This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 313 The Guardians of Hope's Journey
Nie Weiyang opened the title list.

The title [Guardian of Hope] radiates a soft yet resolute golden glow.

He focused his mind, and the attribute descriptions slowly unfolded:
-
[Guardian of Hope] (Special Title) -
With everyone united, hope endures.
Activation condition: Wear the artifact [Guardian of Hope] with [Proof of Trust] attached.

Title effect:

[Hope Barrier]: Upon activation, immediately gain one stack of [Hope Guardian] effect.

• [Guardian's Wrath]: For every 1% decrease in the wearer's health, all types of damage dealt to enemies are increased by 5%.

• [Guardian's Healing]: For every 1% decrease in the wearer's health, the effect of all healing/buff/defense skills cast on friendly targets is increased by 8%.

• [Prayer for All Beings]: Within the user's perception range, for each deceased unit of the same race (currently registered race: Homo sapiens), all damage and healing bonuses provided by this title are increased by 0.01%, which is the final calculated percentage bonus.

• [Desperate Will]: For every 10% decrease in the wearer's health, the [Guardian of Hope] effect gains one stack. This effect can stack repeatedly, currently up to a maximum of 10 stacks.

Nie Weiyang read each word quietly, his pupils slightly contracting.

This title... its effect is undeniably domineering.

In normal circumstances, especially when maintaining a high level of health, the bonus it provides is relatively limited and may not be as practical as some titles that directly increase strength or spell power.

However, once caught in a fierce battle and with suppressed health, especially in desperate situations where one must fight against overwhelming odds, its effect will increase exponentially.

The stacking of [Desperate Will] is practically designed for turning the tide in a desperate situation.

While the [Prayer for All Beings] effect may seem insignificant at 0.01% on its own, in the context of a large-scale battle with heavy casualties, the additional bonus from thousands of fallen soldiers will exponentially increase its effectiveness.

Guardians of Hope?
Does witnessing despair and death give us the strength to protect hope?

Those who can wear it, if they never give up, can almost become an unyielding flag in the crowd, a guardian that grows stronger with each battle.

Nie Weiyang's expression was somewhat complicated.

He doesn't think this is a coincidence...

...He just wanted to use the effects of that title as little as possible in his life.

In the forest, the young paladin closed his eyes. He picked up the crown that was intertwined with his fate and slowly placed it on his head.

The special title [Guardian of Hope] has been equipped.

Please note that this title's effect only applies when the corresponding artifact is equipped.

A calm yet powerful force flowed from the crown, merging seamlessly with his own energy. A strange, chilling warmth coursed through his body, and light surged in his mind, the [Leader-level Guardian Badge: Administrator Number Two] gleaming in the flowing light and shadow.

Under the blood-red sky, the paladin closed his eyes. The crown on his head emitted a faint glow. The assassins gazed at the horizon, and for a fleeting moment, they all smelled the pungent stench of blood, and the burning rage in their hearts as they had trodden over the corpses of their comrades.

Administrator number two took another step forward.

A chilling fog surged in my heart, as if echoing with fervent cries.

……

Nie Weiyang left the epidemic area.

This time, instead of heading south, he turned southwest, towards a vast land—a fertile and sparsely populated region.

At first, he could see the lush rainforest scenery of Southeast Asia, with tall trees blocking out the sun, humid and hot air, vines entwining, and various strange insects and birds chirping incessantly.

But as you venture further inland, the terrain gradually rises and falls, and the dense jungle begins to give way to more open savannahs. The vast golden grasslands sway in the warm wind, stretching all the way to the horizon.

“Mount Sudden is in Africa…” The motorcycle engine roared across the open plains. Nie Weiyang spoke as if to himself, or perhaps to his companions behind him, his tone somewhat nonchalant, “This road will be long. Why did you come along?”

"What else can we do if we don't come along?" Russell muttered listlessly.

He practically melted into the wicker basket hanging beside Jin Huang. The once majestic Siberian tiger was now reduced to a laborer; its thick fur had become a burden in this environment, so most of its beautiful fur had been shaved off, and it tried to get some coolness from the wind it generated while running.

With a large basket hanging on each side of its back, Russell, dressed even more lightly and only wearing leaves around his vital areas, lay listlessly in one of the baskets.

On the other side, Bai Yu was still wearing his seemingly ordinary dark T-shirt, squatting down expressionlessly, and was the most composed of the three in the face of the heat.

Nie Weiyang himself had already put away his heavy armor. At this moment, apart from the inexplicably ornate crown on his head, he was wearing a simple white vest and camouflage shorts.

His bare, greyish-white skin glowed reddish in the blazing sunlight, sweat trickling down his muscles. Russell still maintained his wild style, but now his attire seemed more for survival than style. Only Bai Yu, the assassin from the south, stubbornly maintained the dignity of having cloth covering his arms amidst such a drastic change in environment.

"Awesome." Russell gave a thumbs up.

He collapsed completely into the basket; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was dead.

The New World had no customs, which was a convenience. But the road was indeed very long, and the scenery changed with the wheels and tiger claws.

Scattered baobab trees and umbrella-shaped acacia trees adorn this boundless landscape with their unique forms, casting a few pitiful shadows.

The sky, scorched by the intense heat, took on an almost whitish blue hue. The air seemed to have been drained of moisture, replaced by a scorching dry heat. The wind whipped up dust and bits of grass, carrying the scent of earth baked in the sun.

The people I saw along the way gradually darkened their skin, changing from a healthy bronze to a deep tan.

They adapted to the land's passion and harshness, building unique settlements on the wasteland, their language and architectural style bearing a strong regional flavor.

In other words, this place now operates on a tribal system.

"This is fucking hot..." Russell's face showed a hint of despair. He felt like meat on a grill, even the air he breathed was scalding hot. "The air is blowing hot air... I feel like I'm melting..."

Even Nie Weiyang couldn't help but take out his water pouch several times and gulp down a few mouthfuls, and couldn't help but glance at Bai Yu in the basket, who still had no expression.

Bai Yu: "..."

Bai Yu looked away.

"Back on Earth, I thought about coming to Africa to get a hunting license many times, but I just never had the time or energy," Russell sighed, fiddling with a hyena leg in his hand. "But here I am, enjoying myself... By the way, my backpack is full, how about yours?"

“Mine is full too,” Nie Weiyang said.

“Mine too,” Bai Yu said.

Russell threw the dog leg away with a sigh.

"I hope the people they're talking about can come quickly," he said. "If a few more people don't arrive soon, I'm going to die here. By the way, they said someone can lower the temperature. Who do you think it is?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yu remained lost in thought, but Nie Weiyang laughed.

“Someone with limited mobility,” he said. “In that case, Jin Huang might need to add another basket.”

"Huh?" Russell was taken aback. "Can't you bring it yourself?"

“I’m not kidding, she really isn’t very mobile… Actually, you’ve met her before,” Nie Weiyang said rather bluntly. “If I were to take her with me, she wouldn’t even be able to bounce far if the car overturned.”

(End of this chapter)