Chapter 99

"What's your name?" the muscular man asked, "In this group mission, there aren't many well-known veterans. Most are between newbies and veterans, having gone through about three missions. So, the information we can gather in the group isn't very rich. We don't have much to share, and no one would form close ties with a group with such a high mortality rate."

Zhang Zilin's words made sense, but the veterans around Zhao Zhu, some of whom were even close to reaching a higher level, were not few. Zhu Jianping had already completed eight missions. If Jingchong survived the next two missions and returned alive, he would be eligible to apply for a management position. Xiong Zhiqi, though only having completed five missions, all of which were group missions with the highest mortality rates, had a significant risk and thus a greater reward. Xiong Zhiqi's strength was not to be underestimated, and even Zhao Zhu hadn't seen him truly unleash his full power. The encounter with the jade hairpin in the hospital wasn't a reliable reference, as someone like Li Fan, who could make Zhu Jianping run away, also died mysteriously in the hospital.

"Zhao Zhu, I'm currently living in Hangzhou. What about you?"

Zhao Zhu understood that the muscular man was initiating a conversation for a simple reason. According to the group owner's habits or the plot of web novels, there wouldn't be another round of internal strife after one round. Such a plot would be too dull and boring.

Therefore, the next mandatory task 2 would likely involve dealing with something else. This would increase the possibility of the remaining members uniting to face the challenge. The muscular man had already tested Zhao Zhu's strength and acknowledged it, so he sought an alliance before the next mandatory task began. Zhao Zhu had gained his current strength, which was close to that of a veteran who had completed five missions, through Zhu Jianping's help, some "ghostly" experiences, and encounters with the white snake by the West Lake. The muscular man was also extraordinary and must have had his own opportunities or secrets.

Since the other party had sent out this signal, Zhao Zhu naturally wouldn't ignore it. As long as there was no conflict of interest and a shared interest, forming an alliance was a good choice.

"My name is Zhang Zilin, and I'm currently living in Ningxia," Zhang Zilin put the cup back on the table. "Let's see what the group owner will design next to make things difficult for us. We should work together, with me handling close combat and you handling ranged attacks, to support each other and try to survive."

Zhao Zhu nodded, accepting the proposal.

There was no need for more words. At this point, it was impossible to form a blood alliance. How to form an alliance and to what extent was something everyone had a clear idea about.

The last bit of time passed quickly, and the group owner's voice sounded in everyone's minds again:

...

"Mandatory Main Task 1 completed! Mandatory Main Task 2 is about to be issued!

Mandatory Main Task 2: Kill a wraith! Reward for completing the task: 1000 points, 1 G-level plot!

Time limit: 9 hours. Those who fail to complete the task will be eliminated!"

...

Zhang Zilin frowned slightly and said, "We've wandered around this school several times, but we haven't seen any wraiths."

Zhao Zhu pondered for a moment, a look of realization in his eyes. "They didn't exist before, but now they do."

"You mean... those people we killed?" Zhang Zilin understood. "The ones we skinned and killed will turn into wraiths and come back to seek revenge?"

"Probably," Zhao Zhu walked to the window.

"Ha, then we'll just have to kill them again. They were trash when they were alive; how could they become invincible after death?"

Zhang Zilin, being mechanically enhanced, spoke with a faster pace or a higher pitch, which gave his voice a noticeable rasp. Those who didn't know assumed it was a hoarse voice, but it was actually the sound of mechanical friction in his body, as he was still a half-mechanical being.

"But the problem seems more complicated than you think," Zhao Zhu, standing by the window, reached out his hand toward the outside.

Zhang Zilin also walked over and looked down in the direction Zhao Zhu pointed. There, the body of the qi-enhanced fighter who had just died, with his lower half burned, was now enveloped in a mist. From the mist, a qi-enhanced fighter identical to the original emerged.

This new qi-enhanced fighter was radiating qi flames, a level of external manifestation that was not typical for a regular qi-enhanced fighter. However, unlike in life, his face was expressionless and ashen, clearly indicating that this was a new creation by the group owner, not a resurrection.

"This... is not good. The group owner not only turned them into wraiths but also boosted their combat abilities," Zhang Zilin shook his head, clearly feeling some apprehension.

"That guy was originally just a beginner in qi enhancement. Now, as a wraith, his qi level is among the best of the veterans. He's a formidable opponent. The others who were killed will likely be turned into even more powerful wraiths by the group owner."

