2026-06-15 00:36:32
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The Price of Growth
They walked for two full days through the outer crimson wastes, avoiding main patrol routes. Li Ming led the way with Zhao Feng watching the rear, while his parents stayed close in the middle. The journey was slower than he liked, but necessary. His father’s wounds still ached with every step, and his mother tired easily in Floor 1’s heavier atmosphere.During a short rest under the overhang of a shattered obelisk, his mother handed him a piece of dried meat from their dwindling supplies.“Eat,” she said firmly. “You’ve been giving most of the good portions to us.”Li Ming accepted it without argument. “We’ll find more soon. There are smaller ruins ahead that aren’t heavily contested.”Zhao Feng wiped sweat from his brow. “Boss, the outer regions… what’s waiting for us there? More monsters like those wolves?”“Worse,” Li Ming replied. “But fewer organized factions. We can train safely. My parents need to get stronger quickly. The Vanguard won’t stop looking.”His father straightened a
Weight of Blood
The crimson night pressed heavy on the hidden camp. Li Ming sat motionless on a high ledge inside the ruins, short sword balanced across his thighs, eyes scanning the darkness beyond their crude wards. Below, in the main chamber, the soft glow of a muted crystal lantern illuminated his parents resting on makeshift beds of scavenged cloth and padding.He hadn’t slept.Zhao Feng’s quiet snores drifted up occasionally, but Li Ming’s mind refused to quiet. Having his family here on Floor 1 felt both right and terrifyingly wrong. Every instinct screamed that he had just painted a massive target on the last people he cared about.A soft footstep behind him made him turn.His mother approached carefully, clutching a thin blanket around her shoulders. Her face still bore the bruises from Floor 0, but her eyes were clear and determined.“You should rest, Ming’er,” she said softly, sitting beside him. “You’ve been fighting non-stop.”“I’m fine,” he replied, voice low. “The penalties are still a
Through the Gate
The Central Plaza was a battlefield of shifting alliances and desperate screams. Factions clashed over control of the Ascension Gate while scattered monsters from the lingering tide still prowled the edges. Li Ming crouched behind an overturned bus, supporting his father with one arm while his mother pressed close on the other side.“We’re too exposed here,” Li Ming muttered, eyes scanning the chaos. “The Gate is two hundred meters ahead, but three factions are fighting over it right now.”His father grimaced, trying to stand straighter despite the pain. “Then we wait for an opening, son. You’ve kept us alive this far.”His mother touched Li Ming’s bloodstained sleeve. “Ming’er… you’re hurt too. That penalty you mentioned — is it making things worse?”Li Ming shook his head. “It’s manageable. Just stay behind me and run when I say. No hesitation.”A massive explosion rocked the plaza as two rival guilds collided near the Gate. Li Ming saw his chance.“Now!”He surged forward, half-car
Descent
The Ascension Gate spat Li Ming out onto the blood-soaked ruins of Qingyun City’s Central Plaza like an unwanted memory. The moment his feet touched Floor 0 ground, the penalties slammed into him like a physical blow.His body felt heavier. Slower. Weaker.[Floor Descent Penalty Active: All Stats -15% for 72 hours. Throne absorption quality -60%. Cross-floor range further restricted.]Li Ming staggered for half a second, then forced himself upright. The familiar cracked blue sky overhead looked almost comforting after the oppressive crimson of Floor 1. But there was no time for nostalgia.He moved.The plaza was still a graveyard of the Second Tide. Piles of monster corpses rotted under the sun while survivors picked through the remains. Li Ming kept the Shadow Veil Cloak active and his head low, slipping through the chaos like a ghost. Even with the penalties, his base power was still far above most Floor 0 survivors.He headed straight for the residential block, heart pounding harde
Echoes from Below
Zhao Feng winced as he leaned against the rocky outcrop, clutching the fresh bandage Li Ming had tied around his torso. The crimson sun hung low, casting long bloody shadows across the wastes. They had been moving for hours, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the collapsed cave.“You should have left me,” Zhao Feng muttered, voice rough with pain. “I was dead weight back there.”Li Ming scanned the horizon before answering. “Dead weight doesn’t complain this much. Save your strength. We still have a long way before we can rest.”A weak chuckle escaped Zhao Feng. “You know… when you first saved us, I thought you were just another strong loner looking for cannon fodder. But you pulled me out. Twice now.” He paused, studying Li Ming’s face. “Why do you fight like this? Most people with your power would’ve built a big group by now. Ruled something.”Li Ming remained silent for a long moment, eyes distant. “Big groups attract attention. Attention brings betrayal. I
Fractured Alliances
Zhao Feng slammed his axe into the ground, still buzzing from the latest ambush. “Did you see their faces when the wolves hit? Lin Mei looked like she wanted to kill her own men!”The group had gathered in their newest temporary shelter — a shallow cave system hidden behind a collapsed tower. A small crystal lantern cast flickering red light across their faces. Su Ling was bandaging a cut on one man’s arm while the others counted loot.Li Ming leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, listening.“We’re actually doing it,” said a wiry man named Guo Wei, grinning as he weighed a pouch of Floor Coins. “Three supply convoys in five days. They must be bleeding resources by now.”“Keep your voice down,” Su Ling warned. “We got lucky today. If that wolf pack hadn’t shown up—”“Lucky?” Zhao Feng laughed. “That was the boss’s timing. He always knows when to strike.”All eyes turned toward Li Ming. He met their gazes steadily but said nothing at first. The praise felt hollow. Praise often prec
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