Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

The full contribution leaderboard wasn’t publicly displayed; each person could only view their own ranking.

From the information available, it was impossible to determine if both sides shared the same leaderboard.

However, the leaders of Oran City were apparently satisfied with their rankings, which explained why they had submitted a truce agreement.

”To hell with that! A ceasefire my ass. After killing so many of our people, they think they can just smooth things over? Do they really think Dongfu City is their damn backyard?”

”We can’t let this go. This demands blood for blood.”

Having spent the better part of the day exhausted from being on the defensive, the people of Dongfu City were naturally filled with righteous fury.

Once the fires of war were lit, they couldn’t be so easily extinguished.

”What’s your rank?” Su Chen asked.

”When I first checked, I was ranked 183rd. Now I’ve dropped to 185th. I have 87 contribution points,” Yan Ruoruo responded.

This cool beauty showed no mercy when it came to killing enemies.

A Bowstring Artisan’s Spiritual Energy Arrows were incredibly deceptive, often resulting in instant kills on unsuspecting targets. Combined with the stealthy and sudden Wind Split Arrow, her lethality was truly impressive.

She had previously taken down two enemies who possessed Lv7 Runes, which counted as a decent haul.

Su Chen thought for a moment. His 357 contribution points more or less confirmed that destroying a Teleportation Gate yielded a substantial reward.

”Hee hee, my rank is a little higher than yours. It’s only normal that cold steel can’t beat firearms~”

Ji Xiaoyue glanced at the tall, graceful Yan Ruoruo beside her, the soundproofing of her mask unable to contain her smug delight.

As a ghost agent operating out of the forward forest, this Xiaodouding carrying an anti-materiel sniper rifle was a formidable character in her own right.

”How many points do you have?” she asked, looking at Su Chen. Her eyes, hidden behind tactical goggles, glinted with curiosity.

”I’m not telling you. Let’s just say it’s quite a bit higher than yours,” Su Chen said.

He considered it private information and had no intention of telling her.

Ji Xiaoyue was momentarily at a loss for words, not expecting to be shut down so bluntly.

’Stingy...’

She felt a little sullen. She had wanted to find a benchmark to aim for, but he had completely ignored her.

”You two have fun. I’m off to debrief and write my reports,” Ji Xiaoyue said before zipping away.

If there was a downside to joining the Operations and Defense Department, it was the reports. She had to file explanations for comrades’ deaths and write up her findings from frontline scouting missions.

Of course, the benefits were numerous.

At the very least, she no longer had to worry about survival resources. She could say goodbye to anxiety and enjoy air conditioning, ice cream cake, and top-tier rations every day.

’For the cake, I’ll endure it.’

This was the reason Ji Xiaoyue, a slave to all things sweet, had joined.

They were merely passing acquaintances, so Su Chen didn’t give it much thought.

Since this was his and Ruoruo’s first visit to Dongfu City’s central Rune hub, they naturally had to stay for a while.

The area before them had once been the Wanghai District’s most bustling Holiday Shopping Plaza.

Now, it had been transformed into a land of fantastical Magic.

The Rune Store, Legacy Sanctuary, Weapons Workshop, Mission Hall, and Teleportation Hub were scattered throughout.

Furthermore, the ”big three” official facilities unique to border territories—the Resource Exchange, Supply Station, and Equipment House—were all built with lavish grandeur. Judging by their scale, they were more than three times the size of the ones in Qixia Border Town.

To better protect this borderland Rune nexus, a Forward Base had been established ahead, standing like a militarized fortress in the distant, forested mountains.

And in the rear, another Forward Base, shimmering with the glow of Runes, mirrored it from afar.

’How extravagant. What a massive undertaking.’

Su Chen could feel the speed at which his Strong Will penetrated the walls was significantly sluggish.

It was like hitting deep-sea sludge; the penetration speed dropped dramatically.

This was a signature trait of the Strengthening Skill. Besides increasing hardness, it was also excellent at preventing those skilled in the Earth Escape Skill from quickly tunneling through.

This had to be the effect of at least a Lv7 skill.

And on top of that, it would require a High-Star Earth Element class to cast the enchantment.

TAP!

He stomped his foot lightly and could feel the unyielding hardness of the ground.

Perhaps they had learned their lesson from the burrowing assault of the fungal behemoths. In any case, this massive project covered a vast area.

Just as Su Chen activated his Resonance Perception to listen to the slow, rhythmic pulse of the ley lines...

In a nearby watchtower, a seated special forces operative suddenly snapped his eyes open. He had been continuously casting Lv7 Earth Listening Skill on the ground and had felt the underground Earth Elemental Particles begin to stir with joy.

It was as if the ley lines themselves had been awakened, actively reaching out to a specific will.

”This...”

His face went slack, and he was momentarily speechless.

As a Three-Star Rockshield Guardian, though he specialized in defense and Perception, even his affinity with the earth had never elicited such a response.

’Don’t tell me a Four-Star Earthsinger just showed up.’

The Resonance wave held no hostility, nor any intent of outside intrusion.

Considering it had to be one of their own people, the elite guard didn’t pursue the matter, allowing the person to continue their study.

Of course, Su Chen was also aware of the listener. Following the residual ripples of energy, he glanced toward the nearby watchtower, his gaze shifting slightly upward to a section of the outer city wall.

’They even have Rune Cannons.’

As far as the eye could see, although sections of the wall had collapsed in the earlier battle, repairs were already underway at an astonishing speed.

Rock and mud flowed automatically, and steel reinforcements locked themselves into place.

On the sections of the wall that remained intact, several heavy Rune Cannons were deployed.

In theory, even without rifling, the cannons could be rapidly forged using shaping magic. With the inner barrels augmented by Acceleration Skill Runes, they could indeed achieve terrifying destructive power.

It was no wonder the enemy had such a hard time breaking through.

The surrounding streets were a torrent of people. Even with efforts to direct and divert the flow, it was still an ocean of faces.