15: Chapter 15 Revenge

The square in front of the ancestral hall was so deathly silent that one could hear the wind whimpering as it scraped past the spirit tablets.

That wasn't an illusion.

As dozens of white lights lit up one after another, the members of the "Underground Exploration Team" staggered as they reshaped their forms, carrying the weakness of death and the piercing pain of punishment.

On everyone's face, there remained the lingering fear of being dominated by Flying Swords and fireballs—an instinctive shudder at high-dimensional power rooted deep within their souls.

The soaring pride ignited by their previous sweep of the Black Wind Stockade was now doused by a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, freezing even their bone marrow.

"It's fake, right... that was a fucking Flying Sword..." a player who had just resurrected muttered in a daze, reaching out as if he could still see the trajectory of that green stream of light piercing through his chest.

"Director... the Director was insta-killed." Someone's voice trembled.

"Demolition Office Director" stood in the center of the resurrection point with a dark expression, the phantom pain of being pierced still lingering in his chest.

He didn't speak, only clenching his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white from the effort.

This was the first time since entering the game that he had died so pathetically, so completely without any power to fight back.

"Miner Boss" slumped onto the ground, his face ashen.

He looked at his empty hands; the pickaxe that had accompanied him for so long, along with all the ore he had mined, had dropped in that cold, dark cave.

The loss was secondary.

The massive sense of disparity from being the hunter to suddenly becoming the prey, the feeling of powerlessness where the numerical advantage they took pride in was like a joke before absolute power—that was what was truly fatal.

News spread faster than a plague.

[Official Forum] — The communication platform spontaneously built by the players was completely set ablaze at this moment.

A pinned red post had a shocking title:

[!!! Blood and Tear Warning !!! Encountered Immortal Cultivator NPCs, 'Underground Exploration Team' completely wiped out! This is not a drill!] — Poster: Miner Boss

The content of the post was simple, consisting of only a few intermittent descriptions and a series of shocking death reports recorded by the system.

Behind every ID was followed by a cold "Insta-kill" judgment.

One stone stirred up a thousand waves.

"Holy crap! For real? Flying Swords? Fireball Spells? The style of this game isn't right. Didn't we agree on farming and fighting bandits?"

"OP, don't be afraid, give us the coordinates! The brothers will head over right now to avenge you! There are hundreds of us; we'll pile up and kill him!"

"Don't be impulsive, person above! Didn't you see what the OP said? Human wave tactics are useless! One fireball from them is an AOE; we can't even touch the corner of their clothes!"

"Demolition Office Director's" ID lit up, and he posted only two words: "Fuck me."

Everyone knew that this big shot was truly enraged.

"Shield Mountain" also appeared. He posted a screenshot showing the attributes of his +2 Black Wind Stockade Doorboard Greatshield, which now had a red crack and zero durability.

"Can't block it. Frontal block, knocked back, lost one-third of my HP. The opponent changed moves, went behind me, and I was gone. The speed was too fast; I couldn't keep up at all."

The atmosphere of the forum quickly shifted from initial shock and disbelief to solemnity and frenzy.

If the Black Wind Stockade's Wang Two Tiger was the peak of mortal martial power, still within the realm of player understanding, then the Chen Family Cultivators had completely torn away the gentle veil of this world, revealing the hideous and cruel reality beneath.

This was a dimensionality reduction strike.

A kind of despair felt by players in a low-magic world suddenly crashing into the high-martial wall of immortal cultivation.

"What do we do? How are we supposed to play? From now on, when we meet those who can use spells, do we just take a detour?" a pessimistic player posted.

"Bullshit!" "Demolition Office Director" spoke up again, his words fierce. "The mine was stolen, people were killed, and you're telling me to take a detour? I can't swallow this! Isn't he just an NPC? If killing him once doesn't work, we'll kill him a hundred times! The resurrection point is right at our doorstep; I'm going to grind him down!"

His words ignited the wicked fire in many players' hearts.

That's right, what is our biggest advantage?

It's not numbers, it's not equipment, but that we... can afford to die!

However, the voice of reason quickly suppressed it.

"I Love Exploiting Loopholes" came online. He didn't join the flame war but calmly analyzed: "Everyone, calm down. Simply throwing your lives away is meaningless. Although there's no limit to our resurrections, every death drops equipment and deducts contribution points. This wipeout of the 'Underground Exploration Team' set back the entire family's accumulation by at least three days. We can't afford to waste like this."

