Yang Ying's expression hardened once more as he glanced at Chu You suspended mid-air on the cliff. Chu You was the last person he wished to encounter in this moment.
"Yang Ying, you've been fixated on him for a good ten minutes," remarked the priest standing behind him, wearing a similarly complex expression as he too focused on Chu You above.
This Silent Night...his fury surged, deepening the red hue on his body. How many lives had he claimed now?
In that instant, Yang Ying's eyes fluttered open slightly, catching sight of something unexpected, a revelation that secretly pleased him.
In that instant, Yang Ying's eyes fluttered open slightly, catching sight of something unexpected, a revelation that secretly pleased him.
He noticed, to his astonishment, a mage player appearing right where Chu You had made his initial leap from the cliff.
"Alright, enough hesitation. Jump and hassle that scoundrel. Don't let him breach the dungeon!" Yang Ying's inner voice erupted with jubilation and urgency.
Many players below had already observed the anomaly above Chu You. Their amazement stemmed from Chu You's apparent obliviousness...
What was Chu You doing?
At this moment, Chu You closed his eyes, seeking a brief respite. His bare torso leaned against the stone wall behind him, hands clasping his long, slender sword, unmoved by the commotion below.
Suddenly, a stone dislodged and tumbled down from above. Chu You's eyes shot open, yet he couldn't discern the cause. In that instant, a dark figure descended from above.
"Ah!" The collective roar of players echoed one after another below, the scene carrying significant intensity.
"Did... did he slide down?" Yang Ying's expression twisted, resembling someone who'd just experienced an unpleasant shock.
Simultaneously, the mage player, upon whom Yang Ying had pinned high hopes, conjured a shadow with a gust of wind. From the roof, he descended vertically, executing what appeared to be a free-fall exercise.
Chu You inadvertently locked eyes with him.
Internally, a surge of ferocity akin to ten thousand mythical beasts running wild across vast plains coursed through him!
Damn it! Were there still individuals audacious enough to launch attacks against him?
Chu You promptly rose to his feet, simultaneously glancing upward. Recognizing the anomaly, he immediately called out to Lin Luoer.
"Hui Ye, why haven't we recruited anyone yet?"
"They're refusing to join upon seeing I'm a level 0 player."
These elitist jerks...
Thud! A resounding impact echoed as the mage player attempting to ambush Chu You met the ground intimately. Surrounding players shielded their faces one by one. Through the gaps between their fingers, they glimpsed the opponent being sent back to the distant revival point.
"Silent Nocturne, there's a level 0 player wanting to join the group... Should I invite them?"
"Invite them, invite anyone willing to join!"
System: Player 'Wushuang Flower Squeezer' has joined the group!
As the newly joined Wushuang Flower Squeezer stood beside Lin Luoer, he glanced at Chu You's position in the team's roster and discovered that Chu You had already reached level 5. The sight surprised and secretly delighted him. A master in their midst? Where were these experts coming from? The realization washed over him, merging both surprise and elation into a single moment.
Wushuang Squeezer glanced around, perplexed.
"What are you looking for?" Lin Luoer inquired.
"The expert, why isn't he here?" Wushuang asked.
"You mean Silent Nocturne?"
Wushuang hesitated briefly before responding, "Yes, where is he?"
Lin Luoer pointed ahead and chuckled, "There, that's the master in your eyes."
Wushuang's gaze shot towards Chu You, perched on the cliff, his bare torso veiled in a smoky red aura. His demeanor exuded an air of haughtiness, sitting there casually like a formidable force. His eyes, brimming with arrogance, surveyed the players below as if they were all his subjects.
Indeed, the expert carried themselves like a true expert!
"Excuse me, miss, could you join our party?"
Lin Luoer turned towards the voice. Upon seeing the speaker, she was visibly surprised. The individual addressing her was an incredibly sweet and cute girl. Petite in stature, her endearing eyes exuded a gentle vulnerability.
Shaking her head, Lin Luoer responded, "I'm already part of another party."
"Ah? The pretty girl's already in a party, aw..." The girl's demeanor shifted, her head drooping as if discussing something with her companions.
After a brief moment, the girl raised her head, a hopeful expression in her eyes. "Then, how many are in your group? We have three here."
"We also have three in our group."
"Perfect, could we form a team then?"
The opportunity to create a group in one go couldn't have been better. Lin Luoer couldn't help but feel a sense of joy at the prospect.
"Add me to the group first, then make me leader. I'll add the other two companions myself."
Lin Luoer promptly extended a team invitation to the other party.
System: Player Nanshan Dazhu has joined your team.
"Why another priest?" Chu You scanned the newcomers. With Lin Luoer and Wushuang Squeezer, there were now three level 0 priests among them.
At that moment, Chu You noticed the leadership had transferred to the newly arrived Nanshan Dazhu.
Prompted by the system, a couple more players joined:
Player 'Holy Priest' has joined your team.
Player 'Yang Ying' has joined your team.
Chu You immediately messaged Lin Luoer privately, "Make me leader." Glancing at the names of the two newcomers, Chu You felt a sense of familiarity.
Nearby, the holy priest wore a wry smile as his eyes glanced at the shadow on Yang Ying's face, inadvertently forming a "humorous" expression.
