Splash.
A small spray of water erupted.
The sea surface quickly returned to calm.
Only circles of dark red ripples slowly spread near the reef.
That was the final trace left in this world by Zhang Nanhai, the second-ranked player in the merged server, known as the "South Sea Dragon King."
Silence.
Deathly stillness.
The two to three hundred people who had been clamoring to "slay the number one ranked player" moments ago now seemed collectively paralyzed.
The crossbows and harpoons they had been holding now felt unbearably heavy, making their arms tremble uncontrollably.
Their arrogant leader, the overlord who commanded a hundred warships.
Just... gone?
Like crushing an ant, that man had casually snapped his neck and tossed him into the sea like trash?
Clatter.
Someone's shield slipped from their grasp and fell onto the reef.
The sharp sound struck their taut nerves like a thunderclap.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A series of weapons clattered to the ground.
The dozens of shield bearers in the front row turned ashen, their knees buckling—some even collapsing to sit on the ground.
The stench of urine mixed with the lingering odor of poison permeated the air.
Yin Mingtao was still coughing.
Coughing violently.
But he paid no mind to wiping the blood-flecked foam from his lips, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on that black silhouette, pupils dilated with terror.
Fear.
A soul-deep dread instantly froze his blood.
His poison—his lifeline, the foundation of his survival in this apocalyptic world.
Yet now, that man stood unfazed within his most prideful toxic mist, his breathing perfectly steady.
That black battle suit shimmered with an eerie glow, as if mocking his incompetence.
"D-don't come any closer..."
Yin Mingtao scrambled backward on all fours, nails digging bloody grooves into the reef crevices, oblivious to the pain.
"I'm rank five... I'm useful... I can brew poisons..."
"I can be your dog! Don't kill me!"
Beside him, Yu Weiwei was even more disheveled.
Her quasi-S-grade Phantom Sea Peacock Fan lay trampled on the ground, stepped on repeatedly in her panic.
Her once enchanting face was now twisted into a ghastly mask.
"Q-Qin... Boss Qin..."
"A misunderstanding... it was all a misunderstanding..."
Yu Weiwei forced a smile uglier than tears, her voice trembling like a sieve.
"Zhang Nanhai forced me... I'm just a woman, I had no choice..."
"Spare me, and I'll do anything..."
As she spoke, she fumbled at her collar, attempting to reveal her meager assets.
Qin Yu didn't even glance her way.
He merely looked down at the speck of blood staining his glove.
Zhang Nanhai's blood.
"Disgusting."
Qin Yu flicked his hand in revulsion.
The black nano-fluid instantly writhed, decomposing and expelling the bloodstain.
The battle suit returned to its pristine, jet-black state.
He raised his head.
Those glowing blue electronic eyes swept over everyone present.
Wherever his gaze fell, all bowed their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"Wasn't it quite lively just now?"
Qin Yu's voice, filtered through his faceplate, carried a metallic chill.
"Why so quiet now?"
"Keep going."
"Where's the poison gas? The mental attacks?"
"And what about those thousand arrows?"
Qin Yu took a step forward.
"Whoosh—"
Hundreds of people simultaneously retreated one step.
Even with seawater at their backs, no one dared stop retreating.
Li Ruobing stood behind Qin Yu, flexing her wrists with audible cracks.
"Brother Yu, why waste words on these trash."
"That short poison-user was laughing the loudest earlier."
"I'll go knock out his teeth one by one, see if he can still laugh then."
As she spoke, she prepared to charge forward.
Yin Mingtao let out a terrified shriek, curling into a ball while covering his head and trembling.
Just then.
[Ding!]
A crisp system notification echoed across the mist-shrouded sea.
Everyone's wristbands simultaneously lit up with glaring red light.
[Region-wide Announcement: Special dungeon "Mist Ruins" officially opened!]
[Entrance 3 activated!]
[Current coordinates: X9527, Y8848]
[Entry time limit: 10 minutes]
[Countdown begins: 09:59]
[Warning: This dungeon operates in survival challenge mode. Entrance will close in ten minutes. Those who fail to enter will be swallowed by the approaching "Black Tide." Vehicles cannot be used inside, though vehicles left outside won't be affected.]
Between the massive stone pillars.
The entrance that had only been flickering with faint light suddenly erupted with dazzling blue radiance.
The light swirled, forming a massive vortex.
An ancient, desolate aura surged forth from the vortex.
Qin Yu halted his steps.
Li Ruobing retracted her fist, curling her lips in dissatisfaction.
"Tch."
"Lucky for you."
"One minute later, and this place would have hundreds more floating corpses."
Qin Yu glanced at the vortex.
Then at Yin Mingtao and Yu Weiwei collapsed on the ground.
Suddenly, he laughed.
A meaningful laugh.
"Want to live?"
Yin Mingtao and Yu Weiwei nodded desperately, like chickens pecking at rice.
"Then go in if you want to live."
Qin Yu pointed at the entrance.
"I won't stop you."
"See you inside the dungeon."
