National destiny: Global tower climbing skills have decreased by 10,000 times.

There's a surprise in Chapter 89, "The Messenger of Death" (a combined two-chapter edition). Click here to unlock it now.

Ye Fei leaned on the table, still holding half a piece of pastry in his hand.

He had just finished watching the chef's live stream, and the scene he had just seen was still replaying in his mind.

Cai Chu's live stream was temporarily paused as he got up to go to the bathroom, while the chat was still flooded with discussions about "fourth-generation fighter jets".

Ye Fei exited and briefly checked the Spire News. He found that several posts on the front page were discussing this matter, with speculations about the "fourth-generation fighter jet" flying everywhere.

Jin Shengwu's performance is still vivid in my mind: in the early game, he used ice hockey to defend; in the mid-game, he activated "Surge" and "Mad Science" with power potions; and in the late game, he unleashed a storm of multi-hit attacks at zero cost.

"Isn't this just a low-spec version of the 'physical machine'?"

Xingyuan was matching for the next game when he heard this and turned around:

"Huh? Do you know what kind of fighting style this is?"

Ye Fei thought for a moment and found the most appropriate answer: "I don't know if what he did counts."

"But I know another very similar style of play."

At this point, he thought to himself:

Compared to the first generation, the second generation's "physical machine" is not as systematic and relies heavily on key cards such as "All Things in One Mind".

He didn't know if the "physical machine" was still valid in this so-called international version.

In Jin Shengwu's game just now, he clearly didn't get the "One Heart for All Things" and "Reprogramming" items; it was a lower-spec version.

Xingyuan's eyes lit up, as if he didn't believe it, but also as if he was genuinely looking forward to it: "Then why don't you play a round?"

Since each character's advancement level is calculated separately, Xingyuan immediately gave up his chair:

"Let me use my account and show you!"

Ye Fei didn't stand on ceremony, sat down, and flexed his fingers.

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

He opened the single-player mode, selected the malfunctioning robot A2, and started the battle.

Xingyuan stood to the side, also supporting himself, watching quietly.

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Kingdom, in the live stream room of "Sick Rice Shaki".

Shaki was leaning back in her chair, hugging the 'Osti' skull hand-shaped pillow.

The screen shows a PVP battle, which has reached a fever pitch.

The player opposite me is the Crown Prince of France, with the ID 'Lumia', which is pronounced 'Lumia' in Chinese.

In the character of 'Lumia', half of her long health bar has turned purple.

Both of them were frantically stacking numbers; the Crown Prince was stacking casting, and Shaki was stacking calamity.

Neither of them took the initiative to attack; they simply stacked numbers and occasionally played one or two attack cards with side effects, but the damage was very low, and both sides could easily defend against them.

The battle scene seemed to be frozen. Apart from the occasional flash of special effects, neither of them attacked the other; they were simply stacking numbers on their own.

However, despite their seemingly relaxed demeanor, the two were actually at each other's throats.

The two players stacked numbers on each other, and the ever-increasing Calamity layers and greatsword damage were like arrows that had been accumulating over each other's heads, ready to explode at any moment.

Once either side's damage exceeds the opponent's maximum health and defense, this arrow will be fired immediately, instantly taking the opponent's life.

Therefore, the competition is about the speed at which the numbers are stacked; whoever stacks them all first wins.

The viewers in the live stream were initially making a fuss, but now they've quieted down considerably and are all focused on watching them engage in their "virtual battle."

"What are they doing? Why aren't they attacking?"

"I don't understand, they look so relaxed. Are they really fighting?"

"Can anyone explain this to me?"

"No, they're stacking buffs. Whoever stacks enough stats to instantly kill the other wins."

"I see!"

"Isn't it just a competition of who draws the best cards?"

"Yes, it's a game of luck. Whoever draws the key card first wins."

Some viewers in the live stream noticed that this battle was no longer a contest of skill, but rather a battle of luck and deck quality.

The more Calamity or Forged cards a player has in their deck, the higher their concentration and the higher their value, the greater their advantage and the faster they can seize the initiative.

Shaki's expression wasn't as relaxed as usual; her brows were slightly furrowed, and she clicked the mouse much slower than usual.

Both of them drew mediocre cards this time. Shaki didn't draw any "high-quality calamity cards" such as "Death Form" or "Death's End".

The opponent, 'Lumia', also failed to draw any "efficient sword-forging cards" such as 'Swordsmith' or 'Sword Saint'.

