The Monster is Coming

Chapter 485 Frenzy from All Sides, Instant Wealth

Just hours after Tu Hu and A Lan reached an agreement, the player forums exploded.

The post from the Gold Coin Merchants Association swept across the entire forum with explosive popularity.

[Gold Coin Merchant Guild: In-depth analysis of two items soon to be listed on the trading market: the Sword of Slaughter and the Sword of Destruction.]

Posted by: Shoujili.

Contents:

I'm sure everyone has been curious about one thing lately: how did Hardbangbang advance to demigod status and create his own life soul: the Sword of Civilization?

I'll share my own hard-won experience to explain the situation in detail.

... (8000 words omitted here.)
Therefore, the Sword of Civilization is not a special life spirit, but a self-created life spirit.

It is the soul that players have forged by fusing their personal will, the legacy of Cangxuan, and an epic of protecting civilization spanning 1700 years into one.

The core of swordplay lies in the protection and continuation of emotions, carrying the profound history and indomitable belief of a civilization.

It is also a unique growth path that proves the Way through the heart and ultimately defines the outside world.

……

The preceding account in the post made countless players realize that what seemed like a stroke of luck was actually the result of players' hard work and dedication.

In a small world where the flow of time is distorted, he alone bore the weight of more than 1700 years of the rise and fall of civilizations and the pain of life and death.

Behind this serendipitous encounter lies a thousand years of lonely waiting and the unforgettable pain of parting.

The post also included some edited videos provided by Tu Hu.

In the Blackthorn Forest, he bids farewell to the leaders of the Rongling clan, Alan, Afen, and Alu.

With the young of the Rongling tribe in tow, they embarked on a long and arduous migration.

Build cities in new lands of hope and restore their former glory, but as time flows by, watch the younger generation who once fought alongside you grow old and die, close their eyes with your own hands, and then pass on the broken spear to the next generation.

Outside every brightly lit laboratory or smelting workshop, they silently watch over the new generation of Rongling people as they overcome technical difficulties, but the moment they celebrate their success, they sound the alarm, warning them not to become complacent because of their temporary achievements.

As the city of Leapfrog rises from the ground, its energy orbits stretch across the sky.

He still stood atop the highest city wall, his back blending into the twilight, the clamor of civilization beneath his feet, and behind him, the silent accumulation of tombstones and memories, as numerous as mountains.

These images piece together a long history of protection that transcends personal likes and dislikes and is integrated into the very fabric of civilization.

Through these edited videos, forum users witnessed an immortal soul repeatedly building arks of hope in the torrent of time, and enduring the pain brought by the years alone time and time again.

The impact of the video completely changed players' impression of "hard and unyielding".

The initial admiration for its power has transformed into understanding.

The previous comments, such as "lucky bastard," "damn it," and "why?" have all vanished.

Instead, it was replaced by heartfelt respect.

"This dungeon is too long. Even the Dead Space can't compare to this. It's like a grueling training that spans thousands of years. Brother Bangbang is a true man. I admire you."

"Now I understand why it's called the Sword of Civilization. It's like carrying the entire civilization on your shoulders and moving forward. The edited content is obviously only a part, but it has already brought tears to my eyes."

"Watching the children I raised grow old and die in battle, while I have to keep going, is just too painful to think about."

"Ah, no wonder he was able to comprehend the Sword of Guardian. He must have gone through so much despair. I admire him."

At this moment, no player on the forum questioned the power gained by "Hardcore".

Everyone clearly recognizes that behind this power lies the result of his 1,700 years of solitary journey, forged through trials and tribulations.

This life-soul is rightfully his to possess.

But what truly brought the forum atmosphere to its peak was the latter half of the post.

When Alan's interpretation shifted to the two auction items that the owner of the "Sword of Civilization," Yingbangbang, was about to put up for auction, the tone of the post suddenly changed.

The attached video contains visually striking dynamic demonstration images.

One was a crimson sword light stored in a sphere of light, paved with mountains of corpses and seas of blood, its killing intent almost piercing through the screen: the Sword of Slaughter.

The other was a dark purple sword light, as deep and mysterious as the return of all things to nothingness: the Sword of Destruction.

According to Alan's introduction, these two sword techniques and the Sword of Civilization share the same origin, both derived from the sword god "Cangxuan" of the lost civilization, and are also powerful prototypes that touch the origin of the rules.

