Translator: AnubisTL
When Suville finally reached the platform, he collapsed onto it, panting heavily and sprawled out in a "大" shape, utterly lacking any dignity as he gazed weakly at the sky above.
Clearly, even for an ape-man, scaling the ten-thousand-meter-long vine had been an exhausting ordeal.
Chen Jiang glanced at the sprawled Suville and casually remarked, "You made it to the finish line to see me."
Immediately afterward, one by one, ape-man players emerged from the darkness, climbing the vine toward the platform.
Soon, six hours had passed.
Just as Chen Jiang was growing impatient, a familiar voice finally echoed in his ears:
"All participating players have successfully reached the other side. The event is now entering the settlement phase."
"Is that it?" Chen Jiang raised an eyebrow, glancing at the last player to climb onto the platform—a female player, likely of the fox-eared race, now covered in blood, the source of which remained unclear.
He scanned the platform, noting that fewer than six or seven hundred players remained.
In other words, nearly 9,000 players had already fallen from the ten-thousand-meter-high vines.
But thinking about it, that was to be expected.
Given the extreme difficulty of the event, compounded by the relentless wind and rain, he was already surprised that six or seven hundred players had managed to successfully traverse the Ten Thousand Meter Vines and reach the finish line.
Fewer than ten human players had successfully reached the end. While he didn't know exactly how they had managed it, there was no doubt that each had employed their own unique methods.
After all, some special items, when used correctly, could still allow players to successfully navigate the Ten Thousand Meter Vines.
Take his staff, for example.
While other players' items might not be as overpowered as his, preventing them from moving as quickly along the vines, they could at least still reach the end.
"Chen Jiang!"
At that moment—
A low growl echoed in Chen Jiang's ear.
Suville, his vitality restored, strode forward, surrounded by a throng of ape-man players. His face was grim as he gritted his teeth and spat out each word:
"I won't accept this defeat!"
"If I get another chance, I'll definitely beat you next time!"
Chen Jiang casually glanced at Suville striding toward him, his expression calm as he chuckled softly. He remained silent, simply standing his ground with both hands resting on his cane.
He looked utterly out of place amidst the surrounding crowd, like a gentleman who had wandered into a wildlife safari.
Then, suddenly—
A glowing circle appeared beneath the feet of everyone present. A flash of white light filled their vision, and they vanished from the spot.
Reappearing beneath the World Tree, Chen Jiang had barely regained his footing when a mechanical voice, audible only to him, rang in his ears:
[Ding! Congratulations, Player! You have achieved the top ranking in the 'Ten Thousand Meter Vines' event with an impressive time of 49 minutes and 27 seconds!]
[Reward: One three-star item—a two-star Random Item Chest.]
[Furthermore, since Player Chen Jiang was invited to participate by Suville of the ape-man race, the reward is doubled!]
[Reward: Two two-star Random Item Chests.]
"Hmm?"
Chen Jiang raised an eyebrow slightly, glancing at the two additional two-star Random Item Chests that had appeared in his hand.
[Item Name: A two-star Random Treasure Chest.]
[Item Tier: Two-star item.]
[Item Effect: You may choose from the following seven categories: "Vehicle," "Weapon," "Armor," "Life," "Fashion," "Miscellaneous," and "Construction."]
[After making your selection, you will receive a random item from that category.]
[Furthermore, this item will be unique.]
[In the entire Ten Thousand Races Arena,]
[you will be the only one to possess this item.]
[Item Restriction: Can be opened after 6 hours.]
[Item Description: "Did you know? Someone once opened destiny itself from this chest." — Nonsense literature from a novelist on some distant planet.]
He had previously obtained a three-star Random Item Chest, which also allowed him to choose the category and guaranteed a unique item.
His rabbit badge had come from that three-star Random Item Chest.
This time, his reward for topping the rankings was two two-star Random Treasure Chests.
While two-star items might not sound particularly appealing, the addition of "globally unique" changed everything.
Even a one-star item that was globally unique would be significant!
