Chu Tian's personal wealth far surpassed the reserves of any nation. Even the United States could not compare. He still had thousands of tons of gold unsold, along with countless pure diamonds, each one meter square. If he were to offload these, he could likely buy the entire Blue Star.
Chu Tian then announced globally via livestream that he would target the Slaughterer Faction. The Slaughterer Faction immediately began formulating their response. The United States, at this very moment, lent its full support to the Slaughterer Faction.
Chu Tian's announcement was, in fact, a strategic move aimed at the United States. The elimination of US players from the Survivor Faction was a crucial part of his plan. He needed to force the financially dominant United States to stand in opposition to him. Only then would the United States invest heavily in the Slaughterer Faction. Otherwise, in Chu Tian's eyes, the Slaughterer Faction was utterly defenseless. He didn't need their people, but he wanted their money. He intended to exhaust the United States' coffers before launching a decisive counterattack. Chu Tian's message was clear: he didn't need their soldiers, but they had to provide the funds to save the Blue Star and the world. However, he would not save the United States itself. Those who opposed his Dragon Country would pay the price. Chu Tian's actions were motivated by a desire to avoid betrayal from behind during the future war against the Void Gods.
As the Slaughterer Faction prepared, another explosive piece of news emerged: the Survivor Faction's level rankings had been updated. This update served as a cold shower for the Slaughterer Faction. The reason was simple: the levels of the top forty players. The rankings also revealed the level of "De Shen," a player whose identity had been the subject of much speculation.
Survivor Faction Level Rankings:
First Place: Wo Bu Shi De Lu Yi, Level: 872
Second Place: Heng Dao, Level: 592
Third Place: Jian Zhi Cang Tian, Level: 592
Fourth Place: Ma Shang Fa Cai, Level: 592
Fifth Place: Wo Ge Ge Shi Gou Zi, Level: 592
Sixth Place: Wo Er Di Shi Shen Gun, Level: 592
Seventh Place: Sheng Guang Hu You Zhe Ni, Level: 591
Eighth Place: Wo Shi Xiao Ji Jiao, Level: 591
Ninth Place: Yu, Level: 591
Tenth Place: Qing Cheng, Level: 591
Eleventh Place: Ye Feng, Level: 591
Twelfth Place: Lin Jian Man Bu Ting Hua Yu, Level: 591
Thirteenth Place: Meng De Bi An, Level: 591
Fourteenth Place: Yi Zhi Rou Rou, Level: 590
Fifteenth Place: Meng Xiao Miao, Level: 590
Sixteenth Place: Tian Ya Kuang Dao, Level: 590
The rankings had drastically changed. The lowest level among the top forty-three players was 583. Half of the players on this updated leaderboard were individuals previously unknown to the public. Their sudden rise to prominence was linked to one factor: they were all members of the Inverse God Alliance or affiliated with its members. Furthermore, they were all from Dragon Country. The Inverse God Alliance's "royal flush" had stunned everyone. The world watched in disbelief, thinking, "How can we even fight this?" The average player level worldwide was around 200. These players, however, were all in the 500s, with "De Shen" reaching a staggering 872. Where had they been leveling up?
Chu Tian's level was 589 a year and a half ago. In this period, he had not only sought god-tier talents but also focused on leveling up, bringing his companions along for the ride. Zhao Lei and the others had entered the game at over 400 levels after surviving their heavenly tribulations. In a year and a half, they had gained over a hundred levels. Their high levels and superior equipment naturally allowed them access to places others could not reach. They had been leveling up in secret, which explained their absence from faction wars during the past year.
Dao Tian had informed Chu Tian that levels were crucial, directly boosting a person's cultivation. Higher levels indicated that an individual's physical condition could withstand greater spiritual energy. This applied specifically to Chu Tian and his group. Other players, however, gained spiritual enhancements. Physical cultivation for others yielded less significant results. This was because when Dao Tian first created the Heavenly Dao World, his intention was for all global humans to pilot humanoid mechs in combat through their spirits. The higher the spiritual capacity, the more agile their control over the mechs. Furthermore, higher spiritual levels were recognized by advanced mechs. Thus, the focus was different. Chu Tian and his group were meant to fight in person.
The differing paths of enhancement, with their own advantages and disadvantages, meant that Chu Tian and his group faced true death upon losing. Other players, upon defeat, could respawn as if in a game, essentially obtaining new mechs to continue fighting. In the early stages of the spiritual energy system's activation, the Heavenly Dao World had indeed improved the physical condition of many players. This was necessary to endure high-load, prolonged control of humanoid mechs. They couldn't simply disengage mid-battle to eat. Hence, a strengthening process occurred. More importantly, Dao Tian lacked sufficient spiritual energy to physically enhance the entire human population. However, for spiritual enhancement, the First Universe had discovered methods to stimulate the brain through electricity and other means, achieving significant cognitive development. This allowed for the control of humanoid mechs in combat. This project remained incomplete in the First Universe before its destruction.
In fact, within the Pi Universe, the First Universe was formidable. Given sufficient resources, all participating personnel could have deployed an unlimited number of troops. Unfortunately, the First Universe lacked powerful individuals beyond its technological prowess. Their strongest enhancements were in mechs, but against true powerhouses, their advanced weaponry was as useless as scrap metal. However, these weapons were highly effective against the soldiers of the Void Gods. This was why, apart from the current Fifth Universe, the Demon Realm, only the First Universe had managed to slow the advance of the Void Gods.
However, after the Survivor Faction level rankings were released, the entire Slaughterer Faction seemed deflated, like frostbitten eggplants. But, half an hour later, the Slaughterer Faction's rankings were also updated. This was even more explosive. Just as everyone believed all hope was lost, their leaderboard revealed twenty powerhouses, all around level 585. These individuals had rarely appeared in public, but their sudden emergence ignited the Slaughterer Faction.
"So, we do have strong players. While our numbers are fewer than the forty-three, our player base is also ten times smaller than the Survivor Faction."
"Yes, yes... I'm about to cry. We still have a chance to fight!"
Countless individuals were filled with emotion, having considered surrender. They recalled "De Shen's" mention of a great secret concerning humanity's survival. Now, they could fight back. The feeling of not being weak, akin to someone falling into an abyss suddenly being thrown a rope, caused a dramatic shift from despair to hope. The emotional rollercoaster nearly caused some with weak hearts to collapse.