111: The final boss, Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's Revenge 1

This is a real Western Xuanhuan world.

Here, there are towering magic sacred mountains that reach into the clouds,

ancient sea sirens entrenched in the deep sea,

orc cavalry galloping across the plains,

and ancient Elf trees that govern the Law of elements.

At the pinnacle of this world resides the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor, who dwells in the Abyss of Eternal Night and wields the authority of death.

It is a primordial Dragon born at the beginning of creation, with scales like poured black jade, wings that span the sky, and a breath that can incinerate mountains and freeze galaxies.

For billions of years, countless creatures coveting its throne have challenged it, only to end up as cold bones at the bottom of the abyss.

In the mind of the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor, it is the absolute Dominator of this world,

and so-called "challenges" are merely boring sacrifices offered by ants to a Dragon.

Until one day, when fissure after fissure, shimmering with ghostly blue light, tore open in the sky.

From these fissures, a group of strange-looking "intruders" poured out.

They possessed no powerful Bloodline, no inherited magic; all they had were garish armor and weapons that shimmered with a cheap luster.

These intruders clamored as they charged toward the Abyss of Eternal Night, brandishing their weapons at the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor,

but their attacks landed on the Dragon Emperor's scales without leaving so much as a scratch.

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor swept a disdainful glance at them, and with a passing breath, the group of intruders turned into specks of light and dissipated into the air.

"Vulnerable ants."

The Dragon Emperor flicked its tail, casting this insignificant episode to the back of its mind.

But it did not know that this was merely the beginning of a nightmare.

Those specks of light were nothing more than the players' "returning to town and respawning."

These players came from ten thousand Blue Stars,

and the mysterious entity named Narsst was the one who packaged this real world into a holographic game called "Divine Domain Expedition."

He stripped away the world's true authority and gave every intruder the shell of a "virtual character."

The game characters were identical to the players' true selves; upon death, they only needed to pay a small amount of Universe currency to return at full health at a dedicated respawn point,

and could even use the "experience points" accumulated from their previous death to exchange for stronger attributes and more overbearing skills.

Ten thousand Blue Stars, hundreds of billions of players, flooded into this defenseless world.

They knew full well that every blade of grass, every beast, and every living creature on this land was a living, breathing existence;

Elves would weep for withered ancient trees, human knights would die to protect their city-states, and orc children would chase butterflies on the plains.

But the players did not care, even though they knew the truth clearly.

To the players, this was just a game with top-tier graphics and maximum freedom.

They besieged fleeing Elves in the forest just to loot the "Elf Bowstring" from their bodies,

they slaughtered the human royal city just to seize the "Sword of Kingship" from deep within the palace,

and they infiltrated orc tribes, listing the fangs of cubs as "rare Materials" on the trade board.

Resistance? Of course, there was.

Elf magic arrows had pierced players' throats,

human holy swords had split open players' chests,

and orc giant axes had crushed players' skulls.

But when the players reappeared as specks of light, all resistance became futile.

Death was no longer the end, but a stepping stone to becoming stronger.

On the real Universe game forums, posts about "Divine Domain Expedition" were overwhelming:

《Speedrun Guide: Hidden Chest Coordinates in the Elf Sacred Mountain》

《No-Damage Farming: Orc Tribe Campfire Positioning Tricks》

《Ultimate Goal: Slaughter the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor, Take the Server First Kill》

...

Players exchanged experiences and shared tactics on the forums,

treating the living creatures of this world as "mobs" to be farmed,

and treating the civilization of this world as "dungeons" to be raided.

They formed guilds, formulated tactics, and launched charge after charge toward the Abyss of Eternal Night.

At first, the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor remained disdainful.

Time and time again, players turned into specks of light under its dragon breath,

and time and time again, new players poured out from the fissures.

Their Ranks grew higher, their equipment better, and their skills stronger.

From the initial inability to break through its scales with a single sword strike, to later attacks that could make the Dragon Emperor feel a sting,

from collapsing at the first touch to being able to hold their own against it for a while.

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's brow finally furrowed.

It began to take these intruders seriously, utilizing the authority of death to summon an army of thousands of undead.

But the players were like madmen, rushing forward one after another, using their respawn counts to grind the undead to death and using guild zerg tactics to deplete its stamina.

On the forums, the guide for subjugating the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor had been updated to the 999th version, with every detail analyzed thoroughly:

where its weaknesses were, how long its skill cooldowns were, and when it would enter its weakened state.

