Chapter 100: Climbing the Rankings
December 19th
Outside the entrance to the Underground Cavern Mystic Realm in Quancheng, next to the leaderboard.
Many people arrived early in the morning and found a spot nearby to witness history.
They were here to witness a momentous occasion, as they all knew that someone was going to challenge the top spot on the ranking board today.
And the one attempting to climb the rankings was an exceptionally beautiful girl, which naturally piqued the curiosity of the onlookers! Amidst the curious crowd, the tall, slender, and proud girl with a single ponytail and the Hmmm Monster appeared with her summon beast.
It's worth mentioning that although this girl had been given a string of silly nicknames by Li Wu, she was indeed quite a looker, with exceptional beauty and elegance. Her appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.
The Hmmm Monster disliked this kind of atmosphere and the attention it brought. She wore a stoic expression, and when she caught sight of Li Wu in the crowd, she flicked her ponytail in a proud and cold huff.
Li Wu was not pleased.
Why the attitude? You think you're so pretty, huh? If my wife wasn't so skinny, she'd be a hundred times more beautiful than you!
He grumbled to himself, but his gaze remained fixed, watching as the tall, single-ponytail girl with the Hmmm Monster stepped into the Mystic Realm.
What Li Wu didn't notice was that during this time, Dudu had already devoured several more buns.
She was eating like there was no tomorrow! Indeed, these past few days, Dudu had been eating more and more each day.
But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't seem to lose weight.
Moreover, her weight seemed to have plateaued at around 180 pounds, stubbornly refusing to budge.
This situation frustrated both Dudu and Li Wu.
Their worries were different; Dudu was simply anxious, especially when she saw the Hmmm Monster. Each time, she would silently increase her eating speed without saying a word.
She was a bit simple-minded, and this was the only method she could think of.
But it wasn't working, so she often got herself worked up.
As she ate, her eyes would often turn red, and she would secretly wipe away her tears, not wanting Li Wu to notice.
This time was no exception. She had been eating diligently, and since morning, she had already consumed a hundred buns, yet she still felt unsatisfied and far from triggering the skill.
Seeing Li Wu's gaze following the tall girl, Dudu became even more anxious, but she dared not speak up. So, as she ate, her eyes reddened again.
She could only lower her head, quietly wiping away her tears while stuffing buns into her mouth.
Just as the girl was feeling miserable, a pair of hands reached out and lifted her chin.
The slow-witted Li Wu finally noticed that Dudu was crying. Seeing her teary eyes, he immediately guessed the reason for her tears.
"Why are you crying? Are you anxious about not losing weight? Don't worry, I'm here. I guarantee I'll help you lose weight!
When our Dudu loses weight, she'll be a thousand, no, ten thousand times more beautiful than that Hmmm Monster!"
Clearly, Li Wu had not understood why Dudu was crying.
But regardless, the act of him lifting her head and wiping away her tears had a profound impact on Dudu.
Her mind went blank, and tears began to flow uncontrollably.
Obviously, these tears were different from before, but Li Wu, with his heart of a sea king but lacking the emotional intelligence of one, couldn't comprehend the difference. Seeing Dudu's tears, he became anxious.
After a moment of flustered fumbling, he gritted his teeth and took out the Divine Essence Fruit he always carried with him, offering it to Dudu.
(End of Chapter 100)
"Why don't you eat it? I've been focusing on training the little skeleton lately and don't really need a second Summoned Beast. Maybe eating it will help you lose weight!"
Recently, Li Wu had been pondering the reason why Du Du could eat whatever she wanted without gaining weight. Was it because of that one apple she had eaten before?
He believed that Du Du's inability to trigger her skill was due to insufficient energy accumulation.
Energy accumulation couldn't be achieved solely by eating, or at least not by eating ordinary food.
Du Du's previous skill activation must have been due to that apple.
Or rather, it was the energy from the apple. Without such a fruit, it was natural that she couldn't lose weight.
To make Du Du lose weight, she would need to eat a similar apple.
Li Wu didn't have a similar apple, but he did have a Divine Essence Fruit.
Seeing Du Du crying so hard, Li Wu had no choice but to take out the Divine Essence Fruit.
But when he did, Du Du cried even harder.
Li Wu was at a loss and could only hold this little girl, gently caressing her head.
This scene was witnessed by the people around them.
They didn't think much of it; after all, they were just passersby. At most, they might think that Li Wu and Du Du didn't match well in appearance, but such an action definitely proved their love for each other!
What was more concerning was that the little skeleton also saw this.
When it saw Li Wu hugging Du Du after she cried, it felt like its pooch master was going to roast it like a suckling pig.
Hmm, it must be a false alarm. Du Du's pooch master was so gentle and loving towards her; he wouldn't eat her! Whether Du Du would eat the pig was unclear, but she wouldn't eat the Divine Essence Fruit.
She was well aware of the fruit's value, so after Li Wu placed it in front of her and her emotions stabilized, she returned the fruit to him.
Usually, Du Du was very obedient to Li Wu, but on this matter, she stood her ground firmly.
