Chapter 132: Tremors

Just as Ye Chen and his companions were clearing the battlefield, the players who had been keeping a close watch on the Lieshan City leaderboard erupted into a frenzy. No matter where they were, those who opened the rankings at that moment were left completely stunned. First, the ascetic monk known as Dingyuan suddenly vaulted from third to first place. Then, a previously unknown knight named Huzi surged into the top five. Before anyone could react, another player called Longlian broke into the top ten. But the most terrifying development of all was a player named Ye Chen, who cut through the ranks like a force of nature, rising from obscurity all the way to second place, ruthlessly pushing the level 37 masters Jian Wuxin and Feng Wuxue down to fourth and fifth.

If Jian Wuxin and Feng Wuxue had been overtaken little by little, the players would not have been surprised, but jumping several levels in an instant was shocking. Especially after witnessing the player named Ye Chen reach second place in the blink of an eye, every player who saw it had only one thought in their minds: "Damn it, how did he do that?"

Compared to ordinary players watching the rankings, those who were already on the leaderboard were even more shaken. Every time a newcomer appeared on the list or someone’s rank improved, a notification sounded in their ears. The four consecutive pings left the top ten masters completely rattled, especially those in eighth, ninth, and tenth place, who were tragically pushed off the leaderboard entirely, left with nowhere to vent their frustration.

In the Rock Forest dungeon, on King Mode, a team of well-equipped players was battling the Gold-tier Rock Lord. They had not crossed the Bridge of Flames and possessed no Flame Crystals, yet they were forcefully holding their own against this level 28 Gold-tier creature, thanks to their superior equipment, high levels, and top-tier skills. If any player saw the leaders of this team, they would surely gasp in surprise: the top master of Lieshan City, Jian Wuxin; the second-ranked Feng Wuxue; and the fifth-ranked Jian Wuxin. Aside from these three well-known names, there were several others whose levels were just below the bottom of the Lieshan leaderboard—they were the elite of the elite in Lieshan City. Had Ye Chen been there, he would have recognized an acquaintance: Linghu Shenyue.

Under the siege of Jian Wuxin and his party, the Rock Lord roared repeatedly, throwing heavy punches, but the damage dealt to Jian Wuxin—who was already level 37 and wore several pieces of Silver-tier gear—was not significant. With the support of several high-level Holy Priests, the death of the Rock Lord was only a matter of time.

"Brother Wuxin is mighty, Brother Wuxin is domineering! Haha, we're about to clear the King-mode dungeon. Let's go to the tavern to celebrate afterward."

Seeing the Rock Lord's health drop below ten percent, the team members cheered. However, Jian Wuxin shook his head. "There is nothing to celebrate. We are merely suppressing this Gold-tier creature through level and gear advantages. If it weren't for Qingyu clearing the King-mode dungeon every day lately, causing morale in our Linghu guild to plummet, I wouldn't have brought the team to run such a low-level dungeon."

"Wuxin, this is my fault. If I hadn't been provoked by that Zui Xiangsi, the three of you wouldn't have had to waste your precious leveling time on this low-level dungeon. After all, both the experience and the drop rates here are far too low for you," Linghu Shenyue said with a pitiful expression.

A hint of tenderness flashed in Jian Wuxin's eyes as he spoke warmly, "It's nothing. After all, it is a level 28 Gold-tier creature; even if we are ten levels higher, dropping a few Bronze items is fine, and if we're lucky, maybe even a Silver piece. Now, pay attention—the monster is about to berserk. Everyone focus; don't let a small mistake ruin us."

No sooner had Jian Wuxin finished speaking than the Rock Lord let out a roar, its eyes burning with a blood-red light. But at that very moment, the three main leaders heard a series of notifications. Feng Wuxue exclaimed in shock, "That bald monk Dingyuan is level 38! How is that possible?!"

"Damn it, I've been pushed out of the top five! Who is Huzi?!" Jian Wuxin shouted.

Attracted by their cries, several team members subconsciously opened the leaderboard and saw Ye Chen’s rank soaring. They might not have known who Huzi or Longlian were, but they all knew Ye Chen—he was a mortal enemy of their Linghu guild. Someone immediately shouted to Linghu Shenyue, "Sister Shenyue, Ye Chen—Ye Chen is suddenly level 38!"

Linghu Shenyue had been trying to maintain her composure, but upon hearing the name Ye Chen, she lost her focus instantly. At that moment, Jian Wuxin was the only one in the group with strong enough mental discipline to remain undistracted, while everyone else’s actions practically ground to a halt. Jian Wuxin’s face darkened, and just as he was about to bark an order to snap everyone out of it, the Rock Lord’s berserk combo struck him.

-517, -426, -805 (Critical Hit!)

The fully buffed Rock Lord's attack power was astonishing, and since Jian Wuxin’s total HP was only a little over 2,000, he was left on the brink of death in an instant!

"Shenyue, heal me!" Jian Wuxin retreated frantically, leaping backward several times to escape the Rock Lord’s reach.