After speaking.
Qin Yu didn't hesitate in the slightest.
Leading the three women, he strode toward the blue vortex.
Passing by Yin Mingtao, he paused briefly.
Yin Mingtao's heart nearly stopped.
"Remember to bring your poison jars."
Qin Yu patted his shoulder. Even through the battle suit, the force nearly shattered Yin Mingtao's shoulder.
"Lots of monsters inside."
"Don't die too quickly."
"Otherwise I'll be bored."
As his words faded.
Four black figures stepped into the light curtain without any hesitation.
"Hum—"
Ripples shimmered.
Qin Yu and his group vanished.
One minute passed.
No one moved.
Two minutes passed.
Still no one moved.
Yin Mingtao climbed up from the ground, his originally pale face now ashen.
He stared at the entrance, his eyes filled with conflict and terror.
"Poison Master..."
Yu Weiwei straightened her clothes and shakily approached.
"Should we... go in?"
"Go in my ass!"
Yin Mingtao spat viciously, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Qin Yu went in first!"
"That pervert! That maniac!"
"He's definitely waiting right behind the entrance!"
"The moment we show our faces..."
Yin Mingtao made a throat-slitting gesture.
"That would be like delivering takeout!"
"Even worse than delivering takeout!"
"He'll chop us up and feed us to the fish!"
The surrounding underlings retreated even further in terror upon hearing this.
"Then... what should we do?"
Someone cried out desperately.
"If we don't go in, we'll die anyway!"
"The system said the entrance closes in ten minutes, and the Black Tide is coming!"
"Staying outside means being fed to the bugs!"
Despair.
The despair of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
A fierce tiger guards the gate ahead, while the Black Tide pursues from behind.
This was truly a death trap.
"Wait!"
Yin Mingtao gritted his teeth, staring fixedly at the countdown on his wristband.
"That madman Qin Yu can't possibly stay at the entrance forever."
"Since this dungeon is called 'Ruins,' it must be huge inside."
"He needs to scavenge for supplies, to fight monsters."
"We'll wait right here."
"Until the last minute!"
"Until he thinks no one dares to enter, until he leaves the entrance!"
"Then we charge in!"
"By then, even being killed by monsters would be better than falling into his hands!"
This proposal instantly gained everyone's approval.
No one wanted to face that death god in the black battle suit.
Even the unknown monsters in the dungeon seemed almost pleasant compared to Qin Yu.
Time.
Tick by tick.
Every second was torture for this group.
[Countdown: 05:00]
The waves on the sea surface began to grow larger.
On the distant horizon, the black tide line drew closer, and even the heart-palpitating roar could be heard.
It was the sound of billions of mutated sea insects devouring the ocean surface.
"Just a little longer..."
Cold sweat streamed down Yin Mingtao's forehead.
He gripped the green staff tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"Don't rush..."
"Qin Yu must still be at the entrance..."
"He's fishing..."
"Waiting for us to walk right into his trap..."
[Countdown: 03:00]
Someone couldn't take it anymore.
"I'm not waiting!"
"We're dead either way!"
"What if Qin Yu has left?"
A few bold ones charged toward the entrance with loud shouts.
Yin Mingtao didn't stop them.
He wanted someone to test the waters anyway.
Those few people rushed into the light curtain.
And disappeared.
No screams were heard.
No blood splattered.
"Seems like... nothing happened?"
Yu Weiwei swallowed hard, her eyes flickering.
"Bullshit!"
Yin Mingtao sneered coldly.
"It's only been a few seconds!"
"Even if they were killed, the sound wouldn't carry out!"
"Keep waiting!"
"I refuse to believe he has the patience to wait ten minutes!"
[Countdown: 02:00]
The Black Tide had approached to within five hundred meters.
That dark, oppressive mass resembled a giant mouth devouring the world.
Countless black beetles leaped across the sea surface, leaving nothing behind—not even wood chips.
The pressure was suffocating.
"Almost time!"
"Now!"
Yin Mingtao suddenly roared.
"Everyone!"
"Charge!"
"Charge if you don't want to die!"
At this moment, no orders were needed.
The instinct for survival had overwhelmed everything else.
The remaining two hundred-plus people frantically rushed toward the blue vortex.
Pushing, trampling, cursing.
The ugliness of human nature was laid bare in that instant.
"Get out of my way! Don't block me!"
"Let me go first!"
"Ah! Who stepped on my foot!"
Yu Weiwei shoved aside the simp who had been protecting her, leveraging her agile footwork to step on others' heads as she charged forward.
Yin Mingtao slapped an Acceleration Talisman on himself, darting through the crowd like a green rat.
"Everyone, move aside!"
"Poison jars clearing the path!"
He even threw two poison gas bottles, forcibly blasting an opening through the packed crowd.
At this moment.
No one cared about Qin Yu anymore.
Even if they were shot dead by Qin Yu immediately upon entering, it would be better than being devoured to the bone by the swarming insects behind them.