Finally, that day arrived.

The sky was completely covered by ghostly blue fissures, and hundreds of millions of players gathered outside the Abyss of Eternal Night.

Leading them was a female player named Su Cheng.

She was the leader of the "Dawn Alliance," the number one guild in the entire "Divine Domain Expedition" server,

wielding the "star blade" forged from the Souls of ninety-nine Elf Elders,

and clad in the "Eternal Night Armor" woven from the reverse scales of an Abyss Magic Dragon.

Behind her were one million elites from the top ten guilds,

with dazzling Rank numbers floating above everyone's heads,

and everyone holding a Divine Artifact that shimmered with world-destroying light.

This was a massive, grand-scale final subjugation battle.

War drums thundered, and horns blared.

Players surged toward the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor like a tidal wave.

Magic and battle Qi tore through the sky, while arrows and artillery fire blanketed the earth.

Su Cheng took the lead, her star blade slicing through the Dragon Emperor's defense and leaving a wound deep enough to see the bone on its shoulder blade.

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor roared in counterattack; its dragon breath incinerated swaths of players, and its sharp claws shredded countless guild banners.

But the fallen players turned into specks of light, only to rush back from the respawn point the next second;

their attacks grew increasingly fierce, and their coordination became more seamless.

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's stamina was draining rapidly; its scales began to crack, and its dragon wings were covered in wounds.

It looked at the endless sea of players before it, at the fanatical smiles on their faces,

and at the "First Kill," "Rewards," and "Guides" they shouted from their mouths.

An unprecedented chill spread from the depths of the Dragon Emperor's heart to its very limbs.

It finally understood.

These intruders were not ants; they were fed predators,

and it was not a Dominator, but a final BOSS kept in captivity.

This world had been treated by some high-and-mighty existence as a playground for ten thousand Blue Star players to indulge in wanton fun!

Those wailing creatures, those shattered civilizations, that flowing blood,

in the eyes of the players, were nothing more than "plot points," "Easter eggs," and "rewards" in a game.

"ROAR!!!"

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor let out a mournful cry that shattered the heavens and earth;

in this cry, there was anger, unwillingness, despair, and even more, endless guilt toward the living creatures of this world.

It exhausted its last ounce of strength, wanting to tear open the fissures in the sky and see the true face of the mastermind behind the scenes.

But Su Cheng's star blade had already pierced its heart.

The sharp blade twisted, and the Dragon Emperor's massive body collapsed with a crash.

The ground of the Abyss of Eternal Night was stained red by hot dragon blood.

Su Cheng stepped on the Dragon Emperor's head and raised the star blade high, while hundreds of millions of players erupted in deafening cheers.

The forums crashed instantly, and countless posts flooded the screen:

《Congratulations to Su Cheng of the Dawn Alliance for taking the server First Kill!》

《Final Version of the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor Guide, thanks to all guilds for their full support!》

《A new era is here; the next target is the ruins of the Creator God!》

...

In the last moment before its consciousness dissipated, the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor saw Su Cheng's face, stained red by victory.

It saw a blurry figure slowly emerge from the fissures in the sky, and that figure revealed an appreciative smile toward Su Cheng.

That was Narsst.

He had taken a liking to this decisive and exceptionally talented female player.

Later stories were passed down as celebrated tales on the player forums.

Su Cheng became a legend of "Divine Domain Expedition" and became Narsst's lover; she abandoned her Blue Star identity,

flew away with Narsst, and lived a happy life that others envied.

But no one remembered, and no one cared,

that this was a living, breathing world.

Every day, every moment, new players poured out from the fissures.

Their footsteps shattered the peace of this world.

【Plot summary complete】

【Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's wish: Take revenge on all players】

Qin Jiuge revealed a hint of interest:

"A bit interesting. I've thought of a fun way to play."

...

...

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor slowly opened its eyes, its black jade-like scales shimmering with an unfathomable luster under the dim light.

It raised its foreclaw, the spot that had been pierced by Su Cheng's star blade in the previous life,

now intact, even surging with an unprecedented power.

"I actually experienced Rebirth?!"

This sentence echoed in the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's Sea of Consciousness, and immediately after, Qin Jiuge's voice penetrated directly into its Soul:

"I have given you invincible power. Enjoy this game."

...

...

Game rules updated.

