88: No more cards

Wang Yi straightened his back and returned the military salute.

Behind him, Chen Hu, Wu Qiong, Zhao Zihan, and the others also snapped to attention, their expressions solemn.

At this moment, the exhaustion on their bodies seemed to be swept clean away.

A powerful sense of pride and mission welled up in the heart of every single one of them.

They were the warriors of Dragon Country!

They fought for Dragon Country!

After a simple welcoming ceremony, the team members were taken to the best medical facility for comprehensive physical examinations and recuperation.

Lying inside the medical pod, Wang Yi watched the overwhelming news coverage on the TV about the 'Energy Revolution' and 'Dragon Country's Future,' his heart also filled with emotion.

He hadn't expected that simply fighting a BOSS desperately in a dungeon would stir up such massive waves in the real world.

This feeling was strange and wonderful.

It was like personally pushing the wheel of history forward.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?"

Chen Hu's voice came from the medical pod next to him.

This guy was ridiculously energetic. He had clearly sustained serious injuries too, but he was already bouncing around full of life.

"Nothing," Wang Yi smiled. "It just feels a bit unreal."

"Hey, what's unreal about it?" Chen Hu grinned. "We earned this with our lives! We are heroes!"

"By the way, Captain," Chen Hu said, as if remembering something, leaning in mysteriously. "What are you planning to do with those two SS-grade books? Learn them yourself? Or hand them over to the country?"

Hearing this, Wang Yi also fell into deep thought.

The *necromancer black scripture* and the *sun gold scripture*.

These two mythical-grade items were, without a doubt, national treasures.

If handed over to the country, allowing the state to organize the most elite talents for research, they might decipher the secrets of their laws, bringing even greater benefits to Dragon Country.

But at the same time, these two books were also filled with danger.

The system prompt was very clear: forcibly using them carried the risk of backlash.

If something went wrong during the research process, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Moreover, speaking selfishly, Wang Yi also yearned for greater power.

Whether it was the Lord of the Undead or the Sun Priest, they both represented a kind of powerful strength currently far beyond his reach.

If he could master one of them, he would have a much better chance of facing the increasingly terrifying enemies in the upcoming dungeons.

"I think... I want to try it myself."

After a long period of contemplation, Wang Yi slowly voiced his decision.

"I choose the *sun gold scripture*."

Compared to the eerie and evil Power of the Undead, he leaned more towards the bright, sacred power of the sun.

Furthermore, his own Lightning Power was inherently supremely yang and unyielding; perhaps it would have better compatibility with Solar Power.

"As for that *necromancer black scripture*..." Wang Yi looked at Chen Hu. "Are you interested?"

"Me?" Chen Hu was stunned for a moment, pointing at his own nose.

"That's right," Wang Yi nodded. "Your Berserker talent is already full of slaughter and brutality. Perhaps you can harness that Deathly Power."

"And in the future, when we enter dungeons, you can summon a Skeleton Army as cannon fodder up front, and I'll support from the rear with Solar Fireballs. That combination would be perfect!"

The more Wang Yi spoke, the brighter his eyes became.

An Undead Knight and a Holy Light Mage — just thinking about that combo felt awesome!

"Damn! Captain, now that you mention it, that really does seem to be the case!" Chen Hu's eyes also lit up. He stroked his chin and chuckled. "Alright! Then I'll give it a try! Lord of the Undead! Sounds way more badass than your Sun Priest!"

The two exchanged a smile and, just like that, happily divided up the two SS-grade items that could drive the whole world mad with desire.

What they didn't know was that while they were envisioning a bright future...

A dark storm, full of conspiracy and slaughter, targeting Dragon Country, was quietly brewing across the ocean... Across the ocean, in the Lighthouse Country.

In stark contrast to the nationwide celebratory fervor in Dragon Country,

the Lighthouse Country was now completely shrouded in dark clouds of anger, panic, and despair.

"Liars! You're all liars!"

"Give me back my hard-earned money! My stocks have hit the limit down!"

"What the hell is our team doing? Why did Dragon Country win again?!"

"The President must resign! The cabinet must apologize!"

Outside Wall Street.

Countless citizens took to the streets, holding up signs, roaring angrily, venting their dissatisfaction and fear.

A second time!

This was already the second time the Lighthouse Country had lost to Dragon Country in the national destiny arena!

And this time, the loss was even more devastating than the last!

Dragon Country had obtained the Controllable Nuclear Fusion technology capable of changing the world's landscape.

And what about their Lighthouse Country?

Due to consecutive dungeon failures, their national destiny had been severely weakened. Their domestic economy was already showing signs of a major recession.

Stock market crashes, soaring prices, skyrocketing unemployment... a series of social problems erupted one after another like dominoes.

The once arrogant superpower that claimed to be the beacon of humanity now teetered on the brink, battered by wind and rain.

Riot police and protesting citizens clashed violently in the streets.

Tear gas, rubber bullets, high-pressure water cannons... the beautiful scenery once only seen in movies was now playing out in real life across major cities of the Lighthouse Country.

The entire nation was plunged into chaos and turmoil.

The The White House, underground, Presidential Situation Room.

The atmosphere was so heavy you could almost squeeze water out of it.

The President of the Lighthouse Country, a white-haired old man who looked utterly exhausted, leaned weakly in his chair, listening to his subordinates report one disastrous piece of news after another.

"Mr. President, Wall Street has triggered circuit breakers three times already. The financial markets are completely out of control."

"Mr. President, large-scale riots have broken out in at least thirty states nationwide. The National Guard is almost unable to suppress them."

"Mr. President, several of our key allies have just sent messages. They... they are considering reassessing their strategic alliance with our country..."

One piece of bad news after another stabbed into the President's heart like sharp knives.

He closed his eyes in pain.

He knew the hegemony of the Lighthouse Country had reached its end.

In the face of the unreasonable, absolute power of the national destiny arena, the financial hegemony, military hegemony, and technological hegemony they had relied on in the past seemed so laughable, so fragile.

"What... cards do we have left to play?" The President's voice was hoarse and powerless.

Dead silence filled the situation room.

All the senior officials, generals, and advisors hung their heads, silent.

Cards?

They were out of cards.