If she said she wouldn't eat it, she wouldn't!
Li Wu had no choice but to take back the Divine Essence Fruit.
Afterwards, Li Wu, who rarely skipped studying, pulled Du Du by the hand and sat on the side, waiting for the Hmmm Monster to finish its ranking push while whispering to Du Du.
It was a rare moment of relaxation.
Two hours later, the Mystic Realm's gate opened, and the slightly disheveled Hmmm Monster emerged.
The first thing it did was check the ranking board near the gate to confirm that Ye Ruhuo was already in first place. Only then did it turn to Li Wu and proudly 'hum' at him.
Just as it was about to run off as usual, Li Wu, who had been resting for two hours, stood up and stopped it.
"Hmmm Monster, are you going to collect your reward? Wait for me, we'll go together!"
Without waiting for the Hmmm Monster's response, Li Wu stood up and walked into the Mystic Realm with the little skeleton...
Chapter 101: Rapid Ranking Push
After holding back for half a month, Li Wu was ready to unleash his ultimate skill and climb the rankings.
The past half-month had been busy for Li Wu. He spent 18 hours a day studying, and his brain was close to exhaustion.
Whether outside or inside the Mystic Realm, his mind never stopped working.
For half a month, twice a day, for about half an hour to an hour each time, Li Wu stayed in the Mystic Realm, accumulating almost two days' worth of time.
For an ordinary person, spending two days or twenty days in the Mystic Realm might not make much difference.
But for Li Wu, with his photographic memory and quick mind, the situation was entirely different.
In two days, Li Wu had gathered all the information he needed.
"The so-called Mystic Realm ranking push can be seen as a game of clearing dungeons.
And in games, there are always strategies.
Even if there aren't any guides on forums, as long as I gather enough information, I can create the best dungeon-clearing strategy myself!"
Li Wu, with his broad-mindedness, never took on a challenge without confidence. So, right after stepping into the second layer of the Underground Cavern, he began his performance.
Since he had chosen solo mode, only he and the little skeleton entered.
With just the two of them, they walked side by side.
Li Wu and the skeleton walked quickly, as he didn't intend to linger on the second layer.
"Ranking push is about earning points, and there are three ways to do so: killing monsters, walking, and staying in a location, with the best method being clearing stages.
Defeating the stage boss and entering the third layer will earn you a significant amount of points.
Even clearing the third layer's monsters will grant you rewards for killing higher-tier monsters.
So, there's no need to linger on the second layer!"
This logic made sense, and those who pushed for rankings understood it, but the issue was how to avoid staying on the second layer, or the initial layer?
This problem had stumped many!
After all, every layer of the dungeon was vast, with complex and intricate environments, and hidden Summoned Beasts.
Moreover, the starting point was different each time, and with various factors at play, quickly passing the initial stage was extremely difficult. Even with good luck, it would take more than half an hour to clear the initial stage.
But for Li Wu, this wasn't a problem.
He had memorized the terrain of the second layer and the areas where Summoned Beasts were active and hidden.
This was the natural advantage of someone with a photographic memory playing this game.
If he wanted, he could easily avoid these Summoned Beasts.
And so, Li Wu and the little skeleton walked without any hindrance for five minutes, arriving directly at the stage boss of the second layer.
Here, Li Wu faced his second challenge.
Finding the initial stage boss was a challenge, and defeating it was equally difficult.
But for Li Wu, this challenge wasn't a challenge at all.
Over the past half-month, he had repeatedly teased this boss.
Li Wu even knew all of its attributes.
...
Name: Spiky Hedgehog
Strength: 3-Star
Quality: Black Iron
Status: Annoyed (Why is this human here again?)
Skills: Rampage (Mastered), Needle Shower (Mastered), Burrow (Mastered), Dust Storm (Mastered)
This stage boss was particularly annoyed when it saw Li Wu and the little skeleton approaching. It had been seeing them every day for the past few days.
Lu Wu and his antics had been a real handful, and now, seeing Lu Wu again, he was seething with anger.
Without hesitation, he began charging up his power, ready to attack the moment the Mini Skeleton stepped into his offensive range.
One step, two steps, three steps...
Just as the Mini Skeleton was about to enter his attack range, the Spiky Hedgehog was thrilled. He had his power ready to give the Mini Skeleton a good hit, but just before entering his attack range, the Mini Skeleton stopped and stood still.
The Spiky Hedgehog was baffled. Why stop? Come over here! But the Mini Skeleton stubbornly refused to budge.
This frustrated the Spiky Hedgehog. He had been charging up, which required a lot of mental and physical energy!
He had to try provoking the Mini Skeleton, but it didn't budge. Helpless, the Spiky Hedgehog had to relax his charge to maintain his stamina.
Just as he relaxed, Lu Wu gave the order.
"Now! Go!"
At Lu Wu's command, the Mini Skeleton charged forward. The Spiky Hedgehog reacted too late and could only unleash a wave of Needle Shower to block, but the Mini Skeleton ignored its spikes, knowing they couldn't hurt it.
