Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

Through the cracks, one can already see the broken floating islands outside.

"Damn it! You win! Goodbye!" The Voidwalker's phantom vanished completely, leaving only his frustrated voice echoing in the aftershocks of the collapsing barrier.

"If we meet again in the black fog, treat me to a meal as an apology, consider it compensation for this information."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Yu could clearly sense a subtle spatial fluctuation flashing by in the far distance, quickly disappearing into the void.

That guy actually ran away! He didn't even show his face; his decisiveness was speechless.

Lin Yu: "..."

A flicker of astonishment flashed in the golden eyes on his enormous dragon head, which then turned into helplessness.

He was still hoping to have a real battle with a diamond-level player and test his own limits.

Unexpectedly, the other party was so decisive. Seeing that things were not going well, they ran away without any hesitation.

But on second thought, it does fit that guy's lazy and war-avoiding personality.

Since he couldn't be contained, and fighting would be too much trouble and might come at a cost, his top priority was to run away.

"Never mind." Lin Yu shook the massive dragon head, dismissing the regret.

The most urgent task is to end this game.

His massive dragon body emerged from the shattered barrier and returned to the main battlefield.

The powerful dragon's might was released without reservation, instantly covering an area of ​​tens of kilometers in radius.

At that moment, all the players, whether they were engaged in fierce battles, searching for crystals, or hiding and resting, felt a sense of dread and looked up in horror.

A majestic and sacred five-clawed golden dragon hovered in the void, its terrifying diamond-level pressure making it almost impossible for players below the gold level to breathe.

"This...is...a dragon?!"

"The aura of a diamond! Is it the hidden diamond from 9002?!"

"No! Look at the system indicator! It's green! It's someone from our 9527 team!!"

"Is that a Witcher?! The boss... he's turned into a dragon?! And a Diamond-level one at that?!"

The 9527 cell channel exploded instantly, filled with a mix of ecstasy and disbelief.

Meanwhile, in the 9002 residential area, there was only deathly silence and despair.

[Lava Behemoth] looked at the golden dragon in the sky that exuded an aura that made him tremble, and at the cold words of [Voidwalker] in the chat log.

He bitterly typed in the command channel, "Boss... got away, it's over."

Yes, it's over.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Yu swung his golden dragon tail and charged towards the nearest floating island where there was energy fluctuation from 9002 players, like a golden lightning bolt.

There, a five-man squad of 9002 is fighting against three players of 9527.

The golden dragon swooped down, and without even using any skills, the sheer force and pressure generated by its massive body sent the five players from level 9002 staggering and shattering their shields.

With a casual swing of its claws, five beams of white light instantly illuminated the scene.

Points +25.

Without pausing, his dragon eyes locked onto his next target.

In an instant, the entire battlefield became Lin Yu's hunting ground.

He stopped deliberately collecting energy crystals and instead focused on finding the gathering points of players 9002.

But in the face of an absolute disparity in strength, all efforts are in vain.

The Lava Behemoth attempted to organize a resistance, gathering all the remaining players to defend it.

The golden dragon that Lin Yu transformed into simply coiled its body around the player. With a simple rotation, the terrifying power contained within shredded the surrounding players and their defensive fortifications into pieces.

The Lava Beast roared and swung its lava fist at the golden dragon, but was swatted away by the dragon's claw and exploded into a ball of white light in mid-air.

massacre.

This was a massacre with no suspense whatsoever.

Even platinum is no match for the power of diamond-grade metal, let alone gold and silver.

The will to resist in 9002 neighborhood was completely destroyed.

The surviving players began to flee frantically, trying to hide, but under Lin Yu's Heavenly Eye and Diamond-level perception, their hiding was meaningless.

On the leaderboard, the total points of community 9527 are soaring at an alarming rate, leaving 9002 far behind, with a gap so large it's despairing.

When Lin Yu felt that the time for transforming into a dragon was about to reach its limit, and the power within his body began to recede like a tide, there were hardly any 9002 players left on the entire battlefield.

Sporadic resistance and skirmishes are still being fought by other players in 9527, but the overall situation is already decided.

He reverted to his dragon form, returned to human form, and landed on a relatively intact floating island.

His face was pale and his breathing was weak; these were the aftereffects of excessive energy consumption.

He immediately took out dragon essence and spring water to replenish his energy.

Jinling sensed his return, let out a joyful cry, flew over from a distance, landed on his shoulder, and nuzzled him affectionately.

The chat channel was filled with flattery from players in the 9527 community.

"Wow! You're amazing!"

"We won! We absolutely won!"

Lin Yu looked at the huge gap on the leaderboard and the rapidly counting down of the game time, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

ended.

[Game time is over!]

[Winner: 9527 Community!]

[According to the rules of the community merger challenge, the merger of Community 9002 has failed!]