This caused their battle lines to be stretched thin, and the fighting did not end for several rounds.

Shaki's low efficiency in attacking monsters caused her to progress slower than her opponent, putting her at a significant disadvantage as she was now playing second.

But she always held onto one trump card—

A bottle of "lucky supplement".

In the PVP battle mechanism of "Dragon Slayer Ranking", you can see the opponent's health, status, hand cards, and card play status.

However, you can't see the opponent's complete deck or potion bar.

By utilizing this mechanism, one can leverage information asymmetry to engage in many unexpected games and targeted maneuvers.

Because of this, from the very beginning when she saw that her opponent was the Crown Prince, Shaki was prepared to counter the Sword Forging Style.

She bought a bottle of "lucky potion" at a store when she was a child, and has kept it ever since.

Because it cost gold coins, it also meant giving up the opportunity to buy the "Plague Strike" card.

Now, they finally understood something; some people had already seen through the clues.

Finally, the opponent's sword-forging value reached 55 first. He then played another "Forged in the Flames of War" card, and the damage number of "King's Sword" flashed and jumped to 62, exceeding Shaki's 58 health points.

Without hesitation, he swung his sword down, and an extremely high attack intent number immediately appeared above the Crown Prince's character's head.

A flurry of exclamations flashed across the screen.

Shaki remained completely calm. She calmly opened the bottle of "Lucky Supplement," and the originally fatal damage of "62" points instantly became a joke.

"Lucky Supplement" grants 1 layer of "Buffer" upon use, blocking one instance of damage.

The live stream chat exploded instantly:

"Holy crap, it's the noble Buffer Lord!"

"How long has this medicine been stored?"

"Misfortune Sister is awesome!"

The Crown Prince's attack landed, and the special effect of the giant sword slashing down flashed across the screen, but it only scratched Shaki's "buffer".

Shaki remained calm and played a "Deathbringer" card, raising the Calamity value from 42 to 63, exceeding Lumia's 61 health points.

The purple part instantly pierced through the remaining red health bar, turning it completely purple.

Just then, before the comments section could even celebrate, Lumia also used a bottle of juice.

"Juice" grants 5 maximum health points upon use.

At the end of the round, since his health increased by 5 points, the calamity value could not be calculated, and he was still alive.

"They still had a trick up their sleeve?!"

Someone in the live chat exclaimed in surprise.

The audience was instantly disappointed; their perfectly anticipated counterattack plan had fallen through.

They underestimated their opponent. Shaki might use this tactic, but their opponent, a player with near-second-tier skill, could very well use it as well.

"It's not over yet," Shaki suddenly said.

In the next round, the opponent played four cards in a row, and a high-value attack signal lit up above their head again.

However, Shaki remained completely unconcerned, neither attacking nor defending, and instead casually tossed out a "Negative Energy Pulse" card before clicking "End Turn".

They forgot that calamity points can be retained; even if they fail this round, they will still trigger next round.

The Crown Prince's long-accumulated greatsword has no second chance to be used; once used, it sinks to the bottom of the deck and can only be played after a round of the deck.

Damage calculation: the Necromancer's small hand was killed, and his main body also shuddered violently, taking the hit head-on with his naked body.

The image of the crown prince instantly froze, as a giant hand reaching out from the ground dragged him underground.

The results page popped up, and the 'kill count' increased by 1 again, meaning Shaki had won the final victory.

"We won." Shaki flicked the mouse, lifted 'Osti' above her head, and then hugged it back to her arms.

The chat erupted in cheers:

"Calamity Sister is awesome!"

"That's incredible! They even managed to turn that around!"

"Damn, it really was just one bottle of potion hidden from beginning to end."

"The Calamity Flow is invincible!"

Shaki resumed his lazy tone, chatting casually with the viewers: "It's easy, it's a piece of cake."

A comment popped up in the live chat: "Does the streamer have a boyfriend? When are they getting married?"

Shaki glanced at it and said into the microphone, "Moderator, block this person."

As soon as he finished speaking, that ID was banned and kicked out of the room, and the chat erupted in laughter, with emojis flooding the screen.

A long-time fan passed by and left a comment:

"Sigh, obviously new here. Doesn't know the three taboos of Sister Calamity's live stream."

"Three major taboos?" someone asked.

"You didn't know this? You've been watching Sister Calamity's livestreams for nothing!"

"Sigh, it's normal for someone new here not to know. These three rules are: 1. No asking about relationships; 2. No offering advice about careers; 3. No mentioning boyfriends."