In an instant, the Mini Skeleton rushed to the Spiky Hedgehog's front. The baseball bat plunged down, and with a swift flick, the Spiky Hedgehog was lifted into mid-air. Then, spinning the baseball bat, a series of loud cracks filled the air as it struck the Spiky Hedgehog repeatedly. After a few combos, the boss was defeated.
Lu Wu's Realm Bracelet timely chimed with a notification.
[Ding, you have successfully defeated the second layer's boss. You gain 50 points, and your current points are 50!]
Lu Wu ignored the notification and proceeded to the third layer with the Mini Skeleton.
As Lu Wu and the Mini Skeleton stepped into the third layer, the Realm Bracelet sounded again.
[Ding, you have entered the third layer. Stay in the third layer for twenty minutes, and you will receive 50 points.]
Lu Wu still didn't pay attention to this. When he entered the third layer, he didn't immediately take action.
Instead, he observed the situation outside from the safe zone and started turning his thoughts.
At this moment, Lu Wu was organizing the strategy for the third layer.
Yes, the strategy for the third layer!
Although Lu Wu himself had never entered the third layer, he could gather information about it.
During the day, he stayed in the restaurant to study, and there were other Summoners there, including some Ordinary Three-Star Summoners.
After they cleared stages, they would chat, and Lu Wu could collect a lot of information just by listening. Moreover, sometimes he would use his good looks to get close to girls and extract intelligence.
Half a month was enough time for him to gather information about the third layer.
Additionally, with Lu Wu's incredible brain, he only needed a glance at the safe zone. Closing his eyes, he visualized the third layer's approximate map and some Summoning Beast distribution information based on the second layer's cavern and the information he had.
Quickly, he formulated a strategy for his next actions.
"Let's go! My information is correct. Fifty meters ahead, there's a suitable terrain for our next plan!"
After speaking, Lu Wu took action again. But this time, instead of leading the way, he followed behind the Mini Skeleton. After all, he hadn't been to the third layer before, and his confidence wasn't as high as it was for the second layer.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 102: On the Shelves
How many times have I been on the shelves now? Seven, eight, nine times?
I've lost count myself, and I'm too lazy to keep track of these kinds of things, like writing a preface for the shelves. As I write, I no longer have that initial feeling.
But let's go through the motions anyway.
First, I'd like to thank my editor, and then, of course, the readers.
Thank you for accompanying me this far. I know that by now, at least half of those following this book will be getting off.
Those who are getting off aren't necessarily stopping reading; they just don't want to continue reading here.
What can I do about that? Cry and beg you to stay? Plead with you until my heart breaks?
It wouldn't make much difference. Those who are meant to leave will leave sooner or later. Some things, when said, have little use.
Before, I spoke to you about being angry and laughing with a fragile heart. After all, we've had a good time together, and it's best to part ways amicably. Every novel will have its issues here and there.
There will be things that you can't accept or don't like, and that's normal; I understand.
If you want to leave, I won't stop you, and I can't. I can only ask you not to mess with my mindset.
But what's the point of saying that? Those who want to mess with my mindset will do it anyway. They'll curse and even resort to personal attacks, and for writing a novel, I still have to endure insults to my family. This is quite frustrating.
What's even more frustrating is that these people don't even subscribe! It's enough to give you a headache!
Alright, I've dumped my trash talk and emotions here. Now, let's talk about the shelving.
The shelving time is at midnight on the 1st, and there might be a slight delay, but it shouldn't be more than ten minutes or so.
Regarding the extra chapters after the shelving:
For every 1000 initial subscriptions, I will add one extra chapter for every additional 500 high subscriptions.
For every 10,000 coins donated, I will add one extra chapter.
It's that simple.
Lastly, I know many of you will be leaving, but since we've come this far, if possible, I hope you can support me with an initial subscription before you go.
I genuinely want to write this book to the best of my ability until the end, and I sincerely hope someone will be willing to accompany me on this journey until the very end.
Alright, I'm off to write now. By the way, if it goes on the shelves, there should be ten chapters released at once.
Thank you to the following for your generous support through donations!
[List of donors]
One Six One Nine Book Bar One Look Wu One Correct Version
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 103: Grinding
The third level of the underground cavern.
As Li Wu moved forward with the mini skeleton, he analyzed the current situation and explained his upcoming plan.
"According to our intelligence, there are four types of summon beasts on the third level of the underground cavern. They are the Rock Snake, the Earthling, the Little Rock, and the Mole.
All four summon beasts are Three-Star, with similar strengths. However, the Rock Snake and the Little Rock will be tougher for you, as they have high defense, making them challenging to defeat. You'll need to use your electric attacks to take them down.
But your electric attacks are reserved for the boss fights, so you can't use them here! As for the Earthling, it's also a tricky summon beast to defeat.
So, our only option is to fight the Mole!"
"Therefore, what we need to do now is to lure the monsters in a suitable location. While we lure and grind, we'll also charge your energy.
Once your experience bar is full, I'll upgrade you, and then we'll go find the third level's boss. At that time, I'll use another upgrade, and you can take out the boss with your ultimate skill."
