I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 175

Chapter 175: A Curse for Others, But Zhang Yangqing Becomes Invincible This Round!

“This isn’t what I imagined the Elven race to be like?”

Bladen, the bullfighter country’s chosen one, also felt a bit uneasy inside now.

Looking at the red mist ahead, a cold wind blew towards him.

The scent of blood in the air was instantly chilling.

Honestly, if it weren’t for his mechanical body, Bladen would definitely be trembling right now.

This final level truly lived up to being one that required earning so many rewards to face.

Without this many enhancements on his body, he’d probably die the moment he stepped inside.

Moreover, this level also required completing a mission.

What lay before the chosen ones was a giant, blood-stained maw—a terrifying, gruesome place.

When they first arrived, didn’t they all think this strange trial would be a journey of slaughter?

But now, here they were, relying on their powerful mechanical bodies to keep running.

After obtaining the speed boost in the Dwarf race level, many chosen ones guessed that being slow in this level meant death.

Even before descending, the chosen ones were tense.

On the first level of Tianwei City, the City Lord personally came to deliver a motivational speech.

While it was called a motivational speech, it was really just about urging the green-skinned soldiers to fight.

The mechanical guards naturally weren’t afraid of death; it was the green-skinned soldiers who were.

This time, a total of 30 city guards were dispatched, all of whom were green-skinned.

The City Lord spoke with passionate fervor, but it was essentially about making everyone risk their lives for his own selfish desires.

He promised hefty rewards to anyone who captured a High Elf upon returning.

This made the green-skinned soldiers excited, but the chosen ones felt he wasn’t trustworthy.

After all, just by looking at the City Lord’s face, he seemed like someone who wouldn’t keep his word.

Bladen remembered a rule.

[Rule 9: The City Lord is an extremely dangerous individual and has a particular fondness for Elves, especially high-level ones.]

Since the rules stated the City Lord was dangerous, Bladen was almost ready to give up on the idea of capturing a High Elf.

He knew capturing a High Elf could yield special rewards, but it also came with two risks.

First, the inherent strength of the High Elf itself, and second, the City Lord’s untrustworthiness.

He didn’t want to go through all that effort for nothing.

So, most chosen ones in this level would opt to just complete the basic mission.

After the City Lord finished his motivational speech, everyone moved to the elevator platform.

As expected, the City Lord certainly wouldn’t descend himself; he returned to the safety of the sixth level.

The sound of turning gears echoed.

Chains continuously lowered.

This wasn’t the first time the chosen ones were descending, but this time felt more nerve-wracking than the previous ones.

Heavy sounds came from the breathing apparatus, and the power core began to operate faster.

The chosen ones checked their energy levels and equipment for any abnormalities.

Just then, several rules appeared before their goggles—lifesaving rules for the chosen ones.

Combat Rules for the Divine Source Homeland:

[Rule 1: After entering the red mist, do not trust any ‘companions.’ What you see may not be real.]

[Rule 2: Confirm the target’s identity before attacking.]

[Rule 3: Sometimes fleeing isn’t the right choice, but when you decide to run, don’t hesitate.]

[Rule 4: When you fear them, they might also fear you.]

[Rule 5: If you fall into the abyss, climb out quickly. There’s nothing you want inside.]

[Rule 6: The Elven race also has things they fear.]

[Rule 7: If you fail to capture an Elf from the Divine Source Homeland, the City Lord will be very angry.]

The appearance of the rules did ease the chosen ones’ unease.

After all, the chosen ones relied on the rules to survive. As long as they analyzed them carefully, they could surely find a way through.

“So, in this level, as long as I capture one ordinary Elf, I can return to Tianwei City?” pondered Bladen, the bullfighter country’s special forces chosen one.

Actually, after seeing the rules, he still had thoughts of taking a risk. He had come this far, obtained so many reward enhancements, and understood how to tackle this level. Just leaving like this felt unsatisfying.

Two conflicting emotions struggled within him: survival versus rewards.

After thinking for a while, Bladen quickly calmed down.

This wasn’t the time to be stubborn; he needed to be flexible.

He decided to wait until he actually encountered a High Elf to assess its combat strength.

If he could genuinely handle it, he wouldn’t hold back.

But if his first glance told him it was unbeatable, then there was no need to take the risk.

As usual, Braden began analyzing the rules.

Overall, these many rules seemed to hint that in this level, the chosen ones could try taking the initiative?

