The news of the ten top experts from Huaxia failing the trial spread online immediately.
The international forum was instantly flooded with this news.
"Looks like Huaxia opening the Endless Abyss first didn't matter after all. The opportunity was right in front of you, and you couldn't grasp it yourselves."
"Sending Huaxia's War God on the first floor? As expected, the dream of national advancement is shattered."
"What I admire most is that Huaxia's strength at most ranks in the second global tier, yet they dared to go straight for the highest difficulty. Just how confident are they?"
"You Huaxia folks aren't good enough. You still have to rely on us from Country Y!"
Netizens didn't care whether Jiang Kai had drawn the hidden difficulty. Through transmission and repetition, it was now being selectively ignored, becoming Jiang Kai having actively chosen the Tribulation difficulty.
Huaxia players, seeing these comments, although holding back a bellyful of anger, couldn't refute them in the current situation.
After the first batch failed the trial, the military selected ten War God-level super experts to try again.
Among these ten, five were Transcendent Stage 5, four were Transcendent Stage 6, and one was impressively one of only three Transcendent Stage 7 experts in Huaxia.
"War Gods, we can't let other countries laugh at Huaxia anymore. We must show them Huaxia's strength!" Luo Xun rallied. "I have no concerns about your strengths, but just one point—try your best to stay alive. The pressure of pioneering is immense right now, and death penalties will affect our plans."
"Understood!"
After speaking, the ten people walked toward the Endless Abyss.
However, just as the leading War God stepped onto the light shield at the surface of the Abyss, he received a system notification.
[Transcendent-class player detected. Please note: Your nation's mortal-class players must clear up to the 10th floor before the Endless Abyss opens the Transcendent-stage challenge. Before the Transcendent stage is unlocked, Transcendent-class players cannot enter the Endless Abyss.]
"This… the Endless Abyss hasn't even entered the Transcendent stage yet!"
The others received this same message.
Luo Xun and Hua Tianchen, upon learning of the situation, exchanged glances, revealing a hint of helplessness in their eyes.
Now it's worse—Transcendents can't even enter!
"The 10th floor? Are they joking? We can't even get past the 1st floor right now!" Luo Xun said angrily, then sighed. "I'm not blaming Jiang Kai, but… just what kind of luck does that kid have, to draw the hidden one of all things!"
"This Tribulation difficulty… it really is meant for tribulation!"
Looking at the massive abyss right inside Huaxia City—it clearly brought great opportunity to Huaxia, yet the rewards were right there, unreachable.
Whether military or civilians, everyone felt like a fishbone was stuck in their throat—unbearably uncomfortable.
Hua Tianchen shook his head. "Looks like we'll have to ask roaming players to give it a try!"
The situation in the Endless Abyss remained a hot topic; international forum posts were almost all about it.
In the early morning of the next day, another explosive piece of news took over the forums.
Countless people awoke from their sleep and rushed to the international forums.
Country Y, with the world's second-largest territory, had discovered a Hidden Goddess Ruin!
Their ruin was extremely well-hidden, but just as that netizen said before—since it's a reward over 100,000 square kilometers, as long as you search within the designated area, efficiency is very high.
Country Y had already surpassed 100,000 square kilometers of territory three days ago, and had long since occupied the current map. They easily entered the ruin.
Once the news broke on the international forum, people from other countries were most concerned about two things: Country Y's Endless Abyss difficulty, and when they would successfully clear it.
Soon, someone revealed Country Y's Endless Abyss difficulty.
Third tier, Negative Grade!
Although this difficulty didn't sound too easy, it was clearly much better than Huaxia's "Tribulation".
Country Y immediately organized personnel to explore the Endless Abyss.
Having learned from Huaxia's example, Country Y was even more thoroughly prepared.
Once it was revealed they had opened the Endless Abyss, they immediately sent 10 War God reserve personnel, along with 10 off-roster individuals, into the Endless Abyss.
The War God Hall's reserve members were well-known in Country Y, but those 10 off-roster individuals seemed to have even greater backgrounds. Many veteran netizens of Country Y recognized them as famous figures from long ago.
But after becoming famous, they had disappeared for a while, so they didn't seem as well-known as the reserve members.
Ordinary people may not know their current identities, but high-level insiders immediately understood that the 10 off-roster individuals were likely Country Y's roaming players!
Ghost Star Time, 1:00 AM, Country Y players—no one knew how many eyes were locked on their Dragon and Heaven rankings.
At 1:40, on the previously blank Heaven and Dragon Rankings, a name appeared simultaneously.
Dragon Ranking:
[1st Place: Larina Granger, Record: Endless Abyss 1st Floor, Time: 39 minutes 42 seconds.]
Heaven Ranking:
[1st Place: Larina Granger, Record: Endless Abyss 1st Floor, Time: 39 minutes 42 seconds.]
A few minutes later, the dual Heaven-Dragon Rankings updated with the second, third, and fourth places.
All four of them cleared the first floor of the Endless Abyss. The one who took the longest was Benjamin, with a time of 52 minutes 17 seconds.
After completing the first floor, all four chose to terminate the challenge.
Their rewards were not disclosed online, most likely immediately sealed by Country Y's military.
But the fact that the military sealed it already indirectly proved the Endless Abyss's rewards were absolutely extraordinary.
Additionally, Country Y had now blocked player information with their "Country Y National Soul."
The outside world only knew the person who opened the Endless Abyss was named "Joseph," but which Joseph it was remained unknown. After four of them cleared the first floor, what exact boosts he received, and what benefits he could bring to Country Y players, was still a complete mystery.
The fifth country to discover the Endless Abyss was the first to get on the rankings—and even monopolized the top four of the Heaven Ranking. This immediately caused a storm in Huaxia's domestic forums.
"Well done! So we were just setting the table for someone else. In the end, it's the foreigners who feasted."
"Where's Jiang Kai, the one who discovered the secret realm? Come out and say something. Didn't you say you didn't choose the Tribulation difficulty? If ours was also Tier 3 difficulty, I don't believe no one could clear it!"
"You chose the Tribulation difficulty yourself, so go clear it then! Isn't it just to get us to give you more attribute boosts? So selfish!"
Su Lanlan was browsing the forum posts in her dormitory.
Looking at the screenshots Huaxia players had brought back from the international forum, the images showed Country Y's dual rankings, each with four players' records.
Thinking of Huaxia being overtaken, Su Lanlan also felt indignant.
Fortunately, she was still clear-headed and didn't ignore the fact that the Abyss difficulty wasn't handpicked by Jiang Kai.
"Sigh, Jiang Kai, haven't you always had good luck? Why'd you mess up at such a critical moment?" Su Lanlan said, then suddenly thought of something.
Even she couldn't help complaining about Jiang Kai—let alone those who didn't know him!
Now there was already a trend online—some emotional Huaxia players believed Jiang Kai was acting willfully, only thinking about enhancing the National Soul effect, regardless of whether others could pass the secret realm!
"This is bad. Public opinion will probably tilt entirely against Jiang Kai."
"He did something beneficial for Huaxia, but now he's getting scolded… That guy must feel terrible inside."
Unconsciously, Su Lanlan began to worry about Jiang Kai.
"Right now, the only hope is for a roaming player to break through!"
[🎉 Shoutout to—Kearnsy8, Greysubzero, Lanterny, ທ້າວບຸນປະເສີດ, Incapable_Baker, Natthan, Derrick, Farhan, VS, Karnto—for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y