The speed of Mach 5 is 1,700 meters per second—more than 6,000 kilometers per hour.
This kind of speed should never have been associated with any silver-level creature, but now a massive dragon, flying at five times the speed of sound, soared through the sky.
At low altitude, the dragon's flight sent grass scattering in all directions, uprooted trees, and killed small animals instantly with the shockwave of its sonic boom.
Bai Yi gripped the joystick. Though the bone dragon could fly on its own, he found immense satisfaction in the feeling of control.
According to the game's experience mechanism, if an alchemist controls the weapons they create, they gain experience points for each enemy killed.
In other words, while Bolton's dragon breath wouldn't yield experience points, controlling the cannons mounted on Bolton's body to bombard enemies would. This large-scale massacre was no different from what players experience; even if each player only earned ten experience points, the total would be astronomical.
He was headed toward the new mutation zone, where he needed 80,000 experience points. He planned to save any excess points and return for more once the Night Rose was fully exposed.
At this speed of 100 kilometers per second, it only took him a little over fifty seconds to reach the land, which exuded a strong abyssal atmosphere.
The land here was dark red, as if soaked in blood, but dry and eerie.
At the edges of this area, adventurers—humans, orcs, elves, and others—were cautiously entering. The mutation zone brought both danger and wealth.
Abyss corruption twisted living beings, turning them into mindless monsters, while the corpses of these creatures became valuable magical materials used in various industries across the Federation—wizards' enchanted equipment, alchemists' technological weapons and cursed potions, and blacksmiths prized the controllable abyssal energy.
Every time a new mutation zone appeared, the adventurers' hunt began. It was their primary source of income.
"Say hello to them," Bai Yi said, grinning.
The massive dragon, which had already caught most people's attention, circled back and flew low above the adventurers, soaring between them and the mutation zone.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sonic booms sent shockwaves that blasted all beings below upper bronze level into the air in an instant.
Before any of them could react with fear or anger, Bai Yi's cheerful voice echoed through the area: "I am Bai Yi, testing a new weapon. The mutation zone will soon erupt. Leave the area within thirty seconds."
The mention of "White Plague" made the adventurers' faces change.
White Plague!
This legendary name was no longer synonymous with Mossen in Dongwu City. It was now a name that struck fear into everyone—the legendary boy, Bai Yi!
Most of the adventurers were bronze-level, and they quickly followed the advice, running back swiftly. Those who had ignored warnings in the past had met their end at the hands of the mutated creatures.
Bai Yi was pleased with the results. He pressed a switch, gradually turning off the thrusters on the dragon's wings.
The lack of powerful thrust didn't hinder Bolton's flight. In the new mutation zone, most of the monsters were lower bronze-level. Only by constantly killing each other, like the abyss worms, could they neutralize the abyss power within their bodies and enter a rapid growth phase.
Adventurers called this the "nascent stage."
Once the lord of the mutation zone—essentially the boss—was born, the zone would expand, eliminating all non-abyss creatures. The vitality and blood of these beings would fuel the growth of the abyssal lord.
Looking down, Bai Yi saw a one-meter-long dragonfly zipping by at top speed, a seven- or eight-meter-long sparrow, a buffalo-sized rat, rabbits leaping dozens of meters, a tiger radiating the aura of a king, and a giant bear as tall as a two-story building. Despite the dragon's overwhelming presence, the monsters continued to fight amongst themselves.
Creatures in the nascent mutation zone had no concept of fear. The dragon's might only instilled a sense of threat, not fear.
Some birds and insects, sensing the White Plague's presence, rose into the air. Particularly disgusting were the multi-headed cockroaches, each four or five meters in size.
Bai Yi looked on with disdain, then checked the time. He raised his hand, constructing a protective shield of magic in front of him.
With an excited grin, he gripped the joystick again. "Crash it! Fly low!"
The bone dragon lowered its body, flapping its iron wings with immense force, charging toward the dense cluster of insects and birds.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each impact sent shockwaves through the air, the dragon's supersonic speed pulverizing the bronze-level creatures into debris.
Blue, green, white, and yellow pieces flew apart in the wake of the chaos.
As the dragon flew at low altitude, Bai Yi quickly pressed a series of buttons.
On the dragon's belly, scales opened one by one, revealing multiple gun barrels and cannon emplacements.
"Incendiary bombs!" Bai Yi commanded, pressing another button. Countless incendiary bombs were fired, speeding toward their targets.
Buzz—
As the giant dragon flew over the mutation zone, flames erupted into the sky, scorching the land. The fire spread rapidly through the forest.
