A seasoned player watching would have noticed. Though Luo Jie wielded a sword, every move screamed blade technique. He abandoned the sword's inherent lightness and thrusts, opting instead for brutal, wide-arcing chops and cleaves.
An old habit died hard. Unless facing an enemy with bizarre resistances, he preferred the battlefield purity of a blade. No complex maneuvers needed – just point and chop, chop, chop.
The noise of combat drew the wandering hallway zombies like flies. Instead of retreating, Luo Jie charged headlong into the growing horde. He fought like a berserker unleashed, ignoring his body's limits, pouring every ounce of strength into each devastating swing. Under this suicidal onslaught, zombies fell like wheat before a scythe. Severed heads, dismembered limbs, and headless corpses soon carpeted the corridor floor.
"Time to pull back…" Feeling his stamina dip below half, his sword arm leaden, Luo Jie instantly retreated into the security room. He slumped against the door, its surface shuddering under the pounding fists of the undead outside. A harsh cough tore through him, blood spraying from his lips. The [Lucky City Security Uniform] had spared him deep bites, leaving only minor scratches and tears on his limbs. But the relentless accumulation of the zombie virus was already gnawing at his internal organs. Worse, the non-stop, full-power swings had shredded the muscles in his arms and back. Adrenaline had masked it before; now, every tiny movement sent jolts of agony through him.
"Guess going full berserk isn't for everyone," Luo Jie grimaced, summoning the [Red M92F Pistol]. Hands trembling, he fumbled a magazine into place, pressed the cold muzzle against his temple. "But damn… it felt good."
BANG!
Silence. Then, Luo Jie sat bolt upright, gasping. He stared at his hands, his limbs – pristine, unharmed. Even after multiple Death Reforges, the sensation of returning from the void remained profoundly strange. As expected, every injury, every trace of the zombie virus, was gone. Full stamina, sharp mind. Aside from the Black Ghost's cooldown, he was peak condition. He pulled up his main panel. His points had jumped from 100 to 420.
Three minutes. Thirty-two zombies. He did the math silently. This kill rate might be nothing to a seasoned Level One player. But combined with Death Reforge? The potential became terrifyingly exponential.
"Heh. Feels a bit like grinding mobs non-stop…" he muttered.
While Luo Jie systematically cleared the corridors outward from the security room, an uninvited guest arrived at the first-floor safe room where Jia Shuai and his group huddled.
"Well hello there, rookies! Cozy little setup you got." The man in the signature black shades leaned against the doorframe, grinning. He looked like he'd just walked off a beach in Hawaii – if you ignored the thick, still-wet blood splattered across his clothes.
Several guys in the lounge surged to their feet, faces tight with anger, hands white-knuckled on their makeshift weapons. Jia Shuai, after a moment's calculation, waved them down. "Big Bear, Miner, guys… out. And tell Wang Ke to bring two waters."
Grumbling, the men filed out. The Shades Man sprawled onto the couch opposite Jia Shuai, dropping his gore-smeared machete onto the coffee table with a heavy clang. "Gotta hand it to you. Pulling this rabble together so fast? Not many can do that. Survive this place, kid, you'll go far."
The door opened. Wang Ke, the pretty girl, entered with a tray, placed two paper cups of hot water before them, and silently exited, closing the door behind her.
Jia Shuai blew steam off his cup, his gaze steady on the Shades Man. "Cut the crap. Why are you here?"
The grin widened. "Looking to cut a deal. Cooperation."
"Cooperation?" Jia Shuai snorted. "You mean using us as cannon fodder."
"Using? Sure, I'll cop to that. But cannon fodder? Bit harsh." The Shades Man drained his cup, crushed it into a ball, and began tossing it casually. "In the Instances, everyone's fodder. Getting used just means you've got value. Isn't that right?"
Jia Shuai remained silent, absorbing this. After a long moment, he spoke. "Lay out your plan."
"Knew I liked you, smart guy." The Shades Man snapped his fingers. With a wave of his hand, a shimmering 3D holographic map of Lucky City materialized above the coffee table.
"A map?" Jia Shuai jerked forward, astonishment plain on his face.
The Shades Man blinked. "What? You didn't know? Wait… you're not Ye Yan?" He'd pegged this sharp kid as the top-ranked player on the leaderboard. But that genuine surprise? It rang true.
Jia Shuai shrugged helplessly. "Wish I knew who Ye Yan is. He sent me a map offer earlier. Too pricey for my points."
"Some vet playing possum?" The Shades Man rubbed his stubbled chin, frowning. It didn't make sense. High-level players got booted from low-level Instances unless they deliberately suppressed their stats. And if Ye Yan was Level One, why not team up? Two vets were infinitely safer and more efficient than solo.
When the silence stretched, Jia Shuai cleared his throat. "Forget Ye Yan. The plan."
The Shades Man snapped back to focus. "Right." He zoomed the map onto a specific section. "Promenade. My guess? The juiciest loot spot in this whole damn Instance. Crack this, we're swimming in gear."
"Zombies?" Jia Shuai tapped the tabletop. "I'm guessing… a lot?"
"That's the kicker." The Shades Man circled the Promenade area. "Scouted it. Packed tight. Five thousand, easy. Normal approach? Suicide run." His finger stabbed a large room adjacent to the shops. "But here? Swimming pool. Drain it – instant kill box. Lure a chunk of the horde in there with a few decoys… couple of guys with sharp sticks on the edge… easy pickings. Zero risk."
Jia Shuai didn't jump. He studied the hologram of the pool area from every angle, mentally dissecting the plan. Minutes ticked by.
Finally, he asked, "Points split?"
He knew better than to expect an even cut.
"Fifty-fifty." The Shades Man held up five fingers.
Jia Shuai shook his head. "Ninety-ten. We've got thirty-six bodies. We do the heavy lifting."
"Forty-sixty. Don't get greedy. Without my intel and this map, you're stuck here counting ceiling tiles till this Instance spits you out. Empty-handed. And I'm not just spectating. If the lure goes sideways? I'm the cavalry."
"Eighty-twenty. Any less, my guys won't swallow it. We're risking necks too."
"..."
After tense haggling, they settled on seventy-thirty. Under the System's impartial eye, they formed a temporary party. Any points earned by any member would automatically split according to the agreed ratio. (How Jia Shuai distributed his faction's share internally was, naturally, his own business).
"Hey, Shades," Jia Shuai said, noticeably warmer after the contract solidified. He offered a cigarette. "Out there… in the real world… how many like you are there?"
The sudden shift threw the Shades Man slightly. He took the cigarette after a beat. "Lots. And not just here. Everywhere. Every country's got 'em." He leaned back, accepting Jia Shuai's light. He blew a smoke ring, his gaze drifting past it, unfocused. "Don't let the 'veteran' tag fool you. I've only cleared two Instances before this. One was pure dumb luck, basically spectated." He took a long drag. "Compared to the real heavy hitters? I'm plankton. Barely qualify to wipe their boots. Just good at scaring clueless rookies like you."
The words were casual, but the weight behind them hit Jia Shuai hard. He frowned. "Shades… you're saying… these Instances? They've been happening for a long time?"
The Shades Man barked a short, humorless laugh. "Hell yeah. How else d'you think I learned the ropes?"