meters.] [Construction Materials Required: Stone*15, Wood*30.] Cao Xing thoughtfully said, ¡°So, I can only trade with survivors in my own region for now?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not a big deal. Area 174 also has tens of thousands of people; there should be plenty of supplies circulating in the market.¡± Cao Xing then began to check the other two pieces of equipment he had just acquired. [Believer¡¯s Staff (Green), Quality: Fine, Attack Power: 15~18, Spirit +3, Attached Effect: Believer¡¯s Grip (When attacking, there¡¯s a 20% chance to increase the user¡¯s spirit by +10)] (Note: Staff of a zealous believer, shout the words ¡®black stockings are justice¡¯ during battle for unexpected effects~) Who the hell is going to shout that, damn it! It¡¯s white stockings that are justice, okay? Cao Xing was speechless, feeling that this system¡¯s note was somewhat frivolous. He began to check the second piece of equipment. ¡°` [Snow Boots (White), Quality: Common, Armor: None, Special Effects: None.] (Note: With good resistance to cold, these snow boots can help you walk better in snow and ice.) ¡°Another piece of cold-weather gear.¡± Barrett thought with happiness. There were two pairs of these snow boots, one for him and one for Liu Muxue each. Thus, he took off his black leather shoes and put on the fleece-covered snow boots. His feet, nearly frozen and numb, were now wrapped in waves of warmth. Barrett nodded in satisfaction. There was another item in the treasure box. [Medical Bag (White): Can be used to treat injuries or common illnesses, restores 100 Life Value.] (Note: A simple medical bag that can cure common symptoms caused by the weather, such as colds, fevers, frostbites, etc.) This, too, was a lifesaver, especially before constructing a [Medical Room]! After all, some ailments not even the Aurora Knight¡¯s [Purification Skill] could dispel. After checking once more to ensure there was nothing else in the coal mine, Barrett prepared to leave. But before he left, he conveniently dismantled the treasure box. [System Prompt: Successfully dismantled Bronze Treasure Box, obtained Copper*5.] ¡­ Barrett crawled out of the mine shaft. Upon seeing him come out, Liu Muxue spoke softly, ¡°Axing, I¡¯ve gathered all the coal from the ground. There are 112 pieces in totala€¡±enough for us to use for a long time!¡± Joy of the harvest was on her face. Barrett nodded and said, ¡°Well done, Saozi.¡± ¡°Here, take these snow boots first.¡± After speaking, Barrett placed the boots at Liu Muxue¡¯s feet. He noticed that Liu Muxue¡¯s legs were frozen red, her ten toes tightly clenched, trembling continuously between her thighs. It had been five or six minutes since they emerged. In another few minutes, if they don¡¯t return to the bonfire, Liu Muxue¡¯s legs might be completely ruined by the cold. Although Liu Muxue was very eager for the snow boots, she also knew how precious they were in this extreme environment. ¡°Can I really have these boots?¡± Liu Muxue tentatively asked. Barrett laughed and said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already got a pair, and Yilena doesn¡¯t have legs, who else could wear them but you?¡± Liu Muxue no longer refused but whispered, ¡°Thank you¡­ Axing.¡± Barrett waved his hand, urging her to hurry and put them on. Right then, Liu Muxue somewhat embarrassedly said, ¡°Axing¡­ could you help me a bit? My legs aren¡¯t really listening to me.¡± After saying that, her cheeks reddened to the tips of her ears. Without overthinking, Barrett stepped up beside her and let Liu Muxue place one of her hands on his shoulder. A faint fragrance wafted to his nose. Liu Muxue, wrapping her arm around Barrett¡¯s neck, struggled to lift her right leg. Seeing her condition, Barrett knew her legs had stiffened from the cold. ¡°Saozi, let me help you put them on.¡± As he spoke, without waiting for Liu Muxue to react, Barrett lifted her leg covered in white silk. ¡°Um¡­¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s body shuddered, her eyes suddenly widening. Barrett, without any superfluous thoughts, quickly helped her into both pairs of snow boots, then bent down. ¡°Saozi, I will carry you back to camp.¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Muxue became even more shy. But she knew that in her current state, she must return to camp to warm up quickly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s trouble for you¡­¡± Liu Muxue softly replied. The next moment, a pair of slender arms wrapped around Barrett¡¯s neck. Then, she felt a pair of large, powerful hands supporting her at the base of her thighs. As if it was the first time another man had touched her there, Liu Muxue let out slight breaths, her face quickly turning red down to her neck. Liu Muxue bowed her head deeply. Barrett felt the soft, delicate touch between his hands. He thought to himself, ¡°This woman¡­ her body is so soft¡­¡± Then, Barrett carried Liu Muxue, along with Yilena. The two people and one snake returned to the warmth of the camp. The heat from the bonfire came again. The stiffness in their bodies gradually dissipated. After settling Liu Muxue down, Barrett glanced at the sky, which was growing increasingly darker. There was half an hour left until nightfall. He needed to build a small shelter before dark so that Yilena could stay there overnight. Otherwise, the loyalty of these territory residents might decrease due to enduring the nighttime cold. Moreover, he needed to construct the [Market] for trading with other survivors. Barrett checked the current territory resources. [Food: Bread*50, Snake Meat*17, Wolf Meat*134] [Wood*97, Coal*112, Stone*62] ¡°Not bad, the materials for the logging factory and market are sufficient, and the remaining materials can build a small dwelling.¡± So, Barrett shouted out to the distance, ¡°Dazhuang, Erzhuang, come back now.¡± Upon hearing the command, the Polar People put down their work and hurried back to the bonfire, shivering. ¡°Lord, what do you need?¡± Barrett nodded, then began giving orders, ¡°Dazhuang, Erzhuang, you two build the logging factory.¡± ¡°Sizhuang, the task of constructing the market is yours.¡± ¡°Erzhuang, you build a small dwelling.¡± To that, Barrett added, ¡°After you¡¯ve done these, you can have your meal.¡± Hearing the last sentence, the eyes of the four Polar People brightened, ¡°Rest assured, Lord, we¡¯ll complete the tasks before dark!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you can count on us to do the job, Lord.¡± ¡°` Chapter 9 - Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Delicious Snake Soup ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Delicious Snake Soup Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Delicious Snake Soup At that moment, Cao Xing heard a ¡®gurgle gurgle¡¯ sound near his ear. It wasn¡¯t coming from him, but rather from Liu Muxue beside him. She wasn¡¯t someone with a particularly strong physique to begin with, and on top of that, she had just been through a battle, which had drained a great deal of her strength. So it was normal for her to be hungry. Seeing Cao Xing looking over, Liu Muxue¡¯s pretty face turned red, and she buried her head deeply. ¡°No, sorry¡­¡± Cao Xing shook his head and said, ¡°Saozi, let¡¯s go inside first. It¡¯s time to start cooking.¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently. Then, they entered the empty Lord¡¯s Hut. To cook, one must first build the stove. So, Cao Xing found a corner and then opened the [Construction] interface to start building. [Do you want to consume materials: Stone*8, Wood*4, to build a level 1 simple stove?] ¡°Yes.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0 In just a few minutes, a simple stove made of stone appeared in front of Cao Xing. [Stove: Level 1] [Defense Value: 30] [Occupied Space: 1 square meter] Cao Xing then took out the initial equipment provided by the system from the Storage Box, [Big Black Pot (White)] Don¡¯t think it¡¯s just a big black pot, but it could actually be broken down into two pieces of iron. This time, Cao Xing planned to make a pot of snake soup. In this icy and snowy land, there was naturally no shortage of water sources. Cao Xing just needed to go outside with a hammer, knock off some ice, bring it back and put it in the pot, where it soon melted. After the water boiled, Cao Xing directly threw two palm-sized pieces of snake meat into the pot. These two pieces of snake meat were equal to 10 units of food supplies, which was quite luxurious. After contemplating for a moment, Cao Xing threw two more pieces of snake meat into the pot. A dozen minutes later, the rich aroma of the meat started to permeate the entire hut. Liu Muxue, who was huddled to one side, couldn¡¯t help but lift her head and swallow saliva as she gazed at the pot. ¡°Saozi, it¡¯s almost ready, just wait a little longer.¡± Liu Muxue, feeling embarrassed, lowered her head and responded softly, ¡°Axing, let me handle the cooking in the future¡­¡± After hearing this, Cao Xing laughed and said, ¡°In the future, you are going to be the Lord¡¯s woman. How can we be the ones to do these tasks?¡± ¡°Now we are short-handed, but once we recruit more forces, we won¡¯t need to cook ourselves.¡± Hearing this, Liu Muxue also revealed a gentle smile, ¡°Axing, you understand so much.¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just play a lot of games, that¡¯s all.¡± Outside, the sky turned increasingly dim. The temperature started to drop sharply as well. After the stove was lit, the temperature in the room had risen to -11?¡ãC. But now, in the blink of an eye, it dropped back down to -16?¡ãC. The temperature outside was an astonishing -50?¡ãC. The howling wind, like a bone-scraping knife, incessantly swept over the bodies of the Polar People. Under these temperature conditions, even with a bonfire, work couldn¡¯t continue. Unless, later on, the bonfire was upgraded to an Energy Tower, then even in blizzard conditions, one could safely get through. At this point, Cao Xing saw several prompts appear on the territory interface. [Your territory building, the [Logging Factory], has been successfully constructed.] [Your territory building, the [Market], has been successfully constructed.] [Your territory building, the [Small Shelter], has been successfully constructed.] Cao Xing breathed a sigh of relief. The tasks he had entrusted to the four Polar People had all been completed before nightfall. So he went to the door of the Lord¡¯s Hut and said, ¡°Dazhuang, Erzhuang, you all can come and eat now.¡± Four Polar People swarmed into the Lord¡¯s Hut. Even Yilena curled up and squeezed into the hut against the wooden walls. The Lord¡¯s Hut, which was a total of thirty square meters in area, became extremely crowded all at once. Liu Muxue had already filled six wooden bowls with meat soup, which also contained melted snake meat. The eyes of the four Polar People gleamed, and their hands holding the bowls were shaking. But since Cao Xing hadn¡¯t spoken, they didn¡¯t dare make any presumptuous moves. At that moment, Cao Xing came to the stove and picked up one of the wooden bowls, saying, ¡°Although we¡¯ve only known each other for a day, I¡¯m very satisfied with your performance!¡± ¡°To reward you for your efforts, enjoy this pot of snake soup to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s enjoy the meal!¡± At this instant, the four Polar People lifted the delicious soup in their hands, their saliva secreting crazily. Then, they shouted in unison. ¡°Praise the great Lord!¡± ¡°Praise the great Second Lord!¡± As the words were uttered, the four Polar People drained the soup bowls in one gulp. The sounds of ¡°glug glug¡± filled the air. Moments later, a look of bliss appeared on the faces of all four Polar People. ¡°Good heavens, I swear, this is the most delicious meal I¡¯ve ever had in my life!¡± ¡°Erzhuang, me too! I¡¯ve never had such delicious soup in the underground.¡± ¡°Everyone, we must remember, all of this was bestowed upon us by the Lord. We must work hard to repay the Lord!¡± ¡°We are willing to go through fire and water for the Lord!¡± The four Polar People were deeply moved. A system prompt appeared. [Your Territory Member: Dazhuang has tasted delicious snake soup, his Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 85.] [Your Territory Member: Erzhuang has tasted delicious snake soup, his Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 80.] ¡­ The goodwill of the four Polar People skyrocketed, all over 80 points! With such high goodwill, basically, whatever Cao Xing asked them to do, they would do. Cao Xing also noticed Yilena nearby. Her Hunger Level had dropped below 50. Yilena squinted her slender eyelids, constantly sticking out her tongue, seemingly also eager to eat. Cao Xing approached Yilena and asked, ¡°Yilena, do you want raw meat or cooked meat?¡± Yilena spat out her crimson tongue, ¡°Raw meat, respected Lord.¡± Cao Xing nodded, about to take out two pieces of snake meat from his backpack. After a thought, Cao Xing put them back. Instead, he tossed two pieces of the newly harvested Wolf Meat to Yilena. Yilena bit into it in one go and then swallowed it down directly. Licking her lips, she smiled contentedly and said, ¡°Thank you, Lord.¡± [Your Territory Member: Yilena has tasted delicious Wolf Meat, her Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 71.] Cao Xing noticed that Yilena¡¯s Hunger Level had risen by 10 points, barely reaching 60. This wouldn¡¯t do, as not reaching a full state for an extended period would also decrease Loyalty. Yilena was powerful, but likewise, she consumed more food. After pondering for a moment, Cao Xing continued to feed her four more pieces of Wolf Meat, finally bringing her Hunger Value up to 80. ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Lord.¡± Cao Xing nodded; fortunately, this time, they¡¯d hunted two Snow Wolves. Otherwise, with Yilena¡¯s appetite, their food stores wouldn¡¯t last them two days. Moreover, in Cao Xing¡¯s hands, there was an even more powerful Recruitment Scroll: Frost Wolf Warrior. One could imagine that when the time came, feeding the two big eaters every day would require a staggering amount of food. ¡°Starting tomorrow, we¡¯ll have to find a way to gather more food,¡± Cao Xing thought to himself. Since it was night, he couldn¡¯t work or go out exploring. So, Cao Xing instructed Yilena and the four Polar People to return to their quarters to rest. After they left, the Lord¡¯s Hut became spacious again. As for Liu Muxue, she had to stay with Cao Xing until new quarters were built. At the moment, Liu Muxue seemed a bit nervous; this appeared to be her first time sharing a room with a man. However, Cao Xing didn¡¯t harbor any superfluous thoughts. Sitting in front of the fire, Cao Xing opened the system interface¡¯s [Chat Channel]. He wanted to see how the other Survivors were faring. He opened the [World Channel], and a deluge of messages poured in. ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Lin Zixuan: ¡°Cold! So cold! I¡¯m freezing to death!¡± Lawrence: ¡°Oh, God! What kind of world is this? My family has run out of food, the Bonfire is about to go out, can anyone save us?¡± Andre: ¡°Damn! There are monsters lurking outside the Camp, and one of them bit me!¡± Fujihara Ayako: ¡°My husband has frozen to death, his body is so stiff and cold, sob sob sob¡­¡± ¡­ Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Bargaining, Ice Armor Skill Book ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Bargaining, Ice Armor Skill Book Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Bargaining, Ice Armor Skill Book ¡°` From their information, Cao Xing learned that quite a few people had already died. Most had succumbed to the cold weather, while a few encountered monster attacks outdoors. Humanity as a whole was gripped by fear and anxiety. On the World Channel, there were also other relatively calm survivors sharing their experiences there. Zhang Huaiyun said, ¡°Brothers, make sure to build the Lord¡¯s Hut as soon as possible; only after establishing the Lord¡¯s Hut can you unlock other constructions!¡± Ed Stafford suggested, ¡°I recommend quickly gathering stones and wood around your territory first, then upgrading your bonfire.¡± Wang Sheng advised, ¡°If you encounter monsters in the wild, don¡¯t attempt an attack; remember to run back immediately. Once you reach the bonfire¡¯s range, those monsters won¡¯t attack you!¡± ¡­ Just as Cao Xing had anticipated, out of the over 7 billion people worldwide, there were some who adapted well. However, compared to Cao Xing, they were still a step behind. They hadn¡¯t played this game beforehand like Cao Xing, nor did they have an SSS-level hidden talent. In these four hours, Cao Xing not only established the Lord¡¯s Hut and the Polar People Hut but also constructed the Logging Factory, Market, and other buildings, in addition to upgrading the bonfire to level 3. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Moreover, after two battles, Cao Xing¡¯s resources had reached an abundant level. Cao Xing thought for a moment and added a line himself. Cao Xing said, ¡°At night, the minimum temperature can drop to -60?¡ãC. Don¡¯t go out unnecessarily. If you haven¡¯t built the Lord¡¯s Hut in time, you can first use wooden planks and stones to construct a simple shelter that can barely withstand the cold of the first night.¡± After finishing his words, Cao Xing closed the World Channel. He didn¡¯t know how many people would see his message. Nor did he know if anyone would use his method to survive the first night. But in any case, he considered it a kind-hearted reminder. Then, he opened the [Regional Channel]. According to the system¡¯s description, this was a 500 km by 500 km square area. It displayed the following. [Region 174 Channel] [Online Population: 38224/40173] Cao Xing silently pondered. Clearly, on the first day, many people had already died. In his region alone, nearly two thousand people had perished. It was imaginable how high the death rate among survivors worldwide must be. But this was inevitable; in a survival game, many people were bound to be eliminated. Moreover, once the first day was over, everyone would adapt, and the death rate wouldn¡¯t be as high. Of course, once the beginner protection phase was over, the monsters roaming outside might attack the camp actively. Then, the death rate might surge again. So, it wasn¡¯t just the other survivors. Even Cao Xing had to cherish the time during the beginner protection phase to develop his territory quickly. Opening the [Regional Channel] revealed a flood of information. Wang Wenjie asked, ¡°Brothers, are you all from Xiangjiang?¡± Gu Boren replied, ¡°I¡¯m not from Xiangjiang, but I¡¯m from the neighboring Shengang City.¡± Qiao Pingwei said, ¡°I¡¯m from Xiangjiang.¡± Pan Fei said, ¡°I¡¯m also from Xiangjiang.¡± Upon reviewing the chat above, Cao Xing realized it. This regional division likely randomly assigned people from adjacent cities together. At this time, that Wang Wenjie continued, ¡°Fellow people, I ran into trouble. My sister fainted due to the cold and now has a high fever. Who has cold medicine or antibiotics to save my sister?¡± Qi Qiang said, ¡°My family is also sick; my parents have collapsed. It¡¯s just me and my brother left. What should we do if this continues?¡± Lu Jizhong said, ¡°It¡¯s a problem. After tonight, tomorrow¡¯s food isn¡¯t enough, and I don¡¯t have warm clothing¡­¡± Fang Long said, ¡°I am Fang Long from the Three Heroes Association; fellow members, contact me quickly.¡± In the chat channel, many were expressing their current difficulties and hoping for help. Of course, there were also some survivors in this region who had already developed. Chen Tianhao said, ¡°Haha, a group of cowards, you guys just stay near the bonfire. I¡¯ve already found a treasure box in the snow and opened an Iron Sword and a bunch of food inside.¡± Ji Wenlong said, ¡°I also opened a treasure box and got a medical bag which can treat colds and fevers. If you want, trade it with food or weapons!¡± Cheng Lei said, ¡°Selling cold-resistant coats, need food, lots of food!¡± a€| From the information above, it was clear that everyone severely lacked supplies. Cao Xing closed the Regional Channel; he also needed to go to the market to trade for some supplies now. Cao Xing opened the [Market] interface of the territory construction. ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Upon opening, he saw many lines of trade information. [Auction Item: Stone Block*20] [Requested Item: Food*10 or Medical Box*1.] [Auction Person: Zhao Jiaying] (Seller¡¯s Note: Basic materials, price can be negotiated.) ¡­ [Auction Item: Rusty Spear (White)*1,] [Requested Item: Food*20.] [Auction Person: Anonymous] (Seller¡¯s Note: Iron spear, rusted but stronger than the initial weapon gifted by the system, need food! Food!) ¡­ [Auction Item: Opened Bronze Treasure Box*1.] [Requested Item: Warm Clothing.] [Auction Person: Wang Wen] (Seller¡¯s Note: Though the treasure box has been opened, it can be broken down into the rare material copper, give me warm clothing, I¡¯m freezing!) a€| Clearly, today was the first day of global arrival. In this world with extreme environments, the scarcest items were naturally food, warm clothing, and medicines. Everyone was exchanging the limited resources at hand. Cao Xing himself only had one medical box, and he was short on warm clothing. So clearly, he couldn¡¯t trade these items. He continued browsing to see if he could find something he needed. At this time, he saw an auction message. [Auction Item: Ice Armor Skill Book (White)*1] [Requested Item: Food*50, or Medical Box*5.] [Auction Person: Mailese] (Seller¡¯s Note: Early skill book for Frost Mage, negotiable, act fast!) Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. It was the Frost Mage¡¯s [Ice Armor Skill]! This skill could increase a certain amount of armor value based on the user¡¯s spirit strength, lasting 20 seconds, but the consumption was relatively high. For other Frost Mages, it might be a useless skill, but for Cao Xing, it was a divine skill! Because this skill could become a permanent enhancement skill when combined with his talent. Combined with Yilena¡¯s [Scale Armor], Cao Xing¡¯s defensive power would reach an extraordinary level! Cao Xing almost wanted to grab this skill book immediately. But clearly, this guy was outrageously pricing it at fifty food items straight away. Fortunately, the seller¡¯s note mentioned negotiating, indicating room for discussion. So, Cao Xing opened the private chat interface of the auction. Cao Xing said, ¡°Ten food items for the Ice Armor Skill Book.¡± Within a few seconds, Mailese sent an exasperated emoji. Mailese said, ¡°I told you to bargain, not to slaughter me. You want to exchange ten food items for a skill book. Why don¡¯t you try robbing?¡± ¡°Go, go, go, get out of here!¡± Cao Xing replied, ¡°I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but don¡¯t rush. What if I told you this wasn¡¯t ordinary food but meat?¡± Mailese said, ¡°Meat? You got meat this quickly?¡± The tone on the other side was filled with strong astonishment. Cao Xing knew the other party didn¡¯t believe him, given that, at this stage, meat could only be obtained from those wild creatures. Clearly, on the first day, almost no one could defeat those wild creatures. Cao Xing directly pasted the item information into the private chat window, but he sent snake meat information. Only at this moment did Mailese finally believe that Cao Xing indeed had meat. ¡°Wow, brother! You actually managed to get snake meat.¡± Cao Xing directly asked, ¡°So, will you sell it or not?¡± Mailese said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll sell it, but aren¡¯t you offering too little? At least 40 food items, which translates to 8 pieces of snake meat, or don¡¯t bother talking!¡± Cao Xing said, ¡°What are you thinking? I don¡¯t even have that much, a maximum of 3 pieces of snake meat.¡± However, Mailese insisted that it couldn¡¯t be less than 6 pieces of snake meat. Cao Xing directly replied, ¡°Then forget it, keep it yourself.¡± ¡°Ice Armor Skill is just an early-stage skill; the drop rate isn¡¯t low. After tomorrow, you won¡¯t be able to exchange it even for food.¡± Hearing this, the other side seemed a bit hesitant. Mailese asked hesitantly, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡± ¡°` Chapter 11 - Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The First Night, Greedy Human Nature ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The First Night, Greedy Human Nature Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The First Night, Greedy Human Nature Cao Xing was of course lying. The Ice Armor Skill was one of the foundational skills for mages in the early stages. Although it was somewhat underwhelming, it still wasn¡¯t without value. Cao Xing replied directly, ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s up to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Mailese said helplessly, ¡°Forget it, if it¡¯s three pieces of snake meat, then it¡¯s three pieces. If I¡¯m frugal with it, it should be enough to feed my family for one more day.¡± When Cao Xing heard the last sentence, his expression shifted slightly. After pondering for a moment, he sent a message, ¡°How about this, change it to 20 pieces of food, and I¡¯ll throw in 5 additional loaves of bread.¡± Mailese, on the other end, was taken aback, but still responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Cao Xing said, ¡°Then just go to the market and update the trade info, and I¡¯ll snatch it up right away.¡± Soon, the price of the skill on the market changed to [Food]*20 Cao Xing immediately made the purchase. [System Prompt: Trade successful. You have acquired the Ice Armor Skill Book*1. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï You have lost fresh snake meat*3, bread*5.] [Ice Armor Skill: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to raise your or an ally¡¯s Armor Value by (spirit * 0.6) for 30 seconds, with a cooling time of 60 seconds.] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, this was the one. His current spirit was 5, and with the addition of the Believer Staff¡¯s enhancements, that made it 8 points of spirit. That meant Cao Xing could permanently increase his Armor Value by 5 points! He immediately clicked to learn the skill. [Successfully learned Ice Armor Skill¡­] After the system prompt ended, Cao Xing felt quietly delighted. He then cast Ice Armor Skill on himself first. ¡°Stack the Armor! Got it!¡± [System Prompt: Ice Armor Skill cast successfully, Armor +5, Talent [Eternal Power] activated, the skill is now in permanent status.] The next moment, Cao Xing felt an invisible layer of Frost Armor enveloping him. A comforting sense of security welled up in his heart. The effect of [Ice Armor Skill] was similar to that of [Scale Armor], both being an intangible form of defense that only became apparent when attacked. Now, his Armor had reached 15 points; attacks from monsters below level 3 couldn¡¯t even harm him! To put it simply, they couldn¡¯t breach his defenses! Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. After waiting for 60 seconds, he added another layer of Ice Armor Skill to Liu Muxue. As the team¡¯s tank, it was natural to stack her defense as high as possible. At the moment, the two were alone in a room. Liu Muxue was also getting updates from other survivors through the chat channel. Now she realized that not everyone was as fortunate as her, living in a warm Lord¡¯s Hut. Many other survivors were still enduring hunger and the bitter cold. If she wasn¡¯t with Cao Xing, she, Liu Muxue, would likely be suffering the same fate, or worse. And then there was the bone-chilling cold of the snowy hell at night. With gratitude in her eyes, Liu Muxue looked at Cao Xing, ¡°Thank you, Axing. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have frozen to death out there.¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Saozi. Since the two of us were placed in the same group, we have to cooperate and survive better in this world.¡± ¡°Helping you is also helping myself.¡± Liu Muxue nodded solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll adapt to this world as quickly as I can, and I won¡¯t hold you back!¡± Cao Xing nodded. Then, the two sank into a kind of silent companionship. The atmosphere seemed a bit awkward. Suddenly, Liu Muxue blushed, thinking of something; even her body trembled slightly. A moment later, she took off her Snow Boots and retreated onto the Wood Bed. Wrapped in the Wolf Skin Coat, she buried her red face deeply into it, leaving only a pair of tender little feet exposed. Between them was a warm stove. A little while later, Cao Xing said, ¡°Sleep well, Saozi.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Night fell. The Coal in the stove was burning brightly. Through the Lord¡¯s Hut, one could hear the wind outside. At this time, both of them were wrapped in Wolf Skin, using it as blankets. Liu Muxue watched Cao Xing¡¯s back, wondering what she was thinking. In that moment, Liu Muxue received a video call. ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Seeing the Name of the caller, it was Bi Yunlan. Her mother. Liu Muxue¡¯s face flashed with solemnity. After a moment of contemplation, she clicked to answer. ¡°Little Xue, how are you doing over there?¡± As soon as the video connected, a woman¡¯s voice came from the other side. Liu Muxue was surprised that they were still concerned about her. However, before Liu Muxue could speak, Bi Yunlan continued, ¡°Oh my, Little Xue! Our whole family suddenly coming to this world, what rotten luck!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how miserable it was for me, your two younger brothers, and your dad!¡± ¡°The box only had so little food, not even enough for Dabao and Xiaobao¡¯s one meal.¡± ¡°Now the food is almost gone, your dad and I didn¡¯t eat anything all evening, both cold and hungry.¡± ¡°Xiaoxue, do you have any extra food to support us with?¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s mouth curled into a bitter smile. As expected, was it still the same? Without saying a word, her true nature was revealed. They did not care about her life or death, they just came to her for food. Liu Muxue remembered that it seemed to be the same when she was on Blue Star. Always under strict demands, all of her income controlled by them, and even her personal life was intruded upon. To the point where in the end, she was forced to marry that man she disliked. Liu Muxue took a deep breath, as if she mustered up some kind of courage. She shook her head and said, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have extra food either.¡± Upon hearing this, Mother Liu immediately expressed her doubt, ¡°Really, not even a little? Xiaoxue, your two brothers have been hungry all day!¡± ¡°You know, Dabao and Xiaobao can eat a lot, back home they used to eat four to five times a day, but now in this world, they¡¯ve only had one meal, and your father and I have only had half a loaf of bread.¡± While saying this, Mother Liu¡¯s eyes were darting around, as if scouting out Liu Muxue¡¯s situation. Liu Muxue firmly replied, ¡°None left.¡± At that moment, however, another middle-aged man appeared in the video. He looked at Liu Muxue¡¯s background and doubted, ¡°Xiaoxue, are you deceiving us?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve moved into a house, yet you say you have no food?¡± ¡°And where did you get that fur you¡¯re wearing?¡± Off to the side, two children¡¯s voices could be heard, ¡°Dad, Mom, I recognize the fur on sister¡¯s body, it¡¯s wolf skin!¡± ¡°Sister must have killed a wolf, sister has meat!¡± Hearing this, Mother Liu immediately accused, ¡°Goodness, you unfilial girl, how dare you deceive your own mother!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to share meat with your family, do you, you ungrateful thing, I¡¯ve raised you in vain!¡± At that moment, Father Liu was also joining in the accusation, along with the clamorous voices of the two young children. ¡°Xiaoxue, what are you thinking? Your mother and I are almost starving to death, and you won¡¯t share even a bit of food, has your conscience been eaten by a dog?¡± Faced with her family¡¯s reproach, Liu Muxue bit her lower lip, tears at the corner of her eyes, looking helpless for a moment. Mother Liu¡¯s rebukes intensified, ¡°And you¡¯re feeling wronged?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gone hungry for a day without feeling wronged, Liu Muxue, I see you¡¯ve really spread your wings!¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes reddened, ready to burst into tears. Just then, a figure squeezed into the frame. ¡°You two old things, yapping away like dogs, what for?¡± Upon hearing the berating, the voice on the other side went silent. Then, they saw a young man appearing beside Liu Muxue. Father Liu saw Cao Xing in the video and questioned, ¡°Xiaoxue, who are you with, who is this man?¡± Before Liu Muxue could speak up, Cao Xing took the lead, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am.¡± ¡°If you want food, go find it in the snow yourself.¡± After hearing this, the middle-aged man responded, ¡°I¡¯m talking to my daughter, what right do you have to interject?¡± Cao Xing laughed, ¡°What right do I have?¡± ¡°The wolf was killed by me, the meat is also mine, how about that?¡± The middle-aged man retorted angrily, ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask you, I¡¯ll ask Xiaoxue, she is my daughter!¡± Cao Xing scoffed coldly, ¡°You won¡¯t get anything from her either, I¡¯m in charge of the food, and with me around, not a crumb will go to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re capable and have functioning limbs, don¡¯t you know how to work for your food? Coming here to blood-suck off your daughter, have you no shame?¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°You what? At your age, still clinging shamelessly, less capable than a woman, pathetic.¡± After a barrage of scolding from Cao Xing, the middle-aged man¡¯s face turned beet red. Off to the side, the cries of the two children also erupted. Mother Liu seemed intent on defending her husband, verbally attacking Cao Xing. However, at Cao Xing¡¯s signal, Liu Muxue cut the video call short. Beepa€¡± Suddenly, the world was quiet. Liu Muxue curled up on the bed, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably, seemingly unable to control her emotions. Next to Cao Xing, he could hear faint sobs. After a moment, when the sobbing stopped. Cao Xing offered comfort, ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Saozi.¡± Liu Muxue lifted her head, with red and swollen eyes, gratefully looked at Cao Xing and said, ¡°Axing, thank you for helping me out.¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, these guys just want to reap without sowing, thinking they can take supplies from my hands, no way!¡± ¡°Remember, no matter who asks you for food or other resources, you must not give in.¡± ¡°After the first time, there will be a second time, and they¡¯ll keep asking endlessly, understand?¡± Liu Muxue, having heard this, a bitter look flashed in her eyes. ¡­ Chapter 12 - Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Frost Wolf Warriors, Move Out! ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Frost Wolf Warriors, Move Out! Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Frost Wolf Warriors, Move Out! She knew this principle all too well. While she was on Blue Star, all her appearance fees and capital were controlled by her family. Liu Muxue wanted to refuse, but under the continuous mental pressure from her parents, she silently endured it all. Now that she had come to this world, it seemed to give her a chance to break free from her original family and start over. Moments later, Liu Muxue nodded seriously, ¡°I will, Axing.¡± Having said that, the two of them each sat on the bed. But because of what had happened before, sleep was nowhere to be found. At that moment, Liu Muxue seemed to remember something and suddenly stood up, walking over to the stove. The stove was lit, and the iron pot was boiling water. In a short while, Liu Muxue was holding a small bucket of hot water next to Cao Xing. Her face carried a bashful expression as she said softly, ¡°Axing¡­ I see your feet are a bit frostbitten. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Soaking them in hot water before sleeping will feel more comfortable.¡± Cao Xing, who indeed felt his feet nearly frozen numb, said, ¡°Okay, Saozi.¡± He was just about to reach for the wooden bucket. But then he heard Liu Muxue say softly, ¡°Let me help you¡­¡± Her voice was very light; Cao Xing even thought he had heard wrong. However, Liu Muxue had already squatted down and placed the small wooden bucket beside the bed. She blushed, awkwardly lifting Cao Xing¡¯s feet to the edge of the bucket. Cao Xing was having another girl help him soak his feet for the first time, and he felt a strange sensation. ¡°Thanks, Saozi.¡± Liu Muxue shyly said, ¡°No¡­ no trouble at all.¡± The warm water poured over Cao Xing¡¯s icy feet while steam kept rising. Liu Muxue knelt down, her shapely buttocks prominently displayed, and her waistline revealed with no secrets, which could be described as a devilish figure. Her delicate palms continually slid over the top of Cao Xing¡¯s feet, each time sending an electric shock through him. As the steam rose steadily, Cao Xing distinctly felt their body temperatures rising. ¡°Saozi.¡± Hearing the call, Liu Muxue lifted her head, her face clouded with steam. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At that moment, she saw Cao Xing¡¯s face gradually closing in. Liu Muxue seemed to realize something, her face flushing deeply as she looked down. But soon, she lifted her head again to look at Cao Xing. Her exquisite face revealed shyness and, it seemed, a bit of anticipation. From this angle, Liu Muxue¡¯s blushing cheeks were incredibly alluring, and her slightly trembling lips made one want to taste them on the spot. Their distance gradually closed, and they could even feel each other¡¯s warm breaths. Liu Muxue, amidst her nervousness, felt some anticipation as well. ¡°Axing¡­¡± Liu Muxue still wanted to say something, but she saw the man in front of her face loom larger and larger. Moments later, Liu Muxue moved from initial sluggishness to a youthful response. The night was fiery. In the small room, the temperature rose gradually. A few minutes later, Liu Muxue¡¯s chest heaved, and she collapsed into Cao Xing¡¯s arms, exhaling softly like orchids. Then, she stood up from Cao Xing¡¯s embrace and, with a face full of shyness, burrowed into her own little quilt¡­ ¡­ ¡­ After Liu Muxue hung up the phone. Father Liu and Mother Liu were immediately beside themselves with frustration. They tried many times to call Liu Muxue, but each call was directly rejected by her. Mother Liu dejectedly said, ¡°Old man, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Little Xue refuses to give us food, and Dabao and Xiaobao have been crying from hunger; we don¡¯t even know what to eat tomorrow¡­¡± Father Liu, Liu Zhenjie, also thought deeply. At that moment, he seemed to remember something and suddenly said, ¡°Yunlan, don¡¯t you think the boy staying with Little Xue looked familiar?¡± At these words, a look of remembrance also came into Mother Liu¡¯s eyes. After a moment, Mother Liu gasped, ¡°I think I remember now!¡± ¡°That boy, he seems to be a driver from Chen Jiang¡¯s company, often sent to pick up our daughter!¡± The two were suddenly shocked. Mother Liu said angrily, ¡°Well! A mere driver dares to insult us!¡± ¡°When I find the chance, see how I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Liu Zhenjie calmed down and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, I just noticed Fang Long speaking; he seems to be in the same area as us.¡± Mother Liu was surprised, ¡°Fang Long, the one from the Three Heroes Association?¡± Liu Zhenjie nodded, ¡°Yes, he seems to have already started uniting other members of the Three Heroes Association; it looks like he¡¯s doing pretty well.¡± Mother Liu¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°That¡¯s great; I remember Fang Long was also an avid suitor of Little Xue. Let¡¯s contact him first and see if we can get some food from him.¡± ¡­ The next day¡­ A system prompt appeared. [All survivors please note, you have survived the first night of the Ice Seal Age.] [Newbie protection period remaining: 4 days 22 hours.] ¡°There are 5 more days of safe time.¡± Cao Xing opened his eyes and saw the beauty lying beside him. There seemed to be a trace of sweetness lingering on his lips. Last night, they hadn¡¯t crossed the final threshold. Having just arrived in this world, neither was mentally prepared yet. Cao Xing shook his head to dismiss the jumbled thoughts. He then glanced at the area channel. [174 Area Channel] [Online Number: 38024/40173] Compared to yesterday, more than a thousand people had died. They had not survived this world¡¯s first night. The World Channel and Area Channel were filled with various cries for help. Liu Muxue also woke up at that time and apparently remembered the events of last night, once again becoming unbearably shy. She poked her head out and asked softly, ¡°Axing¡­ what are we doing today?¡± Cao Xing said, ¡°Today, we need to upgrade the Polar People Hut first and then recruit 4 Polar People to work.¡± ¡°Then get the Tailor Shop, Blacksmith Shop and the like up, but we don¡¯t need to work on these ourselves.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s go out and assign work to those Polar People.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Liu Muxue responded softly. Then the two got up from the wood bed together and walked out of the Lord¡¯s Hut. The sky of this apocalyptic world remained dim, with little sun even at bright daylight. Four Polar People were already standing outside the bonfire, waiting. ¡°Lord, may you be in good health!¡± ¡°Good morning, Second Lord!¡± Four Polar People called out respectfully. Cao Xing nodded and then assigned them all work. He had the four Polar People split into two groups, each starting to upgrade a Polar People Hut. A System Prompt appeared. ¡°Would you like to consume the following materials: Wood*50, Stone*30, and upgrade Polar People Hut to Level 2?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [Upgrading Polar People Hut¡­, 27 minutes remaining¡­] The Polar People began their work. As for Cao Xing, he took out the Recruitment Scroll that had dropped yesterday from his backpack. [Frost Wolf Knight Recruitment Scroll (Blue): This scroll can be used to recruit a Level 10 Frost Wolf Knight.] The reason he hadn¡¯t recruited it yesterday was that it was close to night, and there was no need for battle. Moreover, such a powerful creature would consume a large amount of food each night, so saving any bit of food was beneficial. A System Prompt appeared. ¡°Would you like to use the scroll to recruit a Frost Wolf Knight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cao Xing promptly clicked confirm. The next moment, a gigantic Hexagram Array appeared beneath his feet. Then the Hexagram Array began to emit an even more dazzling light. ¡°Wow, this commotion seems even more terrifying than when I summoned Yilena!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes sparkled with surprise. Through the blinding light of the Teleportation Array, Cao Xing faintly saw a towering figure over two meters tall, radiating a formidable presence. A powerful aura emerged. Then, the light dissipated. A massive white wolf, covered in snow-white fur and nearly three meters long, appeared. Its robust limbs and exposed fangs showcased the enormous wolf¡¯s ferocious power. And looking up, On the back of the white wolf, there sat a Frost Wolf Knight clad in white Armor and wielding a Longsword! At that moment, the Frost Wolf Knight pulled on the reins. The Frost Wolf below him raised its head and howled. ¡°Awooo!!!¡± The sound was resonant and wide-reaching, spreading for kilometers. Compared to the oppressive presence of the Snake-man Tribe Priest, it was more than twice as formidable! When he noticed Cao Xing below, The Frost Wolf Knight removed his Helmet, revealing a head of wild, dark brown hair that resembled weeds. He then leaped down and performed a flawless Knightly salute toward Cao Xing. ¡°Knight Assam at your service!¡± Cao Xing gazed in awe at this pairing of man and wolf. Attribute stats then appeared before him. [Frost Wolf Knight: Assam (Not Advanced)] (Note: After reaching Level 10, can advance to Second Order entity through the Heart of Power!) [Race: Human Clan] [Level: 10 1722/10000] [Life Value: 1020] [Attack Power: 137~146] [Armor: 24~27] [Attributes: Power 57, Agility 54, Spirit 48, Constitution 51] [Skills: Riding Mastery (When fighting on a mount, Power and Agility are boosted by an additional 10%.) Frost Wolf Swordsmanship (When using sword weapons to attack, deal an extra 20% Damage.)] [Talent: Polar Physique] [Hunger Level: 72] [Loyalty: 71] ¡­ ¡­ [Frost Wolf: Frost (Not Advanced)] [Race: Beast] [Level: 10 273/10000] [Life Value: 1540] [Attack Power: 134~138] [Armor: 12~14] [Attributes: Power 67, Agility 71, Spirit 57, Constitution 77] [Skills: Frost Bite (When attacks hit, adds 1 layer of Frozen status to the enemy. When Frost layers reach 5 or more, the enemy¡¯s blood freezes, causing them to be Frozen for 3~5 seconds.) Frost Claw Strike (When attacks hit, adds 1 Bleeding Effect layer to the enemy, losing Life Value equal to Agility*0.3 every second, lasting for 3 seconds.)] [Talent: Wolf Pack Will (When the number of Frost Wolves gathered surpasses 10, Move Speed increases by 20%, Attack Power by 20%.)] [Hunger Level: 65] ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes gleamed with intense delight as he reviewed the attributes of these two colossal beings. ¡°Not bad, a buy one get one free deal?¡± ¡°And both are such powerful creatures, this is indeed a jackpot!¡± The sudden appearance of two Level 10 entities was something Cao Xing had not anticipated. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? At this moment, the Frost Wolf Knight maintained his saluting pose, seemingly waiting for Cao Xing¡¯s orders. After a moment of thought, Cao Xing did not rush to command the Frost Wolf Knight. Instead, he first applied four permanent buffs to Assam and the Frost Wolf beside him: Ice Armor Skill, Ice Healing Skill, Scale Armor, and Snake-man Tribe Frenzy. The Frost Wolf Knight felt four strange energies suddenly surge within him, greatly enhancing his survivability and combat abilities. Assam immediately knelt on one knee, saying in awe, ¡°You are the greatest Lord I have ever seen, Assam pledges his Loyalty to you!¡± [By helping Territory Member: Assam improve his strength, his Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 80] Assam¡¯s Loyalty soared. Cao Xing was thrilled. This SSS-tier Talent was incredibly useful; in the future, no matter what type of unit he recruited, he could give them a round of buffs. Then, Cao Xing said to the Frost Wolf Knight, ¡°Assam, I have an exploration task for you.¡± ¡°Head northeast from the base camp, and mark any resource points or wild creatures you encounter along the way.¡± ¡°After you¡¯ve explored a range of ten kilometers, return and report to me.¡± The Frost Wolf Knight stomped his feet in respect and said, ¡°I will follow your command, Lord!¡± With those words, he jumped onto the wolf¡¯s back, then raised his Longsword and pointed forward. ¡°Frost Wolf Warriors, move out!¡± ¡­ Chapter 13 - Chapter 13 Chapter 13 +18 Top Grade Sword ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13: +18 Top Grade Sword Chapter 13: Chapter 13: +18 Top Grade Sword Thud! Thud! Thud! Frost Wolf strode forward heavily, charging in the direction commanded by Han Xing. Watching the figures of the man and the wolf disappear into the distance, Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. A few minutes later. A system prompt appeared. [Your territory building ¡°Polar People Hut¡± has successfully upgraded to Level 2, current Level: 2, maximum recruitment of Polar People: 4/8] ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Excellent, the Polar People Hut has also been upgraded successfully. Now, I have even more people to work for me!¡± Shortly thereafter, four Polar People, holding tools, approached Cao Xing. ¡°Lord, the task has been completed!¡± Cao Xing nodded and then approached the now Level 2 Polar People Hut. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? After the upgrade, the ¡°Polar People Hut,¡± originally a small tent, had transformed into a small flat building nearly three meters high and covering almost 20 square meters. In front of him, the attributes of the building appeared. [Level 2 Polar People Hut: Can summon Polar People to work for you by consuming food.] [Coverage Area: 30 square meters] [Maximum Recruitment Number: 4/8 people] [Upgrade Requirement: Level 3 Lord¡¯s Hut, Stone*100, Wood*200, Iron*50] ¡­ Cao Xing pondered, ¡°A Level 2 Polar People Hut can only recruit four more Polar People. That¡¯s still not enough manpower.¡± ¡°To continue upgrading, I need a Level 3 Lord¡¯s Hut, which can¡¯t be built in the short term.¡± Shaking his head, Cao Xing spent another 20 units of food to summon four more Polar People. The hut trembled. Four Polar People surged out. ¡°Respected Lord, the Polar People report to you!¡± Liu Muxue, standing aside, exclaimed softly, ¡°Ah! A few more Polar People have emerged¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded and then continued naming these Polar People. From Wuzhuang, Liuzhuang, up to Bazhuang before he stopped. The Polar People respectfully responded, ¡°Thank you, Lord, for bestowing us with names.