The Tidal Secret Realm boasted a unique urban apocalypse setting and zombie infestation elements, making it quite novel. However, novelty can fade, and these features alone wouldn't sustain the Adventurers' interest indefinitely.
Jack began updating and enhancing the Secret Realm, adding single-player and multiplayer level modes. These modes closely mirrored the original gameplay of Left 4 Dead, featuring not only hordes of common zombies but also special infected with unique abilities, significantly boosting the challenge and enjoyment!
Newly added zombie types such as Hunter, Smoker, Charger, Exploder, Tank, and Witch injected fresh excitement into the Secret Realm, enticing Adventurers with their unique challenges.
Deploying special infected required more mental power, with the Witch and Tank being the most demanding, each consuming 20 mental power.
With 448 mental power at his disposal, Jack could create up to 22 Tanks or Witches. However, the number of monsters in the Secret Realm wasn't permanently fixed. If an Adventurer successfully extracted a Tank Zombie's soul essence, it would reduce the number of Tanks in the realm and consume mental power, requiring Jack to spend more to replenish it.
Thus, he decided against exhausting his mental power completely. He spent 330 points to construct the first large level, deploying 3 Tanks, 5 Witches, and about 30 other special infected, consuming 300 mental power. The remaining 30 points were allocated for creating scenes and props. Additionally, he spent 80 soul crystals to add 16 Secret Realm crystals, increasing the total from 4 to 20.
Why not more? The Underground City's reception capacity was limited. A new city, unupgraded or built, had a daily reception limit of only 100 Adventurers. More Secret Realm entrances wouldn't help due to this cap.
With 20 Secret Realm crystals, the current setup was sufficient. Jack focused on improving infrastructure to maximize the city's capacity. After reviewing the available facilities, he chose to build a "Mercenary House."
This facility offered:
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**Mercenary House**, Tier 1 infrastructure, construction cost 100 soul crystals.
**Function 1**: Increases the city's daily reception limit by 25.
**Function 2**: Converts up to 30 Adventurers into mercenaries.
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This building boosted the reception limit from 100 to 125, a modest increase but enough for the next couple of days. It also allowed for recruiting up to 30 Adventurers as mercenaries, useful for scouting and developing nearby areas.
Every new Underground City had a 30-day protection period, free from external threats. Early development was advantageous for the territory.
After construction, 96 soul crystals remained.
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The next day, Miracle City opened its gates to eighty-five eager Adventurers.
Mandy exclaimed, "This city has only been open for three days, and look at the crowd! Soon we might have to race to get in!"
John Stone lamented, "I underestimated it. If I'd known how great this place was, I wouldn't have rushed to post that review."
Lone Blade reassured, "For a city with this quality, popularity is expected. Look, the City Lord has expanded facilities. The current capacity should be fine!"
Moonlit Snow added, "Secret Realm crystals have increased significantly. Lord Jack is truly promising!"
Wind's Edge declared, "We must clear the novice mode today!"
"Charge!"
"Kill zombies!"
"I want cola, and I'm farming zombie soul essence!"
The Adventurers were raring to go, swarming into the Secret Realm Lobby to begin their challenges.
Drawing from the past two days' experience, they progressed significantly, collecting items and weapons, and mowing down zombies. Despite some setbacks, they pushed further: five hundred meters, one thousand meters, fifteen hundred meters…
Finally, Lonely Swordsman discovered the safety door.
Armed with an M1AC-10 submachine gun, he fought through a zombie horde to find a striking red safety door at the street's end.
"Wow!"
"Check it out!"
"Dao Shu found the safety door!"
The Adventurers were astonished and raced to witness it.
Despite finding the door, danger loomed with zombies all around.
"Quick, zombies are coming! Get through the door!"
"Be careful, Dao Shu!"
"You must succeed!"
The tension was palpable.
Lonely Swordsman dashed and fired, emptying his rifle. He switched to his submachine gun, then his pistol, dodging, rolling, crawling. In the nick of time, he slid under a zombie's legs to reach the safety door.
As zombies lunged, he shut the door just in time.
It was a narrow escape!
[Congratulations!]
[You have cleared the novice mode of the "Doomsday Frenzy Secret Realm"!]
[You obtained "zombie soul essence" +1, "Iced Beer" +1!]
The Adventurers erupted in cheers!
"Haha!"
"Success!"
"Well done, Dao Shu!"
"He cleared the Secret Realm in just three days!"
Lonely Swordsman felt a profound sense of accomplishment, being the first to clear the Miracle City Secret Realm. This honor outweighed the rewards.
He received two spoils, including a monster soul crystal!
"Congratulations!" Jack personally congratulated him.
Lonely Swordsman eagerly asked, "Can I challenge other modes now?"
"Of course, single-player and multiplayer level modes are unlocked. Welcome to the more challenging and rich Secret Realm levels!"
"Yay!"
The Adventurers were thrilled, and Lonely Swordsman was no exception.
Intrigued by the multiplayer mode, which promised cooperative gameplay and increased fun, he opted for the single-player mode as others hadn't cleared the novice level yet.
"Old Dao is trying the new level!"
"Hmph, the Lord boasted yesterday. Let's see what's different about the new mode!"
The crystal area buzzed with Adventurers, while Lonely Swordsman selected the single-player level mode and reappeared on the familiar rooftop.
"Doesn't seem much changed!"
The level had some differences from the novice mode, but the scenes were nearly identical, sparking suspicion among Adventurers. Could it be that the Lord was out of ideas?
Equipped with starting gear, he began collecting and exploring with practiced ease, gathering pistols, a silenced submachine gun, and plenty of ammunition.
Lonely Swordsman remarked, "More zombies, but no fundamental difference from novice mode."
The Adventurers felt slightly disappointed.
It seemed the level mode was just old wine in a new bottle.
But just as doubt crept in, Lonely Swordsman turned a corner to face a massive creature.
Like a three or four hundred-pound man, it blocked the path, a mountain of flesh with a huge belly, morbidly obese and festering. Its grotesque, terrifying appearance shocked everyone!
"Holy crap!"
"What is that?!"
Lonely Swordsman instinctively fired, causing the monster to explode violently, releasing foul-smelling bile.
The stench was overwhelming.
Nearby zombies went berserk, swarming the spot.
"This is bad!"
"Dao Shu, run!"
"That monster's fluids attract zombies!"
Lonely Swordsman retreated into a small room, using narrow terrain to fend off zombies with his submachine gun. In a fierce, bloody battle, he depleted his ammo and sustained multiple injuries, nearly defeating the zombies.
Suddenly, with a swift motion, a long tongue wrapped around his neck.
Lonely Swordsman struggled but couldn't break free.
Dragged from the room, he faced a terrifying zombie, covered in green spores, half its face tumor-ridden, with a giant mouth.
The tongue, over ten or twenty meters long, came from its mouth.
Unable to save himself.
Surrounded by zombies.
He died tragically on the spot!
The watching Adventurers were stunned, unable to process what they had seen.
Their shock turned into ecstasy as they realized the new depths of the Secret Realm!