Chapter 15: Clash of the Stone Colossus
The trio crept to the rear of the burning villa, where two colossal stone hands rose from the ground, chasing a shadowy figure. Behind them loomed an egg-shaped stone barrier—anyone approaching it would trigger a swarm of rising walls. But the hands easily vaulted over the barriers, their progress halted only by five players armed with rocket launchers, machine guns, and heat-seeking grenades.
"This is like a sci-fi movie," Jason muttered, watching the shadow dart between explosions.
The figure—a serpentine warrior covered in rough scales—leaped onto crumbling stone pillars, evading the barrage. Bai Er aimed his sniper rifle. "Zou Yidao's unkillable unless hit by artillery. Han Bin's stalling."
"Why risk killing him? He could've just farmed points elsewhere," Sherry asked.
"Because power corrupts," Jason said. "Han Bin's men would've turned on him eventually. Zou Yidao's the only threat left."
Bai Er scoffed. "Han Bin's a tyrant. His men serve strength, not loyalty."
Jason's mind flashed to his underground fights—gangs that claimed brotherhood but betrayed for coins. Human nature, he realized, was no different in games.
The Battle Unfolds
Sherry flanked a Level 3 gunner, smashing his helmet with her blade. Jason kicked a rocket launcher away from a fallen foe, then crushed the man's spine with his Six-Sided Mace.
"Level 6," Jason said flatly, watching Sherry wipe her blade on the corpse. Her face, scarred from self-inflicted burns, mirrored her numb resolve.
A grenade explosion tore through attackers, leaving one Level 3 player gasping. Sherry exhausted her healing scrolls to save him.
"Level 4… 5…" Jason muttered, his vision blurring.
A roar shook the air. Han Bin, now a Stone Golem, swung his fist. Zou Yidao—a towering Beast—climbed Han Bin's arm, leaping to shatter the stone barrier.
"Aberration lets you mutate into beasts," Bai Er explained. "Han Bin chose stone. Zou Yidao…"
Before he finished, Zou Yidao launched himself at Han Bin, crushing him with a turtle-shell armor fist. The Soul Purification artifact dropped—a key to escaping the village.
Aftermath
Back in Sherry's home, Zou Yidao revealed his clan's secret: the Three August White Clan, ancient assassins with nocturnal Colorless Ones blood. Their descendants, like Bai Er, saw in darkness but burned under sunlight.
"Your face…" Jason stared at Sherry's scars.
"I did it to survive," she said, her voice steady. "To remember."
Jason clenched his fists. "We're still trapped in this game. But tonight, we fight for more than points."
As dawn broke, the leaderboard updated:
Sherry: Level 6
Jason: Level 6
Bai Er: Level 6
The village's chains shattered. But deeper mysteries lingered—about the White Clan, the Divine Vessel artifact, and the true cost of power.