¡± [System Prompt: You have successfully granted names to the Polar People, Wuzhuang¡¯s loyalty increases by 5 pointsa€|] [System Prompt: You have successfully granted names to the Polar People, Liuzhuang¡¯s loyalty increases by 5 pointsa€|] Prompts regarding increased goodwill continued to appear. Cao Xing first turned to Dazhuang, then said, ¡°Dazhuang, you lead Erzhuang to Sizhuang, four of you go mine that coal mine fully.¡± ¡°Wuzhuang and Liuzhuang, your task is to fell the nearby timber and then transport it to the Logging Factory for processing.¡± ¡°Bazhuang and Qizhuang, your task is to collect more stones to build the Ore Processing Plant.¡± ¡°Did everyone understand?¡± The eight Polar People glanced at each other and respectfully saluted, ¡°Understood, Lord!¡± Then, under Dazhuang¡¯s lead, the Polar People enthusiastically began their work. ¡°Axing, is there anything I need to do?¡± Liu Muxue asked softly at the side. Cao Xing glanced at Liu Muxue, who wore only the small wooden shield and a stone axe, The shield also showed cracks from battle and seemed ready to completely fall apart after another fight. With that in mind, Cao Xing said, ¡°Saozi, I¡¯ll go to the market to see if there¡¯s anything useful.¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently, ¡°Hmm¡­I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Cao Xing checked his food reserves. [Food: Bread*45, Snake Meat*10, Wolf Meat*132] ¡°The food supply is still sufficient; I can spare some to trade for supplies or equipment.¡± He opened the market channel. The auction items had increased by several dozen pages. It seemed that more and more survivors, or rather groups, had built their own Markets. Cao Xing entered ¡°equipment¡± in the search field and started filtering. Some basic white-grade equipment appeared, such as stone axes and stone spears. Among them, a few iron items were sold at quite high prices. Cao Xing shook his head; the attribute of this equipment was too poor to offer any improvement. ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Just then, he saw an auction item. [Auction Items: Rusty Iron Shield (White)*1.] [Required Items: Food*50 or Medical Kit*1.] [Auction Person: Chen Yuan] (Seller¡¯s Note: Top Grade Iron Shield, impressive defensive power, first come, first served.) Cao Xing glanced at the Iron Shield¡¯s attributes, with an armor value of 5-8 pointsa€¡±almost double that of Liu Muxue¡¯s Small Wooden Shield. Although it wasn¡¯t top grade, it was decent. Thus, Cao Xing, as usual, directly offered a price. Cao Xing: ¡°20 units of food for the Rusty Iron Shield.¡± Moments later, the other party responded with one word. ¡°Scram.¡± What the¡­ this guy, such a temper, can¡¯t even handle a bargain. Cao Xing was amused. He shook his head but didn¡¯t mind. Then, he posted his own auction item. [Auction Items: Fresh Wolf Meat (Green)] [Required Items: Equipment, Weapon, Skill Book] [Auction Person: Cao Xing] (Seller¡¯s Note: Fresh wolf meat, 1 piece of wolf meat = 5 units of food, needed by Aurora Knights and Frost Mages, equipment, Skill Books, PM if interested.) ¡­ It wasn¡¯t long after the Wolf Meat was listed that survivors immediately noticed the information in the market. ¡°Holy cow! Someone is selling food in the market, and it¡¯s Green Grade Wolf Meat!¡± ¡°Wolf Meat? Aren¡¯t all the wolves in the wild at least Level 3 monsters? Who is this powerhouse that has slain wolves so quickly!¡± ¡°Too strong, I¡¯m still gnawing on dry bread while others are already eating meat.¡± ¡°This big guy wants equipment and a skill book, who has them, go and trade with the big guy!¡± ¡­ At this stage, when everyone was worried about food, someone actually sold food, precious wolf meat at that, causing quite a stir. Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before Cao Xing received the first private message. Ren Yixu: ¡°Brother, I see something extraordinary in you. I have a +18 top grade sword here, only selling it for 5 pieces of wolf meat, what do you think?¡± Cao Xing was pleased, ¡°Send it over and let me see.¡± [System Prompt: Rusty Iron Sword (White), Quality: Ordinary, Attack Power: 6~8, Attached Effect: None] Cao Xing: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is this the +18 top-grade sword you were talking about?¡± Ren Yixu laughed, ¡°I forgot to mention, this is the future +18 enhanced greatsword. With my skills, I will definitely enhance it to 18!¡± Cao Xing, speechless, simply said, ¡°2 pieces of wolf meat.¡± Ren Yixu was stunned, ¡°That little?¡± ¡°Are you selling or not?¡± ¡°Selling!¡± Ren Yixu promptly agreed. Cao Xing, still speechless, modified the trade information. [System Prompt: Trade successful, you have received Rusty Iron Sword (White), and you have lost Fresh Wolf Meat (Green)*2.] Then, Cao Xing received many more private messages. In them, not many were selling equipment; most wanted to trade their other territory supplies, such as wood, stone, and a small amount of iron. For these survivors, Cao Xing would always remind them of the importance of these basic materials, the foundation of survival, and that they shouldn¡¯t be sold lightly. Some survivors heeded the advice and gave up on the trade, but others insisted on trading with Cao Xing. They told Cao Xing, people are nearly starving, who¡¯s thinking about future development? Of course, filling their bellies comes first. Seeing these messages, Cao Xing pondered quietly. ¡°Since they want to sell, I might as well first gather some supplies.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have much wolf meat storage, so I can¡¯t buy up all those stones and woods in large quantities.¡± ¡°However, it might be possible to exchange some iron first, then build up the [Blacksmith Shop].¡± Once the [Blacksmith Shop] was constructed, simple iron tools like iron axes, iron shovels, and iron spears could be made there. Other equipment would need specific blueprints for production. However, currently, the survivors had very little iron, at most two or three pieces. Trading one piece of wolf meat for two irons, Cao Xing would be at a loss. So, Cao Xing asked the system, ¡°Is it possible to divide wolf meat into smaller portions?¡± A system prompt appeared. [System Prompt: 1 piece of wolf meat can be split into up to 10 smaller portions, 100g each.] Cao Xing was stunned, it really was possible! So, he took out 5 pieces of wolf meat and split them into 50 portions. Then, Cao Xing modified the trading conditions. The auction ratio was 1 wolf meat portion for 2 pieces of iron. Attention was again drawn in the regional channel. ¡°Guys, the big guy has changed the terms, you can now trade iron for wolf meat, anyone with iron, go trade!¡± ¡°I just happen to have two pieces, I will go trade with this big guy right now.¡± ¡°Damn, I also really want to eat meat, save me some!¡± Cao Xing kept receiving trade requests. [System Prompt: Trade successful, you have received Iron*2, and you have lost Wolf Meat*100g] [System Prompt: Trade successful, you have received Iron*4, and you have lost Wolf Meat*200g] [System Prompt: Trade successful, you have received Iron Round Shield (White)*1, and you have lost Fresh Wolf Meat*5.] a€| Apart from a large amount of iron, Cao Xing also received a shield as he had hoped. Cao Xing checked the attributes. [Iron Round Shield (White), Quality: Ordinary, Armor Value: 9~11, Attached Effect: None] Although it was just a white shield, it was much better in attributes than the wood shield Liu Muxue had. It wasn¡¯t long before the dozen pieces of wolf meat Cao Xing had put up were all snapped up. And in Cao Xing¡¯s inventory, 100 pieces of iron appeared! Now, he had enough iron to build the [Blacksmith Shop]. Joy appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes, ¡°Compared to slowly gathering, trading with other survivors is much faster!¡± Of course, this method required having enough resources oneself. Now that the population of his territory had increased so much, the daily consumption of food was a significant number. Thus, he could only sell a small part of his food to trade for materials. Just as Cao Xing was about to end the trade, the survivor named Chen Yuan sent another message. ¡°Brother, that iron shield is yours for 10 pieces of wolf meat.¡± He seemed to have also noticed the market movements. Seeing this message, Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but laugh. This guy really dares to set prices, treating his own worn-out shield like a treasure. Cao Xing had just obtained that shield through trade, not only was it better in attributes than this [Rusty Iron Shield], but it had also only cost him 5 pieces of wolf meat. So, Cao Xing replied, ¡°No need, keep it for yourself.¡± Hearing this, the survivor named Chen Yuan immediately panicked. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t do this! We can talk this over, 8 pieces, surely 8 pieces will do?¡± Cao Xing didn¡¯t bother replying. The other side pleaded desperately, ¡°6 pieces, I really can¡¯t go any lower, don¡¯t be too greedy.¡± Cao Xing still did not reply. Chen Yuan urgently said, ¡°I am Chen Yuan from the Three Heroes Association, give me some face, take this shield for 5 pieces of wolf meat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chen Yuan seemed to have lost his patience. ¡°4 pieces of wolf meat! That¡¯s my final offer, I¡¯m advising you not to be shameless!¡± His tone became more impatient. At that point, Cao Xing replied indifferently, ¡°Scram.¡± ¡­ Chapter 14 - Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Your Milk Tea is Under Attack ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Your ¡®Milk Tea¡¯ is Under Attack Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Your ¡®Milk Tea¡¯ is Under Attack After speaking, Cao Xing blacklisted the other person directly. A few hundred kilometers away from Cao Xing, a human survivor trying to continue sending messages suddenly saw a system prompt. [System Prompt: You have been blacklisted by the other party. Communication is not possible.] He stood there dumbfounded, then said angrily, ¡°Damn brat!¡± ¡­ After the trading ended. Cao Xing first gave the iron sword and iron shield to Liu Muxue. Then, he began to hand-teach Liu Muxue the postures for combat. Cao Xing took Liu Muxue¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Saozi, hold the shield with your left hand and attack the enemy with the weapon in your right hand.¡± ¡°The iron sword you are using now, just remember to thrust, slash, and chop ¨C these three simple moves are all you need.¡± Liu Muxue nodded shyly, clumsily thrusting her sword forward, then looked towards Cao Xing. ¡°Is¡­ is this how it¡¯s done?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Was this supposed to be a practice thrust done excitedly by a thug? Cao Xing shook his head, moved behind Liu Muxue, one hand on the shield and the other lifting her right hand. ¡°Saozi, your thrusting posture should be like this.¡± At this moment, Liu Muxue felt the presence of Cao Xing behind her, her face flushed with embarrassment. He grabbed Liu Muxue¡¯s wrist and thrust forward. Woosh! The thrust made a whooshing sound. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Liu Muxue let out a soft complain. The recent action was too forceful, causing their bodies to press tightly together. Cao Xing even felt the touch of her rounded hips. ¡°Cough cough!¡± Cao Xing quickly stepped back half a step, maintaining a safe distance. Liu Muxue naturally felt the contact as well, her cheeks reddening immensely, and her legs growing a bit weak. But she still bit her teeth and persevered in her learning. Cao Xing continued to teach Liu Muxue swordplay techniques. Because she was working hard to absorb the knowledge taught by Cao Xing, Liu Muxue quickly got into the groove. Half an hour later, both were slightly sweaty, and they gradually parted ways. Following Cao Xing¡¯s instructions, Liu Muxue began to repeat the practice of the moves again and again. Cao Xing watched from the side, nodding in satisfaction. Then, he checked his territory¡¯s resources. [Food: Bread*45, Snake Meat*10, Wolf Meat*111] [Wood*92, Coal*107, Stone*45, Iron*100] Cao Xing thought to himself, ¡°The bonfire and furnace consumed quite a bit of coal last night, but it also saved me a lot of wood.¡± ¡°Currently, eight Polar People are mining resources together; the efficiency has increased significantly.¡± ¡°By today, I should be able to build both the Sewing Shop and the Blacksmith Shop.¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. This progress was fast; while most survivors were still figuring things out, Cao Xing¡¯s territory had already taken preliminary shape. Next, as long as he kept up this pace, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could upgrade his territory level and build more advanced constructions. Then, he could raise a barracks and train these Polar People into Combat Units! Paired with Cao Xing¡¯s Talent, they would be monsters capable of infinite healing! The future is full of hope! However, just then, a System Prompt interrupted Cao Xing¡¯s train of thought. [System Prompt: Your Territory Member, Assam, is under attack¡­] Reading this prompt, Cao Xing¡¯s heart sank. Damn! My milk tea¡­ no, my Knight is under attack? Who is it? To know, Assam has already reached Level 10 as a Knight, and together with the Frost Wolf, they have no match below First-tier. This situation clearly indicated that Assam had met a formidable enemy! Liu Muxue, who was nearby, also heard the same prompt. She came next to Cao Xing, concern apparent in her eyes. Cao Xing reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Assam has four permanent Statuses applied by us; as long as he¡¯s not killed in one strike, his ability to preserve life shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± After a few minutes of waiting, there was no news of Assam¡¯s death. Cao Xing inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Both watched the direction from which Assam had left, hoping he would return safely. A dozen minutes later, Cao Xing saw a strong figure limping back. It was the Frost Wolf Knight, Assam. Seeing this, Cao Xing immediately pulled out [Barrett] and went to Assam¡¯s side. Liu Muxue and Yilena also walked over quickly. ¡°What happened?¡± Cao Xing, carrying Barrett, looked around warily. Assam jumped down from the Frost Wolf and knelt on one knee, ¡°Lord, I am terribly sorry!¡± ¡°I encountered a powerful enemy outside, neither Frost nor I were a match for its strike!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the power you have added to us in advance, we might not have been able to return¡­¡± Hearing this, Cao Xing frowned, then he checked the status of the Frost Wolf. He saw a change in Frost¡¯s Life Value entry. [Frost Wolf: Frost] ¡°` [Life Value: 1386/1540] [Status: Broken Bone (Life Limit decreased by 10%, Move Speed reduced by 20%)] ¡°` Cao Xing said, ¡°Give me the details. What did you encounter?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± Then Assam began to recount their experiences. After listening, Cao Xing frowned, ¡°You mean to say, about three kilometers from our camp, there is a powerful Snowy Blizzard Bear, and this Fierce Bear can also emit electricity?¡± Assam replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, Lord, that Fierce Bear possesses infinite strength, a single slap sent both me and Frost flying!¡± ¡°Its power is too formidable; only Second Order Knights in our tribe can overcome it!¡± Cao Xing pondered. A Second Order Knight to combat it means that this monster¡¯s level is at least above 10. Furthermore, according to Assam¡¯s description, this Fierce Bear can even emit electricity. It was probably not that simple. Thinking this, Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Assam, treat Frost¡¯s injuries, then take me to the place where you discovered the Fierce Bear.¡± It seemed Assam was somewhat surprised, ¡°Lord, do you mean to confront that Fierce Bear?¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t say we¡¯d definitely confront it; we¡¯ll first observe its strength.¡± The Snowy Blizzard Bear was only 3 kilometers away from their camp, which was extremely unsettling. Once the four-day newbie protection ends, that Fierce Bear would easily destroy Cao Xing¡¯s territory! Moreover, even during the newbie protection, if the Snowy Blizzard Bear approaches, it would pose a significant threat to Cao Xing. The Polar People gathering supplies outside the camp would all fall victim to it. Even Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes reflected a worried look. ¡°Axinga€|¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Saozi, we¡¯ll just take a distant look.¡± ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, if it dares to come over, I¡¯ll blast some holes in its body!¡± After speaking, Cao Xing showed the [Barrett] he had in his hand. With this powerful weapon, monsters below level 20 basically stood no chance. Liu Muxue nodded. Beside her, Assam was already treating the Frost Wolf¡¯s broken bones. A series of ¡®crack¡¯ sounds could be heard. ¡°Wooa€|¡± The Frost Wolf groaned, and a [-172] damage figure appeared above its head. It wasn¡¯t long before green numbers [[+5, +5]] began to emerge. Having the [Eternal Power] Talent was convenient. Otherwise, with the tremendous Blood Volume of Assam and the Frost Wolf, healing would not only consume many of their supplies but also a lot more time. Two or three minutes later. ¡°Lord, Frost has recovered,¡± Assam reported respectfully from the side. Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Now, start leading the way.¡± ¡°At your command, Lord!¡± Assam mounted the Frost Wolf and headed towards the snowy wilderness. Thump! Thump! Thump! Heavy footsteps sounded. Cao Xing walked forward with Yilena and Liu Muxue. Half an hour later. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 They arrived at the foot of a snowy mountain. And ahead, they seemed to see a deep cave. A fierce aura faintly emanated from within. They continued to approach, and a System Prompt appeared in front of them. [System Prompt: Snow Plain Fierce Bear¡¯s Lair (Blue): A powerful creature lives inside, it is the overlord of the vicinity, extremely dangerous, please approach with caution!] Cao Xing frowned. Even the system was warning of extreme danger; the monster inside was no ordinary formidable creature! ¡°Lord, do you need me to lure it out?¡± The Frost Wolf Knight Assam volunteered. Cao Xing asked, ¡°Can you ensure your safety?¡± Assam nodded, ¡°Both Frost and I have been empowered by the Lord. As long as we are cautious, escaping shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± After pondering for a moment, Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Then go ahead.¡± ¡°At your command!¡± Assam, riding on the Frost Wolf, swiftly circled to the other side of the snowy area, about five hundred meters away from Cao Xing and the others. Then, the Frost Wolf beneath him howled towards the sky. ¡°Awooo!!¡± The sound was loud and piercing! The next moment, a roar similar to that of an ancient giant beast echoed from the den. ¡°ROAR!!!¡± The roar was so fierce that the sound waves, like substance, shook the snow around the cave into the air. Cao Xing and the others all felt a terrifying oppressive force. He immediately set up the Barrett, lying down on the snowy ground. Just then, Cao Xing suddenly felt a tremor beneath him. Thump! Thump thump! As if something was rushing towards them at high speed. Then, a massive beast at least eight meters tall, entirely white, burst out from the cave! ¡°ROAR!!!¡± The terrifying roar echoed across the entire snowy plain! ¡­ Chapter 15 - Chapter 15 Chapter 15 First Kill of an Elite Monster! ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15: First Kill of an Elite Monster! Chapter 15: Chapter 15: First Kill of an Elite Monster! It was a white bear covered with thick white fur, as large as a small truck! A body nearly six meters long, limbs as thick as barrels, just a glance filled one with a sense of destruction! Cao Xing saw the attributes of this white bear before him. [Snow Plain Fierce Bear: Level 15] [Race: Beast] [Rank: Second Order Elite Level Creature] [Life Value: 4080/4080] [Attack Power: 347~356] [Attribute: Power 189, Agility 154, Spirit 173, Constitution 204] [Skill: Bear Paw Strike (The fierce bear uses its strong front limbs to attack enemies, causing a 100% knockback effect on enemies weaker than itself!) Wildness Roar (The fierce bear emits a terrifying sound wave, causing all enemies within thirty meters to be stunned for 3 seconds!) Lightning Strike (Harnessing the power of thunder and lightning within, it strikes the ground, causing 130% thunder attribute damage to enemies within twenty meters and paralyzing all enemies for 1 second!)] [Talent a¡® : Cold Resistance] [Talent a¡®?: Thunder Body (Capable of controlling minor thunder and lightning power.)] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï This guy, just based on attributes, was comparable to a level 20 common monster, and with those three skills, its actual war power was even more terrifying! At this moment, upon sensing Assam¡¯s aura, the bear roared and charged forward immediately. Boom! Boom! While running, it resembled artillery shells dropping on the snow, with constant explosions! Such a formidable sight made Assam, who was waiting in place, involuntarily a bit tense. Meanwhile, Cao Xing began quickly assessing the attributes and distance of both sides in his mind. ¡°This guy¡¯s blood volume is too thick, the Barrett needs at least five shots to take it down without a headshot.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m still five hundred meters away from it; with its crazy running speed, it will take at least 10 seconds to get close.¡± ¡°And with Barrett¡¯s two-second attack interval, plus aiming time, 10 seconds is enough for me to fire off five shots!¡± Upon reaching this conclusion, Cao Xing felt reassured. That meant he could eliminate the fierce bear with the Barrett before it got too close. The premise was that all five shots had to hit. However, given the bear¡¯s massive size, if Cao Xing still missed, it would be due to his terrible skills. Meanwhile, the Frost Wolf under Assam tensed its limbs. It was ready for a life-and-death struggle with the Snowy Blizzard Bear. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The bear¡¯s figure charged rapidly. Just as it raised its paw, about to strike down. ¡°Bang!¡± A gunshot rang out. A splash of blood burst forth from the back of the Snowy Blizzard Bear. [-872] A terrifying damage number floated up! ¡°Roar!!!¡± The bear howled in pain, losing its balance in midair, tumbling over more than ten meters. ¡°So fierce!¡± And Cao Xing looked joyfully at the massive creature in his hands. When the [Barrett] shot earlier, the powerful recoil bounced off his shoulder. At this point, layers of frost ice armor and scale armor appeared. Cao Xing didn¡¯t suffer any damage, and even the recoil was nullified. ¡°Great! Now I don¡¯t need to worry about recoil hurting me.¡± Cao Xing was overjoyed. ¡°Uhooo!¡± At this moment, the bear quickly got back on its feet, glaring with bloodshot eyes, searching for the perpetrator who attacked it earlier. Then, it immediately saw Cao Xing in the distance. In the next moment, this Snowy Blizzard Bear began charging fiercely toward Cao Xing. At the same time, the attack interval for Cao Xing¡¯s Barrett was over. He lay on the ground, aiming at the great body of the bear, and fired directly! ¡°Bang!¡± [-1234!] A four-digit damage number floated up! Cao Xing was delighted; this shot actually triggered the Barrett¡¯s armor penetration effect. Two shots already cut the bear¡¯s life value below half. Assam, who had just escaped a crisis, was presently staring in shock at the two bloody holes in the bear. ¡°What terrifying powera€|¡± ¡°Even combined with Frost, we couldn¡¯t withstand the Lord¡¯s attacka€|¡± Meanwhile, the bear was less than three hundred meters away from Cao Xing. Hit by two consecutive shots, its murderous intent was fully aroused. A fierce aura swept forward. Even made Liu Muxue and Yilena instinctively take two steps back. Meanwhile, Cao Xing¡¯s third bullet was loaded. ¡°Bang!¡± Cao Xing fired without hesitation. This shot missed entirely, causing no damage because Cao Xing shot wide! ¡°Shit! How could I miss that?¡± ¡°What kind of trash shooting is this?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s heart sank. It meant he only had two more chances! He glanced at the bear¡¯s life value. [Life Value: 1974/4080] Meaning, Cao Xing had to land both remaining shots, with at least one causing armor-break damage! Otherwise, if the bear rushed at him with even a sliver left, With his small frame, the bear could easily clap him to death. The pressure suddenly mounted, and the atmosphere grew tense. Liu Muxue gripped her shield tightly, her face solemn, as if she too had discerned the situation. At this moment, Liu Muxue reached Cao Xing¡¯s side, ready to block an attack for him. Cao Xing, meanwhile, kept his eyes cool, moving with calm precision to reload. He knew, at moments like these, composure was crucial. As the bear charged within 200 meters, the fourth bullet was already loaded. Cao Xing aimed at the bear¡¯s massive body, thinking, ¡°Master Han, guide me, please don¡¯t miss this time!¡± He then fired immediately. ¡°Bang!¡± [-893] No armor-break damage this time, yet Cao Xing didn¡¯t feel dispirited. The Snowy Blizzard Bear seemed to sense that this last stretch was the decisive moment! ¡°Roar! Roar!¡± Its stride quickened once more. 100 meters! 50 meters! At this point, electricity flickered between the bear¡¯s limbs, as if it aimed to unleash its area skill, planning to obliterate Cao Xing! However, at this moment, the fifth bullet was loaded! He took a deep breath, aiming slightly above the bear¡¯s body. Then, he fired decisively! ¡°Bang!¡± [-1574!] Headshot! A frightening damage figure appeared. A tunnel-like hole opened in the center of the Snowy Blizzard Bear¡¯s forehead. Its massive body halted its charge, collapsing into the snow like a wrecked truck. ¡°Splash!¡± Dragging through the snow over a dozen meters, the bear¡¯s body finally came to a complete stop. Then, it lay on the ground, utterly lifeless. System Prompt appeared. [Successfully killed the Snowy Blizzard Bear, level 15 elite level creature, surpassing level to kill monster, gaining experience value 350*400%, obtaining 1400 experience points!] [Your level has increased, current level: 3.] [From this level-up, you gained: Power+3, Agility+4, Spirit+6, Constitution+4.] Simultaneously, a white light ascended from Cao Xing¡¯s body. A gleam of joy flashed through Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Leveled up! And it¡¯s a two-level rise!¡± The surprises didn¡¯t stop, as the system prompt continued ringing. [Killing the Snowy Blizzard Bear, obtained loot: Basic Power Heart *1] (Advanced item, can allow a survivor or territory unit reaching level 10 to break through to the second order.) [Obtained: Basic Elemental Crystal (Green) *8] (A crystal containing elemental power, usable for constructing basic magic buildings or as alchemy material.) [Congratulations! ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? As you¡¯re the first survivor to kill an elite level creature across all servers, gained first kill rewards: Basic Elemental Arrow Tower Blueprint *1, Ice Plain Druid Recruitment Scroll *1.] ¡­ Seeing this heap of prompts, the joy in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes was nearly uncontrollable. ¡°Damn, this wave indeed paid off big time!¡± ¡°Heart of Power, Ice Plain Druid Recruitment Scroll, Elemental Arrow Tower Blueprint, this is incredible!¡± At this moment, Yilena and Assam, all came to Cao Xing¡¯s side. They stared in shock at the Snowy Blizzard Bear¡¯s corpse on the ground, murmuring. ¡°What a terrifying weapona€|¡± ¡°Lord, your strength is as brilliant and immense as the stars!¡± [¡®Yilena¡¯ has been impressed by your formidable war power, loyalty has increased, current loyalty: 80.] [¡®Assam¡¯ has been impressed by your formidable war power, loyalty has increased, current loyalty: 85.] ¡­ Chapter 16 - Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Dissecting the Fierce Bears Corpse, A Great Harvest! ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Dissecting the Fierce Bear¡¯s Corpse, A Great Harvest! Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Dissecting the Fierce Bear¡¯s Corpse, A Great Harvest! ¡°` Cao Xing nodded to himself. Only by demonstrating great power could subordinates be more loyal to you. The same principle applied in any world. He looked at Assam, then took out a fiery red crystal from his carrying backpack. This was the ¡°Basic Power Heart¡± obtained after killing the Fierce Bear. ¡°Basic Power Heart: Can only be acquired from some powerful creatures.¡± ¡°Item Effect: Allows a survivor or territory member who has reached Level 10 to complete the advancement. After advancing, all attributes increase by 100%.¡± In the Ice Seal Age, each advancement brought a terrifying enhancement. At the very least, it was a 100% attribute increase. Without resorting to other means, crossing battles between different levels was a difficult task. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 And Assam, being a Level 10 creature, met the advancement conditions. So, Cao Xing directly tossed the ¡°Heart of Power¡± to him. Assam instinctively caught it and held the power-filled crystal in his hand, surprise filling his eyes. He incredulously asked, ¡°Lord, can I really have such a precious Heart of Power?¡± Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Assam, you¡¯ve proven your courage and wit in this action. I believe you deserve to have stronger power.¡± ¡°So, please accept this Heart of Power, and let¡¯s build a more prosperous territory together!¡± Assam¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and he struck his chest with one hand, standing tall and exclaimed excitedly, ¡°I am willing to give my life for the Lord.¡± ¡°¡®Assam¡¯ has been moved by your actions, loyalty has increased, current loyalty is 95 (Deadly Loyalty).¡± Seeing this prompt, Cao Xing was overjoyed. Once loyalty reached above 90, these soldiers entered a state of deadly loyalty; even if you sent them to die, they would execute without hesitation. This way, he didn¡¯t have to worry about Assam rebelling. Under the gaze of everyone, right in front of Cao Xing, Assam crushed the Heart of Power. ¡°Crack!¡± The sound of shattering glass echoed as a red mist was absorbed by Assam. Amidst the surprised gazes of everyone, Assam¡¯s aura rapidly rose to a frightening level in the blink of an eye. A system prompt appeared. ¡°Your territory member: Assam has completed his advancement, with all attributes increasing by 100%.¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Assam¡¯s attributes after the advancement. ¡°Frost Wolf Knight: Assam (Second Order)¡± ¡°Race: Human Clan¡± ¡°Level: 10 Level 1722/10000¡± ¡°Life Value: 2040¡± ¡°Attack Power: 274~289¡± ¡°Armor: 24~27¡± ¡°Attributes: Power 114, Agility 108, Spirit 96, Constitution 102¡± ¡°Hunger Level: 72¡± ¡°Loyalty: 95¡± ¡­ ¡°Good, good, good!¡± Cao Xing looked at Assam¡¯s panel with satisfaction. Without a doubt, this upgrade brought about a qualitative change in his strength. Beside him, Yilena watched Assam¡¯s transformation with full envy. Noticing her gaze, Cao Xing said, ¡°Yilena, perform well. When you reach Level 10, I will also find you a Heart of Power, allowing you to break through to the Second Order.¡± Upon hearing this, Yilena¡¯s slitted eyes widened instantly, and she looked at Cao Xing with excitement, saying, ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Lord!¡± ¡°Yilena is willing to give everything for the Lord!¡± ¡°¡®Yilena¡¯ has been moved by your words, loyalty has increased, current loyalty 85.¡± Sure enough, loyalty improved again. Cao Xing was delighted, as a qualified Lord should excel at creating visions. Then, Cao Xing began to examine the two rewards for first killing the Snowy Blizzard Bear. ¡°Ice Plain Druid Recruitment Scroll (Purple): Can summon a powerful Level 15 Elite Druid through this scroll!¡± (Note: Although the Ice Plain Druid is powerful, his daily food intake is astonishing. Please ensure you have sufficient food~) Seeing the prompt above, Cao Xing¡¯s pupils shrank immediately. Oh my! Level 15 Elite Monster! This was too formidable! ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The powerful combat power displayed by the Snowy Blizzard Bear just now revealed how terrifying a Level 15 Elite Monster was! If not for Cao Xing possessing the ¡°Barrett,¡± such a great weapon, all their combined forces wouldn¡¯t last half a minute against the Snowy Blizzard Bear. However, the system also warned that the ¡®Ice Plain Druid¡¯ had a tremendous appetite. Ordinary survivors might not even be able to sustain it. Cao Xing continued to check the other reward. ¡°Basic Elemental Arrow Tower Blueprint: Can construct a defensive arrow tower in the territory.¡± ¡°Attack Power: 213~247 (20% probability to deal an additional 45 points of elemental damage)¡± ¡°Attack Interval: 2.5 seconds/1 time¡± ¡°Maximum Range: 600 meters¡± ¡°Armor: 20 points¡± ¡°Durability Value: 2000/2000¡± ¡°Occupied Area: 12 square meters¡± ¡°Building Height: 15 meters¡± ¡°Required construction materials: Wood *300, Stone *200, Iron *50, Basic Elemental Crystal *10¡± ¡­ After examining the attributes of this elemental arrow tower, Cao Xing was overjoyed once again. What a masterpiece, with more than two hundred attack power, it could instantly kill a Level 5 creature like Yilena with one shot; this was another powerful weapon! Even an unadvanced Assam might very well be shot down before reaching the base of the arrow tower in a one-on-one scenario. After all, it had a range of 600 meters. Moreover, the materials required for this elemental arrow tower were not complex and could be mass-produced. The only troublesome part was the ¡°Basic Elemental Crystal.¡± This item only dropped from powerful creatures like the Snowy Blizzard Bear or found in treasure boxes. However, with the ¡°Market,¡± this wasn¡¯t a difficult task for Cao Xing. Cao Xing believed that even if such materials were hard to come by, given the sheer number of survivors, many would surely acquire such materials. Finally, after reviewing the harvest, Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. Although this battle consumed five Barrett Bullets, the rewards were extraordinary. It was truly a great harvest. And that¡¯s not all; aside from these spoils of war, there was another reward yet to be handled. Cao Xing looked at the massive corpse in front of him. ¡°Snowy Blizzard Bear Corpse (Blue): Can be dismantled.¡± Cao Xing directly clicked on dismantle. Then, the bear-like body of the Snowy Blizzard Bear was enveloped in a burst of white light. When the white light dissipated, a pile of fresh bear meat, a large bear skin, a pair of bear paws, and a heap of bones appeared like a small hill. ¡°Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *1215¡± (Contains immense power-bearing bear meat. After the first consumption, Power +2, Constitution +2) ¡°Complete Snowy Blizzard Bear Skin (Blue)¡± (A complete bear skin with excellent cold-resistant properties, can provide a certain armor effect when tailored into clothes at the Sewing Shop.) ¡°Snowy Blizzard Bear Paw (Purple) *2¡± (A type of precious spoils, it is said that Avalon nobles specially collect such bear paws for their collections, which can be sold at a handsome price.) ¡°Snowy Blizzard Bear Gallbladder (Blue) *1¡± (Has strong effects, after the first consumption, can permanently increase life value by 200 points, remember to cook it before eating~) ¡°Snowy Blizzard Bear Bones *172 (Blue)¡± (The extremely hard bones of the Fierce Bear can be processed at the Blacksmith Shop to make Growth Spears or other weapons.) ¡­ Whoa! Over a thousand pieces of bear meat? Cao Xing was shocked; breaking it down, that equaled more than six thousand units of food! And what was the key point? The key was that this bear meat could increase attributes! An increase of 2 points in Power and Constitution. For those in the Warrior profession, it was close to a 4 point increase in attack power and 40 points in life value, plus a 1 point increase in armor. Right now, survivors were in dire need of food, especially attribute-increasing meat! If put on the ¡°Market¡± for trading, Cao Xing believed it would certainly spark fierce competition among survivors. He seemed to see a vast fortune rushing toward him, making even his breath hasten a bit! ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 17 - Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The Silver Treasure Chest in the Cave ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Silver Treasure Chest in the Cave Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Silver Treasure Chest in the Cave ¡°Whew¡­ Whew¡­¡± Cao Xing forced himself to calm down and then asked the system. ¡°Disregarding satiety, how much bear meat do I need to eat for the attribute enhancement to take effect?¡± It is known that the attribute enhancement effect of bear meat only occurs the first time you eat it. So, whether you eat 10 or 100 pieces of bear meat, the effect is the same. But if just a bite could trigger the effect, then Cao Xing would have much more room to maneuver! At that moment, a system prompt appeared. [You must consume more than 100g of bear meat to gain the attribute enhancement effect.] Seeing this prompt, a look of ecstatic joy flashed across Cao Xing¡¯s face. Only 100g needed! 1 piece of bear meat = 1 kilogram. Meaning, these 1215 pieces of bear meat, he could divide into more than ten thousand portions for trading! He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how many supplies he could exchange for them! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Of course, Cao Xing wouldn¡¯t trade it all away; he needed to keep some for his daily needs. After all, he had so many people in his territory now. Next, he needed to recruit a Level 15 Ice Plains Druid. So, Cao Xing promptly collected up all the materials on the ground. With that, the spoils of this battle were almost completely tallied. Just as Cao Xing prepared to lead everyone back, he suddenly noticed a deep cave at the rear. That cave¡­ seemed to be the dwelling of the Snowy Blizzard Bear. Could there be any treasures inside? Noticing Cao Xing¡¯s gaze, Assam volunteered, ¡°Lord, allow your subordinate to go and scout ahead first!¡± Cao Xing nodded. Then, Assam drew the longsword at his waist and went straight into the cave. A few minutes later, Assam walked out and respectfully said, ¡°Lord, no other dangers were found inside the cave.¡± ¡°However, I did find some things that are different.¡± Cao Xing asked in confusion, ¡°Different things?¡± Assam nodded. ¡­ ¡­ Cao Xing, accompanied by Liu Muxue, moved towards the Fierce Bear¡¯s cave. Upon entering the cavern, a faint earthy scent filled their nostrils. A system prompt appeared. [You have entered a special area: the Snowy Blizzard Bear cave¡­] The cave was a bit dim, but compared to the icy wilderness outside, it was indeed much warmer inside. Cao Xing glanced at the temperature display overhead. [Current temperature: -25a??] The deeper into the cave they went, the warmer it became. After advancing about a dozen or more meters, Cao Xing found the ¡®different thing¡¯ Assam had mentioned in a corner of the cave. On a pile of dry grass, a creature lay all in white like a fluffy ball. It was a white bear cub, seemingly newborn. Apparently asleep, its body was curled up, revealing soft little paws. Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled with stars. ¡°So¡­ so cute¡­¡± Cao Xing approached the bear¡¯s nest and crouched down, just about to touch the cub ¡°Szzt szzt¡­¡± [-1] A sound of electricity crackled, and a damage number appeared above Cao Xing¡¯s head. Cao Xing felt as if pricked by a needle and instinctively withdrew his arm. ¡°What the! This bear cub can produce an electric shock?¡± Cao Xing looked towards the front, surprised, as the attributes of the little bear cub appeared before him. [Snowy Blizzard Bear (Juvenile)] [Race: Beast] [Level: None] [Attribute: None] [Talent: Thunder Body (able to manipulate weak power of thunder and lightning).] ¡°` ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, Born with the Thunder Attribute. This little bear cub has potential! Just then, another System Prompt appeared. [Detectable tamable wild creature: Snowy Blizzard Bear Cub, would you like to tame it and recruit it into your territory?] (Taming a wild creature requires providing food and waiting for it to grow before it can have corresponding combat power.) Clearly, Liu Muxue, standing by Cao Xing¡¯s side, heard the System Prompt as well. She was eagerly looking at Cao Xing, seemingly very eager for him to take away the little bear cub. Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then nodded. Although the little bear cub didn¡¯t possess combat power, it had potential. When it grew up, it might become as powerful as the Fierce Bear outside! [Recruitment successful, Territory Members +1, would you like to name the Snowy Blizzard Bear?] ¡°Eh? I can name it?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes shone again as he fell back into thought. This little fellow could produce electricity and was also a bear. ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but remember a game he had played before. In it, there was a white bear that could wield the power of thunder and lightning and gale winds, having survived the baptism of war and possessing the fighting spirit of Freljord. It was called Wally Bell and also had a resounding title: Thunder Roar! With that thought, Cao Xing said directly, ¡°Today, I bestow upon you the name Wally Bell!¡± The little bear cub, curled up in its den, stretched out its limbs as if it sensed something. ¡°Wu~¡± The little bear cub hummed lightly. [Naming Wally Bell successful.] Liu Muxue also heard the System Prompt and was overjoyed, wanting to pick up the little bear cub. Cao Xing reminded her from behind, ¡°Saozi, be careful, this little bear cub can electrocute.¡± Liu Muxue paused, then nodded lightly. She carefully extended a finger to touch the bear cub¡¯s body. This time, the little bear cub didn¡¯t emit any electricity. Liu Muxue¡¯s heart leapt with joy, and she reached out with both hands to hold the little bear cub in her arms. She looked at Cao Xing and said excitedly, ¡°Axing, look, it didn¡¯t shock me!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s mouth twitched, this little guy¡­ It seemed that the bear cub also knew it had a new owner and was clumsily flailing its limbs. While Liu Muxue held it, she giggled, ¡°Wally, from now on, you will be called Wally!¡± Cao Xing went past the den and walked straight to the back of the cave. Because there, he saw a Treasure Box! It was one of the things Assam had discovered earlier. [Unlocked Silver Treasure Chest (Can be opened)] Seeing the System description, Cao Xing¡¯s breath caught, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a Silver Treasure Chest!¡± In this world, Treasure Boxes were graded: Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Constant Gold, Bright Moon, and so on. Treasure Boxes of different grades had different levels of rarity for the items they contained. It was said that the top-grade Bright Moon Treasure Box could even contain Legendary Equipment! As for whether there were even higher-grade Treasure Boxes, Cao Xing had not encountered any, so he was not sure. But when Cao Xing played games, it took him over ten days to open his first Silver Treasure Chest! So, for him to find a Silver Treasure Chest early on was incredibly significant! Cao Xing immediately clicked to open it. [Silver Treasure Chest opened successfully¡­] [Acquired Skill Book: GZ-Mark Robot.] [Acquired Black Iron Arm Guards (Green) *1] [Acquired Medical Bag*5, Acquired Small Resource Pack*1, Acquired Mithril*5] ¡­ ¡°Whoa! A Skill Book, a piece of Green Equipment, plus Medical Bags and Mithril!¡± ¡°Truly worthy of a Silver Treasure Chest!¡± Cao Xing was thrilled, and then he began inspecting the attributes of these items. [Skill Book: GZ-Mark Robot] (Exclusive Skill Book for Cold Iron Mechanics, consumes materials and Mechanical Power to summon a GZ-Mark Robot inheriting 120% of the Survivor¡¯s Attributes, with a duration of 180 seconds.) Cao Xing exclaimed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s actually this Skill Book!¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 19 - Chapter 19 Chapter 19 The Booming Trading Market ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Booming Trading Market Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Booming Trading Market ¡°` It was evident that everyone in the chat channel was troubled by the issue of food. They didn¡¯t know how to acquire food. In fact, during the newbie protection period, there were some low-level wild monsters around everyone¡¯s camp, which were the food sources in the early stages. Because they formed a family team, four of them had combat power. If they fought together, dealing with Level 1 or 2 wild monsters wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But because they were too scared or had poor adaptability, they didn¡¯t dare to venture far from the snowy area, let alone fight those wild monsters. At this moment, the chat channel suddenly became chaotic. ¡°Look quickly, Fang Long from the Three Heroes Association is selling food again!¡± ¡°100g of Beast Meat, exchange for 100 pieces of Wood or 50 pieces of Stone, priority to Weapons and Equipment, anyone with extra materials, hurry and exchange!¡± ¡°Geeza€| that¡¯s too expensive, all my resources combined aren¡¯t even that much.¡± ¡°Bro, do you even understand? Do you know how precious food is now? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Are those resources more valuable than your life?¡± ¡°Exactly, if you don¡¯t buy it, others will!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t snatch it from me! ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 I¡¯m fucking starving!¡± ¡­ Watching the chat channel, Cao Xing was deep in thought. The food Fang Long was auctioning was a piece of Wild Boar Meat, and although his price was outrageous, it was snatched up in less than three seconds. Cao Xing thought to himself, ¡°100g of Beast Meat is sold at such a high price, this is equivalent to emptying out a camp¡¯s resources.¡± ¡°And those who traded their supplies, while they could restore a bit of Satiety, would be miserable afterward.¡± ¡°They might not be able to develop due to a lack of resources.¡± ¡°Even if they could develop, they would probably be several days behind in progress. Once the newbie protection period ends, it¡¯s going to be game over.¡± Cao Xing checked the records. It seemed like this was Fang Long¡¯s 17th time selling food. One could imagine how many resources he had gathered through these trades. Cao Xing continued thinking, ¡°The size of a Wild Boar is about the same as a Snow Wolf, meaning he probably doesn¡¯t have much meat left.¡± Thinking of this, Cao Xing also posted a trading message on the market. Auction Items: Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *100g, first consumption, Power +2, Constitution +2 Required Items: Wood *10, Stone *5, Iron *1, Mithril and Elemental Crystal, etc., are in high demand! Auction Person: Cao Xing Seller¡¯s Note: Bear meat that can increase Hunger Level and Attributes, with plenty in stock, accepting all kinds of materials, blueprints, skill books, and equipment. Then, Cao Xing started setting prices for various items. 1 Elemental Crystal = 1 piece of Bear Meat. 1 Mithril = 1 piece of Bear Meat. Equipment Blueprint = 5 to 10 pieces of Bear Meat. Skill Book = 5 to 10 pieces of Bear Meat. Cao Xing recorded each item, even adding bullets and having clear prices for them. At this moment, in the regional channel, many survivors who had already established a Market suddenly noticed the Bear Meat being auctioned. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Huang Qiufeng: ¡°Damn! Blue Grade Bear Meat, and it can increase attributes!¡± ¡°Brothers, quickly check the market, someone is selling Bear Meat that adds attributes!¡± Hearing this news, many survivors were somewhat dazed. ¡°What? Meat that adds attributes, why have I never seen such a thing?¡± They opened the Market immediately, and were shocked by the auction information on it. ¡°Oh my heavens! It¡¯s real!¡± ¡°This price is also so cheap, 10 pieces of Wood can exchange for 100g of Bear Meat, even 1 Elemental Crystal can exchange for a whole piece of Bear Meat!¡± ¡°Oh, my God? Is this fake? Is this guy doing charity?¡± These survivors were filled with disbelief. After all, they all knew how terrifyingly priced food was at the moment. And this was Bear Meat that added attributes! However, they soon realized that it was indeed real. A survivor named Yang Lin exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Damn! I traded for it! I traded for it!¡± ¡°I exchanged 50 pieces of Stone for a whole piece of Bear Meat, enough for my whole family to enhance their attributes!¡± ¡°What?¡± When the first survivor successfully traded, other survivors immediately began trading frantically. ¡°Damn! Damn! I also succeeded in trading, 10 pieces of Iron can get a whole piece of Bear Meat, this is awesome!¡± ¡°Elemental Crystal, does anyone have an Elemental Crystal, you can exchange a whole piece of Bear Meat for just one, hurry!¡± ¡°I exchanged a skill book for 5 pieces of Bear Meat, that¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡­ At this moment, the regional channel was in complete frenzy. Survivors who got the Bear Meat were thrilled. They all knew how profitable it was to trade supplies for Bear Meat. Some even posted information about the Bear Meat in the World Channel, making survivors outside District 174 envious. Ed Stafford: ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s Bear Meat, I¡¯ve never fought a bear in my life.