The killing intent of the sword, the ultimate in killing, slaughtering all things, is a rule of attack that is pure to the extreme.

The sword intent of destruction returns to nothingness, annihilating all things, symbolizing the destructive power that brings about the end of all things.

Both of these sword techniques can merge with the player, or even become as solid as the player, serving as the foundation for building a self-created rule system.

The post concluded with a bombshell announcement: the two preliminary forms of the rule-based sword techniques will be auctioned off on the trading platform.

After learning about the hard-hitting experience, forum players have realized the value of these two sword techniques.

Alan's comment at the end of the post caused a huge stir.

The entire forum was instantly ignited by this topic.

"Holy crap, they're actually selling this? Can't the three sword auras be combined into one? I don't understand what the tough guy is thinking. Is he afraid that the sword auras and emotions will interfere with each other?"

"That's too ruthless. Even if you don't hoard these two sword techniques, their value will increase over time. And they just released them like this, and it was even an internal auction. If they were auctioned on Dream Island, I don't even want to know what price they would fetch."

"@GodKing@StarrySky@ThroatOfDestiny@CommanderOfTheMistLegion@Blacksmith... Big shots, come out and take a look. It's time to clear out our inventory. We have some good stuff to put up for sale."

"Actually, the question upstairs is easy to answer. The reason he is selling these two rules is because he has already embarked on his own path of the sword of civilization. Slaughter and destruction are not in line with his sword spirit, so he chose to give them up for the sake of a longer future... But I don't understand why he is selling such valuable items now. If it were me, I would hoard them for three years and then sell them at a high price. If I really need money, I would go through the Gold Coin Merchant Guild channel."

"Brothers, hurry up and inform our guild leader that it's time to go bankrupt."

"I'm numb. These two sword techniques seem to be destined for me. I really want them, but I can't even afford a fraction of the price."

"The Gold Coin Merchants Association is really generous, using the internal trading hall for bidding. Keeping the profits within the family is in line with the Gold Coin Merchants Association's style. They must have paid a considerable price to get the big boss to agree, otherwise I can't figure out why they would use an internal bidding process."

The forum's uproar spread like a tsunami, even extending from online to offline.

Major media outlets have all joined in the discussion about this round of bidding.

On the same day, someone claiming to be from the "Human Federation Strategic Development Department" attempted to contact Tu Hu himself.

After discovering that he couldn't add "Hard" because the blocking settings were enabled, he contacted teammates like "Suifengpiao" and "Xiaonaiping".

They expressed their admiration for the immense price paid behind the "Hardcore" power and were willing to exchange a huge sum of cash or various scarce resources within the Federation (such as medical care for the Lunar Eclipse Clan) for the two sword strikes, hoping to facilitate an offline meeting for a more in-depth exchange.

He also stated that the player information in Monster World is absolutely protected by the Lunar Eclipse Clan's technology, and the Human Federation cannot obtain Tu Hu's real identity through conventional means. He also never shares content on the forum, so it is impossible to contact him. He hopes to convey this message through them.

Upon receiving the message, Tu Hu calmly instructed his teammates to relay a brief reply:

"Thank you for your support. The auction is about to begin, and the highest bidder will win."

This polite refusal effectively blocked any attempt to circumvent the rules of the game.

The intervention of the Human Federation forces failed to change the direction of the auction.

As the forum's popularity soared, the storm swept through the trading platform.

Almost all the large guilds and top battle groups with the strength to participate in the auction began to sell off their inventory resources.

Suddenly, materials like Void Stones, which were usually in high demand, were listed in large quantities on the trading market.

This led to a decline in overall prices.

The large-scale, concentrated sell-off was for only one purpose.

To gather as much sacrificial power as possible in the shortest possible time.

All players understood that the sacrifices made in the face of this level of bidding were well worth it.

The value of the Sword of Slaughter and the Sword of Destruction will only increase as the player's faction develops; even buying them and hoarding them will be profitable.

That's only a secondary issue.

The key point is the strategic value of these two products, which is enough to create two top players.

During this period, countless casual players and small and medium-sized guilds were amazed by the boldness of the big shots, while also happily taking advantage of the low prices to snag bargains. The economic activities of the entire player community became exceptionally active because these two sword techniques were about to be released.

The tax revenue curve in Qi Sheng's mind also rose rapidly along with the heat of this round of transactions.

The competition between the two sword techniques has become a hot topic of discussion in both the real world and the monster world.

