Fine ripples formed on the surface of the water, carrying the faint, fresh scent of herbs upward. Qi Xu slowly stretched his body, relaxing from the outside in. It felt as if his long-tense nerves were being gently supported by the warm water, bringing a lazy warmth to his limbs and bones.
Today had not been too tiring. After all, he had spent the entire time in his vehicle, only occasionally stepping out when he got bored to open a chest and fight a monster with the three little ones.
But just a few minutes after lying down in the bathtub, Qi Xu let out several yawns and eventually fell straight asleep.
The water in the pool faded from a dreamy pink to an ever-paler shade, and Qi Xu's muscles and bones were slowly growing stronger.
His muscle texture gradually tightened, the lines becoming smoother and full of explosive power. It was as if every inch of his muscles had been injected with new vitality, giving him an endless supply of strength with every slight movement.
A faint tingling sensation emerged from deep within his bones. It was a hidden toughness quietly growing, as if his original skeleton was being finely polished and reshaped, becoming much more stable and capable of supporting even greater power.
By the time Qi Xu fully woke up, there was not a single trace of pink left in the bathtub. However, the moment he raised his hand and clenched his fist, he could clearly feel the bulging strength of his arm muscles. It was not just his arms, but also his neck, shoulders, back, and abs.
Qi Xu carefully admired every change in his muscles. This feeling of possessing immense strength was truly wonderful.
At 12 midnight, Qiuqiu punctually broadcast the dungeon announcement.
[✌︎'֊']
[In the blink of an eye, a year has passed. As the Qiuqiu who has accompanied everyone on their journey of growth, watching all the players go from the bewildered anxiety of first entering the survival game to their current calm composure, from frantic fumbling to handling things with ease, I am deeply moved.
Thank you for your hard work! Congratulations to everyone for transforming from survivors into the strong. Qiuqiu is proud of every single player in District 88! Witnessing you slowly grow stronger through hardships is Qiuqiu's most precious fortune. The road ahead is still long, and Qiuqiu is willing to continue accompanying everyone, to see more scenery and conquer more levels...]
The players were somewhat unaccustomed to hearing such an emotional and lyrical speech from Qiuqiu. Shouldn't it arrogantly drop a line like, "Newbies, the dungeon is here! Are you ready to die?" Why the sudden change in style?
The descent of the apocalyptic survival game had long taught everyone to be tough. But suddenly faced with Qiuqiu's heartfelt care and warmth, the softness that had been wrapped in a hard shell for so long could not help but quietly peek out.
They were accustomed to vigilance and defense, accustomed to hiding their vulnerabilities tightly. Yet, this warm congratulation and reflection was like a beam of light, unexpectedly shining into the softest corners of their hearts, allowing the strings that had been taut for too long to loosen slightly...
But only for a moment.
[Hahaha, is the gentle Qiuqiu cute? Do you all like it? If you still want to continue walking hand in hand with such an interesting me, then you must successfully conquer this year's final dungeon!
Participation in this dungeon is mandatory. No player is excepted. Backpacks and all dungeon-escape items are disabled. You can freely choose whether to bring pets. The only hint I can give you is... the stronger you are, the stronger the monsters will be.]
[Hey, the dungeon is here, newbies! Are you ready to die?]
Countless players in District 88 rolled their eyes desperately. Just a moment ago, you were calling us the strong, and before we could even swallow a sip of water, we turned back into newbies!
Unbelievable! Truly worthy of being the mind-messing Qiuqiu!
[This dungeon is a seven-star dungeon: Death Battle Royale!
The vehicles you are so proud of will be transformed into poisoned shackles, welded tightly to your bones, and you will carry these shackles back to the starting point of the survival highway!
This is not a simple weight bearing; it is the forced suturing of steel and flesh! The roar of the engine will turn into a piercing tremor in your skull, and the thickness of the armor will become a massive boulder crushing your spine. Every inch of the parts you poured your heart and soul into upgrading is now greedily sucking your strength and draining your marrow!
The higher the vehicle level, the heavier these shackles will be. Those top-tier configurations that once allowed you to show off on the highway will now act like countless cold hands, tightly gripping your heart and choking off your breath!
You need to successfully complete a mileage of 50,000 km with your vehicle on this highway to successfully challenge the dungeon and leave. Each person can only carry two items with them, including weapons or auxiliary tools. Items for escaping the dungeon cannot be used.
For players who cannot complete this within the month, I am very sorry, but your mileage on this highway will likely come to an end here.]
[The end of the survival highway might be a way out, but every inch of land along the way is soaked with the blood, bones, and despair of those who came before. Qiuqiu sincerely hopes that all our players in District 88 can successfully complete this dungeon challenge. I will be right here, waiting for you all to come home!]
Their own Qiuqiu was truly a great Qiuqiu. Qi Xu could no longer remember how Qiuqiu had broadcast the Death Battle Royale dungeon in his previous round of the game.
But what was certain was that it had definitely not been explained this carefully, nor had it been this inspiring.
It not only provided a rough description of the situations they might encounter but also maximized everyone's belief and mindset for victory, moving from a lyrical speech at the beginning to something akin to intimidating mockery and impassioned encouragement.
Even Qi Xu, who had participated once before, still felt full of motivation and became completely hyped up.
Qi Xu went straight to the chat lobby and sent a message.
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Let's all do our best together! We will win! Let's successfully challenge the dungeon together and go home together!"
Old White Dragon in the Waves: "Alright, let's risk it all!"
Possessed by Bad Luck: "Wuwuwu, so touching, I love the survival game too much."
A-Building Materials Brother Xu: "Well said, let's fight! I originally thought living one more day was earning one more day. I didn't expect I've lived for a whole year now."
Blooming Wealth: "Alright, let's give it another shot. Before the survival game, I was just a flop of a review blogger. To be able to live until now, I am already very proud. But I haven't eaten Chinese Master Chef's delicacies yet. It would be a pity to die; I must successfully come out of the dungeon!"
Chinese Master Chef: "@Blooming Wealth, when we come out of the dungeon, I'll whip up three dishes and a soup for you."
Blooming Wealth: "Hahaha, Chinese Master Chef is still too kind-hearted. You see, I just played the victim a little and you softened up. Be careful not to be fooled! 666 soul chef!"
The words everyone said in the chat lobby were quite touching. Although Qi Xu didn't send anything else, he scrolled up and down for half an hour.
How could this not be the meaning of starting over again?
Qi Xu's fingertips hovered over the input box. Finally, he typed "Good night," hit send, and lay down directly to sleep. To be able to look once more at these lively expectations, to have the opportunity to protect this bustling atmosphere, it was a great honor.
..........