¡± Qiu Weichao: ¡°So many added attributes, this is a boon for the Warrior profession.¡± Shiichiro Okubo: ¡°Baka! Why am I not in 174 District, and why hasn¡¯t anyone in 11451 District discovered such Bear Meat?¡± And Cao Xing, too, was overwhelmed by the flurry of trading messages. Trade Successful: You received Iron *10, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *1 Trade Successful, you received Stone *5, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *100g Trade Successful, you received Soldier Standard Longsword Blueprint (Green) *1, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *5 ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s set prices were very reasonable, even if you only had a small amount of supplies, you could trade with him. In no time, practically all survivors in District 174 got the message. After all, this kind of item that could enhance attributes, the sooner you consumed it, the safer you would be in this world. Cao Xing watched as the resources in his territory surged! Before long, he obtained 5400 pieces of Wood, 3200 pieces of Stone, 342 pieces of Iron, 43 Basic Level Elemental Crystals, an additional green blueprint, and 20 pieces of Mithril! These resources would require 12 Polar People to mine with full effort for nearly half a month, and still might not gather that much. And he had only spent a total of 215 pieces of Bear Meat so far. And Cao Xing¡¯s backpack still had a whopping 1000 pieces of Bear Meat left! At this moment, Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but swallow, ¡°I¡¯ve hit the jackpot, seriously hit the jackpot!¡± Seeing the materials in his backpack, Cao Xing decided to first use them to enhance his strength. First upgrade the Bonfire, then also upgrade the Lord¡¯s Hut. After that, he would upgrade the Polar People Hut and recruit more Polar People to work. Following that, Cao Xing could even construct powerful buildings like the Basic Level Elemental Arrow Tower, dramatically boosting the defense capabilities of the territory. So, Cao Xing interrupted the market trading and planned to call all the Polar People back to prepare for building upgrades. Upon hearing Cao Xing¡¯s call, those Polar People put down their work and walked towards the camp. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 20 - Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Harvest, Conflict of Interest ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Harvest, Conflict of Interest Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Harvest, Conflict of Interest ¡°` At the same time, the trade for bear meat suddenly went offline in the chat channel, and the survivors immediately fell into panic. Guo Yichen: ¡°What the hell, why did the bear meat suddenly go offline! I haven¡¯t bought any yet?¡± Luosa: ¡°I didn¡¯t get any either. I just got the news that someone was selling attribute-enhancing bear meat in the market.¡± Shu Ye: ¡°Ahhh! Could Cao Xing¡¯s bear meat possibly be sold out already?¡± ¡°Hurry and tag Cao Xing!¡± In the regional channel, people were frantically tagging Cao Xing. Yue Zejun: ¡°@Cao Xing, honey! Say something!¡± Lu Yueyue: ¡°@Cao Xing, big shot, don¡¯t be so indifferent. Come out and soothe your little sister¡¯s heart.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Seeing that Cao Xing didn¡¯t respond, the survivors became anxious. ¡°We¡¯re screwed, everyone, Cao Xing isn¡¯t replying. Could it really have been sold out?¡± ¡°Damn, I said earlier I¡¯d wait for the price to drop a bit before buying. Now it¡¯s all sold out.¡± ¡°I had the same plan, and now I¡¯m really losing out¡­¡± At this time, a survivor named Yu Jun said, ¡°You idiots, still waiting for someone else to lower the price? Do you even know what kind of meat this is?¡± ¡°Items that can enhance attributes are hard currency at any time.¡± ¡°And Cao Xing¡¯s price is already set very reasonably!¡± Liu Hui: ¡°Yeah, Cao Xing¡¯s price is really fair. Previously, buying 100g of beast meat from Fang Long almost drained all my assets.¡± Huang Shihong: ¡°Exactly, Fang Long¡¯s price is so steep, buying once is like losing everything you own.¡± Just then, a cold voice appeared in the regional channel. Fang Long: ¡°Did someone just say that my meat is expensive?¡± ¡°Do you realize how difficult it is for my men to trade even a bit of food?¡± ¡°I traded precious food so you wouldn¡¯t go hungry, and you say my prices are high?¡± The chat channel fell silent. Most people here were from Xiangjiang, and they all knew the notorious Three Heroes Association. It¡¯s a well-known gang. Besides Fang Long, there were two other gang bosses, all were ruthless. That¡¯s why they named themselves the Three Heroes Association. At its peak, the gang¡¯s numbers reached thousands, a reputation that spread across Xiangjiang. Seeing no one speaking, Fang Long continued sarcastically, ¡°You all better behave and see who¡¯s the boss of this region!¡± ¡°From now on, anyone wanting to trade in this region needs our permission, or else they¡¯ll suffer!¡± At this point, a survivor named Chen Minhao said, ¡°Fang Long, aren¡¯t you being too overbearing?¡± ¡°You sell your stuff for such a high price and don¡¯t allow others to sell?¡± Fang Long: ¡°You¡¯re right, we are this overbearing.¡± ¡°What do you think the Three Heroes Association is about?¡± Hearing this, the survivors¡¯ faces changed. Indeed, a gang like the Three Heroes Association was never good, collecting protection fees was one of their ways to make money. Evidently, Cao Xing¡¯s mass sale of bear meat had infringed on their interests. Fang Long sneered, ¡°Let me tell you, we have hundreds of Three Heroes Association brothers in this region. Sooner or later, we¡¯ll meet each other.¡± ¡°You better think carefully about the consequences of offending us.¡± At this moment, the Three Heroes Association members started speaking up one after another. ¡°Support Boss Fang Long!¡± ¡°Everyone, keep quiet!¡± ¡°Channel 174 will be under the control of the Three Heroes Association from now on!¡± Seeing so many people show up, the survivors suddenly realized this. They¡¯re now in the same region as the Three Heroes Association. As they gradually expand outward, they will inevitably meet at some point. And the Three Heroes Association, with natural hundreds of people, was the largest force in this region. Offending them would make their territory dangerous in the future! For a moment, everyone was too afraid to speak. At that moment, Cao Xing opened the regional channel. He had just seen the chat above and was dumbfounded. What does this mean? All I did was arrange some work, and now I can¡¯t even do business? Cao Xing thought for a moment and then said: ¡°Everyone, I just left for a while to deal with something. Now the trading continues.¡± Before other survivors could speak, Fang Long saw Cao Xing appear and immediately said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? I told you to stop trading.¡± Cao Xing replied calmly, ¡°Why? Just because you said stop trading, I have to?¡± Fang Long: ¡°Kid, don¡¯t play dumb. You¡¯re from Xiangjiang, you should¡¯ve heard of the Three Heroes Association.¡± ¡°Zone 174 is our territory now.¡± Cao Xing paused for a moment, then laughed: ¡°What¡¯s this? Three Heroes or Three Birds Association, this isn¡¯t Blue Star anymore, why are you trying to pull this with me?¡± ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be afraid of these stupid birds, continue trading. I have limited bear meat, first come, first served.¡± ¡°By the way, morons from the Three Birds Association don¡¯t trade with me. We¡¯re in a new world, yet you¡¯re still acting like dogs. Go ask your master for meat!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s words were like poking a hornet¡¯s nest. It provoked furious curses from the Three Heroes Association members. Zhang Wei: ¡°Cao Xing, I*&*%¡± Xu Haocheng: ¡°I¡­ &%¡­&¡± Cao Xing laughed as he waited for them to finish cursing, then chuckled: ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Is this all the Three Heroes Association can muster?¡± Provoked by Cao Xing, curses flooded the screen, and Channel 174 was almost completely taken over by their messages. They furiously hurled verbal attacks at Cao Xing. At this moment, a system prompt appeared in front of them. [Due to multiple uses of offensive language, your chat permissions have been revoked. Remaining time: 3 days¡­] The cursing survivors were left dumbfounded. They didn¡¯t expect the Otherworld to have a mute function. In an instant, a large number of Three Heroes Association survivors were muted, and the entire chat channel gradually quietened down. Cao Xing continued to provoke them, causing more Three Heroes Association survivors to be muted. Seeing the escalating situation, Fang Long stepped in and said, ¡°Everyone, stop talking, don¡¯t fall for this kid¡¯s tricks!¡± Though Fang Long told them to stop, over two hundred people had already been muted for three days by the system in that wave. This was quite a blow to the Three Heroes Association¡¯s prestige. Fang Long, in a chilling tone, said, ¡°Kid, your name is Cao Xing, right? I¡¯ll remember you. I hope you don¡¯t regret this later.¡± But Cao Xing was completely unfazed by his threat and laughed: ¡°You remember me?¡± ¡°Great, because I¡¯ve remembered all of you too. ?¦Ï???.§ã? The names and ID numbers of those who cursed me have all been noted down.¡± ¡°From now on, don¡¯t think you can trade anything with me.¡± Cao Xing completely ignored Fang Long¡¯s threat and continued listing his items. And seeing Fang Long fall silent, the survivors began rushing again! ¡°Everyone, hurry up! Cao Xing said the bear meat is limited this time; if you¡¯re late, it¡¯ll be gone!¡± ¡°Damn! This time I¡¯m definitely getting some!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± The chat channel was filled with excitement. And the messages from the Three Heroes Association were soon buried by the massive amount of survivor messages. Cao Xing received a barrage of trade notifications once again. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 21 - Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Enthusiasm Running High ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Enthusiasm Running High Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Enthusiasm Running High ¡°` At the same time. In another corner of this ice plain. A middle-aged man with a resolute gaze, eyes sharp as a hawk, stared into the distance. He clenched his fist slightly, his tone icy, ¡°Cao Xing!¡± This man was Fang Long. Behind him, an elderly couple and a voluptuous woman were huddled in the Lord¡¯s Hut, warming themselves by the fire. It was evident that Fang Long¡¯s family was doing fairly well at the moment. After all, he had amassed quite a bit of supplies through several prior trades. At this moment, a survivor named Ji Jun contacted Fang Long. ¡°Boss, that annoying kid actually remembered all of our names.¡± ¡°When we tried to trade with him just now, not only did he refuse us, but he also cursed at us.¡± Hearing this, Fang Long¡¯s expression turned even grimmer. Ji Jun continued to ask, ¡°Boss, what should we do now? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 His Bear Meat increases so many attributes, if we don¡¯t have any, we¡¯re essentially falling behind, which is detrimental to our development.¡± Fang Long calmed his inner anger and said, ¡°I know. I¡¯ll think of a way regarding the Bear Meat.¡± After hanging up, Fang Long furrowed his brows. Although he said he would find a solution, Fang Long had no good ideas at the moment. Just then, a survivor named Liu Zhenjie requested to add Fang Long as a friend. Seeing this somewhat familiar name, Fang Long clicked agree. ¡°Boss Fang Long, I¡¯m Muxue¡¯s father, Liu Zhenjie!¡± Liu Zhenjie sent a message immediately. Fang Long remembered. He once pursued Liu Muxue for a while but was rejected by her. ¡°So, it¡¯s Muxue¡¯s father. Uncle Liu, is there something you need?¡± Liu Zhenjie quickly said, ¡°Yes, of course!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about that boy who offended you in the chat channel.¡± Hearing this, Fang Long became interested. ¡°Uncle Liu, please, tell me more!¡± Moments later. After listening to Liu Zhenjie¡¯s story, Fang Long had an intrigued expression on his face. ¡°Interesting, so he¡¯s just a lowly driver. I thought this kid was someone important!¡± ¡°Does he really think he can turn his fortunes around in this world?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Muxue to stay with this guy, though.¡± Fang Long said to Liu Zhenjie, ¡°Uncle Liu, you¡¯ve done well. I¡¯ll trade this piece of Beast Meat with you first.¡± Liu Zhenjie was very grateful to Fang Long as soon as he saw the food. After ending the private chat, Fang Long immediately issued orders to the members of the Three Heroes Association. That was to locate Cao Xing¡¯s camp. ¡­ At this time, Cao Xing was unaware that Fang Long was searching for his camp coordinates, because he was once again overwhelmed by a flood of trading messages! [Transaction successful: You received a Skill Book: Ice Cone Skill, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *5] [Transaction successful: You received a Skill Book: Aurora Blessing, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *5] [Transaction successful: You received a Black Iron Plate Armor (Green) *1, you lost Fresh Bear Meat (Blue) *3] [Transaction successful¡­] This time, Cao Xing put out another 500 pieces of Bear Meat, totaling 5000 portions for trade. When the hour-long trading session ended, all 5000 portions of Bear Meat in Cao Xing¡¯s possession were sold out. The auction information on the market was also withdrawn. The chat channel, which had been bustling, suddenly noticed the message about Bear Meat being sold out and was momentarily stunned. Then the survivors exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Whoa¡­ so fast it¡¯s sold out? I still didn¡¯t manage to grab any!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get any either, what a pity¡­¡± ¡°Ahhh! Cao Xing, please, put up some more Bear Meat!¡± ¡°@Cao Xing, be reasonable and put up more Bear Meat, don¡¯t make me beg you!¡± ¡­ Clearly, in the entire trading market, Bear Meat was still in short supply. After all, there were more than 30,000, nearly 40,000 people in Area 174. And Cao Xing, fully accounted, had only traded over 7,000 portions of Bear Meat. In other words, those who successfully traded for Bear Meat were not even a fifth of the total. Although Cao Xing still had 500 pieces of Bear Meat, which could be divided into 5000 portions for trading, they were reserved as emergency rations or to exchange for precious items. Thus, Cao Xing said in the chat channel, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I don¡¯t have much Bear Meat left to conduct large-scale trades anymore.¡± ¡°However, if you come across something interesting, feel free to PM me.¡± ¡°Blueprints, equipment, skill booksa€¡±I¡¯ll take them all.¡± Cao Xing¡¯s words rekindled hope in the hearts of those survivors who hadn¡¯t managed to get any. ¡°So, Cao Xing still has Bear Meat, great!¡± ¡°You need skill books, blueprints? I¡¯ll head out exploring in the snow now!¡± ¡°This time, I must trade for Bear Meat, charge!¡± At this time, Cao Xing added a reminder, ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s about to get dark, so don¡¯t rush out to explore. Wait until tomorrow after surviving tonight.¡± Following this reminder, the survivors also realized, ¡°Yeah, once it¡¯s dark, the temperature drops; we shouldn¡¯t be outside.¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s head out tomorrow!¡± The survivors were highly enthusiastic. Because of Cao Xing¡¯s Bear Meat, their eagerness for exploration was aroused, which was a good sign. It meant more survivors would collect supplies in the wild. At the current stage, aside from Cao Xing, no one else had the capability to deal with level 15 elite monsters, so his Bear Meat remained unique. After closing the chat channel, Cao Xing looked at his harvest with satisfaction. In this trade, he harvested 15,000 Wood, 7,800 Stone, 570 Iron, 62 Basic Elemental Crystals, plus 30 Mithril pieces! Cao Xing glanced at his territory¡¯s resource reserves. [Food: Bread*45, Snake Meat*10, Wolf Meat*106, Bear Meat*500] [Wood*20,764, Stone*11,135, Iron*1,022, Coal*137] ¡­ Besides these, his backpack also contained [Basic Elemental Crystal]*113 pieces, Mithril*50! A green weapon blueprint, plus a piece of green plate armor top, and two skill books! ¡°What a terrifying quantity!¡± ¡°This amount of resources, when I was playing on the tablet, would have taken me about 20 days to amass.¡± Cao Xing was now roughly twenty days ahead of other survivors! ¡°With the resources I have, I could even directly upgrade to Level 3 Lord¡¯s Hut, which would unlock more constructions.¡± ¡°However, the Level 3 Lord¡¯s Hut requires a Level 15 Big Melting Furnace, so it¡¯s still early.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s about to get dark now, so I¡¯d better return to the Lord¡¯s Hut for shelter.¡± Cao Xing returned to the Lord¡¯s Hut. Seeing him enter, Liu Muxue lowered her head shyly. At this moment, Liu Muxue seemed to recall something and said softly, ¡°Axing, I¡¯ve interacted with Fang Long before. ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? He¡¯s a very insidious person and rather ruthless, so be cautious.¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 22 - Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The Cold Wind Like a Knife, the Night Sky Like Fire ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Cold Wind Like a Knife, the Night Sky Like Fire Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Cold Wind Like a Knife, the Night Sky Like Fire Clearly, Liu Muxue had also seen the conversation in the chat channel. Cao Xing was startled at first, but then he nodded and said, ¡°Okay, Saozi, I understand.¡± In fact, Cao Xing didn¡¯t take Fang Long¡¯s threat to heart. Based on his understanding of these gangs, the only thing they could possibly do to him was to find his camp and then launch an attack on him. Given that all the Survivors were only at Basic Level one or two, they struggled even to leave their own camps, let alone traverse tens or even hundreds of kilometers to cause trouble for Cao Xing. Moreover, if they really dared to come. By that time, just Yilena and a Frost Wolf Knight would be enough to conduct a unilateral slaughter. There wouldn¡¯t even be a need for him to summon an Ice Plain Druid. And next, he would also build a ¡°Basic Level Elemental Arrow Tower,¡± which would be a true killing machine! At that moment, not just Fang Long, but even if the entire Three Heroes Association came together, they¡¯d just be delivering themselves to their demise. And this was the source of Cao Xing¡¯s confidence and fearlessness. Seeing that Liu Muxue was still somewhat worried, Cao Xing reassured her, ¡°Saozi, don¡¯t worry, the safety of the camp is not a concern.¡± Liu Muxue nodded lightly. Her gaze fixed on Cao Xing, Liu Muxue seemed to see a confident aura emanating from him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï After a moment, Liu Muxue¡¯s pretty face blushed. She said softly, ¡°Axing, it¡¯s already dark, time to resta€|¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cao Xing nodded, then returned to his Wood Bed. The night fella€| In the room, the stove crackled as it continued to radiate heat. However, the cold wind outside kept howling relentlessly. Even wrapped in Wolf Skin, one could still feel waves of chill reaching the surface of the body. ¡°Hissa€| Why is it so cold tonight?¡± Cao Xing crawled out from the Wolf Skin, then glanced at the temperature overhead. [Current Temperature -28?¡ãC] Good grief, the indoor temperature was nearly down to minus thirty degrees Celsius, no wonder it¡¯s so cold. Cao Xing saw that on her Wood Bed, Liu Muxue¡¯s body was shivering slightly. ¡°Saozi, can you hold on?¡± Cao Xing asked. With her teeth clenched, Liu Muxue replied shivering, ¡°I¡¯ma€| I¡¯m okaya€|¡± Seeing her like this, Cao Xing knew she was just putting on a brave face. So, he took out a large Bear Skin from his backpack and laid it directly over Liu Muxue. A layer of Wolf Skin plus a layer of Bear Skin was enough to resist the chill of the night. Feeling the weight on her body, Liu Muxue had a grateful look in her eyes. ¡°Thana€| thank youa€| Axinga€|¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He returned to his Wood Bed, wrapped himself in Wolf Skin, and prepared to sleep. Just then, Liu Muxue said softly from behind, ¡°Axinga€| you gave me the Bear Skin, what about you?¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°I have a stronger constitution than you, I¡¯ll move the bed closer to the stove in a while, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Hearing this, Liu Muxue suddenly said, ¡°Thata€| Axing, would you like to share this Bear Skin with mea€|¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Cao Xing turned, puzzled, but saw that Liu Muxue was covering half of her face, seeming somewhat embarrassed to speak. After a moment, as if mustering up courage, she said, ¡°This Bear Skin is too big, it¡¯s a bit wasteful just for me alonea€|¡± ¡°If two people share it, the bed would be even warmera€|¡± After speaking, Liu Muxue buried her head in the blanket, blushing with shame. After thinking for a moment, Cao Xing said, ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. I¡¯ll move my Wood Bed over, and we can combine the two beds.¡± Quickly, the two Wood Beds were combined into one large bed. The heavy Bear Skin laid on top, hardly different from one big blanket. Wrapped in his own Wolf Skin, Cao Xing also climbed in. Feeling the movement inside the blanket, Liu Muxue¡¯s body trembled slightly. She kept her back to Cao Xing, appearing extremely embarrassed. Cao Xing didn¡¯t think too much. He just felt indeed much warmer after getting into the blanket. The night slowly passed by. Cao Xing gradually fell asleep. In the middle of the night, Cao Xing suddenly felt a warm arm slip into his blanket. Cao Xing was startled and woke up from his slumber. He turned over and saw Liu Muxue, her face flushed with shyness, her head lowered so her features were not clear. ¡°Saozi?¡± Liu Muxue said timidly, ¡°Axing¡­ I¡¯m so cold¡­ I want you to hold me as we sleep¡­¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± At that moment, a flash of realization swept through Cao Xing¡¯s mind, and he understood what Liu Muxue meant. He turned over and took Liu Muxue into his arms, pressing her beneath him. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Liu Muxue didn¡¯t seem to expect Cao Xing to make such a bold move so suddenly and let out a soft moan. Then she felt the heavy breathing of the man on her face. Liu Muxue¡¯s delicate body trembled, and she instinctively gripped the corner of the Wolf Skin tightly. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could smell the heavy, powerful breath of the man. Beneath his firm chest, she could even hear the rapid heartbeat. ¡°A¡­ Axing¡­¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s voice was as faint as a mosquito¡¯s, her exquisite features tinged with an alluring redness that almost begged to be bitten. Cao Xing stretched out his hand and slowly caressed down from her cheek¡­ And continued downward. At that moment, Liu Muxue¡¯s body shivered, her muscles tensed. But amidst the nervousness, there was also a slight tingling sensation and an anticipation¡­ The rustling sound of clothes being shed. Liu Muxue bit her lower lip, her beautiful eyes flickering as she stared at the youth¡¯s silhouette, the thought of what was to come making her legs instinctively close tightly together. Cao Xing turned around and looked at the beauty on the Wood Bed. Her snow-white skin showed a shy and pale blush, her long legs beneath her were ten jade toes locked together. At this moment, she was completely exposed in front of Cao Xing. As Cao Xing¡¯s face drew near Liu Muxue¡¯s, she felt her heartbeat slow by half a beat. ¡­ Two hours later, the sounds in the room gradually subsided. Liu Muxue was tender and limp, a tear at the corner of her eye, and a look of satisfaction as she lay in Cao Xing¡¯s arms. The two lay there quietly, their thoughts unknown. It was then that Liu Muxue suddenly asked, ¡°Axing¡­ will you ever abandon me?¡± ¡°Sao¡­ Muxue, why would you suddenly say such a thing?¡± asked Cao Xing, puzzled. Liu Muxue snuggled into his embrace and softly shook her head, ¡°Axing¡­ I saw in the chat channel that many people have died these past two days¡­¡± ¡°Many families have been shattered, children losing their parents and relatives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to have met you when I arrived in this world.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also the first person who has been so kind to me.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m afraid that one day you might suddenly not want me anymore¡­¡± Listening to Liu Muxue¡¯s heartfelt words, Cao Xing gently patted her soft back, ¡°What are you thinking about? From now on, we¡¯re going to be working together for a long time, surviving in this world.¡± ¡°Muxue, you¡¯re very important to me¡­¡± After hearing this, Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes moistened. ¡°Mmm!¡± She nodded earnestly. A few seconds later, looking at the man before her, Liu Muxue¡¯s eyes gradually clouded with a misty haze. At that point, Cao Xing kissed her. Minutes later, Liu Muxue gasped, ¡°Axing¡­ I can hardly breathe¡­¡± ¡°Axing¡­¡± ¡°Axing¡­¡± Her voice faded away, turning into whispers amid their lovemaking. ¡­ Chapter 23 - Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Refugees of Ice Peak City, Alien Ghost ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Refugees of Ice Peak City, Alien Ghost Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Refugees of Ice Peak City, Alien Ghost ¡°` The next day¡­ Cao Xing woke from his sleep. At that moment, he realized the bed beside him was already empty, with only the lingering familiar fragrance left on the pillow. He looked up to see a graceful figure crouched by the stove, preparing breakfast for the day. This scene made Cao Xing feel somewhat surreal. ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Having come to this world for two days, everything had overturned his imagination. Liu Muxue seemed to notice that Cao Xing had woken up, a bashful expression on her face. ¡°Axing, you¡¯re awake¡­¡± ¡°Just wait a little bit longer, breakfast will be ready soon.¡± The first taste of passion left Liu Muxue with a trace of enchanting blush and a hint of naivety on her face. She seemed to have quickly assumed her role. Then, Liu Muxue brought a bowl of delicious-smelling meat soup to Cao Xing. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À0.§ã¦Ï Cao Xing tasted a mouthful and praised, ¡°Tastes good, Muxue.¡± ¡°Really? Hehe¡­¡± Liu Muxue giggled foolishly, ¡°Then have some more.¡± Cao Xing nodded. Watching Cao Xing finish it all in front of her, Liu Muxue was visibly satisfied. Moments later, she suddenly felt a bit forlorn. ¡°Axing¡­ last night¡¯s cold snap seemingly killed quite a few people again¡­¡± Cao Xing pondered for a moment and opened the [Regional Channel]. [174 Regional Channel] [Online Count: 37104/40173] Compared to yesterday, more than a thousand people had died. Although the mortality rate had decreased significantly, if people continued dying at this rate, there wouldn¡¯t be many humans left soon. Liu Muxue stated worryingly, ¡°Axing, do you think we¡¯ll survive?¡± Hearing this, Cao Xing nodded earnestly, ¡°We will, we¡¯ll survive together.¡± ¡°Not only will we survive, but we¡¯ll also live very well in this world.¡± Liu Muxue, having heard this, nodded as well, ¡°Uh-huh!¡± After finishing breakfast, Cao Xing stood up with renewed vigor. Compared to yesterday, Cao Xing now had one more goal, which was to survive in this world with Liu Muxue. He pushed open the door of the Lord¡¯s Hut. Eight Polar People and Yilena were already waiting at the doorway. As for Assam, he had woken up early to execute the task Cao Xing had issued, scouting the surrounding environment. Upon seeing Cao Xing emerge, the group of Polar People greeted in unison, ¡°Good health to you, Lord!¡± ¡°Good morning, Second Lord.¡± Liu Muxue stood gracefully beside Cao Xing, awaiting his orders. Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Today, your tasks will mainly be focused on constructing the territory buildings.¡± ¡°Dazhuang and Erzhuang, focus all efforts on upgrading the [Camp Fire].¡± ¡°Sanzhuang and Sizhuang, hurry up with building the [Sewing Shop].¡± ¡°Wuzhuang to Bazhuang, your task is to construct the [Blacksmith Shop] and build more [Small Shelters].¡± ¡°Understood?¡± The eight Polar People immediately straightened up and nodded in response, ¡°Understood, Lord!¡± Then, following Cao Xing¡¯s instructions, they began working with clanks and bangs. At this time, Cao Xing faced a problem. The territory lacked manpower. He needed to build many constructions like the [Blacksmith Shop], [Basic Level Elemental Arrow Tower], [Sewing Shop], etc. But with only 8 Polar People, it was too much to handle. Cao Xing sighed, ¡°I have so many resources right now; it would be a pity if I can¡¯t convert them into war power.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way later, see if I can recruit some civilians.¡± Cao Xing shook his head and continued to examine the two new skill books and equipment he obtained yesterday. [Ice Cone Skill: Consume a certain amount of spirit to condense 1~3 ice cones, dealing spirit*0.8 magic damage to enemies, with a 30% chance to cause a 1-second frozen effect, cooling time 30 seconds.] [Aurora Blessing: Condense the power of aurora, attach it to the weapon, and during melee attack, deal extra spirit*0.8 light attribute damage to the enemy, effect lasts for 60 seconds, cooling time 120 seconds.] These two skills, one was an attack skill for Cao Xing, the other a blessing skill for Liu Muxue. Both were quite effective. Especially the [Aurora Blessing] skill, once Liu Muxue¡¯s attributes improved, it could greatly increase the output of the territory¡¯s troops. He continued to examine further. [Black Iron Plate Armor (Green)] [Quality: Fine] [Armor: 13~15] [Attached Effecta¡® : Constitution +5] [Attached Effecta¡®?: Basic Shock Absorption (During attack, reduces knockback effect caused by 20 points of opponent¡¯s power)] ¡­ ¡°Not bad, the attributes of this plate armor are quite strong, it suits Muxue very well!¡± As an Aurora Knight, resisting monsters was naturally the most important task. With that ¡®Basic Shock Absorption¡¯ effect, Liu Muxue could handle stronger monsters without getting knocked back. Then, there was the last scroll. [Soldier¡¯s Standard Longsword Scroll (Green): After learning, it can be used to consume materials to craft weapons in the Blacksmith Shop.] [Required for Crafting: Blacksmith Shop Level 1, Iron*20, Wood*2¡­] Cao Xing thought, ¡°With the scroll, I can mass-produce weapons and then create an armed brigade of my own.¡± ¡°However, the brigade requires a large number of soldiers, and I¡¯ll need to build barracks and train them using training scrolls.¡± ¡°And at the moment, I only have 8 Polar People, who need to work, and can¡¯t be trained into combat units.¡± ¡°So, this matter must be put aside for now.¡± After examining these, Cao Xing felt a bit bored. By noon, Cao Xing noticed a figure appearing in the distant snow field, heading towards his camp. It was Assam riding the Frost Wolf. What surprised Cao Xing was that behind him followed three slender human figures, seemingly women. Cao Xing approached immediately. ¡°Assam, who are these people?¡± Assam leaped off the Frost Wolf¡¯s back, then respectfully said, ¡°Lord, these individuals are refugees who fled from Ice Peak City.¡± ¡°Ice Peak City?¡± Assam nodded, ¡°Yes, Lord, it¡¯s a town thousands of kilometers from us, but it¡¯s been overrun by the Alien Ghost Army.¡± ¡°These individuals managed to escape from Ice Peak City, yet were later beset by Snowland Hunters. I saved them, but now they are homeless,¡± Cao Xing thought, realizing they were natives of this world. Yes, besides them, the Blue Star humans, this world had quite a few native races too. Apart from the Polar People who lived underground for years, there were humans living on the surface, the Asura tribe who revered machinery and gunpowder, the Ice Plain Giant tribe who esteemed war and strength, and others¡­ Assam, seemingly moved with compassion, suggested, ¡°Lord, our territory needs more manpower.¡± ¡°These three refugees can help us better construct the territory.¡± Beside them, the three female humans looked expectantly. They seemed to know that Cao Xing was the decision-maker of this territory. So, the three refugees knelt down, respectfully, ¡°Lord, please take in us, the homeless.¡± ¡°We are willing to offer you everything.¡± Cao Xing was taken aback, his expression partly strange. Even Liu Muxue beside him looked at Cao Xing expectantly, seemingly hoping he would take in these three refugees. Assam was right, he indeed needed more manpower. So, Cao Xing asked, ¡°Can you cook?¡± The three refugees exchanged glances, then quickly nodded, ¡°We can! We can!¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Alright, the task of cooking will be yours from now on.¡± ¡°In your spare time, you still need to help collect resources and build the territory with other Polar People. Are there any issues?¡± ¡°No, honorable Lord.¡± Cao Xing: ¡°Very well, then welcome to your new home.¡± Cao Xing initiated the recruitment. [Recruitment Successful: Jasmine, Tulip, Sapphire, joined your territory, territory population +3.] ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 24 - Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Recruitment of Ice Plain Druid ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Recruitment of Ice Plain Druid Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Recruitment of Ice Plain Druid ¡°` Seeing their names, Cao Xing¡¯s mouth twitched again. They were all names of flowers, quite pleasant to the ear. But Cao Xing felt that these names were too refined and didn¡¯t match his style. So, he directly pointed at one of the women and said, ¡°From today on, you will be called Dahua.¡± ¡°And she will be called Erhua, Sanhua.¡± The three human women knelt down again and respectfully said, ¡°Thank you for the name, merciful Lord.¡± [You successfully named a subject: Dahua, Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty 75] [You successfully named a subject: Erhua, Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty 73] a€| Cao Xing glanced at their attributes. [Subject: Dahua] [Level: 1] [Attributes: Power 3, Agility 2, Spirit 3, Constitution 3] [Talent: None] [Loyalty: 75] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï It was clear that they hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time. So, Cao Xing said, ¡°Go make a fire and cook some food for yourselves first. There is no cafeteria yet; the stove is inside the Lord¡¯s Hut.¡± The three nodded respectfully upon hearing this. ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± After they left, Cao Xing continued to think by the bonfire. These newly recruited people need a [Small Shelter] for resting at night. Then, a dedicated cafeteria needs to be built for the subjects to eat. However, whether constructing or upgrading buildings required a lot of time. Cao Xing sighed as he looked at the busy 8 Polar People, ¡°Still not enough manpower¡­¡± ¡°If there were more people, we could cooperate and significantly speed up the development efficiency of the territory.¡± ¡°Is there any way for me to recruit more manpower?¡± Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but recall his gaming experience on the tablet before. ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï In it, The game characters also faced the dilemma of insufficient manpower. However, there were several solutions in the game. First, when your territory reached a certain level, it gained some prestige in the nearby area, attracting some nearby tribe residents or refugees to pledge allegiance. Second, dispatch troops like Assam to wander outside, with a chance to bring back some manpower from the wilderness. Third, go to the cities or taverns in this world and recruit some NPCs with special abilities by paying a certain reward. Fourth, directly launch wars to conquer nearby tribe residents and force them to pledge allegiance. In short, there were many methods, not limited to the above. But obviously, none of these methods were currently applicable to Cao Xing. It was then that the three newly joined subjects, after having eaten their fill, brought Cao Xing some news. Hearing this news, Cao Xing¡¯s spirits immediately lifted. He looked at Dahua and asked, ¡°Do you mean that you escaped from a camp of hunters?¡± ¡°And there are still many humans imprisoned in that camp?¡± Dahua nodded, ¡°Yes, Lord. Those hunters are extremely cruel and inhumane!¡± ¡°Many of our companions have already fallen victim to them.¡± ¡°If possible, we hope the Lord can lend a hand to rescue them!¡± Here, Dahua directly knelt on the ground, her tone full of pleading. Cao Xing was currently in dire need of manpower. Upon hearing this information, Cao Xing almost instinctively wanted to take action. However, he quickly suppressed his excitement and helped Dahua up. ¡°Do you know how many of those hunters there are, and what are their strengths?¡± Dahua, who had lived in the icy wilderness for a long time, her face of pale Western features seemed to be recalling something. Then she respectfully said, ¡°Lord, those hunters number about 20 to 30.¡± ¡°Most of the hunters¡¯ auras feel about the same as the Lord¡¯s.¡± Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then nodded. He was now a level 3 Frost Mage, meaning those hunters had strengths around level 3 to 5. After Dahua finished, she added, ¡°Besides those ordinary hunters, they have two squad leaders, whose strength is slightly stronger than the lady of the Snake-man Tribe.¡± ¡°In addition to that, there is a strongest captain, whose aura is similar to Mr. Assam¡¯s Frost Wolf.¡± It was clear that Dahua was quite intelligent, with strong communication skills. Through her description, Cao Xing had already gauged the strength of those hunters. One level 10 hunter, two hunters above level 5, and over twenty hunters below level 5. If it were just relying on Cao Xing¡¯s previous strength, dealing with them might not have been possible. However, now that Assam had advanced to a Second Order creature, and with the ¡®Ice Plain Druid¡¯ Recruitment Scroll in Cao Xing¡¯s hands, dealing with these hunters was not an issue at all. Moreover, these hunters were said to be hiding some treasures¡­ It was clear that Cao Xing was tempted. Assam also noticed Cao Xing¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Lord, the location Dahua mentioned is about seven kilometers from the camp.¡± ¡°At our speed, it would take about an hour and a half to reach.¡± Cao Xing nodded. The travel speed in the snow was not fast in the first place, but an hour and a half was within the acceptable range, and they could definitely return before dark. Liu Muxue also stood by at this moment and softly said, ¡°A Xing, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± After speaking, he gave Liu Muxue the [Black Iron Plate Armor (Green)] and the [Aurora Blessing Skill Book]. Watching the equipment and skill book in her hands, Liu Muxue gratefully glanced at Cao Xing once again. She clearly understood the importance of these equipment and skill books at the current stage. Liu Muxue didn¡¯t say much, silently clicking on the skill book to learn, and then putting on the armor. Cao Xing saw this. Liu Muxue was now wearing black armor on her upper body, with her long bare legs below, covered by a thick wolf skin coat. This attire had a rather intriguing style. Cao Xing himself also clicked to learn the [Ice Cone Skill] and then took out the [Ice Plain Druid] Recruitment Scroll. The System Prompt appeared. [Do you want to use the Ice Plain Druid Recruitment Scroll to recruit a Druid with level 15 elite strength?] [Ice Plain Druid occupies: 3 populations] Cao Xing directly clicked ¡®Yes.¡¯ Meanwhile, In front of Cao Xing, a Hexagram Array with a diameter reaching five meters, larger than before, appeared. The Hexagram Array erupted with bursts of intense light. Then, a powerful and ancient aura emerged. Through the light screen, Cao Xing could see a humanoid creature standing at two and a half meters tall with a robust build. Just standing there without moving, it emanated a frightening pressure! After the light screen faded, everyone could finally see the full appearance of the creature. It was a being covered in snowy-white fur, with sharp bear claws and thick limbs, yet it resembled a human form. His face, covered with hair, revealed a look of devoutness. Then, he placed his right hand on his chest and slightly bowed, saying, ¡°Nature¡¯s power will guide me forward.¡± ¡°Guardian Andrew, reporting to you.¡± a€| ¡°` Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Level Ranking List, Open! ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Level Ranking List, Open! Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Level Ranking List, Open! At this moment, the towering Ice Plain Druid gave a slight bow to Cao Xing. In front of Cao Xing, the other party¡¯s attributes appeared. [Ice Plain Druid: Andrew] [Race: Druid] [Level: 15, 1073/50000 (Second Order Elite Level Creature)] [Life Value: 3990] [Attack Power: 344~351] [Attributes: Power 172, Agility 163, Spirit 165, Constitution 195] [Skills: Rip Claw Strike (swings sharp claws to deal 130% attack damage to the enemy) Wildness Mark (when the attack hits, reduces 50 points of the target¡¯s armor and marks the target¡¯s position) Giant Bear Form (transforms into an ice plain giant bear, increases all attributes by 30%, and gains additional ¡®Wildness Roar¡¯ and ¡®Fierce Assault¡¯ skills, giant bear form lasts for 60 seconds, cooling time 180 seconds)] [Talent: Nature Affinity (increases life recovery speed by 20% when in nature)] [Hunger Level: 65] [Loyalty: 63] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 ¡°Hiss!!¡± ¡°Such strong attributes!¡± Cao Xing was amazed. This Druid, worthy of being a level 15 Elite Creature, possessed terrifying attributes. Moreover, the most terrifying was the skill behind, [Giant Bear Form]. In this state, the Druid was most formidable. Undoubtedly, Andrew was the most powerful creature he summoned. Even after advancement, Assam would be no match. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. However, the Druid seemed to also see Cao Xing¡¯s strength. In his perception, Cao Xing was too weak. He could be slapped to death easily. Such a Lord couldn¡¯t compel him to offer full loyalty. Cao Xing naturally also saw the indifference in Andrew¡¯s eyes and his loyalty of only 63. It was apparent that this Druid was not fully submissive to him. Nonetheless, Cao Xing did not mind but instead wore a smile of interest. He suddenly said, ¡°Andrew, as my subject, you will enjoy the sacred blessing. ¡°Now, I empower you with strength.¡± Under the Druid¡¯s puzzled gaze, Cao Xing cast a glance at Yilena. Yilena understood and cast the [Scale Armor] and [Snake-man Tribe Frenzy] statuses on Andrew. At that moment, a hint of astonishment flickered in Andrew¡¯s calm eyes. He felt an additional surge of restless energy within, making him more agile and powerful. ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This enhancement nearly matched the effect of his ¡®Giant Bear Form¡¯ skill! Moreover, the most terrifying part was that it was a permanent enhancement. ¡°Lord, what is this blessing effect? It¡­ it is so powerful!¡± Andrew exclaimed in shock. Cao Xing looked him directly in the eyes and solemnly said, ¡°This is a reward for your loyalty.¡± ¡°Only my subjects can enjoy this blessing effect.¡± The shock in Andrew¡¯s eyes intensified. Before he could speak, Cao Xing continued, ¡°Andrew, the blessing is not over yet. Let me further bestow the blessing upon you.¡± With that said, Cao Xing cast [Ice Healing Skill] and [Ice Armor Skill] again, green numbers of +12, +12 appeared above Andrew¡¯s head. At this moment, Andrew¡¯s gaze had transformed from astonishment to utter shock! ¡°Lord, your power is the most formidable I¡¯ve ever witnessed!¡± ¡°It is so mysterious and grand, Andrew sincerely thanks you for your blessing!¡± With these words, he gave a deep bow to Cao Xing. A system prompt appeared. [You helped the subject: Andrew enhance his strength, loyalty has increased, current loyalty: 74] Instantly increased by 11 points of loyalty. A gleam of joy appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. Haha, still pretentious, see how I conquer you. This move completely subdued Andrew, and his gaze towards Cao Xing was filled with awe. At this moment, Cao Xing suddenly recalled a new [Aurora Blessing] skill that Liu Muxue learned, also a buff skill. Cao Xing said, ¡°Muxue, cast an Aurora Blessing on Andrew.¡± Liu Muxue obediently complied. Although Andrew had no weapon. When the colorful aurora merged into Andrew, he raised his claws in surprise, seeing them enveloped in a layer of aurora. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, just as he expected. Now that the Druid was summoned and the buffs were in place, everything was nearly ready. Just as he was about to set off, a system announcement appeared. System Announcement: ¡°All survivors, please note that you have survived the second day of the Ice Seal Age and adapted to the rhythm of this world. The Level Ranking List is now open!¡± ¡°Level Ranking List: The top 100 survivors in each zone to reach level 10 will receive ranking rewards.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, All survivors across Blue Star, who had traversed to this world, heard the system prompt sound. ¡°Damn! The Level Ranking is open?¡± ¡°Only a hundred people in each zone can get rewards, this competition pressure is a bit high!¡± ¡°What are the ranking rewards?¡± The second system prompt appeared. [Level Ranking Rewards Updated.] [Ranks 100~51: Reward White Bread*20, Medical Bag*2, Small Resource Pack*1] [Ranks 50~21: Reward Beast Meat*10, Medical Bag*4, Small Resource Pack*2, White Weapon*1] [Ranks 20~11: Reward Beast Meat*20, Medical Bag*5, Small Resource Pack*3, Black Iron Treasure Box*1] [Ranks 10~4: Reward Beast Meat*40, Medical Bag*10, Medium Resource Pack*1, Optional Green Weapon*1, Basic Power Heart*1] [Rank 3: Reward Beast Meat*50, Medical Bag*10, Medium Resource Pack*2, Random Second Order Creature Recruitment Coupon*1, Optional Green Weapon*1, Basic Power Heart*1] [Rank 2: Reward Beast Meat*100, Medical Bag*10, Medium Resource Pack*3, Random Second Order Creature Recruitment Coupon*1, Optional Blue Weapon*1, Basic Power Heart*1] ¡­ Seeing these rewards, all the survivors globally were momentarily stunned. Then, there was a strong commotion! Huang Huihong: ¡°Damn! So many rewards, and there¡¯s food and medical bags! This is so awesome, as long as you make it to the top one hundred, you won¡¯t worry about resources in the short term!¡± Li Yongqi: ¡°The top ten can even choose a weapon reward, and it¡¯s a Green Weapon!¡± Jin Yue: ¡°Brothers, you are focusing on the wrong thing, the most valuable is the Basic Power Heart at the end, it allows survivors who reach level 10 to advance.¡± Hu Wenwen: ¡°The Random Second Order Creature Recruitment Coupon is also very terrifying okay, you can directly summon such a powerful creature, this ranking reward is too fierce!¡± ¡­ Even Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the rewards for the top three. You know, even he himself did not have a piece of blue equipment. However, when he saw the first-place reward, his breathing became slightly rapid. [Rank 1: Reward Beast Meat*200, Medical Bag*10, Medium Resource Pack*10, Silver Treasure Chest*1, Second Order Leader Level Creature Recruitment Coupon*1, Basic Power Heart*1] ¡­ Chapter 26 - Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Raid on the Hunter Camp ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Raid on the Hunter Camp Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Raid on the Hunter Camp ¡°` ¡°Oh my¡­ a leader-level recruitment scroll!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes widened. In this world, whether they are recruited creatures or wild creatures, they are graded based on their aptitude. Aptitude represents their strength and also their growth potential. Ordinary, elite, boss, leader, commander. The stronger the aptitude, the more attributes are gained with each upgrade. Creatures like the Ice Plain Druid, being an elite-level creature, have attributes 30% stronger than ordinary creatures and gain more attributes with each level-up. And now, this first-place reward outright skips the boss level and directly rewards a leader-level creature recruitment coupon. That¡¯s truly terrifying! At this moment, Cao Xing decided to go all out and strive to get the first-place reward! System announcement: ¡°Rankings are being calculated. Soon, everyone will be able to check their ranks on the leaderboard.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï However, among the global survivors, most who had confidence in themselves had already begun to take action. ¡­ At this moment, Fang Long, who was moving outside in the snow, also heard the system prompt. He opened the team channel of the Three Heroes Association. ¡°You all saw it, the leaderboard rewards are plentiful. Even making it into the top hundred gets you a lot of supplies.