Temperature: 53°C
Heat Energy: +72
Liquid Surface: 92%
Gas Sensitivity: 69%
Vacuum: 10%
Enemy Biological Unit: 1
…
As they continued up the path, Mommy couldn't help but ask, "What do all these readings mean?"
Edward explained, "The cave isn't very large, but the first two values mean that once we enter, each of us will lose HP at a rate of 4 points per second. With the liquid surface at 92%, I suspect it's a magma cave. The rising gas sensitivity and vacuum suggest we'll face oxygen depletion inside, which will reduce the accuracy of our weapons and skills."
Mommy let out a sigh, "Kid, if you hadn't helped, we would've been half-dead before even reaching this cave. Thank you."
This time, her thanks were genuine, without any posturing.
Hot Girl was silent for a moment, then said, "Boom Freak, head back. Take the land rover parked below and drive it to Dreamstar Port. We'll pick it up when we return. Here's the key."
Edward was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"
Hot Girl explained, "Malagobi is a tough one, and it's dangerous inside. You've completed your task, so thank you. Once we get back to the city, I'll pay you as promised."
Edward responded, "What are you talking about? You think I took your deposit for nothing? Love your work if you're in it, you get that? Let's go!" Without waiting for a reply, he dove into the cave first.
Hot Girl and her team exchanged glances before reluctantly following him in.
Both Edward and Hot Girl had their own plans. Hot Girl was concerned that Edward, being a low-level player, would not only be useless in battle but might even drag the team down. What she didn't know was Edward's true capabilities. On the other hand, Edward had a more cunning idea. In the chaos of the fight, someone was bound to die, and when gear drops, why not take advantage of it? These players were all high-level, at least over level 20, and their gear would be valuable enough to set him up for life.
Inside the cave, the scene matched what the sensor had detected. The four of them were stunned by what they saw.
The cave was hemispherical in shape and not very large. From the entrance to the far end, a distance of 40 meters separated two cliffs. A narrow stone bridge spanned the gap, barely wide enough for one person to cross.
Below the bridge was a massive pool of molten lava, bubbling and churning like a sea of raging demons.
On the far cliff stood the target—Malagobi, clad in glowing purple gear. He seemed to know there was no way out and stood there waiting for their arrival.
When he saw Hot Girl and her group appear, he was mildly surprised. "You got here faster than I expected."
Hot Girl glanced at her digital watch, her face tense. "We've got thirteen minutes left. If we don't take him down soon, the mission will fail."
Malagobi laughed loudly. "Come on, you filthy ladies! If you can't kill me, be careful not to get killed yourselves."
Mommy, enraged by his words, grabbed her energy sword and prepared to charge.
"Wait!" Edward stopped her and raised his Mauser pistol.
"Bang!"
The shot echoed sharply. The Mauser's report was like a firecracker going off inside a metal pipe, carrying a commanding force.
The muzzle flared, spitting a red flash as the bullet tore through the air.
There was no way for Malagobi to dodge—he didn't even try. The platform he stood on was barely five square meters, leaving him little room to move.
Edward's intent was clear: he wanted to test the waters first. Controllers generally gained 50 HP per level, so even if Malagobi had put all his points into Constitution, his HP at level 26 wouldn't exceed 3,000. And what Controller in their right mind would waste points on Constitution?
With a soft thud, the bullet struck Malagobi's left shoulder, and the damage number that appeared above his head shocked everyone: -21.
Hot Girl was stunned. "How is that possible?"
As a gunner herself, she knew the Mauser's muzzle energy was 576 joules. In theory, its pure attack power should be around 576 points. While actual damage is influenced by many factors—humidity, wind speed, the enemy's armor, spells, and so on—there was no way the damage could be reduced to just 21 points.
Malagobi laughed hysterically. "You think you can kill me with that peashooter? Your naivety makes my boring game fun again. Thanks."
Mommy was fuming, almost about to explode in anger.
Edward pondered aloud, "The temperature and heat here are too high. The gun's performance has been significantly weakened. Plus, his purple gear is likely focused on fire resistance, which is why the bullet did so little damage."
Hot Girl nodded. "Let me try." She unslung her MP5, aimed, and squeezed the trigger. The gun spat out a fierce burst of fire.
