Chapter 118: Sequence Ranking! A Lead Beyond Comparison! [5000 Words]

【Energy Alert: A suspected special energy field has appeared in the Jingmen area, exceeding the critical threshold.】
【Automated information monitoring in progress... Communication unavailable... Report submitted.】
【Drones dispatched for investigation; unable to enter the energy field or receive information... Report submitted.】
【Additional drones sent for range scanning; estimated energy field covers 7,000 square kilometers; data recording underway.】

The moment the anomaly appeared in the Jingmen Safe Zone, several surrounding safe zones simultaneously received the alert.

After all, the irregular energy fluctuations had been detected a month earlier, and even the precise peak time of the energy was predicted. Many organizations had been monitoring this area continuously.

Yet, no one expected this energy forecast to be so vastly different from before. It wasn’t the emergence of a special realm or a dimensional gate, nor any extraordinary spatial entrance. Instead, the previously unseen luminous veil suddenly expanded, enveloping at least several thousand square kilometers of the surrounding region!

To put it in perspective, the entire Jingmen area spans just over 10,000 square kilometers, and this luminous veil forcibly encompassed the urban center, surrounding fields, and even nearby mountain ranges!

From a distance, a colossal pillar of light appeared in the sky, as if propping up an entirely new world.

【Ding—You have entered the range of the Staff of Revelation; a secret realm has been automatically generated.】
【Ding—Detected involvement of a different civilization in this secret realm. The Pillar of Revelation has activated and will record ranking information. Please label your data accordingly.】
【Ding—This is a special secret realm. Due to your low level, please ensure your personal safety.】

Inside the luminous veil, nearly every explorer simultaneously received several unusual messages, plunging some of the guilds that had arrived earlier into confusion.

Their original plan was to rush in and seize any benefits once the special realm opened, even waiting and staking out near the energy veil. Yet, unexpectedly, the veil expanded completely, engulfing everyone.

Moreover, such a widespread creation of a secret realm had no precedent in history.

Since many low-level explorers lingered in the city, this meant that not only high-level adventurers but also common civilians were directly drawn into this luminous world!

“Has communication been restored?”

“Partially, but only within the Jingmen Safe Zone. The veil extends to the eastern region of the East Jing River, but beyond it, we cannot receive any signals.”

“The video feed is coming through!”

“Damn, what is that? Why is something like this appearing?”

“Is that... a building? An old structure? Or architecture from another world?”

The Jingmen Safe Zone’s command center immediately tried to establish contact with the outside world.

However, they discovered that aside from the safe zone’s own signal towers still functioning, they had completely lost contact with other safe zones.

Furthermore, in the northern and even eastern parts of the Jingmen Safe Zone, many unfamiliar structures appeared—some resembling skyscrapers similar to those in Jingmen, but others were peculiar and clearly not part of the Blue Star world.

Within the luminous veil, aside from everyone receiving the “secret realm opening” notice, a special pillar of light appeared in the distant sky. This pillar was translucent and was referred to in the realm information as the “Pillar of Revelation.”

Only minutes after the veil’s expansion, at least twenty to thirty distress signals came from within the Jingmen Safe Zone, reporting sightings of strange monsters attacking civilians throughout the city!

At the Bloodthirsty Slaughter Guild’s base, located near the slums, the situation was dire.

Since monsters from the Moonlight Land arrived on Blue Star, the Bloodthirsty Slaughter Guild had kept a relatively low profile recently, even halting their aggressive recruitment.

Now, dozens of ghostly entities appeared near their base. These ghosts lacked consciousness but indiscriminately attacked any visible targets. They appeared nearly transparent and were at least level 40 or higher.

In actual combat, even explorers at level 50 or 60 struggled to eliminate them easily due to their tremendous damage resistance.

Low-level explorers and civilians, having never encountered such forces, suffered severe casualties along the streets. Some sought refuge with major guilds. The entire Jingmen Safe Zone descended into chaos.