But when taking the initiative, they needed to ensure who they were aiming at was indeed an enemy?

Rule 1 stated not to trust ‘companions,’ with a special marker on the word companions.

Did this mean these companions might no longer be his actual comrades?

If he could confirm they were his real companions, could he trust them?

Rule 6 stated that the Elven race also had things they feared.

As the saying goes, within seven steps of a venomous snake, there must be an antidote.

Perhaps near the Elven race, there was something they feared. If he could obtain it, he might gain higher rewards in this level.

As for the other rules, they were mostly about danger points.

The chosen ones would need to experience them firsthand; only by encountering the situations would they understand what the rules meant.

Thud!

The elevator platform landed steadily, and the chosen ones advanced into the blood mist with the main force.

This time, a powerful firepower configuration was deployed, showing the City Lord’s determination to capture the Elves.

The blood mist blocked most of the chosen ones’ vision.

However, at the front of the team, several lower Elves led the way.

Rather than leading, it was more accurate to say they were being forced ahead as living flashlights.

The green-skinned ones were quite cunning. If they entered alone, the Elven race might detect and attack them immediately.

Or perhaps, aside from the Elves, others simply couldn’t reach the core area, getting lost in the blood mist.

But having Elves in front could break through special restrictions.

Bladen, the bullfighter country’s chosen one, still opted for solo combat. If danger arose, he would abandon his teammates.

Ramirez, the chosen one from Argentina, held the position of vice-captain. As long as the captain was absent, he had some command authority.

He desperately wished he could kill his captain.

He hoped the Elves would appear quickly, as their primary targets for attack would likely be the green-skinned ones.

Once the captain died, he could assume command.

So, he looked for ways to create opportunities for the Elves to attack the captain, or to ensure the captain’s death during an Elf assault.

Ramirez observed the surroundings. It had been broad daylight when they arrived, but now the place was dim and crimson.

The blood mist blotted out the sky, making the interior particularly gloomy and cold.

Eerie howls occasionally came from the depths of the Divine Source Homeland, as if warning the intruders to leave quickly.

The reddish trees around seemed to tell Ramirez that they might be man-eating treants.

Imagine, towering trees seventy or eighty meters tall suddenly uprooting themselves.

Even if their movement was slow, they could still shake the heavens and earth.

Not to mention the legendary ancient beings like evil dragons and fire demons.

This was simply not on the same power level as the outside world.

Unbeknownst to the chosen ones, pairs of eyes were already watching them from within the dark red mist.

As for the Dragon Country’s chosen one, Zhang Yangqing, his configuration was minimal: just himself, his mount the black bear, and the beastkin brothers wearing gas masks.

The blood mist might be poisonous. The mechanical bodies were fearless, but the beastkin might not be.

The beastkin were the least gifted race in this world, lacking physical prowess and resistance.

If not for Zhang Yangqing’s presence, even the armed beastkin brothers wouldn’t dare enter this area.

The black bear, being one of the regional bosses of this world, wasn’t afraid of the current level of danger.

Instead, it looked forward to the dangers ahead.

Aside from Zhang Yangqing, it had few rivals in direct combat.

The beastkin brothers also shared some legends they knew with Zhang Yangqing.

It was said that long ago, a beastkin successfully left the Divine Source Homeland and received the blessing of the Sacred Tree, gaining powerful magic.

He united the beastkin and created a powerful kingdom.

During that time, the beastkin weren’t oppressed nor did they bully other races; they prospered in their own territory.

That period was the glory days of the beastkin, when they truly stood firm in this world.

Under that great one’s protection, the beastkin lived happily.

But human lifespans were limited. A hundred years later, the beastkin became the juiciest piece of meat in the world.

Not only the green-skinned ones, but other races also began plundering the beastkin.

Even the most populous beastkin race was no match for the others.

Eventually, the beastkin splintered, retreating to live in various corners of the world.

Back then, the beastkin couldn’t swallow their anger. They sent people back into the Divine Source Homeland, hoping to gain power and seek revenge against the other races.

But batch after batch of beastkin entered the Divine Source Homeland, and not a single one came out alive.

It was said this blood mist was originally just white fog, dyed red by the blood of the beastkin.

The Divine Source Homeland gradually became a legend.

As Zhang Yangqing rode his bear past, he could still see many bleached white skeletons near the trees, their size matching that of beastkin.

Seeing these bones made the beastkin brothers nervous.