A scarlet System announcement popped up on all players' interfaces simultaneously:

【Emergency Announcement: Abnormal data intrusion detected】

【New rules in effect: All players must defeat the final BOSS, the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor, within 20 years of real-world time.】

【Penalty for failure: When the 20-year deadline arrives, if the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor has not been killed, the real-world planets where all players reside (a total of ten thousand Blue Stars) will be completely destroyed by the power of the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor.】

【Supplementary note: The in-game resurrection mechanism remains unchanged; after death, players can pay Universe currency to respawn at resurrection points.】

【Countdown starts: 19 years, 364 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes...】

...The forums exploded.

"What's going on? A forced world-destruction quest?"

"Have the developers lost their minds? Failure leads to direct destruction in reality?"

"Black Coffin Dragon Emperor data is abnormal; the System indicates it cannot parse its current attributes."

"Urgent meeting notice for the Dawn Alliance."

...Su Cheng stared at the System panel before her, her slender fingers typing rapidly on the virtual keyboard.

As the guild leader of the top guild in the entire server, she immediately convened the leaders of the ten major guilds.

"This is the game's new expansion pack."

The War Temple guild leader, "Mad Blade," said during the video conference,

"It must be the ultimate challenge designed by Lord Narsst."

"Isn't the penalty for failure too exaggerated?"

"Moon Shadow" of the Elf Song guild frowned,

"Destroy the world we live in? How is that possible..."

"In 'God's Domain Expedition,' what is impossible?"

Su Cheng chuckled, her eyes flashing with excitement,

"Lord Narsst once said that this game would grant us power beyond our imagination."

"This must be the final trial. The rewards will surely be even more generous."

The meeting's final decision: All guilds will prepare for battle with full force; they must take down the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor within 20 years.

No one chose to quit the game.

...At the bottom of the Abyss of Eternal Night, the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor spread its wings and rose.

Its Dragon wings, which blotted out the sky, tore through the darkness of the abyss; for the first time, it voluntarily left its lair.

In its past life, it only realized the truth of this world at the very last moment; in this life, it would take the initiative to strike.

First stop: The Forest of the Ancient Elf Tree.

When the Dragon Emperor's massive figure appeared above the Elf Royal City, the entire forest fell into panic.

Elf archers drew their longbows, mages chanted spells, and the branches and leaves of the ancient trees stirred without wind.

"Stop."

An aged voice rang out.

The Elf Queen, Alia, walked out of the royal palace, looking up at the giant Dragon in the sky.

Memories of the past life surged in the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor's mind.

It was this very queen who, when players besieged the Elf Sacred Mountain, fought until the very last moment to protect her people.

Her Soul was extracted by players and crafted into an enchantment Materials for Su Cheng's weapon.

"Black Coffin Dragon Emperor,"

Alia's voice was calm,

"Why have you left the Abyss of Eternal Night?"

The Dragon Emperor landed on the ground, causing the earth to tremble.

It gazed at the fearful and wary faces of the elves and spoke slowly, its voice spreading throughout the entire forest through magical resonance:

"Have you seen a group of otherworldly visitors who call themselves 'players'?"

"They hunt your kin, extract your Souls, and treat your homeland as a playground."

The elves became restless.

Three months ago, a group of strange "adventurers" had indeed attacked a border village.

After dying, they turned into points of light and vanished, only to reappear unscathed a few days later to continue hunting elves.

"Those are invaders from ten thousand different worlds."

The Dragon Emperor's voice carried suppressed anger,

"They treat our world as a game field, and to them, our lives and deaths are merely data."

"And I am the final target of their raid."

Alia's face turned pale:

"How... do you know all this?"

"I have witnessed the future."

The Dragon Emperor did not explain the matter of Rebirth,

"Twenty years from now, if we do not resist, this world will be completely destroyed."

"The elves will be wiped out, human kingdoms will turn to ruins, and orc tribes will be slaughtered."

"And they will cheer over our corpses, celebrating that they have cleared another 'dungeon'."

"Why should we believe you?"

An Elder questioned,

"You are the very symbol of destruction, Black Coffin Dragon Emperor!"

The Dragon Emperor was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised its front claw.

A gentle golden light flowed from its claw tip, enveloping an injured elf warrior.

That was a cursed wound left over from a battle with players in a past life, one that could not heal.

The wound recovered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"This is not the power of the Death Authority..."

Alia was shocked,

"This is... the Law of Life?"

"I have obtained power that transcends this world."