However, he couldn't understand why every Random Item Chest required several hours to open.
The previous three-star Random Item Chest had needed twelve hours to unlock, while these two-star chests required six hours.
It was easy to imagine a disheveled old man somewhere, rummaging through chests to find globally unique two-star items, then tossing them into these chests, preparing them for Chen Jiang to open in six hours.
Chen Jiang shook his head with a strange expression, cradling the two chests in his arms without another word.
Just then, Scar Dog and the others strode over.
"Brother Jiang, you're the man!" Scar Dog grinned widely, his expression exaggeratedly excited. "You were moving too fast to see Suville's face behind you. Every few steps, he'd crane his neck to look ahead."
"But not once could I see Brother Jiang's back."
"Tsk tsk, Suville's face turned as dark as night."
"This time, the ape-man race got slapped so hard it echoed!"
"Awesome!"
"Alright, that's enough."
Chen Jiang glanced at Scar Dog, paused briefly, then pulled the three-star Activity Design Token from his pocket and tossed it into Scar Dog's lap. "Study this item. Let's brainstorm together and see if we can design an event that benefits us more."
"This?"
Scar Dog caught the token, his eyes flashing with surprise before dawning with realization. "Was this the Activity Design Token the global announcement mentioned Suville used?"
"But Suville's was a two-star item, while ours is three-star. We can design a global event!"
"However..." Scar Dog pondered for a moment before speaking. "If we're talking about the most advantageous event for us, it's obvious. Our greatest strength is our firepower!"
"Let's just do a kill count competition. We'll slaughter a few mechanical race cities, and victory will be guaranteed!"
"No."
Chen Jiang shook his head gently. "It can't just benefit us. Ideally, it should benefit both us and the human race."
"In the final stages of the Ten Thousand Races Arena, all races will engage in a chaotic free-for-all. Human players are too weak; we can't hold out on our own."
"We need to help human players develop their overall strength as much as possible. That's the only way this will benefit both sides."
"I see," Scar Dog nodded thoughtfully. "Brother Jiang, let me think about it."
"Sure, no rush," Chen Jiang replied casually, glancing up at the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. The activity had ended, and dawn was breaking. "Take your time. How's the mechanical race situation? Is my one-star item production going smoothly?"
"No problem, Brother Jiang," Scar Dog said, his expression turning serious as he shifted to business matters. "The production lines are fully operational and running 24/7. However, the output isn't very high—only about 1,024 one-star items per day."
"1,024 items?" Chen Jiang raised an eyebrow slightly but nodded. "That's already a decent rate. I wouldn't call that slow."
Producing 1,000 items per day meant 30,000 one-star items per month.
This rate was already quite impressive.
Chen Jiang glanced at the mechanical race slaves nearby, who were pacing back and forth outside the World Tree to rack up WeChat steps, and casually said, "Alright, nothing else to do. I'll go rest for a bit."
This event had been genuinely exhausting.
Just as he was about to head toward the armored vehicle, Scar Dog suddenly called out, "Brother Jiang, I've custom-built a new bed for you at the treetop."
"A new bed?" Chen Jiang looked at Scar Dog with a hint of suspicion.
"Exactly!" Scar Dog crushed an energy block in his hand, and a phantom gate of white mist swiftly materialized beside him. He gazed at Chen Jiang with eager anticipation. "Want to check it out?"
Chen Jiang's eyes flashed with surprise. Smiling, he replied, "Sure, let's go take a look."
In an instant, both men vanished from their original spot, reappearing atop the World Tree.
"What do you think?" Scar Dog asked confidently, gesturing toward the massive bed wedged between the branches. "Forget everything else—just look at the view! It's a full 360-degree panoramic floor-to-ceiling window."
"We're nearly two hundred meters above the ground. This commanding perspective offers a truly regal experience."
"Moreover, being beneath the dense canopy of leaves allows you to breathe the freshest air while feeling completely secure."
"And—"
Clang, clang, clang.
