C7 So the Wilderness Was Really Dangerous
Early the next morning, Wang Changqing awoke to an unfamiliar metallic ceiling, a stark contrast to the white and gray one etched in his memory. It took him a moment to recall that he was no longer on the Blue Planet but had arrived on the Initial Continent. With a wry smile, he rolled out of bed.
"Master, are you awake?" The sound of Wang Changqing stirring alerted the maids waiting outside.
"Yes, I'm up," he responded. With his permission, two maids entered, one carrying a basin of clear water and the other a fresh towel. The sight was new to Wang Changqing, and he felt slightly out of his element.
Once he was washed up, he found the dining table set with a meal, the four maids' attention to detail evident.
Moo Niu, the territory's administrator, joined him during breakfast. Wang Changqing warmly invited him to eat together, but Moo Niu politely declined, claiming he had already eaten. Thus, Wang Changqing hastily finished his meal under their watchful eyes.
"Moo Niu, today I'll be venturing further into the wilderness. Your task is to recruit an administrative team for the Lord's Mansion and organize a search for arable land," Wang Changqing instructed.
His first foray into the wilderness was filled with trepidation; the second, with eager anticipation. The successful first hunt had bolstered his confidence, and now, leading 180 Level-2 Combat Robots, he felt even more assured.
During breakfast, he had selected his targets for the day based on intelligence gathered by the Nano Reconnaissance Robots. The first target, a group of humanoid wild monsters, was not far from his territory. Wang Changqing was curious to discover if these seemingly human-like creatures possessed any form of intelligence.
The Mechanical Legion, comprised of 180 Level-2 Combat Robots, charged fearlessly across the wilderness, soon reaching the humanoid creatures' habitat by a small, murky lake.
Catching sight of the humanoid wild monsters for the first time, Wang Changqing couldn't help but react to their appearance, despite his expectations: they were damn ugly!
Their heads were flattened, resembling that of a snake, devoid of any hair. Their eyes were minuscule, barely visible, and their necks were over twice the length of a typical human's. Clad in nothing, their skin was caked with layers of black and brown grime, beneath which one could discern the scaly texture. In addition to their heads and limbs, they also sported a short tail.
Orc
Level: 1
Identity: Member of the orc horde
Skill: Venom (Grade G) - Highly toxic and corrosive, capable of being sprayed from the inside of the mouth with great stealth.
Wang Changqing dispatched a Defender model combat robot to call out, signaling the other combat robots to ready themselves for battle. Yet, as soon as the Defender model entered the orcs' line of sight, it was met with a venomous assault. The energy shield it raised fizzled with the sounds of corrosion, emitting plumes of green smoke.
After having the Defender model issue several more calls, Wang Changqing concluded that these orcs lacked intelligence, possessing only rudimentary thought processes. Without further delay, he commanded the Mechanical Legion to launch their assault.
A fearsome metallic tempest ravaged the orcs' makeshift encampment, reducing them to fragments. Dark green blood, intermingled with torn flesh and shattered bones, littered the ground.
Your forces have slain 64 level 1 orcs and 2 level 2 orcs, eradicating an orc tribe and securing a minor victory. You've earned 74 experience points and 74 units of Soul Crystals.
The carnage no longer phased Wang Changqing; he had grown accustomed to such sights. Shaking his head in resignation, he lamented, "This is reality, this is the alien world, this is the wilderness, this is the survival of the fittest."
He refrained from collecting the flesh of these humanoid beings; it was revolting to look at and, given its poisonous nature, utterly unnecessary.
Perched atop the shoulder of a Defender combat robot, Wang Changqing directed the Mechanical Legion as they thundered through the wilderness. In just one morning, they had wiped out three orc tribes.
Your army has vanquished 76 level 1 long-haired sheep and 1 level 2 long-haired sheep, decimating a flock and claiming another modest victory. You've gained 81 experience points and 81 units of Soul Crystals.