"I think we should act now. While the number of living and wraiths is not too imbalanced, we should team up and hunt a couple of wraiths. Even if their strength has increased, we can still take them down one by one with our combined efforts," Zhang Zilin meant that time was of the essence and they couldn't afford to wait, or the wraiths would overwhelm the living and start hunting the remaining survivors.

"No need to rush. The nearest wraith is already on our floor, heading up the stairs. It will be here soon. Get ready for close combat, and I'll support you," Zhao Zhu said with his eyes closed.

"Ha, having a mental enhancement in a team battle is indeed advantageous," Zhang Ziline said as he adjusted his state. His skin began to be covered by steel plates, and two rows of long spikes extended from his arms.

"Five seconds," Zhao Zhu said, and all the cards in his pocket flew out, ready to be used.

When the five-second countdown ended, a man with an ashen face appeared at the office door. Zhao Zhu recognized him; the skin he had taken came from this man, who was killed by the Medusa-physique-enhanced girl.

"Qi enhancement, be careful," Zhao Zhu warned.

"Ha, let's see if he can break my steel plates," Zhang Zilin was still confident.

"Roar!"

The qi-enhanced man let out a low growl. It was undeniable that the qi-enhanced man now gave off a different vibe. Previously, he had been foolishly killed by the girl, but now, his qi seemed to form a tangible aura around him. Aside from his ashen face, he looked like a martial arts master.

"I'll go first!"

Zhang Zilin charged forward, his fist aimed directly at the qi-enhanced man's chest, while his other fist was held up for defense. Clearly, Zhang Zilin, despite his rough appearance, was quite meticulous and knew how to advance and retreat, not risking his life recklessly.

However, something neither Zhao Zilin nor Zhao Zhu expected happened. In response to Zhang Zilin's powerful punch, the qi-enhanced man casually extended his hand and grabbed Zhang Zilin's steel-covered arm.

Everything seemed to freeze.

Zhang Zilin's arm was immobilized, and his face showed extreme shock.

This... how did the strength gap suddenly become so large? The group owner, this power boost is too much.

"Bang!"

The qi-enhanced man kicked Zhang Zilin in the abdomen, sending him flying backward like a cannonball, crashing into the wall and leaving a human-shaped indentation.

Then, the qi-enhanced man turned to Zhao Zhu, a smile on his face, and pointed at the skin in Zhao Zhu's hand, speaking in a sinister, slow voice:

"I will take back my skin..."

If he only wanted his skin back and then moved on, Zhao Zhu would have immediately returned it. However, the qi-enhanced man's next words eliminated that possibility.

"And, I will take your life. How can I die while you live alone? I don't want to be your scapegoat. Let's die together, shall we?"

...

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There are three points I want to mention about this book:

First: No matter how poorly the book performs after going on sale, I will not enable anti-piracy chapters because I believe it would make the legitimate readers uncomfortable. Although enabling anti-piracy chapters would definitely increase subscriptions, I would rather not make that extra money. Some pirates are rude, treating the author like a servant, but there are also readers who, despite reading pirated versions, quietly read and offer encouragement. They know they are reading pirated versions but still feel grateful and guilty toward the author. Some of the rude comments in the pirated book reviews are countered by supportive readers. These readers, even though they read pirated versions, are still recognized by me as my readers and friends, as they bring me comfort and positive energy.

Second: In the previous chapter, I mentioned donations and female streamers, not to suggest that legitimate readers must donate. I may not have been clear, but many readers left comments saying they can only subscribe and cannot donate. I am deeply grateful for your subscriptions! Of course, if some readers choose to donate, I will remember it, as it is an extra gesture of support. However, I do not want to pressure anyone to donate. Most science fiction readers are students with limited funds, and many justify their piracy by being students. Your subscriptions are already a significant effort.

Third: The book goes on sale this Friday, and there are only a few days left. Please continue to prepare and be ready for the release. In the last batch of strongly recommended books, one called "Parasitic Dynasty" has been renamed to "Family Planning Dynasty" and has been discontinued due to poor subscription numbers. With 20,000 followers, only about 300 subscribed to the legitimate version, and the author, feeling disheartened, decided to cut it off. Science fiction works often have a large readership and high popularity, but very few actually read the legitimate version. Most read pirated versions, so each legitimate reader is a rare and valuable asset. For a struggling writer like me, all the income comes from subscriptions, with no other sources of revenue, and publishers won't be interested in a struggling book...

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