When Chen Xiao opened his eyes he was in a forest unlike any he'd ever seen. The trunks rose like pillars to the sky, leaves knit so thick that sunlight broke through only in pools and ribbons. The air thrummed with life — green, vibrant, almost tangible.
He scanned his surroundings. He was alone.
A familiar hum interrupted the quiet:
[National Fortune Game] [Third Stage] [Underground Furnace] [About to Begin]
[Upon awakening][I was separated from my teammates][I appeared in a strange forest—this place I know][The forest's center is the Underground Furnace][Collect fire seeds inside; more seeds = higher points][This is your final chance]
[Participating camps:]Huaxia / Euro Alliance / Combat Nation / Free Nation / Samba Homeland / Cherry Blossom Camp
[Total survivors: 40]
[Rule:] While on the forest surface, crushing any fire seed will end the game immediately.[Note:] Crushed seeds grant no points.
[Now. Game Start.]
The rules clarified his objective: reach the forest's center — the Underground Furnace — and gather as many fire seeds as possible. Points mattered more than bloodshed; stealthy, fast collection would win this stage.
But the map was useless here. The canopy rolled unbroken to the horizon; every direction looked the same. Even flying was worthless — the forest was an ocean of green with no obvious landmark.
"Standing still won't help. I have to move," he thought.
He activated Dragon's Breath and rose above the treetops. Ten minutes later he picked up a fast-moving signature and dropped like a god from the sky, water blade in hand, appearing before a lone opponent.
"Baka!" the man spat.
A Cherry Blossom Camp fighter screamed as Chen Xiao's blade swept. One arm went, then the other. Even one-armed, the man hurled green magic at him; Chen Xiao stepped through it and finished the job. The head rolled. The water dissolved into a puddle; Chen Xiao exhaled.
"Did you see anyone on the way here?" he asked coldly.
The survivor coughed and spat blood. "No one. Only you. Why did I have to meet you…"
Chen Xiao didn't bother answering. The forest was vast and people were scattered; to find the center he needed others to "test the way." Searching blindly would waste time. Instead, he decided to locate his Huaxia teammates — especially A Yao. Her speed was invaluable; he couldn't afford to let her die.
He vanished into the trees. The sun bowed and darkness fell like ink, transforming the forest into a chiaroscuro painting.
His expression sharpened. He picked up a familiar energy flow but couldn't yet place whose it was.
Far off, Jiang Ling stumbled into trouble. Cornered by two leering men from the Free Nation, she tried to bluff her way out. "Think twice — make an enemy of Huaxia?" she warned, invoking their camp's prestige.
"Out here, who cares about camps?" one sneered. "It's dark — perfect for us."
Jiang Ling had a perception talent, but her assailants outranged her. They closed in, hands ready to seize. Desperation tightened her chest.
Then the night tore apart with a deafening roar. A cyan-blue halberd fell from the sky like a meteor, skewering both attackers through the chest. Blood spray stained leaves and shadow. Jiang Ling stared, hands trembling, as the two men collapsed.
The halberd's owner didn't stay. The weapon vanished as if it had never been there; the killer was gone.
Jiang Ling wiped blood from her face, heart hammering. If whoever had saved her had hostile intent, she would be next. But the silence that followed was absolute, like the forest itself was holding its breath.
Chen Xiao moved through the dark canopy like a shadow. He'd come for the center — and for his people. The forest would be mapped not by paths but by bodies and the wakes of those desperate enough to test the way. If the Underground Furnace rewarded fire seeds rather than corpses, then cunning and speed would decide the winner.
He kept moving. The game had grown quiet, but in the hush the forest felt less natural and more like a trap laid by some huge, patient beast.