[Punishment Execution: 9002 neighborhood has lost its independent number, all public facilities have been removed, and all players will be forcibly evicted from their current apartments and randomly reassigned to other neighborhoods.]

[Rewards: Community 9527 receives all public facilities of Community 9002 (automatically integrated and repaired), Community level is upgraded to level 2, Enhancement Zone receives new facility [Equipment Disassembler], Commercial Zone is upgraded (more goods added), Entertainment Zone is upgraded (more entertainment facilities added), Player Trading Zone is upgraded (cross-region trading post added).]

All 9527 players received in-game currency rewards, with the amount distributed based on individual rankings.

The top 100 players in individual rankings will receive an extra treasure chest reward.

Congratulations to 9527 Community for winning the final victory!

The system announcement resounded in the minds of all 9527 players.

After a brief silence, deafening cheers erupted! Players, whether on the floating island battlefield or already back in their apartments, were swept up in jubilation!

Lin Yu also received his reward notification.

[Individual Ranking: 1]

[Gained Game Coins: 20000]

[Obtain Diamond-level Treasure Chest x1]

[Gain the title "Neighborhood Hero" (All attributes +2, receive a 7% discount when making purchases at facilities in Neighborhood 9527) (Note: This discount cannot be stacked)]

A flash of light, and all surviving players were teleported back to their respective apartments.

Lin Yu stood in his familiar living room, looking out the window at the seemingly brighter and more vibrant neighborhood, and felt a sense of peace.

Upon returning to his familiar apartment in the 9527 residential complex, Lin Yu immediately sensed the increasingly rich spiritual energy in the air.

This change is not an illusion, but the most direct manifestation of the upgraded community level and the integration of facilities from the 9002 community.

The energy that was originally thin and barely enough to sustain basic cultivation has now become active and abundant, like a stream flowing into a rushing river. This is a great benefit to any player living here.

Lin Yu stood by the window and looked out.

The overall layout of the community has not changed drastically, but the details have been completely renewed.

The streets are cleaner and wider, and the exterior walls of the somewhat old buildings seem to have been repainted and reinforced, shimmering with a faint, energetic glow.

The greenery in the public areas has become more lush, and some exotic, glowing plants have been transplanted, adding a touch of mystery.

In addition, the black fog that had previously engulfed a significant portion of the community shrank back, and the community returned to its original size.

"Level 2 community, indeed different." Lin Yu took a deep breath, and the rich energy surged into his lungs, invigorating him.

Although the increase in spiritual energy concentration is not significant, there are still subtle benefits from being in this environment for a long time.

Instead of immediately going out to explore, he first checked his own condition.

The confrontation with the Voidwalker and the final dragon transformation to clear the field took a considerable toll.

Upon recovering, Lin Yu took out the [Diamond-level Treasure Chest] reward he received after completing the merger game.

"Since you didn't receive the reward from the otherworld, you should at least give me something good."

Lin Yu stared at the treasure chest and muttered to himself.

(Note: Sorry, I forgot to include talents in the previous description, so I didn't include them in this game. Therefore, I'm making a patch to address the issue of talents not being usable in this temporary, special game.)

Lin Yu opened the treasure chest directly.

Congratulations to the player for obtaining the Diamond-level skill card [King's Battle Manual].

【King's Battle Secrets】

Category: Skills

Grade: Diamond

Effect: After activating the battle technique, for every second the battle time increases, the three attributes of Strength, Constitution, and Agility will increase by 0.5, with a total attribute increase cap of 500 points (the calculation will restart if you are out of combat for more than 10 seconds).

Cost: 1% mana per second.

Cooldown time: None

Description: Battle! Awesome!

"good!"

Lin Yu was very satisfied with the skill card; it was another skill that could greatly enhance his combat power.

Lin Yu didn't even dare to imagine how strong he would become after activating Dragon Transformation and Borrowing Power, and then activating this skill.

Furthermore, it can also be used to replace the outdated Silver-level skill card, the Seven Subduing Demons Techniques of the Green Mountain Path.

Of course, this thing isn't without its drawbacks. Like the Dragon Transformation skill, it also consumes a percentage of mana, making it difficult for Lin Yu to maintain this state for too long.

Unless he can acquire a way to quickly restore his mana, he probably will never be able to use these abilities at their peak.

"Looks like I need to get something that can quickly restore mana as soon as possible."

Lin Yu shook his head and equipped the skill card directly.

……

Soon, after recovering to about 80-90% of his original condition, Lin Yu got up and decided to personally experience the changes brought about by the community upgrade.

The first one is naturally the reinforcement zone.

As the core area for players to improve their strength, the changes here are the most significant.

Upon entering the enhancement zone, an even stronger energy fluctuation rushed towards us.