Finally, half a day passed amidst the anxious wait of countless players.

As the clock struck the appointed moment, all players frantically refreshed the trading post interface, their eyes glued to the "New Arrivals" section of the weapons category.

It didn't take long.

The dark gold border of the trading post, symbolizing high-priced treasures, suddenly lit up, and two items appeared simultaneously.

【Rules in their embryonic form - Killing Sword Stance】

Item Description: One of the three great sword arts of Cangxuan, originating from the ultimate transformation when guarding to the point of despair, it is an offensive technique that regards all things in heaven and earth as "can be cut". Wherever the sword strikes, everything can be severed. Those who integrate this power will prove the Dao by killing and understand the heart by slaughtering.

Starting bid: 1 point of sacrificial power. Bidding rules: Open bidding, highest bidder wins.

Auction period: 24 hours (remaining time: 23.59.59).

【Rules in their embryonic stage - Destructive Sword Aura】

Item Description: One of the three great sword arts of Cangxuan, born from the bone-chilling grief at the end of civilization, it grants all things the power of "returning to nothingness". Wherever the sword intent reaches, the target will be subjected to the power of nothingness. Those who merge with this power will bear the power of the end and wield the power of annihilation.

Starting bid: 1 point of sacrificial power.

Auction rules: Open bidding, highest bidder wins.

Auction period: 24 hours.

When the players saw the starting bid below, they all froze for a moment.

After a brief period of deathly silence, a frenzy erupted.

The starting price, which is practically non-existent, allows even newcomers without financial resources to participate.

Based on the principle of emphasizing participation, they decisively chose to click on the first post and then take a screenshot.

However, player participation was too frantic, and the price broke 3 million sacrificial power in just 3 seconds. The participation of ordinary players also occurred within those 300 seconds.

The bidding for the two items, after climbing to a high of 300 million, continued to surge at a dazzling and frenzied pace.

439 million sacrificial power, 503 million sacrificial power, 538 million sacrificial power... The eyes of both inside and outside the game were closely following the ever-changing auction prices, which were like wild horses.

The live streams on regional channels and forums were flooded with exclamations from players.

The current prices have made it a stage where casual players can no longer participate, but rather a battleground for top-tier player guilds.

During this period, the leaders of large guilds kept contacting Alan privately, hoping to "borrow" a huge sum of money from the Gold Coin Merchant Guild to enhance their bidding power.

However, Alan responded by refusing all loan requests, citing that the Chamber of Commerce's funds were in a period of large-scale turnover and that it was temporarily unable to access such a huge sum of money.

It's not that the Gold Coin Merchant Guild can't provide assistance.

Alan considered that providing financial assistance to any party at this moment, regardless of who the recipient was, would be an obviously unfair favoritism to all other forces participating in the bidding.

If the other party obtains any sword intent with the help of the Gold Coin Merchant Guild, it will cause dissatisfaction among other top guilds, and this dissatisfaction will also be directed at the Gold Coin Merchant Guild.

The polite refusal may seem heartless, but it is actually to protect the interests of the Gold Coin Merchants Association.

To make the bidding process fairer.

Without external assistance, the major guilds can only rely on their own reserves and the proceeds from previous resource sales to engage in fierce bidding.

Commodity prices continue to climb higher, and each price increase challenges the upper limit of players' understanding of "wealth".

In less than an hour, the bidding price exceeded 2000 million sacrificial power.

This number shut out the vast majority of competitors.

Many large guilds that participated in the auction had to withdraw with regret when faced with prices that exceeded their budgets.

However, the competition among capital players has become increasingly fierce.

When independent bidding becomes difficult, collaboration becomes a new way to break the deadlock.

Some top-tier guilds with abundant financial resources, but anticipating financial difficulties later on, began to privately contact powerful guilds that were forced to withdraw from the market.

In exchange for a loan, the other party provided support.

This temporary capital alliance has caused the bidding speed, which had begun to slow down, to pick up again.

Auctions are no longer simply a contest of financial resources; they have evolved into a comprehensive competition of connections, reputation, and future interests.

Prices continued to climb steadily amid the interplay of various forces.

Each price increase starts with a million dollars in sacrifice.

Although most players are only focused on the fluctuating numbers, they can almost see the guild leaders of the top guilds behind them, their faces contorted with rage.

During this period, the top-tier allied battle group, led by the God King, had a clear objective: the killing sword intent.

This choice was made after careful consideration.

