152: New players

The collective mealtime arrived. The temporary cafeteria was filled with the mixed smell of food and disinfectant, yet the atmosphere was even more oppressive than outside.

Along the long makeshift dining tables, weary soldiers sat sparsely. Most were just mechanically shoving food into their mouths, tasting nothing, their eyes vacant or staring down at their plates to avoid eye contact with others.

Chen Long did not appear. No one knew where he had gone, and no one dared to disturb him.

Lu Guangming held his own tray, his gaze sweeping across the cafeteria.

He saw Sun Xiaohui, Wu Yan, and Lin Yuqing sitting at a table in the corner.

They had once been a group of four, training and fooling around together with Zhao Qiang, their bond the strongest.

Now, that table had an empty seat, like a gaping hole carved out of their hearts.

The three ate in silence, with almost no communication. Lin Yuqing's eyes were still red.

He then saw Wang Pang sitting alone at the other end. Usually the biggest eater, he now stared blankly at the braised pork can on his plate.

Zhai Yingying carried her tray over and silently sat opposite him. The two merely nodded at each other, not speaking.

The usually vibrant "small groups" in the class, big and small, were now crushed by sorrow and silence, like seedlings wilted by frost.

Lu Guangming withdrew his gaze, understanding in his heart. Disaster and loss were the most destructive to people, yet also the most... capable of fostering a desire for change.

"It's time to sow more 'seeds' in the soil of Class One."

While eating unhurriedly, he split off a strand of consciousness and sank into the core management interface of the Main God System.

[player management]

[Formal Player Count: 19 / 30]

[Temporary Player Count: 100 / 120]

His gaze swept over the formal player list. At the top was:

1. [Lord of Strength] (Ivanov) Tier 4 Level 25, Status: Lightly Injured.

Following closely from second to fifth place were IDs uniformly prefixed with "Strength" and all marked with the eye-catching [Tier 4] label! It was as if Ivan had invited his body parts into the game.

2. [Brain of Strength] (Andrei Sokolov) Tier 4 Level 20, Status: Healthy (Jinzhou City)

3. [Right Hand of Strength] (Yekaterina Ivanova) Tier 4 Level 20, Status: Healthy (North Bear Country · Siberia Training Camp)

4. [Shadow of Strength] (Nikolai Petrov) Tier 4 Level 16, Status: Healthy (North Bear Country · Aurora Fortress)

5. [Shoulder of Strength] (Vitaly Kuznetsov) Tier 4 Level 22, Status: Healthy (North Bear Country · Far East Outpost)

"Tsk, this guy Ivan..." Lu Guangming looked at this neat row of IDs, like military unit designations, and the uniform "Tier 4" labels behind them, his mouth twitching involuntarily.

He shook his head, somewhat speechless, but had to admit that Ivan's move was extremely efficient, instantly adding four top-tier combatants to the player faction.

In comparison, Chen Long, a newly advanced "wild" S-rank with heavy emotional baggage, was indeed not that rare.

"However, precisely because of this, we need to cultivate more reliable 'own people' locally."

Lu Guangming's eyes narrowed slightly. "Especially core combatants like Chen Long. If brought into the system framework, both controllability and growth potential would greatly increase. He's currently unyielding and needs a bit of... 'stimulation.'"

His target locked onto the small group where Zhao Qiang had been before his death, now shrouded in sorrow.

Sun Xiaohui (Spirit), Wu Yan (Physique), Wang Anyu (Sensing). These three had good talent, tacit cooperation, deep Deep affection, and were currently at their most vulnerable, most desiring to change the status quo.

Perfect "seed" candidates.

With a thought, Lu Guangming used the system to simultaneously send a uniformly formatted "Main God Game" invitation to these three, with content slightly adjusted based on the system's scan of their subconscious.

The invitation did not forcibly pop up but appeared in the depths of their consciousness in a form similar to a "flash of inspiration" or "inner whisper," emerging quietly during their relaxed mental state while eating.

---

In the corner, Sun Xiaohui was unconsciously stirring the mushy food in her bowl with a spoon, but her mind kept flashing to Zhao Qiang's stunned eyes when he was finally pierced by the Wind Blade.

Her nose stung, and she quickly lowered her head.

At that moment, a line of clear yet eerie text appeared "before her eyes" without warning—not seen through her eyes but directly imprinted into her mind:

[Do you want to possess powerful strength?]

[Do you want to resurrect your friend?]

[Welcome to the Main God's Game.]

[Confirm / Confirm]

Sun Xiaohui shuddered all over. The spoon clattered into the bowl, splashing broth.

She jerked her head up, her face instantly turning pale, her eyes filled with shock, fear, and a trace of... faint hope she wasn't even aware of.

