The introduction of new zombies left the Adventurers both shocked and amazed.
Mandy exclaimed, "Oh my god, a new monster, a genuinely new monster!"
Pig King added, "Absolutely! If this isn't a new monster, I'll eat the crystal myself!"
Wool Warrior asked, "What's with this tongue-spitting zombie? It looks so strange!"
Moonlit Snow declared, "Lord Jack is truly a genius. With such unique monsters, this Secret Realm has the potential to become incredibly popular. I'm optimistic about Miracle City's future!"
"Tell us more about the new zombie!"
"Where's the Lord?"
"Come out and explain!"
It was no surprise that the Adventurers were excited. Often, Lords' monster inspirations overlap, and many Secret Realms share the same creatures, leading to aesthetic fatigue.
Unique monsters are rare, and Jack not only had exclusive zombies but more than one kind, significantly enhancing the Secret Realm's playability, fun, and challenge, surprising and delighting the Adventurers.
The more monster types, the more types of soul essence. Adventurers need soul essence to level up, so the more the merrier, as each type can only be absorbed once.
Secret Realms with high uniqueness and multiple exclusive monsters are naturally popular, considered treasure troves among Underground Cities.
The Adventurers were filled with questions and curiosity.
"Ahem, since everyone is so eager, I'll reveal a little," Jack said mysteriously. "Tidal Secret Realm will feature over ten monster types. Alongside the ordinary zombies, you'll encounter numerous rare special zombies."
"What?"
"Ten types?"
"So many?"
"How much soul essence will that yield?"
"What other zombies are there? Tell us more!"
"..."
"The zombies you just met are called Exploder and Smoker..."
After piquing their interest, Jack paused. "That's all I'll reveal. To learn more, you'll have to explore the Secret Realm."
Smoker? Exploder? The Adventurers were intrigued and eager.
Mandy speculated, "The Exploder must be the big zombie Dao Shu blew up."
Moonlit Snow agreed, "Its death causes an explosion and sprays toxic bile. Judging by the scene, this liquid strongly attracts other zombies—a dangerous trait."
John Stone praised, "Brilliant design!"
Pig King wondered, "So the Smoker is the tongue-spitting zombie? But why 'Smoker'?"
Wind's Edge suggested, "Perhaps their mutations relate to their pre-infection condition and habits. It's worth studying!"
"The Lord is stingy!"
"Not revealing more!"
"No matter, I'll explore myself!"
The Adventurers buzzed with conversation, the zombie world proving more mysterious and intriguing.
"What you need to focus on isn't just the zombie types," Jack advised. "The level mode includes various scenes, and more exciting story modes will be developed. Adventurers can uncover the world's story as they explore!"
"What?"
"That's fascinating!"
"It seems the Lord has not only genius monster designs but rich materials and top-notch production skills!"
"Charge, charge, charge!"
"I must uncover this world's secrets!"
"This Secret Realm is too fun; I'm calling my family!"
The Adventurers were invigorated and full of enthusiasm.
It's surprising that Smokers and Exploders caused such a sensation. Imagine their reaction to the Witch and the Tank.
White Little Deer suggested, "Dao Shu, continue fighting! We'll let you cut in line!"
"Yes, we want to see you battle special zombies!"
"Sure, sure."
Lone Blade admitted, "I haven't figured out how to handle the Exploder and Smoker yet."
Wind's Edge advised, "Then wait a bit. Soloing the level mode is tough. We'll clear the novice mode soon, and teaming up might make it easier."
"True!"
"Being dragged by the Smoker's tongue is hard to escape alone. With a companion, it would be different."
"The Smoker's tricky, but it only has one tongue!"
"Teaming up, we can definitely clear the level!"
"With multiple guns, doubled firepower, and teamwork, dealing with special zombies will be easy. We'll clear the level mode in no time!"
Makes sense. Energy is precious. Rather than waste it, use it when confident.
"Lord, I want to apply for soul essence recycling."
Upon clearing novice mode, Lone Blade obtained a regular zombie soul essence. Instead of absorbing it, he chose to hand it over to the Underground City, surprising everyone.
John Stone asked, "Dao Shu, why not keep it? You're close to breaking into the second tier!"
"Right!"
"Even if you don't want it, selling it could fetch a lot of soul sand!"
Lone Blade explained, "Regular zombie soul essence is easy to farm, but Miracle City's popularity is rising. I'm not confident in my speed, so I'll accumulate contribution points instead."
The Adventurers understood.
The Underground City's reception capacity is limited, tied to its scale, facilities, and tier. Despite Miracle City's potential, it's still a new city with limited capacity. Adventurers rely on speed and luck to enter.
Another option is obtaining Underground City contribution points. Every city has a contribution system, with points exchangeable for services. Their value varies by city strength.
Some cities' points are valuable, others worthless. Points are earned by recycling soul essence or participating in city tasks.
Though Miracle City has few facilities or services, contribution points allow bidding for entry, ensuring access when the city becomes popular.
Securing entry to Miracle City makes regular soul essence farming easy.
The older, the wiser!
Jack gladly accepted. Soul essence materials are core for recruiting and arming, while contribution points are numbers the Lord can freely control.
Most Lords struggle to recycle soul essence, as Adventurers hunting it consume mental power. If recycling covers the cost, it's not bad. The challenge is getting Adventurers to hand it over, a tale of hardship for many Lords.
But not for Jack. Without tricks, Adventurers willingly handed over soul essence.
[Recycling successful!]
[You gained 10 Miracle City Contribution Points!]
Zombie soul essence, the lowest-level regular essence, is worth 10 points. Lone Blade became the first Adventurer to earn Miracle City points.
To ensure tomorrow's entry, others followed suit.
[You obtained "zombie soul essence" +1!]
[You obtained "zombie soul essence" +1!]
[You obtained "zombie soul essence" +1!]
In just hours, five zombie soul essences were collected.
Jack was pleased. Though low-grade, they're valuable for a new city.
He didn't need to deceive or pay high prices like other Lords. The city's limited capacity wasn't entirely a drawback!
Other Lords would be envious!
At this rate, the territory will soon have troops and combat power!