Chapter 1578: 403: Preserving One’s Dignity

The situation was urgent, and Little Mage couldn’t afford any delay. He decisively turned his head to look at the Floating Guiding Water Ball beside him:

"Brother Guide, help, I need detailed intelligence on this force."

Confronted with the inquiry, the guide still appeared slightly impatient, raising his hand to generate a light screen.

At the center of the screen was a humanoid being, its skin displaying a lifeless gray-blue hue, its hair formed by countless writhing, squirming living little snakes, hissing with flickering tongues.

The most striking feature on its body was a pair of eyes, lacking any pupils and entirely composed of a ghostly white.

[This race is called the Gogong Clan, a matrilineal clan possessing a racial talent named "Stone Condensation," which can also be understood as a curse system ability that can conduct rapid petrification of any life form that comes into contact with this energy through spiritual projection... It used to be a form of magic but has become an inheritance mark that is inherent and naturally born, like humans breathing...]

As the guide explained.

The scene switched, displaying the hunting environment of such beings in the forest.

While moving, their lower bodies would meld into a robust snake tail, twisting forward at high speed.

The form of a Spirit Breath Warrior appeared at the edge of the screen. Upon just a fleeting moment of eye contact with the ghostly gaze, the warrior’s body began to grey and stiffen instantly from the point of contact, transforming into a stone statue of fear in the blink of an eye, then shattered into dust by a sweeping snake tail.

But the hunt was not over.

This was a slaughter of uneven strength.

The tactics and cooperation of the Spirit Breath elite squad appeared feeble before the talent abilities of the Gogong Clan being.

In the end, only three Spirit Breath warriors at the far edge seized the moment their companions fought with their lives, fearlessly burning vital blood to launch the costly Super Beast Secret Technique, transforming into three blood lights and narrowly fleeing that desperate dead land, bringing news of calamity back.

The light screen faded slowly here.

The Guiding Water Ball lazily added a sentence:

[That’s it, the intelligence display fee of 33 points of sacrificial power has been deducted from your account.]

Having spoken, the guide closed its eyes.

Through the guide’s description, Little Mage clearly grasped the war intensity of this force.

The highest combat level of the Gogong Clan was at Level 257, and their average comprehensive combat level was at Level 89, clearly a race the Spirit Breath Clan could not contend with.

A full-scale war eruption would result in the Spirit Breath Clan being utterly suppressed.

Feeling overwhelmed, he quickly began pondering how to solve this problem.

Previously, there was a feasible reference case.

The well-known forum player "Brother Rebirth" once faced the risk of task failure during a hidden task.

At the time, his task was to protect a force named "Dragon Wing Clan" from being invaded by alien forces.

But the invading might was beyond Brother Rebirth’s ability to contend.

To complete the task, Brother Rebirth sought assistance from three United Guilds at the village entrance battlefield.

The specifics of how he sought help were unknown, but in the end, Brother Rebirth relied on the support of fellow townsfolk to revive the hidden task of "Protect Dragon Wing Clan."

This crisis follows the same logic.

If he had townsfolk support, the Gogong Clan would clearly not be a problem.

Under the leadership of the Divine King, the battle-hardened Divine Hall Guild was more than enough to flatten the Gogong Clan.

But Brother Rebirth’s "calling for people" mode was not something he could replicate.

Back in the Spirit Breath Mini World, he had offended elite player squads who escaped the Spirit Breath Army’s pursuit.

Suffice it to say, they were at the pinnacle of the player pyramid, with many being members of the Divine Hall or other top guilds.

They didn’t die at the hands of the Spirit Breath Army but were captured by him under the guise of giving benefits.

If he posted his help request on the forum, several hordes of "fellow townsfolk" might cross space to come.

But it wouldn’t necessarily be support; it was more likely to be a raid and beating.

They might wipe out the Spirit Breath Clan first, then imprison him in the Imperial Tomb Village, preventing him from ever leaving half a step.

Therefore, seeking townsfolk support seemed unfeasible, he needed to find a solution himself.

As thoughts surged, Little Mage’s brow gradually furrowed.

No doubt the investigation forces of the Gogong Clan would arrive soon, potentially sparking war at any moment.

The yet unfinished city defensive system of Spirit Breath City couldn’t hold for long and would soon be torn apart.

He simulated various plans.

But every plan seemed to point to the same result.

The massive disparity in combat levels was like an insurmountable mountain.

Failure seemed just a matter of time.

And the cost of failure would be the slaughter, petrification, and consumption of eight million citizens, reducing all that he painstakingly managed for a year and a half to naught.

As thoughts surged, Little Mage turned his gaze to the Player Forum.

Perhaps from there, he might find inspiration for defeating the Gogong Clan.

...

Meanwhile, the main city of the Gogong Clan: Stone Nest.

This was a nest city made out of pale giant bones and hardened resin, perpetually shrouded in white poison fog.

In the core Mother Nest Hall of the city, the highest ruler Snake Mother was coiled atop a mountain made of twisted stone statues of various living beings.

Its form was larger and more majestic than other Gogong Clan members.

Its gray-blue skin was covered with dark golden patterns, and atop the writhing serpentine hair was a constantly opening and closing snake head with sharp teeth.