Why?

"If you want to know, go to the fan group. It's not convenient to say here. Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

……

Chapter Ninety: Phantom Assassin

Shaki ignored all of that; she was focused on the settlement page on the screen, where her points had increased again.

Suddenly, a donation effect exploded from the center of the screen, indicating that someone had donated a "luxury car".

Her eyes lit up, her voice instantly switched, becoming completely different, as if a cat was stuck in her throat:

"Thank you for the luxury car, boss! You're so generous. What would you like to see, boss?"

A while later, the boss sent a comment: "Play a round on A4. If you win, you get a tip; if you lose, you sing a song."

The comments section immediately started flooding with messages:

"Fire A4!"

"Just sing it! I want to see, hahaha..."

Shaki clicked on matchmaking, and a successful match notification popped up, displaying the opponent's information:

『Defect Killer』, 980 points, highest level 4, nationality: China, character: spectator.

"Defect Killer..."

"Wrong Killer?" Shaki read it aloud, finding the name a bit strange, but without giving it much thought, she clicked confirm.

But not long after, another system message popped up:

The opponent canceled the match, the battle ended automatically, and you are the default winner of this game.

Points +0, Kills +1

"Huh?" Shaki was taken aback. The match failed, and the screen had already exited. The system automatically returned to the matchmaking interface.

The live chat was silent for a moment, then immediately filled with laughing emojis:

"They won just like that?"

So, will there be any tips/rewards?

"Where's the boss? He's given a tip!"

"He didn't run away, did he?"

Hahahahaha

……

Arriving in the Dragon Kingdom, at the Qingxiao Team's training room.

Several computers in the training room were lit up at the same time, and the team members were each playing on the Dragon Slayer Ranking.

Xuan Niao sat in the corner, his brows slightly furrowed, as the screen in front of him played a replay of the battle between the chefs and Jin Shengwu.

Suddenly, a gasp came from the side.

Xuan Niao turned his head and saw that the short and fat team member "Crow" was staring intently at the screen, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

His fingers flew across the mouse, his movements visibly frantic. Several teammates nearby, drawn by the commotion, gathered around.

The opponent that could alarm professional players must be no ordinary one, so Xuan Niao immediately moved closer.

"What happened?"

On the screen, the malfunctioning robot of the crow is still stacking balls, with several ice balls and electric balls accumulated, but it is still a few rounds away from starting.

Meanwhile, the opponent was playing as an observer, with the ID 'Defect Killer', and had already entered a 'godlike' state.

The purple eye effect covers the entire body, looking extremely oppressive, and it's about to unleash a wave of triple damage.

"Get on guard!" someone nearby couldn't help but shout.

The crow gritted its teeth and used a "Glacier" and a "Leap" to defend, but it was still not enough.

His "Fragmentation+" card sank to the bottom, so even though he had five ice balls above his head, their effect was negligible.

The onlookers on the other side gave him no chance to catch his breath; triple damage came crashing down, and his health bar, along with his block, was instantly shattered.

The malfunctioning robot was killed in a few rounds before it could even start.

"Defeated, points -32".

The crow took off its headphones, collapsed from exhaustion, and gasped for breath. The people around it exchanged bewildered glances, somewhat incredulous.

"The crows have been defeated..." someone began, but then stopped mid-sentence.

They knew that although Crow was just an ordinary member of Qingxiao, he was also a high-win-rate player of the faulty robot A7, a standard top-tier professional player in China.

I was actually defeated by an unknown ID, and was even instantly killed in a few rounds, losing without any chance to fight back.

Xuan Niao stood up, walked behind the crow, glanced at the ID 'Defect Killer' on the screen, and immediately sensed something was wrong.

"The Defect" was the original name of the malfunctioning robot in the game before it was translated.

And isn't 'Defect Killer' exactly the same as 'Defect Robot Killer'?

"Who is this?"

He turned to the team assistant beside him and asked, "Check this ID to see if there's any information!"

The assistant immediately opened the tablet and began typing rapidly. After a moment, she looked up and replied:

"Information is scarce, but some people online have reported sightings—"

"According to their description, this ID only plays against bots. They'll cancel matchmaking for any other character, preferring to lose points rather than play against them."

"And his win rate against malfunctioning robots..."

He paused, then lowered his voice.

"To this day, it remains 100%."

The air in the training room felt suffocating for a moment.

"hundred percent?"

One of the team members broke the silence.

Several people looked at the crow at the same time. His face was pale, and he didn't say anything.

