Everyone closed their eyes for a brief rest, only to be awakened by a tantalizing aroma.
Master Chef hadn’t contributed much in the last two battles, so his energy wasn’t too depleted. After resting for a while, he started feeling hungry...
He had just taken a bite of his meat-stuffed flatbread when he suddenly noticed—the seven teammates who had been dozing moments ago were now wide awake.
“Huh? You’re all up? Want some?”
Seven heads nodded in unison...
The flatbread was crispy and golden, still steaming hot, stuffed with potatoes, enoki mushrooms, fried meat, lettuce, and carrots, all seasoned with sauce. Qi Xu devoured three in one go.
But... Master Chef ate six.
That extra weight wasn’t just for show—the man could cook and eat like a champion!
After finishing his meal, War Wolf 009 got up to stretch, while Old White Dragon in the Waves began refilling his hidden weapon pouch. Qi Xu could tell—no one really wanted to stop.
Yet... there was a lingering worry about the risks some teammates might face.
Failure meant death, and there was no option to quit mid-game.
The difficulty of each level increased almost exponentially...
For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air.
After a long, thoughtful pause, Qi Xu finally spoke up. “How about... we tackle one more level? The 10th level was tough, but Old White Dragon didn’t even use his transformation, and Sister Cut You and I only started using guns halfway through.
If we go all out from the start, it might not be as brutal.”
Dongfang Yuan immediately backed him up, succinctly stating, “Agreed.”
Bubbly Girl Guo Degang chimed in, “Honestly, the three of us are pretty safe. None of our survival items have broken yet, and Master Chef’s shield is ridiculously OP—even the fire-breathing wolf couldn’t crack it.
If a monster gets too close, we might not win, but we can hold out for a bit.”
“I’ve got plenty of survival items. I think we can handle one more round,” another added.
Seeing the consensus, Qi Xu made the call. “Then it’s settled—one more level!”
“I’ve also got a title called ‘Undying War God.’ It triggers when fatigue is high and health is low, boosting all three stats significantly.
I like our odds. Let’s go all in—hesitation has no place in a survival game.”
“Yeah! Let’s go, team! Charge!”
With unanimous agreement, they set their sights on Level 11. But as they approached the gate, everyone froze in confusion.
Written on the door was a math problem:
“If the straight line y = aX - 1 is tangent to the curve y = ln(X - b), what is the minimum value of b?”
Qi Xu had barely scraped by in math back in school, and after all these years, whatever he’d learned was long gone.
In perfect sync, the group turned to Bubbly Girl Guo Degang and Retired Magical Boy.
These two were the only ones who might still have some connection to the word “school.” The others’ blank stares said it all.
“Liberal arts college entrance exam top scorer... got any issues with math? This is math, right?” Old White Dragon trailed off, suddenly worried this might not even be math.
Retired Magical Boy waved awkwardly. “No way I can solve this. I majored in broadcasting—didn’t even take math in college. My high school final exam? A glorious 48. No tricks here, just pure guessing!”
Meanwhile, Bubbly Girl Guo Degang confidently pulled out pen and paper, already scribbling away.
“This isn’t hard. First, set the tangent point target, then equate the derivative of the curve at that point to the slope of the line...”
She explained each step as if determined to teach the group.
The others stayed silent, utterly lost.
When she finally calculated the answer, the door flashed “Correct,” and the team erupted in cheers.
“666! That’s insane! We can fight monsters, but without you, we’d be stuck. These puzzles are getting sneaky!”
“Damn right! Bubbly Bro, you’re a legend!”
After some more banter, Qi Xu checked in. “Everyone rested up?”
“Ready! Let’s go!”
Before the gate opened, Qi Xu reminded them, “Old White Dragon, hold off on the booze for now. Wait and see!”
“Got it, boss!”
Qi Xu wanted to test whether they could clear this level without resorting to their final trump cards. If so, Level 12 might just be within reach.
When the gate fully opened, they saw only one monster.
Towering two stories tall, it was a grotesque fusion—a wolf’s head, a bear’s body, and an absurdly long, furry tail. Qi Xu had never seen anything like it.
For a brief moment, they felt relief—until the creature roared, and the sheer force of it threatened to shatter their eardrums.
Gritting through the pain, Qi Xu immediately fired five shots into the monster’s chest.
The first two missed the vitals, but all five hit.
Yet the abomination didn’t even stagger—instead, it charged straight at Qi Xu.
Dongfang Yuan rushed to the opposite diagonal, unloading her machine gun in a relentless “rat-tat-tat,” instantly drawing the monster’s aggro.
As it pivoted toward her, War Wolf 009 and Old White Dragon in the Waves swiftly positioned themselves at the other corners of the room.
They took turns baiting the creature with ranged attacks. Aside from its occasional deafening roars, this fight felt less perilous than Level 10.
Seeing this, Old White Dragon decided to save his transformation drink for later.
This thing was clearly all brawn and no brains—high attack, high defense, but dumb as a rock.
They’d wear it down slowly, kiting it around the arena.
Qi Xu, however, saw deeper. This strategy of luring and switching wasn’t just simple teamwork—it was a test of trust.
A single selfish hesitation would ruin the rhythm.
With real bullets flying and supplies scarce, teamwork like this was fragile. In a less tight-knit group, resentment over who contributed more or less could fester.
A moment’s doubt could mean bloodshed—and once trust broke, annihilation would follow.
By Qi Xu’s estimate, he’d fired at least 200 rounds before the monster showed any sign of weakening. Most wouldn’t dare expend so much ammo on one foe.
As the creature barreled toward Dongfang Yuan’s position, Qi Xu signaled the team.
Boldly stepping forward, Golden Bell Armor Iron Shirt took his place.
Qi Xu moved swiftly and silently, closing in on the monster’s rear. Compared to its height, he could barely reach its backside even at full jump...
.........