As Li Wu spoke, the mini skeleton nodded its head.
In reality, it didn't understand a word Li Wu was saying, but it knew that when it nodded, Li Wu would be happy, and its happiness was tied to Li Wu's.
Li Wu didn't expect the little guy to understand anyway.
He patted the mini skeleton, knowing it was a bit slow, but he explained these things to relieve his own tension.
After all, this was his first time soloing a dungeon, and the atmosphere of the underground cavern was well-crafted, making the second level familiar, but the third level felt a bit foreign, causing Li Wu to feel a bit nervous.
However, he quickly adjusted his state of mind.
Alone with the mini skeleton, they soon arrived at the designated spot.
In the light of the surrounding torches, Li Wu observed that they were at a crossroads with passages leading in all four directions. At the center of this intersection was a decorative floor made of carved rock.
After carefully examining the surroundings, Li Wu nodded in satisfaction.
"Good, it seems my information is correct. Now, we can proceed with the next step of the plan!"
Then, Li Wu got to work.
First, he took out a spool of thread and four distinctively different bells from his backpack.
He then spent a few minutes setting up the thread and bells at the different passages, creating a simple early warning system.
After setting up the traps, Li Wu returned to the intersection and placed a lump of gel-like substance on the central rock floor.
Indeed, Li Wu had prepared extensively for his ranking push, ensuring he had everything he needed.
This gel-like substance was specifically prepared by Li Wu after researching the Mole's information on the intranet, serving as an attractant for them.
"Watch closely. When the Mole comes, don't rush. Wait for it to start eating on the rock floor, then take action. This way, it won't be able to escape underground."
The mini skeleton nodded vigorously at Li Wu's instructions.
This time, the frequency of its nodding was much faster, indicating it genuinely understood.
However, Li Wu still felt a bit uneasy and checked the mini skeleton's status.
Mini Skeleton [Excited (The mini skeleton understood, it's so smart and capable!)]
Assured that the mini skeleton truly understood, Li Wu found a spot that wouldn't interfere with its combat and hid there.
It was at this moment, while hiding in the corner, that Li Wu considered getting a summon beast for personal protection, which would make him feel safer when dungeon-diving.
Hmm, it seems like the top-ranked player on the leaderboard can choose a Summoning Stone, and if he doesn't get it, he can pick one for himself and then cultivate a Summon Beast?
Li Wu was pondering this when a faint sound caught his attention from the left.
Li Wu and the little skull instantly became alert. From the left fork, a mole, about twenty centimeters tall, cautiously poked its pointed nose out, sniffed vigorously, and then fully emerged from the fork, making its way to the rocky floor with utmost care.
"Now!"
As the prey entered the trap and began licking the bait, Li Wu gave the command, and the little skull swiftly charged, pouncing on the rocky floor.
The mole, startled by the sudden attack, instinctively tried to burrow to escape but collided with the rocky floor, almost giving itself a bump on the head.
Right after, the little skull's flail came swinging down.
Ding! Your Summon Beast successfully defeated a Three-Star Mole. You gained 5 points!
After seeing this notification, Li Wu signaled the little skull to stop.
The points were already earned, so there was no need to beat up the little guy further.
In the One Six One Nine Book Bar, One Look Wu One Correct Version!
Once the little skull stopped, the mole, an old hand at the Mystic Realm, limped away, glancing back at the yellow goo three times as it left.
It looked rather pitiful.
But Li Wu felt helpless; he couldn't give it the bait he used to attract monsters.
He didn't have anything else on him, so he could only watch as the poor little mole left.
And so, starting with the mole, Li Wu and the little skull's monster-attracting business began to flourish.
This thing was incredibly effective against moles, and soon, another unfortunate victim appeared, followed by a third and a fourth...
Within half an hour, Li Wu had attracted fifteen moles using this method.
These moles were adorably foolish, immediately starting to eat and then trying to burrow at the slightest sign of danger, only to bump their heads and get beaten up.
Such silly monsters were easy to defeat, and sometimes, two could be taken down by the little skull at once.
In half an hour, Li Wu had scored 75 points in one go, adding to the 50 points from clearing the second layer, and the 50 points from spending 20 minutes in the third layer.
Additionally, the walking distance and time spent in the Mystic Realm contributed to Li Wu's total score, which now stood at 195 points.
What did this score mean? Just ask the Hmmm Monster, who was watching the leaderboard outside.
After Li Wu's bold declaration, she hadn't left but instead stood by the leaderboard, waiting for Li Wu.
She wasn't waiting for him to be proven wrong but for him to come out and see his own failure.
In the past half month, she had paid attention, and Li Wu's team had never scored over 100 points.
It was hard to believe that this guy suddenly wanted to claim a reward, which meant he was aiming for the top ten! After all, only the top ten truly received rewards!
But was this possible? The Hmmm Monster didn't think Li Wu could pull it off!
In her opinion, with Li Wu's capabilities, he would be done in half an hour at most.
