Chapter Thirteen: The City of Steel, the Divine Dragon That Reaches the Heavens

Page 1

“My blood is plentiful, cards aren’t an issue—what matters is which cards to use… Good thing I never learned [Rock Helm] as a skill. Wait, of course! I have skill upgrade crystals… That means I can manufacture them!” Thrilling was unusually excited at his abundance of resources.

‘Correct! If the player uses their current materials to create a [Divine Seal Card], the success rate for sealing a level one beast is 100% (level one beasts include: common, elite, boss, and mutant). Level two is 50%, level three is 25%, level four is 13%, level five is 5%, level six is 1%, level seven is 0.1%, level eight is 0.05%. Using the corresponding level of Sealing Technique raises the success rate accordingly!’ The GM’s voice responded coldly.

It seemed the GM making public announcements to all players was different from the one Thrilling interacted with—perhaps the announcer was the boss, and the one in the wristband was just a subordinate… The GM within the wristband had no emotion, only a frigid artificial voice. Thrilling had no choice but to try to adapt to this impassive GM.

“The [Divine Seal Card] truly requires no skill for its creation?”

‘None whatsoever.’

“Got it!” With that, he exited the GM interface.

Now he was about to enter the Iron City—[Sky Dragon]. What would await him there? A mix of excitement and wary anticipation stirred within Thrilling. ‘Don’t gamble on any card whose odds of victory aren’t at least ninety percent!’—a maxim his mentor had always drilled into him.

Three minutes slipped by like a stream.

‘Gentlemen, ladies, and all others! Get ready!!! One, two, three, go!!!’

The GM’s lewd voice rang out, and Thrilling, along with all the players, became enveloped in a shower of golden light. The radiance grew ever brighter, until a blinding gold wave flashed before Thrilling’s eyes; he promptly lost consciousness. Other players experienced similarly varied effects…

The Iron City—[Sky Dragon]!

Hundred-meter-high metal walls encircled [Sky Dragon], impenetrably secure with only a single gate leading to the outside world. On the ramparts were countless giant thunderbolt guns and laser cannons, squads of guards patrolling ceaselessly… The [Nine Dragons Ascendant Tower] soared into the sky! The [Eighteen Infernal Prisons], holding countless fierce beasts and guarded by elite sentinels! The leader’s mansion, surrounded by vigilant guards! Here, the city teemed with locals—otherwise known as [NPCs]—yet unlike a typical game, these people had lives of their own; they were vivid, living beings.

The number of players had already surpassed that of the locals, becoming the backbone of the city.

…

Overhead, the dense clouds above [Sky Dragon] were effortlessly pierced by dazzling columns of light, as if blades slicing through paper, descending straight to the leader’s mansion.

“More arrivals!”

“I wonder how many newcomers this time?”

“Numbers aren’t everything. What matters is potential!”

Page 2

“Exactly! It’s all about potential…”

“That’s enough! What are you all gossiping about at the leader’s mansion entrance?!” The mansion’s steward—a white-haired elder in a tailcoat—scolded sternly.

“Bah! He’s just a steward, no need to get so cocky!” Though few dared ignore the steward’s rebuke, some muttered curses under their breath.

“Yeah! What a joke!”

…

The commotion and muttering gradually subsided, and the golden pillar faded away… leaving corpses sprawled before a crowd of players and locals. For the locals, the golden pillar was nothing new; they remembered the first few times it appeared, all the original inhabitants of [Sky Dragon] knelt in awe… but that ceased long ago.

A man in novice military attire and a beautiful woman were the first to move.

“Ugh—damn, my head’s spinning…” The man was Thrilling, still clutching his head in dizziness. Compared to him, the woman who woke at the same time was much better off; after glancing at those around her, she rushed to awaken her companions.

“They’re awake! Someone’s awake!” a girl of about twenty cried.

“Why so surprised?”

“Indeed. Though that woman’s quite attractive… heh heh!”

“Attractive? Don’t pretend you’re some expert untouched by temptation! I’ll tell you, don’t be fooled by her current weakness, fear, and ill-fitting clothes—it’s all an illusion. I guarantee, once she’s rested and done up, she’ll be a stunner! Her figure’s first class—look at those delicate hands, pure as snow! Those are hands of unmatched beauty!” Among the crowd, a lewd-faced man explained patiently.

“Ah! Hearing your words is worth ten years of chasing women! I bow to your wisdom!” The admirer dropped to his knees in mock reverence before the lewd man’s insight.

Soon, the players who had been transported began to awaken.

“Boss, where are we?” Zhang Long resumed his endless questioning.

“Ask your GM! Why can’t you be more like Xingye?!”

“(⊙o⊙) Uh… alright then.” Zhang Long, with a gloomy expression, prepared to consult his GM, but the steward’s words interrupted him—and everyone else.

“Honored new Saints, please follow me to the mansion to pay respects to the leader. More new Saints will arrive shortly.” The steward’s respectful manner made it hard for anyone to refuse the request of a white-haired elder.

Page 3

The players all looked to Thrilling, who quietly shook his head. Regardless, Thrilling had already become the group’s anchor.

His gesture was interpreted by the steward as a refusal from the team’s leader. Seeing this, the steward grew even more deferential in his invitation.

“Kid, go ahead! It’s an old custom, nothing to worry about. Who knows, you might even benefit!” The lewd man offered a friendly tip.

Should he trust it? What if something troublesome happened, or perhaps there were benefits as the man claimed? Thrilling truly didn’t know what to choose. This was why he avoided leading others; a good captain always considered far more than his teammates.

“Don’t hesitate, kid! It’s fine—I’m a player too!” Hearing this, the restless players immediately insisted on entering.

“Thrilling, if you don’t care for such benefits, don’t stop us from getting ours!” Ding Mo began his journey of provocation.

“That’s right!”

“Thrilling! Let’s go in!”

…The crowd’s curiosity had been stirred.

Ding Mo watched amusedly as the players pressed Thrilling, a sinister smile curling at his lips. Unbeknownst to him, a black-clad middle-aged man in the crowd had taken notice of him…

Frustrated by the crowd’s insistence, Thrilling finally exploded. “What does it matter to me whether you go in or not?! Have I stopped you?”

“Thrilling, don’t waste your anger on these idiots. Calm down!” To his surprise, the female team leader came to comfort him.

“Do I know you?”

…Anyone with a modicum of social sense who heard Thrilling’s question could only think one thing… Kill him!!!

…

Please vote and add to favorites—show some support!