¡± ¡°Moreover, this time, we just need to compete with other survivors from District 174, so the pressure isn¡¯t too great.¡± At this moment, the other survivors from the Three Heroes Association also wore confident smiles. Fang Long continued: ¡°So this time, our Three Heroes Association must strive to secure several spots in the top ten, and I will aim for the first place.¡± The survivor named Ji Jun said, ¡°Boss, is there anyone in District 174 who can compete with you?¡± Fang Long pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°There are some.¡± ¡°From what I know, in Xiangjiang City, there are several associations, and they are quite powerful. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? In this world, they can further utilize their specialties.¡± ¡°Wu Xinghu, Zhou Bo, these people should all be my rivals.¡± After Fang Long finished speaking, Ji Jun nodded in understanding. ¡°Boss, what about Cao Xing?¡± However, Fang Long sneered, ¡°Him? Just a lucky guy, I haven¡¯t even considered him.¡± After hearing this, Ji Jun also nodded. Then, they both ended the communication. Meanwhile, survivors who had descended globally into this world began taking action. Wu Xinghu: ¡°Brothers of Tiger Hall, go all out! We must secure more spots.¡± Zhou Bo: ¡°Brothers of the Sky Blade Association, speed up! Only by reaching level 10 before the end of the novice protection period can you get rewards!¡± In no time, survivors across the world had mobilized. ¡­ At this time, in Cao Xing¡¯s camp. Liu Muxue also heard the system announcement and looked at Cao Xing. Although she didn¡¯t know how Cao Xing compared to other survivors, judging by the past few days, even if Cao Xing wasn¡¯t first, he could at least make it into the top ten. Cao Xing wasn¡¯t aware of Liu Muxue¡¯s thoughts. Now, besides developing his territory, he also had another goal. And that was to claim the first place on the leaderboard! Cao Xing looked at Assam and Andrew and directly ordered, ¡°Then, let¡¯s set off now.¡± ¡°Target, the hunter camp seven kilometers away!¡± Assam took the lead, drawing his longsword and proclaiming loudly. ¡°Charging for the Lord is my life¡¯s mission!¡± Andrew, standing by, also said devoutly, ¡°I wish to fight for the balance of nature.¡± After the words fell, Cao Xing and Liu Muxue, with Assam and Andrew, headed out of the camp. As for Yilena, she was left behind to guard the territory. Crunch¡­ The sound of footsteps of three people and a wolf continued through the snow. A Frost Wolf Knight, a Sharp Claw Druid, followed by two humans. This strange combination walked through the endless snowy plains. Over an hour later. They arrived near the location mentioned by Dahua. From afar, roughly a kilometer away, they indeed saw smoke rising in the snowfield ahead. Beneath the smoke, Cao Xing saw a large camp, sparsely dotted with over a dozen tents. This was a sizeable hunter camp. When Cao Xing approached, a system prompt appeared in front of him. [Hunter Camp: Special Zone] [Danger Level: Extremely Dangerous] (Note: This is a camp of fallen believers in the Evil God, with extremely twisted and frenzied mindsets, posing an extreme danger to you currently. Please leave quickly!) Although the system prompt indicated these hunters were strong and that Cao Xing was no match for them, it did not take Andrew and Assam into consideration. Cao Xing didn¡¯t back down, he immediately urged Andrew and Assam to advance at full speed. He and Liu Muxue followed behind. Cao Xing said, ¡°Muxue, just stay beside me and leave the fighting to them.¡± Liu Muxue replied softly, ¡°Okay, Axing.¡± A few minutes later, they approached the camp. Meanwhile, a patrolling hunter at the camp noticed Cao Xing and the others. He immediately cried out, ¡°There¡¯s a situation!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an enemy raid! Enemy raid!¡± Hearing the shout, a large number of hunters swarmed out of the tents. They all wore similar attire, thick snow garments, and swirl masks resembling those of Uchiha Obito, but blood-red. A dagger hung at their waists, and a wooden longbow slung across their backs. Cao Xing glanced casually and saw the attributes of these hunters. [Hunter lv4] [Race: Human Clan] [Attack Power: 31~35] [Life Value: 430] [Skill: Cutting] ¡­ [Hunter Scout lv6] [Race: Human Clan] [Attack Power: 54~47] [Life Value: 660] [Skill: Flying Knife Throwing, Raid] ¡­ The strength of these hunters was about the same, consistent with Dahua¡¯s intelligence. So, Cao Xing directly said, ¡°Assam, Andrew, go ahead.¡± Assam held up the long sword that emanated aurora to his chest, controlling the Frost Wolf beneath him to rush forward swiftly. ¡°For glory!¡± Thump! Thump thump! Andrew ran on all fours, like an animal. ¡°The Main Meeting punishes these destroyers of nature!¡± The two powerful second-order beings charged into the midst of the hunters with force. Then, they launched a powerful onslaught. Bang! Andrew dashed to a hunter¡¯s side, and with crazed eyes, swung his sharp claws. ¡°Splat!¡± [-395] [-6] Exaggerated damage numbers floated up. The hunter¡¯s body was immediately sliced into four segments, with blood scattering like petals on the snow. Cao Xing saw a system prompt emerge. [Your territory member Andrew killed Hunter lv4, gained Experience Value 40] [Combat Personnel Liu Muxue, Cao Xing, Territory Follower Yilena, gained half experience value: 20] ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 27 - Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll ¡°` Not only did Cao Xing hear the system prompt, but Liu Muxue beside him also heard it and asked hesitantly, ¡°Axing, I seem to have gained experience points too.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t help fight, did I?¡± Cao Xing thought for a moment and quickly understood the reason. Although Liu Muxue did not participate in the battle, She applied the [Aurora Blessing] status to both Andrew and Assam, which added extra damage. This meant that the system considered Liu Muxue as having participated in the battle. Cao Xing also applied [Ice Armor Skill] and [Ice Healing Skill], which also counted him as a combat participant. Including Yilena, who was guarding the territory, she also provided a buff to the Druid. ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? A look of joy appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s face; this feature was fantastic! ¡°Muxue, this is a good thing!¡± ¡°In this way, as long as we recruit strong followers, we can just apply statuses to them and not worry about the rest.¡± ¡°At that time, we can send all these followers out while upgrading from within the territory.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Liu Muxue listened and a slight look of joy appeared on her face. Then she simply stayed by Cao Xing¡¯s side. The two of them watched the camp as a one-sided slaughter unfolded. At this moment, Assam directly rushed into the center of the camp, facing the onslaught of seven or eight hunters alone. There were also two archers beside them. However, their arrows hit Assam¡¯s armor, creating two extremely small damage numbers on it. [-1] [-1] The hunter¡¯s attack power was still okay, at least it could cause a bit of damage to Assam. But the damage was so low. It could be said to have broken the defense, yet not really. The next second, a series of green +10s, +10s appeared above Assam¡¯s head. The hunters were completely dumbfounded. How the hell was this supposed to be played? They dealt less damage than the opponent¡¯s health recovery, which was too shameless, wasn¡¯t it? I want to report! Someone is cheating! But Assam didn¡¯t care about their thoughts. With a loyalty of 95, he would put Cao Xing¡¯s orders first. And that was to kill all these hunters. ¡°Puff puff puff!¡± The Frost Wolf Swordsmanship danced with roaring momentum. Every swing of the sword would inevitably take the life of a hunter. The Frost Wolf also carried him, continually leaping and changing positions within the camp. The second-order Assam was simply invincible! [Your territory member Assam has killed a hunter lv4, gaining 40 experience points.] [You have gained: 20 experience points.] a€| And Andrew beside them was even more terrifying. It directly transformed into a demolisher state, toppling tents with great force. Hunters hiding inside were easily pulled out by Andrew and then slapped to death with one claw. Under normal circumstances, Andrew exuded a sage-like calmness and wisdom. But once in battle, it was like a berserk beast! ¡°Roar!!¡± After a terrifying roar, Andrew pinned down a level six hunter scout and shattered its head. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue kept seeing the ¡®gaining experience points¡¯ prompts. Not long after, a white light appeared on Liu Muxue¡¯s body. She had leveled up. Leveling from level 1 to 2 was simple, requiring only 100 experience points. But from 2 to 3, it required 1,000 experience points. Each level up beyond that required an additional 1,000 points. And at that moment, from within the innermost tent of the camp, a dark figure suddenly rushed out. It seemed to know the terror of Andrew and Assam and as soon as it ran out of the camp, it charged through the snow without any intent to fight. Cao Xing glimpsed at its attributes. [Hunter Captain lv10] [Race: Human Clan] [Attack Power: 172~184] [Life Value: 1540] [Skills: Cruel Cutting (deals twice 80% attack power damage to the enemy, adds level 1 bleeding effect), Greased Feet (increases move speed by 30% during escape)] a€| ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s the captain from inside!¡± Cao Xing shouted immediately, ¡°Don¡¯t let him run away!¡± This guy, although just a level 10 ordinary monster and hadn¡¯t advanced, That ¡®Greased Feet¡¯ skill was really outrageous, an escape artist. At that moment, Andrew suddenly roared. ¡°Roar!!¡± He transformed from his humanoid form into a giant bear covered in white fur and charged like a cannonball. Boom! The explosion of speed in an instant even surpassed that of the polar bear. It was the very skill of Andrew, [Giant Bear Form]. Thud! Thud thud! The ground trembled continuously. Under the [Giant Bear Form], Andrew¡¯s all attributes increased by 30%, along with Yilena¡¯s [Snake-man Tribe Frenzy], which added another 20% to move speed. Andrew easily caught up with the fleeing hunter captain. Then, in its terrified gaze, Andrew let out a mighty roar. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The giant bear paw slammed down. Splat!! The hunter boss was directly crushed into a pile of mush. The cold snow now had a bright flower constructed from blood and flesh. This gruesome scene made Liu Muxue¡¯s face turn a few shades paler. Yet she bit her lip, forcing herself to accept it all. Because she knew, such scenes would be very common in future battles. Cao Xing heard a system prompt in his ear. [Your territory member: Andrew has killed a hunter captain lv10 and gained 300 experience points.] [You gained: 150 experience points.] At this moment, a white light rose from Cao Xing¡¯s body. [Your level has increased, current level: 4.] [This level-up has granted: Power +2, Agility +2, Spirit +4, Constitution +2] Cao Xing felt overjoyed, ¡°Leveled up again!¡± A surge of energy welled up from within him. His mind became clearer and his body more energetic. ¡°Wuhu, this feeling of leveling up is really nice!¡± Soon, Assam also resolved the battle on his side. All the hunters in the camp had been slaughtered by them. The ground was littered with broken limbs and bodies. The system prompt appeared. [You have destroyed a hunter camp, territory reputation +50.] [Warning! Due to completing a high-difficulty raid, based on your strength assessment, you received an extra reward: Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll (Blue) *1] ¡°Oh, another blue recruitment scroll?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up with joy as he checked the scroll¡¯s attributes. [Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll (Blue): Can be used to summon a Phantom Assassin with a level 20 elite strength.] ¡°Wow! A level 20 elite creature, even stronger than Andrew!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes were filled with intense shock, then ecstasy! Clearly, this recruitment scroll could boost his strength significantly again. However, he didn¡¯t summon it right away but instead led Liu Muxue towards the camp. ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the battlefield first.¡± The two then entered the camp. The sight before them was one of chaos, with even the bonfires having been extinguished. Cao Xing approached a hunter¡¯s body, just about to reach out. The system prompt appeared. [Humanoid creature, cannot be decomposed.] Cao Xing¡¯s mouth twitched. What did the system take him for? He didn¡¯t intend to decompose anything! This was slander, slander! Despite that, he still reached out and searched the hunters. [Acquired Hunter¡¯s Mask (White) *1, Acquired First-tier Soldier Training Book (White) *1, Acquired Coins *15] ¡°A mask?¡± Cao Xing wondered, and then checked the attributes. a€| ¡°` Chapter 28 - Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Goblin Treasury Key ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Goblin Treasury Key Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Goblin Treasury Key ¡°` [Hunter¡¯s Mask (White)] [Quality, Common] [Equipment Effect, Increases spiritual power by 3 points.] (Note, If you wear the mask, you will be regarded as a follower of the Evil God and will be listed as a wanted target by various towns on the Continent when you act.) Cao Xing was taken aback for a moment, realizing that the mask was still a faction item. Shaking his head, Cao Xing put it into his backpack, as it wasn¡¯t worth it for only 3 points of spiritual power. He continued to check another item. [First-tier Soldier Training Book (White), This training book can turn ordinary people in the territory into first-tier soldiers with combat power.] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes moved slightly, as this was the early-stage training book. It could train Dazhuang and Erzhuang into combat units, and they could gain experience through battles later. [Coins*15, a universal currency on the Continenta€¡±using the coins, you can purchase some supplies or recruit followers in the towns of this world.] There wasn¡¯t much to say about this; money could make the world go round. When you had enough coins in hand, you could even purchase some good-looking female slaves in the town. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Then, Cao Xing began to rummage through the bodies. [Obtained Hunter¡¯s Mask (White)*1, obtained coins*13] [Obtained First-tier Soldier Training Book (White)*1¡­] After searching the bodies, Cao Xing searched inside the camp tents. However, in those tents, he saw a scene that made him feel nauseous. In every corner of the tent, there were some frozen corpses, with their limbs and heads cut off separately. The torso of the corpse was placed on a strange pattern, the limbs were arranged in four positions, and the head was placed on the chest. It resembled a sinister ritual. Although he knew that the hunters were a group of mad people who believed in the Evil God, this inhuman scene still made Cao Xing queasy. As for Liu Muxue nearby, her lips turned pale. ¡°Damn, these hunters are really brutal!¡± Cao Xing suppressed his nausea and continued searching inside. He casually collected the supplies he saw. [Obtained Wood*17, obtained Stone*6, obtained Iron*3, obtained Food*7, obtained inferior wine*3, obtained coins*71.] Then, he walked out of the tent and continued to search the next one. Inside was another unlucky person who had been dismembered. Cao Xing continued to search for supplies in every corner. [Obtained Stone*7, obtained Wood*17, obtained Iron*6, obtained coins*62¡­] [Obtained Moldy Nuts*3, obtained Hard Bread*5, obtained coins*34¡­] [Obtained¡­] Liu Muxue, who followed behind, watched in amazement at Cao Xing¡¯s particularly meticulous looting actions. It was like locusts passing through, not letting go of anything! Soon, Cao Xing finished searching all the tents in the camp. Excluding other resources, Cao Xing collected a total of 1,072 coins here, plus 9 [First-tier Soldier Training Books]. ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Cao Xing was delighted because this money was enough for him to purchase a good-looking female slave to serve him and Liu Muxue back in the territory. No, why do I keep thinking about female slaves? Cao Xing quickly shook his head. Meanwhile, Andrew also came over. ¡°Lord, I found something different on that fallen guy.¡± Cao Xing turned his head, puzzled, and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Andrew held an ancient bronze key in his hand and directly handed it to Cao Xing. ¡­ [Obtained Goblin Treasury Key*1, Holding this key allows you to go to coordinates 32141, 23513, 3521 to open the Goblin Treasury.] (Note, This area may hide some special dangers; please proceed with caution.) Cao Xing responded, ¡°???¡± ¡°Damn! Goblin Treasury!¡± In this world, the goblins were a weak race, but they were exceptionally good at digging and treasure hunting. Therefore, the goblin treasury often contained some precious treasures. However, the system also warned that the place was dangerous. Cao Xing opened the small map, glanced at the coordinates recorded on the key. It was about 40 kilometers away from him, not too far. But without the creation of transportation tools, a day¡¯s time wouldn¡¯t be enough to get there. ¡°It seems this treasury can¡¯t be opened anytime soon¡­¡± Cao Xing shook his head and first put the key into his backpack. At this moment, Assam also had a new discovery. ¡°Lord, I found the refugees captured by the hunters.¡± ¡°However, there don¡¯t seem to be many left.¡± Assam frowned as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Cao Xing immediately took Liu Muxue along to walk over. They arrived at the front of the innermost tent of the camp. Lifting the curtain, Cao Xing saw several humans tied up inside like pretzels. There were both men and women, and among them, Cao Xing spotted a child. Just as Assam had mentioned, there were only a few left inside. In total, there were only 7 people. Upon Cao Xing¡¯s entrance, fear flickered in those humans¡¯ eyes, and they began begging for mercy. ¡°Please, sir, don¡¯t kill us!¡± ¡°Sir, I beg you to let us go!¡± Evidently, this group of humans had been terrified by the hunters¡¯ methods and were frantically begging for mercy. Cao Xing glanced at their names. [Colin Hopper lv3] [Luqiao Lure lv2] [Marlin Kuhn lv2] [Survivor: Tong Chuchu lv1] When Cao Xing saw the last name, his eyes widened suddenly. ¡°Hmm? Human?¡± Liu Muxue also saw the name displayed above and then said, ¡°Axing, it seems to be that little girl in the corner.¡± ¡°She is also a human from our Blue Star.¡± Upon closer inspection, Cao Xing noticed that the little girl wore a simple grass coat, but the school uniform underneath still indicated her identity. At this moment, the little girl was still in a state of anxiety, looking at Cao Xing with fear in her eyes. Liu Muxue walked over to comfort her softly, ¡°Little sister, we are not hunters. Like you, we are humans from Blue Star.¡± The little girl lifted her delicate face to tentatively look at Liu Muxue. After confirming that Liu Muxue was truly a human survivor, she burst into tears. ¡°Wah¡­ Daddy was taken away by those masked people, and he¡¯ll never come back¡­ wah¡­¡± The little girl cried for a while, then seemed to realize something and hurriedly stopped crying. She nervously looked at Liu Muxue and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, big sister, Chuchu shouldn¡¯t have made such a loud noise; please forgive me¡­¡± Liu Muxue shook her head, saying with a heartache, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Can you tell me what happened?¡± Tong Chuchu nodded, seeming to organize her words. Then she spoke with her childish voice, ¡°Yesterday, I was out with daddy looking for food, but we hadn¡¯t gone far when we were suddenly attacked by some arrows.¡± ¡°Then¡­ then we encountered those terrifying masked people.¡± ¡°We were captured¡­¡± ¡°They beat daddy, and at night, they took him away, wah¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 29 - Chapter 29 Chapter 29 The Wheat Seed and the Letter of the Church ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Wheat Seed and the Letter of the Church Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Wheat Seed and the Letter of the Church The little girl finished speaking and began to sob uncontrollably again. What she meant by being taken, of course, was being captured by that group of Hunters to perform some sinister ceremony. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue exchanged a glance. It was clear that the girl, having lost her father, had fallen into the hands of these crazed Hunters. If Cao Xing hadn¡¯t arrived, her fate would have been grim. Liu Muxue looked at Cao Xing and softly said, ¡°Axing, can we take her back to the camp?¡± Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then nodded. The camp was gradually getting on track, and one more mouth to feed wasn¡¯t much of an issue. Besides, this little girl was also a Survivor, and she might be helpful in the future. Liu Muxue gently comforted, ¡°Little sister, would you like to come back with us to our camp?¡± The little girl named Tong Chuchu gradually stopped crying. She asked in confusion, ¡°Your camp¡­ does it have food? Chuchu hasn¡¯t eaten in a long time¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Tong Chuchu immediately turned her gaze to Cao Xing, with a hint of both fear and curiosity in her eyes. ?¦Ï??0.§ã? Then, thinking of something else, she hesitantly asked, ¡°Then¡­ can you take my mom too?¡± ¡°Daddy isn¡¯t coming back, and mom is still alone in the camp¡­¡± Cao Xing was stunned for a moment. Of course, this version was a family team mode. Since Tong Chuchu was with her father, her mother must be in the camp too. However, this issue made Cao Xing feel conflicted. After all, human Survivors weren¡¯t like the Natives; they didn¡¯t easily rebel against the Lord and their Loyalty could be seen. He understood the teachings that a person¡¯s heart is hard to fathom. He was willing to take this little girl because she had no combat power and posed no Threat to Cao Xing. If they were adults, it would be more uncertain. Hence, Cao Xing opened the system interface and asked, ¡°How can I get other Survivors to join my Territory?¡± The System Prompt appeared at once. [The answer to this question is the Territory merge function. Currently, there are two methods.] [Method 1: Invite the other party to join the Territory as a new Lord, sharing building permissions, resources, and so on.] [Method 2: Recruit the other party to join the Territory as Subjects, granting them only simple residence and construction permissions, and they cannot attack friendly units.] Seeing the second method, Cao Xing felt assured. ¡°Great, I can recruit Survivors as Subjects into the Territory.¡± ¡°This way, I won¡¯t have to worry about newly recruited Survivors causing damage to my Territory.¡± Cao Xing looked at the little girl and then asked, ¡°Do you remember where your camp is located?¡± The little girl nodded, ¡°I remember, mom taught me how to read the mini-map.¡± ¡°Our camp is about five kilometers from here.¡± Cao Xing and Liu Muxue exchanged another glance. Being this close explained why they were targeted by those Hunters. Liu Muxue softly asked, ¡°Axing, can we go take a look?¡± Cao Xing pondered for a bit, ¡°If it¡¯s five kilometers, we can go.¡± ¡°However, whether her mom wants to join our Territory depends on her own choice.¡± Liu Muxue listened and a gentle smile appeared on her face. She knew Cao Xing would agree. Upon hearing this, the little girl gradually stopped crying and started to thank Cao Xing repeatedly. ¡°Thank you, big brother, Chuchu will remember your kindness for a lifetime!¡± In this world, after two days of brutal survival, she had matured a lot. Cao Xing shook his head and then directed his gaze towards the tent, at a few other humans. These were the Natives of this world. Cao Xing plainly asked, ¡°Do you know Jasmine and Sapphire?¡± The six humans on the ground exchanged glances. One slightly older human said, ¡°Yes, they are our companions.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Good, they are now residents of my Territory and were the ones who informed me that you were captured by the Hunters.¡± ¡°So now, are you willing to submit to me and join my Territory?¡± Cao Xing didn¡¯t waste any words; his main purpose this time was to expand his Territory¡¯s forces. The older human tentatively asked, ¡°Lord, what about the Hunters outside?¡± Cao Xing replied, ¡°As you can see, I have slaughtered them all.¡± The next moment, the humans respectfully said in unison, ¡°We are willing, honorable Lord.¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, allowing the tall Assam to go over and cut the ropes from these humans, freeing them. [Recruitment Successful: Colin Hopper, Luqiao Lure, Marlin Kuhn¡­ joined your Territory, Territory population +6] Again, a string of Western names, three men and three women, made Cao Xing twitch his lips. He directly pointed at the slightly older human and said, ¡°From today, you will be called Cao Yi, you, Cao Er, Cao San.¡± ¡°The women, starting with Sihua, will be called Sihua, Wuhua, Liuhua.¡± These humans looked at each other, then nodded in unison, ¡°Thank you, Lord, for bestowing names.¡± Then, a series of Goodwill increase prompts sounded. Cao Xing glanced at their Attributes. [Subjects: Cao Yi] [Level: Level 3] [Talent: Basic Speaking Skills (Give a speech to calm the subjects¡¯ emotions)] [Loyalty: 70] [Hunger Level: 44] ¡­ [Subjects: Sihua] [Level: Level 2] [Talent: Basic Cooking Skills (Food cooked increases Satiety by an additional 20%)] [Loyalty: 72] [Hunger Level: 47] ¡­ Seeing these subjects¡¯ Talents, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. Goodness, there were actually two individuals with special Talents. Although the other subjects didn¡¯t have Talents, their Levels were between 2 to 4. The quality of these subjects was very high! In this way, Cao Xing would have enough manpower to assign for building various Territory facilities! And after recruiting these people, his Territory Population Cap became: 25/50. After subduing all these refugees, Cao Xing noticed a yellowed wooden box in the corner of the camp. Approaching it, a System Prompt appeared. [The Hunters¡¯ Storage Box (White): Can be opened] Cao Xing clicked directly to open it. [Obtained White Bread*17, Wheat Seeds*72, Milk*5, Copper*7, Church Letter (Special Item)] The box contained quite a lot of supplies, and Cao Xing began to check them. [White Bread, 1 White Bread = 2 Food] ¡­ [Wheat Seeds (White): Can be planted on cultivated land.] Cao Xing¡¯s heart rejoiced, ¡°Oh? We can farm now?¡± In this way, he would have a stable food source and wouldn¡¯t have to worry about depleting resources anymore! However, to farm, he needed to cultivate a piece of land near the Territory first. In addition, he¡¯d have to build a shelter over it, otherwise, in stormy weather, the planted seeds would all be ruined. Cao Xing continued to inspect further. ¡­ Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Hunters Conspiracy and the Lords Relic Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Hunter¡¯s Conspiracy and the Lord¡¯s Relic ¡°` [Milk: Restores 10 points of satiety and 50 points of life value after consumption.] (Some spoilage has occurred, but it¡¯s still drinkable.) ¡­ [Copper: A widely used metal that can be used to make some simple electrical components.] Cao Xing pondered, ¡°Copper is also an important metal in this world, after all, many electrical appliances require copper.¡± ¡°With copper, we can create things like wires and electric lamps.¡± ¡°Making some snowfield robots or even war robots requires a large amount of copper.¡± At this moment, a yellowed letter appeared in his hand. This was also the last item in the storage box. [Light Church¡¯s Letter: Special Item] [Click to read.] Cao Xing clicked on it, and a line of text popped up in front of him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï [To all followers of the Light God, the Lord has sent a revelation, announcing that the Savior Seed is about to appear. To welcome the coming of the Savior Seed, we will launch a blood sacrifice action in the near future. Please, all Light Church members near the Ice Crystal Kingdom, head to the base near coordinates 71231, 5213, 23719. Once we have enough believers, we will launch an attack on Dorun Lake City, offering the whole town¡¯s living souls to the Savior Seed.] (Note: This is a task item, you can send the letter to Dorun Lake City to expose the Light Church¡¯s conspiracy in advance.) After reading the letter¡¯s introduction, Cao Xing frowned, ¡°Does this mean that group of hunters will soon carry out a massacre, killing all the residents of a town?¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°The system suggests I deliver the letter, but I don¡¯t even know where this Dorun Lake City is, how am I supposed to deliver it?¡± Cao Xing rolled his eyes. Then he checked the coordinates recorded on the letter. Cao Xing let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank goodness, it¡¯s over two hundred kilometers away from me.¡± ¡°With such distance, it shouldn¡¯t affect my territory.¡± However, even though the hunter¡¯s base was a distance away from Cao Xing, having such a large unstable factor in the region was still concerning. After all, he had already witnessed the madness of those hunters. Shaking his head, Cao Xing had no solution at the moment. He could only temporarily set the threat of the hunters aside. At least during the novice protection period, he was safe. Cao Xing, together with Liu Muxue and six civilians, as well as the little girl Tong Chuchu, walked out of the tent. Outside, he saw the ground full of corpses and patches of blood. ¡°Assam, Andrew, bring these bodies over and burn them,¡± he instructed. The two powerful Second Order beings followed Cao Xing¡¯s orders and collected the hunters¡¯ bodies from the ground. A few minutes later, a great fire blazed, engulfing the entire camp. Seeing the rising smoke, the group of refugees were moved to tears. During their time in captivity, they personally experienced the madness of those hunters. One by one, their companions were taken away, and then heart-wrenching screams echoed from the tents outside. They shivered on the cold ground, fearful that they would be next. But now, they were finally free. The little girl, Tong Chuchu, beside him, had tears streaming down her face. Cao Xing turned to her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, take me to your camp.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll tell you the coordinates, big brother¡­¡± Tong Chuchu replied timidly. Cao Xing nodded in response. Then, a group of more than ten people set off toward the coordinates Tong Chuchu mentioned. After more than half an hour, from a distance, they saw a bonfire camp in the snow. In this camp, there was only a simple Lord¡¯s Hut, not even a Polar People Hut. ¡°This is it, big brother, big sister, I¡¯ll go get my mom,¡± Tong Chuchu said and jogged into the bonfire territory. Cao Xing was about to follow when he was stopped by a system prompt. [During the novice protection period, entry into other survivors¡¯ camps is not allowed.] Cao Xing paused, recalling this rule. So they waited quietly outside the territory. After a short while, the Lord¡¯s Hut door opened. A very tall woman emerged, at least 175 cm in height. She was still dressed in jeans brought from the Blue Star, and a tight white T-shirt on her upper body. Her curvaceous figure exuded a mature charm. The woman held onto Tong Chuchu¡¯s hand and cautiously approached. There were tear marks on her somewhat mature face, evidence she had cried recently. Cao Xing saw her name. [Survivor: Xia Yanni v1] As soon as Xia Yanni came out, seeing so many people outside the territory, her shoulders trembled. Especially Assam on the Frost Wolf and the bear-like Andrew, which brought her a sense of extreme danger. Xia Yanni¡¯s face turned pale with fear. Tong Chuchu tried to reassure her by holding her hand, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be afraid, they¡¯re the good people who rescued me from that place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the big brother and big sister, they¡¯re the lords.¡± Xia Yanni gradually came to her senses. With teary eyes, she looked at Cao Xing and gratefully said, ¡°Thank you for saving Chuchu, and thank you, benevolent benefactors.¡± As she spoke, she knelt down with Tong Chuchu. Cao Xing quickly stopped her, ¡°No need for such courtesy, madam.¡± ¡°Chuchu should¡¯ve told you, we need manpower in my territory now.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to join us, you can help build the territory with us and develop together.¡± ¡°In return, we will ensure your safety and provide food.¡± Xia Yanni had heard about this from Chuchu, she gripped the hem of her clothes, seemingly making a decision. Cao Xing didn¡¯t rush her; he understood that leaving one¡¯s camp and joining a stranger¡¯s faction required great courage. After a moment, Xia Yanni softly said, ¡°I am willing to join you.¡± ¡°Thank you, kind brother, for accepting us both, my daughter and me.¡± Cao Xing nodded, sending them a recruitment invitation. A system prompt appeared. [The survivor: Tong Chuchu lv1, Xia Yanni lv1, has joined your territory, population +2] [All survivors in this territory have joined your faction and are currently ownerless. Would you like to claim it?] Cao Xing clicked [Claim]. [Claim successful. You can now enter this territory.] Cao Xing stepped into the bonfire territory and his eyes landed on a large box nearby. [Open the relic box of Lord ¡®Tong Guangrong¡¯?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Successfully opened the relic box, obtained wood*54, stones*24, food*3, rat meat*2¡­] These were the last resources of this territory. The remaining supplies weren¡¯t enough to support the woman and her child for a day. In other words, if Cao Xing hadn¡¯t arrived, this woman would either starve due to the lack of food in a couple of days or freeze to death due to the lack of wood. Cao Xing took a deep breath. This world was full of opportunities but also full of dangers. At this moment, Cao Xing made up his mind. He must quickly develop his strength and territory, and never let his storage box become a relic box! ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Territory Development, Bustling with Activity Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Territory Development, Bustling with Activity ¡°` Cao Xing put away the contents of [Tong Guangrong¡¯s Relic Box] directly. Then, he looked at everyone and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry back to the territory now.¡± Following the route they came by, they rushed towards the camp. This time, it took them about two hours to return. There was no other way, as the more people there were, the slower the pace became. Actually, it was still Cao Xing and the others who had slowed down Assam and Andrew. One was riding the Frost Wolf, the other moved on all fours, and their move speed over the snow was at least over thirty kilometers per hour. While for Cao Xing and the others, reaching five kilometers per hour was considered good enough. The moving speed over the snow was indeed a significant problem. Cao Xing pondered, thinking, ¡°Is there a way to speed up the movement on the snow?¡± He began recalling his experiences while playing games in his mind. A moment later, Cao Xing thought, ¡°Currently, there appear to be two methods to speed up movement on the snow.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï ¡°The first is to tame those wild creatures and make them mounts; the more powerful the creature, the faster its movement speed on the snow.¡± ¡°The second method is to develop technology, unlock the [Technology Research Institute] quickly, and then create snow bicycles, motorcycles, transportation vehicles, and so on through blueprints.¡± Yes, you heard it right. In the mid-game, it was possible to build various technologies. Apart from these vehicles, after 448 days in the game, Cao Xing even built the first helicopter. It was also the longest save file he had ever played. In short, this world was a real one, full of infinite possibilities. ¡­ ¡­ When Cao Xing and the others returned to the territory, it was nearly dark. Cao Xing looked up at the time overhead. [Time until Nightfall: 0 hours 50 minutes¡­] [Beginner Protection Period Remaining: 3 days 12 hours¡­] The survivors were about to conclude their third day of exploration. That group of Polar People, along with Dahua and others, also saw this mighty group of figures. Dahua, upon seeing those familiar faces, immediately exclaimed. ¡°Oh my God! You actually came back.¡± She excitedly flew over, and everyone began communicating as if having survived a catastrophe. At this time, Dazhuang was also holding a hammer, coming up to Cao Xing. ¡°Lord, the bonfire has successfully upgraded, and your Lord¡¯s Hut is speeding up its upgrade process.¡± Cao Xing nodded and looked toward the campfire burning brightly in the center of the camp. [Camp Fire: Level 5] [Bonfire Effect: Can increase the temperature by 10~20¡ãC within a 160-meter radius] [Consumption]: 10 minutes/4 Wood or 25 minutes/2 Coal. [Materials needed for the next level]: Stone*60, Wood*40, Iron*20. Under the blaze of the fire, the surrounding snow-covered ground gradually revealed itself. Only on these grounds could more buildings be constructed and various crops planted. Thus, the level of the bonfire determined the territory¡¯s area. However, once the campfire upgraded to an Energy Tower later, its heating range could cover a city¡¯s area. And the survivors continually built various buildings, developing the territory. In the future, they might even own a city of their own. Cao Xing nodded with satisfaction and said, ¡°Dazhuang, you¡¯ve done well.¡± ¡°Next, take Wuzhuang and Liuzhuang to continue gathering resources.¡± ¡°Focus on collecting that coal mine¡ªafter the bonfire¡¯s upgrade, it will consume a lot of coal, and we need to ensure the camp¡¯s heating supply.¡± Polar People Dazhuang instantly stood upright, respectfully saying, ¡°Yes, esteemed Lord!¡± Then, he hurried off to work. Cao Xing called Erzhuang over, ¡°Erzhuang, take Qizhuang and Bazhuang and hurry to build more [Small Shelters], [Cafeteria], and so on, striving to complete them before dark.¡± ¡°Ensure our new members have a place to eat and sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± Erzhuang also received the order and went off to work with the others. Cao Xing continued to give orders, ¡°Sanzhuang, come over here.¡± Threebeard-faced Sanzhuang approached Cao Xing. ¡°Sanzhuang, you don¡¯t need to build too many things, just construct a [Basic Elemental Arrow Tower] with Sizhuang before nightfall.¡± Sanzhuang respectfully said, ¡°I assure you the task will be completed, esteemed Lord.¡± For a time, those Polar People were again busy. At this moment, the newly joined humans had also ended their conversation. Seeing the Polar People working in the camp, the slightly older Cao Yi¡¯s eyes flickered. Cao Yi hurriedly led the other survivors over and respectfully said, ¡°Lord, please assign us more tasks as well.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°No rush, I know you haven¡¯t eaten in several days.¡± ¡°Fill your stomachs before work.¡± The newly joined subjects exchanged glances, each seeing surprise and relief in the other¡¯s eyes. It seemed it was the first time they encountered such a caring Lord. Cao Xing continued, ¡°But there¡¯s no cafeteria now, so eat some bread for now.¡± Cao Xing glanced at Liu Muxue nearby. Liu Muxue understood and took out several dozen pieces of bread from the territory resources. She distributed two pieces to each new member of the territory. At this moment, Cao Yi and Sihua looked at the bread in their hands, tears welling up in their eyes, feeling deeply touched. Then, they all knelt down in unison. ¡°Thank you, kind and generous Lord!¡± ¡°Thank you, beautiful and kind Second Lord!¡± In the next moment, numerous system prompts appeared in the ears of Cao Xing and Liu Muxue. [Due to your generous donation, the loyalty of territory member ¡®Cao Yi¡¯ has increased, current loyalty 80] [Due to your generous donation, the loyalty of territory member ¡®Sihua¡¯ has increased, current loyalty 78] [Due to your¡­] With this wave, all the newly joined refugees increased their loyalty by 5~10 points. Cao Xing nodded with satisfaction. Nearby, Tong Chuchu and Xia Yanni looked at the White Bread in the hands of the subjects, swallowing with hunger. They had been starving for a while, equally eager for food. Cao Xing took out four pieces of bread from the territory resources and handed them to Xia Yanni. ¡°Eat something first.¡± This tall woman bent slightly, reaching out to take the bread, gratefully saying, ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you¡­¡± Beside her, Tong Chuchu wore an innocent smile and said, ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± Cao Xing smiled. After they finished the bread, everyone¡¯s satiety level increased a bit. Then, Cao Xing calmly said, ¡°Cao Yi.¡± Cao Yi immediately responded, ¡°My Lord, I am here.¡± Cao Xing: ¡°From now on, you will take command of this group you brought.¡± ¡°Your next task is to continue upgrading the bonfire and collecting resources.¡± ¡°Wood, Stone, all need to be gathered, and with more manpower available, assist Dazhuang in constructing some basic buildings.¡± Cao Yi quickly nodded, ¡°I understand!¡± Then, Cao Xing looked at Dahua. ¡°Dahua, I¡¯ll give you these wheat seeds; take someone and find a place near the territory to cultivate land, then plant these wheat seeds.¡± The cold white-skinned Dahua took the seeds from Cao Xing¡¯s hands, gently stroking them. ¡°These are top-quality wheat seeds, sure to grow into high-quality wheat¡­¡± She nodded, ¡°Lord, I will complete the task you entrusted to me.¡± Then, this group of new territory residents began to get busy. Watching the territory brimming with activity, Cao Xing nodded with satisfaction. His territory had grown from a small bonfire to hosting so many subjects, constructing more and more buildings. This was the joy of farming! ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Leaderboard Announcement Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Leaderboard Announcement ¡°` At that moment, Cao Xing suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, is there anyone among you who knows how to sew clothes?¡± He and Liu Muxue were currently wrapping themselves with wolf skins, which were not very effective in keeping warm. Although the [Sewing Shop] had been built now, it needed someone to work there. People with sewing skills could speed up the clothing-making process. However, the Polar People and the human natives on the scene all exchanged glances and then shook their heads cluelessly. Cao Xing understood. Because when he subdued them, he had already seen the panels of these natives. None had talents related to sewing. Just then, Xia Yanni raised her hand and softly said, ¡°I¡­ I can¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hearing this, Cao Xing was a bit surprised and then turned his gaze towards her. Xia Yanni timidly looked down, seemingly too shy to meet Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. She softly said, ¡°When I was at home, I often did some handwork to supplement the household, so I can sew a bit¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Tong Chuchu echoed, ¡°Big brother, mommy¡¯s skills are really good, the clothes she makes are very pretty.¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s praise, Xia Yanni blushed and said, ¡°Chuchu, don¡¯t praise mommy¡­ mommy only knows a little amateur technique, not comparable to those professional ones¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded and then took off the wolf skins from himself and Liu Muxue, handing them to Xia Yanni. ¡°Then please help me turn these two wolf skins into clothes, and see if you can make extra parts into hats or gloves.¡± ¡°I¡­ I can do it, these are prime wolf skins.¡± Xia Yanni carefully took them and tentatively asked, ¡°Could¡­ could I give them to you by tomorrow?¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Xia Yanni breathed a sigh of relief and took her daughter into the [Sewing Shop]. Other subjects also began to busily engage in their tasks. At this time, Liu Muxue, folding her arms, stood gracefully by the bonfire, watching as Cao Xing assigned tasks to the subjects. Cao Xing looked up, noticing the sky was darkening as night was about to fall. In this world, the dark hours occupied more than half of the time, with only less than ten hours of daylight. ¡°Muxue, let¡¯s go into the hut.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently. Then, the two of them entered the warmth of the Lord¡¯s Hut together. Cao Xing, feeling cold, was the first to burrow into the bear skin bed. Liu Muxue hesitated at her spot, her head lowered, too shy to get close to Cao Xing. Cao Xing noticed Liu Muxue¡¯s embarrassment, understanding she needed some time to adapt. So he asked, ¡°Muxue, do you want to sleep apart tonight?¡± Hearing this, Liu Muxue widened her eyes immediately and shook her head repeatedly. ¡°No¡­ no!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sleep apart¡­¡± After saying that, her face flushed red and, with a shy demeanor, she carefully sneaked under the covers. Liu Muxue held onto Cao Xing¡¯s body tightly, as if afraid of being separated from him. Soon, the sound of their slightly rapid breathing filled the room. ¡­ ¡­ Meanwhile. This unknown new world was gradually enveloped by the night. It was the second day for all humans globally in this world, and it was about to end. Driven by the Level Ranking List, a large number of survivors today attempted to step beyond the snowy terrain. Whether with their families or moving forward alone, they cautiously explored near their camps, all gaining some results. And in the region where Area 174 was located, in some corner of this vast icefield. Fang Long, wielding a Black Iron Longsword, slew a wild boar with a single strike. He then glowed with a white light. Hearing the notification of leveling up, Fang Long¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, ¡°Great, finally leveled up to Level 3 before dark!¡± ¡°Since the ranking list was initiated, I¡¯ve been searching for lone low-level beasts to slay outside, there should be no one faster than me.¡± ¡°This time, I must take the first place on the ranking list!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere, a middle-aged man with a fierce demeanor was leading his family to surround and hunt a foolish deer. This middle-aged man was none other than Zhou Bo from the Sky Blade Association. He had chosen the Snow Hunter profession, fully drawing back a Sandalwood Longbow. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The arrow shot out swiftly, hitting the foolish deer¡¯s neck directly. The foolish deer, in pain, bounced around while trying to run away and looked back. Blood scattered on the snow, completely exposing its trail. The foolish deer was quickly caught up by Zhou Bo and was slain under the group hunt by his family. After dealing with the foolish deer, Zhou Bo suddenly received a message, ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve already tabulated the coordinates of the brothers.¡± ¡°Within a 30-kilometer radius of your camp, there are two brothers whose camps are in that area. If they make some progress today, they should be able to reach you by tomorrow.¡± Zhou Bo¡¯s face bore a sinister smile, ¡°Great, when those two brothers arrive tomorrow, we can team up to kill beasts, greatly improving our leveling efficiency!¡± ¡°By then, Fang Long or Wu Xinghu, all would be trampled underfoot by me!¡± After hanging up, Zhou Bo looked at the increasingly dark sky and said to his family, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s head back to the camp.¡± A large number of survivors ended their day of exploration and returned to their camps. The chat channel also gradually became lively at this time. Xu Shu: ¡°Brothers, it turns out cooperating with family to deal with those low-level wild monsters is not difficult, we¡¯ve already killed a wild boar today, enough for our family for a few days!¡± Zhang Xi: ¡°Hahaha! I chose the Polar Warrior, and I got my dad to choose the Snow Hunter, our father-son duo is simply invincible!¡± Lin Danian: ¡°Damn! You all got prey, and I¡¯m so unlucky, just walked out not far, and ran into a few Frost Goblins, completely couldn¡¯t beat them.¡± ¡°They chased me all the way, now just camping outside my place, this is really killing me!¡± Yang Tao: ¡°The brother above seems so miserable.¡± There were some who celebrated and some who worried, but most survivors began to acquaint themselves with this world. Just then, a countdown appeared. [The Level Ranking List is being tabulated, and in 3 minutes, the survival level rankings for each region will be announced¡­] [You can check your level and related ranking on the leaderboard.] [The list will be refreshed in real-time.] Seeing this system prompt, the survivors¡¯ spirits instantly lifted. Lu Zile: ¡°Wuhu! Finally, the ranking list is coming out! Who do you think will be first or in the top three?