Scar Dog pointed to an air vent nearby. "Brother Jiang, this is your exclusive water-cooled air conditioner vent. Considering it's water-cooled, prolonged exposure might cause dampness and discomfort."
"That's why the vent is positioned slightly farther away."
"This ensures you stay cool without any discomfort."
"Of course, you can adjust the temperature yourself."
"But you'll need to go to the vent to do so."
Chen Jiang's expression turned slightly odd as he asked, "I recall your water-cooled air conditioner design relies primarily on groundwater, right? The main principle is to use groundwater to bring the underground cold air up, isn't it?"
"This vent is nearly 200 meters above ground. How did you get the groundwater up here?"
"Ahem, well..."
Scar Dog coughed lightly, his eyes darting around. "Brother Jiang, you know how it is—where there's a will, there's a way."
"Alright, that's not important."
"Come, Brother Jiang, have you noticed the pull cord beside you?"
"Yes, just a gentle tug on that cord will lower four curtains woven from Ten Thousand Meter Vines around your bed, providing you with ample security and protection from mosquitoes."
"Tsk, not bad."
Chen Jiang glanced around, nodded slightly, then looked with some confusion at the massive glass tank opposite the bed. "What's this? A fish tank?"
Embedded in the treetop opposite the bed was a colossal glass tank, roughly eight or nine meters tall and over two meters wide.
Inside the tank stood a red stage with a steel pole at its center.
"Ahem."
A hint of smugness flashed across Scar Dog's face as he leaned close to Chen Jiang's ear and whispered, "This glass is one-way. People outside can see in, but you can't see out."
"This entertainment system is for you, Brother Jiang, for the future."
"We can capture some fox-eared or elf maidens and have them dance for your amusement in the glass tank."
"I plan to embed an energy block in both the ceiling and the base of the tank."
"And I'll put a lamp by your bedside, Brother Jiang!"
"If you press the red button, a phantom portal will instantly appear beneath the maiden's feet, and she'll vanish from the tank."
"Press the yellow button, and another phantom portal will open in the ceiling, lowering a new alien maiden into the tank."
"If you press the green button, the alien maiden in the tank will instantly materialize beside you, Brother Jiang!"
"What do you think, Brother Jiang?" Scar Dog asked proudly. "I've named this entertainment system 'Red Light, Green Light,' but we're still working on some technical challenges."
"For example, how to let you operate the phantom portals yourself when I'm not around, just by pressing a few buttons."
"After all, such matters are rather private. With me pulling the strings behind the scenes, you wouldn't approve."
"But—"
Before he could finish,
Slap!
A hand struck the back of his head.
Chen Jiang stared at Scar Dog expressionlessly for a moment before speaking. "In the Ten Thousand Races Arena, we've struggled for three months just to reach this slightly better position."
"But the war has only just begun. This isn't the time to indulge in carnal pleasures."
"Wait until the human race becomes the victorious race in the Ten Thousand Races Arena."
"Then, it won't be too late for wine, meat, and debauchery."
"Oh."
Scar Dog scratched the back of his head dejectedly, saying nothing.
"If we can't have women, how about I find a couple of human comedians for you, Brother Jiang? We could put them in this glass tank for entertainment, right?"
"Hmm."
Chen Jiang pondered briefly before replying, "That could work. Arrange it."
"Got it."
"Well?"
Li Hao and the others looked at Scar Dog expectantly, awaiting his answer.
"What do you think?"
Scar Dog replied irritably, "Brother Jiang flatly refused and even scolded me."
"See? Brother Jiang is truly destined for greatness!" Li Hao exclaimed, his face filled with admiration. "He won't touch a woman until he achieves his grand ambition!"
"Alright, alright," Scar Dog said, settling onto a swing suspended from a tree branch by ropes nearly 200 meters long. After resting his chin in his hand and pondering for a moment, he hesitated. "Let's talk about something serious."
"Have you noticed there are far fewer mutant beasts in the wilderness lately?"
(End of the Chapter)
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