[Countdown: 00:10]
Ten seconds remaining.
Qi Chun piloted his Raft, bursting out from the mist on the other side.
Seeing the chaotic entrance, his honest face revealed a trace of contempt.
"Bunch of fools."
"If Qin Yu really wanted to kill you."
"Do you think huddling together would save you?"
He yanked the Thruster's lever hard.
Blue flames shot out from the Raft's stern.
Briefly lifting off the water surface, it soared over everyone's heads like a flying fish.
One second before the countdown hit zero.
It plunged headfirst into the vortex.
"Bzzz—"
The light screen flickered.
Everyone vanished.
The next second.
The light screen abruptly extinguished.
The massive stone pillar crumbled with a roar, sinking into the seabed.
Immediately after.
An endless Black Tide surged forth.
Completely submerging the sea area.
Leaving only the shattered fragments of the shield destroyed by Qin Yu's punch, bobbing up and down in the black seawater.
...
"Ugh—"
After the dizzying sensation of teleportation.
Yin Mingtao lay on the ground, retching dryly.
All around were waves of vomiting and panting.
Ignoring his discomfort, he immediately raised his head, lifting his staff as he warily scanned his surroundings.
No gunshots.
No sign of that black figure.
They were in a massive underground cavern.
The dome was embedded with glowing minerals, casting an eerie blue light throughout the space.
The air was damp, carrying a musty odor.
Ahead lay a stone path leading to an unknown destination.
Empty and deserted.
"No... no one?"
Yin Mingtao was stunned.
Followed by a surge of wild joy.
"Hahaha!"
"I gambled right!"
"I gambled right!"That idiot Qin Yu really had no patience to guard the entrance!""
"He's gone!"
Yu Weiwei also collapsed to the ground, patting her chest as she breathed heavily.
Her delicate face was filled with the relief of having narrowly escaped death.
"We survived..."
"So glad..."
The surrounding underlings wept with joy.
Some even knelt on the ground, kowtowing to various deities.
"Although the Dragon King is dead, we're still alive!"
"As long as we're alive, there's hope!"
"This place is huge—as long as we avoid Qin Yu, we can definitely scavenge opportunities!"
Yin Mingtao climbed to his feet, straightening his disheveled green robe.
The sinister ruthlessness that had vanished due to fear now returned to his face.
Although he'd lost Zhang Nanhai as a meat shield.
He still had his poisons.
And all these human shields.
In these narrow caverns, his toxins could be even more advantageous than at sea.
"Everyone, on your feet!"
Yin Mingtao kicked a trembling underling beside him.
"What are you crying for?"
"Qin Yu looking down on us is his biggest mistake!"
"Just give us an opportunity..."
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly, a trace of venomous light flashing in his eyes.
However.
He didn't know.
On a cliff platform dozens of meters above their heads.
Four black figures stood silently.
Their battle suits had activated optical camouflage.
Blending almost perfectly with the surrounding rocks.
Qin Yu sat cross-legged on a rock.
Holding the controller of the A-grade Mechanical Octopus.
The screen clearly showed Yin Mingtao's distorted face below.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Qin Yu shook his head, a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Look at these people."
"Don't they look like rats just crawled out of the sewers?"
Yao Qian lay at the edge of the cliff, swinging her legs while happily eating a bag of chips.
"Brother Yu, why didn't we just shoot them earlier?"
"That would've been much simpler."
Qin Yu snatched a chip from Yao Qian's hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Killing them directly would be boring."
"This dungeon is called Mist Ruins."
"There must be plenty of traps and mechanisms inside."
"We're not familiar with the terrain here."
"Just need a few pathfinders."
Qin Yu pointed at Yin Mingtao on the screen who was preparing to lead the team forward.
"See."
"Aren't they perfect mine-sweeping engineers?"
"And they're free too."
Li Ruobing suddenly understood and gave a thumbs up.
"Brilliant!"
"Brother Yu is truly brilliant!"
"Let them step on the traps ahead while we pick up the rewards behind."
"When the final boss appears, we'll wipe them all out."
"This is squeezing every last bit of value from them like capitalists!"
Yao Xue adjusted her glasses, looking at the terrain data analyzed by her tactical visor.
"According to sonar detection."
"There are massive heat source reactions five hundred meters ahead."
"Probably the first wave of monster horde."
"Approximately five hundred in number."
"Given Yin Mingtao's current condition and equipment, they'll probably lose half their people just to break through."
Qin Yu brushed the chip crumbs off his hands.
Stood up.
Looked down at the oblivious "tools" below.
A cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Then let's wish them good luck."
"After all."
"Such useful consumables aren't easy to find."
"Let's go."
"It's time for us to follow."
"Remember, maintain distance."
"Don't scare our 'pathfinders'."
The four black figures vanished like ghosts.
Disappearing silently into the shadows of the rocks.
Below them.
Yin Mingtao waved his staff, commanding the team with great enthusiasm.
"Move out!"
"There must be treasure chests ahead!"
"Everyone stay alert!"
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