Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!-Chapter 1055 - 721: Second Battle: Shadow Kingdom! (Part 2)

He knew the victory did not belong to him, at least not entirely.

Bai E greeted them calmly, simply saying, "Good work, well done."

His gaze lingered on Xi Liu for a moment, and he nodded slightly.

Some things need not be spoken out loud.

But in any case, winning is all that matters.

After a brief rest and tactical analysis, the draw results for the second round of the Star Alliance elimination match were announced.

When the results appeared on the screen, even the usually composed Gong Yan gasped.

"The opponent is... 'Ghost Walker,' the main team representing the Shadow Kingdom!"

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly dropped to freezing point.

The Shadow Kingdom, one of the Seven Sons of the Empire, is renowned across the universe for its secretive, treacherous, infiltrative, and lethal combat style.

Their 'Ghost Walker' team is one of the most mysterious and formidable opponents among all participating teams.

During the point match stage, they rarely revealed their full strength, but the few times they acted, they exhibited chilling efficiency and lethality.

"The match venue..." Gong Yan continued reading the information, her voice growing heavier, "'Void Wasteland' Zone Nine - 'Silent Graveyard.'

She pulled up the relevant data: "It's an abandoned giant space station debris field on the edge of the asteroid belt. The internal structure is as complex as a labyrinth, long in a state of microgravity, riddled with radiation leaks, out-of-control energy conduits, and unexploded defense weapons. More troubling is the presence of a strong psychic interference field, believed to be the remnant of an ancient high-dimensional conflict, producing random illusions, distorting perceptions, and even interfering with the sense of time."

"Match mode..." Gong Yan paused, "'Hunt and Escape.' After the match begins, both parties will be randomly deployed to different areas of the 'Silent Graveyard.' One side is designated as the 'Hunters,' and the other as the 'Escapees.' The 'Hunters' need to find and 'kill' all the 'Escapees' within 120 minutes. The 'Escapees' aim to survive until the time ends, or... counter-kill all the 'Hunters.' Role assignment is decided by a pre-match draw."

He looked at Bai E and the others, his tone solemn: "The 'Ghost Walkers' excel in hunting in complex, dark, and unknown environments. This venue and mode seem specially tailored for them. And we... have been drawn as 'Hunters.'

This means that the New Bauhinia has to take the initiative, searching for and attacking the elusive Shadow Killers in an extremely unfavorable environment, to which the opponent is most adept.

"Hunting the 'Ghost Walkers'..." Kuang Xin swallowed, "This difficulty..."

Rose's eyes sharpened, "Hunting the hunter in the dark... interesting." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Catherine analyzed swiftly, "Our advantage lies in 'Dawn's Edge's' detection system and psychic adaptability being potentially stronger than they expect. But the disadvantages are larger: an unfamiliar and extreme environment, the opponent are experts, and we're the attackers, constantly needing to seize opportunities."

Bai E listened silently, sweeping his gaze over the structural map of the 'Silent Graveyard,' like the remnants of a giant metal beast, with its complex radiation and psychic interference distribution.

"Hunters" and "Escapees"...

Playing the role of the pursuer in the Shadow Kingdom's most familiar territory.

This is undoubtedly a massive challenge, even more perilous than the underwater battle.

Yet, this is also a touchstone to truly test the team's caliber.

"Then," Bai E began slowly, his voice calm yet undeniably powerful, "let's see who the real 'Hunters' are in this 'Silent Graveyard.'

...

When the draw results for the second round of the Star Alliance elimination match between "New Bauhinia" and "Shadow Kingdom: Ghost Walker" were announced, the shock it caused far exceeded the first round.

In the Shadow Kingdom's stronghold in Star City, in a room completely shrouded in shadows and a Silence Force Field, several figures cloaked in black capes, their faces hidden under hoods, gathered around a sleek black alloy round table.

Projected at the center of the table was the just announced draw result.

After a brief silence, a cold, distinctly angry voice emerged like metal scraping, "Who arranged this? This draw result!"

Another voice, slightly hoarse and with a hint of resignation, spoke, "The draw system is completely random. We've checked; there are no signs of human interference."

"Random?" the first voice retorted with sarcasm, "When did 'random' ever pair us against such formidable opponents in the Round of 64? And they're the 'Hunters!' Hunting us in the 'Silent Graveyard?' Is this a draw or a joke?"

If it was truly random, why do the Seven Sons of the Empire always meet in the finals each tournament?

Why do they never encounter each other earlier?

Because there is never absolute 'randomness!'

"The previous 'small actions' consumed too much 'luck,' or perhaps the Star Alliance's supervision during the elimination stage is stricter than anticipated," the hoarse voice analyzed. "After all, we never expected such an opponent to emerge."

A figure that had been silent, with the deepest presence, slowly spoke, the voice like a whisper on a cold night.

"Discussing this now is meaningless. The draw results cannot be changed. The question is... what should we do? The strength of 'New Bauhinia' is evident, and that Bai E is unfathomable. Although he did not act personally in the first round, the explosion shown by a member named 'Xi Liu'... was eerie. In the opponent's specialty 'hunt' mode, if we make even a slight mistake..."

He did not finish, but the meaning was clear.

In the elimination match, losing one match means being ousted.

If the 'Ghost Walkers,' the Shadow Kingdom's main force team, are eliminated in the Round of 64, it would be a severe blow to the Shadow Kingdom's reputation.

Especially since they might not even force Bai E to make a move.

"Afraid?" another voice, slightly sharp, taunted, "When have we 'Ghost Walkers' ever been afraid to act in the dark? 'Silent Graveyard' is our home ground! They're coming to 'hunt' us? Let them see what the real king of darkness is!"

"It's not fear," the deep voice replied coldly, "it's caution. 'New Bauhinia's' performance so far proves they're not easy opponents. The explosion from Xi Liu, Astra's crushing defeat... these all indicate their hidden strength and means exceed expectations. We must prepare for the worst-case scenario."

The hoarse voice deliberated, "Are you suggesting..."

"Deploy the 'Faceless,'" the deep voice declared decisively, "Only he can ensure control over the situation in the 'Silent Graveyard' environment, regardless of the opponent's trump cards, and might even provide the opportunity to hunt them all down."

At the sound of the words 'Faceless,' the air in the room seemed to freeze.

The 'Faceless' is the true trump card of the 'Ghost Walkers,' the most mysterious, powerful assassin king among the young generation of the Shadow Kingdom, and his mere existence is a legend.

Putting him in play so early in the Round of 64 undoubtedly risks exposing a significant card of the Shadow Kingdom prematurely.

"Isn't it... overreacting?" the sharp voice hesitated, "The 'Faceless' only has one chance to appear."

"Precisely because there's only one chance, we cannot afford to lose!" the deep voice intensified, "If we can't even take down 'New Bauhinia,' that would be the biggest joke!"

"But even so, can we actually win? If Bai E also participates..."

"Enough!"

The doubt was sharply reprimanded, "Have you all been intimidated by Bai E?! Just because he defeated Astra doesn't mean he can defeat the 'Faceless!'"

"This battle is decided!"