The once slightly cramped hall now appears to have been expanded, becoming more spacious and bright.

The enhanced orbs of light were arranged in an orderly fashion, emitting a gentle yet powerful energy fluctuation, waiting for the player to use them.

Many players have already gathered here, their faces beaming with excitement and curiosity, and they are discussing among themselves.

Lin Yu's gaze fell directly into the depths of the area.

There, a brand-new, uniquely shaped machine caught his attention.

It is made entirely of some kind of dark silver metal, with its surface covered with intricate pipes and runes. At its center is a recess for placing equipment, and next to it are several crystal screens that display energy readings and options.

It's the newly added facility in the community – the [Equipment Disassembler].

As Lin Yu stepped forward, the system's user manual immediately flooded his mind.

Equipment Disassembler

Function: Allows players to dismantle unwanted equipment, with a chance to obtain the equipment's forging materials, enchanting essence, in-game currency, or special components.

The quality and quantity of items obtained from dismantling are related to factors such as the quality, durability, and additional effects of the dismantled equipment.

Note: Disassembling is an irreversible operation, please choose carefully. Disassembling high-level equipment has a very low probability of yielding [Equipment Upgrade Ticket Fragments].

Usage fee: A small amount of in-game currency will be charged based on the equipment level.

"That's interesting." Lin Yu stroked his chin; this function was indeed useful.

Players have played through many games, and their backpacks will always accumulate a lot of low-level equipment that is no longer needed or whose attributes are unsuitable. Selling them through the community's trading system is too troublesome.

Now that we have a decomposer, we at least have the opportunity to exchange it for some valuable materials, giving us more options whether to use them ourselves or sell them.

He immediately rummaged through his storage space and pulled out several pieces of black iron and bronze-grade equipment that he had kept hidden away, items that were neither useful nor sold.

They are then placed into the decomposer one by one.

Buzz... hiss...

The machine emitted a soft hum, runes lit up, and the equipment in the slot was enveloped by a beam of light, which quickly dissipated. A moment later, a small amount of material was ejected from the nearby exit.

[Received: 3 Low-Quality Iron Blocks]

[Received: Glimmering Dust*1]

[Received: Damaged animal hide *1]

……

The harvest was meager, but that was to be expected, as these low-level equipment items were not very valuable to begin with.

Lin Yu tried disassembling another piece of silver-grade equipment. This time, he obtained a [Sharp Fang (Silver Material)], a few game coins, and some other miscellaneous materials.

"It seems that dismantling high-level equipment is more valuable, and might even yield [Upgrade Ticket Fragments]." Lin Yu nodded to himself, noting down this feature.

If you find any unusable gold or even platinum equipment in the future, you might want to try your luck with it.

After leaving the enhanced area, Lin Yu strolled around the commercial and entertainment areas.

The number of shops in the commercial area has increased significantly, and the variety of goods is also more abundant.

In addition to the usual supplies, the upgrade added many consumables, low-level potions, and common materials.

In addition, some standard equipment of the black iron and bronze grades have appeared. Their attributes are average, but they are relatively cheap, which is a good supplement for novice or low-level players.

However, for Lin Yu, who was wealthy and dressed in gold, platinum and diamonds, these things were simply beneath his notice. He glanced at them briefly and lost interest.

The upgrades to the entertainment area are reflected in its services and environment.

The restaurant has introduced premium dishes that contain trace amounts of energy and have a better taste. Although they do not directly improve attributes, they can bring a better experience and a slight nourishing effect.

The virtual game arcade has added more immersive experiences, updated its movie library, and even introduced a simulated training ground.

These changes aim to improve players' quality of life and alleviate the mental stress caused by prolonged gaming.

Lin Yu had a casual meal at a restaurant whose decor had been significantly improved, and the food was indeed much better than before.

Finally, he arrived at the player trading area.

The upgrade here that interests him the most is the [Cross-Regional Trading Hall].

A separate, more magnificent portal appeared in the center of the trading area, attracting a constant stream of players. However, all those who entered needed to pay 50 game coins to purchase a "temporary pass".

"The tickets aren't cheap either."

Lin Yu pursed his lips. This price could buy two decent bronze equipment pieces, but he still paid for the game currency, obtained the pass, and then stepped through the portal.

The scene before him shifted, and he found himself in an incredibly vast space, like an interstellar auction house.

Stalls made of countless lights and shadows lined the streets, where players from different numbered communities moved around, talked, and traded using their virtual avatars.

The information stream scrolls and refreshes like a waterfall on the central light screen, displaying various buy and sell information.

"This is the real big market!" Lin Yu's spirits lifted, and he immediately activated [Heavenly Eye] to quickly browse through it.

However, as he continued browsing, his initial excitement gradually cooled down.

