A sudden message popped up on the world chat.
Chen Zijin mused, "This guy's insight is way too sharp. How did he know you're in the Death Territory, and that you're currently searching for the SSS-rank Mechanical Legion?"
"Pretty simple," Zhang Yue seemed to have already seen through everything. His gaze shifted to the right, where a dark shadow flashed quickly through the forest not far away.
Obviously, Zhang Yue and Chen Zijin had already been tailed by a paparazzo from the Sun Nation.
And it was precisely this paparazzo who leaked their information to the guy who had just spoken on the world chat, the one with the ID name [Kno Slough].
Chen Zijin was about to go after that paparazzo, but Zhang Yue raised a hand to stop her, "Don't bother. It's pointless."
At this point, Zhang Yue and Chen Zijin had basically become public figures in the world.
As long as they showed up in the Death Territory, it was inevitable they'd be watched by paparazzi from all over the world.
Of course, their goal in following Zhang Yue wasn't to harm him.
Or rather, even if they had that thought, they didn't have the ability.
Within the same-tier territories, even the Three Main Gods and the Demon Emperor weren't Zhang Yue's match.
Just that bunch of nobodies? What could they possibly do to him?
Anyone who dared to lay a hand on Zhang Yue was basically courting death, and dragging their whole nation down with them.
Their real purpose in tailing him was simple: to find any opportunity to curry favor and suck up to Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue was now the most representative figure of the Dragon Nation. As long as someone managed to get on his good side, it was practically the same as befriending the entire Dragon Nation.
The other countries understood that very well.
It's just… their scheming was way too loud.
Zhang Yue opened the map and checked the location Kno Slough had posted on the world chat, [Cross-Sea Bridge], and found that it wasn't far from where he was now.
If he walked, it'd take around ten minutes.
If he flew, he'd arrive in less than one.
Seeing that Zhang Yue really seemed interested in heading there, Chen Zijin worriedly said, "The Sun Nation, that was one of the Eight-Nation Alliance, remember? Aren't you worried this could be a trap?"
Zhang Yue glanced at her and said calmly, "Even if it's a trap, why should I be afraid?"
"Oh, right!", Chen Zijin was instantly enlightened, "Unless they've got a death wish～"
Their current mission progress had already reached 9/10, and they were just wondering where to find the last SSS-rank Mechanical Legion to complete it.
Too lazy to keep searching slowly, Zhang Yue immediately followed the location Kno Slough had given, spreading his angelic wings, while Chen Zijin rode beside him atop her thirty-six-winged Armageddon Black Dragon. Together, they headed toward the Cross-Sea Bridge.
Along the way—
Chen Zijin browsed through world news reports, intending to see if there were any gossip stories about her or Zhang Yue.
No gossip, but she did stumble upon something explosive.
Among the top ten world news headlines, three were all related to the same strange incident.
"Zhang Yue, look at this! Something's happened!"
Flying alongside Zhang Yue, she called out urgently.
Zhang Yue didn't seem concerned, "What is it?"
Chen Zijin stared at the news screen in front of her, "The news says countries across the world are suddenly experiencing strange disturbances. They say some professional players suddenly go berserk, turning into monsters!"
"Hm?", Zhang Yue gave her a glance, "Sounds like a fairy tale."
"It's real! It seems to be a recent event. Just started, but it's already blowing up."
"In the Batan Empire, an elite professional squad was raiding the World 48 Dungeon when the captain suddenly went mad, transformed into a werewolf, and slaughtered all hundred of his teammates."
"In the Sevia Empire, several solo players traveling through a forest in the World 52 were attacked by an 'Ironhide Bear.' Witnesses claimed the bear transformed back into a human professional after the killings."
These reports sounded unbelievable.
Like someone's made-up clickbait story to grab attention and views.
But if this had happened in just one country, maybe it could've been brushed off as a prank.
However, when Zhang Yue opened the news feed himself, he found that the exact same story Chen Zijin mentioned was indeed dominating several top headlines, across multiple nations, in different regions, with different authors.
"Could someone be trying to deliberately stir chaos across the world, maybe plotting something behind the scenes?", Chen Zijin couldn't help but think along those lines.
"After all, there's never been a recorded case like this in history."
"There are monsters capable of shapeshifting into human form, sure. But according to records, they've only ever appeared in the 61st and 78th Worlds. They shouldn't be able to cross dimensions, definitely not into the 48th, 52nd, or 58th Worlds!"
"And apparently, the appearances of these monsters are… bizarre."
Chen Zijin frowned at the forum posts, "A three-eyed werewolf with wings… an Ironhide Bear strapped with bombs… a python with hundreds of claws…"
"Zhang Yue, have you ever seen creatures like that? I mean back when you were still Asura?"
Zhang Yue: "No."
"Then that's weird. These are all completely new species, never recorded in the past hundred years across any world… Could it be aliens invading Earth?"
Zhang Yue didn't think too much about it, "Let's finish this world mission first, then we'll deal with that."
Soon after, the two arrived at their destination.
From high above, they could see a vast river below, surging and violent, with a massive mechanical suspension bridge spanning across it.
This was, the Cross-Sea Bridge.
According to Kno Slough's post, an SSS-rank Mechanical Legion was supposed to be stationed here.
But from above, all they could see were a few scattered mechanical soldiers, no sign of a full legion anywhere.
Instead, the entire area was eerily silent.
"I knew it, a trap!"
Chen Zijin couldn't help but complain, "But not a trap for us, just a waste of time! So annoying!"
Just as she was grumbling about the trip being a bust, Zhang Yue noticed something. A group of professionals standing by the bridge, waving toward them.
Zhang Yue dove straight down.
Whoosh!
When he landed on the riverbank, he saw a large group of professionals waiting there at the base of the bridge.
Judging by their appearance and the national emblems above their IDs, they were players from the Sun Nation.
At the front stood a man clad in silver chainmail, with a blood-red longbow strapped to his back. His presence was commanding and refined.
He stepped forward with a bright smile and greeted Zhang Yue enthusiastically:
"Hello, Zero."
"Oh no, I mean, hello, Asura God!"