If this adventure could be described in three words, they would be:
Explosive!
Burning!
Awesome!
Driving a military truck weighing nearly twenty tons straight through a raging zombie tide—who had ever seen something so brutal and insane?
And on top of that, triggering massive fuel depot explosions that burned thousands of zombies at once, turning the battlefield into a blazing inferno.
This breathtaking, adrenaline-filled spectacle far exceeded the Adventurers' expectations and was destined to become a legendary moment—another classic masterpiece in Miracle City's Tidal Secret Realm.
Forgotten River Wanderer said,
"Gunning down zombies with heavy weapons in the second stage already sent my soul flying. I never thought that was Lord Qi's limit—but he actually made it even crazier…"
Wind in Sleep sighed,
"Lord Qi has once again proven he's nowhere near his creative ceiling!"
"Exactly! Every time we think the second stage is the limit, he pulls out something even more brutal in the fifth stage. Nobody knows how deep his talent really goes."
"Old Thief Qi is unfathomable… absolutely terrifying!"
Moonlight on Snow added,
"Where else can you find a treasure Lord who spares no expense just to make Adventurers feel like they're living in heaven? We must cherish and protect Miracle City!"
The Adventurers discussed excitedly.
Lord Qi already felt like someone beyond this world.
No one could imagine what kind of groundbreaking or insane content he might create next.
Even major figures like Bianca, Boulder, and Ironheart were filled with excitement after witnessing the sea of blood and the inferno of burning zombies.
"It's unbelievably satisfying!"
"Even just watching!"
"I can't imagine how insane it must feel to experience it firsthand!"
At this moment, the Hammer Pig Chicken Dog Team had exited the Secret Realm.
They were teary-eyed, overwhelmed with excitement, and received a hero's welcome. Veterans and newcomers alike stepped forward to congratulate them, feeding their pride to the fullest.
The third stage had existed for quite some time.
It had been challenged hundreds—if not thousands—of times.
No one expected that the first clear wouldn't belong to veterans like White Crane Hermit or rising elites like Bianca, but instead to four unknown first-tier rookies.
Four teenagers barely eighteen or nineteen years old had snatched the first-clear achievement before so many second-tier elites and third-tier legends in Miracle City.
It was deeply inspiring.
It proved that Miracle City's Secret Realms weren't just playgrounds for the powerful—newcomers could rise and make history too!
---
First Clear Rewards
First clears came with enormous benefits:
• Achievement medals
• Large contribution point rewards
• Increased drop rates for the Secret Realm
The four soon announced their gains.
Blackstone Hammer obtained a G3 Biological Soul.
Pig King received a T03 Tyrant Soul.
Lone Wolf unlocked a new weapon: the Desert Eagle Handgun.
Violent Chicken unlocked the M1014 Shotgun.
The value of souls spoke for itself.
As a second-tier, three-star soul, the G3 was even more valuable than the Flamethrower Tracker.
As for the T03 Tyrant Zombie, while slightly weaker than G3, it was still worth more than a G2. Tyrant Zombies had become fan favorites in Miracle City—nicknamed "Tyrant Bros"—giving them high collector value and strong resale premiums.
Although Lone Wolf and Violent Chicken didn't obtain souls, they unlocked new equipment. Miracle City's reward system was becoming more refined.
First unlocks granted equipment medals, contribution points, and priority purchasing rights when the territory produced those weapons later.
As long as they contributed to Miracle City's growth, Lord Qi naturally rewarded them generously.
The extra contribution point reward scaled with item quality. A high-grade gray item typically granted an additional 200 contribution points—a massive amount in Miracle City, roughly equivalent to a year's income for ordinary Adventurers.
More importantly, priority purchasing rights meant they could later buy batches of these weapons and resell them in other Adventurer cities for long-term profit—potentially attracting powerful organizations seeking partnerships.
