Chapter Bonanza (1/5)

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

After inspecting each one, Qiyu immediately went to investigate the Advanced Magic Energy Tower. It was this tower that had launched the attack moments ago, shattering the massive black figure.

Recalling the blue river of magic from earlier, Qiyu’s eyes lit up: he had sensed an incredibly dense concentration of magic within it. As a mage, if he devoted himself to cultivation, might he one day become that powerful as well?

【Advanced Magic Energy Tower: Current remaining energy 0/1000.】

Qiyu was taken aback.

Although he admitted that his strike just now had been incredibly powerful and effective—it had even saved his life—

However, he remembered that the Advanced Magic Energy Tower used to have 20 energy. That 20 energy was provided by 10 Level 2 Magic Crystals. So does that mean the energy from 10 Level 2 crystals is only enough for the Advanced Magic Energy Tower to launch a single attack?

Level 2 magic crystals cost 50 emerald crystals each from the Supply Merchant. So that incredibly cool and impressive attack just now was worth 500 emerald crystals.

Qiyu remained silent for a few seconds, then quietly placed the 40 Level 2 Magic Crystals he’d just acquired into the Advanced Magic Energy Tower. The energy level rose to 80/1000.

So, to fully charge the Advanced Magic Energy Tower, a total of 50 Level 2 Magic Crystals are needed. 

He looked up at the ceiling with a worried expression.

Advanced Magic Energy Tower, I don’t think I can afford to keep you.

The worried farmer didn’t linger outside for long—though the Guardian Robe protected him from the rain, this black rain was inexplicably oppressive and unsettling. 

It reminded him of some unpleasant things—things that happened before he entered the survival game.

Back in the shelter, he felt unusually restless. Although he wasn’t wet, Qiyu still went to the bathroom to take a shower. When he came out, he noticed there were many messages on his survival panel.

He casually tapped to open them.

【Civil Engineering Brother: Hey, Gaming Pro, how are you? Everything okay?】

A few other friends in Server 01 also sent similar messages checking in. Qiyu was a bit puzzled.

Did they all know he’d just survived a mysterious life-or-death attack?

He sent a question mark, and, as expected, Civil Engineering Brother was the first to reply—sometimes Qiyu even wondered if Civil Engineering Brother’s profession included some ability linked to the chat window, like automatically refreshing new messages right in front of him. 

【Civil Engineering Brother: Great!  I knew a gaming legend as strong as you wouldn’t have that.】

【Civil Engineering Brother: I know this is a bit forward, but Game Master, I know you’re good at farming—could you grow a mutated plant with Heal abilities?】

Something’s off.

It didn’t seem like he realized he’d been attacked.

Qiyu’s heart skipped a beat. Instead of replying right away, he opened the zone chat.

If something major had happened, someone in the zone chat would surely have mentioned it.

But the moment he opened it, he froze.

Server 01, Regional Channel, Current Users: 76,992.

He remembered clearly that when he had been selling screaming lily of the valley earlier, there had clearly been over 82,000 people in the regional chat. 

What happened?

【Shiny Black: He’s clearly way luckier than me. I always say I’m so unlucky, so I’m sure I won’t last as long as him. How could this happen?】 

【Black One-Piece Dress: The girl in the black one-piece dress was the first friend I added when I started playing the game. Since our usernames were so similar, we became friends quickly. Just yesterday, I was saying that survival games aren’t really that scary and things were starting to get better—and then, just like that, her username turned gray.】

【Don’t Pay Attention To Me: Please, does anyone have any healing potions for sale? My health is already down to 20.】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: I have various potions for sale on my trade page. If you need any, please contact me with your status panel. Quantities are limited, so I’ll prioritize players who need them most.】

【Cockroach Taste Is So Weird: I also have two healing items. Send me a private message with your status panel. No freeloaders, please.】

【Tranquility Yields Transcendence: I’ve listed a batch of common gear that boosts stats by one point on my personal trading page. If you need any, feel free to take what you want—just bring your status panel.】

In the chat channel, some were venting their emotions, some were hurling insults, some were mourning their friends, and others were doing their best to help others. 

From these messages, Qiyu realized what had happened: at the same time he encountered the black monster, players in Server 01 were also under attack.

They were slightly better off, however, as they hadn’t actually encountered the monster’s true form—they’d only suffered the mental attack accompanying its roar. Many players with low mental stats or without mental protection items had their names turn gray on the spot.

At the same time, some of the players who had narrowly survived were in poor condition. It wasn’t just ordinary players who suffered.

Those who had some level of protection—and some players who weren’t in shelters at the time—were undoubtedly affected.

Take “I’m Handsome,” for example.

He was the only one among the top players on the regional leaderboard

Countless people were cursing him.

【I Love Survival Game: I didn’t grow any plants that can heal.】 

【Civil Engineering Brother: Sigh.】

【Civil Engineering Brother: I’ve got to run. Talk to you later, boss.】

Qiyu stayed in the zone chat for a while longer. Something didn’t feel right.

Clearly, the other players weren’t in the same situation as him.

He was the only one who’d seen a massive monster, and he was the only one who’d taken a direct hit from it.

