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Poison Dragon Swamp—

This land, steeped in deadly poisonous miasma, buzzed with giant mosquitoes and toxic mud mushrooms constantly releasing noxious fumes. Enormous swamp crabs lurked menacingly between the pools, searching for prey, while elusive colossal predatory worms could drag any creature nearby into the murky waters to devour.

Not to mention the terrifying poison dragon of legend rumored to dwell deep within these marshes—Ink Scale.

This place was practically forbidden territory for humans, with few daring to set foot here.

Yet, at this very moment, a pioneering team of nearly a hundred was pressing deeper into the swamp.

The entire group had now spread out into several squads, forming a vast arc-shaped search front.

At the center stood Zhao Qingyun, the leader of the team, directing his subordinates.

“Squad One, shift right a bit, spread out more to widen the search area.”

“Squad Three, you’re too far ahead.”

“Squad Four, take care of that swamp crab immediately—don’t let it disrupt our formation.”

“Everyone, stay alert. We’re here to slay a dragon. Once the battle begins, follow my orders without question. Anyone who dares disobey knows the consequences.”

Zhao Qingyun glanced around the misty, poisonous swamp but still saw no sign of the dragon. A flush of anxiety stirred within him, but the treacherous terrain kept his senses sharp.

Thanks to the Spirit Walk technique, the muddy ground beneath his feet didn’t slow him, but seeing his comrades struggle through the mire made him frown.

Swamp terrain severely reduced movement speed; maneuvering and running were hampered. This cursed place was hardly suitable for a boss fight.

Yet the Evil Swamp Poison Dragon was the only known trace of an evil dragon the Azure Dragon Guild currently held. To establish their dynasty, they had no choice but to start here.

Several guilds in the game were vying to build kingdoms; the Azure Dragon Guild could not afford to fall behind.

Finally, they reached the center of the swamp.

“Send out the bait,” Zhao Qingyun ordered a nearby subordinate.

Several players on horseback were immediately dispatched. They galloped left and right ahead of the team, kicking up a ruckus in the mud, while the others readied themselves for battle.

Suddenly, a surge of churning mud water erupted in the distance. A massive creature was rapidly approaching beneath the surface.

“It’s coming!” a vigilant hunter shouted.

Everyone fixed their gaze on the direction of the swelling waves. A mounted player was swiftly caught—

Boom! A black flood dragon, some thirty or forty meters long, burst skyward, biting down on the rider and horse, swallowing them whole.

In an instant, Zhao Qingyun discerned the beast’s name.

Evil Swamp Poison Flood Dragon: Level 68.

Zhao Qingyun frowned. Not a poison dragon, but a poison flood dragon? What a nightmare…

Though only one character apart, “flood dragon” and “dragon” were worlds apart in power and prestige. The dragon’s head was the crucial quest item for kingdom-building, requiring the slaying of an evil dragon to prove the guild’s strength… while the poison flood dragon was merely an ordinary boss.

What was the intelligence team doing, mixing these up?

Though the intel was flawed, this was still a boss, and the poison flood dragon was no creature to be underestimated.

“Engage!” Zhao Qingyun gritted his teeth.

A dense volley of arrows shot forth. Considering the swamp’s difficult terrain, out of nearly one hundred players, sixty or seventy wielded bows or crossbows, all equipped with cold iron arrows capable of piercing the flood dragon’s scales.

The arrowstorm peppered the massive black beast, embedding countless shafts into its body. The flood dragon roared in pain, unleashing a poisonous breath that spread a green toxic fog throughout the swamp. Wherever the poison fell, players succumbed to its venom.

“Priests, dispel the poison!” Zhao Qingyun commanded immediately.

“Roger!” came the swift response from nearby teammates.

Though nearly a hundred strong, only a handful of core members around Zhao Qingyun were magic users.

In the game “Old Earth,” magic classes were exceptionally rare—only attainable through certain serendipitous events or completion of arduous hidden quests. Ordinary players stuck to physical classes like swordsman, blade master, commander, or monk.

As the saying went, those with mana bars were the true masters. Magic classes wielded formidable powers beyond the reach of conventional fighters.

Now, facing the toxic fog, their strength shone brilliantly.

“Four Symbols, Five Elements, Six Harmonies, Swift Wind, Wind Master and Rain Mistress, heed my command—gale winds arise—by swift decree!” the priest chanted.

In an instant, fierce winds roared up from the ground, dispersing the poisonous fog hovering above the team.

The flood dragon, possessing cunning, immediately locked onto the casting priest. With a furious roar, it lunged forward, its massive bulk exuding overwhelming pressure, forcing players to scatter.

One commander tried to block the charge but was hurled aside like a goat hit by a truck, landing in the mud where a giant worm suddenly emerged and dragged him deep into the swamp.

