BXBX NOVEL Chapter 89: The Real Threat
But she hadn\'t expected them to act so quickly.
"They probably already know about what happened with the Brotherhood of Night Blades." Irving said with a bitter smile. "Their entry into the secret realm this time is likely not just for treasure hunting…"
The atmosphere grew tense.
At that moment, rustling sounds came from the forest behind them, accompanied by screams of agony.
It was the eight players who had been left behind after chasing Sophia. The Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders were highly perceptive. Even the slightest movement could attract their attention.
These players had hoped to escape once the neurotoxin wore off, but they were targeted again by other Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders in the forest.
Their screams of anguish were chilling.
"Irving, let\'s leave this place quickly." Vicky said, her brows furrowed.
But before she could finish, Irving smiled. "You two go ahead. I have some things to take care of. I\'ll catch up with you shortly."
With that, Irving turned and re-entered the forest.
He hadn\'t left those eight players in the forest out of mercy. He intended to use them as bait to attract more Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders.
Even though he had already tamed Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spider Queen, the recent battle had resulted in many losses among its "subjects," far from meeting his needs.
...
At the foot of the volcano.
Players were gradually emerging from the forest. Although they had passed the test of the Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders, it came at a great cost.
Ever since the news about the [Flowing Light and Dense Realm] was released, many players had been excited, believing they would find abundant equipment inside.
However, the outcome was destined to disappoint them...
Not to mention the temporary teams of a few dozen players, even small guilds faced near annihilation when ambushed by the Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders in the forest.
Larger guilds, leveraging their numbers, might have a few survivors, but unless they had powerful warriors or mages in their ranks, the forest surrounding the volcano seemed like an insurmountable barrier.
Even guilds with strong players suffered heavy losses. Everyone had injuries, and their faces were filled with bitterness.
Opportunities and dangers always coexist.
Although this secret realm, opened by the Blue Star Will, contained vast treasures, obtaining them would not be easy—there were no free lunches in this world.
At the edge of the forest, a group of people had gathered. Their bodies were soaked in blood, and many were injured, clearly having just gone through a fierce battle.
"How did it go?" a middle-aged man in the center of the group asked.
He exuded a powerful killing intent, holding a crescent-shaped scimitar dripping with fresh blood.
"We\'ve already sent people to chase them, but…" A player beside him glanced towards the forest, a bitter expression on his face. "But we don\'t know why they haven\'t returned yet."
"Useless!" The middle-aged man, named Addison, was the current head of the Fox family.
At his roar, everyone around him lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, cold sweat beading on their foreheads like soybeans.
"Even a woman can escape from you. I wonder what use you all are." Addison\'s triangular eyes flashed with cold light. Then, as if thinking of something, he turned his gaze to the side.
There, dozens of people knelt on the ground. Their injuries were severe. Some even had their arms cut off. They trembled constantly, like lambs awaiting slaughter.
Among them was a middle-aged man about Addison\'s age. Although his entire body was bound with ropes, he still held his head high, a look of dignity on his face.
"The head of the Green family," Addison said with a mocking smile. "Where did your precious daughter run off to? Have her come back obediently, and maybe you can still live. Otherwise, I won\'t be able to explain to those above."
The bound man was Jony.
Jony\'s eyes were filled with anger as he said, "We\'ve worked together for so many years, and I never thought you\'d betray me. Who is behind this?"
"There\'s no need for you to know that." Addison sneered. "Hand over your daughter, and perhaps you can quell their anger. Otherwise, the Green family will soon be wiped out."
This was no idle threat. Even Addison trembled at the thought of that faction.
The Green family had been one of the top families in Starling City, and Addison had only reached his current position with their support. But now, having been betrayed, Jony was filled with regret.
However, it was too late for regrets.
Seeing Jony remain silent, Addison snorted, "Mr.Jony , out of respect for our years of cooperation, I\'ll remind you one last time. That people are not someone you or I can afford to offend. Think it over!"
Jony felt a deep sense of despair. He glanced at his bound family members beside him and sighed.
The earlier attack by the Brotherhood of Night Blades had already dealt a severe blow to the Green family. This time, their attempt to explore the secret realm and seek treasure was met with betrayal by a former allied family.
Now, only about ten members of the Green family remained alive... No one could have imagined that a once-prominent family in Starling City would fall to such a state.
At this moment, more and more guilds were gathering at the foot of the volcano.
Among them were the Angel Guild and the Green Ivy Group led by James.
The Angel Guild, an official guild, had recruited many powerful players from across the country. They even had a player with the [Eagle Eye] talent, making the Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders in the forest less of a threat.
On James\' side, however, the situation was less optimistic.
The Green Ivy Group had some members left behind to repair the post-battle ruins of their castle, while others were stationed at the mines for extraction. Over a hundred elite members were selected for this secret realm expedition.
"James, we lost twenty-three brothers in the forest, and ten more are severely injured. I\'ve already had them log out of the game." a player said gravely.
With the equipment provided by Irving, the Green Ivy Group had now risen to the ranks of a top-tier guild. Yet, even so, they had still lost over thirty members to the Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders in the forest.
"How many brothers do we have left?" James asked.
"I just counted. We have a total of ninety-five." the player next to him reported.
James nodded and continued, "Any news from Irving?"
"I\'ve already sent people to look for him, but so far, no sign of Irving." the player replied, frowning. "According to the reports from our men, aside from local guild forces, there are also some other forces involved this time."
"Other forces?" James was slightly taken aback.
The [Flowing Light and Dense Realm] was temporarily opened by the Blue Star Will. Although player shelters in each country and region were far apart, everyone could reach here through portals.
This meant that, in addition to local forces, many foreign forces were also participating.
James felt a sense of unease. While the Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders in the forest surrounding the secret realm had eliminated most players and guilds, those who had made it this far were the elite.
"James, should we head straight to the volcano now?" a player asked.
Looking ahead, the entrance at the foot of the volcano was visible. According to system prompts, the treasure within the secret realm was hidden inside.
As soon as the question was asked, the players of the Green Ivy Group turned their gaze toward James. Every player who had made it this far wanted to uncover the ultimate treasure.
James frowned, looking at the volcano entrance not far away. With a complex expression, he said, "Let\'s not rush. Find Irving first, and then we\'ll go in together."
"Alright, I\'ll send a few more brothers to search nearby." the player responded.
After the last battle, the players of the Green Ivy Group were all in awe of Irving\'s formidable strength.
The seemingly nearby entrance to the volcano could very likely be fraught with dangers. If they rashly entered, they might encounter attacks similar to those in the woods.
The Poisonous Fang Paralyzed Spiders were already difficult to deal with. If they were to run into some formidable exotic beasts, the entire Green Ivy Group might end up perishing inside.
Besides the exotic beasts, the real threat came from the other guild forces gathering around. With the lure of the secret realm\'s treasure, no one would sit by and let others take the lead.