Players' daily hunting and fighting activities are highly compatible with the Killing Sword Style, making it easier to learn and unleash its power.

In comparison, the "annihilation of all things" state of mind required by the Destruction Sword Technique has a higher entry threshold.

Moreover, there is no absolute distinction between strong and weak sword techniques.

We place greater emphasis on the user's emotional connection and subsequent development.

The God King team believes that with Iron Lord's unwavering will and rich combat experience, if he can integrate the Killing Sword Force, he will definitely be able to enhance the entire joint battle group's offensive capabilities.

To this end, they spared no expense in raising funds and focused their bidding on the Killing Sword Technique.

However, they also face enormous financial pressure.

The members of the allied battle group, led by the God King, were accustomed to quickly investing the acquired sacrificial power into their own strengthening in order to cope with the increasingly terrifying growth rate of the Earthly Bully, and never had the habit of hoarding and storing sacrificial power.

The near-zero inventory development model became a fatal weakness in bidding, which requires massive amounts of working capital.

This makes it difficult to raise large amounts of funds in a short period of time when faced with such auction events.

We could only piece together whatever we could find, asking guild members to look for any remaining stock that could be sold.

At the same time, other top powers are also increasing their investment.

Nightshade of the Mist Legion believes that his fighting style is quite similar to the fierce and ruthless killing intent of the sword.

He also joined the competition for the Killing Sword Force.

Compared to ordinary players, he understands the value of "emotional momentum" better.

Therefore, they spared no expense to participate in this round of bidding with members of the Mist Legion (Mist Clan members).

Knowing their resources were insufficient, they even prepared to dismantle all their rune weapons and life souls to invest all their resources.

Even if only a rudimentary life soul remains, and development has to start all over again, they are determined to seize the Sword of Slaughter.

On the other hand, the Dragon Sparrow Guild's Life Throat prefers the power of the Destruction Sword Aura to erase everything, and devotes its main energy to competing for the Destruction Sword Aura.

However, the bidding process for the throat capsule was not smooth.

Despite the Dragon Sparrow Guild's substantial financial resources, the initial investment in the construction of Destiny City consumed a large amount of its reserves, and it also needed to reserve most of its daily operating funds to ensure the continued vitality of the gambling city. Ultimately, there was a limit to the amount of sacrificial power it could utilize.

When the price of the Destruction Sword Force was pushed to the threshold of forty million sacrificial power, Minghou stared at that number and remained silent for a long time.

"What a pity... my luck isn't on my side." He muttered to himself, realizing that such a large amount of funds was beyond his control, and forcibly dismantling it might affect the operation of the Destiny Casino.

Compared to an emotional rule, he valued the Destiny Casino, a commercial lifeline that could nourish the entire clan, more.

This is the foundation upon which the Fate race can take root and thrive in the player's camp.

As for opportunity.

As a player with limitless potential, opportunities are indispensable in the long future.

Emotional rules are just one small part of the scenery.

Once the thought was clear, Minghou decisively abandoned the "battle" and ended the bidding.

With the withdrawal of top players, the auction entered its most brutal final bidding stage.

At this point, the price had soared to a level that left onlookers breathless.

Each new bid was placed after a long interval, and the boldness of instantly matching the offer was gone.

Behind every price increase lies a force frantically borrowing and desperately liquidating assets before making a strategic bet.

The price of the two sword strikes slowly climbed upwards in intervals, with each new increase starting at 10 sacrificial power.

When the countdown to the auction reaches the last minute.

After a few final, feeble struggles, the prices of the two sword techniques have settled.

The final sixty seconds of the countdown, like the tolling of the final judgment bell, rang in the minds of every follower.

When the countdown timer reaches zero, the auction results are announced.

【Sword of Slaughter】: 6829 million sacrificial power (bidder: Mist Legion Commander).

【Sword of Destruction】: 5893 million sacrificial power (bidder: Little Mage).

When Tu Hu saw the auction results, the huge weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted.

The total amount of sacrificial offerings was nearly 1.3 million, and after deducting a 5% handling fee, there was still 1.2 million left.

It could wipe out all his debts and inject abundant resources into the early development of the Rongling civilization.

Just as Tu Hu was pondering how to use this sacrificial power, he received a private message from the God King.

　Three consecutive updates plus a bonus chapter, more tomorrow night! This isn't an early update, so please vote with your monthly tickets at the beginning of the month!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)