They weren’t strong themselves, lacking the composure of the powerful.

Moreover, while crossing some streams, the beastkin brothers noticed the water was blood-red.

They didn’t know if it was an illusion created by the Elves to scare people, or if it was truly what they thought it was.

Regardless, it certainly frightened many intruders.

Most chosen ones focused their attention on the treetops, as Elves rarely lived on the ground.

Just as the chosen ones advanced steadily, bizarre events began to unfold.

Bladen, the bullfighter country’s chosen one, noticed a team approaching from ahead.

The green-skinned captain ordered everyone to be on guard.

But upon seeing the team, everyone relaxed.

It turned out to be their own people; the other team’s configuration seemed similar to theirs.

The other team’s green-skinned captain said they were lost.

Because the big-bellied commander was too scared to enter, each squad captain led their team separately to avoid command confusion.

Bladen felt something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint what.

But just as the mechanical corps let their guard down, the other side suddenly opened ‘fire.’

A barrage of artillery shells slammed into the mechanical guards.

“Damn it, it’s the Elves’ disguise magic! Open fire, shoot them!”

After the team was attacked, the green-skinned captain reacted.

He immediately ordered an attack.

The next moment, the green-skinned mechanical corps unleashed their powerful firepower.

Like ruthless harvesters, they mowed down the lives before them.

The hum of energy explosions rose and fell, filling the area.

Overwhelming energy blasts and bullets bombarded the ambushing forces.

The ambushing forces quickly suffered casualties.

But the other side didn’t engage for long; they fought while retreating, seemingly familiar with the terrain.

Even under the green-skinned ones’ heavy fire, they could use the sturdy tree trunks for cover.

Soon, they disappeared into the blood mist.

“After them! They can’t beat us. Capture them alive!”

The green-skinned captain seemed to remember something.

Disguise magic wasn’t ordinary magic; the disguise magic here could perfectly mimic reality.

Lower Elves only knew some basic attack and defense magic.

If it was confirmed to be disguise magic, that meant there was a High Elf in the opposing team.

Only High Elves knew these more complex spells, which required long chanting times.

How could the green-skinned captain not be tempted?

If he captured a High Elf and presented it to the City Lord, he could probably get promoted to commander.

Thinking this, he led the charge.

Soon, they caught up with the team disguised by the Elves and opened fire without question.

The other side also seemed to be searching for ‘enemies.’ Upon being attacked, they also unleashed their full firepower, resulting in various energy collisions.

Both sides suffered some losses.

This time, the green-skinned captain found it strange. The enemy’s firepower seemed similar to theirs, able to fight them to a standstill.

Since when did the Elves have the ability to research weapons?

At this moment, Bladen had noticed the trick.

They had fallen for it completely.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the other side was also a green-skinned mechanical corps.

In this red mist, probably only the Elven race could see clearly.

They intended to make the green-skinned mechanical corps fight each other to achieve attrition.

Likely, the other side was also chasing a disguised team and ended up colliding with them.

No wonder the combat rules repeatedly warned not to trust ‘companions’ and to confirm the target’s identity before shooting.

This was reminding the chosen ones that the Elves’ transformation magic was extremely powerful.

“Captain, we’ve been tricked…”

Bladen quickly reported the situation to the green-skinned captain.

The green-skinned captain now understood why the enemy’s firepower was also so strong.

But the problem was, even if he wanted to stop, the other side didn’t seem to want to either.

They were too far apart, and with the energy colliding in between, they couldn’t communicate at all.

The green-skinned captain cursed the other side for being idiots. Couldn’t they see it?

Little did he know, he hadn’t realized it either just moments ago.

Just as he was about to find cover from the artillery fire and send someone to negotiate, a circle of light appeared at his feet, resembling a magic array.

“Retreat quickly! There’s high-level magic here!”

The green-skinned captain was knowledgeable; he was familiar with the Elves’ attack methods.

When a light circle appeared near a target, it meant a High Elf’s chanting was about to end.

The High Elf had already set the coordinates and target, waiting for the magic to descend.

At this time, the High Elf needed to stand still.

Perhaps this chanting High Elf was on some tree.

It was a good opportunity to capture him, but if they didn’t run now, being hit by the spell would cost them half their lives.

Even with the mechanical body’s strong magic resistance, it couldn’t withstand a high-level magic blast.

The chosen ones reacted quickly. With their 50% enhanced speed, they pushed aside other mechanical guards and ran out.

