**Chapter 41: Monster Siege**
"Political Commissar, although it sounds incredible, I believe it's probably true."
Zhong Feng, also known as Snow Leopard, detailed his meeting with Su Yu, recounting the nuances of their conversation. "Whether the nemesis is really Zhang Jiao or not, his knowledge of the Singer Civilization indicates he possesses vital information. We must pay attention to this."
Political Commissar Zhang remained silent, deep in thought. After a moment, he sighed, "Regardless, the organization has decided to double the resources and personnel allocated to your department. What do you think?"
"Is it just doubled?" Zhong Feng's expression darkened, the tension visible in his furrowed brow. "If the power from the game can truly manifest in reality, we need to explore this game at all costs! Even doubling our resources is insufficient."
"Calm down, Xiao Zhong," Commissar Zhang urged, raising a hand to placate him. "The game *Evolution* has always been on our radar. Even if it can be realized, there's still considerable uncertainty."
He continued, "For instance, how much time and money does it take for an average person to reach level 50? How effective will the game's powers be in reality? Wouldn't it be absurd to be shot down immediately after manifesting your skills? What if a player's real strength is inferior to a child with a gun? Would it be worth investing heavily in this?"
Faced with these pointed questions, Zhong Feng faltered. He had no concrete answers.
Commissar Zhang steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "From our standpoint, we cannot gamble on an uncertain future. We prefer to invest in areas that promise stable returns, like increasing our hydrogen bomb reserves."
"Understood," Zhong Feng replied, managing a bitter smile. He knew that from a strategic perspective, it was unreasonable to pour resources into something so unpredictable based on a few statements from a player.
"Unless…" Political Commissar Zhang's tone shifted.
"Unless?" Zhong Feng inquired, curiosity piqued.
"Unless you can provide definitive proof that *Evolution* has the potential to alter the course of our war, I will secure the resources you desire."
"Understood!" Zhong Feng stood up, saluting the political commissar. "I will strive to level up and reach level 50 as soon as possible."
"Very well. You may leave now," Zhang said, gesturing dismissively. "There are no indications of ancient powers recovering at this time. If that changes, I'll handle it. For now, focus on *Evolution* and your leveling up!"
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Returning to the game, Su Yu remained in the Valley of the Wolf King, diligently grinding for experience. The area was brimming with opportunities, but the hidden quests offered rewards that did not entice him. Given his abilities with the [Pointing Star Hand], he had little interest in the equipment from typical hidden missions; leveling up was his priority.
By around two o'clock in the afternoon, Su Yu reached level 8.
"At this pace, I should hit level 10 by around six this evening," he mused, continuing to use his spells to decimate the [Howling Moon Wolves].
Suddenly, a loud howl resonated through the distant forest.
Ow—woo—
The howl sent a shiver through the valley, stirring the wolves as if compelled by an unseen force. Soon, every wolf in the valley began to howl in unison, creating a chilling chorus that echoed throughout the entire novice village.
Players paused in their activities, glancing toward Wolf King Valley in confusion.
"What's going on?" one player wondered aloud.
"It sounds like the cry of my family's second piglet in spring!" another joked.
"Fool! It's the wolves! It's coming from the Valley of the Wolf King!" someone corrected.
In a nearby area, the Zhantian Sword team observed the commotion. "What's causing that noise? Should we go check it out?" Zhantian Sword asked his teammates. They had been entrenched in No. 6 Novice Village, not having returned to No. 1 in a while.
"It's probably just a boss spawn, but we wouldn't be able to handle it anyway," Yuyou I replied, scrutinizing the nearby terrain.
"True enough," Zhantian Sword acknowledged, returning to the task at hand and pulling a few more monsters.
Just then, a system notification blared across the village:
"Ding! [Howling Moon Wolf King lv10 (Rare)] has appeared in Wolf King Valley! All monsters in Nolan Village gain +20% to all attributes, and experience and drops are increased by 20% for 1 hour. After 1 hour, [Howling Moon Wolf King] will lead the wolves to attack Novice Village. Participation in the defeat of [Howling Moon Wolf King] allows for equal sharing of massive rewards!"
As the announcement echoed, low-level monsters like [Black Wild Boar], [Hillside Sheep], and [Silver Snake] glowed with red energy, their eyes turning bloodshot as they launched a fierce counterattack against unsuspecting players.
Chaos erupted as players were caught off guard. Some who had drawn too many monsters found themselves overwhelmed and quickly defeated, their white light floating away as they disconnected.
Zhang Tianjian, a skilled anti-war player, struggled to fend off a horde of enhanced monsters. As he barely avoided being overwhelmed, he activated his [Shield Wall] skill, narrowly escaping certain death.
Once the last wild monster fell, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close! If I had been kicked off, it would have been a huge loss. But should we participate in this monster siege?"
"Of course! We should!" Decepticon exclaimed, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Monster sieges often yield incredible rewards! We have to join in!"
"Alright!" Zhantian Sword nodded resolutely. "I'll inform our team members."
As he opened his friend panel, he noticed Su Yu's name topping the list. Seeing that Su Yu was already at level 8, he exclaimed, "Nemesis is at level 8 already?!"
"What? He's level 8?" Qingli, who had been quiet, perked up. "We've wasted so much time in wasteland dungeons while he's been focused on leveling up! Meanwhile, we've only reached level 7!"
"Yeah! The highest in our guild, 'Cangshan Youjing,' is still level 7," Zhantian Sword noted, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "The nemesis started at 10 o'clock and still has eight hours of playtime left. The gap is only going to widen!"
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As the intensity in the game heightened, players prepared for the impending siege, aware that they stood at the precipice of an extraordinary event that could change their virtual world forever.
**(End of this chapter)**