However, half an hour passed, and Li Wu didn't emerge. Instead, his name appeared on the leaderboard.
170 points, 99th place!
175 points, 98th place!
180 points, 96th place!
...
195 points, 85th place!
Watching Li Wu's ranking soar, the Hmmm Monster started to feel anxious.
Could this guy really make it to the top ten?
Meanwhile, Li Wu in the Mystic Realm was also contemplating. With most of the monsters defeated, he wondered if it was time to let the little skull evolve.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 104: Three-Star
There are no cultivation techniques or secret methods for enhancing the strength of Summon Beasts. The only way to improve their power is through training and combat.
Some Summoners proposed the concept of an experience bar for Summon Beasts, believing that there's an invisible experience bar that governs their strength. They theorize that a Summon Beast's strength can only increase once this hidden bar is filled.
While this theory couldn't be verified, it also couldn't be disproven. With the rise of gaming culture and the lack of progress by Breeder trainers in this area, most Summoners have come to accept this idea.
Based on this theory, they've even developed tricks to quickly increase experience points. One such method is Tier-Skipping Battles.
Summoners generally believe that Tier-Skipping Battles significantly boost the experience points of Summon Beasts. Furthermore, they think that when the experience bar is nearly full, there's a high chance of leveling up through a Tier-Skipping Battle.
However, Li Wu now finds this idea dubious.
His Mini Skeleton, with just a single swing, has knocked out over a dozen Three-Star Summon Beasts in half an hour. Logically, the experience bar should be full, and the Mini Skeleton should have leveled up, but it still shows no signs of upgrading.
"As expected, these Summoners know nothing about Summon Beasts. How can a Tier-Skipping Battle possibly lead to an upgrade? In the end, leveling up still depends on smashing phones!"
As Li Wu spoke, he prepared to take out his phone and summon the Mini Skeleton to show it who's boss.
Just then, a ringtone sounded from the left, indicating another prey had arrived.
Since there was prey, he might as well earn some points first.
After all, it was just a matter of a single swing.
However, this time, things were a bit different. Instead of a Mole, a grey, rock-like Great Rock Snake appeared.
Li Wu was taken aback, "What the hell? This isn't the area where Great Rock Snakes usually roam. How did one end up here?"
Li Wu quickly signaled to the Mini Skeleton not to engage the Great Rock Snake, as it would be a waste of effort.
It would be better to let it go! But just then, behind the Great Rock Snake, a Mole with lumps on its head, clearly having been beaten recently, emerged. The Mole jumped and squeaked by the Great Rock Snake, as if communicating something, and then pointed in Li Wu's direction.
"What's going on here? Is the Mole reporting to the Great Rock Snake? Is it seeking revenge with the help of the Great Rock Snake?
Is this world going crazy? Shouldn't snakes and mice be natural enemies?"
Well, in the natural world, snakes and mice are indeed natural enemies, but the Underground Cavern is different.
This Mystic Realm has been managed as a commercial trial ground for several decades, and the Summon Beasts here are all seasoned veterans of at least a few years.
They are, in essence, domesticated Summon Beasts.
Being fellow domesticated creatures, they naturally have fewer conflicts. Moreover, having endured beatings together fosters a closer relationship.
In such circumstances, it's not unusual for a beaten Mole to seek help from a Great Rock Snake for revenge.
Most importantly, the Mystic Realm manager noticed Li Wu's situation. In gaming terms, Li Wu's actions could be considered exploiting a bug to farm monsters, and the manager couldn't just stand by.
As Li Wu was still in a daze, the Great Rock Snake charged towards him. By this time, it was too late for Li Wu to escape, so he had no choice but to face the challenge.
"The Great Rock Snake is charging. It's all up to you, Mini Skeleton. Do you have the confidence?"
"!"
The little skull was confident, and the little skull was super capable!
The little skull, which had drawn so many moles, was now especially excited. As soon as it saw the Great Rock Snake approaching, it charged forward with its flail.
At the start, the electric baseball bat swung up in its hand, and the power of the charge was imbued onto the bat as it smashed into the Great Rock Snake's head.
If this blow had landed on a mole's head, it would have been knocked askew. But the situation was different when it hit the Great Rock Snake.
The snake was a rock-type summoned beast with extremely high defense, so this blow didn't cause it any pain or discomfort.
Instead, it seized the opportunity to tilt its head back, almost causing the little skull to lose its grip on the bat. At the same time, the snake's tail lashed out, striking the little skull's skeleton.
If this hit, the little skull would have been crippled even if it didn't fall apart.
"Left side, use Block and Leverage!"
Li Wu immediately issued the command, and the little skull instinctively followed Li Wu's order, using the electric bat to block the snake's tail while leaping up, allowing the force to knock it away.
Then, during the moment it was knocked away, the little skull turned around, and its skeletal frame stepped onto the wall.
"Now, use Charge and Power-up, and smash its waist!"
At this moment, Li Wu couldn't afford to let the little skull hold back anymore.
In the One Six One Nine Book Bar One Look Wu One Correct Version!