The Dragon Emperor withdrew its claw,

"Not for dominion, but for salvation."

The elves fell into silence.

Finally, Alia stepped forward:

"We need proof."

"Three days from now, a player army will attack the Moonlit Lake in the southwest, hunting the Moon Shadow Unicorns there to obtain 'Moonlight Horn' Materials."

The Dragon Emperor spoke of its memories from the past life,

"You can go and verify it. If what I say is true..."

"The Elf race will fight alongside you."

Alia solemnly promised.

...Three days later, by the shores of Moonlit Lake.

A "hunting party" composed of five hundred players quietly snuck into the forest.

Leading them was the vice-leader of the mid-tier guild "Dark Moon Fang"; they had purchased intelligence from the forums:

The Moonlit Lake refreshes the rare elite "Moon Shadow Unicorn," and the Advanced Materials it drops can sell for quite a bit of Universe currency.

"Get ready, same old rules: warriors pull aggro, mages deal damage, priests watch your healing."

The vice-leader commanded in the team channel,

"This time we must get a perfect-quality Moonlight Horn; people on the forums are already offering high prices for it."

The players rubbed their hands in excitement.

To them, this was just another pleasant "treasure hunting activity."

They didn't notice that hidden in the forest on the other side of the lake were three thousand elf archers and one hundred elf mages.

They also didn't notice that high above the clouds, a pair of Dragon eyes were coldly watching everything.

When the first magic arrow was fired at the unicorn, a rain of arrows from the elves descended from the sky.

"Enemy attack!"

"It's the Elf NPCs! Why are there so many of them?"

"Don't be afraid, if we die, we'll just respawn and come back!"

The battle broke out.

The players soon realized something was wrong; these elves' tactical coordination far exceeded what they had seen before, and they were specifically targeting their priests and healing classes.

Even more terrifyingly, whenever a player died and turned into a point of light, the elf mages would immediately cast "Spatial Interference,"

That was an interference magic taught by the Dragon Emperor, specifically targeting resurrection teleportation.

After one-third of the players died, their points of light flickered a few times and then simply dissipated.

Their process of respawning at the resurrection point was forcibly interrupted, their character data became corrupted, and they had to wait six hours in real-world time before they could log in again.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

The vice-leader panicked.

But their retreat path had been cut off.

The Black Coffin Dragon Emperor dove down from the clouds; its Dragon breath didn't even need to be aimed, as the mere aftershock vaporized dozens of players into points of light.

The battle ended within ten minutes.

All five hundred players were wiped out, with one hundred and seventy of them temporarily unable to respawn due to spatial interference.

The elf warriors watched as the "corpses" of the players all over the ground turned into points of light and dissipated, finally believing the Dragon Emperor's words.

These were not normal living beings; they were some kind of monsters that could respawn infinitely.

"Now you understand."

The Dragon Emperor landed beside Alia,

"Death has no meaning to them; to defeat them, we must use their own rules."

...Over the next month, the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor visited the seven human kingdoms, the three orc tribes, the dwarf underground cities, and the Siren abyss palace...

It presented evidence of the player invasion, predicted the attacks the players were about to launch, and used the Origin power of the Devil King to heal the wounded of each race.

At first, the leaders of each race were skeptical, but the repeatedly verified prophecies and the increasingly rampant hunting behavior of the players finally united this world.

In the third month, the Ten Thousand Races Alliance was established on the outskirts of the Abyss of Eternal Night.

As for the players, their first large-scale defeat sparked heated discussion on the forums:

"Analysis of the Moonlit Lake Encounter: NPC intelligence significantly improved."

"Suspected new version update: NPCs have learned to interfere with resurrection."

"Black Coffin Dragon Emperor takes the initiative; suspected plot event triggered."

...Su Cheng presided over the second meeting of the ten major guilds.

"The NPCs have united."

She pulled up intelligence from various regions,

"Elves, humans, orcs... almost every race has begun to organize resistance against players."

"This must be a new gameplay mode designed by Lord Narsst—Faction War."

"What about that 20-year countdown?"

Someone worried.

"Then we must become stronger faster."

Greed flashed in Su Cheng's eyes,

"Lord Narsst promised that those who clear the final challenge will obtain power that transcends the mortal realm."

"If the Black Coffin Dragon Emperor can truly destroy our world... then after defeating it, what will we gain?"

This rhetorical question made all the guild leaders excited. Fear was overwhelmed by greed.