The market is indeed huge, with a dazzling array of items, ranging from the lowest-grade materials to gold-grade equipment and skill cards.

The trading activity far exceeds that of the internal market of the 9527 community.

Many things that are rare in 9527 can be found here, and there are even some special products from special worlds.

However, the number of items at platinum level and above has decreased sharply!

Even if they exist, they are mostly materials, with very few finished equipment or skill cards. Moreover, their appearance will cause a frenzy and drive prices extremely high.

Diamond level? Lin Yu wandered around for a long time but didn't even see a shadow of it.

"It seems that high-end resources are scarce everywhere," Lin Yu sighed.

It makes sense. Platinum-level players are among the top players in each community. The top-tier equipment or skills they acquire are either used by themselves, prioritized for internal use, or used for barter. They rarely flow into the open market that is open to all communities.

Even if they exist, they will soon be swept away by other powerful players or organizations.

This cross-regional trading platform is more like a distribution center for low- to mid-range resources and a platform for exchanging high-end information.

For Lin Yu at present, it is indeed not as significant as expected.

He might be able to sell some gold-level items he doesn't need here for in-game currency, but finding treasures that can directly boost his strength is probably very difficult.

Slightly disappointed, Lin Yu left the inter-regional trading bank and returned to his residential community.

I've now experienced most of the changes in the community. Although there are some minor regrets, the overall improvement is still commendable.

In particular, the availability of equipment disassemblers and a more active trading environment are beneficial in the long run.

"It's time to go take a look there." Lin Yu turned his gaze toward the gate of the residential area.

A thought can change communication permissions.

On the gate of the residential complex, the decorative patterns that were originally just decorative gradually lit up, and a deep vortex, seemingly made of pure darkness, slowly rotated and formed on the gate panel.

Behind the door lies the Black Mist World, which Administrator 9527 had mentioned and which Voidwalker had described in detail.

Lin Yu took a deep breath and composed himself.

The golden feather on its shoulder seemed to sense something and became alert, its sharp eagle eyes fixed on the dark vortex.

Without hesitation, Lin Yu took a step forward.

But just as he was about to step into the vortex, a sudden change occurred.

Inside the community entrance, soft white light gathered without warning and quickly condensed into a familiar sphere of light.

It was the community administrator.

Lin Yu paused, raised an eyebrow, and looked at the large ball of light.

"Administrator?" Lin Yu asked, his tone questioning.

He assumed the other party had come because it was his first time entering the Black Mist World, and perhaps had some additional hints or rules to add.

However, the light sphere hovered there, and the fluctuations it emitted seemed slightly different from the previous one, but Lin Yu couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

Hmm... how should I put it, it feels like it lacks a bit of liveliness.

"Player Lin Yu." The light sphere emitted a flat, emotionless synthesized system voice: "Your Level 2 privileges have been activated, and you are about to enter the Black Mist World for the first time. The rules will now be announced."

Lin Yu frowned slightly, sensing that the atmosphere of this meeting was completely different from the last one.

"I know the rules now. I met a friend who told me a lot of information," he said tentatively, wanting to see the other person's reaction.

The light sphere seemed to fluctuate very slightly, but the voice remained calm and steady: "Informing you of the rules is a necessary procedure."

The Black Fog World exists independently of all other neighborhoods and is extremely dangerous.

The basic rules are as follows.

It completely ignored Lin Yu's words about friends and instead began reporting directly:

"I. The fog is full of unknown risks and opportunities."

Second, killing monster projections can yield special items such as [Source Crystals], but will not grant experience points or other loot.

3. Resource points or relics may randomly appear in the black fog.

Fourth, there is a chance of encountering players from other communities, and the interaction rules are the same as in the game world.

Fifth, the residential area is the only safe point and coordinate anchor point; do not lose your way.

6. Please do not stay in any community other than 9527 for more than seven days, as this is dangerous.

7. Good luck.

The big ball of light spoke quickly and clearly, as if reciting a manual.

As Lin Yu listened to these statements, which were largely the same as those of the Void Walker, his sense of unease intensified.

The administrator seemed to be just going through the motions, and... it seemed like they were deliberately avoiding any further interaction with him?

"That's all?" Lin Yu looked at it. "What are the specific effects of source crystallization? Or the markings for more dangerous areas? Are there any other precautions that Level 2 users need to take?"

He tried to ask more probing questions.

"The basic rules have been provided; players are encouraged to explore for more information."

Level 2 users have greater autonomy, but also bear greater risks. The orb of light answered formulaically, then began to flicker slightly, seemingly preparing to leave: "Warning: The black fog environment is complex and unpredictable. Please exercise caution. End of message."

Before Lin Yu could even ask another question, the ball of light "whooshed" and instantly disintegrated into countless points of light, disappearing into the air as if it had never existed.