If they couldn't pass this stage, there was no point in pushing for the boss.
With Li Wu's command, the little skull flashed with electricity and instantly smashed into the Great Rock Snake's body. With the electric light, the bat landed a blow, causing the Great Rock Snake to convulse.
At the same time, Li Wu's bracelet rang with a notification.
But Li Wu didn't have time to pay attention to the notification because, at that moment, a cool energy surged onto his forehead, clearly indicating that the little skull had directly reached 3 stars in this battle.
On the little skull's side, after knocking down the Great Rock Snake, it turned its head towards Li Wu and gave a thumbs-up with a tilted head!
"Well done!"
In his excitement, Li Wu couldn't help but want to rush over and hug the little skull, giving it a big kiss.
The summoner's summary was indeed useful, at least saving him the cost of a new smartphone.
However, before Li Wu could get too happy, bells started ringing from all directions.
"Damn!"
Li Wu's expression changed as he realized the situation had gotten out of control, and it was very likely that the Realm Administrator had arrived to fix a bug.
Li Wu dared not stay any longer. He closed his eyes to listen carefully, and then suddenly opened them.
"There are no summoned beasts in the left fork, so we're heading left!"
It must be said that Li Wu had made thorough preparations for this ranking push. Not only had he set up an early warning, but the bells at each of the four forks were different, and the sounds were distinct.
Li Wu could tell with a single listen which fork had beasts and which didn't.
Not only that, but after rushing into the left fork, Li Wu didn't forget to throw a little ball towards the center.
This was also a tool Li Wu had prepared for this situation. The ball landed and immediately emitted thick smoke.
This was Li Wu's move, leaving the Realm Administrator momentarily stunned.
They had seen crazy moves before, but never one this crazy.
On Li Wu's side, after throwing the ball, he immediately led the little skull towards the gatekeeper boss of the third level.
"It's just as I expected. The summoned beasts have all rushed over here, making the third level relatively empty. This is our chance to break through. If we can find the third-level boss, defeat it, and enter the fourth level, skipping two levels will get us at least 200 points, and the top spot will be easily secured!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 105: The Third Layer's Gatekeeper Boss
In the underground cavern's secret realm management backend of Quancheng, several administrators responsible for backend maintenance were left dumbfounded as they watched the surveillance footage of the third layer. On one side, dozens of summoned beasts crowded together amidst the smoke, while on the other, Li Wu swiftly advanced through the third layer with his Mini Skeleton.
These administrators were so astounded that they almost knelt before the monitors.
From the moment Li Wu entered the secret realm, his crazy moves never ceased.
Within just 5 minutes, he managed to locate the gatekeeper boss of the second layer without encountering any summoned beasts, and effortlessly exploited a bug glitch to easily defeat it.
In less than 8 minutes, Li Wu swiftly cleared the second layer, becoming the second-fastest to pass the initial trial (the first being an incredibly lucky player who landed right next to the gatekeeper boss).
Upon entering the third layer, Li Wu further utilized the bug glitch and, within half an hour, effortlessly cleared 15 three-star summoned beasts.
With this skill, he directly charged into the top 100 of the ranking board.
Reaching the top 100 on the ranking board was no small feat, considering that tens of thousands of players visited this secret realm annually, and it had been operating for several decades. It was exceptionally challenging to secure a spot in the top 100.
However, Li Wu managed to break into the top 100 in just half an hour by exploiting the bug glitch.
This left the administrators with no choice but to step in and fix the bug.
They arranged for dozens of summoned beasts to approach from three different directions simultaneously.
Although their plan did provide Li Wu with an escape route, allowing him to get away, they never anticipated how effortlessly he would do so.
Li Wu easily found the only escape route and even set up a backup plan to restrict those summoned beasts.
Not only did he escape unscathed, but he was also cheerfully preparing to take on the third layer's gatekeeper boss.
These secret realm maintainers, who had guarded the realm for over a decade, had never encountered such a player.
"If this continues, will he really push through the third layer's boss?"
"He's already at 200 points. If he defeats the third layer's boss and enters the fourth layer, that girl will have to give up her top spot before even getting comfortable."
"It's highly unlikely. The third layer's gatekeeper boss is an elite-level opponent. Even though it's an ordinary-grade elite, it's not someone he can defeat. After all, his summoned beast is just a Mini Skeleton."
"Well, the Mini Skeleton is the weakest summoned beast, that's almost universally agreed upon. So, the Mini Skeleton should lose to the gatekeeper boss."
At this moment, a young man nearby spoke up, "Have you seen a 2-star Mini Skeleton with 3-star capabilities and electric attribute skills?"
"Besides, how can you be sure he doesn't have some other unusual tricks up his sleeve to deal with the gatekeeper boss?"
Upon hearing this, the maintainers recalled Li Wu's monster attraction and the little ball he used at the end. They reflected on Li Wu's identity and the fact that they had been scammed by breeders in the past, causing them to curse under their breath.
"Indeed, breeders are all schemers!"
...
Meanwhile, Li Wu was completely unaware that someone was watching his entire trial from the backend.