They knew that in the entire tower circle, especially in the Dragon Kingdom, the Faulty Robot was the most challenging and had the most skilled players compared to other roles.

One hundred percent means that no matter who he encounters, whether they are experts or professionals, he will fight them without fail and has never lost.

The fact that I just defeated the crow is the best proof.

Xuan Niao leaned against the table, propped his head up, and fell into deep thought.

He discovered that it seemed impossible to find someone like that in the professional gaming world of China. Either they didn't play as spectators, or their skills weren't up to par.

The only player who is both skilled and matched with other viewers is Cai Chu, and they have already seen Cai Chu's live stream, but he didn't use this ID.

Who exactly is this person?

Xuan Niao didn't think much of it and temporarily regarded him as some unknown new professional.

"Record it!" Xuan Niao's voice was excited. "And make it a key subject of our research!"

"in addition--"

He turned to his assistant: "Contact the chef and ask him if he recognizes this ID."

"If he doesn't know them, he can ask them to inquire within the industry; they might be in the same field."

The assistant nodded and continued typing.

Xuan Niao looked at the ID on the screen again, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"The spectator only attacks malfunctioning bots..."

He had a gut feeling that this "Defect Killer" might be more difficult to deal with than he thought.

Inside the library of Rendon University, United States.

Elan had already left, and the crowd dispersed like the receding tide, leaving only the empty computer desk in the southeast corner, with the Dragon Slayer Ranking results page still visible on the screen.

Several students stood still, their expressions varied, still unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

Someone raised their hand and shouted in the library:

"Elan has been defeated! Elan lost to a Japanese player!"

In less than half an hour, the news of "Elan Vaker's first defeat" made headlines in US esports news.

Breaking News from the Dragon Slayer Ranking: Elan Loses to Japan's Mysterious Player "Sakura's Second Slash"

Elan's seven-game winning streak comes to an end, suffering a crushing defeat.

"The Fall of Elan! First Defeat to Japan"

These news items spread like wildfire throughout the American esports community, and the focus of discussion quickly shifted from Elan's defeat to the opponent's ID.

——"Sakura's second sword".

The previous "Sakura's First Sword" was exposed for cheating when challenging the Dragon Kingdom Hunter, and he slunk off the show and ran away, becoming a laughing stock on the global internet.

Now comes the "second slash," with the same ID and the same character, but displaying a completely different image. Not only is he powerful, but he is also very upright.

In his very first appearance, he defeated the American prodigy Elan, which was tantamount to the United States losing to a "clown," a tremendous humiliation.

In his very first appearance, he defeated the American prodigy Elan, which was tantamount to the United States losing to a "clown," a tremendous humiliation.

The comment sections under these news articles exploded with angry reactions: some were furious, believing that Elan had underestimated his opponent and tarnished the image of the United States.

Some people worry that Japan's hunters have really developed to the point where they can reach the top level without cheating.

Others disagree, arguing that games are inherently random and losing a game is normal.

Soon, a post was pushed to the top of the US esports forum:

Hefty reward offered: "The Second Slash of Cherry Blossom"

"Anyone who defeats the opponent once, with video evidence, will be rewarded with 2000 meters of poundage."

The poster's ID was verified; he was the owner of a well-known esports club in the United States.

The bounty caused a sensation throughout the US esports community. 2000 pounds is no small sum, but what's even more significant than the money is—

The person who defeats "Second Slash" not only surpasses Elan but also becomes a hero who saves face for the United States, reaping both fame and fortune.

In no time, many top players in the United States who didn't usually participate in the Dragon Slayer Ranking started registering accounts and conducting a thorough search for and matching "Sakura's Second Slash".

The bounty is being discussed everywhere – on forums, social media, and live streaming platforms.

Some people have even created dedicated groups to share matchmaking information in real time, and have prepared specific roles and countermeasures.

Once found, we will snipe it immediately!

The comment sections under these news articles exploded with angry reactions: some were furious, believing that Elan had underestimated his opponent and tarnished the image of the United States.

Some people worry that Japan's hunters have really developed to the point where they can reach the top level without cheating.

Others disagree, arguing that games are inherently random and losing a game is normal.

Soon, a post was pushed to the top of the US esports forum:

Hefty reward offered: "The Second Slash of Cherry Blossom"

"Anyone who defeats the opponent once, with video evidence, will be rewarded with 2000 meters of poundage."

The poster's ID was verified; he was the owner of a well-known esports club in the United States.

