The desert was alive with the murmurs of the crowd, reporters buzzing with excitement as hunters from four more major guilds arrived one by one. The Tiger Guild, Holy Sword Guild, and White Dragon Guild joined the scene, where the Black Demon Guild and International Guild were already present. The rare sight of these six powerful guilds together in one place stirred the crowd, knowing something significant was about to happen.
"Isn't this incredible?" one reporter whispered into the camera. "It's nearly impossible to see China's six strongest guilds gathered like this."
Another reporter nodded. "A ruin appearance is far rarer than a dungeon, and none of these guilds will miss a chance to claim control over it. But the real question is—who will get the Controller?"
The camera panned over the scene as the narrative voice explained the significance of the Controller to the audience. The Controller is the key to the ruin's secrets. Whoever holds it can control the portal, allowing or blocking access at will. More importantly, the Controller can influence the monsters inside the ruin, making it the most coveted artifact within these mysterious structures.
Zhang Tao, a mid-level hunter from the Black Demon Guild, stood amongst the others, lost in thought. If I can get my hands on the Controller, he mused, I could control when the portal opens or closes, and who can enter. Most importantly, I'd be able to command the monsters... With that kind of power, my rank in the Black Demon Guild would shoot up to Rank 4, maybe even Rank 5.
Suddenly, Kim Yun from the International Guild spoke up, his voice booming over the crowd. "We will enter the portal now. All lower-ranked hunters or weaker members should stand behind their superiors for safety. Remember, ruins are generally weaker than dungeons, but there are rare cases where they can be even more dangerous."
The crowd began to stir, and the air was thick with tension as the six major guilds entered the portal, leaving behind the smaller guilds and lower-ranked hunters to watch.
Inside the temple, Wang Lei was locked in a deadly battle. He had already slain 15 knights, their shattered stone bodies littering the temple floor. The knights were powerful, but they lacked intelligence—mere puppets, reacting to threats with mechanical precision.
However, Wang Lei wasn't in great shape. His body ached from the wounds he'd sustained, but he quickly downed the recovery potion he'd earned from his last fight. Instantly, his injuries healed, and his energy surged back to life.
"This won't be enough," Wang Lei muttered to himself as he dodged yet another sword strike from one of the knights. He knew there were still at least 50 more knights waiting, and his current strength wouldn't be enough to take them all down.
He stepped back, creating some distance between him and the knights, and called up the system store.
"System, open the skill store," he commanded.
System Activated: Skill Store Opened.
Wang Lei quickly scanned through the options and selected three skills that would give him a fighting chance:
Triple Striker: Allows the user to strike three times in quick succession, though it consumes more energy than usual. [Price: 1000 coins]
Fast Recovery: Enables the user to regain 5% of their power every 20 minutes. [Price: 1000 coins]
Paralyze Strike: A single hit that can paralyze any enemy for 20 seconds. It has a limitation—a 7-minute cooldown after use, and it isn't effective against very strong beings. However, it is a growing skill and can be upgraded over time. [Price: 2000 coins]
He used his remaining 4000 coins to buy these skills, knowing they might be the only way to survive.
"Let's do this," Wang Lei said, steeling himself for the next wave.
The knights advanced once again, their mechanical movements creating a rhythmic clanging as they marched toward him. Wang Lei dashed forward, his agility enhanced by Silent Steps, and unleashed Triple Striker on the first knight. Three rapid blows in succession hit the knight, shattering its armor and sending it crumbling to the ground.
But the rest were closing in. Wang Lei ducked and dodged, parrying their attacks with sharp precision. He activated Paralyze Strike, and the nearest knight froze in place, allowing him to deal a fatal blow. As the knights kept advancing, Wang Lei started to get a feel for their attack patterns, taking advantage of their lack of intelligence. He was fast, using the skills in quick succession, but he knew he had to pace himself, especially with the Paralyze Strike on cooldown.
Meanwhile, outside the temple, the six major guilds trudged through the desert, heading toward the portal. As they walked, they stumbled upon a strange sight—dozens of dead earthworms scattered across the sand, their bodies lifeless.
Zhang Tao of the Black Demon Guild narrowed his eyes. "Looks like something's been hunting these worms."
Kim Yun, ever the strategist, studied the bodies. "It's not possible. If a monster had killed these worms, it wouldn't leave them here like this. It would either eat them or store them as food."
Zhang Tao turned to Kim Yun, confused. "What are you suggesting?"
Kim Yun pointed at one of the worms. "Look closely. If you inspect them carefully, you'll see clean cuts in their bodies, like they were killed by something sharp."
Zhang Tao's eyes widened in realization. "You mean... someone was here before us? But that's impossible! The International Guild detected this ruin first, and there's no one strong enough in this slum to take down these monsters."
Kim Yun shrugged. "I'm not sure... but something doesn't add up."
Just then, a woman from the Cloud Guild stepped forward, her silver hair glimmering under the desert sun. Her name was Ms. Luciana. "I can tell whether these worms were killed by a monster or a human."
Kim Yun nodded. "Go ahead."
Ms. Luciana said nothing as she activated her special ability, and the group waited in tense silence, watching...