37: Chapter 37 The Spring of the Life Player

Before dawn, in the heart of the Lu territory, the giant forging valley—built tirelessly by Liver Emperor V87 and his infrastructure legion—was already a scene of bustling activity.

Soaring columns of smoke were dyed a dark red by the earth fire. The air was filled with the scent of scorching molten iron, the burnt fragrance of cyan talisman ink, and a fanatical atmosphere known as "Liver Explosion."

This was the prelude to war, the spring of production-class players.

The workshop of Skillful Hands Mending was now packed with visitors.

Outside, players with different legion insignias lined up, their eyes anxious, as if waiting for life-saving medicine.

"Sister Mending, can you prioritize the batch of [Gale Battle Boots] customized by our Divine Wind Battalion? Boss Charge to the End has spoken—he'll pay double!" A player with a lightning spear insignia on his face squeezed to the front, shouting until his voice was hoarse.

"Get lost! First come, first served!" Behind him, a hulking man built like a door panel retorted in a muffled voice, his arm bearing the mountain shield insignia of the Pot Lid Army. "The enchanted stitching for the five hundred [Thick Earth Tower Shields] our legion ordered is still half-finished. This concerns the life and death of the entire defense line!"

Skillful Hands Mending didn't even have time to look up.

Her snow-white fingertips moved rapidly over a piece of giant [Fanged Boar] hide, silver needles weaving back and forth, pulling tough thread soaked in alchemical reagents.

This was custom-made inner armor for Shield Mountain, the sub-tank of the Pot Lid Army. Every stitch had to be precisely placed on the spiritual nodes of the hide to achieve the best defensive effect.

Since the legion system opened, the status of top-tier life players like her had skyrocketed.

Her friend list received hundreds of requests daily, and her private messages were stuffed with earnest "cooperation invitations" sent personally by major legion commanders.

Wealth and prestige poured in like a tide, accompanied by immense pressure that could crush anyone.

Suddenly, the workshop window was tapped three times—a secret signal.

She looked up and saw Gossip Reporter Little Trumpet poking her head in, winking at her.

Skillful Hands Mending understood, put down her work, and circled out through the back door.

"How is it? Did you find out?" she asked in a low voice, her brow furrowed with fatigue and anger.

Last night, a batch of rare material, "Ice Silkworm Silk," stored in her underground cold storage had vanished, directly causing the delay of an order of robes for the Talisman Sea Alliance. That female legion commander had almost publicly shamed her on the forum.

Little Trumpet handed her a memory crystal, looking serious: "You guessed right, it's industrial espionage. I had Chen Kang identify the traces at the scene; it's a very stealthy infiltration technique, not something a player could do. It was the work of the Faceless Ones who infiltrated."

Chen Kang stood under a tree not far away, looking at the terrifying production frenzy in the forging valley with a complex expression.

As a former Chen family disciple, then a mole for the demonic sect, and now a "defected operative," he felt his worldview being reshaped every day.

He had never seen such efficient war mobilization.

No forced orders, no threats of death—merely "contribution points," "equipment," and the ethereal concept of "glory" were enough to make this group of "Otherworldly Demons" burst forth with more terrifying drive than the demonic disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Every player was like a precision part operating at high speed, spontaneously finding their position and burning for a common goal.

"The Heavenly Demon Sect has new moves," Little Trumpet continued, lowering her voice further. "That rumor you had me spread about the 'Demon Lord saving his vegetative soulmate' seems to have... hit a sore spot. Night Radiance is furious and has ended his seclusion early. His trusted general, the black-robed demon envoy Fierce Shadow, is leading the vanguard toward the Blood Soul Stone Mine at high speed. The great battle is going to happen sooner than expected."

Skillful Hands Mending's heart sank.

The Blood Soul Stone Mine was the source of core materials that all high-end equipment and potions required.

Once it fell, the entire production system would be paralyzed.

"I understand," she took a deep breath, her eyes becoming determined. "Notify Liver Emperor V87 and have him prepare. Also, tell Charge to the End that I will stay up all night to finish the goods he wants."