---
Equipment Stats
[Desert Eagle Handgun]
High-grade gray
Fixed Damage: +20
Cultivation Amplification: +6%
Magazine: 7 rounds
Durability: 10/10
Skill: Automatic Reload
[M1014 Shotgun]
High-grade gray
Fixed Damage: +30
Cultivation Amplification: +3%
Magazine: 10 rounds
Durability: 10/10
Skills: Automatic Reload, Multi-Ammo Mode
Lord Qi nodded in approval.
Although the Desert Eagle had only seven rounds, its fixed damage was double that of the M16, and its cultivation amplification reached an impressive 6%.
The higher this stat, the more strongly the user's cultivation amplified the weapon's power—meaning the Desert Eagle would perform vastly differently in the hands of a rookie compared to someone like Bianca or Three Bamboo.
Normally, mechanical weapons had very weak cultivation scaling. The M16 only had 2%, relying mostly on raw stats.
Reaching 6% was exceptional.
This made the Desert Eagle both a collector's item and a practical combat weapon.
As for the shotgun, its single-shot damage reached thirty points—enough to seriously injure even peak second-tier or third-tier enemies.
Of course, its effective range was extremely short—only about ten meters—making it ideal for close-quarters combat.
Its most special feature was its ammo-switching system.
In addition to buckshot, it could use door-breaching rounds and tear gas rounds.
Different ammo types meant different tactical effects. Tear gas rounds, for example, dealt no lethal damage but disrupted vision and status, creating powerful control opportunities.
Not overwhelmingly strong—but incredibly versatile.
With these two new weapons added, Miracle City's equipment ecosystem became even richer.
---
Aftermath
Back in the Secret Realm Lobby, everyone was full of envy.
The Hammer Pig Chicken Dog Team had hit the jackpot.
This run could be described as getting rich overnight.
Their future development potential skyrocketed.
"Honestly, if I could choose," Blackstone Hammer said regretfully, "I'd rather not have the G3 soul."
Someone nearby couldn't understand.
"Hammer Bro, even if you recycle that soul, you'd still get over a thousand contribution points. Why would you rather have something else?"
Blackstone Hammer grinned.
"I know it's worth more on paper, but driving that armored truck was way too awesome!"
Bianca nodded.
If she had a domineering vehicle like that, it'd definitely look cooler than her motorcycle.
And if you used a military truck to transport goods between Adventurer cities, the profits would be massive.
"River Wang dropped a dirt bike in the second stage yesterday," Wind in Sleep added.
"If motorcycles can drop, then off-road vehicles and even armored vehicles should be possible too."
Pig King sighed.
"Yeah, but even motorcycles are high-grade gray. Stronger vehicles are probably white-tier items."
"Then nothing to regret," Violent Chicken said.
"In my opinion, the real dream drop is a Black Hawk helicopter. Those things can fly and mount heavy machine guns—that's the real prize!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Armored vehicles are probably white-tier second-stage items, and armed helicopters might even be green-tier third-stage gear!"
"Still, it's good to dream!"
"Yeah—Miracle City already has third-tier elites. Just because we can't drop it doesn't mean they can't."
"In the end, it's still because our cultivation is too low," Pig King sighed.
"Now that the third stage has been cleared, contribution points won't be an issue for a while. We need to focus on improving our cultivation."
---
Blackstone Hammer checked his soul progress.
55%…
When he first switched souls, he'd only been around 32%.
His recent growth was rapid—but only compared to other Underground Cities. In Miracle City, this was nothing special.
He decided to focus on role-playing story Secret Realms for a while. Although their loot wasn't as lucrative as combat stages, their cultivation efficiency was excellent.
As the saying went—sharpening the blade doesn't delay chopping wood.
Breaking into the second tier as soon as possible was his top priority.
Only then could he create greater value for Miracle City—and for himself.
---
The Final Challenge
It was getting late.
Miracle City was about to close.
Today had been another harvest day for the leeks.
At least 98% of Adventurers had exhausted their energy and couldn't continue fighting.
