The tranquility of the swamp was utterly shattered by a cacophony of shouts and curses.
Lin Mo slowly straightened his body, the joy he had just felt from his rapid level-up and talent evolution was instantly doused as if by a bucket of ice water, replaced by a coldness akin to absolute zero.
His gaze pierced through the thin purple poisonous mist, looking towards the entrance of the swamp.
Mad Dragon Guild!
He was no stranger to this name.
In his previous life, this was one of the most formidable behemoths in the Huaxia Region of "epoch," notorious for its overbearing and arrogant conduct.
If they set their sights on a leveling spot or a BOSS, other players had better be sensible and retreat, or they would face endless pursuit until they deleted their accounts and quit the game.
"The Guild Leader gave a death order; we must drag out that grandson named 'Anonymous' today!"
"Who cares if he's a pervert! If he dares to steal the spotlight from our Mad Dragon Guild, he'd better be prepared to be killed back to level zero!"
Arrogant and domineering conversations drifted intermittently with the wind, clearly reaching Lin Mo's ears.
A faint, imperceptible sneer played on his lips.
So, they're coming for me.
It seems those three server-wide announcements did indeed attract trouble. However, this trouble seemed to have arrived sooner than he expected.
If it were any ordinary player, they would probably be trembling with fear by now, their first reaction being to immediately hide or simply log off to avoid the storm. After all, during the early stages of the game, being targeted by a top guild was practically a death sentence.
But Lin Mo didn't.
Not only was there no trace of fear on his face, but a glimmer of interest flashed in his eyes.
If it were in his previous life, he might have been wary of the Mad Dragon Guild. But now... he glanced at his character attributes.
[Level: 8]
Then he looked at the ancient toad's protection ring on his index finger.
Finally, his gaze swept across this vast, endless swamp shrouded in poisonous mist.
This was his absolute home ground!
"Prepare to be killed back to level zero?" Lin Mo muttered to himself, a hint of playfulness in his voice, "I'd like to see who kills whom back to level zero."
Instead of retreating, he calmly tidied his worn linen clothes, then pulled a hard black bread from his backpack and slowly began to eat it, replenishing his previously expended stamina.
His leisurely demeanor made it seem as if what was approaching was not a life-and-death crisis, but a group of "delivery men" bringing him equipment and experience.
A moment later, five figures appeared at the edge of Lin Mo's vision.
Leading them was a burly Warrior, with the ID "Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade." He wore a set of bronze-gleaming chainmail and wielded a gleaming two-handed greatsword. His stride was powerful and imposing, clearly indicating he was the leader of this small team.
Behind him followed a Fire Mage wielding a staff, "Fierce Dragon • Raging Fire," an Elf Archer with a longbow on his back, "Fierce Dragon • Chasing Wind," and a Rogue whose figure flickered in and out of the poisonous mist, "Fierce Dragon • Phantom."
At the very end of the team was a female Priest wearing white robes and holding a Holy Light scepter, "Frenzied Dragon
Sweetheart."
Warrior, Mage, Archer, Rogue, Priest.
This was an incredibly standard and classic five-person pioneering team composition. Each person's equipment consisted of at least three bronze-tier pieces, which was definitely considered "luxurious" among players at this stage.
"Deputy captain, look, there seems to be someone ahead!" The sharp-eyed Archer, Fierce Dragon • Chasing Wind, was the first to spot Lin Mo's figure.
The five immediately stopped, looking over cautiously.
"Damn it, someone actually dares to come to this godforsaken place?" The captain, Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade, frowned and shouted, "Hey, kid up front, stop right there!"
His voice was loud and domineering, filled with an unquestionable tone of command.
Lin Mo stopped eating his bread, raised his head, and looked at them with an innocent expression, as if he were an ordinary player who had been startled.
Seeing that Lin Mo was alone and wearing the most common linen clothes from the Novice Village, the five members of the Mad Dragon Guild immediately lowered their guard, replaced by expressions of disdain and contempt.
"Oh, it's just a pauper who can't even get a full set of equipment," the Mage, Fierce Dragon • Raging Fire, sneered, his tone full of superiority.
"How come he's not afraid of the poisonous mist here? Does he have some special item?" The Priest, Frenzied Dragon
Sweetheart, asked with some curiosity.
"Tch, what kind of item could it be?" The captain, Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade, dismissively curled his lips. "He probably found some BUG spot, or a corner where the poisonous mist is thin, and is just AFK farming there. I've seen plenty of these opportunistic good-for-nothings."
They swaggered over, forming a semi-encirclement around Lin Mo.
Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade pointed his two-handed greatsword at Lin Mo's nose and said condescendingly, "Kid, I'm asking you, was that 'Anonymous' from the server-wide announcement earlier you?"
Lin Mo blinked, showing a bewildered expression, and shook his head: "What announcement? I... I don't know. I just came here to level up by killing a few monsters because there was no one around."
He perfectly portrayed the image of a "newbie" who had just started the game and knew nothing.