---

Blood Soul Stone Mine, Frontline.

The scarlet ore emitted a faint, eerie glow, staining the entire valley in a ghostly blood color.

Immovable as a Mountain stood silently at the very front of the defense line, holding a [Basalt Tower Shield] just delivered from the Forging Valley.

The shield was taller than he was, engraved with the [Solid Wall] rune personally branded by Liver Emperor V87, flickering with a heavy, earthy yellow halo.

Behind him was the first phalanx of the Pot Lid Army.

Three hundred players, each holding a standard tower shield, formed an airtight wall of steel, silent and oppressive.

"High energy reading detected! Straight ahead, three o'clock direction!" the scout on the watchtower warned loudly.

Before the words faded, dozens of arrows burning with ghastly green ghost fire whistled through the air like vipers from hell.

"Raise shields! Hold steady!"

Immovable as a Mountain's voice was as calm as ten-thousand-year-old ice.

He lowered his legs slightly, his whole body seeming to merge with the earth, and his massive tower shield traced a perfect arc in front of him.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The dense sound of impacts merged into one. The ghost fire arrows exploded on the shield wall, splashing corrosive green liquid and making a "hissing" sound.

The players in the first row were pushed back repeatedly by the immense impact, their health points dropping by a small chunk instantly, but the formation remained unbroken.

"We held it!" a joyful shout erupted from the ranks.

The defensive power of this new equipment far exceeded their expectations!

"Don't get distracted!" Immovable as a Mountain's scolding was like a bucket of cold water. "That was just a probe. Healing group, maintain health levels. Prepare to receive the second wave of impact!"

Just as he finished speaking, in the demonic camp in the distance, a cultivator wearing a magnificent black robe and holding a bone staff slowly rose into the air.

It was the black-robed demon envoy, Fierce Shadow!

The terrifying pressure of the Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage crushed toward the Pot Lid Army's defense line like an invisible mountain.

"A group of ants holding turtle shells dares to stop a chariot?" Fierce Shadow's voice was cold and dismissive. He raised his staff with one hand, "Taste this—[Ten Thousand Souls Lament]!"

In an instant, the world changed color.

Countless twisted phantoms of vengeful souls surged from the staff, converging into a gray torrent that emitted a screech capable of tearing apart the soul, sweeping toward the shield wall!

This was an area-of-effect soul attack!

Physical defense was almost useless!

Immovable as a Mountain's pupils constricted.

"Light the incense!" he decisively ordered in the legion channel.

All Pot Lid Army members immediately pulled a pre-prepared special stick of incense from their backpacks. This was war material—[Soul-Stabilizing Incense]—co-developed by Liver Emperor V87 and the "Chief Alchemist," capable of significantly increasing soul resistance for a short time.

For a moment, a strange sandalwood scent permeated the battlefield.

The gray torrent of vengeful souls crashed into the shield wall. Countless players turned pale, and large soul damage numbers popped up above their heads, but relying on the resistance from the [Soul-Stabilizing Incense] and their tenacious will, they endured this strike!

"What?" A flash of surprise appeared in Fierce Shadow's eyes.

The methods of these Otherworldly Demons were always so bizarre.

Just as he prepared to launch a second attack, a wild roar erupted from the flank.

"Demon spawn! Your grandpa is here!"

Charge to the End and his Divine Wind Battalion burst out from the shadows of the valley like a drawn sword!

They wore [Dragon Scale Leather Armor] rushed-made overnight by Skillful Hands Mending, gleaming with a cold luster in the blood-red moonlight.

Their target was not the demonic army in front, but the high-and-mighty Fierce Shadow directly!

"Decapitation tactic?" Fierce Shadow hooked the corner of his mouth into a cruel curve, "Stupid!"

He waved his staff, and dozens of elite demonic sect disciples who had been lying in ambush on the flank appeared, forming a battle formation, with countless spells and Flying Swords pouring toward the Divine Wind Battalion.

