After finalizing their strategy, the group decided to hold off the Skeleton Guardian while the rest ventured into the passage behind it to search for mechanisms—if no mechanisms were found, they would simply push forward.
In any case, directly confronting the Skeleton Guardian didn’t seem like a wise choice.
"Engage it now!" At Hu Tianyu’s command, the guild’s thieves sprang into action, testing the limits of the monster’s aggro range. Finally, when they closed in to a certain distance, the flames in the Skeleton Guardian’s eye sockets flared violently!
"ROOOOOAR!!!!!!" A deafening roar erupted, sending visible shockwaves rippling through the air. However, thanks to the distance and their preparations, the thieves remained unharmed.
"Crack, crack-crack." The sound of grinding bones echoed as the Skeleton Guardian patted its massive black shield before charging straight at the thieves!
"Don’t cluster together!"
Inside the vast corridor, players scrambled to take cover in the corners while the thieves kept the Skeleton Guardian occupied, leaving its back completely exposed.
They quickly realized that despite its enormous size and terrifying strength, the Skeleton Guardian was slow—likely due to the massive shield it carried. It couldn’t even keep up with the players’ movements.
"Avoid direct clashes! Everyone else, flank it!" Seizing the opportunity, the other players rushed past the distracted guardian.
"ROAR!!" Noticing the movement behind it, the Skeleton Guardian suddenly leaped into the air!
The players trying to slip past looked up just in time to see a colossal skeletal shadow crashing down on them!
"BOOM!!!!"
The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, shaking the entire castle violently.
The blast instantly wiped out every player in the vicinity, sending dozens straight to the respawn point while scattering equipment across the ground.
Spotting a few blue and purple-tier items among the loot, the remaining players abandoned their original plan and lunged for the gear.
"Damn it, these freeloading trash dare steal our guild’s loot? Kill them all!" Hu Tianyu was already furious over losing so many guild members to the Skeleton Guardian’s attack. Seeing the outsiders snatching their equipment, he immediately rallied his men to cut them down.
A bizarre scene unfolded—the Skeleton Guardian chased players, while the guild chased other players, turning the battlefield into utter chaos.
"Guild Leader, we can’t hold out!"
"Guild Leader, this damn monster’s way too OP!"
The Skeleton Guardian rampaged unchecked, crushing players with every charge. It showed no signs of fatigue, shrugging off both magical and physical attacks with ease.
Just then, Hu Tianyu noticed Su Qiao and her group slipping past unnoticed, sprinting at full speed toward the passage behind the guardian.
"Stop them!"
A barrage of spells rained down, attempting to intercept the Skyhawk Guild. But between the difficulty of casting accurately while moving and the Skeleton Guardian’s relentless destruction, the mages couldn’t halt their advance.
"Hahaha, guess you’ll have to keep it busy for us! We’re off to slay the boss!" Su Qiao couldn’t contain her laughter, thrilled to see the Skeleton Guardian stomping rival guild members underfoot.
Better yet, the sheer number of players served as perfect distractions, buying the Skyhawk Guild enough time to take down the boss.
The thought alone made Su Qiao’s heart race with excitement.
Soon after clearing the corridor, Su Qiao’s group encountered a few minor monsters, but they were easily dispatched, barely slowing their progress.
As they pressed forward, a grand hall came into view. At the far end stood a throne—and seated upon it was a skeletal mage, resting its skull on one hand.
The flickering flames in its hollow eyes betrayed a hint of surprise.
"Boss, that’s the hidden boss—the Lord of Decay!" The bald man beside Su Qiao couldn’t hide his glee at the sight.
"Perfect! Vanguards, engage! The rest, guard the passage—don’t let anyone else slip in!"
The guild had brought over a hundred members. After quickly arranging their formation, they prepared to take on the boss.
...
"Hmm?" At that moment, the Lord of Decay—or rather, Ye Chuan—rose from his throne with mild interest.
Though he wasn’t entirely sure of the players’ overall strength, he had to admit they had some skill if they’d managed to bypass his Skeleton Guardian.
Feeling playful, Ye Chuan deepened his voice and intoned,
"Foolish invaders, why do you disturb my ruined slumber?"
Then, feigning alarm, he took a step back. "Unless… you’ve learned of my legendary treasure vault?!"
His words sent waves of excitement through the Skyhawk Guild.
There really was treasure!
"Legendary weapons! Everyone, attack! Whoever lands the final blow gets a 500,000 bonus!" Su Qiao was practically vibrating with excitement as she pointed forward.
The players surged into action—warriors charged, while mages and archers unleashed a relentless barrage from the rear.
"Mana Shield."
With a casual wave of his skeletal hand, Ye Chuan conjured a glowing barrier that effortlessly blocked every attack.
Meanwhile, the warriors froze mid-charge, unable to move.
"What’s happening?!" Su Qiao gaped in disbelief.
"I can’t move my body!"
"What?!"
"Damn it, check your status bars!"
The players frantically checked their debuff lists—only to find rows upon rows of negative effects. Most bosses might inflict paralysis or fear at worst, but this? The sheer number of debuffs made some wonder if their eyes were deceiving them.
As the effects took hold, the players’ bodies flickered with multicolored lights while their HP plummeted in percentages. Healing spells and potions proved useless.
Within seconds, the players melted away before Ye Chuan’s eyes.
"It’s over, foolish thieves." With that, Ye Chuan inflicted Cognitive Pollution on every remaining player.
"It hurts… I can’t breathe…" Su Qiao’s eyes widened in horror. Her pain settings were at a mere 1%—why did it hurt so much?!
The next instant, the entire Skyhawk Guild was wiped out.
Surveying the sea of soul fragments and equipment left behind, Ye Chuan casually waved his hand, absorbing everything into his inventory.
"Not bad." He rubbed his skeletal chin thoughtfully.
villain is the number one simp for the book's leading female protagonist, Shen Wan'er. As expected, he later becomes a tool for the main character to show off and slap faces, ultimately meeting a tragic end with his family ruined and his life in shambles. Fortunately, he awakens the [Universal Pure Love System], which allows him to earn points by performing acts of pure love. To change his fate, Gu Yan makes a decisive choice to seek warmth and companionship with the book's biggest villain—Cold Qingqiu. ........... My name is Leng Qingqiu. To find the murderer who killed my parents years ago, I deliberately blinded myself so that everyone would lower their guard around me. Just as I was secretly accumulating power and capital according to my initial plan, a man walked into my world. "Lengleng, Qingqing, Qiuqiu, which nickname do you prefer?" I don't like any of them. You'd better leave quickly! "Why aren't you saying anything? How about I call you my baby wife?" Leng Qingqiu thinks to herself, this man is truly annoying! (Stubborn pure love warrior + single female lead + true pure love + 1v1)
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
