Translator: AnubisTL
Boom!
Chen Jiang slammed his foot on the accelerator.
The pitch-black heavy truck roared to life, kicking up clouds of dust as it shot through the night.
Of course, they had one more stop to make first.
Chen Jiang hadn't forgotten about the three-star item chest, still waiting for them like a budding flower.
Soon, Chen Jiang and his group arrived at the ruined mine.
The mine was some distance from the sky pit, so the damage wasn't too severe. The mountain itself appeared largely intact.
However, the mine's interior tunnels, long neglected and now ravaged by the recent disaster, were in precarious condition. It was unclear if they could still hold.
Chen Jiang frowned slightly as he strode into the mine entrance.
He wasn't worried about a collapse inside, not with Scar Dog around.
They still had one energy block left.
His real concern was whether the shockwave had caused the innermost tunnels to collapse, burying the three-star item chest beneath the rubble.
Although they could still find a way to retrieve it, it would be much more troublesome.
Chen Jiang hated trouble.
However...
"The mine tunnel ahead has collapsed," Li Hao said, his voice tinged with resignation as he gazed at the tunnel blocked by rubble and earth. "About ten meters of it have collapsed. We can't get through."
"We'll have to take a detour."
"Lead the way."
"Yes, sir."
After more than half an hour of constant detours, Chen Jiang's group finally reached the depths of the mine and spotted the treasure chest.
It had to be said, the mine beneath the mountain had become as intricate as a spiderweb, with tunnels branching in every direction.
Without Li Hao's map manifestation ability, finding this place would have been nearly impossible.
Map manifestation was a powerful ability, if used correctly.
Deep within the mine, Chen Jiang stared at the chest embedded in the wall, resembling a bashful bride awaiting her groom's favor, draped in a red cloth. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he strode forward.
A three-star item.
That was reason enough for excitement.
This three-star item chest was the very thing Li Hao had offered as a token of surrender when they first met.
[Item Name]: Three-Star Item Chest
[Item Effect]: Upon opening, choose one of three three-star items.
[Opening Conditions]: Complete either of the following missions:
[Mission One]: Bloodthirsty Eight Directions - Single-handedly slay 100,000 alien race members to open the chest.
[Mission Two]: Guardian of One's Own - Single-handedly gather 10,000 fellow race members to open the chest.
[Claimed by]: Chen Jiang
[Mission One Completed]
[Only Human Player Chen Jiang may open this chest.]
Chen Jiang had been unable to open the chest during his previous visit, but after sending all those insect race members to their doom, he had finally earned the right to do so.
A new panel quickly popped up before him, presenting three options:
[Far-Seeing Sniper]
[World Tree]
[Elixir of Immortality]
"Elixir of Immortality?"
Chen Jiang paused, his gaze immediately drawn to the item. The word "immortality" was simply too eye-catching to ignore.
[Item Name]: Elixir of Immortality
[Item Tier]: Three-Star Item
[Item Effect]: After injecting this elixir, your body's aging process will be drastically slowed, extending your lifespan by approximately 1,000 years. Aside from mild drowsiness, there are no other side effects.
[Item Description]: "They say immortality is merely the devil's whisper, tempting mortals." — Excerpt from a wandering bard's clumsy verse.
"No other side effects?"
Chen Jiang felt a flicker of temptation. While not true immortality, extending his lifespan by 1,000 years was practically the same thing. After all, most humans rarely lived past a century.
The minor drowsiness seemed a small price to pay.
He had expected more severe drawbacks, like physical deformities or mental deterioration. This elixir seemed far better than he'd imagined.
Yet after a moment's reflection, he shook his head and dismissed the item.
If he were still on Blue Star, he would have chosen it without hesitation.
But here, the elixir was utterly meaningless.
In the Ten Thousand Races Arena, countless beings perished every day, every hour, every minute, every second.
Yet—
Not a single death was due to natural lifespan exhaustion!
In this place, extending one's lifespan held no value, at least not for him, not now.
He then turned his attention to the remaining two items.
[Far-Seeing Sniper.]
A sniper rifle of immense power. According to its description, it could easily kill a titan with a single shot, making it a weapon with exceptional single-target damage.
While highly appealing, it wasn't something he desperately needed. After all, his own firepower was already considerable.
As for the final item:
[World Tree.]
A lord-class item, its effects were undeniably tempting.
[Item Name]: World Tree
[Item Tier]: Three-Star Item
[Item Effect]: This seed, when planted in an area, will grow into a colossal tree hundreds of meters tall, with a dense, sky-obscuring canopy spanning a diameter of two thousand meters. The flesh and blood of players who die beneath the tree's shade will be absorbed by its roots, condensing into fleshy fruits within the canopy, each containing a random one-star item. Furthermore, players sheltered by the tree's shadow will never tire. The canopy also provides substantial defensive capabilities, capable of blocking some attacks. Within the World Tree's area of influence, elf race players will experience a significant boost to their magical comprehension. Moreover, as the World Tree consumes more player flesh and blood, it will continue to grow.
[Item Description]: Once planted, it cannot be moved.
"Excellent."
Chen Jiang's lips curled into a slight smile. Without hesitation, he selected the item.
The Far-Seeing Sniper held little appeal for him, and the Elixir of Immortality offered no temptation.
This world tree was perfect for his needs.
Especially the fact that players sheltered beneath its canopy would never tire.
This was simply too good.
It meant his mechanical race slaves could forge one-star items and energy blocks around the clock, without rest.
What if they died from exhaustion?
Perfect! The world tree could absorb their flesh and form a meat-fruit containing a one-star item.
Waste recycling at its finest.
What did he need most right now?
A massive supply of one-star items, of course!
With enough one-star items, he could make players of every race feel the true weight of oppression!
The mechanical race would be his!
Soon.
He wasted no time.
Tucking the small, crystal-clear, white-chess-piece-like object into his pocket, he strode out of the mine.
Three days later.
Chen Jiang and his group stood beside a rocky outcrop, squinting at the distant entrance to a city.
Yes, after three days of searching, they had finally discovered a new mechanical race city.
(End of the Chapter)
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