263: Chapter 263 It's so great to have a "local" guide!

The night passed without incident, and the next day arrived.

Led by the Giant Centipede, An Ke and his group navigated through the maze-like cave tunnels.

When encountering forks in the path, An Ke's group didn't need to think or carefully discern the way; they just followed their "guide."

Exploring the cave felt as easy as walking through their own backyard.

Under the "guide's" leadership, An Ke's group discovered multiple fruit-producing locations.

There were green grapes, bananas, and apples.

Thanks to the Thousand Times Materialization conditions being visible, An Ke easily performed Thousand Times Materialization on these fruit-producing areas.

Because they had animal cooperation, they even managed to materialize under the most stringent conditions.

All these Thousand Times Materialized fruit-producing areas yielded fruit once a month.

This sent the Dragon Country Masses into a frenzy of joy.

"We initially thought the visible conditions might allow the Foreigners to catch up, but it seems this actually benefits our Dragon Country even more."

"Haha! Exactly! With the help of animals like Tiger Mom, Leopard Mom, and the Wildman, completing the strictest materialization conditions is a breeze."

"Can't we get even stricter materialization conditions? Then give us a producing area that yields fruit once a week!"

"If that happens, we'll be eating fruit platters in no time, hahaha!"

"..."

Inside the Dragon Country Live Stream Room, the Foreigners were fuming, holding their breath.

The materialization conditions are already harsh enough, and they want even stricter ones?

Are they joking?

Take the green grapes, for example.

The most stringent Thousand Times Materialization condition was to pick and eat 1,000 green grapes within 20 minutes.

Which country's contestant could accomplish that, one might ask?

Only An Ke, with his group of animal companions, could manage it.

A single bite from the Wildman could devour over 20 green grapes.

It was too easy!

And too unfair.

However, what truly made the Foreigners see red was An Ke having a group of "locals" guiding him.

With the Giant Centipede leading the way, the labyrinthine cave was like An Ke's own living room.

He pointed, they went; no brainpower needed, and no wrong turns taken.

In contrast, the contestants from other countries faced a much higher cost for trial and error.

Although lower-level dungeons have fewer forks than An Ke's s-rank instance.

Once they take a wrong turn, they have no way of knowing until they reach a dead end.

And upon hitting a dead end, they must backtrack and choose a different fork.

And there's no guarantee they'll choose the right one.

This way, they waste an enormous amount of time.

For a moment, the Foreigners couldn't tell whether An Ke had entered an s-rank instance or if they were the ones in an s-rank instance.

Is this fair?

They had hoped An Ke would enter a high-difficulty dungeon to see him humiliated and embarrassed.

To crush Dragon Country's arrogance.

But now, it seemed it had no effect on An Ke whatsoever.

"sibal! This is completely unfair!!"

"Exploring a dungeon should be done independently. How can you get animals to help guide you?"

"Exactly! Doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of exploration?"

"Shouldn't the [National Fortune Game] officials do something about this?"

Countries like the Lighthouse Country, Kimchi Country, the Philippines, and Kangaroo Country planned to take the lead and pressure the [National Fortune Game].

To make the [National Fortune Game] impose some restrictions on An Ke.

Exploration guided by animals should not increase the "cave dungeon's" exploration progress.

Also, Thousand Times Materialization conditions completed with animal help should not count.

They must be completed by An Ke alone.

The rewards from previous Thousand Times Materializations should also be revoked.

To make the operators behind the [National Fortune Game] feel the pressure.

Countries like the Lighthouse Country and Kimchi Country also stirred up other nations to join them in pressuring the [National Fortune Game].

Initially, the Dragon Country Masses just treated the actions of the Lighthouse Country and others as a joke.

At a time like this, who would possibly side with the Lighthouse Country and its allies?

Surprisingly, some countries did step forward to join the pressure on the [National Fortune Game].

And there were quite a few. With only 82 countries left on Blue Star, at least half of them surfaced.

All wanting the [National Fortune Game] to restrict An Ke.

"Oh my! This is human nature for you!"

Watching these surfacing countries, the Dragon Country Masses couldn't help but sneer.

"Our ancestors were right; jealousy can truly distort a person beyond recognition."

"Can't help it! We can only blame ourselves for being too exceptional."

"..."

In the past, seeing so many countries side with the Lighthouse Country and others would have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Dragon Country Masses.

But now, the Dragon Country Masses felt nothing.

Firstly, because the Dragon Country nation itself was now sufficiently confident.

Secondly, because there were also many foreign friends standing with Dragon Country.

Friends of Dragon Country like Russia, the Dog Tycoon, Big Goose, and Samba all surfaced.

To rebuke these clamoring Foreigners on Dragon Country's behalf.

Russia: "Do you think the game officials will pay you any mind?"

Big Goose: "You're killing me! Do you think the entity capable of creating the National Fortune Game would be afraid of your pressure?"

Dog Tycoon: "Lighthouse Country, aren't you overestimating yourselves?"

"If you're so envious, you can have your own contestants tame animals too. No one's stopping you."

"If you lack the skill, don't whine about unfairness."

"If you're weak, you need more practice!"

"..."

The Foreigners were gritting their teeth, seething from the criticism by these foreign friends.

Practice?

How do we practice?

Wild animals aren't that easy to tame!

Especially the animals within the [National Fortune Game]; they're even harder to tame.

Just as the Russian masses had said, the [National Fortune Game] completely ignored the pressuring Foreigners.

The game continued smoothly.

Inside the live broadcast.

The consecutive Thousand Times Materializations left An Ke very satisfied with the Giant Centipede.

His earlier idea had indeed been correct.

He should have let these "local centipedes" guide them; it saved so much trouble.

He wondered what his current exploration progress was.

An Ke looked at the national fortune system panel:

[Current Progress of Contestants Entered in Stage One dungeon:

First Place: Samba - exploration progress 42.6%.

Second Place: Persian Cat Country - exploration progress 37.9%.

Third Place: Russia - exploration progress 24.1%.

Fourth Place: Lighthouse Country - exploration progress 24.1%.

Fifth Place: Kimchi Country - exploration progress 23.5%.

...

Thirty-First Place: Dragon Country - exploration progress 11%.

...]

Seeing the current exploration progress, An Ke was astonished.

"The exploration progress has barely increased?!"

Why was that?

An Ke slightly furrowed his brow, stroking his chin as he began to ponder.

He speculated that today's search for those fruit-producing areas was in conflict with the main exploration route.

In other words, the difference between the "main path" and "side paths."

To increase exploration progress, they must explore the main path of the cave.

They couldn't let the Giant Centipede lead them to find fruit-producing areas anymore; they had to have it guide them along the cave's main path.

After all, An Ke's purpose for entering this dungeon wasn't to Thousand Times Materialize fruit.

It was to complete the dungeon and obtain its rewards.

Then unlock the dungeon's second stage.

An Ke explained the new plan to the Giant Centipede.

The Giant Centipede, happily munching on roasted rabbit, immediately agreed.

It indicated no problem at all.

However, when the Giant Centipede led An Ke's group into the fork along the main path, they were blocked by a lake.

Faced with this, the Giant Centipede was utterly confused. There had been no lake here when they came before...