¡± Shen Zhen: ¡°Not sure, I just reached Level 2, but getting to Level 3 needs 1000 experience value, a bit terrifying!¡± Yuan Wenli: ¡°What else could it be? Of course, it would be our Tiger Hall¡¯s boss, Wu Xinghu, I¡¯m telling you our boss has already reached Level 3!¡± Guo Qiang: ¡°You from Tiger Hall think too much, our boss Zhou Bo also reached Level 3, this time, the first definitely belongs to him!¡± Chen Hailang: ¡°Stop arguing, the first is definitely going to be our boss Fang Long!¡± Hearing these three factions¡¯ speeches, survivors all commented below. Chen Hao: ¡°Looks like this time the top three already belong to these three.¡± Xiao Bo: ¡°Yeah, those reaching Level 3 today are all those with strength and resources.¡± At this point, a voice announcement appeared. System Announcement: ¡°All survivors, please take note, the Level Ranking List update is complete.¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Bear Gall Soup, Blood Volume Increase Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Bear Gall Soup, Blood Volume Increase ¡°` System Announcement, ¡°All survivors, please note, the Level Ranking List update is complete.¡± Hearing this announcement, survivors across all major regions globally immediately opened the ranking list. Survivors from Area 174 were no exception. However, the rankings exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. [Area 174 Level Ranking List] [First Place: Cao Xing (Level 4, 1%)] [Second Place: Wu Xinghu (Level 3, 25%)] [Third Place: Zhou Bo (Level 3, 14%)] [Fourth Place: Ren Yixu (Level 3, 10%)] [Fifth Place: Fang Long (Level 3, 7%)] [Sixth Place¡­] ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Seeing this ranking list, the chat channel of Area 174 fell into a brief silence. Then, it was flooded with messages. Chen Hua: ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s not Fang Long or Wu Xinghu, the first place is actually Big Brother Cao Xing!¡± Tao Mumu: ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect it, Big Brother Cao Xing is actually first, so strong!¡± Liu Dashu: ¡°How did Big Brother Cao Xing do it?¡± Everyone expressed their shock. A survivor named Du Rong said, ¡°I think there¡¯s no need for everyone to be so surprised, Big Brother Cao Xing is the man who killed a bear; getting first place doesn¡¯t come as a surprise.¡± ¡°Haha, I also think Big Brother Cao Xing deserves it. Thanks to his bear meat, my whole family has improved their attributes and not only survived a life-and-death crisis but also begun to develop our territory.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly, I¡¯m convinced Big Brother Cao Xing is in first place.¡± In the chat channel, the praises toward Cao Xing were nearly unanimous. After all, his bear meat indeed helped many people. At this time, Fang Long and Zhou Bo looked a bit grim. ¡°Damn! How did this kid get first?¡± Fang Long¡¯s face showed a bit of anger and disbelief. But he quickly regained his composure. Fang Long slowly took a breath and said, ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s just a one-level gap, and there¡¯s still three days before the newbie protection period ends, totally enough for me to catch up in levels!¡± On the other side, Zhou Bo also had an intrigued smile on his face. ¡°Interesting, I originally thought this kid just had good luck, offending Fang Long was the end for him.¡± ¡°Now, it seems he does have some skills.¡± Zhou Bo opened his friend list, then clicked on the private chat and said, ¡°Go, use your network to investigate the background of this Cao Xing.¡± ¡­ ¡­ At this moment, in the Lord¡¯s Hut. Outside the window, the snow reflected light, and the cold wind howled. Inside the room, a warm stove emitted heat. The wooden bed creaked, and the temperature under the blankets was rapidly rising. The beauty¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment, turning her head away, not daring to look into Cao Xing¡¯s eyes, her hands tightly clasping his neck. ¡°Axing¡­ Axing¡­¡± The beauty¡¯s call was long and ethereal. The room was filled with the sweetness of the cloud and rain. Moments later, following a long and ethereal coquettish sound, the movement in the room gradually settled. Liu Muxue collapsed into Cao Xing¡¯s arms, her eyes full of daze. At this moment, they also heard the system announcement. Liu Muxue curved her swan-like jade neck, her eyes filled with excitement as she said, ¡°Axing, you are in first place; you are awesome!¡± Cao Xing shook his head, unconcerned, ¡°Just a temporary first, can¡¯t relax until I get the rewards.¡± Liu Muxue looked at him admiringly, ¡°That¡¯s impressive enough, considering there are tens of thousands in our Area 174!¡± Cao Xing smiled, ¡°Tomorrow we must continue to work hard too, see if we can get you into the top ten rewards.¡± Liu Muxue nodded slightly, clenching her pink fist in response, ¡°Mm, mm! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± It seemed that the large movement touched certain parts, and Liu Muxue¡¯s face reddened again. She cautiously looked at Cao Xing, only to find him looking at her as well. Cao Xing lowered his head to kiss her again. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The beauty was gentle and tender, her body gradually relaxing from initial stiffness. Her body writhed like a water snake, and she actively entwined Cao Xing. The night temperature began to drop rapidly. However, the temperature in the room was still rising¡­ The two had a wonderful night together. ¡­ Early the next morning. Cao Xing saw a few system prompts. [Your territory construction, ¡°Small Shelter,¡± has been successfully built¡­] [Your territory construction, ¡°Basic Elemental Arrow Tower,¡± has been successfully built¡­] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°The Arrow Tower construction was successful!¡± Through the window of the Lord¡¯s Hut, Cao Xing saw a 15-meter-high hexagonal tower appear at the edge of the Camp Fire. The entire tower was made of stone, emanating faint elemental waves, full of deterrence. If any enemy approached within a 600-meter area of the camp, the arrow tower would automatically launch an attack, very powerful! Cao Xing said with satisfaction, ¡°Great, with this, there¡¯s no need to worry about safety near the territory, those Polar People can go out and gather resources better too.¡± Meanwhile. There was a knock on the door. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue had gotten dressed and looked toward the door, saying, ¡°Come in.¡± The subject Sihua brought in a bowl of Bear Gall Soup and a portion of roasted Bear Meat. Rich meat aroma wafted through the air. Sihua spoke softly, ¡°Lord, I¡¯ve prepared the Bear Gall Soup and roasted Bear Meat as you requested, please enjoy.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Just place it on the wood table.¡± These two ingredients both enhanced attributes. Bear gall could directly increase life value by 200 points, and bear meat could increase power and constitution by 2 points. For Cao Xing and Liu Muxue, they were substantial enhancements. This was also what Cao Xing instructed these subjects to do yesterday. Sihua nodded and then respectfully withdrew. Cao Xing then took Liu Muxue to the dining table. He tasted a few bites of bear meat first. Instantly, his mouth was filled with the aroma of meat. Cao Xing praised, ¡°The professional chef¡¯s skills are indeed good.¡± A system prompt appeared. [Consuming Bear Meat (Blue) successfully, obtained attribute boost, Power +2, Constitution +2.] Sure enough, he gained an attribute boost. Then, Cao Xing started picking up bear gall from the bowl with his chopsticks. Strangely, even after eating several bites, he did not receive an attribute boost prompt from the system. ¡°Hmm?¡± Cao Xing was a bit puzzled and continued to eat the bear gall. It wasn¡¯t until he was almost full that the system prompt appeared. [Successfully consumed bear gall, maximum Life Value increased by 200.] Cao Xing showed a pleased expression, ¡°So you have to eat half of the bear gall to gain attribute improvement.¡± ¡°Looks like the remaining half can boost again.¡± So he looked at Liu Muxue beside him and said, ¡°Muxue, you come here too.¡± ¡°Half of this bear gall should give you an attribute enhancement.¡± Liu Muxue obediently came over, picked up the chopsticks Cao Xing used, and began eating. The Bear Gall Soup was delicious, and it took Liu Muxue a few minutes to finish. Then, she excitedly looked at Cao Xing and said, ¡°Axing, my life value increased too.¡± Cao Xing nodded. A single bear gall brought them a total of 400 points in blood volume increase, quite substantial. Unfortunately, this food only worked the first time it was consumed. At that moment, a system prompt rang. [Survivors, congratulations on surviving the third night of the Ice Seal Age.] [Remaining time for Newbie Protection, 2 days, and 22 hours.] [Weather Report, there will be a small snowfall tonight, with the lowest temperature reaching -70¡æ, please ensure warmth against the cold.] ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Phantom Assassin, Reporting to You Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Phantom Assassin, Reporting to You ¡°` Cao Xing felt a stirring in his heart. There were three days left in the newbie protection period, enough time for him to level up to Level 10. Liu Muxue softly inquired, ¡°Axing, will it snow tonight?¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Yes, it will snow, but fortunately, it won¡¯t be a storm.¡± ¡°With our territory¡¯s current facilities, we can withstand it.¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently. Then, Cao Xing led her to push open the door of the Lord¡¯s Hut together. Outside, the Polar People along with the newly joined subjects were already waiting. Seeing Cao Xing come out, they said in unison, ¡°Peace to the Lord!¡± ¡°Good morning, Lord. Please assign us today¡¯s work!¡± The subjects were full of enthusiasm. Previously, they lived barely surviving lives. Just arriving on the first day at Cao Xing¡¯s territory, they already felt the potential for development. So, they cherished this opportunity very much. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Today, continue with the tasks I assigned yesterday.¡± ¡°Gather more resources to upgrade the bonfire and Lord¡¯s Hut.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s work together to build a more prosperous territory!¡± The subjects responded respectfully, ¡°As you command, Lord.¡± ¡°Willing to sacrifice everything for the development of the territory!¡± They dispersed and began their day¡¯s work. At this time, Xia Yanni and Tong Chuchu, each holding a set of thick clothes, stood quietly by the side waiting. Seeing that Cao Xing had finished assigning tasks, Xia Yanni cautiously approached and said, ¡°M¡­Master, the clothes are ready.¡± As a modern person, she seemed not quite used to such titles. Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Xia Yanni replied softly. After saying this, she and Tong Chuchu handed the newly sewn Wolf Skin Coats to Cao Xing and Liu Muxue respectively. [Received Wolf Skin Coat (white) *1, Wolf Skin Hat (white) *1] These two garments had no additional attributes, but they were excellent at keeping warm. After putting them on, they immediately felt isolated from the piercing cold of this world. Looking at the dark circles under Xia Yanni¡¯s eyes, Cao Xing knew she must have stayed up late last night. Therefore, Cao Xing took out two pieces of Bear Meat and a bottle of milk and handed them to Xia Yanni. Xia Yanni accepted them, her eyes filled with surprise. ¡°Lord¡­lord, such precious meat and milk, are you sure I can have them?¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Chuchu is still young, let her have some for nourishment.¡± Xia Yanni¡¯s eyes turned slightly red. She held Tong Chuchu¡¯s hand and nodded solemnly, ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Tong Chuchu also happily hugged the milk, saying with joy, ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± ¡­ After arranging the tasks, Cao Xing called Assam over. ¡°Assam, did you find anything else when you went out yesterday besides rescuing Dahua and the others?¡± Assam replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, Lord, I followed your instructions and drew a map of the surrounding area.¡± ¡°However, since I haven¡¯t finished exploring, the map is incomplete.¡± Cao Xing was delighted, ¡°Even if it¡¯s incomplete, let me see it.¡± Assam nodded and then took out a piece of yellowed parchment from Frost Wolf¡¯s back and handed it to Cao Xing. A system prompt appeared. [Received Incomplete Map *1] Cao Xing saw that the map recorded Assam¡¯s route. Liu Muxue also peeked over curiously to look at the map. However, upon seeing the simplistic art style on the parchment, she immediately chuckled. It marked some resource points. For example, a tree indicated a place with wood resources. A small chicken symbolized a place with Beast activity. A stone stood for a mineral resource location. Thanks to Cao Xing¡¯s excellent comprehension ability, he could decipher the meanings. Assam looked a bit embarrassed and scratched his head, ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t learned drawing, so I could only sketch it simply.¡± Liu Muxue comforted him, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s understandable.¡± Assam gratefully nodded, ¡°Thank you, my beautiful and kind deputy lord.¡± At this time, Cao Xing pointed to a dark hole next to the territory and asked, ¡°Assam, what is this?¡± Assam replied somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Lord, that¡¯s a mine.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s already occupied by a group of Mole Men. I heard the rumbling of machines nearby.¡± Machines¡¯ rumbling? Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. Because this indicated that inside the mine, there might be some technological creations. Cao Xing asked, ¡°Assam, how strong are the Mole Men?¡± Assam shook his head, ¡°Back to you, Lord, I didn¡¯t go inside to investigate.¡± ¡°But the Mole Men are subterranean creatures, generally around first-tier in strength. Occasionally, there might be some second or third-tier Mole Men.¡± After hearing this, Cao Xing already had an idea. The mine was about six kilometers away from the territory, taking roughly two hours for a round trip. Thus, Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Very good, our goal today is to explore the Mole Man Mine.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s aim to level up Muxue and myself.¡± Assam respectfully bowed, ¡°Always ready to serve, esteemed Lord.¡± Beside him, Andrew¡¯s eyes were filled with devotion, and he was also prepared for battle. However, before setting out, Cao Xing had one more thing to do. That was to use the Recruitment Scroll to strengthen his team¡¯s power. Cao Xing pulled a scroll out of his bag. [Phantom Assassin Recruitment Scroll (Blue): This scroll can summon a Phantom Assassin with level 20 elite strength.] Undoubtedly, this would be the most powerful being Cao Xing recruited. ¡°Recruit?¡± Cao Xing clicked yes without hesitation. In a flash, the scene in front of him changed. This time, what appeared before Cao Xing was not a hexagram. Instead, it was a swirl of black mist. The black mist expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire camp in seconds. Cao Xing saw a silhouette moving inside. There was no aura emanating from this figure, yet it gave Cao Xing a sense of intense danger. The next moment, the mist dissipated. Before Cao Xing stood a woman clad in a black cloak and tight-fitting black leather armor. The outfit accentuated her perfect body curves. On her head, a dark helmet obscured most of her face, leaving only her bluish skin and slightly rosy lips visible. She slowly spoke, ¡°The Shadow Holy Hall needs protection, and that¡¯s why I am here.¡± ¡°Phantom Assassin Sarah Blade Dance reporting to you!¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Powerful Phantom Assassin Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Powerful Phantom Assassin ¡°` The Phantom Assassin named Sarah gave a slight bow to Cao Xing, holding the two Shadow Blades that emitted a chilling gleam. Cao Xing nodded: ¡°Welcome to the team, Sarah Blade Dance.¡± Sarah showed no reaction. Liu Muxue then softly added: ¡°Welcome, Sarah.¡± Hearing the voice, the aloof Phantom Assassin turned her gaze to Liu Muxue and responded, ¡°Thank you, beautiful lady, Sarah Blade Dance at your service.¡± Cao Xing rolled his eyes from the side. This Phantom Assassin was quite cool, only responding to Liu Muxue and ignoring him. However, he was already accustomed to these new recruits¡¯ cold responses upon joining, allowing a faint smile to slip onto his lips. Then, Cao Xing checked the attributes of this Phantom Assassin. [Phantom Assassin: Sarah Blade Dance] [Race: Dark Elf] [Level: Level 20 7613/100000 (Second Order Elite Level Creature)] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 [Life Value: 6713 (Equipment Bonus)] [Attack Power: 731~754 (Weapon Bonus)] [Armor: 134~151 (Equipment Bonus)] [Attributes: Power 234, Agility 307, Spirit 227, Constitution 251] [Skills: Obstructive Dagger (Throws a dagger, dealing 130% attack power damage to the enemy, and reducing the enemy¡¯s agility by 135, cool down time 180 seconds.) Phantom Invisible (Blurs one¡¯s form, hides one¡¯s aura, increases evasion probability by 30% in stealth status, and increases move speed by 20%. Duration 5 minutes, cooling time 8 minutes) Blessed Relief (When attacking, has a 30% probability of dealing 225% damage, a 15% probability of dealing 315% damage, and a 5% probability of dealing 432% damage.)] [Talent: Shadow Body (In stealth status, additionally increases evasion rate by 15%.)] [Bonds: Assassin (When there are more than 3 assassins in the team, the trigger probability of Blessed Relief increases by 5%, and by 10% when more than 10.)] [Satiety: 63] [Loyalty: 59] ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes showed an unhidden look of astonishment. Clearly, this was a rather terrifying existence. With an attack power of over seven hundred, a random critical hit could even compare to a shot from [Barrett]. If [Blessed Relief] triggered, that single strike could directly slice off the enemy¡¯s skull. At this moment, Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but remark: ¡°This isn¡¯t an assassin; it¡¯s basically a berserker, taking down enemies with a single stroke!¡± Nevertheless, although Sarah was very strong now, With the permanent talent enhancements from Cao Xing, she could still be improved by several levels. Therefore, Cao Xing looked at Sarah with interest and said, ¡°So, Sarah, I will now apply a Blessing effect on you, are you willing to accept it?¡± Sarah slightly parted her lips, querying, ¡°Blessing?¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Indeed.¡± Sarah didn¡¯t immediately reply, seeming to hesitate. Partly because she didn¡¯t trust this new Lord, and partly because she doubted in the face of his lacking power, what powerful Blessing effect could be applied to her? After a brief pause, Sarah lightly nodded, ¡°Very well, please apply the Blessing to me.¡± Then, without needing more words from Cao Xing, Yilena applied [Snake-man Tribe Frenzy] and [Scale Armor] onto her. Sarah shuddered as she distinctly felt the might of this power. Her thin lips parted slightly, before she could speak up. Cao Xing also cast [Ice Healing Skill], [Ice Armor Skill], along with Liu Muxue¡¯s [Aurora Blessing]. After receiving a total of five permanent buffs, Sarah was completely rigid in place. Then, Cao Xing noticed her shoulders trembling slightly. As an assassin frequently engaged in assassinations, Sarah knew better than anyone else the terrifying nature of these permanent statuses! They not only significantly increased her endurance but also heightened her survival capabilities. Especially Yilena¡¯s [Snake-man Tribe Frenzy], which was a percentage-based buff. Sarah could feel her move speed and attack speed soaring another level. A heavy breathing sound came from beneath her helmet. Then, she placed the Shadow Blades in front of her chest and respectfully bowed to Cao Xing. ¡°Thank you for your Blessing, great Lord.¡± ¡°Sarah Blade Dance pledges loyalty to you!¡± This bow was truly heartfelt from Sarah. At Cao Xing¡¯s ears, a system prompt surfaced. [You helped your follower: Sarah Blade Dance enhance her power, loyalty increased, current loyalty 71] A smile appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s face. Then, he turned to look at others in the territory. ¡°Well, let¡¯s continue moving now.¡± ¡°Target, Mole Man Mine!¡± Assam and Andrew both replied. ¡°Following the Lord¡¯s will.¡± At this moment, the aloof Sarah also softly said, ¡°The Shadow Holy Hall will guide me forward.¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. Then, he took Liu Muxue along with him. Five figures set out from the camp, venturing into the endless snowy plains. ¡­ ¡­ An hour later, the group appeared amidst the boundless ice field. A long trail of footprints was left in the snow behind them. The weather forecast mentioned snow tonight, and these footprints would soon disappear. Cao Xing halted his steps. For they had reached the marked location on Assam¡¯s map. It was a snow-covered mountain with what seemed to be a path leading underground at its base. Assam spoke first, ¡°My Lord, that is the mine I discovered yesterday.¡± Cao Xing nodded and proceeded with the team. As they approached, a system prompt appeared before them. [Mole Man Mine: Special Area (active with a large number of Mole Men and some special dangers, approach with caution).] [Danger Level: Extremely Dangerous] Once again, an extreme danger warning. However, Cao Xing paid no heed. Compared to his time at Hunter Camp, his power had significantly improved. Cao Xing waved his hand and said, ¡°Enter then.¡± Understanding what he meant, everyone proceeded together towards the mine. With the highest defensive power, Andrew went first, followed by Assam. As for Sarah, she slipped into the shadows upon entering the mine. Cao Xing couldn¡¯t sense her presence at all, But he knew Sarah was nearby. Liu Muxue held up her shield, cautiously watching the surroundings. She understood that her task was to protect Cao Xing from harm. Upon entering the mine, a system prompt appeared, [You have entered a special area: Mole Man Mine.] [Current Temperature: -34¡ãC] The temperature inside the mine was somewhat higher, gradually dispelling the cold within their bodies. Cao Xing noticed a couple of torches emitting a blue flame on the cave walls. ¡°Assam, help me take down those torches.¡± Assam complied. [Obtained Magic Stone Torch*1] [Magic Stone Torch: a low-energy consumption lighting tool, one magic energy stone can provide illumination for up to half a year.] (Note: You can remove the Magic Energy Stone from the torch.) ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Take Away the Iron Rail and Mine Cart! Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Take Away the Iron Rail and Mine Cart! ¡°` Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. This thing was really valuable! Some mechanical creations in this world required energy to operate, and this energy came from [Magic Energy Stones]. In the later stages, [Energy Towers] and some other constructions also needed [Magic Energy Stones] to supply power. This thing, like Elemental Crystals, was a hard currency. Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Assam, Andrew, take all the Magic Stone Torches down for me.¡± The two complied and removed the torches one by one. [Magic Stone Torch +1] [Magic Stone Torch +1] The System Prompts continually rang in Cao Xing¡¯s ears. Then, Cao Xing saw the iron rail on the ground and the mining carts lying to the side. [Abandoned Mining Cart (White): Mining tools of the Mole Man.] (You can decompose it for 8 pieces of iron, or bring it back to the territory and repair it using 4 pieces of iron.) Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï [Iron Rail (White): Can be used to build a rail to speed up mineral transportation.] (It can be dismantled for 4 pieces of iron.) Cao Xing¡¯s eyes shone brightly at once. These two were also good stuff! As long as there were enough iron rails, a track could even be built around the territory and connected to the mine. This way, the mining speed could be significantly accelerated. Take them away! Take them all away! Cao Xing directly stored all these mining carts and iron rails. [Obtained Abandoned Mining Cart (White) *1] [Obtained Iron Rail (White) *1] [Obtained¡­] Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. From the entrance area, they collected a total of 17 [Magic Stone Torches], 3 [Abandoned Mining Carts], and 15 pieces of [Iron Rail]. (1 piece of iron rail = 1 meter in length.) The harvest was quite nice. Cao Xing continued leading the team forward. After walking for a while, they heard the ¡°clang, clang¡± sounds of chiseling ahead. Upon closer inspection, there were dozens of small-statured creatures with short limbs and mouse-like heads. [Mole Man Miner: Level 5] [Race: Beast] [Life Value: 440] [Attack Power: 41~45] [Attributes: Power 21, Agility 15, Spirit 18, Constitution 22] [Skill: Chisel Strike (Wielding the Mining Pickaxe to deal 110% attack power damage to the enemy)] [Talent: Night Vision (Having lived underground for a long time, Mole Men evolved their vision and can see more clearly in the dark)] ¡­ [Mole Man Supervisor: Level 7] [Race: Beast/Humanoid] [Life Value: 620] [Attack Power: 57~59] [Attributes: Power 31, Agility 24, Spirit 25, Constitution 33] [Skills: Whip (Swinging the whip speeds up Mole Man Miners¡¯ work by 10%, effect lasts 5 minutes) Cower (When life value drops below 30%, Mole Man Supervisors increase move speed by 20% and choose to flee)] [Talent: Night Vision.] ¡­ Upon seeing Andrew and others approaching, the group of Mole Men immediately emitted ¡®chirp chirp chirp¡¯ threatening sounds. The Mole Man Supervisor swung the long whip in its hand. Snap! ¡°They¡¯re intruders, go take them out!¡± Afraid of the supervisor¡¯s whip, the group of Mole Men picked up their mining pickaxes and charged at Cao Xing and his party. ¡°Chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!¡± No need for Cao Xing to say more. Assam and Andrew, along with Frost Wolf Winter, charged forward. ¡°Roar!¡± The narrow mine was instantly filled with three gigantic figures. Andrew led the way, like a mad bear, rampaging through the ground, sending Mole Men flying. Bang! Bang bang! [-173] [-178] [-164] Damage numbers floated up one by one. With Andrew¡¯s terrifying power, the impact damage alone was enough to cause these Mole Men to lose a large amount of blood volume. Those Mole Men who fell to the ground hadn¡¯t even had the chance to get back up before Assam¡¯s longsword pierced through. Puff! [-437!] This sword from Assam pierced its head directly, causing critical damage. [Your subject: Assam slayed Mole Man lv5, gained 50 points of experience value] [You gained 25 points of experience value¡­] Meanwhile, Frost Wolf Winter pinned a Mole Man down and began a frenzied tear. ¡°Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp!¡± In a single clash, the Mole Man Miners were routed. What¡¯s more terrifying was, a flash of cold brilliance continued to flicker in the darkness. Every time the cold brilliance flared, it brought with it a terrifying damage number. [-704] [-753] [-1614!] One after another, the Mole Men had no chance to scream before being slain on the spot. [Your subject: Sarah Blade Dance slayed Mole Man lv6, gained 60 points of experience value] [You gained 30 points of experience value¡­] Experience value prompts continued to appear. Cao Xing exclaimed with delight from the rear, ¡°Wow! Such damage!¡± ¡°No wonder she¡¯s a level 20 Elite Assassin, it¡¯s just like cutting through butter!¡± Sarah¡¯s attack power was formidable. Cao Xing couldn¡¯t stop laughing from the back. He and Liu Muxue stood in the rear, not even needing to lift a finger. The number of Mole Men gradually decreased. Even though there were many of them, they couldn¡¯t withstand such a terrifying kill speed. Even the eyes of that Mole Man Supervisor showed fear. Experience value prompts kept chiming. Before long, a white light rose from Liu Muxue¡¯s body. She excitedly said, ¡°Axing, I leveled up!¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Cao Xing replied with a smile. He glanced at Liu Muxue¡¯s current attributes. [Survivor: Liu Muxue] [Race: Blue Star Human Clan] [Level: 3 20/2000] [Detailed Attributes: Click to expand] Cao Xing nodded. After leveling up to level 3, Liu Muxue¡¯s attributes improved a lot again. With the equipment on her and all those buffs, her defensive power now was much stronger than some level seven or eight wild monsters. Liu Muxue softly said, ¡°Axing, the system just prompted me that I entered the top twenty of the leaderboard. It seems more people are reaching level 3 now.¡± Cao Xing said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The initial level-ups are quick, but the difficulty increases later.¡± ¡°With our speed, ordinary survivors shouldn¡¯t be able to compare.¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently. Cao Xing took a look at his experience value. Level 4 41% He was still ranked first on the leaderboard. The likes of Zhou Bo and Fang Long were catching up as well. Liu Muxue looked at the battlefield in front, then tentatively asked, ¡°Axing, can I also go and fight?¡± Cao Xing saw the seriousness on her face and knew it was indeed time for Liu Muxue to get some experience. Moreover, with her current defensive power, she could certainly withstand a Mole Man Miner¡¯s attacks. So, Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Go ahead, Muxue. Just remember to be careful.¡± ¡°Alright, Axing, I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Liu Muxue took a deep breath, holding a shield in her left hand and a longsword in her right, then charged forward. She quickly faced a Mole Man Miner. The Mole Man opened its mouth full of sharp teeth, wielding the Iron Shovel, and fiercely attacked Liu Muxue¡¯s shield. ¡°Bang! Bang bang!¡± The Mole Man Miner swung the Iron Shovel relentlessly. Liu Muxue gritted her teeth, struggling to withstand the enemy¡¯s attacks. [-8] [-13] Small damage numbers floated above her head. However, the next second, her life value was completely restored by the [Ice Healing Skill]. [+10] [+10] Green healing numbers floated up. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Can I Hit You Once? Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Can I Hit You Once? ¡°` [+10] [+10] A series of healing numbers appeared over Liu Muxue¡¯s head. When she realized that this Mole Man couldn¡¯t harm her, she exhaled a sigh of relief. Then, she recalled the scenes where Cao Xing had taught her how to fight. Feeling a bit shy yet gradually finding her combat rhythm, Liu Muxue thrust her sword forward, striking the Mole Man¡¯s chest. [-32] The Mole Man¡¯s chest bled as it made a constant ¡°chirp, chirp, chirp¡± sound. It swung its iron shovel, striking again. Liu Muxue was jolted back two steps. Then she lifted her longsword and thrust again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? ¡°Puff!¡± What followed was. The Mole Man struck her with the shovel, and then Liu Muxue returned the favor with her sword. Both sides began a turn-based battle. This scene made Cao Xing want to laugh a little. However, for Liu Muxue to reach this level was already impressive. A minute or two later, the number of Mole Men in the mine dwindled. Watching his recruited creatures fighting ahead, Cao Xing also raised his magic wand. A large amount of Frost Power gathered between his wand. Then, in front of Cao Xing appeared three 40-centimeter-long ice cones, crystal clear and emitting a chill. Cao Xing waved his magic wand, ¡°Go!¡± The next second, the three ice cones shot out swiftly. They all hit one of the Mole Man Miners. [-68] [-71] [-103!] The three ice cones took away over two hundred points of the Mole Man Miner¡¯s life value. Cao Xing was quite satisfied with this damage, considering he was just a Level 4 Frost Mage. But compared to Sarah, who casually dealt 700 or 800 points of damage with one strike, there was still a significant gap. In no time, the Mole Man Miners here were all killed by them. At this moment, the Mole Man Supervisor, who was holding a long whip, showed a look of fear in his eyes. It turned around directly and ran deeper into the mine. And at this moment, Sarah emerged from the shadows. She raised her right hand and threw a dark dagger that hit the Mole Man Supervisor¡¯s back. ¡°Chirp!!¡± The Mole Man Supervisor let out a miserable scream, and a damage number appeared above its head. [-843] One strike, and it instantly reduced its life value to zero. Level 20 Sarah was far too strong! ¡°Sarah, well done,¡± Cao Xing praised from behind. Sarah remained her usual cold self, but this time she added a line. ¡°The Shadow Holy Hall guides me forward.¡± Cao Xing nodded, thinking to himself, ¡°Sarah¡¯s level has already reached the advanced requirement. If I could get a second-tier Heart of Power now, I could upgrade Sarah to a third-tier creature.¡± ¡°Then, her power could increase by another fold.¡± ¡°However, the second-tier Heart of Power isn¡¯t easy to obtain. I¡¯ll look for chances in the future.¡± After the battle, naturally, it was time to clean up the battlefield. Cao Xing was prepared to start searching for loot beneath the Mole Men¡¯s bodies. At this moment, a system prompt appeared again. [Humanoid creatures cannot be disassembled.] Cao Xing¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Why does the system always think I¡¯d do such a thing?¡± Underneath this Mole Man, Cao Xing rummaged around and did find quite a few items. [Obtained Dry Food*5, Chaos Book¡¤Weak*1, Sticky Liquid*1, Iron Ingot*1, Iron Shovel*1.] Cao Xing began to check the descriptions of these items. [Dry Food (White): Hard to swallow food, 1 piece of dry food = 1 food.] ¡­ [Chaos Book¡¤Weak: Randomly increases 1 point in a four-dimensional attribute for a friendly unit.] (Note: Cannot be used on Lord.) ¡­ [Sticky Liquid (White): Black sticky liquid, uses unknown.] (Seems to be some kind of alchemy material. You can try selling it if you encounter a merchant in the wild.) ¡­ [Iron Ingot (White): Can obtain Iron*5 after disassembly.] ¡­ [Iron Shovel (White): Attack Power 4~5, can be used for mining.] ¡­ Cao Xing thought to himself, ¡°This Chaos Book seems pretty good. If a large number is acquired, it might be possible to boost one recruited creature¡¯s attributes to a terrifying level.¡± ¡°Too bad it can¡¯t be used on me.¡± Then, Cao Xing spent about five minutes quickly cleaning the battlefield. Total gains: [Dry Food]*130, [Chaos Book¡¤Weak]*3 Besides these, there were some materials and one piece of equipment. [Sticky Liquid (White)]*31. [Iron Shovel (White)]*27 [Iron Ingot (White)]*4 [Mole Man Supervisor¡¯s Long Whip (Green)*1] The interesting one was the last piece of equipment. [Mole Man Supervisor¡¯s Long Whip (Green): Special Equipment] [Quality: Fine] [Attack Power: 13~15] [Attached Effect ¢Ù: Whip (Using the long whip to lash the target speeds up work, increasing their move speed by 10% for the next 5 minutes.)] [Attached Effect ¢Ú: Pain Amplification (The whip covered in olive oil increases the pain felt by 50% during lashes.)] ¡­ After reading the introduction, Cao Xing¡¯s expression was a bit odd. ¡°Is this thing¡­ also some kind of amplification effect?¡± ¡°If I pair it with my hidden talent, could it become a permanent status?¡± Cao Xing decided to experiment first, especially since a 10% move speed was quite good. So, under the bewildered gaze of Liu Muxue and Andrew and others, Cao Xing lashed himself hard with the whip. ¡°Snap!¡± [-7] A crisp sound echoed, and Cao Xing took a sharp breath. ¡°Hiss! That hurts!¡± Though the damage wasn¡¯t high, the second effect [Pain Amplification] made one lash really painful! Even before Cao Xing recovered from the pain, a system prompt appeared before him. [You¡¯ve received Whip effect, increasing move speed by 10% for 5 minutes.] [Talent [Eternal Power] activated, [Whip] has become a permanent amplification state.] Cao Xing: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, it actually worked?¡± Cao Xing was utterly dumbfounded. Then, as he realized something, his face lit up with delight. Because this way, combining with the [Snake-man Tribe Frenzy] skill was equivalent to permanently increasing move speed for himself and other friendly units by 30%! This was a huge boost! Beside him, Liu Muxue and the others looked confused. They watched as Cao Xing lashed himself with a whip, grimaced in pain, then suddenly became excited. It seemed as if he had awakened some strange attribute. And now he turned that excited look toward them. The upright Assam didn¡¯t know what had happened, so he asked, ¡°Lord, what happened to you?¡± Cao Xing looked up and said, ¡°Assam, may I whip you, please?¡± Assam: ¡°¡­¡± Liu Muxue: ¡°¡­¡± Sarah: ¡°¡­¡± Although this request was odd, Assam, with his high loyalty of 95, wouldn¡¯t disobey Cao Xing¡¯s orders. He seemed to make a tough decision and nodded, ¡°If the Lord wishes, you may¡­¡± Cao Xing didn¡¯t hold back, swung the long whip, and lashed Assam. ¡°Snap!¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Ore Everywhere, Fork in the Road Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Ore Everywhere, Fork in the Road Assam¡¯s resolute face furrowed with pain. Moments later, he also sensed an increase in power within him, his eyes taking on a look of surprise. ¡°So, this is the Lord¡¯s intention, is it? Truly amazing.¡± ¡°Thank you for the whipping, honorable Lord!¡± Assam said respectfully. At this point, Assam, a bit embarrassed, said, ¡°Lord, may I perhaps be whipped a few more times?¡± ¡°Assam wants to become even stronger!¡± Cao Xing shook his head and said, ¡°No, only the first whipping has an effect.¡± Hearing this, Assam nodded regretfully. The people nearby, hearing their conversation, were utterly baffled. Although they understood that Cao Xing¡¯s actions might have some purpose, it was certainly peculiar. Cao Xing, realizing they misunderstood, coughed twice, then explained the effect of the whip to them. The group, upon hearing this, had a sudden realization in their eyes. At this time, Cao Xing said, ¡°Well then, Andrew, Sarah, let me also bestow blessings upon you.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Andrew and Sarah exchanged a glance, then nodded. Cao Xing whipped one by one. ¡°Snap!¡± ¡°Snap!¡± In this deep mine, the sound of the whip cracking echoed. Andrew was fine, with its thick skin, the pain was negligible. Sarah, on the other hand, was slightly trembling. When it was Liu Muxue¡¯s turn, she looked fearfully at the whip in Cao Xing¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Axing¡­ do I, do I have to?¡± Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Hmm, a 10% increase in move speed is a significant enhancement.¡± ¡°And it only takes one whip, just bear with it, and it¡¯ll be over.¡± Liu Muxue contemplated for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°Hmm.¡± Cao Xing, without any extra thoughts, whipped directly. ¡°Ugh!¡± Liu Muxue let out a muffled groan, then pitifully looked at Cao Xing. ¡°So¡­ so painful¡­¡± Witnessing this scene made Cao Xing recall last night, causing his emotions to surge for a moment. But he quickly calmed down. Cao Xing coughed twice and said, ¡°The status has been enhanced, let¡¯s continue moving forward.¡± Andrew and Assam continued to advance forward. In the passage, there was an iron rail extending deeper inside. Cao Xing advanced along the route while collecting the iron rail off the ground. [Iron Rail +1] [Iron Rail +1] It wasn¡¯t long before Cao Xing had gathered over a hundred meters of rail! Even when broken down into iron, it amounted to several hundred pieces! Cao Xing happily thought, ¡°Just a bit more iron rail, and I can connect that coal mine to my territory, significantly boosting resource collection speed.¡± Just then, a fork appeared ahead in the mine. The left path seemed to lead deeper into the mine, with faint machinery rumblings emanating from within. The right path was sealed with wooden boards, marked with a red ¡®X.¡¯ This seemed to be a restricted area. The group halted, awaiting Cao Xing¡¯s decision. After contemplating for a moment, Cao Xing said, ¡°Andrew, take down the wooden boards, let me take a look inside first.¡± Andrew obeyed, swinging his massive bear paw over. ¡°Crack! Cr-crack!¡± The boards shattered instantly, revealing the scene inside the mine. Cao Xing saw several collapsed mine carts in front, with some excavated ores scattered around. The Mole Men seemed to have encountered some problem, unable to evacuate in time, leaving everything here. Sarah, emerging from the shadows, suddenly said, ¡°I sense a dangerous presence inside¡­¡± Cao Xing frowned at this, Hearing this from Sarah, a level 20 elite monster, indicated a formidable creature was lurking inside. Cao Xing said, ¡°Sarah, go scout it out.¡± Sarah nodded, then vanished into the shadows. A minute later, Sarah reappeared and said, ¡°Scouting complete, there¡¯s a Second Order demon creature¡¯s lair inside.¡± ¡°A Second Order demon creature, how strong is it?¡± Sarah pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°It should be on par with my strength.¡± Cao Xing nodded in realization. Being on par with Sarah meant it was a level 20 elite monster. Cao Xing asked, ¡°Confident in handling it?¡± Sarah considered for a moment, then answered, ¡°With the Lord¡¯s bestowed blessing, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°If we then coordinate with these two companions, victory is almost assured.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xing felt reassured. ¡°Great, let¡¯s head straight inside then!¡± With that said, Andrew and Assam proceeded toward the right mine passage. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue followed behind. He quickly arrived at a collapsed mine cart, with some ore scattered beside it. Cao Xing packed away the cart along with the ore on the ground. [Obtained Mine Cart *1, Iron Ore *31, Curse Metal *7, Secret Silver Ore *8, Magic Energy Stone *17, Stone *64¡­] ¡°Huh? So much Secret Silver and Magic Energy Stone?¡± Cao Xing was delighted. These were high-grade materials, valuable indeed. Cao Xing began inspecting ahead. [Iron Ore: Can be processed at an Ore Processing Plant, 1 ore can be processed into 5 pieces of iron.] [Curse Metal: A metal fused with the grudge of the dead.] (Can be used to craft certain evil alchemical items.) [Secret Silver Ore: Can be processed at an Ore Processing Plant, 1 Secret Silver Ore can be processed into 3 pieces of mithril.] (Note: Requires a level 3 Ore Processing Plant.) [Magic Energy Stone: An energy-containing stone that can power certain special devices.] ¡­ Satisfied, Cao Xing nodded, his eyes on the remaining mine carts. He packed them all up as well. [Obtained Mine Cart *1, Obtained Iron Ore *42, Curse Metal *9, Secret Silver Ore *7, Magic Energy Stone *19, Stone *72¡­] In addition to these, he didn¡¯t bypass the iron rails on the ground either. [Obtained Iron Rail *42, Obtained Abandoned Mine Cart *7, Obtained¡­] ¡­ Cao Xing followed behind Andrew and Assam, collecting various ores from the ground. Liu Muxue also assisted in gathering. As she picked up items, she exclaimed with a joyful smile, ¡°Axing, so much iron ore, and so many Secret Silver Ores!¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°This trip is quite a haul, just these ores and mine carts make it worthwhile.¡± Liu Muxue also displayed the joy of their acquisition. Clearly, the Mole Man Mine was a high-level area. At least, with the current survivor strength, it was impossible to get in. But Cao Xing, having three generals under his command, could explore this mine for treasures at his level. The haul was indeed abundant. So far, Cao Xing had gathered nearly two hundred sections of rail. Thankfully, the survivor¡¯s [Carrying Backpack] feature had 20 slots for storage, with similar materials stackable up to 400 units in one slot. And larger items like mine carts could be stacked nearly 100 times, occupying just one slot. The carrying backpack was quite spacious. The team continued to move forward. Until they reached the tunnel¡¯s depths. The light here dimmed considerably. However, with Cao Xing retrieving a magic energy stone torch from his backpack, the darkness was instantly dispelled. They noticed white spider webs appearing on the ceiling and walls of the mine. The further in they went, the denser the webbing became. Some large webs even filled the passage, blocking the group¡¯s path. Meanwhile, an evil, formidable aura rushed toward them! ¡­ Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Earth Cave Demon Spider Nest Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Earth Cave Demon Spider Nest ¡°` Deep within the cave, an evil and powerful aura rushed towards them! Cao Xing furrowed his brow and then ordered, ¡°Assam, clear the passage.¡± Assam swung his longsword, hacking at the spider webs directly. Splat! However, his sharp longsword cut into the webs as if slicing through jelly, losing much of its force. It took several swings to clear the webs away. Cao Xing pondered quietly. Clearly, using fire was the best way to deal with these webs. But in this world, fire was a relatively rare element. Cao Xing was a Frost Mage, so he couldn¡¯t control fire either. Just then, Sarah spoke up, ¡°Lord, let me clear the way for you.¡± Cao Xing looked at her, ¡°Go ahead, Sarah, show us your power.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Sarah nodded and in a flash appeared in front of the spider webs. Then she swung her Shadow Blade. ¡°Swish!¡± With one slash, she split open a large gap in the tough spider webs. ¡°Swish! Swish swish!¡± With a few slashes, the passage was cleared. Cao Xing was full of admiration. Once again, Sarah showcased her formidable attack to everyone. ¡°Continue forward,¡± Cao Xing ordered. They continued deeper into the mine. The further they went, the darker the surroundings became. Liu Muxue was almost clinging to Cao Xing. She had an instinctive fear of such a deep cave. Cao Xing paid no mind, allowing her to hold his hand as they pressed on. Meanwhile, the predators in this area also seemed to sense prey entering the mine. Rustle¡­ Rustle¡­ There came the sound of crawling from within. ¡°Stay alert!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s expression immediately hardened, and everyone entered a combat state. Liu Muxue also raised her shield, guarding nervously around Cao Xing. After waiting a moment, no monsters appeared. But Cao Xing noticed faint green glimmers ahead. Cao Xing continued to order, ¡°Sarah, see what lies ahead.¡± Sarah nodded, then slipped into the darkness. Moments later, Sarah reappeared, ¡°Lord, there is a cavern inside, likely the lair of that monster.¡± Cao Xing nodded, then led the group inside. A system prompt appeared. [You have entered a special area: The Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s Nest.] (A powerful predator lives here, please stay alert and don¡¯t become its sustenance.) Cao Xing saw that the cavern ceiling above was covered in spider webs, with cocoon-like white bundles hanging above. On the ground, there were spherical glowing bodies of varying sizes, emitting a green slime. The large ones were nearly a meter high, the small ones only a few centimeters. The green glow came from these bodies. Cao Xing looked over. [Demon Spider Eggs (Small): Cracking it open will release 3~8 level 3 Small Demon Spiders.] (Don¡¯t underestimate them just because they¡¯re small; they¡¯re deadly.) [Demon Spider Eggs (Large): Cracking it open will release 1~2 level 15 Big Demon Spiders.] (The Big Demon Spiders are large, be careful not to get swallowed.) Cao Xing looked over at the ground of the nest, seeing at least dozens of Demon Spider eggs. ¡°Damn it! So many Demon Spider eggs, if they all hatch, there would be at least dozens of Earth Cave Demon Spiders!¡± Cao Xing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of a headache. He was just about to suggest clearing the Demon Spider eggs first. Just then, the spider webs overhead began to tremble. ¡°Buzz! Buzz buzz!¡± Cao Xing only felt an evil and powerful aura rapidly approaching him. Under the pressure of this aura, he felt like a bug caught in a spider¡¯s web, with no chance to resist! Beside him, Liu Muxue was also pale-faced. The monster gave them a pressure that reached deep into their souls! The next moment, a terrifying figure over five meters tall, covered in hair, filled everyone¡¯s vision. Swollen sacs drooped beneath it, dripping green slime. Its eight gleaming eyes emitted a creepy light in the darkness, as if they could read all thoughts of the prey below. The real threat had appeared! At this moment, the massive spider, upon seeing the group below, immediately launched an attack. Its belly swung, and a stream of white spider silk shot out. The target was none other than Andrew, the largest among them. Spider silk instantly wrapped Andrew¡¯s body, and a system prompt appeared. [Your follower ¡®Andrew¡¯ was attacked by the Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s ¡®Spider Web¡¯ and has been immobilized.] However, just then, Andrew roared furiously, and his body rapidly expanded! ¡°Evil creature, let nature punish you!¡± He unhesitatingly entered the [Giant Bear Form]. A massive white bear appeared, and Andrew forcefully tore the spider web apart, breaking free. ¡°Bring it down!