Some chosen ones leaped up, landing on nearby tree trunks, then kicked off to jump elsewhere.

Only trained chosen ones dared this maneuver; a single misstep and falling down would likely mean being hit by the high-level magic.

The more ruthless chosen one was, of course, Ramirez.

He took advantage of the chaos to blast the tracks of the combat mech the green-skinned captain was riding, and from a distance, he leaped and attacked the mechanical guards who came to the captain’s aid on command.

His goal was naturally to ensure the green-skinned captain died here.

Using the recoil from his attacks in mid-air, he prepared to leave the area.

But leaving wasn’t so simple.

The Elven race had set traps, activating nearby treants to block the mechanical guards’ escape.

The massive treants let out ancient roars, uprooting themselves.

The treants’ wrinkled, ancient faces looked especially terrifying in the blood mist.

The surrounding soil was overturned; each stomp from a treant sent dirt flying and made the earth tremble.

Their branch-made arms continuously swatted at escaping mechanical guards, driving them back.

It had to be said, the mechanical guards’ defense was truly impressive. Even under the full strike of a几十-meter tall treant, they remained intact.

Whether it was because the treants were too slow or the green-skinned heavy industry’s quality was too high, the treants couldn’t harm the mechanical guards.

But their goal was to prevent the mechanical guards from leaving.

As long as they could keep more mechanical guards and green-skinned ones within the light circle, they would succeed.

At this moment, the importance of speed was once again evident.

The chosen ones who obtained the speed boost in the previous level were perfectly escaping outward.

Ramirez continuously dodged the treants’ attacks, his movements agile as he weaved through clumps of dirt and branches.

It felt like running at seventy miles per hour, with a sense of freedom.

It was like a parkour game, where those who had practiced parkour had a significant advantage.

However, failing in this parkour game likely meant death.

Those who obtained the Dwarf Heart, as long as they didn’t make major mistakes or multiple errors, could basically escape the light circle.

Those who didn’t obtain the Dwarf Heart couldn’t afford a single mistake; one error meant they couldn’t escape.

Most chosen ones still utilized their desperation-induced agility, managing to run out despite the layers obstacles.

Unfortunately, the kangaroo country’s chosen one didn’t obtain the Dwarf Heart. After one mistake, he failed to escape.

The next moment, with a ‘poof’ sound.

Smoke suddenly emanated from him, like the white smoke in a magician’s disappearing act.

The kangaroo country’s chosen one transformed into a human form—a human of flesh and blood.

This panicked the kangaroo country’s chosen one. Without his mechanical body, wasn’t he just waiting for death?

[The Elves’ curse magic is extremely powerful, capable of permanently transforming cursed units into entities without combat capability.]

In the eyes of the Elven race, entities without combat capability equated to beastkin.

Any human race could easily slaughter beastkin.

So, this high-level curse magic aimed to transform the highly magic-resistant mechanical beings into beastkin.

Then they could mercilessly kill these races with poor reflexes, low physical fitness, and weak resistance.

This was the plan of the High Elf from the Elven race.

After all, if they directly used high-level magic blasts, they might not necessarily eliminate the mechanical guards.

But by turning the mechanical guards into humans, they could slaughter the humans.

Didn’t the uniform human skeletons along the path when they came hint at the dangers of this level?

These were all hidden hints within the strange trial world.

The audience also understood the peril of this level and prayed for the chosen ones who didn’t escape.

But at this moment, one viewer suddenly posted a bullet comment:

“Oh no! Quick, check the Dragon Country’s screen! Someone is about to defy the heavens!”

This comment woke everyone up, and viewers from around the world flooded into the Dragon Country’s stream.

Although most were prepared, they were still shocked by what they saw.

Because on the screen, that Dragon Country Heavenly Master had already regained his flesh-and-blood body!

In this round, everyone knew the chosen ones could only rely on their powerful mechanical bodies to pass the level.

Otherwise, poisonous insects, scorpions, and toxic mist could poison the chosen ones to death, let alone facing other powerful creatures.

But the Elven race actually used a curse to transform Zhang Yangqing’s mechanical body into a human?

For other chosen ones, losing their powerful mechanical bodies meant only despair.

But for him, regaining his flesh-and-blood body meant invincibility, didn’t it?

Zhang Yangqing looked at his human-form hands and was stunned.

He thought to himself: If you’re going to play like this, then I won’t hold back!