Charge to the End ignored them. His voice in the legion channel trembled with extreme excitement: "Brothers! Still remember the old rule? The first one to touch the BOSS gets to choose any Dark Gold equipment from the legion warehouse!"

"Awoo!"

The madmen of the Divine Wind Battalion not only didn't slow down but erupted with even greater speed!

They activated the [Gale] effect on their battle boots, their figures moving so fast they left afterimages.

The few players in the front were instantly focused by spells, their [Dragon Scale Leather Armor] flashing wildly, blocking fatal damage for them, but they were still blasted away and turned into white light.

Charge to the End had no pity in his eyes, only burning fighting spirit.

He knew that every death was paving the way to victory for him.

"Immovable as a Mountain! Left flank! Give me three seconds of suppressing fire!" he roared in the command channel.

"Received."

Immovable as a Mountain did not hesitate.

He immediately turned the direction of the shield wall, and the impenetrable defensive formation instantly shifted to an offensive posture.

"Throw spears!"

Three hundred Pot Lid Army members drew standard short spears from behind their shields. The spearheads were tempered with "Demon-Breaking Holy Water," which had an additional damage bonus against demonic energy.

Three hundred short spears, like a dark cloud, flew over the heads of the Divine Wind Battalion and accurately covered the position of the elite demonic sect disciples who were casting spells.

Screams rose one after another, and the demonic sect's spell formation appeared to freeze for a moment.

Now!

Charge to the End seized this fleeting opportunity. His figure moved like lightning, stepping on the white light that hadn't dissipated before a fallen companion disappeared, leaping up. The long blade [Gale] in his hand, carrying the blood-red special effect of the [Sharp Edge] legion, slashed directly at Fierce Shadow's face!

"Courting death!"

Fierce Shadow hadn't expected the cooperation of these Otherworldly Demons to be so tacit.

In his haste, he abandoned the large-scale spell, and a black bone shield instantly condensed in front of him.

"Clang!"

Blade and bone shield collided, erupting with a piercing sound of metal clashing.

Charge to the End had his arm numbed by the huge rebound force, and Fierce Shadow was forced back half a step by the violent power contained in that slash.

Although it was only half a step, it was enough to make all players go crazy!

"The BOSS was knocked back!"

"Divine Wind Battalion is awesome!"

However, the terror of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was far more than this.

"Game over." Murderous intent surged in Fierce Shadow's eyes.

He opened his mouth and spat out a pitch-black Flying Sword wrapped in electric light.

Life-bound magic treasure!

The speed of the Flying Sword was too fast for the naked eye to capture. Charge to the End only had time to hold his long blade horizontally in front of his chest.

"Puff!"

The Flying Sword easily pierced through [Gale] and pierced into his chest without losing momentum.

A terrifying damage number floated above Charge to the End's head, and his health bar emptied instantly.

In the second before turning into white light, he used his last strength to send the final message in the command channel:

"Immovable... thanks."

The battlefield fell into a brief silence.

The commander-in-chief of the Divine Wind Battalion had been killed instantly.

Fierce Shadow was about to press the advantage and crush these annoying flies, when he found a huge golden halo made of countless runes appearing under his feet at some point.

It was a trap!

"Trap Master - Infrastructure Maniac" had led his team to quietly sneak to the edge of the battlefield when the battle began.

"Explode!" he whispered.

The golden halo exploded with a bang, and the powerful binding force locked Fierce Shadow firmly in place.

"Fire!"

On the other side of the valley, the long-prepared "Chief Engineer - Liver Emperor V87" and his "Logistics Support First Legion" finally revealed their fangs.

Ten giant catapult puppets made a teeth-grinding "creak" sound, throwing "alchemy bombs"—basketball-sized and covered in explosive runes—which drew arcs of death and accurately covered the location of Fierce Shadow.

The deafening explosion almost flipped the entire Blood Soul Stone Mine.

On the distant mountain peak, the phantom of Demon Lord Night Radiance quietly watched all this, the moon soul stone beside him emitting a faint and cold light.

"A group of... interesting bugs." He muttered to himself, his voice devoid of emotion.