¡± Cao Xing suppressed the fear within him and ordered directly. ¡°Roar!¡± Transformed into a giant bear, Andrew suddenly leapt, charging into the air towards the Demon Spider. However, the big spider knew its advantage. It quickly retreated, causing Andrew¡¯s claws to hit empty air. Tear! Andrew¡¯s sharp claws ripped through a large area of spider webs. And just then. Out from the dark shadows flew a cold light without a sound. Whoosh! ¡°Thud!¡± Sarah¡¯s [Obstructive Dagger] hit the Earth Cave Demon Spider. [-643] A large damage number floated up. ¡°Hiss! Hiss!¡± The Earth Cave Demon Spider jerked in pain. At the same time. Three ice cones shot out together. It was Cao Xing who had also launched an attack. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!¡± The ice cones all hit. [-17] [-15] [-17] Three small damage numbers appeared. However, the damage wasn¡¯t the main point. The key was one of the ice cones triggered a frozen effect. The massive body of the Earth Cave Demon Spider was suddenly covered in frost. Its body stiffened, like a kite with its string cut, dropping from above. ¡°Thud!¡± Cao Xing was delighted, ¡°The Ice Cone Skill is really useful!¡± ¡°With each ice cone having a 30% chance to freeze, hitting them all is likely to cause temporary control over the enemy.¡± And at this moment, as the Earth Cave Demon Spider fell from the air, it lost its ranged advantage. Cao Xing ordered, ¡°Surround it and kill it!¡± Andrew, Assam, and Frost Wolf Winter all charged forward. ¡°Roar!!!¡± ¡°Face the judgment of the Frost Wolf Knights!¡± The Earth Cave Demon Spider had already recovered from the brief frozen state. It still wanted to climb back into the sky. However, the three towering creatures had it surrounded, giving it no chance to escape. The Earth Cave Demon Spider was forced to engage in direct combat. It flicked its limbs, biting towards Andrew. ¡°Thud!¡± A damage number appeared on Andrew¡¯s head. [-304] [-8] [-8] In Giant Bear Form, Andrew¡¯s attributes were greatly enhanced, with a blood volume nearing eight thousand. Coupled with the two additional Armor effects from Cao Xing, he could be described as a Blood Bull! However, the Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s bite not only did over three hundred damage but also added a poison status. This showed the terrifying attack power of this spider. Yet in the next second. Green numbers like [+10, +10] appeared over Andrew¡¯s head. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Stop! Leave the kill for me! Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Stop! Leave the kill for me! ¡°` Andrew felt his life force recovering and devoutly said, ¡°This is the power granted to me by the Lord, evil will be punished!¡± He slapped down. [-243] The system prompt appeared. [Andrew dealt damage to Earth Cave Demon Spider, ¡®Wildness Mark¡¯ skill activated.] A bear claw symbol appeared on the head of the Earth Cave Demon Spider, and its defense value plummeted by a large chunk. Then, Assam and Frost Wolf also launched attacks on the massive body of the Earth Cave Demon Spider. [-152] [-78] These damage numbers were dealt by Assam and Frost Wolf. Although Assam had strong attack power, this Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s formidable defense still reduced a lot of the damage. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Just then, Sarah also approached. She swung the Shadow Blade in her hand, slicing down fiercely. [-572] A terrifying damage number appeared. ¡°Hiss hiss!¡± The body of the Earth Cave Demon Spider suddenly contracted, as if it had suffered a severe blow. Despite the Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s incredible defense, it was still no match for Sarah¡¯s even greater attack power. Four powerful summoned creatures began to besiege this Earth Cave Demon Spider. Cao Xing commanded from the back, ¡°Andrew, your main goal is to withstand the damage from this demon spider.¡± ¡°Assam, if Andrew¡¯s blood volume drops below half, switch with him to the front.¡± ¡°Sarah, Frost, attack with full force!¡± Under Cao Xing¡¯s orders, they orderly launched their assault on the Earth Cave Demon Spider. [-1124!] [-246] [-172] [-84] A multitude of damage numbers floated up. Seeing the battle gradually entering a rhythm, Cao Xing breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he began to check the attributes of this spider monster. [Earth Cave Demon Spider: Level 20] [Race: Insect] [Level: Second Order Elite Level Creature] [Life Value: 6614/10255] [Attack Power: 513~545] [Attributes: Power 312, Agility 287, Spirit 334, Constitution 357] [Skills: Powerful Spider Web (emits a powerful spider web, controlling enemies, if the enemies lack power, will be permanently trapped) Egg Laying (hatches many small spiders on-site, ranging from 20~50 in number, causing disruption effect to enemies.) Demon Spider Frenzy (when Earth Cave Demon Spider¡¯s blood volume drops below 30%, will prematurely hatch all demon spider eggs, driving all demon spiders to attack enemies.)] [Talent: Neurotoxin (attacks carry a level 2 neurotoxin effect)] ¡°What a strong guy!¡± With a life value over ten thousand, and attacks laced with toxins. Even more terrifying, it could hatch all spider eggs below 30% blood volume. At that moment, Cao Xing immediately realized that these surrounding spider eggs were threats. Thus, Cao Xing ordered, ¡°Assam, take Frost Wolf Winter out of the battlefield, first clear out the nearby demon spider eggs.¡± ¡°Andrew, Sarah, hold this Earth Cave Demon Spider with all your might.¡± ¡°As you command, Lord.¡± Assam sheathed his longsword and charged directly toward a small demon spider egg nearby. ¡°Splatter!¡± [-287] The small demon spider egg burst open instantly, spewing out a mass of green slime, among which were five or six small spiders. As introduced by the system, these small spiders were extremely fast, crawling to Assam¡¯s feet in an instant. Unoppressed by the crisis, Assam struck down with his sword. [-246] [-235] [-244] He almost shattered each small demon spider with a single strike. Simultaneously, Cao Xing continually gathered Frost Power, throwing ice balls down one after another. Pop! [-63] A small spider¡¯s body burst open instantly, turning into a mass of green slime. [Successfully killed small demon spider lv3, gained 30 experience points.] ¡°Eh? Killing these small demon spiders also gives experience?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes brightened. Considering the number of demon spider eggs in this cave, it was a significant amount of experience. Liu Muxue stood by, holding her shield, ready and vigilant. Her task was to protect Cao Xing¡¯s safety. ¡°Splatter splatter splatter!¡± One by one, demon spider eggs were preemptively smashed by Assam. Under the siege of two Second Order Elite Creatures, the blood volume of the Earth Cave Demon Spider began to pour like water. Those demon spider eggs were also smashed one after the other by Assam. Cao Xing followed behind, continually delivering the killing blow, and his experience value began to rise rapidly. At the same time, as time passed by, the survivors in the outside world also began sprinting for the level ranking list. In the chat channel, a heated discussion arose. ¡°Brothers, look at the leaderboard, Fang Long has rushed to level 4, already entering the top three!¡± ¡°Damn¡­ so fast!¡± ¡°True to Fang Long of the Three Heroes Association? When he erupts, it¡¯s truly impressive!¡± ¡°Indeed, Fang Long¡¯s strength is undeniable.¡± Other survivors, seeing the discussion in the chat channel, also opened the leaderboard to check. [Zone 174 Level Ranking List] [First place: Cao Xing (Level 4 52%)] [Second place: Zhou Bo (Level 4 25%)] [Third place: Fang Long (Level 4 17%)] [Fourth place¡­] Those survivors, seeing the ranking, immediately frowned and said, ¡°It looks like Zhou Bo is also catching up, the leading position of Cao Xing seems to be in jeopardy.¡± ¡°Yes, although I saw Cao Xing¡¯s experience change slightly today, compared to Fang Long and Zhou Bo¡¯s speed, he¡¯s far behind.¡± Hearing everyone¡¯s discussion about Fang Long, the survivors in the Three Heroes Association proudly said in the chat channel, ¡°Cao Xing is just a lucky kid, what¡¯s he worth?¡± ¡°Let me tell you, several of our brothers have already joined forces, exploring faster as a team.¡± ¡°And our boss Fang Long will soon surpass this Cao Xing.¡± ¡°In another two days, once the newbie protection period ends, all those who offended our Three Heroes Association will settle accounts!¡± In the chat channel, there were initially some supporters of Cao Xing. Now, being threatened by the Three Heroes Association, none of them dared speak. At this moment, a survivor named Fu Jiafeng said, ¡°Indeed, the Three Heroes Association has strength, but our Sky Blade Association is not weak either.¡± ¡°This time our boss Zhou Bo will surely be second, if not first.¡± ¡°Exactly, our Tiger Hall boss, Wu Xinghu, can also make it to the top three.¡± A survivor from the Three Heroes Association also said, ¡°Looks like the top three are already settled this time, haha!¡± Just when they prematurely reserved the top three rankings. Someone suddenly spoke in the chat channel. ¡°Quick, look! Cao Xing¡¯s experience bar is moving, and it¡¯s fast!¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone hurriedly opened the leaderboard. [First place: Cao Xing (Level 4 55%)] Just now, it was 52%, and suddenly it jumped to 55%. Even more terrifying was that his experience bar was still increasing. Level 4 56% Level 4 58% Level 4 60% Almost every few seconds, you could see his experience value jump once. ¡°Oh my god! So fast!¡± Seeing this scene, the survivors of the Three Heroes Association and Sky Blade Association had eyes filled with disbelief. Meanwhile, the battle in the cave was also nearing its end. The Earth Cave Demon Spider was covered with dense claw marks and deep bone-visible knife marks. Cao Xing noticed its blood volume. [Life Value: 1203/10255] The last bit of blood over a thousand! As Sarah sliced again. [-638] The blood volume of the Earth Cave Demon Spider dropped below 600. Seeing Sarah preparing to strike again, Cao Xing quickly shouted, ¡°Sarah, stop, let me do it!¡± Sarah stopped in confusion. The Earth Cave Demon Spider, thinking it was doomed, suddenly noticed that the two assaulters stopped. It seemed to see a glimmer of hope! The Earth Cave Demon Spider bent its eight legs on the spot, then suddenly sprang, seemingly ready to leap into the air. Sarah was about to make a move, but recalling Cao Xing¡¯s command, she held back. At that moment, Cao Xing, without hesitation, pulled out the {Barrett}. When the Earth Cave Demon Spider leaped into the air, he fired a shot. Bang! [-804!] A large damage number floated up. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Slaying the Demon Spider, Big Explosion! Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Slaying the Demon Spider, Big Explosion! ¡°` Bang! A gunshot rang out. On the body of the Earth Cave Demon Spider, a bloody hole appeared instantly. ¡°Thud!¡± The Earth Cave Demon Spider fell down, struggled for a moment, and then collapsed completely. The system prompt appeared. [Successfully slew the Earth Cave Demon Spider, a level 20 Elite Level Creature, killed an enemy above one¡¯s level, gained 500*500% experience value, gained 2500 experience points!] [Combat personnel: Liu Muxue, Sarah Blade Dance, Andrew, Yilena, Assam gained experience: 1250 points] [Your level has increased, current level: Level 5.] [This upgrade resulted in: Power +2, Agility +1, Spirit +3, Constitution +2] A white light simultaneously rose from Cao Xing and Liu Muxue. They both leveled up! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Cao Xing exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Haha, I¡¯m the kill-stealer!¡± Then, a second system prompt appeared. [Successfully slew the Earth Cave Demon Spider, obtained loot Basic Power Heart *1] [Obtained Basic Elemental Crystal *12] [Obtained Basic Pet Contract *1] [Obtained Demon Spider Essence (Elite Level) *1] [Obtained Chaos Book ¡¤ Medium *3] [Obtained Demon Spider Staff (Blue)] A whole heap of rewards appeared. ¡°Wow, as expected of a level 20 elite monster, the drop rate is insanely high!¡± Not only that, but Sarah and Andrew and the others, after seeing the battle end, all looked at Cao Xing with eyes full of admiration. The Earth Cave Demon Spider was a powerful creature, yet they didn¡¯t suffer severe damage. The lost blood volume was almost replenished. [Due to your excellent command, you demonstrated outstanding combat capability.] [Assam¡¯s loyalty to you has increased, current loyalty: 100] (When loyalty reaches full value, the follower will prioritize your commands and be willing to sacrifice their life to complete your orders.) [Andrew¡¯s loyalty to you has increased, current loyalty: 80] [Sarah Blade Dance¡¯s loyalty to you has increased, current loyalty: 79] ¡­ Meanwhile, the survivors who were watching the leaderboard suddenly saw Cao Xing¡¯s experience value jump from level 4, 65%, directly to level 5, 30%. At this moment, the entire chat channel of area 174 fell into a stupor. ¡°Heavens¡­ what happened?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say Fang Long and Zhou Bo were about to surpass Cao Xing? How did he suddenly pull such a huge lead!¡± ¡°So terrifying! Such a huge increase in experience at once! What terrifying creature did Cao Xing kill?¡± At this moment, the survivors of the Three Heroes Association spoke one after another in the chat channel. ¡°Impossible! The leaderboard must have a bug!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, leveling up from 4 to 5 requires at least a few thousand points of experience. How could he possibly gain that much experience at once?¡± However, other survivors were beginning to find it hard to watch. ¡°You guys from the Three Heroes Association, stop being stubborn, you even claimed there¡¯s a problem with the leaderboard.¡± ¡°Exactly, the facts are right there, yet you refuse to acknowledge it.¡± Seeing more and more people standing by Cao Xing, the Three Heroes Association¡¯s comments were quickly drowned out. ¡­ In the Mole Man Mine. Liu Muxue came over with a joyful expression and spoke softly, ¡°Axing, I leveled up too!¡± ¡°The system also prompted that I¡¯ve entered the top ten of the leaderboard!¡± Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°Not bad, it seems that after this leaderboard concludes, we might get you into the top three.¡± He rubbed Liu Muxue¡¯s hair. This intimate gesture made Liu Muxue a bit shy. She softly replied with an ¡°Mm.¡± Then, Cao Xing began to examine the recently acquired rewards. Apart from the [Basic Power Heart] and [Basic Elemental Crystal], everything else was new. Cao Xing started examining. [Basic Pet Contract (Green): Can be used on a wild creature to make it your exclusive pet, with a success rate of 5%~20%] (Tip, you can try using force to tame it, greatly enhancing the success rate.) ¡­ [Chaos Book ¡¤ Medium: Contains medium-level rune power.] (Can be used on a follower to randomly increase their four-dimensional attribute points by 3.) ¡­ [Demon Spider Essence (Elite Level): Essence containing powerful Power of Soul] (Can be used on a follower below Second Order, greatly increasing the chance of evolving into an Elite Level Creature, with a success probability of 50%~80%) ¡­ Upon seeing the Demon Spider Essence, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Wow! This essence can actually evolve an ordinary creature into an elite creature!¡± Although there¡¯s a chance of failure, the success rate is obviously higher. Cao Xing glanced around, then his eyes rested on Assam. Assam was currently just a Second Order ordinary creature, but if he could evolve him to elite level, it would make him much stronger. So, Cao Xing called Assam over and directly handed him the [Demon Spider Essence]. ¡°Assam, use this, it will make you stronger.¡± Assam looked at the cluster of blue Ghost Fire in his hand without any hesitation and immediately absorbed it into his body. The next moment, Assam suddenly stiffened all over. He felt a powerful force roaming within his body, starting to transform his body! Then, everyone simultaneously sensed an extremely formidable aura rising from Assam. The system prompt appeared. [Your follower: ¡®Assam¡¯, used the Demon Spider Essence, successfully evolved into an Elite Level Creature, potential increased, all attributes increased by 30%, each level-up will yield more attribute boosts.] [Extra Skill Activated: Frost Sword Energy (Condense frost power, deliver a sword qi with a frozen effect, maximum attack distance 30 meters, inflicts 166% attack damage on all enemies in its path, cooldown time 60 seconds)] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. A new skill, and a ranged one too! This boost was truly fierce! Assam also sensed that after using that Ghost Fire, his strength had increased significantly! He looked at Cao Xing with excitement, directly knelt on one knee, and said respectfully, ¡°Thank you, Lord, for granting this power, Assam cannot repay you enough!¡± Cao Xing nodded and said, ¡°You deserve it, Knight Assam, from now on, you will help me build a territory filled with glory.¡± Assam was so moved that he was almost in tears, he choked up and said, ¡°To meet a lord like you is Assam¡¯s fortune!¡± Assam¡¯s loyalty already reached full value, so no further system prompts appeared. Cao Xing nodded satisfactorily, then checked Assam¡¯s attributes. [Frost Wolf Knight: Assam (Second Order Elite Level Creature)] [Race: Human Clan] [Level: Level 10 3635/10000] [Life Value: 2660] [Attack Power: 312~327] [Armor: 24~27] [Attributes: Power 148, Agility 140, Spirit 135, Constitution 133] [Skills: Riding Mastery, Frost Wolf Swordsmanship, Frost Sword Energy] [Hunger Level: 80] [Loyalty: 100] ¡­ Indeed, all attributes had increased significantly. Now he had three Second Order Elite Level Creatures under his command. Cao Xing looked at the items in his backpack and took out a [Basic Power Crystal]. This thing could be used by the lord or on summon creatures. Cao Xing pondered, ¡°With this leaderboard, Muxue and I should secure a top ten spot.¡± ¡°Therefore, this power crystal can be used to enhance the strength of a subordinate.¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Demon Spider Staff, Open the Silver Treasure Chest Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Demon Spider Staff, Open the Silver Treasure Chest ¡°` Cao Xing glanced at the Frost Wolf Winter beside him. It was also a level 10 creature, meeting the requirement for advancement. Once it advanced to the Second Order, all his recruited creatures, except for Yilena, would be Second Order! Hence, he handed the Heart of Power to Assam. ¡°Assam, go on, let your Winter advance. A powerful knight needs a powerful mount to fully exert his war power.¡± Upon hearing this, Assam shakily accepted the crimson crystal from Cao Xing¡¯s hand. He looked at Cao Xing gratefully and spoke no more. Instead, he turned and directly approached the Frost Wolf Winter. ¡°Winter, accept the power bestowed by the Lord!¡± ¡°Let us both swear to defend the Lord¡¯s honor to the death!¡± With these words, he tossed the Power Crystal forward. The Frost Wolf Winter seemed to understand, knowing this was something that could make it stronger. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï As Assam threw the crystal down, it opened its huge mouth and bit down. Crunch! The sound of the crystal shattering echoed, as powerful energy surged within it. Instantly, Winter¡¯s aura grew at a terrifying speed! Cao Xing observed as Winter¡¯s already robust limbs grew even thicker. Not only that, its body size also expanded rapidly! From the original length of three meters, it surged to nearly four meters. ¡°Roar!¡± A fearsome roar reverberated through the cave. The mere presence of this ferocious giant wolf exuded an overwhelming pressure! Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction once more. Then, it was time for the final reward, the [Demon Spider Staff (Blue)]. This item was the first piece of Blue Equipment that Cao Xing had gotten, and he was quite eager to see its attributes. [Demon Spider Staff (Blue)] [Quality: Fine] [Attack Power: 31~37] [Attached Effect ¢Ù: Spirit +10] [Attached Effect ¢Ú: Basic Magic Amplification (When casting a magic attack, there is a 40% chance to increase this attack¡¯s magic damage by 10%)] [Attached Effect ¢Û: Command Demon Spider (Summons 5 level 10 First-tier Demon Spiders to assist in battle, lasting for 60 seconds, effect cooldown time 300 seconds)] ¡­ After reading the equipment description, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. ¡°Is this the Blue Equipment? So strong!¡± Not only did it increase his spiritual power by 10 points but it also had a Demon Spider summoning effect. He immediately equipped it, significantly boosting his spiritual power. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. Then, he turned to Assam and the others and ordered, ¡°Search the cave, see if you can find any treasures.¡± Assam and the others began their search after receiving the order. A few minutes later, Sarah made a discovery in a corner of the cave. ¡°There¡¯s a treasure chest here.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xing¡¯s heart leapt with joy, and he walked over. In a corner of the cave, in an area covered by a spider web, indeed there was a white treasure box. ¡°Goodness, another Silver Treasure Chest,¡± Cao Xing rejoiced. After cutting through the web, a system prompt appeared. [Discovered an unlocked Silver Treasure Chest. Open it?] Cao Xing immediately clicked to open it. Clang! [Successfully opened the Silver Treasure Chest.] [Acquired Noble Backpack (Green) *1] [Acquired Iron Rail Construction Blueprint *1] [Acquired Medium Shelter Construction Blueprint *1] [Acquired Large Dry Food *12] [Acquired Medical Bag *3] ¡°Oh? Got a backpack? And an iron rail blueprint?¡± Cao Xing¡¯s eyes shone with excitement. ¡°Not bad at all. Now I can make more iron rails, connecting all the mines near the territory.¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, then examined the properties of the backpack and the other shelter blueprint. [Noble Backpack (Green)] [Backpack Capacity: 40 slots] [Attached Effect: Charm +4] (Note: Charm is a hidden attribute, not displayed on the panel.) ¡­ [Medium Shelter Construction Blueprint] [Land Area: 40 square meters] [Can Accommodate 6 people] [Additional Effect: Provides a life recovery effect to friendly units resting inside, restoring 0.5 Life Value per second.] [Construction Requirements: Stone *120, Wood *240, Iron *20, Basic-level Elemental Crystal *5] ¡­ [Iron Rail Construction Blueprint: Allows for crafting a section of iron rail at the Blacksmith Shop by consuming materials] [Length: 1 meter] [Required: Iron *8, Level 1 Blacksmith Shop] ¡­ A backpack and two blueprints were quite a good haul. Cao Xing was pleased and equipped the backpack. Then, he looked at the Silver Treasure Chest on the ground again. [Would you like to dismantle the opened Silver Treasure Chest *1?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Dismantling successful, acquired Mithril *10] By this point, almost everything inside the Earth Cave Demon Spider had been looted by Cao Xing. At this moment, Cao Xing¡¯s gaze shifted to the giant cocoons entwined in spider webs above. He suddenly thought, ¡°Muxue, do you think there might be treasures inside these cocoons?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Liu Muxue looked somewhat puzzled. Cao Xing pondered for a moment and directly said, ¡°Assam, help me knock down these cocoons.¡± Assam followed the order, slashing with a Frost Sword Energy. Whoosh! A white cocoon thudded to the ground. Cao Xing approached the cocoon and then glanced at the Druid beside him, saying, ¡°Andrew, help me peel open the cocoon.¡± Andrew hesitated, ¡°Lord, this is desecrating the bodies of the dead¡­¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s your order, I will comply.¡± It swung its sharp claws, and with two swipes, the cocoon was peeled open. Inside, a pale human face was revealed. ¡°A human?¡± Seeing this scene, everyone was quite surprised. Cao Xing bent down and examined the body, discovering an emblem with petals and a longsword, as well as some coins. [Acquired Cartel Family Crest *1] [Acquired Coins *72] Cao Xing checked the attributes of the crest. [Cartel Family Crest (Accessory)] [Quality: Ordinary] [Equipment Effect: Power +1, Agility +1] Cao Xing nodded, though the attribute increase was little, it was an accessory that didn¡¯t occupy an equipment slot, which was better than nothing. Then, Cao Xing knocked down the other cocoons. Inside, he found many bodies, both Mole Men and humans. From these bodies, Cao Xing retrieved a total of 17 iron ingots, 452 coins, 6 Basic-level Elemental Crystals, and 11 crests. The haul was quite decent. At this moment, Cao Xing looked at the Druid with a guilty expression beside him. ¡°Andrew, this is not desecrating the dead; it is allowing them to return to the earth.¡± ¡°Only by rescuing them can the souls of the deceased be freed.¡± ¡°Now, bury their bodies in the land you cherish most.¡± Cao Xing¡¯s tone was very solemn, as if it were the truth. Hearing this, Andrew¡¯s furrowed brow smoothed out instantly. He placed one hand on his chest and respectfully saluted, ¡°So this is the Lord¡¯s intention; forgive my ignorance, Andrew misunderstood you!¡± The system prompt appeared. [Your actions have moved Andrew, Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty is 88] Cao Xing nodded, secretly pleased. These guys really appreciated hearing these diplomatic words. Then, they spent about ten minutes dealing with these corpses. Seeing that there was no other place to search in the cave, Cao Xing commanded, ¡°Head back the way we came, to the other passage.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± The four powerful Second Order creatures obeyed Cao Xing¡¯s instruction and began returning the way they came. Thud, thud, thud! The advanced Frost Wolf¡¯s steps were heavy and imposing. Its hefty footsteps echoed throughout the mine. Soon, they returned to the original fork in the path. This time, they were headed for the left passage. As before, the four recruited creatures led the way. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue followed behind, picking up iron rails and scattered ores from the ground. [Iron Rail +1] [Iron Rail +1] [Magic Energy Stone +3] ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Magic Energy Crystal and Ground Drilling Robot Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Magic Energy Crystal and Ground Drilling Robot ¡°` [Iron Rail +1] [Magic Energy Stone +3] [Magic Energy Crystal +1] System prompts kept appearing. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue were behind, happily collecting these precious minerals. With the new backpack, Cao Xing no longer worried about backpack capacity. They didn¡¯t even spare the stones on the ground, picking up everything they could. ¡°Axing, there are a few Magic Energy Crystals here that can be broken down into 5 Magic Energy Stones.¡± Liu Muxue said happily, holding two crystals in her hand. Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Magic Energy Crystals, good stuff, Muxue, keep them.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Liu Muxue agreed with a gentle smile. While moving forward, Cao Xing raised his Magic Wand, refreshing the effects of [Frost Armor] and [Ice Healing Skill] for them. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? After advancing about a hundred meters. They encountered another group of Mole Man Miners. ¡°Squeak! Squeak!¡± There were about fifteen of these Mole Men, making threatening noises. Among them, Cao Xing also saw a few Mole Men wielding Iron Swords and Spears. [Mole Man Soldier lv9] [Life Value: 960] [Attack Power: 67~71] ¡­ [Mole Man Spearman lv10] [Life Value: 1040] [Attack Power: 76~79] ¡­ Some of these Mole Men had significantly leveled up and even learned some basic combat skills. This time, without needing Cao Xing¡¯s orders, all four mighty recruited creatures charged forward. ¡°Thud! Thud-thud!¡± Frost Wolf Winter took the lead, its burly limbs running through the mine, directly knocking the Mole Men flying! Then, it opened its huge maw, suddenly biting down on one of the Mole Men. [-273] Blood spurted. ¡°Squeak! Squeak!¡± The Mole Man screamed miserably, struggling frantically, but was soon bitten through and killed. The attacks from other Mole Men hit the Frost Wolf, immediately triggering a layer of Scale Armor and Frost Armor. [-34] [-27] [-15] Several pitiful damage numbers floated up before they could attack again. Green numbers of +22, +22 appeared above the Frost Wolf¡¯s head. In just a few seconds, its Blood Volume was fully restored. Cao Xing¡¯s spiritual power increased after, significantly boosting the healing amount of [Ice Healing Skill]. This scene almost made the Mole Men despair. Then Assam and Andrew launched their attacks. [-437] [-8] [-312] [-8] [-784] [-8] One by one, damage numbers floated up. Assam and their power was simply overwhelming for these Mole Man Miners. Plus, Sarah was secretly wielding the Shadow Blade. Cutting through like slicing vegetables, the Mole Men fell one after another. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue leisurely collected the loot behind. [Iron Rail +1] [Dry Food +7] [Sticky Liquid +1] ¡­ It had to be said, this kind of battle was quite relaxing. No need to lift a finger, just follow behind picking stuff up. And you could earn experience points. [Your territory member Sarah Blade Dance killed Mole Man lv7, gaining 70 experience points] [You received half of the experience points: 35] [Your territory member¡­] Experience point notifications kept appearing. Shortly, Cao Xing¡¯s experience bar reached 33% of level 5. And Liu Muxue¡¯s experience also reached 34% of level 4. Both of their eyes revealed delight. At this moment, Liu Muxue¡¯s expression turned complex. She knew how difficult it was for the survivors to fight now, facing the risk of death when encountering wild creatures. Even the top ten on the leaderboard, like Fang Long and Zhou Bo, faced the risk of death in battle. But Cao Xing¡¯s fights were absurdly relaxed. A few minutes later, the battle ended. Cao Xing collected a large number of Mining Pickaxes from the Mole Men. And some [Iron Ingot] and [Sticky Liquid]. Plus four [Chaos Book ¡¤ Weak]. The haul was rather good. Cao Xing said satisfactorily, ¡°Keep moving forward.¡± Thud! Thud! Frost Wolf Winter walked at the front with a majestic demeanor. They traveled forward about another 500 meters, with Cao Xing picking up a significant number of Iron Rails. The mine tunnel ahead became much more spacious. At this moment, a monster nearly two meters tall, covered in iron plates, with a head like a large drill, blocked their path. Seeing this figure, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Mechanical monster?¡± The opponent¡¯s attributes appeared before him. [Mole Man Technology: Ground Drilling Robot] [Level: 15] [Attack Power: 237~250] [Armor: 115~124] [Durability Value: 2000] [Skill: Drilling Form (Activate the drill, switch to drilling form, move speed increases by 30%, causing multiple cutting damage to enemies along the way.) Drill Ejection (Eject the head¡¯s drill, dealing 5 segments of 80% attack, maximum attack distance 50 meters, and inflicting 3 layers of level 1 Bleeding Effect, can only be used once)] ¡­ This Ground Drilling Robot had no Life Value; reducing its Durability Value to zero meant losing combat ability. At this moment, the Ground Drilling Robot saw Cao Xing and the others, letting out a halting mechanical voice. ¡°Have¡­ enemies¡­ need¡­ to eliminate¡­¡± Then, it lowered its body. From its original upright form, it transformed into a vehicle form. Just like a car transforming. The drill on its head activated instantly, buzzing frantically. Getting grazed by this drill slightly would result in severe injury. At this moment, the Ground Drilling Robot charged towards them. Cao Xing ordered directly, ¡°Go, take it down.¡± The four recruited creatures charged forward simultaneously at the command. ¡°Roar!¡± The advanced Frost Wolf took the lead. It swiped its paw down directly. [-31] A black damage number floated up. The damage didn¡¯t seem high, but it was due to the high Armor Value of such mechanical creations. The Ground Drilling Robot turned its head and charged towards Frost Wolf Winter, receiving the attack. ¡°Buzz! Buzz-buzz!¡± The drill spun rapidly, the attack tearing a large area of fur and flesh from the Frost Wolf. ¡°Awoo!¡± Frost Wolf cried out in pain. Damage numbers appeared on its head. [-131] [-15] [-144] [-15] Seeing this, Cao Xing exclaimed, ¡°Wow, this thing¡¯s Attack Power is that high?¡± Even the Frost Wolf almost got knocked away. And just then. A snow-white figure suddenly leaped up and slapped the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s shell. Crack! [-95] Andrew¡¯s attack was quite impressive, taking out nearly a twentieth of the Durability. Moreover, a bear claw mark appeared on the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s head, drastically decreasing its defensive power. At this point, Assam and Sarah arrived as well. The four formidable creatures began surrounding and attacking this Ground Drilling Robot. ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°Clang!¡± Assam¡¯s Longsword, Andrew¡¯s Sharp Claws, and Sarah¡¯s Shadow Blade continually struck this Ground Drilling Robot. [-102] [-8] [-156] [-8] [-454!] [-8] Sarah¡¯s attack, as usual, was fierce. With one strike, after triggering [Blessed Relief], it could take nearly a quarter of the robot¡¯s Durability. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Repair Successful, Territory Population +1 Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Repair Successful, Territory Population +1 ¡°` The concentrated attack from everyone reduced the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s durability by a third. At the same time, Frost Wolf Winter, upon being attacked, had green recovery numbers of +22 appearing above its head. Its blood volume rapidly recovered. The outcome of the battle was no longer in suspense. After a few more seconds, as a puff of black smoke rose from the Ground Drilling Robot, it reverted from Drilling Form to its upright form, uttering in a dejected voice. ¡°The robot¡­ defeated¡­¡± [Your territory member: Sarah Blade Dance has killed Ground Drilling Robot lv15, gaining 150 Experience Value] [All combat personnel received 75 Experience Value¡­] This combat personnel included not only everyone on the field but also Yilena back in the territory. Cao Xing chuckled again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Feels like Yilena should have leveled up to 6 by now, right?¡± Liu Muxue, witnessing Sarah¡¯s graceful attack moves and formidable attack power, couldn¡¯t help but praise her. ¡°Sarah¡­ so amazing!¡± Sarah nodded slightly upon hearing Liu Muxue¡¯s praise, saying, ¡°Honored to be recognized by you, beautiful Lord.¡± Cao Xing rolled his eyes. This woman never reacted when he praised her. When Liu Muxue praised her, she¡¯d be so happy. Shaking his head, Cao Xing approached the now-defunct Ground Drilling Robot. [Mole Man Technology: Ground Drilling Robot (destroyed)] [Can be decomposed into Basic Energy Core*1, Iron*120, copper*41, Mithril*27, Magic Energy Stone*6] [Or repair it using Iron*100, Mithril*10, Magic Energy Stone*5, after which the Ground Drilling Robot will become an ally unit, and you can issue simple commands.] Seeing the second effect, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Huh? It can become an ally unit?¡± Cao Xing had already witnessed the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s formidable attack power; in a one-on-one state, Frost Wolf was no match for it. Plus, this thing could be used for mining too, a multifunctional robot indeed. Cao Xing glanced at the materials in his backpack. [Iron*1723] [Mithril*133] [Magic Energy Stone*164] ¡°Good thing, I picked up quite a bit of materials on the way; more than enough to repair the Ground Drilling Robot.¡± He then directly clicked on repair. [Repairing¡­] ¡°Creaaak! Creaaak!¡± The sound of machinery turning emerged. Simultaneously, the scrapped robot seemed to come back to life again. The parts that had been attacked, its iron casing hacked open, exposing electrical components inside. With the application of various materials, it quickly repaired itself and soon returned to its original state. A system prompt appeared. [Repair successful, you lost Iron*100, Mithril*10, Magic Energy Stone*5, you gained Ground Drilling Robot*1, territory population +1] Cao Xing was taken aback, ¡°This thing counts as a population unit too?¡± After contemplating, he didn¡¯t mind. He still had plenty of population cap available. At this moment, the Ground Drilling Robot stood up again. ¡°I am¡­ a robot¡­¡± ¡°Master¡­ please command¡­¡± Witnessing this, Sarah, Andrew, and the others cast curious glances. It seemed strange how the guy they just took down was back on his feet. Cao Xing took a look at the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s status. [Mole Man Technology: Ground Drilling Robot] [Level: Lv15] [Attack Power: 237~250] [Armor: 115~124] [Durability Value: 100/2000] [Maximum Movement Speed: 30 km/h] [Energy Consumption: 1 Magic Energy Stone/30 days (low-energy standby state), 1 Magic Energy Stone/1 day (high-energy combat state)] [Skills: Drilling Form, Drill Ejection] Other attributes were the same as previously seen. And now that it was an ally unit, Cao Xing could see its energy consumption and movement values. ¡°In low-energy mode, it consumes only 1 Magic Energy Stone a month; that energy consumption is quite low.¡± Furthermore, the recently repaired Ground Drilling Robot had poor durability value. Just as Cao Xing was about to restore its durability value, he suddenly sensed a dangerous aura approaching rapidly. Assam, highly perceptive, instantly drew his longsword, warning, ¡°Lord, be careful!¡± Simultaneously, many pairs of glowing red eyes suddenly appeared in the darkness. Thump¡­ thump¡­ Buzz! Buzz buzz! Hundreds of footsteps, along with the sound of machinery, rushed toward Cao Xing and the others. Andrew and Sarah¡¯s expressions tensed as they entered combat mode. When Cao Xing locked eyes on them, a large group of Mole Men appeared wielding daggers, spears, swords, and halberds, numerous in number. Among them were several robots two to three meters in height. Cao Xing¡¯s gaze swept over the monsters¡¯ attributes. [Mole Man Archer lv11] [Life Value: 1760] [Attack Power: 133~135] ¡­ [Mole Man Soldier lv7] [Life Value: 640] [Attack Power: 54~59] ¡­ [Mole Man Technology: Shovel Loader Robot] [Level: Lv15] [Attack Power: 377~394] [Armor: 134~139] [Durability Value: 2500] [Skill: Shovel Form (Activates the bucket, enters excavator form, increasing move speed by 20%)] [Skill: Bulldozer (Full power forward, flattening all enemies before it, dealing 130% Heavy Strike damage to enemies along the way, with a 50% chance to knock enemies back.)] ¡­ Besides this Shovel Loader Robot, Cao Xing also noticed a Track Robot with tank treads and another Ground Drilling Robot. ¡°Wow¡­ this stirred the hornet¡¯s nest?¡± Cao Xing could not help but exclaim. Hundreds of Mole Men surrounded them, plus three powerful robots. Even Cao Xing felt pressured. However, considering the prowess of Sarah and the others, Cao Xing felt reassured. His recruited creatures were no pushover. With multiple buffs enhancing them, their survival and endurance capabilities received a substantial boost. It was more than enough to handle the current situation. Thus, Cao Xing directly commanded, ¡°Assam, come protect us!¡± ¡°Andrew, Sarah, Winter, you go!¡± At that moment, the three powerful Second Order creatures obeyed the command, rushing forward without hesitation. Sarah faced the formation, feeling not fear but excitement. She licked her rosy lips, murmuring, ¡°My prey is near, now, let the hunt begin!¡± The next moment, she melded into the darkness. Meanwhile, Andrew unhesitatingly entered [Giant Bear Form]. ¡°Roar!!¡± A Frost Wolf, a Polar Bear, and a shadow swiftly charged into the Mole Man army to attack. The two sides clashed head-on. ¡°Boom! Boom!¡± Andrew and the Frost Wolf, these two gigantic figures, leaped into the Mole Man horde, swinging sharp claws. [-372] [-8] [-234] [-8] [257] [-8] A series of damage numbers floated up. Mole Men were swatted away in large numbers. ¡°Squeak! Squeak!¡± They were slammed against the walls of the mine, uttering screams. And just then, a few Second Order Mole Man Archers at a distance simultaneously launched attacks, ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± The sound of arrows cutting through the air repeatedly hit Andrew and Frost Wolf, triggering two layers of armor. [-54] [-93] The damage wasn¡¯t too high. Other Mole Men could only inflict damage in the tens and twenties. Seeing this, Cao Xing¡¯s heart settled. With their recovery abilities, they could survive under this siege. ¡°Roar!¡± Andrew entered a complete frenzy state at that moment. He swung his massive bear paws, smashing the heads of low-level Mole Men with each hit. ¡°Thud! Thud! Thud!¡± The Frost Wolf, though not as terrifying, could take down a Mole Man with two or three claw swipes. Moreover, Sarah in the shadows continuously wielded the Shadow Blade. Mole Men dropped one by one. Experience prompts kept appearing. Meanwhile, Assam dutifully guarded by Cao Xing, ensuring his and Liu Muxue¡¯s safety. Cao Xing breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thankfully, Andrew and the others are strong enough.¡± ¡°The sudden appearance of so many Mole Men sure did give me a scare.¡± Cao Xing noticed the recently repaired Ground Drilling Robot, left with only 100 durability, which is why he hadn¡¯t let it join the battle. He tried casting Ice Healing Skill on it. A system prompt appeared. [Ice Healing Skill successfully cast, Talent [Eternal Power] activated, the skill has become a permanent state.] ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Both Enter the Rankings Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Both Enter the Rankings +22, +22. One after another, the recovery numbers floated up, and the Ground Drilling Robot¡¯s durability value quickly recovered. Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Wow, it really works!¡± Then, he cast an Ice Armor Skill on the robot, and Liu Muxue also applied an Aurora Blessing. In no time, the Ground Drilling Robot announced that it was fully revitalized. At this moment, it emitted a mechanical voice. ¡°I feel¡­ in great condition¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Good, good, good!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve recovered, go join the battle!¡± ¡°Understood¡­ Master¡­¡± Following Cao Xing¡¯s command, the robot stepped forward with its iron gait, joining the fray. Buzz buzz buzz! The robot¡¯s drill started spinning, and the Ground Drilling Robot charged into the Mole Men, sending them flying one by one. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï [-254] [-233] [-213] [-247] The declining damage numbers floated up, causing waves of Mole Men to scream in agony! ¡°Squeak! Squeak squeak!¡± Cao Xing¡¯s gaze returned to the battlefield. On the field, the three robots had the highest attack power. Their formidable defense and attack power made them as difficult as elite monsters of the same level. Alone, Andrew and Frost Wolf might not fear them. But now, with so many Mole Men attacking from the sides. They fought while dodging to reposition themselves. ¡°Squeak! Squeak!¡± Nearby Mole Men warriors kept cutting at Andrew and Frost Wolf with their weapons. [-37] [-63] [-54] The dual weakening effect of the Scale Armor plus the Frost Armor, along with their own defensive power, made the damage caused by these Mole Men negligible. And soon, +22, +22 healing numbers began to appear over Frost Wolf Winter and Andrew¡¯s heads. Nearly three minutes went by in the battle, and their blood volume had dropped by less than 30%. Meanwhile, Sarah also continuously appeared from the shadows, attacking those three robots. She knew that as long as they took out the robots first, the remaining Mole Men wouldn¡¯t pose a threat. ¡°Snap!¡± The Shadow Blade swung. [-674!] An exaggerated damage number floated up. This strike triggered the double critical effect of Blessed Relief. The last Track Robot was blown up on the spot by Sarah. Watching this scene, Cao Xing felt at ease. ¡°Haha! Let me show you what an infinitely healing Phantom Assassin is!¡± ¡°Sarah, cut them down!¡± Meanwhile, a few Mole Men also noticed Cao Xing behind them, seemingly understanding he was the mastermind. One Mole Man captain with a hat pointed at Cao Xing. ¡°Kill him!¡± The other Mole Men, hearing this, all turned their gazes toward him. ¡°Squeak! Squeak!¡± They rushed towards Cao Xing with spears and iron swords. Assam, serving as a guard, immediately moved. ¡°You gloomy creatures, do not offend the Lord!¡± A cold light flashed as he wielded the Frost Wolf Swordsmanship. ¡°Swish swish swish!¡± [-322] [-335] [-493!] The Mole Men fell one by one to Assam¡¯s sword. After advancing to an elite creature, Assam was truly invincible! [Your territory member: Assam killed a Mole Man Soldier lv11, gaining 110 experience points] [You gained experience points: 55] [Your territory member: Sarah Blade Dance killed a Mole Man Soldier lv13, gaining 130 experience points] [You gained experience points: 65] ¡­ The experience gain notifications kept coming. There were over a hundred Mole Men here. Cao Xing practically watched his experience bar soaring rapidly. He saw it had already reached 86% of level 5! At this moment, Liu Muxue remained on high alert nearby. Since the start of battle, she had vigilantly guarded Cao Xing¡¯s surroundings. Cao Xing patted Liu Muxue¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Alright, you can relax a bit now.¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s shoulder trembled, then she turned her head and gently exhaled. Suddenly, Liu Muxue was enveloped in white light. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she excitedly said, ¡°Axing! I leveled up to 5!¡± Cao Xing laughed, ¡°Not bad, it looks like you have a chance to break into the top three.¡± He checked the level ranking list. [Zone 174 Level Ranking List] [First: Cao Xing (Level 5 86%)] [Second: Liu Muxue (Level 5 2%)] [Third: Zhou Bo (Level 4 43%)] [Fourth: Fang Long (Level 4 21%)] ¡­ Liu Muxue leaped to second place! Meanwhile, Zone 174¡¯s chat channel was in an uproar. Lv Jing: ¡°Wow! Big shot Cao Xing is terrifying, leveling up like he¡¯s on steroids.¡± Chen Yu: ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too ridiculous! It hasn¡¯t been long, and he¡¯s almost level 6!¡± Ying Kewei: ¡°Who is this Liu Muxue? She suddenly overtook Zhou Bo and Fang Long and jumped to second place!¡± Huang Shanhe: ¡°Our Zone 174 truly has hidden talents. Another hidden expert emerged, and by the name, it seems to be a girl.¡± The survivors sighed with emotion. At this time, a survivor named Chen Ye said, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t you think Liu Muxue sounds a bit familiar?¡± Hearing this, other survivors grew contemplative. ¡°Indeed, sounds familiar. I remember, on our Xiangjiang fashion magazine, among the top ten goddesses, one was named Liu Muxue.¡± ¡°No way! Could it really be Goddess Muxue?¡± Zhuo Baosheng: ¡°I think it¡¯s possible. Apart from Goddess Liu Muxue, who else has such strength?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Turns out it¡¯s Goddess Liu Muxue, this is not surprising!¡± ¡­ At the same time, other survivors also noticed the ranking changes. On a snowy field, Fang Long had just killed a snow wolf. After receiving the news, his expression changed. ¡°That kid is already close to level 6?¡± ¡°And Liu Muxue also leveled up to 5?¡± Fang Long¡¯s expression turned ashen. He initially intended to catch up to Cao Xing today, but now it seems the gap is widening. This gave him a sense of pressure. ¡°At this rate, he¡¯s really going to take first place.¡± ¡°Then, by using the first-place reward to summon a leader-level creature, he would surely be unmatched.¡± ¡°I have to think of something.¡± Fang Long opened his friend list and found a survivor named Ji Jun, sending a message. ¡°About finding that kid¡¯s camp coordinates, how¡¯s it going?¡± The reply came quickly, ¡°Boss, right now no one can venture too far from their camp, and no one has spotted that kid, it¡¯s tough to track¡­¡± ¡°Useless.¡± Fang Long cursed and cut off the communication. But he also knew that at this stage, finding someone¡¯s camp coordinates without them revealing it voluntarily was a difficult task. Fang Long fell deep into thought. After a while, he suddenly thought of something. ¡°I remember Muxue seemed to be with that kid.¡± ¡°And Liu Muxue¡¯s family contacted me yesterday.¡± ¡°I wonder if I can use her family to find their camp coordinates?¡± Fang Long¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Seems promising!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that Liu Muxue has been closely monitored by her family since childhood, needing to report all her whereabouts, and she listens to her parents.¡± ¡°And Liu Zhenjie, being a profit-driven guy, can be bribed with a few more pieces of food.¡± With that thought, a sly smile appeared on Fang Long¡¯s face. So, he opened his friend list. Then, he dialed Liu Zhenjie¡¯s number¡­ ¡­ Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Inquiring About the Camp Coordinates Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Inquiring About the Camp Coordinates At this moment, the battle in the Mole Man Mine had reached its end. