Translator: AnubisTL
The gap was simply too vast.
Some alien race players who had initially spent merit points to apply debuffs to Chen Jiang's character now stood with ashen faces.
It was clear their efforts had done nothing to hinder the human player.
In fact, the mutated beasts they had summoned to harass Chen Jiang were likely annihilated the moment they appeared.
Players of all races stared at the event kill rankings with complex expressions, remaining silent and motionless.
They had even lost the will to buff their own race's players.
With such a massive disparity, no amount of merit points spent on buffs could bridge the gap.
Meanwhile, the participants within the event dungeon remained unaware of this reality, still fighting desperately against the mutated beast horde, their eyes bloodshot and their minds filled with fantasies of claiming the top ranking and becoming their race's hero.
Outside, the other alien race players had long since given up hope, abandoning any expectation of securing the top ranking.
The outcome was already predetermined.
It was like how Director Lin's son had just graduated this year, and the bureau suddenly announced a single, highly lucrative job opening—the result had been decided from the start.
Everyone else was just running in place.
However, the human race was not among these silent, defeated races.
Human Player Fang Cunshan, from Mount Fangcun, stared excitedly at the kill rankings before him, pumping his fist in the air and shouting, "Awesome!"
"Chen Jiang is a beast! I knew Brother Jiang would crush it once he got in there!"
Behind him lay the naked corpse of a woman, Li Xiumei. The chaotic fingerprints on her body suggested her final moments had been anything but pleasant.
In the wilderness, everything had its value, even a woman about to be executed. Everyone had grown accustomed to this reality, because every being born into this world had experienced firsthand how a life without value was no life at all.
"Scar Dog..."
In a nearby settlement, a woman with delicate features stared blankly at the somewhat crude name on the kill rankings. She remembered that name. This man had pursued her relentlessly, using all the old tricks: dinner dates, movies, flowers—even blushing like a naive boy fresh out of a brothel. Rumor had it he'd later gone into business with a wealthy boss and was doing quite well. She never expected to see his name here.
Soon, the five-minute countdown ended. By then, not a single mutated beast below Chen Jiang remained standing.
The Steel Sword Autonomous Rotating Turret below slowly came to a halt, standing silently in place as if completely detached from the scene before it—a tableau as bloody as any in human history.
Chen Jiang gently descended to the ground.
Before he could steady himself, a flash of white light filled his vision.
[Global Announcement!]
[The Race Speedrun Event has concluded perfectly, with Human Players Chen Jiang and Scar Dog securing the top ranking.]
[The top ten participants will each receive individual rewards.]
[The first-place winner will also receive an additional race-specific reward.]
[The race-specific reward is—]
[All human players will randomly receive a one-star item.]
The event had lasted less than ten minutes.
Chen Jiang and Scar Dog had simply hovered in the air, patiently watching a relatively long advertisement, and then it was over.
Chen Jiang received the item awarded for claiming the top ranking.
[Item Name: Martial Emperor Shotgun!]
[Item Tier: Two-Star Item!]
[Item Effect: Pull the trigger, and a storm of bullets will rain down!]
[Item Details: Ammunition capacity: 12 rounds, Caliber: 2cm, Range: 50 meters, Recoil: 10 kilograms.]
[Item Skill: Highly effective against armored, gelatinous, boneless creatures.]
[Item Description]: Before the shotgun, all truths must be re-examined!
[Modifiable Options]: Ammunition Capacity, Caliber, Range, Recoil, Form Alteration.
"Only a two-star item?" Chen Jiang shook his head slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes. Although he hadn't invested much effort, he was still the top-ranked player, and a two-star item felt a bit underwhelming.
But when he saw the "Form Alteration" option, his lips twitched involuntarily.
He hadn't forgotten how the flamethrower's form alteration had turned it into a diarrhea-spewing device, firing highly corrosive stomach acid.
Shaking his head, Chen Jiang reluctantly turned his attention to the shotgun's form alteration.
[Form Alteration!]
[Continuously increase the number of barrels. Material cost is the same as the previous four options.]
"Continuously increase the number of barrels?" Chen Jiang raised an eyebrow, immediately pulling out three semi-scrapped items to enhance this option.
[Ding! Three one-star items consumed.]
[The Martial Emperor Shotgun's barrel count has been upgraded to +1.]
[Barrel count increased from 1 to 2.]
Soon after...
Chen Jiang noticed that his original single-barreled shotgun had transformed into a double-barreled one.
"..."
Scar Dog remained silent for a moment, his expression strange, before murmuring, "So, theoretically, I could even have a shotgun with three thousand barrels?"
"In theory, yes."
"Here, take it." Chen Jiang tossed the shotgun into Scar Dog's arms. "Use it well."
"Got it."
Scar Dog didn't hesitate, immediately accepting the new shotgun. He stroked it appreciatively, noting it was a significant improvement over his previous weapon.
Just then—
Chen Jiang and Scar Dog, standing outside the armored vehicle, suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby.
"Who's there!" Scar Dog's face darkened as he swung the shotgun toward the source of the noise.
A gaunt man with a sallow complexion and tattered clothes crawled out of a mine, his hands raised in supplication. His voice trembled with fear as he pleaded, "Brothers, I'm a human player too! Please don't shoot!"
"..."
Scar Dog glanced at the man expressionlessly, his finger already tightening on the trigger. He had no intention of wasting words.
In the wilderness, every stranger was a potential enemy.
In most cases, strangers do indeed turn out to be enemies, just as you'd expect.
"No, no!"
Seeing Scar Dog's finger already on the trigger, the man's face paled as he screamed, "I know where there's a treasure chest with a three-star item! Don't shoot!"
"s…"
"I must admit, that's tempting," Chen Jiang said, narrowing his eyes and waving his hand.
Scar Dog cautiously approached, stripping the man of his clothes and thoroughly searching hidden areas for concealed weapons. Only after confirming there were none did he bind the man and bring him near Brother Jiang.
For a three-star item treasure chest, some risks were worth taking.
"Speak," Chen Jiang said, glancing at the night sky above before shifting his gaze back to the man three meters away. He placed the Steel Sword Autonomous Turret beside him and spoke softly, "I value my word above all else. I've never broken a promise in my life."
"A three-star item treasure chest in exchange for your life is a fair deal."
"For both of us."
(End of the Chapter)
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