Jiang Ling and Zhang Longqi exchanged a look and sighed. Chen Xiao's plan was outrageous, but there was no arguing — they hauled themselves up the molten rock slabs with raw hands. The Rules had mercifully carved the steps to be grippable; the climb was exhausting but doable.
When Chen Xiao and his group finally crawled back onto the surface, only a handful of people remained scattered across the cracked ground, gasping for air. Most hadn't been able to endure the heat and had retreated early.
"People from Huaxia…" someone muttered."Why are so many Huaxia coming up all at once?" another asked."Maybe they found their fire seeds and quit the game," someone guessed. "Smart move — the safest option."
Aside from Chen Xiao's team, only three weak figures lingered on the surface. Under Chen Xiao's [Dragon's Breath], their energy signatures read like burnt-out candles — no point in robbing them; they almost certainly held no seeds.
"Mad Ghost Boss, how long do we wait?" Zhang Longqi asked, voice thin.
Chen Xiao considered, then shrugged. "Depends on their heat tolerance. Maybe a day, maybe two." If opposing teams had water-type talents, their searches could drag on. The Rules left no time limit — some teams might scour the entire furnace before surfacing.
Chen Xiao raised an index finger, taking aim. From this vantage the halberd would fly clean through the near surface and strike anything within dozens of meters below. Perfect.
They settled in around the cave mouth and waited. Hours slid by. The sun sank; dusk softened the world into muted layers. The fiery rockfaces below the cave lost their glare and the evening carried a cool hush.
"Someone's coming," Chen Xiao said, standing.
Jiang Ling scanned but at first detected nothing. Then powerful auras bristled up around them.
"Boss, a lot of people are on the surface." Zhang Longqi sounded alarmed.
Four figures emerged — the entire Free Nation team. Their leader strode forward first: a middle-aged man in forged leather armor, a confident, soldierly presence. Eric. Dual SSS-rank talents, flagship of the Free Nation for this game.
He reached the base of the cave mouth, inhaled the cool surface air gratefully, and looked up at Chen Xiao's group with measured disapproval. "Brothers of Huaxia, what is the meaning of this?"
Chen Xiao slung the Mountain and River Map over his shoulder, hands loose in his pockets. "Surrender your fire seeds, and you may leave the cave," he said coolly. "I'm merciful — everyone can keep one seed for themselves."
The generosity nearly made Zhang Longqi laugh — one seed each? That was robbery cloaked as benevolence.
Eric froze, anger tightening his face. "One per person?"
Chen Xiao nodded. "Or none."
A murmur rose from below. Voices shouted in panic: "Move up! It's so hot down here!" "What are you blocking the way for?!" The cave mouth was narrow; with Eric under the lip, no one could climb.
Eric ground his teeth. "There's someone charging a toll at the mouth!" His men shouted in outrage.
Chen Xiao's response was calm — too calm. "If the price is too steep, don't come out. Stay in the Underground Furnace."
The cave mouth grew taut. Eric stepped forward, furious. Then, with no warning, a meter-wide boulder materialized at the cave edge and slammed downward — the Mountain and River Map had no shortage of rocks.
Eric, baked and exhausted after a day underground, plunged into action. Summoning a blinding white beam, he shattered the boulder into jagged fragments. Shrapnel flew, knocking him and his companions off balance; two of them were slammed backward, dazed. Hours of heat had dulled their reflexes. These Huaxia people had picked the worst moment to strike.
Eric howled, "People of Huaxia, do you know the price of what you're doing?"
Chen Xiao smiled faintly. "The price is securing Huaxia's top spot in the national fortune rankings."
Eric's jaw tightened. He had no patience left for words. "The Rules state this is a peaceful stage," he barked. "You're the first to break them. Don't blame us for what happens next!"
A white light flared under Eric's feet and he shot upward with explosive acceleration. "You really think the Free Nation is easy pickings?" he shouted as he climbed, speed and power coalescing around him. His animal — the mantis shrimp — endowed him with terrifying strength and aquatic speed. He intended to smash this blockade head-on.
"Mad Ghost Boss — he's coming!" Zhang Longqi warned, tension vibrating through the small group as Eric lunged for the cave mouth, wrapped in brilliant energy.