"Damn it! Someone's trying to steal the treasure chest!"
The moment the group realized what was happening, they noticed the vines rushing toward the chest. Panic set in, and they immediately ordered their units to intercept.
"Think you can just waltz over? Not so easy! Wall of Flames!"
With a loud shout from Ryan Mitchell, the fire elementals by his side sprang into action. Blazing flames erupted from their hands, forming a fiery barrier between the group and the treasure chest, completely cutting off their path.
Thanks to the wall of flames, Alex's vines easily reached the chest and pried it open. Six glowing items were revealed, catching everyone's attention.
"Six items!"
The group was stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief. The number of treasures this time was double what they had expected! Among the glowing items, two token-like objects lay quietly, sending waves of excitement through the crowd.
"Unit Tokens! They're Unit Tokens!"
Someone couldn't help but shout.
Even Alex was shocked. He knew better than anyone in the region that these weren't just ordinary Unit Tokens—they were Rare Unit Tokens! Rare units were a game-changer, and no one understood their significance better than he did.
Without hesitation, the vines, under his command, lunged toward the two tokens.
"Think you can just take them? Not without my permission!"
A cold voice cut through the air. Beside a refined-looking man, several humanoid snake-like units suddenly opened their eyes, their gazes sharp and piercing. The vines that had been reaching for the tokens instantly turned to stone, shattering into countless pieces.
"Medusas?"
Alex's eyes narrowed as he turned to the man. It was Marcus, the eighth-ranked on the leaderboard! Rumor had it that Marcus's territory specialized in humanoid units, but no one expected him to have Medusas, let alone ones that had mastered the Petrifying Gaze skill. The fact that they could instantly petrify his plants meant they were at least fifth-tier.
But did Marcus really think this would be enough to stop him? Alex smirked coldly. Behind him, Pink Enchantresses materialized, their countless vines swirling in the air, enveloping the entire area around the treasure chest.
The terrifying sight left the group in awe. This was the first time they had seen such an overwhelming number of plants. Even the fifth-tier plant-based units couldn't match this scale! They wanted to intervene, but by the time they reacted, a pink mist had already descended, clouding their minds.
Even Marcus wasn't spared. He felt as though he had been transported to a dreamlike realm, with whispers and gentle touches from ethereal maidens, leaving him entranced.
"The mist is poisonous!"
Marcus snapped out of it, his body jolting awake. But when he looked back at the treasure chest, the two Unit Tokens were already in Alex's hands, and his plants were retreating, preparing to make their escape.
"You're not getting away!"
Marcus roared, ready to chase after Alex with his Medusas. But in the next moment, River, who was by Alex's side, soared into the air. With a wave of her staff, countless thorny vines bound Marcus and his units, rendering them immobile.
By the time they broke free, Alex and his plants were long gone. Even Ryan Mitchell had disappeared without a trace.
"Damn it! He got away!"
"After him! We have to get those Unit Tokens back!"
The group, now fully alert, frantically gave chase, determined to reclaim the tokens. Meanwhile, the remaining individuals turned their attention to the other treasures, diving back into the chaotic scramble.
Though Marcus was frustrated, he wisely chose not to pursue. He could sense that Alex had held back earlier, and that realization left him deeply shaken. Could there really be someone this powerful hidden in the region? Was it one of the top-ranked players ahead of him? But among those, only one specialized in plant-based units. Could it be…?
Marcus was suddenly struck by a thought, his expression turning uncertain. But before he could dwell on it, the sounds of battle around him pulled him back to reality.
"Forget it, let's focus on grabbing what's left!"
Gritting his teeth, he joined the fray, diving back into the fight for the remaining treasures.
The scene descended into chaos once more, with roars and screams echoing in every corner. The matter of the Unit Tokens was quickly forgotten.
It's worth mentioning Alex's cleverness here. He could have taken everything, but he chose not to. If he had, he would have become the target of everyone's wrath, hunted down by the entire group. No matter how strong he was, he couldn't take on so many people at once. Leaving some treasures behind not only distracted the majority but also allowed him to make a clean escape. Why not take advantage of that?
After weaving through the wasteland and shaking off his pursuers, Alex plunged into the forest. Through a private message, he quickly rendezvoused with Ryan Mitchell, who had been waiting for him.
"So? Did you get it?"
Ryan hurried over, his face brimming with anticipation.
"Got it." Alex smiled, holding up the two tokens and handing one to Ryan. "Here, this one's yours. It's a rare find."
They had agreed beforehand to split the loot evenly, so each of them would get one token.
Ryan didn't hesitate, taking the token. "Thanks. That poison mist of yours really saved the day. We wouldn't have pulled it off without it."
"Don't mention it. Your earthquakes and fire walls were a huge help too, not to mention you playing the decoy," Alex said with a wave of his hand.
He then took a deep breath and looked at the Unit Token in his hand.
[Name: Unit Token (Rare)]
[Effect: Randomly unlocks a fifth-tier Rare Unit]
[Requirement: Fifth-tier Territory, 1000 Mana]
Just as he had guessed, it was a Rare Unit Token, and a fifth-tier one at that!
"A Rare Unit?"
Ryan looked puzzled, clearly unfamiliar with the concept.
Alex explained, "They're just more powerful versions of regular units."
"There's such a thing?" Ryan was astonished. Then he paused, giving Alex a curious look. "You seem to know a lot about these tokens."
"Just lucky to have heard about them," Alex replied with a mysterious smile, not revealing too much.
He couldn't very well admit that he had already snatched a Rare Unit Token before, could he?
Ryan seemed to catch on, giving him a knowing look.
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Alex said, "Now that we've got what we came for, let's part ways here. No need to risk those guys catching up."
"Alright, I'll head back to my territory. Let's team up again sometime."
Ryan didn't press further. He nodded at Alex and turned to leave. It was clear he was eager to return and use the Rare Unit Token—such a precious item wasn't something you'd want to hold onto for long.
Alex felt the same way.
After watching Ryan leave, he oriented himself and led his plants back toward his territory.
Much later, a group of pursuers finally arrived at the meeting spot, only to find it empty.
"He got away!"