Resurrect... Zhao Qiang?

How was that possible?! Was it an illusion? A mental attack? Or the seduction of some evil Inheritor?

She instinctively looked at Wu Yan and Wang Anyu across from her. She saw Wu Yan also staring wide-eyed at the air before him, his lips pressed white.

Wang Anyu frowned deeply, one hand pressing his temple, with extremely faint, barely detectable energy fluctuations around him—he was using his precise energy Perception ability to investigate the source of this "message."

Their gazes met in the air, each seeing shock and confusion in the others' eyes.

"You... received it too?" Wu Yan asked in a hoarse voice, almost mouthing the words.

Wang Anyu nodded gravely, Lower your voice. Lower your voice.:

"Not an external mental invasion... this message seems to 'generate' from within our consciousness. I can't perceive the source or any malicious energy attached. But..."

He paused. "It bypassed all my Conventional mental defense."

Sun Xiaohui took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She "looked" at those lines of text again, especially the words "resurrect your friend," which seemed to have a magical grip on the deepest desire and pain in her heart.

What if it were true?

What if, by some chance, it were true?

Even if the possibility were one in a hundred million... She knew this thought was dangerous, likely a trap. But the intense pain and helplessness of losing a close friend made her The rational defense line is exceptionally fragile. at this moment.

"If it were true..." she murmured, her voice trembling.

Wu Yan and Wang Anyu looked at her.

Sun Xiaohui closed her eyes, then opened them, a flash of determination in her eyes. Without further hesitation, she used her consciousness to "touch" the [Confirm] option.

Instantly, she felt a cool, indescribable "data stream" flood into her consciousness. It wasn't painful; instead, it brought a strange clarity.

Immediately after, a complex, semi-transparent game interface with a futuristic tech aesthetic elegantly unfolded in her vision. On the left were her half-body phantom and several lines of basic attribute data; on the right were functional sections: [Personal Panel], [Skills], [Tasks], [backpack], [store], [Friends], [Commissions]... Below was a row of skill slots.

In the bottom left corner, a small chat box icon was blinking.

Had she really... entered a "game"?

Meanwhile, seeing the change in Sun Xiaohui's eyes, Wu Yan gritted his teeth. "Damn it, desperate times call for desperate measures! I'll try too!" He also chose to confirm.

Seeing this, Wang Anyu gave a bitter smile, but his eyes grew firm. "Since that's the case... I'll accompany you. If we die, we die together; if we grow stronger, we grow stronger together."

He also made his choice.

The three of them almost simultaneously immersed themselves in their respective system interfaces, their facial expressions shifting unpredictably—surprise, curiosity, confusion, and a faint hint of excitement.

From a distance, Lu Guangming took it all in, the corner of his mouth curling into a satisfied arc.

"Excellent, three seeds have sprouted smoothly."

His mood brightened, "There are still two slots for formal players left... I need to make good use of them. It would be best to form a relatively well-rounded team with a core, so they can combine their strengths and also... better provoke that aloof guy."

His gaze swept across the cafeteria, quickly locking onto a target.

Shi Lie.

That academy elite who was once corrupted by the Source of Frenzy, later purified, possessing the potential of 'Extinguishing Flame'.

He is extremely powerful, with a wild yet precise combat style, highly respected in Class One, and even Wang Anyu and the others admire him.

Moreover, his unique experience of nearly losing control and being pulled back has given him a deeper understanding of 'strength' and 'control'.

More importantly, the essence of his Superpower is related to 'destruction' and 'extinction,' which might unexpectedly resonate or complement Lu Guangming's 'Annihilation' Rules.

"He's the one." With a thought, Lu Guangming sent an invitation to Shi Lie, who was eating alone with his head down. The wording was more direct, emphasizing 'mastering frenzied power' and 'exploring the truth of extinction.'

Shi Lie paused, suddenly looked up, a sharp, knife-like glint flashing in his eyes.

He glanced around, his gaze lingering for a moment between the system interface and the reality before him, his brow furrowed as if in intense struggle. A few seconds later, his eyes hardened, and he made a choice.

[Formal Players: 23 / 30]

"One more left..." Lu Guangming pondered. This team already had damage dealers (Wu Yan, Shi Lie), defense/crowd control (Sun Xiaohui), Perception/support (Wang Anyu). What was needed was someone more inclined toward healing, support, or... a core that could connect everyone?

His gaze finally turned toward the direction of the medical area.

Su Xiaowan.

She was still unconscious, but the system's monitoring showed her vital signs were stable, only her spirit and energy were severely depleted.