Your forces have slain 28 Level 1 Short-Tailed Tigers and a single Level 2 Short-Tailed Tiger, wiping out an entire group and securing a minor victory in this micro-war. You've earned 33 experience points and 33 units of Soul Crystals.
Your troops have also vanquished 135 Level 1 Swift Antelopes and one Level 2 Swift Antelope, eradicating a herd and claiming another small triumph. You've gained 140 experience points and 140 units of Soul Crystals.
The day was shaping up to be quite rewarding until Wang Changqing's Mechanical Legion stumbled upon a pack of wild monsters, all at least Level 5, and he realized just how perilous the wilderness could be!
Giant Armored Rhinoceros
Level: 5
Identity: Member of the Giant Armored Rhinoceros Herd
Skill: Heavy Armor (F Class) – Provides defense against most physical attacks
Skill: Charge (E Class) – Capable of reaching speeds up to 400km/h
Skill: Trample (E Class) – Its massive hooves can make the ground tremble and mountains quake
"Increase the energy output! We must hold the line!" In the heat of the moment, Wang Changqing's Mechanical Legion found itself encircled by over three hundred Giant Armored Rhinoceroses. Thankfully, the Energy Shield deployed by the Defender Model 2 combat robots enveloped them, offering crucial protection. Yet, with each thunderous charge from the rhinoceroses, the Energy Shield wavered, threatening to give way.
Just beyond the shield lay scattered remains of Combat Robots that hadn't been retrieved in time.
The crisis had erupted without warning. The Nano Reconnaissance Robots had only transmitted images, leaving Wang Changqing to underestimate the threat, mistaking the creatures for mere Level 1 or 2 fodder. It wasn't until the data for the first Giant Armored Rhinoceros flashed across his screen that he realized the gravity of the situation and commanded an immediate retreat.
But the rhinoceroses' Charge skill unleashed such ferocity that they obliterated the front line of Butcher Model 2 Combat Robots, reducing them to twisted metal. The Mechanical Legion's kinetic weapons proved futile against the rhinoceroses' thick armor.
Unable to outrun or overpower the enemy, Wang Changqing was engulfed by a sense of helplessness.
He forced himself to calm down and started strategizing a countermeasure.
After careful observation, Wang Changqing identified a vulnerability that wasn't an obvious weakness.
"Eyes! All combat units, target the eyes of the Giant Armored Rhinoceros!"
At Wang Changqing's command, every Mechanical Warrior pivoted their weapons and unleashed a barrage at the eyes of the Giant Armored Rhinoceros.
But then, an Energy Shield sprang forth from the beast, repelling all the metal bullets.
"An Energy Shield? Can't you give me a break!"
"All combat units! Keep firing!"
The eyes were the Giant Armored Rhinoceros's sole weak spot, his only lifeline. With no other options, he clung to it desperately, pursuing that glimmer of hope.
"Da Da Da..."
The combat robots fired in unison, their ferocious metal storm relentlessly hammering the Giant Armored Rhinoceros. The beast's Energy Shield flickered wildly, on the verge of shattering.
"Bang!"
With a muted blast, the Energy Shield disintegrated under the Mechanical Legion's relentless assault, dissolving into a shower of sparks. The metal bullets that followed bore straight into the eyes of the colossal creature.
The first bullet was thwarted by the rhinoceros's thick eyelid, leaving only a small wound. The second and third bullets did the same, but there was an uncountable number still to come.
The Giant Armored Rhinoceros, under the Mechanical Legion's concentrated fire, sensed the looming threat of death. Although it couldn't reason like sentient beings, this Level-5 creature's survival instincts kicked in. Sensing danger, it didn't hesitate to turn tail and flee.
Seeing their comrade retreat, the other Giant Armored Rhinoceroses bellowed and quickly followed suit.
"It's true, the wilderness is perilous. No wonder the previous Lord vanished without a trace out here!"