Currently, he was charging through the third layer with his Mini Skeleton.
In his previous life, whenever Li Wu watched 'The Most Powerful Brain,' he always thought it was exaggerated and unrealistic.
Everyone has a brain, but no one's intellect could be as extraordinary as portrayed on TV.
Concepts like 'memory palaces' and 'microscopic water analysis' were surely fictional.
However, now that he was in this situation, Li Wu realized that exceptionally intelligent people indeed possessed remarkable abilities.
For instance, with his information-gathering skills, he could effortlessly construct a holographic map of the third layer in his mind, with an accuracy rate of nearly 95%.
With his gifted mind, Li Wu, along with the little skull, arrived at the third layer's Gatekeeper Boss after just 10 minutes of navigating the area.
The maintenance staff at the backend were all alert, eager to witness Li Wu's unconventional tactics when facing the Gatekeeper Boss.
Each of them wanted to see if Li Wu would pull off any outrageous moves during the boss encounter.
And indeed, Li Wu did not disappoint. He had a move up his sleeve that they hadn't anticipated.
Instead of starting the battle with his summon beast, Li Wu took out a black metallic object from his backpack and approached the Gatekeeper Boss alone.
The administrators on the backend were baffled. One of them exclaimed, "What's he up to? Is he going to poison the boss?"
"I don't think so. Poisoning is definitely prohibited in the Mystic Realm, right?"
"Well, I don't think there's a rule against it!" The young man who had spoken before raised his hand again, "Some summon beasts have poison as their attribute, and besides, no one usually relies on external powers beyond summon beasts to clear the realm. So, there's no specific regulation about that."
A moment of silence fell over the backend, followed by collective anger. But they had no choice but to curse, "Damn it! Breeders are all scumbags!"
However, they were wrong about Li Wu's intentions. He wasn't planning to poison the boss.
He was just going to feed it.
On the monitor, Li Wu had already reached the Little Rock, the Gatekeeper Boss. "Little Rock, I have something for you to eat. Can I pet you?"
One Six One Nine Book Bar One Look No One Wrong Version!
Li Wu's proposal was quite tempting.
No, wait, it was very tempting to the rock!
Little Rock didn't hesitate and agreed, jumping to the edge of the safety zone.
Little Rock was about a meter tall, made up of seven stones, with facial features on the main stone. It had two hands, each consisting of three stones, but no feet.
It had a pair of big eyes and a small mouth, but no nose, making it look adorable and cute! As it approached, Li Wu handed over the black metal, and while it was eating, Li Wu took the opportunity to pet the little guy.
...
Name: Little Rock
Strength: 0-Star [Elite]
Attribute: Rock
Status: Happy (This human is nice, giving me tasty treats!)
Weakness: Grass, Ice
Skills: Roll (Mastered), Collision (Mastered), Defense (Mastered), Flying Stones (Mastered)
Talent:
Innate Talent: Basic Physical Defense Enhancement
Description: Despite its strong defense, this little glutton with a simple mind can be manipulated, deceived, and have its emotions toyed with.
...
The system's description didn't sit well with Li Wu.
What kind of person did the system think he was? Was he the type to play with the emotions of summon beasts?
Well, Li Wu was willing to negotiate and deepen their bond.
"Hey, Little Rock, let's make a deal. When you fight my little skull, can you pretend to lose and surrender?"
"If you surrender, I'll bring you more of these treats next time!"
Little Rock's heart fluttered at the offer, but before it could agree, Li Wu's Realm Bracelet sounded an alarm.
[Warning! Warning!
Do not deceive, kidnap, or bribe the Gatekeeper Boss!]
The failed attempt at kidnapping left Li Wu feeling helpless.
"I wanted to interact as a regular summoner, but this is what I got in return.
There's nothing I can do. I'm going all out. Let's go, little skull, finish it off!"
With that, Li Wu grabbed his smartphone and smashed it to pieces with a loud crack...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 106: Part 1
As Li Wu smashed his phone, the surrounding Mystic Realm administrators and the little skull beside him were all stunned.
Li Wu himself was also shocked.
He turned stiffly, looking at the adorable little skull beside him, which remained calm and unprovoked, and asked, "What's going on here? I threw my phone, and it's broken! Why aren't you angry? Why aren't you using your ultimate skill to attack it?"
As he spoke, Li Wu reached out and touched the little skull.
Upon touching it, Li Wu couldn't help but blush.
The little skull was confused: [Why get angry? It was Li Wu's phone that broke! Poor Li Wu, his phone is broken, and the little skull isn't upset at all. The little skull has kept the phone safe and sound!]
"How embarrassing!"
He had just been boasting about his intelligence, but now he had made such a foolish mistake.
On the backend.
The administrators watched the surveillance footage, seeing Li Wu covering his face, embarrassed and wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
Although they weren't entirely sure what had happened to Li Wu, they could tell that he was probably feeling very awkward at the moment.
Today was the first time Li Wu had felt so embarrassed since entering the Mystic Realm, as he had always been confident and strategic.