In just four seconds, 30 rounds were fired, and the numbers floating above Malagobi's head read: -25, -29, -24, -26…
Despite the rapid fire, only 21 bullets hit the target, reducing accuracy to 73.4%. Though the MP5 had 630 joules of muzzle energy, the damage was still disappointingly low, much like Edward's shot.
"This…" Hot Girl hadn't expected such a situation. After chasing him across countless miles, no one could have imagined they'd face such a frustrating scenario in this cave.
Edward observed Malagobi, who made no move to attack. At this distance of over 40 meters, his spells would be similarly weakened. He wasn't foolish; stalling for time was clearly his best option.
"Ten minutes left," Oath said anxiously, casting "Energy Healing" to restore the team's HP.
"Let me handle this." Mommy brandished her sword, took a stance, and with a shout, activated her Charge skill. She dashed across the stone bridge like a streak of lightning.
Edward and the others could see it clearly: as soon as Mommy stepped onto the bridge, red damage numbers began appearing above her head: -50, -51, -48, -49…
"The bridge is superheated from the lava—it's dealing heavy fire damage," Edward called out.
But Mommy didn't care. As a strength-based Gene Warrior, she wasn't afraid of taking hits.
In the Star Wars world, Bio-Warriors came in many forms. Gene Warriors were the most dominant, their cells genetically modified to give them immense strength, agility, and resilience. They could jump higher, run faster, and endure more punishment than ordinary humans. Mommy had specialized in strength and armor, which enhanced her close-combat damage, HP regeneration, and defense.
Her charge was unstoppable, brimming with raw power. In just three seconds, she crossed the 40-meter gap. With a roar, she leaped five meters into the air, her energy sword gleaming as she prepared to strike down with all her might.
This was the "Thunder Leap Strike," a skill feared by most players. It could decimate Controllers, even those with high defense.
"Clang!" A piercing metallic sound rang out as Malagobi's body flared with a radiant fire shield, deflecting the attack completely. Mommy's sword bounced off the shield, and she was sent flying.
Edward recognized the skill immediately. It was the "Elemental Shield," a powerful defensive spell Controllers gained at level 25, capable of utilizing fire, ice, lightning, wind, or earth elements.
But it wasn't over. As Mommy was thrown back, Malagobi waved his hands, and the lava below erupted. Four massive jets of molten rock shot upward, striking Mommy in midair.
"Look out!" Oath cried.
Mommy was hit, tumbling toward the lava pool below—certain death awaited if she fell.
But just in time, with a resounding "clang," her energy sword lodged into the stone bridge's railing. She dangled precariously over the molten abyss, one hand gripping the sword's hilt.
Even Malagobi was taken aback. With a flick of his fingers, he sent a small fireball toward Mommy's hand. Though weak in damage, it was enough to make her lose her grip.
In a breathtaking display of agility, Mommy pulled herself up, flipping onto the bridge. The fireball missed, but her energy sword was now stuck in the bridge, impossible to retrieve.
Badly wounded, Mommy staggered back to their side of the cliff, her armor charred black and still smoking. "I had 3,000 HP… that bastard took 2,500 of it with one hit."
Oath quickly cast "Energy Healing" to restore her health, but even with the spell's speed, it would take half a minute to fully heal her.
Malagobi laughed maniacally, "Come on, bring it on! Only five minutes left. My reinforcements are almost here, and then you're all dead, you filthy sluts!"
Edward remained silent, calculating in his head. Malagobi's earlier attacks had revealed much of his power. Edward was almost certain now that Malagobi was a fire element Controller, which explained why he had chosen this lava-filled cave as his final stand.
Edward continued, "The Controller class is highly offensive, skilled at manipulating elements to create powerful spells. With lava all around us, the fire element is overwhelming, and he doesn't even need to use much mana—he can directly trigger magma eruptions."
He glanced at the enemy across the stone bridge. "A level 26 Controller who can cause magma to erupt... He's definitely gone for either 'Elemental Specialization' or 'Spell Specialization.' Elemental boosts control over nearby elements, while Spell increases raw damage. But whatever path he's chosen, he definitely hasn't focused on 'Concentration Specialization,' which means his spell recovery time will be long."
Edward smirked. "His level 25 'Surrounding Shield' is powerful, but it has a cooldown of 30 minutes. Once we break it, he'll be easy prey."
Hot Girl caught on immediately, her sharp eyes narrowing. "We hit together. You—break his shield. We'll cover."