Seeing his demeanor, Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade's suspicion largely dissipated.
Indeed, this kid in front of him didn't look like a Super expert who could solo a hidden elite. With his shabby equipment and timid aura, he was clearly a bottom-tier lone player.
Perhaps that "Anonymous" big shot had already left.
"Hmph, I didn't think you'd have the guts anyway." Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade snorted, sheathing his greatsword, but his tone remained domineering. "Whether it's you or not, this place is now claimed by our Mad Dragon Guild. If you're smart, get lost immediately and don't be an eyesore here!"
"That's right, hurry up and get out! Don't wait for us to make a move; if we kill you back to level zero, don't come crying!" Fierce Dragon • Raging Fire fanned the flames from the side.
Lin Mo's face, at just the right moment, showed a "perfectly timed" fear and grievance. He lowered his head and said in a low voice, "This... Brother, this map is a public area, everyone can level up here, right? I... I'll just kill some small monsters on the outskirts, I won't go in and disturb you, is that okay?"
"No!" Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade refused flatly, a savage smile on his face. "If I say no, it's no! Here, the words of our Mad Dragon Guild are the rule! I'll give you ten seconds to disappear from my sight, otherwise, you'll suffer the consequences!"
As he spoke, he deliberately swung his two-handed greatsword in front of him, and the wind from the blade stung Lin Mo's cheek.
Blatant threat!
This was the modus operandi of large guilds: domineering and unreasonable.
"I... I'll go, I'll go right away..."
Lin Mo seemed utterly terrified, nodding repeatedly, looking as if he dared not resist. He turned around, took a step, and stumbled "fleeing" deeper into the swamp.
Watching his pathetic retreating figure, the five members of the Mad Dragon Guild burst into unbridled laughter.
"Hahahaha, look at that kid scrambling away like that, it's hilarious!"
"A trash lone player, daring to reason with our Mad Dragon Guild? He's asking for death!"
"Deputy captain is mighty! One sentence scared him into crawling away!"
Amidst the flattery, Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade's vanity was greatly satisfied. He smiled smugly and waved his hand: "Alright, forget about that good-for-nothing. All of you, sharpen up! That 'Anonymous' expert must be deep in this swamp!"
With that, he took the lead and strode quickly in the direction Lin Mo had gone.
They didn't notice that the seemingly panicked "prey" in front, the moment he turned his back to them, the expression of fear and grievance on his face had vanished without a trace.
In its place was a chilling curve, like ten thousand years of cold ice.
As Lin Mo ran, he calmly observed the positions of the five people behind him with the corner of his eye. His brain, like a precise computer, rapidly calculated distances, speeds, and the distribution of surrounding monsters.
He was leading the way.
He was leading these five self-proclaimed "hunters," step by step, to the hunting ground he had meticulously prepared for them!
That area not only had denser poisonous mist but was also home to three to four groups of Level 4 Highly Poisonous Toads.
For Lin Mo, who had the toad's protection, that place was no different from anywhere else. But for these five members of the Mad Dragon Guild... that place would be their burial ground!
"Almost there..."
Lin Mo's eyes grew increasingly dangerous.
Just then, Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade behind him seemed to sense something amiss.
"Wait!" He suddenly stopped, frowning, "Why does the direction this kid is running seem to be the area with the densest monsters?"
"Who cares, he's a good-for-nothing, if he dies, he dies," Fierce Dragon • Raging Fire said indifferently.
"No!" A hint of vigilance flashed in Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade's eyes. "Something's wrong when things are out of the ordinary! This kid... he's trouble!"
However, it was too late.
The moment they stopped, Lin Mo's figure also abruptly halted in an open space not far away.
He slowly turned around, the innocent expression on his face completely gone, replaced by an almost indifferent coldness. He just stood there, quietly looking at them, his gaze as if looking at five dead men.
"You... you're not running anymore, you bastard?" Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade's heart skipped a beat, an ominous premonition rising within him.
Lin Mo didn't answer him.
He just raised his hand and made a gentle "throat-slitting" gesture towards Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade.
Provocation!
Blatant, silent provocation!
"Damn it! You're asking for death!"
Fierce Dragon • Battle Blade's rage ignited instantly. Without thinking, he immediately activated his Charge skill, turning into an afterimage and crashing towards Lin Mo!
At the same time, the Mage's fireballs and the Archer's arrows, carrying a deadly whistle, followed closely behind!
They attacked first!
According to the rules of "epoch," actively attacking a white-named player would immediately turn one's name red, signifying a criminal!
Looking at the five IDs that instantly turned blood-red, a cruel smile finally appeared on Lin Mo's lips.
"Croak!!"
"Croak!!"
Almost simultaneously with the Mad Dragon Guild's attack, three Level 4 Highly Poisonous Toads, already startled, suddenly leaped out of the murky water of the surrounding ponds. Their crimson eyes locked onto these intruders, and they spat out three streams of deadly venom!
A meticulously planned ambush officially began at this moment!