Chapter 82: Era 1.1

No matter how it happened, the monster before Zhao Nan vanished, and in that instant, all the other creatures around him disappeared without a trace. The complex building at the teleportation point, too, gradually returned to its original state beneath the glow of the Soul Crystal. The streets of Dongyuan City began to restore themselves, and the four entrances of the city gates, once toppled and ruined, now showed no sign of ever having been damaged.

At that moment, the once-deserted streets began to fill with the city’s native inhabitants. There was nothing odd about them; they behaved exactly as if it were six o’clock on any ordinary morning—early risers began to stroll the avenues. The city showed no sign that it had, only hours before, endured a monstrous siege. Only the wounds and exhaustion lingering on the surviving players bore witness to the reality of what had happened, proof that none of it had been a mere dream.

Eurysius circled overhead, still spiraling around Zhao Nan’s waist as he stood atop the Soul Crystal, gazing down into a sea of bewildered faces. The vast teleportation hall was utterly silent, as quiet as a dungeon sealed for centuries—everyone’s face was deathly pale.

No one knew how much time passed before the sound of quiet sobs broke the silence. At first just a muffled weeping, it soon swelled into uncontrollable wails. Tears flowed unchecked—no one seemed inclined to hold them back. The hurried rhythm of their sobbing carried a strange contagion, spreading outwards like ripples on water.

All wept, overcome by grief.

The night had passed, leaving behind countless dead and wounded.

Zhao Nan gently stroked Eurysius’s talon and slowly descended from the Soul Crystal. The members of the “World’s End” guild gathered around him as he landed, all silent, exchanging glances without words.

“Will this happen again?” Gao Mingyang asked hoarsely, his gaze drifting in confusion over their surroundings.

There were still many people here, but compared to the teeming crowds who had arrived together on the day of the great catastrophe, the place now seemed desolate. How many players had died in the siege? The number would never be truly known.

“Yes. Monster sieges will not end with just this one,” Zhao Nan replied with a sigh.

“Monsters—monsters!” Gao Mingyang could not restrain his agitation. He stared up at the sky, jaw clenched and trembling, a single tear tracing silently down his cheek.

Ding—

At that moment, the system’s voice resounded once more.

“Dongyuan City has successfully withstood its first monster siege. In three minutes, a global synchronization update will commence, ushering in the era of ‘Global Monster Online’ version 1.1. More game information will be delivered to all players via system mail.”

Three minutes flashed by in an instant. The whole world faded to black and white. Zhao Nan slowly closed his eyes. Just before the darkness took him, he saw countless faces, each one frozen in time.

…

…

“Version 1.1 update complete. The Soul Temple is now open in the city.”

…

“Version 1.1 update complete. City Trials are now available.”

…

“Version 1.1 update complete. Equipment enhancement system is now accessible.”

…

“Version 1.1 update complete. Player real estate purchasing system is now enabled…”

…

…

Dozens of notifications poured into players’ bracelets, one after another, their incessant beeping filling the air. Amid this noise, Zhao Nan opened his eyes, as if waking from a deep sleep, his thoughts still clouded.

After a moment of confusion, Zhao Nan looked at those around him. His guildmates stood close by. No words were needed; everyone was focused on reviewing the new messages.

Even those who had been sobbing moments before, lost in their grief, now pored over the system mails.

The changes in this update were exactly as Zhao Nan remembered. Most notable were the improvements to the bracelet’s functions. Information displayed on the bracelet was now strictly personal—his previous methods of forcibly grafting tasks or trading were no longer possible. The bracelet would retain the player’s inventory and drop it automatically upon death.

The Soul Temple, for now, was a simple structure, serving only as a place to exchange contribution points for items. More features would be unlocked with future updates.

As for the title of City Lord…

Zhao Nan sighed. Dongyuan City was about to become lively again for quite some time.

“Everyone, please hear me out!”

A slightly hoarse voice suddenly echoed through the teleportation hall, clear and resonant in every ear.

“I am Ximen Yu, leader of the ‘Purgatory’ guild. After enduring this monster siege, I believe all of you have come to understand the harshness of reality. The system has already announced the end of the first monster siege! But what does ‘first’ mean? It means there will be a second and a third… Yes, events like this will happen again! Dongyuan City’s safe zone is not a true paradise! Even if we never leave the city, one day we will have to face attacks from all the monsters on the map!”

Ximen Yu spoke while holding a crystal that amplified his voice. Standing atop the high platform beneath the Soul Crystal, his rough voice rang out:

“Are we going to stand by helplessly and defend against another monster siege? Are we doomed to endure the deaths of companions—those who have become like family—over and over again? Will we keep acting alone or in small, scattered groups, clinging to our own small worlds, barely scraping by?”

As Ximen Yu spoke on, Gao Mingyang could not help but frown. “What’s he trying to do?”

“He’s doing what’s right—what many wish to do but hesitate over. And he’s bold enough to take the first step,” Zhao Nan replied calmly.

“And what is that?” Gao Mingyang asked, puzzled.

“Unification, you dolt,” Xu Fei said, giving Gao Mingyang a hard smack on the back of the head. “If you had time, you should’ve read more!”

“Come on, I read every day!” Gao Mingyang grumbled, rubbing the spot and finally settling down.

“Alright, while he’s got everyone’s attention, let’s slip out through the underground passage,” Zhao Nan whispered.

As they quickly ducked into the underground passage, a figure rushed to Ximen Yu’s side. This newcomer also held a voice crystal and, stepping forward with confident strides, addressed the crowd: “He’s right. We shouldn’t live like this. We survived the catastrophe—we should unite! If the monsters will attack again, then let’s use this time to prepare as best we can.”

“I think that guy’s name is Duan Tianlang,” Gao Mingyang muttered in the crowd. “So this is what you call a power grab, right?”

“Idiot, what power do they have right now? Who gave them any authority? There’s nothing to seize—he’s just not content to stay in the background!” Gao Xiang gave Gao Mingyang’s head another smack.

“Damn it!”

A muffled laugh sounded in their voice channel. Two girls giggled at once. Gao Mingyang sighed in exasperation, “Fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut, alright?”

“But… Zhao Nan, aren’t you going to join them?” Xu Fei asked. “You were the hero of the siege, after all. With your feat of taking down the flying monster at the end, your popularity’s probably higher than either of them.”

“This isn’t something to be taken lightly… Once you unify everyone, are you ready to shoulder the safety and lives of all? Do you have the strength to face countless watchful eyes each day, always afraid of making a single wrong move?” Zhao Nan let out a long breath.

“Fair point…”

Gao Mingyang and the others shook their heads. Before the catastrophe, they had drifted through the city, dabbling in shady business, with little care for the future or for lofty ideals.

“So, Nan… where are we headed now?”

“There’s still some time before the next monster siege,” Zhao Nan replied with a smile, patting Eurysius, who glided at his side, close to the ground. “Let’s use this time to grow stronger… You’re all just about ready to earn pets of your own.”

After this siege, Finina had already reached level 20. The others were nearly there as well.

*****

PS: Three chapters tonight. This was the first.