The administrators were quite amused by this.
"It seems like his strategy against the boss didn't work, and he's going to have a hard time defeating it from now on."
"That's good. He's only been in our Mystic Realm for half a month, right? If he manages to defeat the boss, he'll top the rating chart."
"That's right. If he defeats the boss, he'll take the top spot on our Summoner's Mystic Realm Rating Chart. If a Breeder takes the first place in just half a month, it won't look good for us!"
"Hmph, those Breeders are always up to something sneaky. I've been accumulating points for years, and one of them could take it all away with a single plan!"
Well, that last comment had a hint of envy and resentment.
While this group of people was enjoying themselves, Li Wu on the surveillance side also lowered his hand from his face. He commanded the little skull to enter the combat circle with the little rock.
"Hey, is he not giving up?"
"That's normal. We've come this far, and even if it were me, I wouldn't give up. We have to give it a try, at least. There's no real danger anyway!"
"If he wants to try, let him. What do you think, how long can his little skull last?"
"Hmm, it seems to be a Three-Star. It should be able to hold on for a minute or two without any issues."
"Want to place a bet?"
"Sure! I bet two minutes, do I get 200 Intranet points?"
"I bet one minute, 200 Intranet points!"
The atmosphere on the backend heated up again, and just as it reached its peak, the young man raised his hand once more.
"Can I bet on the little skull winning?"
His words silenced the room.
Well, this young man seemed to have a talent for creating awkward silences. Every time he spoke, it was as if he had a cold field generator.
However, the administrators on the backend soon recovered.
"Sure, we can bet on the little skull winning. If it wins, you get a direct annihilation, and we'll each give you 200 Intranet points..."
"Wham!"
As the administrator finished speaking, a deafening explosion sounded, causing the administrators to turn their heads towards the surveillance footage. They realized that the camera had been destroyed, rendering the footage invalid.
"What's going on here?"
The administrators were still confused when their backend management system received a message.
[Ding! Contestant Li Wu defeats the third-layer Gatekeeper Boss, Little Rock, earning 100 points. Current total score: 300, ranked 10th on the Rating Chart!]
Seeing this system prompt, the administrators on the backend were dumbfounded.
At the same time, the Hmmm Monster, who was outside the Mystic Realm and below the rating chart, also felt stunned.
Ever since Li Wu appeared on the points leaderboard, she had been feeling a bit nervous.
Her tension stemmed from her knowledge of Li Wu's talent as a breeder and her interactions with him over the past half month.
In reality, she had been secretly observing Li Wu during this time.
After her observation, she felt defeated upon discovering that Li Wu seemed not only to be intelligent and talented in breeding, but also exceptionally diligent.
He studied for 18 hours a day, and aside from entering the Mystic Realm, he spent over ten hours solely on studying breeding knowledge.
She had studied this herself and understood better than anyone how challenging it was. She couldn't even bear to read for half an hour before falling asleep, yet Li Wu could study for over ten hours.
He was using the One Six One Nine Book Bar One Look Wu One Correct Version!
When she compared herself to Li Wu, she genuinely felt a sense of defeat.
It was normal to be struck down by a genius, and she had experienced it before. But Li Wu, this genius, was also a diligent one.
Not only was her intellect inferior, but her efforts fell short as well.
Even more frightening was the sense of superiority she felt when provoking him.
This made the Hmmm Monster susceptible to unique emotions when facing Li Wu, feeling inexplicably ashamed and wishing she could find a crack to hide in.
The only solace for the Hmmm Monster was that her summoner's talent had improved.
No matter what, her summon beast was stronger than Li Wu's, and she was far superior to him in Mystic Realm challenges.
This was her last stronghold, and she didn't want it to be breached by Li Wu.
However, it seemed that even this position couldn't be held! She had spent one or two months to climb to the top spot, and before she could even settle in, Li Wu soared like a rocket, jumping from tenth to first in an instant.
One could imagine how the Hmmm Monster felt.
She could only keep reassuring herself.
"It's okay, it's okay, he's only in tenth place, he hasn't surpassed me yet. It's impossible for him to surpass me! I'm still better than him!"
"Ye Ruhuo, you can do it, you're still the best!"
The Hmmm Monster finally calmed her emotions, mustered her courage, and looked up at the rating chart, wanting to convince herself to accept the reality of going to receive the award with Li Wu later.
But when she looked up, she was stunned.
Li Wu, who had just been in tenth place, surged ahead by 100 points in an instant, jumping from tenth to first, while she, who had struggled for two hours to reach the top spot, was left in tears, unable to bear the blow.
At the same moment, the administrators on the Mystic Realm backend were also on the verge of tears.
Especially after Li Wu claimed the top spot, when the young man meekly asked, "Um, does this count as my win?"
The backend administrators couldn't help but shed tears, earning 200 intranet points. They weren't breeders themselves, and their finances weren't as abundant, so it would take several months to save up those points for breeding summon beasts.
And the little skull was also feeling like crying! Because its phone was broken, and its Li Wu had gone bad!
(End of Chapter)