Yet Zhao Qingyun remained composed. For a boss of this caliber, he had prepared a professional tank.

“Divine General, taunt the boss!” Zhao Qingyun ordered again.

A heavily armored warrior stepped forward, clad in golden mystical armor and wielding a crescent moon demon-slaying blade. Clearly a high-level player.

Divine Buddha Form!

Heavenly Battle Aura!

Godly Possession!

Three powerful buffs activated simultaneously, the warrior radiating dazzling divine light, surrounded by storm-like energy, his form swelling to a towering giant four or five meters tall.

He brutally halted the flood dragon’s charge.

Boom! The warrior staggered back a few steps but held firm.

“Haha, die!” With a mighty swing of his great blade, he unleashed the “Divine Weapon Binding Slash,” a crescent-shaped energy wave that shattered the flood dragon’s scales, sending blood spraying. The beast thrashed backward.

A slight smirk crept across Zhao Qingyun’s lips, just as a sycophantic voice sounded beside him.

“Tsk tsk tsk, awesome! No wonder Boss Zhao thinks we can slay the dragon—he even trained a Divine General. So badass!”

Zhao Qingyun didn’t need to look to know it was Liu Qiang, the company’s envoy he disliked. Even praise from him sounded sly and insincere.

He ignored the comment, continuing to command with a stern face.

“Amiao, attack!”

“Roger!” A teammate clad in multicolored feathered robes suddenly emitted a hawk’s cry. In an instant, feathers sprouted all over, wings unfurled, transforming into a giant golden-winged roc with a wingspan of seven or eight meters.

Demonic Art—Golden Roc Transformation!

The roc soared skyward, circled once, then dove at the flood dragon. While the beast was occupied battling the Divine General, it was caught off guard by the roc’s strike, which pecked out one eye, instantly halving its vision.

Seizing the opportunity, the Divine General unleashed another powerful attack, knocking the flood dragon down into the mud, unable to rise for a long moment.

“Swords and knives, charge!”

Prepared in formation, dozens of swordsmen, rangers, monks, and thieves abandoned their bows and surged forward, brandishing blades and fists at the flood dragon.

Blinded and wounded, the flood dragon struggled to fend off the fierce melee assault, thrashing and spewing toxic mist, which was repeatedly dispelled by the priests.

The battle raged for five minutes. After some minor casualties, the flood dragon’s health steadily dwindled.

Seeing the boss fight nearing a successful end, Zhao Qingyun exhaled slightly. Not the dragon’s head, but still a worthwhile gain.

Boom!

A thunderclap shattered his thoughts. Looking up, he saw the sky had darkened unexpectedly, thick clouds swirling overhead, casting an eerie greenish hue. The air brimmed with a suffocating aura of death.

A chill ran down Zhao Qingyun’s spine.

Something terrifying was awakening.

The water level in the swamp rose rapidly, quickly reaching his knees.

Waves churned, and in the next moment—

Boom! A swirling surge of murky water rose toward the sky, atop it a colossal black dragon some seventy or eighty meters long circled, roaring furiously. Lightning flickered behind the dragon, illuminating its dark scales, blending seamlessly with the stormy sky.

Ink Scale (Evil Swamp Poison Dragon): Level 96!

Damn! There really was a dragon!

Zhao Qingyun was stunned, not displeased but shocked by the true dragon’s overwhelming presence. The terrifying aura, wielding the power of heaven and earth, drained all his fighting spirit from the outset. And it was level ninety-six.

“Boss, are we still fighting?” the priest asked fearfully.

“Fight? Hell no! Get us out of here—now!”

Before he finished, a deluge of toxic rain swept down, unstoppable even by dispelling spells.

Zhao Qingyun’s subordinates all succumbed to poison—some frantically popped antidotes, others healed while fleeing toward the edge of the battlefield.

Still, some reckless few charged the black dragon, desperate for a final stand.

The priest hurriedly chanted:

“Six Ding and Six Jia, heed my command. Heavenly Master’s Escape, vanish without trace. Spirit Walk Array—by swift decree!”

A massive white magic circle emerged beneath their feet, encircling Zhao Qingyun and several core members.

“All retreat! Into the array, now!” Zhao Qingyun shouted. Nearby players rushed into the formation, fearing a delay.

Liu Qiang was the first to stand beside Zhao Qingyun. As more players fled into the array, the poison dragon soon sensed the formation.

With a mighty roar, the dragon summoned a tidal wave that surged toward the array like a tsunami.

“Go!”

“But many haven’t made it in yet!”

Zhao Qingyun snorted coldly. “They’re cannon fodder. Forget them!”

Whoosh! A flash of white light, and those inside the array vanished instantly, leaving behind those who hadn’t reacted in time, struggling and screaming amid the poison rain, mercilessly slaughtered by the dragon’s relentless assault.