Seems like foes aren't finding common ground.
"Haha, a man amidst Luo Shuihui," the holy priest murmured to Yang Ying with a smirk.
"Well, Hui Ye, let's initiate the dungeon directly, remember the mode," Chu You announced to the team, confident that Lin Luoer would opt for the nightmare mode without any prompting.
A system prompt flashed: The Yellow Scarf Rebel Territory dungeon has opened. Difficulty: Nightmare Mode.
Lin Luoer transformed into a phantom and vanished first.
With the dungeon requiring six individuals now open, Chu You proceeded along the steep stone wall to start the dungeon without concern for others unable to enter.
Below, Wushuang Squeezer remained unaware of what nightmare mode entailed. As Lin Luoer entered, he promptly initiated the dungeon.
Inside the dungeon, Chu You's towering figure materialized, solidifying instantly upon taking a step.
"What about the others?" Lin Luoer inquired.
"I'm here," Nanshan Dazhu's dull voice echoed from behind.
"What about the other two?" Lin Luoer questioned further.
"Should be following close," came the response.
Chu You intervened, "Don't worry, let's proceed." With that, he moved ahead, trailed closely by Lin Luoer and Wushuang Squeezer.
Meanwhile, Nanshan Dazhu lingered near the dungeon's entrance, seemingly engaged in a private conversation with the other two.
The terrain comprised a dense forest, allowing only a single human-shaped path to navigate. The sky bore a dusky hue, resembling streaks of blood.
Given its nightmare mode, all the creatures here were elite.
A system prompt disrupted the silence: player Yang Ying withdrew from the party.
Unperturbed, Chu You surveyed the terrain calmly. In the distance, a silhouette resembling a cottage caught their attention—an indication of their ultimate objective.
"Priest, are you coming or not? Otherwise I will move ahead!" Nanshan Dazhu's frustration reverberated, intensifying within the party communication.
"Alright, alright, I'm at the entrance of the dungeon."
Outside, Yang Ying addressed the priest going to the dungeon with a serious expression, "This is nightmare mode. We've been wiped out several times before. Are you sure you want to enter?"
"I have no choice. It was so hard to get Xiaozhu to come up and play the game. I have to accompany her."
"That night seems particularly tough. But with four priests and a warrior, do you think there's enough damage output?"
"There's no point discussing it now."
"I'm torn between wishing you luck and hoping you fail.Anyway, I'll definitely not be in the same place as that person."
"What if that person happens to be where you're at?"
Yang Ying: .....
....
Inside the dungeon, Chu You spotted a watchtower hidden within the woods, atop which stood a humanoid archer. Given this rebel army setting, the elite monsters here likely took on human form.
Yellow Scarf Rebel Archer, Level 5, One-star Elite.
"The archer is alone, but there might be hidden ambushes around. Wait here, I'll lure the monsters," Chu You declared, moving towards the watchtower.
As soon as the archer spotted Chu You, they swiftly drew their bow, releasing an arrow aimed directly at Chu You.
Hmph! Chu You glanced at the arrow but focused on their surroundings as the nearby grass rustled, indicating hidden monsters.
Swiftly evading, Chu You countered an incoming attack from two humanoid elites wielding longswords. They struck back with precision, dealing -67 with a knife strike, followed by a Decapitate skill -200, before retreating from the archer's view atop the watchtower.
Meanwhile, the actions of Chu You were observed by the priests behind them, particularly catching the attention of the holy priest, whose expression became somewhat complex.
"Another strike incoming!"
-70!
Chu You's gaze narrowed as they swiftly took two steps back. The slender sword blade arced forward, slicing through the air, striking the two rebels ahead with a precise and sharp-edged knife strike.
"Swing!"
Suddenly, 165 and 166 injuries materialized on the two rebels, and the distance was maintained firmly.
Witnessing this spectacle, the holy priest widened their eyes in astonishment. Such high damage and remarkable skills!
"The expert is truly exceptional," exclaimed Wushuang flower Squeezer joyfully.
Lin Luoer maintained a neutral expression.
Meanwhile, Nanshan Dazhu looked on with a cute demeanor.
"Hey, be ready to provide healing. With four priests, don't let me down. I'll focus on holding them off," Chu You directed, facing the challenge posed by the narrow terrain and obstructed path behind.
Despite Chu You's attack, the opponents had the option to evade or retaliate—an ingrained reflex.
Another strike ensued, dealing a substantial 190 damage to one of the rebels.
The holy priest was secretly taken aback. What kind of opportunities had this person encountered? Such a wide range of skill damage was quite unexpected.
"Quick, heal the master!" Wushuang Squeezer shouted beside himself.
The holy priest immediately shook off their daze and began casting healing spells.
The four priests behind Chu You diligently continued their healing techniques, ensuring Chu You's health remained consistently full.
"Wow!" Another swipe, with an impressive display of striking force!
The health bars of the two elite monsters from the opposing party rapidly declined, surpassing the expectations of the holy priest.
"Yang Ying, that guy's quite formidable," a quick private message was sent.
"Hey, don't slack off, prioritize healing the expert," urged Wushuang Squeezer.