Su Ping's gaze swept across his troops—five freshly summoned vampires standing tall in formation, their crimson eyes gleaming with obedience. His eyes then shifted to Lilith, her presence an embodiment of elegance and restrained power.
He narrowed his eyes in thought.
"From what I saw in the regional chat… most lords are starting with first-level mortal troops. Chen Fan's Paladins are level two at most. But my soldiers… even at Child-level, their raw combat power rivals level three, maybe even level four. And Lilith... she's already at the peak of the mortal realm."
A quiet grin tugged at his lips. For the first time, a sense of security began to settle within him.
But his musing was abruptly interrupted.
[System Announcement]:
"The Newcomer Protection Period has begun. For the next 7 days, all young Lords will be under protective shielding. After 7 days, the Elimination Test will occur.
Lords who fail to protect their Lord's Heart will perish.
Rewards will be distributed based on regional and global performance.
[Global Ranking Rewards]:
• Top 1000: Random B-Rank Talent
• Top 100: Random A-Rank Talent
• Top 10: Random S-Rank Talent
• Top 3: Random SS-Rank Talent
• Top 1: ??? (Unknown Reward)
[Regional Ranking Rewards]:
• Top 100: Random B-Rank Talent
• Top 10: Random A-Rank Talent
• Top 3: A-Rank Talent + Extraordinary-grade Equipment
• Top 1: S-Rank Talent
[Equipment Grades]:
Novice → Intermediate → Advanced → Top → Extraordinary → Legendary → Mythical
The glowing panel faded, but its words echoed in Su Ping's mind like a thunderclap.
Seven days… that's all I have before the slaughter begins. And only the strong will survive.
He turned to Lilith. "Follow me," he commanded, his tone now sharp with urgency.
Lilith gave a slight bow, her red eyes glinting with eagerness. "Yes, my Lord," she said smoothly, her voice as silky as ever.
Su Ping began walking, his boots crunching softly against the grassy ground. He glanced once more at the sky above him, a faint white membrane shimmered like a dome, pulsing faintly with protective energy.
This is the shield mentioned in the announcement… Seven days of safety. After that, it's war.
His heart beat steadily, not with fear but with anticipation.
This is my chance. I'll hunt monsters, gather soul crystals, and evolve my camp. I'll rise through the rankings not just to survive, but to dominate.
Behind him, Lilith and the five vampires followed silently, their figures like shadows against the green horizon.
The hunt had just begun