The experience panel began refreshing at an overwhelming pace, the sheer volume of experience points too much to read in one glance.
"One more round!" Bai Yi shouted.
Bolton swiftly turned, and Bai Yi pressed the buttons with renewed urgency. The deafening sounds of a Barrett rifle and Gatling guns merged into a metallic storm that ripped through the flames, tearing apart the monsters in its path.
The dragon's belly, wings, legs, and hands became weapons platforms, releasing a torrent of bullets and bombs, obliterating every monster in the zone.
"Continue!" Bai Yi urged, pressing more buttons to unleash artillery shells and more bombs. The dragon circled at low altitude, dropping alchemical bombs that sizzled as they hit the forest below.
The massacre accelerated rapidly.
"The breath is over, let's go back!" Bai Yi said, glancing at his experience points—250,000 and counting.
Satisfied with the transformation of the mechanical dragon, he felt the weight of his victory. With the giant dragon in tow, no bronze-level creatures could withstand the onslaught. They were nothing but fodder, waiting for their ammunition and food to run out.
Bolton nodded, its eyes glowing red.
Blue dragon flames gathered at the corners of its mouth. The mechanical dragon turned sharply, preparing its final attack.
As the forest temperature soared, the alchemical bombs' sizzling stopped, and the dragon unleashed its breath.
The mechanical system whined as the flames grew darker and more powerful, gathering strength for the attack.
At the moment the first alchemical bomb exploded, the temperature of the forest hit its peak, and every tree spontaneously combusted.
Then, the dragon unleashed its undead breath.
Boom!
The earth trembled as deep blue flames shot into the sky, splitting the forest in two, leaving a stark contrast with the regular fires on either side.
The terrifying power of the dragon's breath suppressed everything in its wake, turning the land to crystal.
Bai Yi engaged the thrusters, and in an instant, the dragon shot away at Mach 5, leaving behind a sonic boom and a stunned, scorched landscape.
The adventurers, who had watched from the edges of the forest, stood speechless, their eyes wide.
"Is it really silver?" one orc murmured.
Another player, bewildered, replied, "Or maybe mid-tier? They feel much stronger than the ones in the capital. Geniuses are always abnormal."
"Definitely not that bad. People from the capital are all freaks."
"Who cares? Do you think there's a wizard who can cast a fire-proof spell? It's probably safe to go in now. Let's grab the loot!"
"Right. I'm not interested in genius talk. I just want gold coins."
"Let's go, but watch out for the blue flames. The regular flames are nothing."
[You killed a level 9 mutant dragonfly. Experience +3]
[You killed a level 11 mutant cheetah. Experience +9]
[You killed 56,000 mutant monsters. Experience +81,320.]
A flood of panel notifications flooded Bai Yi's screen, each one adding to his satisfaction. With the experience bar nearly full, he was content with the dragon's transformation.
Thankfully, Bolton's dragon breath had finished the work, so it was Bolton's kill, not his. Otherwise, he'd have been pushed into silver-tier.
He now had to accelerate his plans regarding Night Rose. Those higher-level players would soon start tracking them down.
But Bai Yi was careful. He couldn't be the first to issue the task. Doing so would make him a target for Night Rose's forces. The best approach was to distance himself, issue the task, and let it lead back to him.
As these thoughts occupied his mind, the outline of Dongwu City came into view. He instructed Bolton to stop.
"Can you return to the undead world now?" he asked.
Bolton's voice, mechanical yet commanding, answered, "Sorry, boss. After the contract was signed, my true body descended onto Xia continent. The undead world's location is constantly shifting. I can't go back."
Bai Yi pondered for a moment. "Then, take me to the transformed valley first. When the contract calls, find me again. Stay hidden."
"Understood, boss." Bolton lowered its head in submission. After Bai Yi dismounted, the dragon flapped its wings and flew off.
Meanwhile, Bai Yi entered the city. His arrival caught the attention of nearby players.
"Look, it's White Plague!" a voice called out.
A group of players gathered around.
"White Plague! Please continue with that mission! I want to revisit the Tomb of the Dead!"
They were eager for more action, some still seething with frustration over their loss.
"Destroyed?" one player gasped. "Bug fixed?"
Bai Yi shrugged. "The Tomb of the Dead is no more. Now it's just a mountain."
"Destroyed?!" The players were stunned.
"But don't worry," Bai Yi added, "the fifty silver coins promised as compensation are still valid. Come to my pharmacy tomorrow night to collect them."
He waved them off, hailing a taxi and heading toward the inner city.
The players looked at each other, uncertain of what to do next.