He continued: "The key issue isn't revenge, but 'how to get revenge.' We must admit that on the frontal battlefield, we are currently no match for immortal cultivators. Flying Sword = ultra-high-speed guided armor-piercing shell, fireball = area-of-effect high-explosive grenade. Our way of fighting is still stuck at the level of clashing cold weapons. This isn't a confrontation of the same magnitude."

"Then what do you suggest? Wait for the Old Ancestor to give us divine artifacts?" someone asked back.

"No," "I Love Exploiting Loopholes" replied. "The Old Ancestor gave us the greatest divine artifact—our brains. We are players; our greatest advantage isn't being unafraid of death, but 'not following the rules of martial virtue'!"

These words were like a bolt of lightning, clearing the mist in everyone's hearts.

That's right!

Why follow the rules of martial virtue with an NPC?

Why play the frontal charge game with them?

That manager named Chen Ping, isn't he very proud and looks down on us "ants"?

Then we'll use the way of the ants to play dirty and kill him!

In an instant, the style of the forum changed abruptly.

"Infrastructure Maniac" posted a thread: [Discussion on the Possibility of Using Terrain and Simple Traps Against High-Mobility Targets].

In the post, he used simple lines to draw a topographical map of the cave, marking dozens of points where traps could be set.

"Dig pits! The simplest pitfalls! Cover them with branches and loose soil! Can immortal cultivators fly? Do they walk? As long as he walks, he might fall in!"

"Tripwires! No, immortal-tripping ropes! Use the toughest vines and stretch them at knee height. No matter how fast his Flying Sword is, he still has to watch the road, right? The moment he gets distracted, our chance comes!"

"Smoke! Lots of thick smoke! Use damp leaves and wolf dung, light them at the cave entrance, and use a blower to pump it in! Even if it doesn't choke him to death, it'll smoke him until he can't open his eyes! Let's see how he aims then!"

Immediately after, another post was bumped up.

Poster: "Skillful Hands Mending," a female lifestyle player.

[Sisters, remember the scraps left over from making leather armor? And all the random stuff we gathered normally?]

"For example, the seeds of 'Prickly Grass,' ground into powder and sprinkled on the ground—it's incredibly itchy to step on!"

"And the pollen of the 'Stinky Flower'—that smell, one whiff and you won't be able to eat for three days! Wrap it in cloth and use it as a projectile!"

"The lard dropped from killing the 'Tusked Wild Boar' last time—boil it into oil and pour it on the ground. Let's see how he stands even if his Flying Sword is steady when his feet are slipping!"

The entire forum turned into a carnival of malicious fun and tricky creativity.

The players' suppressed anger found a perfect outlet.

"Shield Mountain" also stepped out of the shadow of failure. He stared at the weathered wooden door of the ancestral hall, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

One shield can't block it, but what about a row of shields?

I can't hold it alone, but what if ten people hold it together?

He immediately posted: ["Doorboard Array" Feasibility Analysis! Seeking volunteers. We don't aim to kill the enemy, only to... disgust him to death!]

The post detailed his new concept: abandon individual combat and form a "shield wall."

Ten players, each with a "shield" reinforced with doorboards, pot lids, and iron sheets, standing shoulder to shoulder to form a moving wall.

The front row would be responsible for tanking, while the players in the back could safely throw lime powder, chili water, feces... through the gaps in the shields.

"Spell-Breaker Style," "Trap Style," "Dirty Water Style," "Shield Wall Style"...

One after another, tactical schools full of player wisdom (or rather, malicious fun) emerged like bamboo shoots after rain within just one hour.

They didn't have powerful cultivation techniques or refined magical tools, but they had endless... showy operations that would leave any orthodox immortal cultivator dumbfounded.

Just as the players were impassioned and ready to put their theories into practice, the "Old Ancestor" spirit tablet in the ancestral hall, which had been silent all along, suddenly emitted a faint light.

A majestic and ancient voice rang out in all the players' minds.

[Family Mission Issued: The Distinction Between Immortal and Mortal]

[Mission Description: The Chen clan has insulted my clansmen and seized my mineral vein. If this grudge is not avenged, how can the ancestors be comforted! However, there is a distinction between immortals and mortals; they cannot be defeated by force, only by wit. You must investigate the Chen family's strength and find their weaknesses while waiting for the right time.]