"The nature of her power is too unique and important. If it can be guided, protected, and studied within the system's framework, its value would be immeasurable. Moreover, her 'Hope Healing' ability is precisely the 'adhesive' and 'stabilizer' this team, and even the entire collective, currently needs most." Lu Guangming made up his mind.

An extremely gentle, soothing, and guiding invitation—not mentioning strength or resurrection, but emphasizing 'understanding the true meaning of life,' 'sowing seeds of hope,' 'finding solace and companions in the game'—quietly entered the depths of Su Xiaowan's subconscious as she slept.

On the medical bed, Su Xiaowan's furrowed brow seemed to relax slightly in her unconscious state, and her pale fingers moved unconsciously.

In a dream deep within her consciousness, she seemed to hear gentle whispers and see vibrant green light and a friendly interface.

Driven by an instinctive affinity for 'life' and 'hope,' and a deep-seated longing for companions and healing everything, she gave an affirmative response in her haze.

[Formal Players: 24 / 30]

Success.

Lu Guangming let out a soft sigh. A nascent team with Shi Lie at its core had quietly formed.

They were familiar with each other, had a solid emotional foundation, and were now connected through the mysterious bond of the 'Main God Game.'

It was foreseeable that when they started using the system to enhance their strength and displayed growth speeds far surpassing ordinary people, they would inevitably cause an Impact on those around them.

Especially... Chen Long, who was still immersed in self-blame and refused 'shortcuts.'

"The seeds have been sown, and income will increase again."

Although there were many temporary players, they only balanced the system's income and expenses. Formal players were the biggest source of revenue.

Lu Guangming withdrew his gaze and focused on the already cold food on his plate, "Next, we'll just wait and see how they break through the soil and how... they stir this stagnant pond."

He seemed to already see the ripples that would soon arise within Class One due to this suddenly 'cheating' team, and the possible wavering and struggle on Chen Long's stubborn face.

---

Meanwhile, in their respective system interfaces.

Sun Xiaohui, Wu Yan, and Wang Anyu were exploring this sudden 'game' with shock and curiosity. They saw their attributes, the empty skill slots, the first guidance task [Familiarize with Interface] in the mission list, and the [Chat] channel flashing with prompts.

Sun Xiaohui hesitated for a moment, then mentally clicked on [Chat]. The interface switched, already filled with various messages, IDs of all kinds:

[Little Girl Picking Mushrooms]: "Is anyone still in Jiangcheng City? Did everyone go to the front lines? Anyone want to team up for the rift to the east? I'm afraid I can't handle it alone QAQ"

[Blacksmith Old Liu]: "Buying all kinds of metal materials and Superpower residues! Fair prices!"

[Broke but Still Chatting]: "Latest news! On the northern battlefield, Great Master Wisdom led people to blast the Xinzhou Country alliance with a 'big firecracker'! Awesome!"

[Glazed Beauty Curse]: "How does everyone make weapons? Anyone have guides to share?"

[Superpower is Laji]: "Yeah, many people haven't made weapons yet. Looking at Great Master Wisdom's flashy axe, it must require a lot of materials."

[Class Hunk Meng Zihao]: "The weapon system just came out, and everyone's at the front. I've only seen Great Master Wisdom with a weapon. By the way, why does the big shot carry a giant axe? Can't it fit in the backpack?"

Sun Xiaohui (ID: Spirit Eyes) looked at these completely unfamiliar yet strangely familiar conversations, just like an ordinary online game channel, and felt dazed. Was this really... a 'game'?

Wu Yan and Wang Anyu also saw the channel content and exchanged glances.

"This... doesn't seem fake?" Wu Yan said uncertainly.

"It looks like quite a few people are already in this 'game,'" Wang Anyu mused, "and what they're discussing—'northern battlefield,' 'Great Master Wisdom,' 'big firecracker'—seems related to reality."

Just then, a new message with a faint golden border floated across the top of the channel:

Before Sun Xiaohui and the other two could ponder further, they saw the user with the ID [Burning Extinction] coldly post a message in the regional channel:

[Burning Extinction]: "Boring."

Then there was silence.

Meanwhile, the player with the ID [light of hope] (Su Xiaowan) never spoke in the channel, and her avatar remained gray.

Sun Xiaohui looked at the active conversations, her brand-new 'game character,' and remembered the invitation's phrase 'resurrect your friend.' The faint spark of hope in her heart seemed stirred, igniting a trace of warmth.

Perhaps... something really had changed.

She took a deep breath and tried to send her first message in the channel, a simple question mark:

[Spirit Eyes]: "?"

[System: Your coins are insufficient]

Sun Xiaohui: "?"

Outside the window, the night grew darker. The silence of Jinjiao Camp seemed to quietly connect with a subtle light.