Chapter 112: Chaos Overwhelms the Realm

“Look quickly! The ranking list!”
“Good grief! This can’t be right. Is the system bugging out?”
“Does anyone know someone? Go ask them—what’s going on here?”

It began when a player noticed something strange on the level leaderboard, sparking the entire gaming community’s attention toward the top 100 players’ data fluctuations.

Originally, Zoron, who held the top spot at level 60, had suddenly surged to level 65—and was climbing at an astonishing pace. Although the numbers flickered intermittently, the experience required for each level was enormous, making this speed downright terrifying.

And Zoron wasn’t alone in this bizarre leap. Some players who previously ranked high in experience but fell outside the top 100 were now rapidly ascending. Their numbers swelled until they occupied the entire top 40 spots on the leaderboard.

Undeniably, from rank 41 downward, it was as though they belonged to a completely different world.

The player at rank 40 had already reached level 85, while Zoron had skyrocketed to level 96. This shocking development sent ripples of alarm through the player base.

The top 40 were unquestionably part of Zoron’s unparalleled legion—an elite team under his command.

If a whole team could advance at such a terrifying speed, who in the world could stand against them?

Once their method of advancement was known, wouldn’t everyone else be able to dominate the entire game just as effortlessly?

Receiving this news, Li Ren quietly studied the leaderboard. The frantic pace of leveling surprised him, and combined with the information conveyed by Fan Yunshan, genuine concern began to take root.

Fan Yunshan, meanwhile, was filled with shock and disbelief. He could never have imagined that the original system candidate—the very person chosen at the outset—could allow such a thing to happen!

This was a direct violation of their prior agreement!

Following the system’s earlier allowance for players to form guilds without a founding charter, this had become the second bewildering and shocking anomaly the system had produced.

As a result, furious and confused players vented their frustration on the game’s forum, bombarding the officials with inquiries. Yet, the company remained silent, leaving players without any reliable information.

Finally, the official statement arrived, declaring that Zoron and his cohorts’ methods were entirely legitimate, with no bugs involved. The company reserved the right to remain silent beyond that.

Players were outraged. They began scouring for any trace of the 40 players on the list, hoping to uncover any channel or tidbit of information. With the bounties skyrocketing across the world, even the smallest lead would fund their efforts for a long time to come.

People were, after all, profoundly pragmatic.

Strangely, the already well-known 40 seemed to have vanished into thin air. Even within the game, their presence was entirely absent—except for occasional online status indicators, there was no other sign of them.

It was as if they had evaporated from existence.

In reality, these 40 missing individuals also disappeared without a trace.

It was unknown what force was at work, but their real-world disappearance attracted little attention, as though the matter had been forcefully suppressed.

Even the faintest murmurs of doubt were quickly drowned out and buried.

Lantis, newly appointed as lord of Yuxiao City, furrowed his delicate brows, his exquisite eyes filled with intense puzzlement and worry.

“Hopefully, things aren’t as bad as they seem,” he murmured softly before turning to reinforce the city’s defenses.

Yuxiao City had now fully recovered; the broken walls were restored, and the fallen guards replaced, thanks to sufficient funds allocated by Li Ren. Aside from the absence of players, the city had become a formidable stronghold.

Satisfied with the arrangements, Lantis reopened the city’s teleportation access, preparing to welcome the first wave of players after the war—to bolster their strength further.

“It seems we must take action as well. With Tian Xie’s assistance, Zoron has truly gone mad. But what puzzles me the most is how a mere mortal like him could have dealings with Tian Xie,” Fan Yunshan pondered gravely.

Having only met Zoron once, Li Ren hadn’t paid him much mind; after all, he was just another player. Under the overwhelming dominance of a boss-level figure like Li Ren and the vast level disparity, he hadn’t warranted much attention.

Yet now, Zoron had somehow surged more than ten levels above him! The advantage of level was gone, and if anything, Li Ren found himself at a disadvantage.

Moreover, it wasn’t just Zoron—they were an entire team of 40 rapidly leveling together. To claim they lacked the strength to acquire new equipment and powerful skills was laughable, even a child could see that was nonsense.

Having lost Yuxiao City to Zoron, their conflict was out in the open, but with Zoron operating in the shadows, Li Ren was utterly unaware of his adversary’s current capabilities or plans, and that uncertainty unsettled him.

At that moment, someone who once haunted Li Ren’s nightmares suddenly appeared.

Abruptly!

The very individual who had nearly ended Li Ren’s life in a dungeon, forcing him to search the player world in vain, now casually appeared in Luoyun City—and boldly requested entry to the lord’s castle.

Li Ren hesitated briefly, exchanging a glance with Fan Yunshan, who had also received the request but remained unmoved. Ultimately, Li Ren granted the visitor access.

Abruptly, the figure materialized within the lord’s castle.

Still clad in a voluminous black robe, the hood concealed every feature beneath its shadow.

Upon seeing Li Ren seated at the head, the cloaked figure lifted the hood.

A cascade of gleaming silver hair tumbled down the back, the contrast of black and silver lending an air of profound mystery.

A pair of lively brows arched enigmatically, as though harboring countless secrets waiting to be uncovered. A faint smile graced her lips, compelling one’s gaze to linger on her flawless, captivating beauty.

“Long time no see,” came the clear, melodious voice from her cherry-red mouth—a stark contrast to the robe’s dark veil.

Li Ren felt a surge of emotion and nodded in return. “Long time no see.”