"Old Dog, behind you!"
Hearing the call of his old comrade-in-arms, Old Dog, who was fighting an Evil Spirit, switched to the Black Armored Snake form without hesitation, using his tail to send the Black Tide Demonic Spirits approaching from behind flying without even looking back.
Then, decisively switching back to human form, he pulled out a dagger from his Space Bag and stabbed forward with a backhand grip.
Accompanied by a shrill scream, the worm in front of Old Dog was pierced by the blade, dropping powerlessly and turning into a black mist that flew towards Old Dog and his comrade-in-arms.
At that moment, a Magic Flea attacked from the side. Old Dog’s dagger quickly transformed into a Spiritual Ability Gun, and he pulled the trigger, instantly lighting up the engraved patterns on the gun from the muzzle, spreading along the barrel.
The muzzle flashed, and the incoming Magic Flea was punctured by the bullet, exploding in mid-air.
This series of actions was smooth as flowing water, eliminating the three Black Tide Demonic Spirits that attacked.
"Chopper, I need to regain health."
As a large number of Evil Spirits advanced, the one called Chopper arrived in front of the veteran warrior, using his card to block the offensive while continuing to deliver damage output.
At this time, a red potion was thrown from not too far away. Old Dog leaped up to catch the potion, unscrewed the cap, and gulped it down.
As his physical strength quickly recovered, Old Dog looked up at the distant figure, wielding an axe like a War God sweeping irresistibly forward, and a feeling of envy rose in his heart.
But this emotion was soon suppressed by the fighting spirit rising from the bottom of his heart. His gaze quickly swept around and then he shouted to a comrade not far on his left:
"Shuiwa, 2 o’clock direction."
Shuiwa, engaged in battle, heard the call and his War Blade instantly switched to a Spiritual Ability Gun, without even lifting his head, he fired in the direction Old Dog indicated. Instantly, a dark shadow approaching was blown apart in the air, turning into several black mists that dispersed towards all team members in the team mode.
Under tacit cooperation, the Old Army Group led by Old Dog grew fiercer in the battle against the Evil Spirits, their combat emotions escalating along with the intensity of the struggle.
All of this, Qi Sheng, who was behind the scenes, observed everything.
Two days ago, he distributed 1227 game qualifications.
Among them, 27 additional spots were given to Li Tie’s 27 old comrades-in-arms.
The facts had proven that this group of veterans did not disappoint him.
Since entering the game these two days, the Old Army Group only did two things.
Log in, follow Li Tie into the fray, engage the Black Tide Demonic Spirits head-on, filled with high morale and boiling passion.
Log out, curse the resurrection cooldown mechanism set by the Moon Eclipse Clan in the chat group together, wait for the Resurrection Cooldown to end, quiet the cursing, and log in to continue slaughtering Evil Spirits.
They were like machines running non-stop, except for the time of resurrection cooldown, they were either in battle or on their way to battle.
According to the data tallied by Guidance, whether in terms of the speed of strength growth or the efficiency of killing Evil Spirits, this group of old soldiers was more than five times stronger than the average player.
In just two days, these veterans had worked out squad tactics, mastered the combination and use of various Life Soul Characteristics and abilities, as well as quick weapon switching for impressive efficiency in killing Evil Spirits.
It was evident that this group of veterans had become completely addicted to the game.
The reasons they were addicted were clear in three aspects.
First, the regeneration of their lost body parts gave them an experience akin to being reborn.
It was a long-lost feeling, like a child getting their favorite toy, not just a physical mending but an emotional revival.
Second, the emotions brought by fighting with the Evil Spirits made them feel as if they had returned to their younger days when they grew up training together.
Last, the attribute enhancement feedback from leveling up fascinated them.
In reality, these old soldiers were Genetic Warriors who once possessed great physical fitness, but with body aging and various sequelae emerging, they often had to endure physical suffering. As they grew older, their physical issues became increasingly severe.
The attribute enhancement that improved their physical fitness let them regain their peak form and look forward to further strengthening.
Especially with the example like regiment leader Li Tie leading the way, they too desired to have such extraordinary, otherworldly strength.
Although it was just a game, they were all prepared to indulge their last passion in this game until their dying day.
"Game retirement" was an internet joke, yet it represented the true thoughts of the Old Army Group’s members.
Compared to the bleak reality, this game brought a refreshing new experience.
Passion, excitement, friendship... Everything they had lost was coming back.
The only thing that the Old Army Group members found hard to accept was what they considered the most idiotic game mechanism: "Resurrection Cooldown".
Returning to reality each time was an agonizing torment.
As if returning from a vividly colorful world to a dark and gray one, the stark contrast was the main reason why the Old Army Group vehemently cursed the Moon Eclipse Clan in their group chats.
In fact, this issue wasn’t just with the Old Army Group; a large number of players on the forums had also complained about it.
They felt the mechanism seriously affected the gaming experience, condemning it as a bad form of hunger marketing.
However, Qi Sheng hadn’t thought about addressing the issue for the time being.
Not that it was unfeasible, but resolving it would require additional sacrificial power.
The process of the players’ blood and flesh reshaping was essentially the Rule Trait of "Imperial Tomb Village", a Domain Node, and 10 points of sacrificial power was the activation energy that drove this Rule Trait’s operation, with the subsequent reshaping process to be completed by the rules.
To speed up the reshaping process, more sacrificial power would need to be consumed.