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue stayed behind Assam, launching attacks with ease. Three forty-centimeter-long ice cones condensed and shot out rapidly. Thud, thud, thud! [-84] [-87] [-85] One of the Level 10 Mole Men was targeted by Cao Xing and died instantly. [Successfully killed Mole Man lv10, gaining 100 Experience Points.] Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Not bad.¡± After switching to the Demon Spider Cane, his Attack Power had obviously changed. In comparison to Cao Xing, Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Sarah was even more terrifying. Realizing that the attacks of these Mole Men couldn¡¯t cause her effective Damage, Sarah directly gave up on Stealth and began a frontal massacre. The Shadow Blade swung continuously, like a Death God harvesting lives on the battlefield. [-792] [-847] [-1657!] One exaggerated Damage number after another floated up. These Mole Men fell one by one, like chopping melons and vegetables. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue practically watched Sarah¡¯s performance the whole time. At this moment, Liu Muxue suddenly received a video call request. It was from her father. Liu Muxue looked at Cao Xing and asked softly, ¡°Axing, my dad is calling again, leaving a message saying it¡¯s urgent. Should I answer?¡± Now, she trusted Cao Xing completely over her family. Cao Xing pondered for a moment, puzzled about why Liu Muxue¡¯s father would call at this time. Could it be that he saw Liu Muxue on the leaderboard and wanted some benefits? Cao Xing thought for a second and then said, ¡°Answer it and see what he wants.¡± ¡°However, just pretend I¡¯m not here when you talk to him.¡± Liu Muxue nodded. Then, she answered the phone. At that instant, Liu Zhenjie, looking at the video screen, spoke excitedly, ¡°Little Xue, you finally answered the phone!¡± ¡°You child, we sent you so many messages with no response. What do you intend to do?¡± Upon hearing the latter sentence, Liu Muxue¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± These past few days had gradually strengthened her, no longer the Liu Muxue controlled by her family. Hearing Liu Muxue¡¯s tone, Liu Zhenjie seemed to realize something was off. His recently displayed anger quickly subsided, and he put on a smiling face, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much.¡± ¡°I just wanted to ask how things are going for you there. I saw you¡¯re on the leaderboard, truly impressive!¡± ¡°Your mom and your brother are so proud of you!¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Muxue felt a chill inside. She knew the hypocrisy in Liu Zhenjie¡¯s words. Claiming they were proud of her, she had never felt her family was proud during her rise to fame. They merely treated her as a tool for making money. She replied coldly, ¡°Say what you have to say directly, if it¡¯s for food, I don¡¯t have any here.¡± Hearing this, Liu Zhenjie¡¯s smile froze, seemingly surprised by her tough attitude. But he still wore a smile as he spoke. ¡°Little Xue, Daddy doesn¡¯t want food.¡± ¡°I just wanted to ask where your camp is located.¡± ¡°These past few days, your mom and I have reflected a lot and truly regret being too harsh on you before.¡± ¡°I want to come see you with your two brothers after the novice protection period is over.¡± Liu Zhenjie spoke with deep emotion, seemingly genuinely remorseful. However, Liu Muxue was a smart woman. Hearing this, she didn¡¯t feel joy from her family¡¯s remorse, but rather sensed something was off. She turned off the video and audio, then turned her head and asked. ¡°Axing¡­ my dad suddenly asked me for the coordinate location. I feel something¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°With their temperament, it¡¯s impossible for them to suddenly feel guilty towards me.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xing was momentarily stunned, puzzled, ¡°He wants our coordinate location?¡± Liu Muxue nodded. Cao Xing fell into deep thought, also sensing something strange. After all, at this stage, Survivors found it difficult to even leave the ten-kilometer range of the camp and wouldn¡¯t think of searching for other Survivor bases. Moreover, with the cautious nature of Liu Muxue¡¯s father and her mother, they wouldn¡¯t take this risk. Something was wrong here. So it meant someone else made Liu Zhenjie come to ask. ¡°Interesting, thinking to use Muxue¡¯s family to extract the coordinates of my camp, these guys do have some ideas.¡± As for who instructed it, Cao Xing knew clearly. It was nothing more than those on the leaderboard wanting to compete with him for first place. Obviously, Fang Long was the biggest suspect. After all, he had offended him before. Cao Xing displayed an intrigued smile and said, ¡°Muxue, give him a coordinate location, 71231, 5213, 23719.¡± Liu Muxue was a bit puzzled because this coordinate was not where their camp was, but hundreds of kilometers away. What she didn¡¯t know was that this coordinate was the location of a large Hunter gathering ground. There was a group of crazed Hunters planning a terrifying massacre there. If they didn¡¯t go, it was fine, but if they did, they¡¯d have a hard time. They might end up like Tong Chuchu¡¯s father, offered up as a sacrifice. Cao Xing added, ¡°By the way, remind your father that, at this stage, he has no way to cross several hundred kilometers of snow. It¡¯s best if he doesn¡¯t come looking for us.¡± This was also Cao Xing¡¯s final warning to him. Liu Muxue nodded slightly, ¡°I understand, Axing.¡± Liu Muxue reopened the video. Then she told Liu Zhenjie the coordinate position. Upon seeing the coordinate information, Liu Zhenjie doubted nothing and appeared very pleased. He replied excitedly, ¡°Good, good, good, Little Xue, you truly are our good daughter.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll bring people to find you in a while.¡± After saying that, he ended the call. Liu Muxue glanced at Cao Xing. Cao Xing nodded. After this small interlude, the battle ahead was also over. Cao Xing glanced at his Experience Value. Level 5, 90%. Just a bit more to reach Level 6! On the field, heaps of Mole Man corpses lay on the ground. Only four strong Second Order creatures remained, plus one Drill Robot standing still. Cao Xing said, ¡°Start clearing the battlefield!¡± Liu Muxue laughed as well, beginning to collect the spoils of war with Cao Xing. [Acquired Dry Food*7] [Acquired Viscous Liquid*1] [Acquired Iron Ingot*1] [Acquired Mole Man Standard Short Sword (White)*1] [Acquired Mole Man Standard Spear (White)*1] ¡­ System prompts appeared continually. It took about ten minutes. They cleared the battlefield. A cumulative gain of. [Dry Food*372] [Viscous Liquid*79] [Chaos Book ¡¤ Weak*5] [Iron Ingot*43] And more than 40 various basic weapons. Besides, Cao Xing noticed three smoking robots standing quietly nearby. [Mole Man Technology: Shovel Robot (Damaged)] [Mole Man Technology: Track Robot (Damaged)] [Mole Man Technology: Ground Drilling Robot (Damaged)] ¡­ Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Lone Mammoth (Third Update, Please Continue) Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Lone Mammoth (Third Update, Please Continue) ¡°` There were a total of three robots, all of which could be repaired. Cao Xing directly spent a large amount of materials and clicked on repair. The system prompt appeared. [Repairing¡­] ¡°Chug! Chug!¡± The three severely damaged robots quickly restored their damaged parts, including the electronic components inside. [Repair successful, you have obtained Shovel Robot lv15*1, Track Robot lv15*1, Ground Drilling Robot lv15*1, Territory Population +3] The three robots emitted a mechanical synthesized voice and looked at Cao Xing, saying, ¡°Master¡­ please command¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. These robots all had strength comparable to same-level elite monsters, coupled with Cao Xing¡¯s talent, they became a qualitative change. They also significantly increased his combat power. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Then, he ordered, ¡°Continue forward.¡± The four robots, plus four second-order beings, marched forward in grandeur. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue continued to follow behind. Because the Mole Men in this mine tunnel had been wiped out by Cao Xing, he had almost nothing to fear. He picked up everything he saw along the way. [Obtained Minecart*1, Iron Ore*67, Curse Metal*12, Secret Silver Ore*5, Magic Energy Stone*23, Stone*112¡­] [Obtained Iron Rail*42, obtained Magic Energy Crystal*1,.] [Obtained¡­] With a collection all along the way, it was a bountiful harvest. Looking at the materials in his backpack, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes flashed with excitement. [Minecart*27] [Iron Rail*1334] [Iron Ore*1023] [Curse Metal*357] [Secret Silver Ore*135] [Magic Energy Stone*274] These were the spoils from entering the mine tunnel this time, it was indeed a bountiful harvest! Cao Xing said excitedly, ¡°Over a thousand meters of iron rail, that¡¯s more than enough to lay near the camp¡¯s mine tunnel.¡± However, Cao Xing found something strange. Since this was a mine tunnel, and the Mole Men had evidently been working here for some time, then where had they put the ore they had mined before? Cao Xing then said to Andrew and the others ahead, ¡°Pay attention and see if there are any forks in this mine tunnel, and look for the Mole Men¡¯s ore warehouse.¡± Upon hearing this, Assam and Andrew began to look around. As they explored, they continued to advance deeper into the mine tunnel. Soon, they saw a light ahead. Through the light, they found that it was also a mine tunnel entrance. It showed that they had already traversed this deep mine tunnel. Assam, who was at the front, said, ¡°Lord, I found many track marks at the mine tunnel entrance.¡± ¡°The Mole Men might have transported the mined ore through this passage.¡± Cao Xing paused for a moment, looking at the tracks extending into the depths of the snowfield. It was clear that the Mole Men¡¯s convoy had already left some time ago, and they had come too late. Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s head back.¡± This time, their haul was already sizeable, as they acquired not only a large amount of ore but also a substantial amount of experience. The team also added four powerful robots. Most importantly, these four robots had strong mobility in the snow. Especially the giant Track Robot. Its three-meter height and large tracks could adapt to many terrains. Cao Xing pondered, ¡°With this kind of robot, carrying two people through the snow shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± With that thought, Cao Xing climbed onto the back of the Track Robot, found a flat spot, and sat down. He then patted its shoulder and said, ¡°Move out!¡± Upon receiving the command, the Track Robot¡¯s tracks began to rotate rapidly. ¡°Crunch! Crunch!¡± Two tracks about fifty centimeters wide were left in the snow ahead. The Track Robot sped forward, and Cao Xing felt the wind whistling past his ears, surprised and delighted. ¡°So fast! The Track Robot¡¯s mobility is beyond my expectations!¡± Cao Xing continued, ¡°Track Robot, full speed ahead!¡± The Track Robot responded with a mechanical sound, ¡°Acknowledged¡­ Master¡­¡± Zoom! Its Energy Core began to rotate quickly, switching to high-energy mode. At this moment, the Track Robot¡¯s move speed increased again, directly reaching a speed of 30 kilometers per hour! Remember, this was on snow. A speed of 30 kilometers per hour was already quite astonishing. ¡°Wuhu! So fast!¡± Cao Xing, thrilled, watched as the scenery around him rapidly receded. Andrew and the others at the mine entrance looked at Cao Xing riding on the Track Robot in the snowy field, exchanging glances with each other. After making a few turns, Cao Xing maneuvered the Track Robot back again. Then he looked at Liu Muxue standing beside and said, ¡°Muxue, hop on.¡± Cao Xing commanded the Track Robot to extend an arm, in an inviting gesture. Liu Muxue, her eyes filled with curiosity, stepped onto the mechanical hand, then was steadily lifted as her view began to rise. Soon, she was seated beside Cao Xing. Cao Xing asked, ¡°Are you sitting firmly?¡± Liu Muxue nodded gently, ¡°Yes.¡± Cao Xing said, ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go, return trip!¡± Andrew and Assam received the command and began moving across the vast snowy land. Four robots followed closely behind. Thud! Thud thud! The advance of the eight figures was swift. With the robots, their mobility had significantly increased. This place was seven kilometers from the camp, which previously took over an hour to reach. But now, at this speed, it would only take a little over ten minutes to return to the camp. It was a considerable improvement. Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª The cold wind blew past the ears. The Track Robot advanced swiftly and steadily. But there might still be some hidden obstacles like loose stones or branches beneath the snow. Although these would be crushed by the tracks, they still caused some bumps. Liu Muxue, somewhat nervous, instinctively grabbed Cao Xing¡¯s wrist. As if finding a source of strength, she suddenly calmed down. Ahead, Andrew rode on the Frost Wolf, Assam was on all fours, along with four robots. The group was making a grand procession across this vast snowy field. As for Sarah, Cao Xing sent her to scout the surrounding environment. A few minutes later, they had advanced about 3 kilometers. At that moment, Sarah appeared in front of Cao Xing. ¡°Stop.¡± Cao Xing hurriedly had the team halt and then asked, ¡°Sarah, what¡¯s up?¡± Sarah replied calmly, ¡°A battle is happening ahead.¡± ¡°Battle?¡± Cao Xing asked in confusion, ¡°Who?¡± Sarah replied, ¡°A group of Hunters, they are besieging an Ice Plain Mammoth.¡± Hunters and a Mammoth? At this moment, the Druid nearby was also puzzled, ¡°An Ice Plain Mammoth is a transitory creature on the snowfield, a gregarious animal.¡± ¡°With the Hunters¡¯ strength, they shouldn¡¯t be able to handle such a powerful creature.¡± It seemed Sarah understood Andrew¡¯s confusion. Sarah shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s a lone juvenile mammoth, and it fell into the Hunters¡¯ trap!¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Leader Level Creatures Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Leader Level Creatures ¡°` Sarah shook her head, saying, ¡°It was a lone juvenile mammoth, but it fell into the hunters¡¯ trap!¡± Hearing this, anger flashed in the druid¡¯s eyes. ¡°These damned hunters, destroying those city-states wasn¡¯t enough, now they¡¯ve set their claws on the sacred mammoth.¡± ¡°These destroyers of nature must be punished!¡± He looked at Cao Xing and bowed respectfully, ¡°Lord, please help the poor mammoth!¡± Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go over and take a look first.¡± He didn¡¯t immediately decide to take action but wanted to assess the hunters¡¯ strength. Sarah nodded and then turned to lead the way. The group changed direction. A minute or two later, they arrived at the spot where Sarah had discovered the battle. It was a canyon, with a nearly hundred-meter-wide fissure ahead. Several giant tree trunks, each about a hundred meters long, served as bridges over the fissure. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï One of the tree bridges appeared to have broken, and something had fallen below. However, the canyon wasn¡¯t deep, only a few dozen meters high. They heard shouting from below the canyon. ¡°Throw the net! Quickly, throw the net!¡± ¡°Pull in the chains, restrain its movements!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let the mammoth escape!¡± Following the sound, they looked down. Below the canyon, a group of masked humans with swords, spears, and longswords were besieging a massive creature, entirely grayish-white. Standing nearly five meters tall, its body was covered in grayish-white fur and had curved tusks over two meters long. Cao Xing¡¯s heart stirred. This was a mammoth, an extinct creature on Blue Star! At the moment, numerous spears were stabbed into the ice plain mammoth¡¯s body, with blood seeping from each wound. A series of thorny capture nets covered it, with spikes digging into its flesh. Moreover, its four limbs were bound with iron chains, with over a dozen hunters holding the chains tightly, severely restraining its movements. The mammoth let out continuous angry cries. ¡°Moo¡ªmoo¡ª¡± Cao Xing glanced at the mammoth¡¯s attributes. [Ice Plain Mammoth: Level 20] [Race: Beast] [Rank: Second Order Boss Level Creature] [Life Value: 3823/15023] [Attack Power: 974~1056] [Attributes: Power 414, Agility 358, Spirit 361, Constitution 495] [Skill: Ice Plain Roar (emits an ear-splitting howl, stunning surrounding enemies, reducing their defensive power by 100, effect lasts 3 seconds.) Tusk Slash (launches enemies into the air, dealing 180% attack power damage, adding 2 stacks of level 5 Bleeding Effect) Mammoth Trample (lifts forelimbs and stomps heavily, dealing 300% damage to enemies beneath, and inflicting 80% vibration damage to enemies within a 100-meter radius, causing 1~3 seconds of dizziness) Frenzy Charge (enters a frenzy state, sprinting rapidly, increasing move speed by 200%, targets with less power are 100% knocked away.)] [Talent ¢Ù: Giant Beast Physique (Life Value increased by an additional 30%)] [Talent ¢Ú: Cold Resistance] [Status: Bleeding, Poisoned, Severe Injury, Broken Bone¡­] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes slightly moved, ¡°Goodness, a level 20 boss level monster, these attributes are truly formidable.¡± But clearly, the mammoth was not in a good state now. It had fallen into the meticulously prepared trap of these hunters. The key point was that it was being besieged by at least twenty to thirty hunters. Spears pierced its skin, bringing up sprays of blood. Its blood volume was steadily decreasing. The snow-covered ground had already been stained red with the mammoth¡¯s blood. ¡°Moo¡ª¡± The mammoth raised its head to let out an angry roar, trying to break free from the hunters¡¯ control. However, its hind legs were severely broken, making it difficult even to stand. The hunters beside them continued to hold onto the chains with great effort, not giving it any chance of escape. One of the elite hunters laughed loudly, saying, ¡°Hold on, brothers! This mammoth won¡¯t last much longer!¡± ¡°Our camp hasn¡¯t had any meat for a long time.¡± ¡°Once we hunt this mammoth, it will provide at least half a month¡¯s worth of food, and the leader will definitely reward us well!¡± Upon hearing this, the other hunters were filled with morale and enthusiasm. Just then, a small-framed hunter, eager to display his bravery, rushed forward holding a spear. Then, seizing the moment when the ice plain mammoth wasn¡¯t watching, he leapt high, gripping the spear tightly, and fiercely stabbed at the mammoth¡¯s neck. ¡°Splurt!¡± Half of the spear was directly embedded! ¡°Moo¡ª¡± The mammoth raised its head to let out a tragic cry. The hunter exclaimed excitedly, ¡°I did it! I did it!¡± ¡°I hit the mammoth¡¯s vital part, I¡¯m the bravest warrior of our Light Church, the leader will surely appreciate me!¡± At this moment, the mammoth swung its trunk fiercely. Bang! The hunter was instantly knocked flying. [-1074] A huge damage number floated up. The hunter flew tens of meters away and landed heavily against a rock, immediately lifeless. The other hunters were terrified and shouted angrily, ¡°Damn it! Little Jack is dead!¡± ¡°Full attack, we can¡¯t let Little Jack¡¯s death be in vain!¡± A barrage of ranged attacks rained down on the ice plain mammoth¡¯s head. [-24] [-37] [-56!] [-32] [-147] A series of damage numbers floated up. Among them, many were bleeding damage. The mammoth¡¯s blood volume poured out like water, quickly dropping below 2000. The mammoth, too, seemed to have exhausted its last bit of strength. It whimpered and collapsed like a small mountain. Rumble! The mammoth¡¯s fall was tremendously dramatic. A hunter exclaimed excitedly, ¡°The mammoth is down, hurry, kill it!¡± The hunters charged forth like a pack of hungry wolves. This mammoth was still in its juvenile stage, not as strong as those adult mammoths. It should be known that any adult mammoth stood over ten meters high, with strength at least level 30 to 40. The fallen mammoth seemed to realize its impending death, tears glistening in its eyes. Seeing this, Andrew¡¯s eyes showed reluctance. He knelt down beside Cao Xing, pleading, ¡°Lord, please, save this poor child!¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Stand up, Andrew, these believers of the evil god deserve extermination, I will save this mammoth.¡± Cao Xing had just been assessing the strength of the hunters below. Now, he had come to a conclusion. Below, there was one elite hunter at level 15, five second-order hunters above level 10, and the rest were regular hunters below level 10. This level of strength, his recruited creatures could easily handle. Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Andrew¡¯s eyes, and he said emotionally, ¡°Nature will thank you, merciful lord.¡± [Your actions have moved Andrew, Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 93] Cao Xing nodded secretly. Andrew¡¯s Loyalty has also been raised, soon he will have the second member of the territory with 100 loyalty. Cao Xing stood on the back of the track robot and gave the order, ¡°Now, everyone, move out and take down all the hunters below.¡± Assam was the first to draw his longsword, ¡°I swear to defend the lord¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°Frost Wolf Knights, move out!¡± He rode on the Frost Wolf and performed a leap of faith. But from such great heights, even the Frost Wolf would suffer severe injuries if it jumped down. So Assam wasn¡¯t that foolish; instead, he used the protruding rocks at the canyon¡¯s edge to make several agile leaps, landing safely on the ground. At the same time, the remaining three robots and Sarah also began to take action. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Pet Contract, Save the Mammoth! Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Pet Contract, Save the Mammoth! ¡°` Andrew directly transformed into the Giant Bear Form, then roared ferociously! ¡°Roar!!!¡± The terrifying sound waves echoed through the canyon. The group of Hunters paused their attack, looking up in confusion. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It seems like a white bear, and there are other humans?¡± Simultaneously, riding the Frost Wolf, Assam had already charged in front of the Hunters. ¡°An enemy! Stop him for me!¡± the Elite Hunter shouted. The other Hunters quickly entered battle status, and five or six Hunters instantly charged forward to surround Assam. Assam fearlessly faced enemies several times his number and boldly drew his sword. Swish! Swish, swish! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? [-372] [-243] [-354] [-271] He wielded the Frost Wolf Swordsmanship with fierce momentum, as the Frost Wolf under his feet continuously swiped its claws, sending the Hunters flying. Bang! Bang, bang! Seeing his companions being swatted away, the Elite Hunter realized he was facing a tough opponent. He ordered, ¡°All of you, go up together, capture this guy, and present him to the Lord Leader!¡± Just then, from the other side of the canyon, ÈýÖ»(The three) robots had already slid down a steep slope. Boom, boom, boom! The roar of machines reverberated. ¡°Hmm? More reinforcements?¡± The Elite Hunter¡¯s face showed surprise. Just then, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck. A feeling of impending death enveloped him. Sarah, at some unknown point, had already crept up behind the Elite Hunter. The Shadow Blade was silently and seamlessly deployed. Puff! [-1764!] A terrifying damage number appeared. The Elite Hunter felt a horrifying wound appearing on his back. ¡°Hiss! What kind of attack is this?¡± The Elite Hunter gasped and was just about to flee. But the shadow behind him was like a bone-chilling curse returning to entangle him again. Once targeted by Sarah, there was absolutely no chance of escape. And beside him, Andrew transformed into a frenzied giant bear, swatting and tearing every Hunter beside the Mammoth. [Your Territory Member: Andrew killed Hunter lv8, gaining 80 Experience Points.] [Combat Personnel gained 40 Experience Points.] [Your Territory Member: Assam killed Hunter lv7, gaining 70 Experience Points.] [Combat Personnel gained 35 Experience Points.] Notifications of Experience Points acquisition continuously appeared. Cao Xing stood atop the canyon, quietly observing the battle below. Such a scene did not yet require his intervention. Two minutes later, the battle was nearing its end. Only a few Hunters remained struggling on the battlefield below. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Muxue, we should head down too.¡± After speaking, Cao Xing, along with Liu Muxue, jumped from the back of the Track Robot. Leaving the Track Robot at the top of the canyon, they slowly slid down. By the time they descended, the battle was already over. Sarah ended the Elite Hunter at level 15 with a single strike. The system prompt appeared. [Territory Member: Sarah Blade Dance killed Elite Hunter lv15, gaining 450 Experience Points] [You gained 225 Experience Points] Simultaneously, a white light rose from Cao Xing¡¯s body. [Your level has increased, current level: 6] [This level-up awarded: Power +1, Agility +2, Spirit +4, Constitution +2] Cao Xing felt a mysterious power arise within him once more. Satisfied, Cao Xing nodded, then directly ordered, ¡°Assam, Sarah, clean the battlefield.¡± ¡°Andrew, you come with me.¡± The bloodlust in Andrew¡¯s eyes gradually faded, having turned him into a complete beast just moments ago. In a short while, reverent gaze returned to his eyes. At this moment, Andrew respectfully followed beside Cao Xing and approached the Ice Plain Mammoth. Cao Xing glanced at the current status of the Mammoth. [Ice Plain Mammoth] [Blood Volume: 1104/15023] [Status: Bleeding, Broken Bone, Poisoned, Near Death] A multitude of negative statuses, the condition of this Ice Plain Mammoth was dire, teetering on the verge of death. Moreover, due to bleeding and poisoning, its Life Value continually drained. Over its head continuously flickered [-5], [-6] purple numbers. Cao Xing frowned, ¡°This Mammoth is too severely injured, quite troublesome.¡± Liu Muxue unconsciously clenched her fists, a look of distress on her face. ¡°Moo¡ª¡± The Mammoth lay on the ground, emitting a weak cry of anguish from its mouth. It seemed to know its end was near. Andrew, with a look of mercy, stepped forward to gently stroke the Mammoth¡¯s head. ¡°Poor child¡­¡± Andrew turned, gazing pleadingly towards Cao Xing, ¡°Lord Leader, do you have a way to save this Mammoth?¡± Cao Xing did not answer, instead attempting to cast an Ice Healing Skill on the Mammoth. A system prompt appeared. [Cannot use Healing Skill on non-friendly units.] Cao Xing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, then he shook his head, ¡°Andrew, my power can only be used on my subjects, not for rescuing the Mammoth.¡± Upon hearing this, a trace of despair flashed through Andrew¡¯s eyes, ¡°How could this be¡­¡± Numbers indicating damage continued to appear above the Mammoth¡¯s head on the ground, with the count falling below 1000. Andrew sighed. He knew he was powerless to do anything more, able only to accompany the Mammoth through its final journey of life. ¡°Moo¡­ moo¡­¡± The Mammoth¡¯s breath grew weaker by the minute. At this moment, Cao Xing seemed to recall something. After slaying the giant spider before, the system had awarded a Pet Contract. He wondered whether it could be used on such formidable creatures as the Mammoth. If possible, turning the Mammoth into a friendly creature would likely allow him to heal it, right? With this idea in mind, Cao Xing decided to give it a try. ¡°Andrew, can you communicate with it?¡± Andrew lifted his head and replied, ¡°Lord Leader, I can attempt some simple communication.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Alright, communicate with it to see if it would like to become my pet and sign a Pet Contract with me.¡± ¡°Only by becoming my pet can I provide it with assistance.¡± Andrew paused, seemingly seeing a glimmer of hope, he said excitedly, ¡°I will try my best to persuade this child.¡± The Mammoth race was powerful, yet also proud. In Andrew¡¯s memory, few warriors could tame such creatures. Mammoths would rather die than submit to other beings. But now, for the sake of its survival, Andrew could only try to persuade it. Andrew placed his bear paw on the Mammoth, emitting some peculiar syllables. The Mammoth wearily rolled its eyes, looking at Cao Xing, then at Andrew. Seemingly also making a difficult decision. After a moment, it uttered a low whimper. ¡°Moo¡­¡± In the next instant, a look of joy appeared in Andrew¡¯s eyes. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Taming the Mammoth, Successfully Named! Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Taming the Mammoth, Successfully Named! Andrew turned around and said excitedly, ¡°Lord, this mammoth has agreed, it is willing to become your pet!¡± ¡°Please take it under your command and heal it now.¡± Andrew appeared very eager, as the mammoth¡¯s blood volume had dwindled to just over 500 as time passed. Its breath grew weaker and weaker. Hearing the mammoth agree, Cao Xing was somewhat surprised, then delighted. After all, this mammoth was a Boss Level creature and still in its juvenile stage, which meant it had great potential! If it could become his pet and be paired with his talent, it would surely grow to be very powerful in the future! But for now, he decided to first sign a contract with it. Cao Xing took out the Pet Contract Scroll from his backpack. [Basic Pet Contract (Green): Can be used on one wild creature to make it your exclusive pet, with a success rate of 5%~20%] The success rate of this contract scroll was very low. But now, since the mammoth had already agreed, it would not resist. So, the success rate of this contract scroll had reached 100%! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï [Do you want to use the Pet Contract Scroll to sign a contract with the Ice Plain Mammoth Lv20?] ¡°Yes.¡± The scroll in Cao Xing¡¯s hand disappeared, turning into a ball of white light that hit the mammoth. At the same time, the mammoth seemed to sense something. Its body moved a little. A moment later, Cao Xing felt a strange sensation in his heart. In the unseen world, he felt as if he had established some sort of bond with this mammoth. A system prompt appeared. [Contract successful, Ice Plain Mammoth has become your pet, territory population +5] Cao Xing was taken aback, ¡°Did it actually take up 5 of my population?¡± However, thinking of the mammoth¡¯s strength, it was not too surprising. In front of Cao Xing, an attribute panel appeared. [Ice Plain Mammoth: Unnamed] [Race: Beast] [Detailed Attributes: Same as above] [Satiety: 75] [Loyalty: 80] [Status: Near Death] ¡­ ¡°It can also be named.¡± Cao Xing thought for a moment, then said, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be called Da Bai.¡± [Mammoth: Da Bai naming successful.] ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± Da Bai responded softly on the ground. Cao Xing looked at its continuously depleting life value, then turned to Liu Muxue and said, ¡°Muxue, throw a few Purification Skills at Da Bai first.¡± ¡°Your Purification Skill level is not high right now, so you might need to do it several times to remove all of its negative statuses.¡± Liu Muxue nodded, ¡°Okay, Axing.¡± Then, she raised the Knight Longsword, lifting it above her head. A rainbow-colored aurora gathered at the tip of her sword and then descended directly into the mammoth¡¯s body. ¡°May Holy Aurora bless you!¡± In an instant, one layer of the mammoth¡¯s poisoned status was removed. At the same time, Cao Xing also raised his magic wand and cast an [Ice Healing Skill]. The system prompt for talent activation appeared. Above Da Bai¡¯s head, numbers appeared: +25, +25. Da Bai¡¯s life value slowly restored. However, because of its severe injuries, the healing effect was not very significant. Similarly, damage numbers continually appeared above its head. [-14] [-7] [-8] The life volume regained per second barely offset Da Bai¡¯s losing blood volume. If it wasn¡¯t for Cao Xing having the [Eternal Power] talent, even if another Frost Mage adopted the mammoth as a pet, they would have watched it die due to insufficient healing. The current problem was to first halt the mammoth¡¯s injuries. Cao Xing said, ¡°Andrew, clear away those spears and iron chains from Da Bai¡¯s body, you must stop the bleeding first.¡± Andrew¡¯s loyalty had almost surpassed Assam¡¯s, and he followed Cao Xing¡¯s orders almost unquestioningly. He respectfully said, ¡°As you command, merciful lord.¡± Then, he stretched out a bear paw and pulled out the spears and arrows from the mammoth¡¯s body one by one. Pop! Pop-pop! [-74] [-56] Each time he extracted one, the mammoth let out a painful wail, and a damage number appeared above its head. Fortunately, with Liu Muxue continuously casting [Purification Book] and the ongoing healing from [Ice Healing Skill]. The wounds quickly stopped bleeding. At the same time, the damage numbers above the mammoth¡¯s head gradually decreased. Cao Xing breathed a sigh of relief. Next, it was just a matter of waiting for Da Bai¡¯s blood volume to slowly recover. However, with its massive blood volume of fifteen thousand, it would take a long time just to recover. Everyone waited silently. Meanwhile, Assam and Sarah had also finished clearing the battlefield. Assam approached Cao Xing and handed over several cloth bags. ¡°Lord, these are the things found on those hunters.¡± Cao Xing nodded and took them. [Obtained Coins*642] Today, they gained 642 coins, and a smile appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s lips. At the same time, Sarah also handed something over to Cao Xing. It was a pair of grey pants, made from an unknown material and covered with layers of scales. After Cao Xing received it, a system prompt appeared. [Obtained Scale Lower Body (Green)*1] It was another green item, and Cao Xing looked at Sarah with surprise. ¡°This is¡­¡± Sarah said calmly, ¡°This was stripped from that Hunter Captain¡¯s body, it¡¯s the only thing on him that seemed valuable.¡± Cao Xing laughed and praised, ¡°Sarah, well done!¡± Sarah pursed her lips and turned her head away, seemingly indifferent to Cao Xing¡¯s compliment. Cao Xing didn¡¯t mind and checked the attributes of this piece of equipment. [Scale Lower Body (Green)] [Quality: Fine] [Armor: 5~7] [Attached Effect ¢Ù: Agility +3] [Attached Effect ¢Ú: Fish Scale Armor (When attacked physically, negates 5 damage from Power.)] ¡­ Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Not bad, these pants add a lot to my armor.¡± He put them on directly, and his survivability increased once again. After a few minutes of waiting, the Ice Plain Mammoth¡¯s blood volume had recovered to over ten thousand. However, when its blood volume hit 12,000, it stopped rising. Because it had entered a severe [Broken Bone] status, reducing its maximum blood volume by 20%. ¡°Moo¡­ moo¡­¡± Da Bai struggled to stand up, seemingly trying to stand up again. However, due to the fracture in its right leg, it took several attempts to barely stand. Moreover, in this state, even standing, Da Bai couldn¡¯t move. Cao Xing said, ¡°Andrew, help Da Bai recover.¡± Andrew nodded, understanding what Cao Xing meant. He went behind Da Bai and lifted its thick elephant leg, comforting, ¡°Bear with it for a moment, child.¡± With that, he twisted abruptly! ¡°Crack!¡± A crisp sound of bone dislocation emerged. [-2724] ¡°Moo¡ª¡± Da Bai let out a pained cry, and its massive body trembled. Andrew gently stroked it, seeming to comfort it. Da Bai obediently stood still, trembling all over as it persisted. Moments later, as the [Ice Healing Skill] continued to take effect, Da Bai¡¯s blood volume rose again. And when it fully recovered its blood volume, Da Bai returned to a peak state. Compared to a few minutes ago, when the mammoth lay dying on the ground, it now seemed reborn! The mammoth lifted its trunk, letting out a roar. ¡°Moo¡ª¡± This roar was full of vigor and had a powerful penetration. The snow on both sides of the canyon shook down. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but cover their ears, feeling their blood churning. A Level 20 Boss Level creature was truly formidable. Cao Xing covered his ears and shouted, ¡°Da Bai, don¡¯t be too loud.¡± Hearing Cao Xing¡¯s voice, the mammoth immediately stopped roaring and lowered its head. Its copper bell-like eyes stared at the man in front of it. It knew it was this human who saved it. Da Bai walked to Cao Xing¡¯s side, lightly rubbing his body with its trunk. ¡°Whoo¡­ whoo¡­¡± It appeared very affectionate with Cao Xing. Cao Xing happily patted its elephant trunk. A system prompt appeared. [Due to your healing of the pet: Da Bai, loyalty has been increased, current loyalty: 90] (After reaching 100 loyalty, you will completely gain this pet¡¯s trust, and the mount functionality will be unlocked.) ¡­ Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Canyon, Discovery of Medium Camp. Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Canyon, Discovery of Medium Camp. ¡°` Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Loyalty at 100 unlocks the mount?¡± ¡°Wuhu! That¡¯s wonderful!¡± After all, compared to sitting on these robots, riding a mammoth was far more impressive! At the same time, Assam came over to report after exploring the surrounding terrain, ¡°Lord, I checked both sides of the nearby canyon but couldn¡¯t find a place for the mammoth to go up.¡± ¡°Its size is too large.¡± After listening to Assam¡¯s report, Cao Xing scanned the surroundings. This canyon was seventy to eighty meters deep. The terrain on both sides was steep, and there were occasionally some large protruding stones. Cao Xing and his team could climb up easily. But with Da Bai¡¯s large size, it would be somewhat difficult to ascend. Cao Xing couldn¡¯t just leave Da Bai here and lead the people up himself. After all, this was a level 20 Boss-level creature, with extremely strong combat power. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? After thinking for a moment, Cao Xing said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, proceed along the depths of this canyon and see if there is another place to go up.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± ¡°Following your orders, Andrew is willing to charge into battle for you.¡± Assam and the others received the order and moved toward the depths of the canyon. As for the track robots above, under Cao Xing¡¯s command, they moved along the crevice, following the footsteps of the group. Da Bai followed at the back of the team, its huge size appearing quite imposing. Thud! Thud thud! Its thick elephant legs stomped down like an earthquake, creating a heavy sound with each step. With the mammoth joining in, Cao Xing¡¯s team became even more formidable. At the same time, since the track robots hadn¡¯t come down, Cao Xing lost his means of transportation. He looked at the nearby shovel loader robot. Its shovel was fifty centimeters deep, nearly a meter wide, more than enough for him and Liu Muxue to sit inside. So, Cao Xing commanded the shovel loader robot to lower its shovel, and he and Liu Muxue sat inside. Creak, creak! The sound of the mechanical arm turning came forth. Cao Xing¡¯s view began to rise as he looked forward, delightedly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s drive the excavator!¡± The team began moving again, maintaining a decent speed. At this moment, Cao Xing glanced at the time overhead. [Countdown to nightfall: 2 hours 17 minutes¡­] [Current temperature: -53¡ãC] ¡°We have two hours until nightfall, seems like we need to hurry to find a way up and return to the camp.¡± At this time, Liu Muxue, sitting next to him, reminded, ¡°Axing, it seems like there will be a snowfall tonight.¡± Cao Xing nodded; he also remembered this. Although there was no sign of snow yet. Once it started snowing, the temperature would drop rapidly, and the road condition would become more complicated due to the snow cover. This would slow them down even further. He needed to lead people back to the camp quickly, or else they would have to spend the night outside. Cao Xing ordered, ¡°Everyone, speed up.¡± ¡°Sarah, go check ahead first.¡± Everyone accelerated their pace, and the four robots also entered a high-energy consumption state. Sarah¡¯s figure vanished without a trace. Tap tap¡­ tap tap¡­ Dense footsteps echoed. The surroundings whizzed past swiftly. This canyon seemed to have formed due to some geological movement, the ground was relatively flat, occasionally showing one or two boulders covered in snow. Half an hour later. They had advanced about three to four kilometers. Sarah appeared silently again. As an assassin, She not only had strong assassination capabilities but also had strong reconnaissance skills, more suitable for exploration than Assam. Sarah said blandly, ¡°One kilometer ahead, there is a camp with a large gathering of Hunters.¡± After listening to Sarah¡¯s report, Cao Xing was taken aback. ¡°There is actually a Hunter¡¯s camp here?¡± However, recalling the scene where those Hunters were sieging Da Bai. It wasn¡¯t surprising that there was a Hunter camp nearby. Cao Xing nodded and continued to inquire, ¡°How strong are those Hunters?¡± Sarah replied, ¡°There are about 40 Hunters in the camp, most being inconsequential ants, with four Second Order experts.¡± ¡°However, I sensed an aura there that is quite strong, almost as strong as this mammoth¡¯s energy.¡± After Sarah finished speaking, Cao Xing also fell into thought. Being comparable to Da Bai, it meant there might be a level 20 Boss-level creature there. Along with three or four Elite-level Hunters. That was quite a strong force. Cao Xing weighed the war power on both sides in his mind and reached a conclusion. That was, they were about evenly matched. However, if a fight really broke out, while they had the numerical advantage, All his creatures had the [Ice Healing Skill] and [Frost Armor] enhancement, naturally in infinite healing status. Very adept at such one-against-many combat. Just as Cao Xing was contemplating, Sarah added, ¡°Next to that camp, I saw stairs piled up with giant stones, we can climb up from there.¡± Hearing this, Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up. Stairs meant they could let the mammoth climb up and then return to the camp with him! Cao Xing declared, ¡°What the hell are we waiting for then?¡± ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s bring judgment upon these mad cultists!¡± Assam unsheathed his longsword and was the first to respond, ¡°Willing to charge into battle for the Lord!¡± Andrew extended his sharp claws, ¡°The power of Nature shall guide my path.¡± The group began to charge rapidly towards the front. Two minutes later, from a distance, they spotted a small base built with wood and stones in the canyon ahead. Nearby, several Hunters, wielding swords and knives, were patrolling. At this moment, a few Hunters stared into the distance, whispering to each other. ¡°Strange, why hasn¡¯t Lamush returned yet?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ve been out most of the day, usually they are back in half a day when hunting.¡± ¡°Do you think Lamush has found some big prey this time, being out so long?¡± Upon hearing this, other Hunters grew a bit expectant. Just then, they vaguely saw several figures appear in the distance. ¡°Seems like someone is coming.¡± ¡°Is it Lamush and the others?¡± When these Hunters looked carefully, they immediately saw an armored knight riding a Frost Wolf and a druid on all fours. Beside them were three robots, charging towards them. These Hunters, after a moment of initial confusion, instantly shouted, ¡°Enemies!¡± ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡± The alarm spread quickly. The Hunters, being a notorious cult force on this continent, were enemies to all, and any creature they saw was considered a foe. Simultaneously, chaos erupted throughout the Hunter Camp, with numerous Hunters wielding weapons rushing out of tents. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Powerful Mammoth! (Part 3) Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Powerful Mammoth! (Part 3) ¡°` The camp was in utter chaos, with a large number of hunters rushing out of the tents, weapons in hand. Cao Xing and Liu Muxue still sat on the shovel of the robot. In front of them, a system prompt appeared. [Discovered Special Area: Medium Hunter Camp.] (This is a medium gathering place for hunters, guarded by a Black Robed Priest from the Light Church, extremely dangerous. Proceed with caution.) ¡°The Black Robed Priest must be the Boss Level powerhouse Sarah mentioned.¡± However, Cao Xing hesitated not for a moment, urging Assam and the others to charge forward. The hunters charged over as well, shouting as they advanced, ¡°Kill all these intruders!¡± ¡°Offer them to the Lord Leader!¡± Both sides closed in on each other. Assam, Andrew, and the two other robots immediately engaged in combat with the hunters. Swish! Swish swish! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï The long sword in Assam¡¯s hand flashed with a cold light, leaving sword wounds on several hunters nearby. [-274] [-295] [-285] A series of damage numbers floated up. ¡°Roar!¡± The Frost Wolf at their feet pounced on a hunter, tearing into him frantically. ¡°Ah! Damn it!¡± ¡°Get this guy off me, ah!!¡± The hunters¡¯ screams echoed, and in the blink of an eye, they were silenced. Andrew was equally fierce, almost completely abandoning defense. He entered [Giant Bear Form], swinging his massive bear paws. Boom! Boom! Each hunter hit by his paws was either killed or severely injured. [-427] [-463] [-485] In less than ten seconds from the start of the battle, at least four or five hunters were killed outright by Assam and Andrew. Experience prompts constantly sounded in Cao Xing¡¯s ears. Meanwhile, various thrown spears and arrows rained down on Andrew and Assam. A string of damage numbers floated up. [-27] [-56] [-32] [-47] They allowed the hunters¡¯ attacks to fall upon them undisturbed. Because they believed the Lord¡¯s [Ice Healing Skill] would restore their blood volume. And these attacking hunters would soon face the fiercest counterattacks from Assam and Andrew. ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± Meanwhile. The two Ground Drilling Robots also transformed into attack mode, their gigantic drills spinning madly, bulldozing everything in their path. Buzzing! The hunters were thrown off their feet, their bodies ripped apart. [-237] [-231] [-222] [-234] ¡­ Thick clusters of damage numbers floated up. ¡°Ah! What the hell are these things?¡± ¡°My leg! Ah!!¡± The hunters hit by the drills screamed in agony. As for Sarah, she quietly approached the hunters wielding bows and arrows. She silently delivered the Shadow Blade. [-734] [-796] [-1672!] Terrifying damage numbers floated up, and the hunter archers silently fell. Less than a minute into the battle, the hunters showed signs of collapse. Just then, four hunters wearing black cloaks, clearly more powerful, charged out. They saw Andrew and the others slaughtering wildly and the hunters collapsing. Among them, one hunter wielding a chain hammer looked particularly grim. He barked orders, ¡°Go, I¡¯ll handle that giant bear, pick your targets, one each!¡± The next moment, he accelerated abruptly, charging towards Andrew. Whirr! Whirr whirr! He swung the massive chain hammer, making it whir noisily. And as he reached Andrew, he hurled the chain hammer with a roar. ¡°Die for me!¡± Bang! A dull thud of flesh. Caught off guard. Andrew was struck directly by the hammer, suffering a heavy blow to his back. [-388] Andrew¡¯s blood volume instantly dropped by a chunk. The hunter¡¯s eyes gleamed with glee. Yet this only ignited the killing intent within Andrew. ¡°Roar!!!¡± Andrew roared, charging at him like a frenzied giant beast. Meanwhile, the other three cloaked hunters engaged Assam and the two Ground Drilling Robots. These four hunters were strong, evenly matched with Andrew and Assam. Though the other two robots had comparable attack power to Elite Level creatures, they were being suppressed when going one-on-one. With Andrew and the others tied down, the slaughter in the camp gradually abated. Then, more hunters surrounded them. The situation seemed to turn unfavorable. Meanwhile, Cao Xing, observing from two hundred meters away, also saw the hunters¡¯ attributes. [Hunter Vanguard Warrior lv15] [Rank: Second Order Elite Level Creature] [Life Value: 3724/4537] [Attack Power: 354~377] [Skills: Chain Hammer Heavy Strike (throw the chain hammer, deal 120% attack damage to the enemy, 50% chance to cause dizziness, maximum attack distance 15m) Block (assuming Defense Stance, 50% chance to negate 80% of incoming damage) Big Swing Hammer (swing the chain hammer, enter a high-speed rotation state, deal multiple attack damage to all enemies)] ¡­ [Hunter Vanguard Swordsman lv15] [Rank: Second Order Elite Level Creature] [Life Value: 4131/4368] [Attack Power: 343~366] [Skills: Uppercut, Cross Slash, Eagle Strike!] ¡­ These four hunters were all Level 15 Elite Creatures, with extremely powerful attributes. Liu Muxue said worriedly, ¡°Axing, should we go up and help?¡± Cao Xing shook his head, ¡°No need, it¡¯s not our time to act yet.