The bounty caused a sensation throughout the US esports community. 2000 pounds is no small sum, but what's even more significant than the money is—

The person who defeats "Second Slash" not only surpasses Elan but also becomes a hero who saves face for the United States, reaping both fame and fortune.

In no time, many top players in the United States who didn't usually participate in the Dragon Slayer Ranking started registering accounts and conducting a thorough search for and matching "Sakura's Second Slash".

The bounty is being discussed everywhere – on forums, social media, and live streaming platforms.

Some people have even created dedicated groups to share matchmaking information in real time, and have prepared specific roles and countermeasures.

Once found, we will snipe it immediately!

Renowned author Dujiangwei has joined the platform with his new work, "National Destiny: Global Tower Climbing Level Drops by 10,000 Times"!

The comment sections under these news articles exploded with angry reactions: some were furious, believing that Elan had underestimated his opponent and tarnished the image of the United States.

Some people worry that Japan's hunters have really developed to the point where they can reach the top level without cheating.

Others disagree, arguing that games are inherently random and losing a game is normal.

Soon, a post was pushed to the top of the US esports forum:

Hefty reward offered: "The Second Slash of Cherry Blossom"

"Anyone who defeats the opponent once, with video evidence, will be rewarded with 2000 meters of poundage."

The poster's ID was verified; he was the owner of a well-known esports club in the United States.

The bounty caused a sensation throughout the US esports community. 2000 pounds is no small sum, but what's even more significant than the money is—

The person who defeats "Second Slash" not only surpasses Elan but also becomes a hero who saves face for the United States, reaping both fame and fortune.

In no time, many top players in the United States who didn't usually participate in the Dragon Slayer Ranking started registering accounts and conducting a thorough search for and matching "Sakura's Second Slash".

The bounty is being discussed everywhere – on forums, social media, and live streaming platforms.

Some people have even created dedicated groups to share matchmaking information in real time, and have prepared specific roles and countermeasures.

Once found, we will snipe it immediately!

The comment sections under these news articles exploded with angry reactions: some were furious, believing that Elan had underestimated his opponent and tarnished the image of the United States.

Some people worry that Japan's hunters have really developed to the point where they can reach the top level without cheating.

Others disagree, arguing that games are inherently random and losing a game is normal.

Soon, a post was pushed to the top of the US esports forum:

Hefty reward offered: "The Second Slash of Cherry Blossom"

"Anyone who defeats the opponent once, with video evidence, will be rewarded with 2000 meters of poundage."

The poster's ID was verified; he was the owner of a well-known esports club in the United States.

The bounty caused a sensation throughout the US esports community. 2000 pounds is no small sum, but what's even more significant than the money is—

The person who defeats "Second Slash" not only surpasses Elan but also becomes a hero who saves face for the United States, reaping both fame and fortune.

In no time, many top players in the United States who didn't usually participate in the Dragon Slayer Ranking started registering accounts and conducting a thorough search for and matching "Sakura's Second Slash".

The bounty is being discussed everywhere – on forums, social media, and live streaming platforms.

Some people have even created dedicated groups to share matchmaking information in real time, and have prepared specific roles and countermeasures.

Once found, we will snipe it immediately!

(Latest Update on National Fortune: Global Tower Climbing Skills Have Decreased by 10,000 Times)

The comment sections under these news articles exploded with angry reactions: some were furious, believing that Elan had underestimated his opponent and tarnished the image of the United States.

Some people worry that Japan's hunters have really developed to the point where they can reach the top level without cheating.

Others disagree, arguing that games are inherently random and losing a game is normal.

Soon, a post was pushed to the top of the US esports forum:

Hefty reward offered: "The Second Slash of Cherry Blossom"

"Anyone who defeats the opponent once, with video evidence, will be rewarded with 2000 meters of poundage."

The poster's ID was verified; he was the owner of a well-known esports club in the United States.

The bounty caused a sensation throughout the US esports community. 2000 pounds is no small sum, but what's even more significant than the money is—

The person who defeats "Second Slash" not only surpasses Elan but also becomes a hero who saves face for the United States, reaping both fame and fortune.

In no time, many top players in the United States who didn't usually participate in the Dragon Slayer Ranking started registering accounts and conducting a thorough search for and matching "Sakura's Second Slash".

The bounty is being discussed everywhere – on forums, social media, and live streaming platforms.

Some people have even created dedicated groups to share matchmaking information in real time, and have prepared specific roles and countermeasures.

Once found, we will snipe it immediately!