Boom! Boom! Boom!
One by one, the corpses were hurled into the air, and Lin Moyu detonated them in quick succession. The ground shook as explosions echoed through the air, reducing everything to dust. No bodies remained, no trace left behind. Lin Moyu had obliterated everything, ensuring there would be no evidence.
With the battlefield cleansed, he turned and stepped into the dungeon.
Those who had been watching from a distance, too scared to interfere before, finally approached cautiously. The memory of the corpse explosions still sent shivers down their spines, as though the energy had sliced through them like invisible blades.
"They're... all dead," one muttered in disbelief.
"Not a single one left," another whispered, his eyes wide. "Even their bodies are gone."
"That's real cruelty," someone else added. "He destroyed the corpses and wiped away all traces. No mercy at all."
"This is going to be big. The Dynasty Guild won't let this slide."
Fear began to creep into the group. The Dynasty Guild was powerful, and Lin Moyu had just wiped out a team of their elites.
"What do we do now?" someone asked, the uncertainty heavy in their voice.
Wang Yi stepped forward, his face grim. "With the Dynasty Guild's reputation, there's no chance they'll let this go. If they find us, it won't matter whether we say anything—they'll kill us either way."
The group fell silent, absorbing the weight of his words.
"I have a suggestion," Wang Yi continued. "We should leave. Now. Get out of Xihai City, leave Jiangning Province entirely. The Dynasty Guild's influence only stretches so far. There are plenty of other places to level up."
The crowd murmured in agreement. There was no arguing with his logic. Staying meant certain death.
"I'll go first," Wang Yi said, clasping his fists in farewell. "Maybe we'll meet again someday."
"Good luck," someone called after him, and with that, the group dispersed, vanishing into the night. Within moments, the area outside the dungeon was deserted. Only the faint sound of a black vortex spinning at the dungeon's entrance broke the silence.
The moonlight bathed the landscape in its cold glow, undisturbed once more.
Half an hour later, several figures were teleported out of the dungeon. Among them was Wang Zihao, who wore a look of disappointment. He hadn't managed to obtain the Goblin King's crystal nucleus during this dungeon run. It would be twelve hours before they could attempt it again.
"Weird," one of his companions said, glancing around. "Where is everyone? Where's Zhao Ji?"
Another chimed in, "And where did all those scattered players go?"
A strange unease crept over them. Zhao Ji and the others were gone, along with all the independent players who had been waiting outside. Something was very wrong.
Wang Zihao, as the young president of the Dynasty Guild, felt the pressure building. His companions looked to him for answers, but he had none. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Set off the signal flare," he ordered. "If Zhao Ji is nearby, he'll see it."
The flare shot into the sky, its bright light visible for miles around. But as it faded, there was no response.
Zhao Ji and his team had vanished without a trace.
Wang Zihao's mind raced. Had they been ambushed? Killed? It didn't seem possible—Zhao Ji was one of the most powerful players in the area. But now, with no sign of them, he couldn't shake the sense of dread creeping in.
"Let's get out of here," he said finally. "Something happened, and it might still be dangerous. We'll regroup and try to contact Zhao Ji later."
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon, Lin Moyu was moving methodically, his 64 skeleton warriors sweeping through enemies with brutal efficiency. He had already reached the final area in record time.
Surrounded by the skeletal army, the Goblin King stood no chance. Lin Moyu expertly interrupted the boss's every attempt to activate its skills with perfectly timed Soul Flames. In less than 30 seconds, the mighty Goblin King crumbled to the ground, defeated.
[You have slain the Goblin King. Experience +40,000.]
[You have obtained a bronze-level weapon, the Goblin King's Magic Tome.]
[You have obtained a low-level monster crystal nucleus.]
Lin Moyu inspected the loot. As expected, the Goblin King's crystal nucleus hadn't dropped—those were incredibly rare and only appeared once every 100 days.
"Maybe when I get to Xiajing Academy," Lin Moyu mused, "I can find an alchemist to craft a ring from the Goblin King's crystal nucleus. BOSS jewelry like that is useful for anyone, regardless of profession or level."
He glanced at the Goblin King's Magic Tome.
[Goblin King's Magic Tome: Bronze Level, Spirit +10, Constitution +10, Increases mage-type skill power by 3%. Usable at level 12 and above.]
It wasn't perfect for his needs, but it would do for now. Holding a spellbook in battle might even add a bit of flair to his necromancer style.
As the experience from the Goblin King's defeat flowed into him, Lin Moyu leveled up to 13. But he knew the grind would only get tougher from here. "I'll need at least three more dungeon runs to reach level 15," he calculated. "Five more if I want to hit level 16 before the entrance exams at Xiajing Academy."
With the dungeon cleared, Lin Moyu exited. Outside, the silence was eerie. Everyone was gone.
He had a good idea why.
"Smart move," he thought, reflecting on the scattered players' decision to flee. They'd likely figured out the consequences of being too close to his conflict with the Dynasty Guild. For them, leaving was the best option.
With a final glance around, Lin Moyu melted into the shadows and disappeared into the night.