The developers still haven't forgiven the players.

Chapter 122 The Self in the Game: No Matter How Powerful, It's All an Illusion

Xishi Tribe.

As the setting sun painted the stream with shimmering gold, a flurry of people finally appeared outside the village walls.

Players emerged from the forest path in twos and threes, with Old Kuai leading the way carrying a bronze pillar broken in two, still stained with the blood of the Howling Clan.

Although the broken bronze pillar could no longer be used as a weapon, it had been used for so long that Old Kuai couldn't bear to throw it away, so he simply took it with him on the way back.

Cheng Lu and his companions carried bulging animal skin bags on their backs, which made a crisp clanging sound as they walked.

These three arms dealers' first foray into the market was quite successful.

To be honest, without their crucial actions, we might not have won this battle.

Many players have realized that even in games featuring supernatural powers, firearms should not be underestimated.

Therefore, on the way back, those guys from the campus spring scenery deliberately tried to build a good relationship with them.

Some players even went out of their way to help carry things, making Ah Shui feel smug the whole way.

The players at the very back of the group, dressed in tattered leather armor, were helping each other along.

In fact, almost all of the surviving players were injured.

Fortunately, the pain level in the game is very low, so the injured players mostly feel a decrease in control of their bodies, rather than screaming and yelling because of their injuries.

Most players, upon returning to the tribe's gate, first headed to the nearby stream.

He rolled up his trousers to his knees, revealing his mud-covered calves, and jumped directly into the stream to wash off the blood.

That is, considering there were female players present, otherwise they would all have stripped naked.

A campfire has been lit in the open space closest to the village entrance.

The players sat around the campfire, pointing and laughing in the direction of the stream, their laughter startling a flock of unnamed birds perched in the treetops.

The two remaining female players squatted by the water, washing their weapons. Water splashed onto the hem of their robes, which were covered in grass clippings, reflecting the dappled sunlight.

As wisps of smoke rose from the top of the bonfire, the open space was already filled with people.

Before the food was cooked, the players excitedly recounted the battle in front of the abandoned stone fortress.

Although the players kept talking about it on the way back, they still couldn't satisfy their urge to vent.

Some people gathered around the fire and recounted the details, mentioning how the tribal chief suddenly attacked them from the side, and even exaggeratedly gestured the strength of the famous BOSS.

Someone squatted next to Peng Zhi, turning their head from time to time to look at the villa on the second floor, their eyes filled with hope.

Especially when discussing Peng Zhi's move, which he called "Ice Age," they exclaimed in amazement.

Occasionally, a player would suddenly pull out a newly acquired tribal-standard spear from behind their back, the shimmering light at the spearhead illuminating their excited faces.

After all, the players didn't have any concerns about respecting the dead or that wearing clothes of the dead was unlucky, so the dead Howling Clan warriors were basically stripped naked.

Even adding in the number of players who ultimately survived, the total was less than one hundred.

This allows everyone to obtain equipment from the corpses of the Horde warriors, ensuring that every player can equip at least one set of Horde warrior standard leather armor.

As the last rays of the setting sun sank into the mountains, the village gates slowly closed with a creak.

After eating and drinking their fill, it was already past 7 a.m. in real time. The players, exhausted but happy with their gains, logged off one after another.

It is located less than one kilometer from the abandoned stone village.

Cloud Roar Centurion led his tribal warriors back quickly. Suddenly, his face darkened. He could feel the familiar smell of rust in the wind growing stronger.

Their pace quickened slightly, and as the distance shortened, the stench of blood almost solidified and choked them.

Numerous footsteps scraped across the gravel, creating a harsh, grating sound.

The hundred tribal warriors behind him froze instantly, like a hundred cast-iron statues, with only their armor fluttering in the evening wind.

The sight before them made even these seasoned warriors, who were used to life and death, hold their breath.

A stench of burnt flesh and blood mingled among the ruins; on the open ground before the stone fortress, layers of corpses lay piled high.

The dark red blood plasma was half-congealed, gleaming eerily in the afterglow of the setting sun, and making a teeth-grinding "crunch" sound when stepped on.

There were no enemy corpses to be seen, only the annihilated Roar Clan warriors.

Yunhou's gaze was fixed on the corpses of his kin.

Their eyes were wide open, their faces unclosed in death, as if silently accusing this sudden catastrophe.

What Yunhou found most unbearable was that the enemy even stripped these fellow tribesmen naked after killing them.

Even the centurion was the same.

Regardless of victory or defeat, why humiliate the Roaring Clan like this?

"Centurion—" came the suppressed sob of a Roaring Clan warrior from behind.

Yunhou did not turn around. His hand gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

He walked away, so slowly that each step felt like walking on a knife's edge.

He walked to the centurion's corpse, squatted down, and gently closed the man's eyes, which were filled with resentment.

The body was still warm, indicating that the tragedy had occurred within half a day.

"Take a headcount." Yunhou's voice was terribly hoarse, as if it were being forced out from the depths of his throat. "Where are the traces of the enemy?"

An experienced Hou tribe veteran raised his head from the pile of corpses: "General, look at the footprints. They went towards the Xishi tribe, carrying looted supplies. They can't have gone far."

Yunhou stood up and looked at the dense forest in the distance that was gradually being shrouded in night.

The entire Roaring Clan warriors were reduced to just these few. No matter how angry they were, reason told them that they should preserve their usefulness and wait for the right opportunity.

He drew his sword from his waist, forcibly suppressing his inner anger: "Pass down the order: do not collect the bodies, evacuate immediately."

University dormitory.

Peng Zhi took off his gaming helmet and let out a long breath.

Noticing the noise from the upper bunk, Duan Jianhui reached out and tapped on the top of the bunk: "How's the situation?"

Inside the dormitory, he and Zheng Wen were both killed by the Houzu centurion, and he really didn't know what happened afterward.

-

Before Peng Zhi could reply, Wang Zihan, who had also taken off his gaming helmet, launched himself into the air and hurriedly responded, "Of course we won! It was so much fun! I even made it onto the leaderboard. I gained over ten levels after absorbing the blood energy."

"Damn! You've made a fortune!"

"Hey————Hehe————"

Duan Jianhui was very displeased to see Wang Zihan showing off like this: "No matter how powerful you are in the game, it's all fake."

Zheng Wen was equally annoyed, but he had nothing to complain about. He could only say that he would stay far away from the BOSS next time he encountered him.

He put on his shoes and socks with a hint of resentment: "I'm leaving. I'll go downstairs and buy some steamed buns before heading to the classroom. I have an early morning class today."

Peng Zhi was still lying in bed, silently spreading his palms out and moving them a few times in front of his eyes.

Compared to the "omnipotent" power in the game, he is now increasingly unaccustomed to the fragile body of a college student in reality.

"How about we go for a run tonight and then come back to play games?"