Fortunately, these ghostly entities lacked ranged area attacks—for now—or civilian fatalities would have soared even higher.

“Have you contacted the other guilds?” Chen Yuan, the guild leader of Bloodthirsty Slaughter, was on the front lines organizing defenses and ordered civilians to take shelter inside.

Many members of the guild grew up in the slums, and many civilians were relatives or acquaintances, so the guild base quickly filled with refugees.

“Jingbei Industries and Peach Blossom Wharf are also under attack. These ghosts seem to have appeared suddenly, not only inside the Jingmen Safe Zone but seemingly everywhere, some even appearing directly inside bedrooms!”

“Where is Qian Ye?” Chen Yuan asked. Since the veil’s arrival, he had lost contact with his vice president.

“Unknown. Qian Ye hasn’t been seen much in the past few days. He probably took his team out today and can’t be reached right now,” Jiang Jinying replied, defending herself in battle. Suddenly, her expression changed.

“Watch out behind you! There’s a monster behind!”

The Bloodthirsty Slaughter Guild’s base was small, and soon overcrowded with those seeking refuge.

Unexpectedly, despite an earlier wave of monster clearance, a peculiar red shadow emerged among the crowd, instantly killing twenty or thirty civilians. Panic erupted, and some even vomited.

“What the hell is that?”

This time, the monsters weren’t ghosts but special flesh-and-blood creatures, some mutated directly from certain explorers. The guild base was plunged into an even more desperate predicament.

Near the northern edge of the Jingmen Safe Zone’s urban area, at the task force base, Zhan Yu slashed through a ghostly entity’s body but caused no real damage. A woman in a black hoodie fired three flame-like attacks, finally destroying the ghost.

Not far away, a man dressed completely in black demonstrated greater efficiency. With a mere gesture, surrounding ghosts ignited, suffered continuous damage, and soon vanished into thin air.

Though these monsters had high damage resistance, Yi Shen managed to handle them using true damage.

The trio soon reached a high point on a building, gazing over the chaotic city, the distant pillar of light, and various strange structures, their expressions mixed.

“Looks like everyone’s earlier predictions were wrong. That luminous veil isn’t the opening of a dimensional gate but the formation of a special kind of space.”

“I’ve completely lost contact with command. This space operates independently. The boundary conditions, however, are unknown.”

The woman in the black hoodie spoke first. Zhan Yu called her Xiao Ge; she was from the Coordination Bureau and had met Yi Shen two days prior through Zhan Yu’s introduction.

They had only briefly chatted then, with Yi Shen dressed in his Black Mage attire.

In the data submitted, Yi Shen’s identity was confidential, using the alias Chen Ergou. Xiao Ge immediately recognized the disguise but didn’t expose it. Apart from a few top officials, most Coordination Bureau members preferred to keep their true identities hidden.

Today, many anticipated the veil’s opening. Zhan Yu had contacted Yi Shen to assess the situation.

But within just half an hour, so much had unfolded—the city was overrun with strange ghostly entities. They sensed these ghosts shared a similar aura to the energy above, meaning these ghosts lacked souls and were special energy beings unique to this secret realm.

“Lei said we should first check near the pillar. Jingbei Industries should be assisting with control inside the city for now,” Zhan Yu said. “Some guilds have already reached the pillar. I hear new secret realm rules activate there.”

“Alright.”

Yi Shen nodded in agreement and added, “These ghosts don’t drop loot upon defeat, but seem to produce a certain energy that clings to the body.”

Both Zhan Yu and Xiao Ge nodded, agreeing with Yi Shen’s observation.

However, Yi Shen hadn’t told them one crucial detail: this energy felt strangely familiar. After killing these ghosts, a purer force than the Moonlight energy itself flowed into his body.

Because Yi Shen had undergone modifications in the Moonlight Land and possessed a special bloodline, he was highly sensitive to such energies.

The energy exuded by these ghosts was purer than Moonlight energy, almost an elevated substitute, subtly refining Yi Shen’s bloodline.