Although a few still had some stamina left, with less than half an hour remaining, no one expected any major breakthroughs.
But then—
Another shocking announcement echoed through the hall.
"Everyone, head to Crystal Hall 64!"
"Old Crane is launching his final challenge against Gareth Ashford!"
"What?"
"Old Crane is still fighting the Ashford prelude?"
---
Although White Crane Hermit was widely recognized as the strongest Adventurer in Blackstone Town, due to losing all his cultivation, he now had only five energy points.
Because of that, he cherished every attempt and was extremely cautious.
Most of the time, he observed others fight or meditated with closed eyes.
After more than ten hours, he had only challenged four times.
Now, as the Underground City was about to close, he finally rose and initiated his final attempt against Gareth Ashford, the prelude boss.
Too stubborn.
Everyone was stunned.
Even Bianca hadn't expected the old master to be this patient.
The current Ashford storyline was already incredible.
There were unique powerhouses like Phantom Butterfly and Iron Oni, elite fighters like the Samurai General, Red Ogre, and Heavyweight Juzo, and terrifying beings like the Headless and the White Serpent God.
The land of Ashford—and the broader Ten Kingdoms Chronicle world—was bursting with mystery and allure.
Any Adventurer would be desperate to explore it.
But White Crane Hermit stayed focused.
He had been challenging Gareth Ashford for three straight days.
He had never entered the full storyline from start to finish.
Bianca had to admit—although she didn't accept his title as Blackstone Town's strongest Adventurer—his composure and willpower were truly admirable.
He didn't care about first-clear glory.
He wasn't rushing to show off.
He simply kept challenging himself, chasing perfection.
"There's a reason this old man reached such heights back then," she murmured.
"If not for that accident, he might have gone even further."
---
Inside the Secret Realm
White Crane Hermit disabled communications.
He fully immersed himself in the role.
At this moment, he had already escorted the Divine Child into the hidden passage.
After long-term observation and study, he had mapped out the enemy layout.
Gareth Ashford himself was a second-tier, five-star powerhouse—and he wasn't alone.
He was accompanied by four Sky Kite Assassins.
Two trailed behind as trackers and enforcers.
The other two were lying in ambush in the reed swamp, ready to strike.
These assassins weren't ordinary enemies. Each had first-tier four- to five-star strength.
Two together posed a serious threat.
Facing all four simultaneously was unwinnable.
And on top of that, he still had to deal with Gareth Ashford himself.
No matter how you looked at it, this battle seemed impossible.
Even if his combat skills reached godlike levels and he gained the upper hand against Ashford, he would never survive the assassins' sneak attacks—especially since they could also use the Divine Child as a hostage.
Difficult.
Too difficult.
Yet White Crane Hermit still wanted to try.
---
As soon as he entered the secret passage, he suddenly halted.
"Wolf, what's wrong?"
"There's an ambush."
The Divine Child's face changed.
"Has Gareth Ashford already discovered us?"
"Leave it to me."
White Crane Hermit hid the Divine Child deeper in the passage, then immediately doubled back.
Two Sky Kite Assassins were already waiting nearby, ready to rush in and seize the child.
Without hesitation—
He burst forward and attacked one of them first.
The assassin never expected the Adventurer to feint and return.
Caught off guard, he blocked three or four strikes before exposing an opening—then was pinned and stabbed through the heart from behind.
The second assassin tried to retreat and blow his whistle.
No chance.
White Crane Hermit charged head-on, pressing relentlessly until he shattered his guard and pierced his throat in a single clean strike.
Shinobi Execution.
"Done."
White Crane Hermit exhaled.
With these two threats removed, the next phase would be much easier.
But this was no time to relax.
Gareth Ashford remained—and so did two more Sky Kite Assassins.
The real trial had only just begun.
---
Audience Reaction
The old master's flawless execution stunned everyone watching.
They stared in disbelief.
Their hearts pounded with anticipation.
Could this legend actually break through the prelude—
And change the storyline?
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