Jian Wuxin’s anxious shout brought Linghu Shenyue back to her senses, but seeing his health status terrified her. She began casting in a panic, but the Rock Lord suddenly roared, slamming its massive palms into the ground. A thick, jagged earth spike erupted instantly from beneath Jian Wuxin’s feet.

-606!

Jian Wuxin was dead!

Without the main tank to draw aggro, the Rock Lord immediately shifted targets. First, the highest-damage dealer, Jian Wuxin (the archer), was struck down by two earth spikes, followed by Feng Wuxue, who was beaten to death by the Rock Lord’s fists. Linghu Shenyue frantically tried to organize the sub-tank to take over, but before he could secure aggro, she and the two other Holy Priests were insta-killed by earth spikes. Without the healers, the remaining members didn't even have time to run. In an instant, the entire team was teleported back to the entrance of the dungeon. They looked at each other, all losing the heart to continue the run. Gold-tier creatures regenerated health extremely quickly; by the time they spent ten minutes running back, the Rock Lord would be at full health.

"Damn it, damn Ye Chen, damn that monk Dingyuan! They must be working together!" Linghu Shenyue gritted her teeth, her heart filled with intense hatred for Ye Chen. How could she have lost focus? If she hadn't, Jian Wuxin wouldn't have died, and none of them would have wiped. Although the dungeon didn't cause a level loss, it did result in an experience penalty. Even though it was only thirty percent, they were all level 30+ masters—the loss was massive. Ye Chen, it was all because of Ye Chen!

Jian Wuxin’s expression was equally grim. He had lost a massive chunk of hard-earned experience and was in an abysmal mood, though he still managed to analyze calmly: "It's very likely. I suspect they did some special quest together or opened a special map. And that Huzi and Longlian—they are in the same party as the monk. Although they aren't top-tier masters, they are rare elites. Judging by their experience gains, the equipment and skill rewards from their quest must be significant. With an adversary like this, our Linghu guild will have to be careful from now on."

...

"Big Sister, it’s Ye Chen! Our little Ye Zi is on the leaderboard!" Zui Xiangsi shrieked with excitement.

Also in the Rock Forest, also on King Mode, but because they had mastered secret techniques, Jian Qingcheng and her team had already killed the Rock Lord before the notifications started ringing. Therefore, the alerts posed no threat to their team; instead, they caused the girls, who had just taken down the Gold-tier creature, to cheer and jump for joy.

Jian Qingcheng pulled up the leaderboard and saw Ye Chen’s name risen high to second place. A flower-like smile blossomed on her face. If Ye Chen were here, he would surely be astonished, for he had never seen his Big Sister laugh so happily.

"Second Sister, Second Sister, is this the logistics worker you mentioned? Wow, he's so amazing!" A cute girl with a few freckles on her face, a Summoner, exclaimed after opening the leaderboard. She was one of the two reserve members Ye Chen had yet to meet.

"Yeah, yeah, so amazing, so amazing! Second Sister, is he handsome? Can I pursue him? I heard he’s a Shadow Priest too—aren't we a perfect match?" A full-figured girl with a baby face, also a Shadow Priest, cradled her chest with both hands, slightly deforming her ample bosom. Her eyes were filled with hearts as she murmured.

"Alright, alright, Lin Yue, you little fan-girl, let me comfort you." Li Yuetong giggled and playfully pinched the Shadow Priest’s chest, drawing a coquettish protest from her.

"I advise you girls to be well-behaved. Our little Ye Zi is already spoken for. Our sister Lingyue keeps a very tight watch on him," Zui Xiangsi teased the blushing Lingyue, making her face turn even redder.

"Alright, enough playing around. Let’s clear the battlefield and head out. We had good luck this time; the Rock Lord dropped a piece of Silver-tier armor. Tomorrow’s dungeon run will certainly be easier." Jian Qingcheng traded the armor to Lingyue and said with a smile. It was clear that Ye Chen appearing on the Lieshan leaderboard had put her in an excellent mood.

...

At the same time, Longteng, Legend, Liehu, Eilang...

Almost every high-level official of the major guilds in Lieshan City learned the news. On this day, the name "Ye Chen" officially entered the sight of all the power players in Lieshan City. They all wondered if a new star was about to rise in Lieshan City.

...

Ye Chen and his companions were completely unaware of the commotion outside, as the illusions blocked all external communication. By now, they had finished clearing the battlefield, crossed the Great Canyon, and arrived before the Demon King's Labyrinth.

Fifteen portals of different colors stood not far ahead. Stepping into those portals would lead them into the Demon King's Labyrinth. There were no parties and no reinforcements. There were only two possible outcomes: either clear the labyrinth and return safely to the city, or die in the maze and be sent back for free.

Of course, legend had it that the Demon King’s treasures were hidden within, but that seemed to be nothing more than a whimsical myth...

The thing the team members cared about most was their lost equipment, but unfortunately, it seemed they would never get it back.