Thus, he actively sought out these Moonlight entities, hoping for new gains.

After discussing with Zhan Yu and Xiao Ge, the three quickly approached the central pillar. In under ten minutes, they reached its vicinity.

By then, many people had gathered nearby. Moreover, the environment was far more complex than expected.

The pillar’s location had previously been a river and a large bridge, but now the bridge was cleaved in half at the pillar’s midsection. An area spanning thousands of square meters was entirely shrouded by the enormous pillar.

The surrounding landscape was no longer the familiar plains and small houses but dotted with bizarre buildings divided into two sections.

On the pillar’s eastern side stood structures dominated by purple hues, made of wood-like material that emitted a violet glow—reminiscent of the Moonlight Land’s architecture Yi Shen had seen in the black mist.

On the other side were buildings of human civilization, forming a small town that had seemingly sprung up out of nowhere. This town contained various shops, streets, and even merchandise—but no people.

The towering pillar connected directly to the sky’s energy field, sustaining this entire world.

“Jingmen Phoenix Lake Wetland Park,” Zhan Yu said curiously, standing beneath an advertisement billboard showcasing a promotional image.

Initially, he thought it was some kind of mirage or illusion brought from elsewhere, but to his surprise, the characters were written in Chinese, bearing the Jingmen emblem.

“Where is this place? Jingmen has a park like this?” Zhan Yu had lived in Jingmen for over thirty years and had never heard the name. The surrounding architecture was peculiar, starkly different from the style within the Jingmen Safe Zone.

“It’s from 2023,” Yi Shen pointed to an electronic clock inside a shop. “These buildings must have been transported here under the energy field’s influence.”

The electronic clock displayed July 2023.

“Let’s head to the pillar. Many guilds have already gone there,” Zhan Yu reminded.

After about a minute of flight, the three arrived near the Pillar of Revelation. A special radiance bathed Yi Shen.

【Ding—You have entered the Pillar of Revelation’s range and automatically obtained the right to compete for the Moonlight Staff.】
【Ding—You may now input information.】
【Ding—Your energy affinity is high; energy points gained will be partially suppressed.】
【Ding—Based on the staff-like energy within your body, you have converted it into a certain number of points.】
【Ding—Countdown to first round of staff points acquisition: 23:39:21.】

Upon contact with the pillar, Yi Shen’s system panel displayed new information, including options for data input. After consideration, he labeled himself as Black Mage and concealed his explorer number.

Once everything was set, Yi Shen sensed something new atop the Pillar of Revelation. His system panel revealed a special display.

———
【Moonlight Staff Points Energy Sequence】
Rankings:
1. Civilization: Blue Star Civilization; Explorer ID: Hidden; Codename: Black Mage; Energy Points: 18,372
2. Civilization: Moonlight Civilization; Explorer ID: Hidden; Codename: S&!@#&@; Energy Points: 1,134
3. Civilization: Moonlight Civilization; Explorer ID: Hidden; Codename: ……&@&……; Energy Points: 1,038
4. Civilization: Bloodline Civilization; Explorer ID: Hidden; Codename: U!&@; Energy Points: 876
5. Civilization: Bloodline Civilization; Explorer ID: Hidden; Codename: U@*#&; Energy Points: 699
6. Civilization: Blue Star Civilization; Explorer ID: 3712X21434; Codename: Fire Phoenix - Zhu Kaiyang; Energy Points: 336
7. Civilization: Moonlight Civilization; …
———

Yi Shen scanned the list and was momentarily stunned. He had not expected such a ranking system.

Though he had done little, he astonishingly topped the list with over eighteen thousand points—more than ten thousand points ahead of the second place!

This ranking also marked each civilization’s affiliation: Blue Star Civilization with a blue symbol, Moonlight Civilization with a pale moonlight emblem, and Bloodline Civilization with red.

Except for Yi Shen’s dominant blue score creating a gap, most of the top ten were from the pale and red sequences.

PS: Hoping to update more tomorrow for the weekend—please continue to support!
(End of chapter)