[Mission Objective 1: Create and submit one 'Reconnaissance Sandbox' (must include mountains, rivers, and roads within the Chen family's sphere of influence). Reward: 500 contribution points.]

[Mission Objective 2: Capture alive or kill one 'Chen Family Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator'. Reward: 1000 contribution points, unlock new exchange items in the Family Store.]

[Mission Objective 3 (Hidden): Obtain the personal belongings of the Chen family manager 'Chen Ping'. Reward: Unknown.]

Once the mission was released, all the players were boiling with excitement.

"The Old Ancestor has spoken! This is supporting us in stirring up trouble!"

"Hahaha, 'cannot be defeated by force, only by wit'! Even the Old Ancestor agrees with us using showy tactics!"

"Brothers, what are we waiting for! Reconnaissance squad, move out! Trap squad, move out! 'Spell-Breaker' material collection squad, move out!"

"That guy named Chen Ping, just you wait! Not only am I going to kill you, but I'm also going to strip your underpants and hand them over to the Old Ancestor!"

The previous dejection and despair were swept away, replaced by a twisted and excited desire for battle.

A ten-person Reconnaissance squad led by "Miner Boss," including "I Love Exploiting Loopholes" and "Gossip Reporter Little Trumpet," was immediately formed.

They didn't head to that terrifying mine but chose another more hidden route, cautiously sneaking into the Qingxi Chen Family's sphere of influence.

Meanwhile, another group of players led by "Infrastructure Maniac" began frantically terraforming the border between the family territory and the Chen family's land.

One inconspicuous trap after another was silently placed on those essential paths.

...

Two days later.

In the Chen family, two disciples at the early stage of Qi Refining responsible for patrolling the border were walking along the mountain path, bored to death.

"Honestly, they're just a bunch of mountain bumpkins. Is it really worth us patrolling every day? The manager is overreacting." the younger one complained.

"Tell me about it. I heard Manager Ping took action the day before yesterday and insta-killed over a dozen of them in one move, like killing chickens. Those lunatics are probably scared out of their wits by now." The other curled his lip in disdain.

Just then, the cultivator walking in front suddenly stepped into thin air.

"Ah!"

He let out a startled cry and fell into a deep pit covered with loose soil without any warning.

"What's go—"

Before the cultivator behind could finish his sentence, he heard a dense sound of objects slicing through the air from the bushes on both sides.

Dozens of unknown objects wrapped in cloth bags came smashing toward him from all directions.

He instinctively activated his protective spiritual light. The cloth bags hit the light shield and burst open, instantly enveloping him in yellow, white, and green powders.

An indescribable stench and spiciness, mixed with an incredibly itchy sensation, frantically stimulated his senses.

protective spiritual light could block physical attacks, but it couldn't completely block out smells and dust!

"Cough cough! What is this!" He was choked until tears streamed down his face, his vision blurred, and he couldn't even smoothly perform hand seals.

Just as he was in a state of flustered confusion, a huge, foul-smelling fishing net fell from the sky, trapping him firmly.

"It worked!"

Over a dozen players suddenly lunged out of the bushes, excited and menacing smiles on their faces.

They didn't have swords or sabers in their hands, but instead held wooden sticks, stones, and some even carried a section of bamboo filled with water.

"Hit him! Don't let him chant!"

The Chen family cultivator trapped in the net was both shocked and enraged. Just as he was about to struggle, a rag soaked in lard was accurately plastered onto his face, plugging his mouth.

Immediately after, a rain of attacks fell.

No Flying Swords, no spells.

Only the most primitive, savage, and effective gang-beating.

The cultivator at the bottom of the pit had just climbed up when he saw his companion being rubbed into the ground by a group of "lunatics," instantly scaring him out of his wits.

He turned to run but was tripped by a vine that reached out from nowhere.

The next second, over a dozen burly men pounced on him like hungry wolves smelling blood.

A moment later, the battle ended.

On the ground, only two Chen Family Cultivators remained, tied up like zongzi, covered in filth, and at their last breath.

"I Love Exploiting Loopholes" stepped forward and cautiously fished out a waist token carved with the character "Chen" from one of them.

He held the waist token high and let out an exhilarating shout to all the players who participated in the battle:

"Brothers... we succeeded!"