A mental attack on a fundamental level: It wasn’t that Qiyu was being arrogant, but if everyone were like him, would even a hundred players have survived in the entire 01 server?

To verify his hunch, he opened the chat page for God Has No Form:

【I Love Survival Game: Has something unexpected happened in your region?】

【God Has No Form:? What do you mean?】

【I Love Survival Game: Over here in Zone 01, we just suddenly came under some kind of psychological attack, and a few thousand people disappeared from the chat channel.】

Dan Xingyu’s expression immediately turned serious.

【God Has No Form: No.】

【God Has No Form: What exactly happened?】

According to players in the chat channel, they didn’t actually see anything—they just heard a muffled roar that sounded like a beast’s growl. He relayed this information and explained that the shelter offers some protection against such attacks.

【God Has No Form: Thank you. I’ll inform the players in this zone to stay in the shelter as much as possible for the rest of the day.】

【I Love Survival Game: Aren’t you afraid that I might be lying, or that this was just a fluke in our area?】

【God Has No Form: Of course, that would be best.】

Thousands of lives were at stake… He couldn’t just sit idly by. Qiyu had also gotten the answer he was looking for.

Of course, to verify this, he decided to wait a little longer.

During this time, the number of players in the zone channel dropped to 76,980—a few fewer than before. Qiyu checked his supplies.

He sent a private message to “Dare Not Open My Eyes.”

“Dare Not Open My Eyes,” who had been swamped with work, thought he was hallucinating when the message popped up.

This seemed to be the first time a top player had ever sent him a private message.

【I Love Survival Game: I have this—can you use it to craft a potion? Information: honey crystal flower nectar.】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: I’ll give it a try!】Coming right up.

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: You’re something else, game master!】

【Honey Crystal Flower Potion: Consuming this removes negative status effects.】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: I just tried it—it works on mental damage too.】

【Your friend I Love Survival Game has sent you a gift.】

Dare Not Open My Eyes received 99 honey crystal flower nectar, for a total of two sets.

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: Gaming Expert?】

【I Love Survival Game: You make potions—you should drink one yourself.】

“Dare Not Open My Eyes,” who had been so exhausted that they’d downed several bottles of potion, felt a lump in their throat upon reading this. 

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: Thanks, gaming legend!】 

Still no word from “God Has No Form.”

No news is good news.

This was already highly unusual.

Ever since the beginner phase, aside from differences in their environments, the experiences of players in both regions have been largely consistent. It makes no sense that only players in Zone 01 would suddenly face such a disaster.

As Qiyu pondered this, the zone chat erupted with noise again.

It was triggered by the “Eternal Elegance” guild donating a portion of their supplies to help players in need.

Some people began to question: As the largest guild in the region, the Temple of the Gods is usually the loudest and has the most players.

“With an incident this big, why hasn’t anyone stepped up to help?”

Soon, players from the Temple of the Gods came forward to refute this, saying that many members of their guild were also in a tough spot—even their third-in-command, “Xia Shen,” was no longer around. 

With everyone in a bad mood, a heated argument soon broke out.1

Just then, a notification popped up on every player’s survival panel:

【Server 01 has encountered a disaster caused by human actions; this is not a standard Survival game level.】

Everyone—whether they were trading insults, watching the drama unfold, quietly recovering from injuries, or selling rescue items—stopped in their tracks. 

What does this mean?

【Cockroach Taste Is So Weird: “Man-made disaster”? What does that mean? Does “Survival Game” mean that these inexplicable psychic attacks and black rain weren’t set up by the game itself, but were caused by a player?】

【Black Main Skirt: Which beast did this? You’d better hide for the rest of your life.】

【Tranquility Yields Transcendence: Thousands of lives! That’s truly heartless. Can you really bear the karmic consequences of this?】

Qiyu’s gaze turned cold.

Man-made disaster.

He mulled over those three words.

While others were merely cursing some unknown “beast,” he might know a little more. That massive monster was clearly coming for him.

Someone wanted him dead.

And for that, they were willing to sacrifice so many innocent lives. 

Temple of the Gods:

【I Am Domineering: Man-made disaster? Was this thing created by humans? Better not let me find out which bastard did this—I’ll make sure they die!】

Many people chimed in, all viciously cursing and condemning an unknown player with language that was extremely crude and vicious.

【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens: Alright, it’s already happened. There’s no point in dwelling on it. The most important thing is to pull yourself together and keep living.】

【I Am Domineering: Boss, I’m Handsome can’t just die like this without any answers. You’ve got to figure something out—find the culprit and avenge him!】

The same group chimed in. 

“My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens” spewed a torrent of filthy insults, his face dark with anger.

【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens: Got it. I’ll keep an eye out.】

“I Am Domineering” and “I’m Handsome” were on good terms; he was so consumed by grief and anger that he didn’t notice the unusual emotional state of “My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens.”

“Little Old Me,” however, did notice.

A thought struck him, and he took the initiative to send a private message to “My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens”:

【Little Old Me: What a shame. I’m Handsome got caught in the crossfire for no reason. If this were *I Love Survival Game*, it would’ve been better if we’d all died together.】