¡± After all, Cao Xing still had a trump card up his sleeve. Then, he looked behind and said, ¡°Da Bai, go!¡± Upon hearing Cao Xing¡¯s command. A terrifying roar came from behind a massive rock. ¡°Moo¡ª¡ª!¡± The terrifying sound echoed throughout the canyon, making the hunters¡¯ faces change immediately. ¡°What animal is that roar from?¡± ¡°What a terrifying aura!¡± The next moment, a towering five-meter-tall terrifying creature with two gruesome tusks charged in from a distance. Thud! Thud thud thud! The ground shook wildly. Da Bai, in its full-on state, resembled a charging giant beast. Fear appeared in the hunters¡¯ eyes. ¡°Mammoth! It¡¯s a Mammoth!¡± ¡°Damn it, how is there a Mammoth here?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming at us!¡± Before the hunters could react, Da Bai stormed into the battlefield. It seemed to know these were the very guys who had been hunting it down, almost costing it its life. Da Bai rushed to the hunters¡¯ side, tilting its head, its curved tusks flashed with a chilling light. Pff! Pff! [-1247] [-1341] Two hunters were pierced straight through, dead as they could be. Then, it lifted its front hooves and stomped heavily. ¡°Boom!¡± After a terrifying tremor, another two hunters were crushed into mincemeat. The formidable might of the Level 20 Boss Level creature was apparent! At this moment, the four cloaked hunters engaging Assam looked grim. ¡°Send more people, trap this Mammoth!¡± ¡°Once we finish the fight here, we¡¯ll come to help.¡± Yet, before he finished speaking, a terrifying roar resounded again. ¡°Moo!!!¡± Da Bai had unexpectedly activated the [Frenzy Charge] skill! ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Black Robed Priest, Boss Level Creature Appears! Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Black Robed Priest, Boss Level Creature Appears! ¡°` Da Bai directly activated the [Frenzy Charge] skill! Boom! Boom! Boom! At this moment, the mammoth, like a runaway train, charged recklessly through the entire campsite. One tent after another was toppled over by it! All the hunters along the way were knocked flying. Puff! Puff! Puff! [-742] [-854] [-763] In the [Frenzy Charge] status, Da Bai¡¯s move speed increased by 200%! Just the impact alone could fatally injure an ordinary hunter. At this moment, a shadow swiftly darted out from the camp. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï His movements were incredibly fast, even quicker than Sarah¡¯s. Like a phantom, he appeared behind Da Bai. Then a cold flash flickered. Swish! Swish! [-673] [-672] Two damage numbers floated up, taking away over a thousand of Da Bai¡¯s blood volume. Da Bai, in pain, turned his head, swinging his trunk over. However, this guy¡¯s movements were incredibly nimble; with a quick dodge, he evaded Da Bai¡¯s attack. The two briefly separated. Only then did Cao Xing see what the guy looked like. He was a man dressed in a black robe, shrouded in shadow, wearing a black mask. In his hands, two short knives glinted coldly. The opponent¡¯s attribute appeared in front of him. [Hunter Black Robed Priest lv20] [Rank: Second Order Boss Level Creature] [Life Value: 8764/8764] [Attack Power: 843~856] [Skills: Double Cutting (Deals two attacks with 80% attack power each to the enemy) Smoke Bomb (Throws a choking smoke covering the enemy, causing 1~3 seconds of blindness and reducing 50 agility points) Ambush (Skillfully circles behind the enemy, dealing 130% backstab damage) Flying Knife Throwing (Launches three knives in succession at the enemy, each causing 70% damage and adding 1 layer of bleeding effect)] ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Finally, he came out!¡± This guy was the most formidable presence in the camp that Sarah mentioned. Meanwhile, after a brief pause, the black-robed assassin charged again. With a flash of shadow, this time he appeared right at Da Bai¡¯s abdomen. Swish! Swish! Two more strikes and Da Bai¡¯s blood volume dropped again. Da Bai crazily lifted its hooves, unleashing violent attacks. Boom! Boom! The ground trembled continuously. Debris flew everywhere. [-23] [-27] A few slight splatter damages appeared above the black-robed assassin¡¯s head. At this moment, even though Da Bai had stronger attack power and life force than him, because of the opponent¡¯s agile moves, Da Bai was almost being played around. Moreover, Da Bai was frequently hit by the opponent, and its life value kept dropping. [-725] [-733] [-754] In less than twenty seconds of battle, the black-robed assassin took away over three thousand points of Da Bai¡¯s life value. The black-robed assassin halted, then made a throat-slitting taunt at Da Bai. This thoroughly infuriated Da Bai. ¡°Roar!!¡± Da Bai entered berserk mode, lifting its forehooves to stomp frantically. Liu Muxue watched the battle nervously from the sidelines. ¡°Axing¡­ Da Bai seems to be losing¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded. Both were boss-level creatures, but Da Bai was indeed no match for the black-robed assassin. This was because Da Bai¡¯s vast size provided powerful lethality but made its movements rather clumsy. Cao Xing said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this guy won¡¯t be arrogant for long.¡± ¡°Da Bai will have help soon.¡± At this moment, the track robot slid down the giant stone steps to join the battle. On Sarah¡¯s side, she had silently taken out all the enemies. Under Cao Xing¡¯s command, Sarah headed straight towards the hunter black-robed priest. A shadow blade slashed across. The black robe suddenly felt a chill at his back, his expression changing drastically. At the critical moment, he quickly turned and thrust out his dagger. ¡°Ding!¡± After a clash of metal, both sides saw each other¡¯s faces. The hunter black-robed priest looked at Sarah in surprise, ¡°Another expert?¡± Sarah remained silent, her shadow blade slashing down again without hesitation. The black-robed assassin didn¡¯t back down, his two daggers creating afterimages. ¡°Ding! Ding! Ding!¡± In an instant, the two high-level assassins engaged in close combat. Two seconds later, due to the attribute gap, Sarah was quickly suppressed. A victorious smile appeared in the black-robed assassin¡¯s eyes, ¡°To deal with me, you¡¯re still too inexperienced.¡± However, before his smile disappeared, Da Bai seized the moment when he was distracted and swung his trunk directly. Bang! The hunter black-robed assassin was instantly sent flying. [-1123] A large damage number floated up. The black-robed assassin hit the ground, spitting blood. ¡°Cough¡­ Mammoth, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Before he could finish speaking, Da Bai, transformed into a berserk giant beast, charged at him fiercely. The black-robed assassin was just about to get up and fight back. A shadow blade silently sliced past his ear. The black-robed assassin¡¯s heart tightened, dodging in panic. However, he was still a step too slow. Whoosh! [-684] A damage number floated up. The black-robed assassin touched the wound on his head and angrily shouted, ¡°Damn it! How dare you two attack this priest!¡± ¡°The Bright Church won¡¯t let you off!¡± However, Sarah and Da Bai completely ignored his threats, launching a direct siege. The advantage quickly tilted towards Cao Xing¡¯s side. As for Assam¡¯s side, with the track robot joining, Cao Xing also sent the shovel robot over. In a six-on-four situation, the hunter elites were suppressed in all aspects. In no time, a hunter elite wielding an axe was knocked out by the shovel robot. Then Assam stabbed through his heart with a sword. [Your Territory Member: Assam successfully killed Hunter Vanguard lv15, gaining 450 experience value,] [Assam¡¯s level has increased, current level: 11] [Combat Personnel gained 225 experience value.] Cao Xing¡¯s eyes brightened, Assam leveled up too! Although leveling from 10 to 11 required more experience, Assam¡¯s outstanding performance in recent battles made it unsurprising. The remaining three elite hunters looked with horror at their fallen companion. ¡°Damn, Matai is dead!¡± Now, the situation had turned into six on three. ¡°Roar!¡± With a roar, Andrew pinned down a hunter elite wielding a chain hammer. Then Andrew, without hesitation, clawed down. Puff! This elite hunter¡¯s head was pierced right through. [Your Territory Member: Andrew successfully killed Hunter Vanguard lv15, gaining 450 experience value,] [Frost Wolf: Frost¡¯s level has increased, current level: 11] [Combat Personnel gained 225 experience value.] Now, the situation had turned into six on two. Cao Xing glanced over and directly ordered, ¡°Assam, Andrew, go help Da Bai.¡± ¡°Leave the battle here to the robots.¡± ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: First Kill of the Boss, Huge Loot! Chapter 54: Chapter 54: First Kill of the Boss, Huge Loot! Received the order from Cao Xing. Assam and Andrew, without hesitation, abandoned their current opponents and rushed over to Da Bai¡¯s side. At this moment, under the siege of Sarah and Da Bai, the Black Robed Assassin¡¯s expression turned even darker. He struggled to deal with these two powerful beings. Now, with two more formidable foes charging in, he was almost certainly facing defeat. ¡°Damn it, where did this batch of experts come from?¡± ¡°How did they find my camp?¡± ¡°And what the hell are those robots?¡± The Black Robed Assassin was full of questions. But aside from these, he discovered something even more terrifying. These guys seemed to possess endless life force. That Dark Elf woman, and the mammoth, both clearly suffered from his attacks. But before long, their injuries fully healed, and they were vibrant and lively again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? The Black Robed Assassin thought to himself, ¡°This won¡¯t do. I can¡¯t outlast these guys.¡± ¡°I need to find a way to leave here as soon as possible.¡± He furrowed his brow, about to run away. However, every time, Sarah would cling to him like a shadow. Both being assassins, their combat awareness was extremely sharp. In fact, the Dark Elf Sarah Blade Dance possessed a stronger combat awareness than him. If not for having stronger attributes than Sarah, in a one-on-one situation, he was no match for her. ¡°Who are you?¡± the Black Robed Assassin asked in horror. Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard a whistling sound above his head. A thick elephant hoof slammed down. The Black Robed Assassin immediately felt a chill on his scalp. He rolled on the spot, narrowly avoiding Da Bai¡¯s heavy strike. Boom! However, before he could stabilize, Assam¡¯s longsword and Andrew¡¯s sharp claws suddenly struck. This time, he couldn¡¯t dodge. Splat! [-327] [-247] The Beast Mark activated. The Black Robed Assassin was knocked to the ground. His blood volume fell below 3500. The Shadow Blade rapidly expanded in his pupils. In a moment of crisis, he could only roll backward once more, And at this moment, the Phantom Assassin Sarah, Andrew, and Assam all rushed in. At this instant, a premonition of death arose in this Hunter Assassin¡¯s heart. ¡°Damn it! You vile guys, the Lord Leader won¡¯t let you off!¡± Sarah and Assam completely ignored his threats. Splat! Splat splat! [-1341!] [-345] [-473] The trio¡¯s wave of attacks took down over two thousand points of the Hunter Priest¡¯s blood volume. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Black Robed Priest spewed another mouthful of blood, ignoring his own pain, rolling away quickly to create distance. He took a deep breath, watching the mammoth charging and the four robots beside him. Knowing that if he didn¡¯t leave, he¡¯d be completely stuck here today. His gaze scanned each of them, his voice low. ¡°I¡¯ve memorized your appearances, once I leave here, I will report this to the Leader, and you will be pursued endlessly by our Light Church all across the Gale Snow Plain!¡± With these words, he suddenly produced a round sphere and threw it to the ground. Bang! A cloud of smoke rapidly rose, enveloping everyone on the scene. Cao Xing, watching from a distance, chuckled. ¡°Oh, still daring to threaten me!¡± Meanwhile, Assam and others lost their target. A moment later, a figure rushed out from the mist. Cao Xing, watching the scene from not far away, saw the figure and quickly warned, ¡°That guy¡¯s escaped, stop him.¡± Sarah immediately sensed it, swiftly emerging from the mist. By then, the Black Robed Assassin had already escaped thirty meters away. Without hesitation, Sarah drew a dagger and threw it directly. Whizz! The Obstructive Dagger hit its mark. The Hunter Priest grunted, a large damage number popping up above his head. [-943] Yet, ignoring the attacks from behind and the negative status on him, he limped forward. The 20th level Boss-level assassin, if determined to escape, was indeed hard to block. ¡°Damn, do you think you can fly away like a duck at the mouth?¡± At this moment, a one-meter-long, pitch-black metal item appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s hand. It was Barrett. Now that his constitution had improved, he could aim with it on his shoulder. Meanwhile, the Hunter Boss had already fled a hundred meters away. The distance from Cao Xing was over two hundred meters. Cao Xing took a deep breath. His eyes focused on the crosshair of Barrett. When the target overlapped with the crosshair, he fired without hesitation! Bang! A gunshot rang out! [-874!] This shot triggered the armor-break effect. A blood hole suddenly appeared on the back of the fleeing Hunter Boss, his body stiffened. He turned around with difficulty, gave Cao Xing one last look, seemingly in disbelief. Then, he fell over. A system prompt appeared. [Successfully killed Hunter Black Robed Priest: Level 20 Boss, cross-level killing, gained experience value 1200*400%, acquired 4800 experience points] [Your level has increased, current level: 7] [This level-up resulted in: Power +2, Agility +1, Spirit +5, Constitution +3] ¡­ A white light appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s body. Everyone was dumbfounded, looking at the fallen corpse of the Hunter Boss. They all thought the Hunter Assassin would truly escape this time. But at the crucial moment, their Lord suddenly showcased a miraculous skill, resolving the enemy from hundreds of meters away. ¡°The Lord¡¯s skills are truly profound and unpredictable¡­¡± Watching the admiring gaze of his subjects, a barely noticeable smile appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s lips. Then, a second system prompt, bringing excitement to Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. [Killed Hunter Priest, acquired loot: Basic Power Heart*1] [Obtained strong Boss-level soul (Purple)*1] [Acquired Silent Stab (Blue)*1] [Obtained Tavern Construction Blueprint*1] [Acquired Skillful Rune (Medium)*1] The prompt hadn¡¯t ended. [Congratulations! As the first survivor across all servers to kill a Boss-level creature, you receive a first-kill reward: Frost Magic Shield Skill Book (Purple)*1] [You destroyed a medium-sized Hunter camp, gaining 200 Reputation Value.] ¡­ ¡°What the hell! What the hell! What the hell!¡± Cao Xing exclaimed repeatedly. A big explosion! This was truly a big explosion! Cao Xing first checked the purple soul in his backpack. [Strong Boss-level soul (Purple): Contains powerful soul waves] (Can be used on an Elite Level follower below the second order, with a high chance of evolving into a Boss-level creature, success probability of 50%~80%) At this moment, a strong sense of joy flashed in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes! ¡­ Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Frost Magic Shield Skill Book Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Frost Magic Shield Skill Book ¡°` ¡°Whoa¡­ It can actually evolve Elite Level creatures to Boss Level creatures!¡± Cao Xing was shocked, then his face lit up with immense joy. Evolving from Elite Level to Boss Level not only enhanced all attributes but also allowed the learning of a new skill. It was truly a qualitative upgrade! Although using this ¡°Boss Level Soul¡± to enhance rank had a failure chance, the success probability was notably higher. Once successful, Cao Xing would have two Boss Level creatures! Cao Xing glanced around. Assam, Andrew, and Sarah on the field all met the usage conditions for this soul. Meanwhile, all the Territory Members could see the magical power contained in this soul. It allowed them to complete a transformation and advance to a higher level. A look of longing appeared in everyone¡¯s eyes. Even Sarah, usually aloof, couldn¡¯t help but glance toward Cao Xing. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï After pondering for a moment, Cao Xing directly tossed the soul to Sarah. Sarah caught it dumbfoundedly, looking at Cao Xing in disbelief. ¡°Are you sure you want to give this to me?¡± Cao Xing nodded lightly. Clearly, among the three recruited creatures on the field, Sarah was the most suitable to use this soul. Once she became Boss Level, her already formidable combat power would receive a tremendous boost. ¡°Use it. I hope you can become the strongest assassin and restore the glory of the Shadow Holy Hall.¡± Sarah¡¯s breathing became a bit rapid, her chest heaving under her tight clothes. A moment later, she nodded lightly, then turned her back, pretending not to care. However, Cao Xing saw a system prompt appear before him. [Due to your generous donation, you have moved Territory Member: Sarah Blade Dance, Loyalty has increased, current Loyalty: 91] A smile appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s lips. Although Sarah pretended not to care, she already felt a strong sense of gratitude and recognition toward Cao Xing. Because Loyalty didn¡¯t lie. A Loyalty of 91 was close to the realm of self-sacrifice. By then, she would even be willing to sacrifice her life for Cao Xing. At this moment, Sarah absorbed the soul into her body immediately after receiving it. A powerful aura rose from her body. Cao Xing nodded. The evolution from Elite to Boss required some time. Additionally, there was a chance of failure with the soul, so Cao Xing wasn¡¯t certain if Sarah could successfully evolve to a Boss Level creature. He shook his head and began examining the second purple item, which was a first kill reward given by the system. [Frost Shield Skill Book (Purple): A hidden skill of the Frost Mage, rumored to originate from a certain Great Witch Demon] [Skill Effect: Apply a Frost Shield around yourself or an ally, reducing damage received by 20%. It releases Frost Breath on nearby enemy units every second, causing Spirit*1 Frozen damage and reducing their move speed and attack speed by 20%. The shield lasts for 60 seconds, with a cooldown time of 120 seconds (can choose to disable or enable)] ¡­ ¡°Holy crap!¡± Cao Xing was once again shocked. The strength of this ¡°Frost Shield¡± exceeded his expectations. It was a powerful skill that combined damage reduction, damage, and control, and the effect was very strong! If he had had this skill then, Da Bai alone could have suppressed that Black Robed Priest! After all, a 20% damage reduction and slow was no joke! ¡°No wonder it¡¯s a purple skill, it¡¯s really fierce!¡± Cao Xing was delighted and immediately clicked to learn it. Then he cast the skill on himself. [Successfully cast the Frost Shield skill, the talent ¡°Eternal Power¡± has taken effect, the skill has become permanent.] Cao Xing instantly felt a circle of Frost Ice Shield appear around him. The ice shield seemed incredibly hard and emitted a terrifying cold every second. Cao Xing looked at the maximum attack range of this cold aura; it was one meter around him. It seemed like a small range, but without doubt, it was also group attack damage. A strong sense of delight appeared in Cao Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Very good!¡± This would greatly enhance the survival and combat capabilities of his followers. Meanwhile, Sarah had also completed her transformation. A system prompt appeared. [Your Territory Member: Sarah Blade Dance has completed the transformation, advanced to a Boss Level creature, all attributes increased by 30%, learned new skill: Arc Light Flash] A look of joy appeared on Cao Xing¡¯s face, ¡°Huh? It actually succeeded, seems my luck isn¡¯t so bad after all!¡± Then, he checked Sarah¡¯s new skill attributes. [Arc Light Flash: Charge forward at an extremely high speed, dealing 110% Cutting damage to enemies along the path] ¡°This skill is great!¡± ¡°Not only does it have a strong mobility, but it also deals decent damage.¡± At this point, Sarah was also very satisfied with her current state. Looking at Cao Xing, she placed Shadow Blade on her chest, bent slightly, and said, ¡°At your service, my Lord.¡± Cao Xing nodded and glanced at her attributes. [Phantom Assassin: Sarah Blade Dance] [Race: Dark Elf] [Level: Level 20 10624/100000 (Second Order Boss Level Creature)] [Detailed Attributes: Click to expand] ¡­ Whether it was Life Value or Attack Power, everything had greatly increased. Now, if Sarah faced that Black Robed Assassin again. In a one-on-one situation, it would definitely be a one-sided crushing by Sarah. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction. Then, he announced, ¡°Search the supplies of this camp thoroughly, we shall prepare to return soon.¡± All the recruited creatures on the field sprang into action upon hearing that. Then, Cao Xing took Liu Muxue and opened the gate of the hunter¡¯s camp. They began looting room by room. Everything inside was collected by Cao Xing. [Obtained Wood*62, obtained Stone*23, obtained Fine Iron*7, obtained Dry Cheese*14, obtained Salt*13, obtained coins*164.] [Obtained Fine Iron*6, obtained Raw Meat*7, obtained Aifluosi Wine*3, obtained Vinegar*7, obtained coins*76] [Obtained¡­] Every room had some supplies. Besides spices and food, Cao Xing also discovered two new items. [Fine Iron (Blue): A finely forged metal with strong toughness.] This stuff was essentially steel, which could be used to batch-produce blue quality armor. [Aifluosi Wine: Drinking it restores 200 Life Value, but there is a 30% chance of entering a drunken state] (Produced by Rose Winery, popular among nobles and knights.) ¡­ Cao Xing put these two items away again. After spending roughly ten more minutes, Cao Xing and Liu Muxue finally collected everything from the camp. They gathered quite a lot of vinegar, white sugar, olive oil, and other seasonings. Looking at the bottles and jars in his backpack, Cao Xing said with a smile, ¡°Great harvest, we¡¯ll be able to enjoy food with seasoning in the future.¡± Then, Cao Xing and Liu Muxue went into the last remaining room in the camp. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Looting the Camp, Resource Harvest Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Looting the Camp, Resource Harvest ¡°¡±¡± This was also the place where that boss-level assassin charged out from. Upon entering, one saw a small wooden cabin with a furnace burning inside, and a small wooden table beside it. On the table lay a piece of yellowed parchment map. It seemed that due to the sudden circumstances, the black-robed priest hadn¡¯t had the chance to put away the map before rushing out. Cao Xing went over and picked it up. [Gained Gale Snow Plain Map *1] [Click to unfold and view] Cao Xing clicked on it. The map unfolded before him, revealing various symbols. There were rivers, mountains, beasts, and towns. In the upper left corner of the map, Cao Xing saw the sign of a large town, with its name written above. [Dorun Lake City] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Cao Xing was taken aback, ¡°Wow, so Dorun Lake City is there.¡± He glanced at the distance, realizing it was over a thousand kilometers from his current location! Based on the icons on the map, it looked like [Dorun Lake City] was a large town with a dense population. Cao Xing thought, ¡°The distance is too far, it seems that this delivery task cannot be completed in the short term.¡± ¡°Also, I don¡¯t know if the residents of this town have received the news that the hunters are planning a massacre soon.¡± Shaking his head, he pushed these thoughts aside. Besides these icons, Cao Xing also saw on the map, various sun symbols. These suns came in different sizes. One slightly larger sun was located right where they were. And about ten kilometers further into the canyon, there was an even bigger sun. Suddenly, Cao Xing thought of something and exclaimed, ¡°Oh my¡­ are these markings indicating all the hunter camps¡¯ locations?¡± ¡°Does this map mark all the hunter strongholds in the entire Gale Snow Plain?¡± Cao Xing felt his breath catch, realizing the importance of this map! From the battles before, it was clear that destroying these [hunter camps] would not only yield rewards but also reputation value. Mastering these locations equated to mastering a wealth of benefits! Cao Xing exclaimed with excitement, ¡°Just in time, I have a blueprint for a tavern. Once the tavern is built, attracting powerful followers will require high reputation value.¡± ¡°When the reputation value isn¡¯t enough, I can just hit a few hunter camps and watch the reputation soar!¡± Cao Xing thought merrily. At this time, Liu Muxue¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Axing, there¡¯s a storage box here.¡± Hearing this, Cao Xing turned his gaze and saw a yellowed wooden box in the corner. Nodding, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come take a look.¡± [Hunter¡¯s Storage Box (Blue): Can be opened] ¡°A blue-grade storage box!¡± This was a medium-sized camp, so the storage box grade was higher, and likewise, it might contain some good items. Cao Xing, rubbing his hands, felt a thrill of anticipation. Then, he clicked to open it. [Successfully opened the Hunter¡¯s Storage Box, obtained Smoked Fish *6] [Obtained Honey *3 jars] [Obtained Milk *5] [Obtained White Bear Skin *1] [Obtained Basic Level Watchtower Construction Blueprint *1] [Obtained Ridania Centaur Liquor *7] [Obtained Skill Book: Courage Blessing] [Obtained Black Diamond *1] ¡°So many things, and there¡¯s honey and milk!¡± In this resource-scarce icy world, the value of these two resources was unimaginable. Especially honey, a delicacy only nobles could enjoy. If the subjects like Dahua knew Cao Xing had brought back honey, they would undoubtedly jump with joy. Besides these, there was also a skill book and a blueprint. Cao Xing examined the attributes of the skill book. [Courage Blessing (Blue): Condenses the power of Aurora, increasing the physical and magical attack power of friendly entities within a certain range by the equivalent of spiritual power *1.5, lasting 90 seconds, with a cooldown of 200 seconds.] Upon reading the attributes of the skill book, Cao Xing was astonished. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this one of the auxiliary divine skills of the early-stage Aurora Knight, the Courage Blessing?¡± Liu Muxue¡¯s spiritual power wasn¡¯t high at the moment, so the attack boost wasn¡¯t as powerful as imagined. However, as she leveled up and her spiritual power grew, one blessing could dramatically boost the attack power of the entire team. So, Cao Xing directly gave her the skill book. ¡°Muxue, learn it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liu Muxue nodded lightly, then clicked to learn the skill. Moments later, with a joyful smile, Liu Muxue said, ¡°It¡¯s done, Axing.¡± Cao Xing nodded in acknowledgment. At this moment, he held a diamond glowing with black crystal luster in his hand. The diamond was thumb-sized, and under the firelight, it appeared extremely bright. [Black Diamond: Special material, embedding it in equipment can increase Charm by 20 points] (An exceedingly rare mineral, regarded by nobles as a symbol of status. Any black diamond will trigger a frenzy and can fetch a high price at auction.) Reading the description, Cao Xing was stunned, then a look of delight appeared on his face. ¡°Wow¡­ just one gemstone can increase charm by 20 points, that¡¯s outrageous!¡± ¡°No wonder those nobles are so desperate to own a black diamond!¡± Whether keeping it himself or trading it in town, this black diamond could bring massive benefits to Cao Xing. Satisfied, Cao Xing nodded and stored the black diamond back in his backpack. With this, they had looted everything in the camp, achieving a bountiful haul. ¡°Let¡¯s go, time to head back!¡± After saying this, they departed the camp. Then, the group climbed up the pile of boulders along the cliff edge. Thud! Thud thud! Once Da Bai climbed up from the cliff, Cao Xing¡¯s team reassembled. He glanced at the time displayed above. [Time until nightfall: 1 hour and 17 minutes¡­] [Current temperature: -56¡æ] Cao Xing felt reassured, ¡°More than enough time before night falls to return to the camp.¡± Then, he sat on the back of the track robot and continued onward. The group, along with four machines and a mammoth, advanced swiftly across the vast icy plains. Before long, snowflakes began to fall from the sky. ¡°It¡¯s snowing, Axing.¡± Liu Muxue extended her right hand, murmuring, ¡°How beautiful¡­¡± Cao Xing glanced around. Although the weather forecast mentioned a light snowfall. In this snowfield, even a light snowfall was akin to heavy snow on Blue Star. Whoosh¡ª The cold wind howled, and temperatures plummeted. Snowflakes flew thickly, turning the scene into a vast expanse of whiteness, making it hard to discern directions. Fortunately, Cao Xing had a small map feature provided by the system. Under his guidance, the team moved steadily against the snowstorm. Before long, they saw their camp¡¯s location. From afar, they could see a large bonfire blazing. Snowflakes drifted near the bonfire, quickly melted by the heat it emitted. In contrast to the blanket of white outside. Cao Xing¡¯s camp seemed like an independent world in a sea of snow. At this moment, the Polar People were tirelessly working under the heavy snowfall. Liu Muxue remarked, ¡°Axing, our territory has expanded quite a bit, and there are many more structures!¡± She seemed a little excited. After all, it was the territory of her and Cao Xing. Cao Xing nodded, noticing the changes in their territory as well. Compared to when they left, the territory area had increased significantly. This meant that during this time, Dazhuang and the others had upgraded the campfire by at least two levels. Moreover, there were many more small shelters within the territory. The [Blacksmith Shop], [Cafeteria], had all been built. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to camp.¡± Cao Xing and his team gradually approached. The Polar People noticed the large group approaching in the snow from afar, their eyes filled with caution and wariness. But when they saw Cao Xing sitting on the track robot, their pupils widened in surprise. ¡°Oh, dear! It¡¯s the Lord!¡± ¡°How did he bring back so many creatures so quickly?¡± ¡°Oh my! Even a mammoth, how did the Lord manage to tame such a sacred creature?¡± These Polar People were utterly shocked to see Cao Xing return from a trip with so many powerful creatures. Simultaneously, all the subjects stopped their work, standing respectfully together in anticipation. Standing out among them, wearing tight jeans with a tall figure, Xia Yanni exuded a rich sense of maturity, like a ripe peach. Holding Tong Chuchu¡¯s hand, Xia Yanni nervously watched the large creatures beside Cao Xing. Cao Xing jumped down from the track robot and asked, ¡°Dazhuang, did anything happen while I was away?¡± Dazhuang hurriedly came forward and reported, ¡°Lord, nothing special happened. Everyone has been working diligently.¡± ¡°Except that, around noon, a few frost goblins tried to attack us but were shot down by Lady Yilena and the powerful Elemental Arrow Tower.¡± Cao Xing nodded at this. Frost Goblins were a common type of monster in the wild. These wild creatures couldn¡¯t enter the territory but could target workers outside the territory. Thankfully, before leaving, Cao Xing had left Yilena to guard the territory and had built an [Elemental Arrow Tower]. Cao Xing looked at Snake-man Yilena beside him and said, ¡°Yilena, well done.¡± Yilena twisted her body, sticking out a crimson tongue, and said, ¡°Happy to serve you, my Lord.¡± Dazhuang respectfully handed over several blue stones, saying, ¡°Lord, these are what fell from the Goblins, containing a magical aura.¡± Cao Xing accepted them. [Obtained Ice Crystal Stone *4.] [Ice Crystal Stone (Green): A stone that bursts out from certain ice element monsters, containing a strong frost ice aura, usable for constructing special buildings or forging certain ice attribute equipment.] ¡­ Cao Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s this kind of stone?¡± ¡­ ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Level 7 Big Bonfire! Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Level 7 Big Bonfire! ¡°` [Ice Crystal Stone] was also a widely used material, useful in the early, mid, and late stages. Moreover, as the game progressed to the mid-stage, a crucial defense building required a large quantity of Ice Crystal Stones. Cao Xing nodded in satisfaction, then put it away and glanced at the countdown overhead. [Time until darkness: 0 hours 50 minutes.] [Current temperature: -61¡æ] The temperature was getting lower and lower. At this moment, there was still some time before it was completely dark, so Cao Xing needed to use this time to build a shelter for the mammoth. And for the four robots, they also needed a place to shelter from the wind and snow. In extremely low temperatures, even machinery would not be able to withstand it. Thus, Cao Xing took out the [Medium Shelter Construction Plan] from his backpack and directly clicked on learn. Then he ordered, ¡°Dazhuang, take three people, and build two medium shelters before dark.¡± ¡°Our new members are all big guys, so they need enough space to move around.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï Dazhuang nodded, ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± Then, Dazhuang led three Polar People and got busy. Cao Xing still had two blueprints in hand, one for a [Tavern] and the other for a [Basic Watchtower]. He looked at the blueprint introduction. [Tavern Construction Plan: A tavern can be built on the territory for drinking and entertainment; when the reputation value reaches a certain level, it will attract some special heroes to your territory.] [Armor Value: 30 points] [Durability Value: 2500/2500] [Occupancy Area: 230 square meters] [Materials required for construction: Wood*150, Stone*80, Iron*30, Copper*20, Basic Elemental Crystal*10.] [Construction Time: 8 hours 32 minutes] [Staff: Bartender 0/1, Bartender 0/1] (Tip: A good bartender can attract more guests.) ¡­ Cao Xing pondered, ¡°To run the tavern, it needs two staff members.¡± ¡°And for the bartender, it requires finding a native with bartending skills to take on the role.¡± Currently, none of Cao Xing¡¯s subjects had talent in this area. However, Cao Xing had a map of the Gale Snow Plain, marked with nearby towns. These towns undoubtedly had natives with bartending skills. Cao Xing continued to review the next blueprint. [Basic Watchtower Construction Plans: A watchtower can be built on the territory to patrol the surroundings; subjects with ranged attack capabilities can attack from the watchtower.] [Armor Value: 40 points] [Durability Value: 2500/2500] [Occupancy Area: 20 square meters] [Building Height: 18 meters] [Guardian Personnel: 0/2] [Materials required for construction: Wood*100, Stone*50, Iron*20, Copper*10, Basic Elemental Crystal*5.] [Construction Time: 6 hours 12 minutes] ¡­ Cao Xing nodded secretly, ¡°This watchtower isn¡¯t bad, similar to the Basic Elemental Arrow Tower, but the difference is one requires manual attack, and the other automatic.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t have a ranged force, so I¡¯m not in a hurry to build it.¡± So, Cao Xing called Wuzhuang over. ¡°Wuzhuang, come here.¡± Wuzhuang respectfully said, ¡°Lord, please give your orders.¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Your task with Liuzhuang is to upgrade all the small shelters in our territory to medium shelters.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t finish today, you can continue tomorrow.¡± Wuzhuang straightened his body immediately and respectfully said, ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± ¡°Qizhuang, Bazhuang, tomorrow you will continue to build Elemental Arrow Towers, strive to build two in one day. Is there a problem?¡± Now, the resources in Cao Xing¡¯s hands were very abundant, but since one Elemental Arrow Tower required 6 hours of construction time. Therefore, two per day was also their limit. Qizhuang and Bazhuang responded in unison, solemnly, ¡°No problem, Lord, we guarantee to complete the task!¡± Then, Cao Xing glanced again at the attributes of the Camp Fire. [Big Bonfire: Level 7] [Bonfire Effect: Can increase the temperature of the area within 300 meters by 10~20¡æ] [Consumption]: 10 minutes/5 Wood or 20 minutes/2 Coal. [Materials required for the next level]: Stone*100, Wood*50, Iron*30. ¡­ Cao Xing pondered, ¡°Level 7 ¡­ after the bonfire reached level 5, each upgrade increased the heating range by 100 meters.¡± ¡°After reaching level 11, it will turn into a melting furnace, and the heating range will undergo a qualitative change.¡± Thinking of this, Cao Xing called over Cao Yi and his group. Then he assigned them tasks, which were upgrading the [Camp Fire] and building two [Basic Watchtowers]. And the [Tavern] was also put into construction. Cao Yi accepted the orders respectfully, ¡°Yes, my merciful Lord.¡± Cao Xing also called Dahua over and handed over various seasonings, such as salt, pepper powder, oil, vinegar, etc., to her. After thinking for a moment, he gave her some obtained food ingredients, including honey, dry cheese, and so on. Dahua held the bottles and jars in her hands with a look of shock. ¡°This is the White Gold Sand the noble lords eat¡­¡± ¡°My goodness, come quickly, Lord has brought back White Gold Sand!¡± Erhua and Sanhua also gathered around. What they discussed as White Gold Sand was salt. As commoners, Dahua and the others usually ate unpalatable black rye bread daily, And even white bread was considered a luxury. As for salt, that was something that only the nobles could afford. Liuhua, with an innocent look, stared at the three jars of golden liquid next to her in astonishment, ¡°Is this¡­ Golden Honey?¡± ¡°This is something even more precious than White Gold Sand.¡± ¡°Oh my god, I¡¯ve actually seen the legendary Golden Honey!¡± The subjects were extremely excited. Cao Xing smiled, ¡°Go and use these seasonings to make a delicious meal for everyone tonight.¡± Dahua nodded respectfully and carried the bottles and jars like treasures into the [Cafeteria]. For a moment, everyone started to get busy. Then, only Xia Yanni, Tong Chuchu, and Yilena remained on the field. Xia Yanni asked somewhat uneasily, ¡°Lord, is there anything we need to do?¡± Cao Xing looked at the thin clothing on their bodies. Xia Yanni was wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt at this time, with half of her arms exposed. Because of the cold, her skin was already red. Both she and Tong Chuchu were slightly trembling. Then, Cao Xing took out a [Complete Bear Skin] from his backpack. ¡°Is this bear skin enough to make two sets of clothes?¡± Xia Yanni shrank her body, her plump legs tightly pressed together, and then she gently nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s enough¡­¡± Cao Xing nodded, ¡°Then use this bear skin to make a set of clothes for you and Chuchu. The temperature will drop tonight, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Hearing this, Xia Yanni was stunned on the spot. She originally thought Cao Xing wanted her to sew something else, like a quilt or windbreaker. However, he said to make a set of clothes for herself and her daughter¡­ ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Feast, Loyalty Soars! Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Feast, Loyalty Soars! ¡°` A moment later, Xia Yanni lifted her head, her eyes gradually misting over with tears¡­ Crystalline tears trickled down her cheeks, and she looked at Cao Xing with a wronged expression. Cao Xing froze, staring blankly at the woman before him. Damn, did I say something wrong? Why did she suddenly start crying? Xia Yanni wiped her tears. Ever since arriving in this world, she had been living in constant fear, always on edge. Cold, hunger, continuously eroded her mental defenses. She didn¡¯t even have time to mourn the death of her loved ones. She thought she and her daughter would freeze to death in this snowy wasteland. Unexpectedly, she encountered this man. Not only did he provide her with warmth and delicious food. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï But now he even offered her warm clothing. Xia Yanni felt overwhelmingly moved in her heart. But then, thinking of her daughter watching nearby, Xia Yanni suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment. She blushed and said, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Lord, I lost my composure¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for taking care of us, mother and daughter.¡± Xia Yanni bowed solemnly to Cao Xing. However, because her collar was rather loose, coupled with her exaggerated figure, the movement caused a white expanse to reveal itself. With just a glimpse, Cao Xing noted her extraordinarily dramatic figure. It must have been at least a 36D, right? As if realizing her motion was excessive, Xia Yanni instinctively covered her neckline with her hands. Her pretty face turned crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet Cao Xing¡¯s gaze. Cao Xing averted his eyes, uninterested, and handed the bear skin to Xia Yanni. Xia Yanni gently received it and cautiously glanced at Cao Xing. After expressing her thanks again, she led Tong Chuchu¡¯s little hand and entered the Sewing Shop. As she was leaving, Tong Chuchu turned her head and flashed Cao Xing a brilliant smile. Beside him, Liu Muxue softly remarked, ¡°Axing, you treat your subordinates really well.¡± However, Cao Xing shook his head and smiled, ¡°Providing them with a good quality of life will allow them to feel a sense of belonging to the territory.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if they¡¯re not well-fed or clothed, who will work for you?¡± Liu Muxue nodded silently, clenching her little fists, seemingly having learned some new knowledge. Time flew by, and evening soon arrived. Just as the weather forecast had predicted. Heavy snowflakes were already falling from the sky. Except for the area where their territory was located, everything seemed enveloped in a vast expanse of white. But fortunately, they managed to construct two Medium Shelters before nightfall. Four robots and a massive mammoth squeezed in. Then, the subjects gathered in the cafeteria to enjoy today¡¯s meal. It was one of the few grand meals they had tasted in their lives. On the wooden tables, bread, cheese, milk, and meats were meticulously arranged. Everyone, including the Polar People, eyed it with intense longing. Saliva flowed profusely, and they almost couldn¡¯t restrain themselves from diving in. At this moment, subject Cao Yi began to leverage his Basic Level Speech Skill. After a passionate speech. Subject Cao Yi slowly declared, ¡°We must remember, all of this is bestowed upon us by the Lord.¡± ¡°Thank the Lord for his generosity, and may we exhaust the last drop of sweat for the development of the territory!¡± The subjects were inspired, and they all said loudly, ¡°Thank the Lord for his generosity!¡± Then, they began to indulge in the bountiful feast. ¡°Gulp, gulp¡­¡± The sound of wolfing down food filled the air. Satisfaction appeared on everyone¡¯s faces. [Your territory member: Cao Yi enjoyed a delicious dinner, Loyalty increased, current Loyalty: 85] [Your territory member: Liuzhuang enjoyed a delicious dinner, Loyalty increased, current Loyalty: 83] [Your territory member¡­] System prompts continuously appeared. Cao Xing sat inside the Lord¡¯s Hut, smiling with satisfaction. ¡°Not bad, it seems Cao Yi¡¯s speech was quite effective.¡± He and Liu Muxue did not go to the cafeteria to eat. Being the Lord, they naturally had their own private dining area. At the moment, the two sat beside a small wooden table. Looking at the table, where golden-hued bear meat glistened, they couldn¡¯t help but feel their fingers twitch. It was honey-glazed roasted bear meat, with a perfect color, aroma, and taste. Cao Xing eagerly took the first bite, and the flavorful meat dissolved in his mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Wow, this taste is simply remarkable.¡± ¡°Muxue, you should try it too.¡± Liu Muxue listened and laughed softly, joining in on the meal. The two soon finished their delightful dinner. Meanwhile. As night fell, the survivors returned to their camps, and the chat channel became lively again. They either shared their day¡¯s experiences or traded supplies at the market. Cao Xing, after eating his fill, moved a small stool to sit by the stove for warmth and opened the World Channel. He wanted to check the development progress of other survivors. A large number of messages appeared. Lu Wei: ¡°Who knows, I¡¯ve only just realized that my territory is on a snowy mountain, and below seems to be a Mole Man¡¯s den. I see a group of Mole People going in and out every day, pulling many carts.¡± Bell: ¡°Friends, we¡¯ve met again. Today I report my survival progress. I found an ice river near my territory and carved an Ice Hole on it, then made a simple fishing rod for ice fishing. You can learn to make fishing rods from me, and the method is¡­¡± Mohan Das: ¡°When exploring, I encountered a group of wandering merchants and wanted to trade some weapons with my rupees. But they chased me away, sigh¡­¡± Ishizaki Ichimasa: ¡°Yoshi! I killed a severely injured Wild Boar today, and it dropped a Wild Boar Warrior Recruitment Scroll. Now I have my first Level 5 Combat Unit, and he will help me take the top spot on the ranking list!¡± Jiang Zhenchuan: ¡°Reminder, don¡¯t just enter any hole you see. Inside, besides beasts, there might be unexpected things. Two of my Polar People fell in there!¡± ¡­ After skimming through, Cao Xing nodded, observing the survivors¡¯ progress worldwide was more or less the same. They were gradually venturing out of their territories to explore this world. Due to the different locations of everyone¡¯s territories, they encountered varied events. Cao Xing then clicked on the 174 Area Channel. Tian Cheng: ¡°Damn! It¡¯s really snowing. I just brought back a sheep from outside today and didn¡¯t remember to build a shelter. Will it freeze to death?¡± Song Jincai: ¡°Bro, give me two pieces of mutton tomorrow, thanks.¡± Ji Xinyue: ¡°Who passed by my camp today? I saw human footprints.¡± Xie Zhiqi: ¡°I have an extra medical kit here, does anyone have weapons or skill books for Polar Warriors?¡± Wang Gang: ¡°Trade 2 pieces of iron for 20 stones, anyone up for it?¡± As everyone explored outward, they gathered some supplies in hand, and more survivors had built Markets. They sought trades in the chat channel, discussing survival strategies. Of course, not everyone found success; many perished in the wilderness explorations. The current number of online users reflected this. 174 Area Online Users: 35,272/40,173 Several hundred more had died compared to yesterday. This world was full of opportunities, but also incredibly brutal. Some reveled while others lamented. Besides the discussions above, some vented their frustrations. Dan Chengpeng: ¡°Sigh, I managed to hunt a dumb roe deer today. On the way back, I encountered a white tiger; it chased me for ages. Not only did I get nothing, but I also broke a leg!¡± Chen Jing: ¡°+1, I had no gains today either.¡± Zhang Yong: ¡°Same here. In this world, obtaining any supplies is too difficult. The beasts in the snow are so strong. Forget about climbing the leaderboard; a single misstep can lead to being counter-killed.¡± Zhao Renhai: ¡°Exactly, exactly. I explored outside for so long today and barely reached Level 2, and I¡¯m only halfway to Level 3. Those powerful monsters are daunting, so I can only hunt small rabbits and snakes.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know how the monsters on the leaderboard are leveling up.¡± The topic shifted toward the Level Ranking List. Huang Qi: ¡°Speaking of which, big shot Cao Xing is truly amazing! Level 7 in a day¡ªhe must have killed a lot of monsters today. So formidable!¡± Su Rongfa: ¡°Yeah, we have to be cautious even against a single snow wolf, while Cao Xing is battling much stronger monsters. He seems destined for first place this time.¡± Chen Xiaoxu: ¡°+1, I also think first place belongs to big shot Cao Xing. The fastest, Zhou Bo, has just reached Level 5, far behind.¡± Zheng Youquan: ¡°Folks, haven¡¯t you noticed Goddess Muxue is also impressive? She¡¯s already Level 6, surely taking the second spot!¡± Survivors nodded in agreement. Clearly, what drew the most attention now was the Level Ranking List. The rewards on the list were enough to make everyone yearn for them. At this point, a survivor named Fu Yue suddenly remarked with a sinister tone, ¡°Heh¡­ Aren¡¯t you too quick to say that Cao Xing will surely take first?¡± ¡°He¡¯s only just reached Level 7, and it¡¯ll take at least two or three more days to reach Level 10.¡± ¡°As levels get harder to achieve, monsters grow stronger.¡± ¡°And if Cao Xing meets with any mishap, all his efforts would go in vain.¡± This guy¡¯s tone was definitely cursing Cao Xing. Some in the chat channel couldn¡¯t hold back. Ji Xinyue: ¡°Is this all you Three Heroes Association people are capable of? Can¡¯t compete so come to the chat and curse others? Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡­ ¡°`