9: Deleting accounts and banning IPs? This damn game designer is treating us like disposable material!

Time rewinds to ten minutes before the new players arrived.

In the core area of the shelter, an indescribable strange smell permeated the air.

It was a mixture of machine oil, rotting internal organs, and low-grade chemicals.

"This is your reward."

Su Mu held five glass tubes in his hand.

The liquid inside presented an unsettling ghostly green color, with an occasional eerie bubble rising to the surface.

[Elementary Gene Optimization Fluid (Defective Version)].

"Although it's an obsolete product from the Wasteland and might taste like expired toilet cleaner," Su Mu's smile looked exceptionally 'ominously kind' under the dim light, "the side effects include but are not limited to severe pain, spasms, and... it might be a bit smelly."

"But it will allow you to be reborn."

Before his words even finished.

*Gulp!*

Without a word, Li Qiang pulled the stopper and tilted his head back to chug it, as if he were drinking a bottle of '82 Lafite.

One second.

Two seconds.

"Ah————!"

The empty bottle in Li Qiang's hand slipped and shattered into pieces.

His whole body curled up on the ground like a boiled shrimp, his hands tightly clutching his neck as the veins on his forehead bulged like frantically wriggling earthworms.

Pain!

It felt as if ten thousand army ants had burrowed into his bone marrow and were gnawing on his nerves bite by bite.

Every cell was being torn apart, reorganized, and torn apart again.

"Is this... toilet cleaner? This is sulfuric acid!"

Nearby, Lin Xiaowan watched Li Qiang's contorted expression, her hand shaking so much she almost dropped the potion.

But then she thought of the world-destroying power Su Mu had just displayed.

"I'm going for it!"

The Young Miss closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and downed it in one go.

Immediately following were one scream after another.

Retired Soldier King was the only one who didn't cry out.

Biting down on a piece of rag, he was drenched in cold sweat, his muscles tensed like blocks of granite as he forcibly endured the Soul-piercing pain.

Five minutes later.

The pain receded like a tide.

In its place was a feeling of refreshment that permeated from his very bones.

"Holy crap... so smelly!"

As soon as Lin Xiaowan opened her eyes, she was so nauseated by the smell on her body that she started gagging.

A layer of black, greasy filth was being expelled through her pores; these were the toxins and Impurities accumulated within the modern human body.

But Li Qiang didn't care about that.

He suddenly stood up.

*Crack! Crack!*

His bones let out a series of crisp, popping sounds like beans roasting.

His back, which had originally been hunched from long-term manual labor, was now ramrod straight. Although he hadn't turned into some exaggerated bodybuilder, every muscle was as tight as twisted steel wire, full of explosive tension.

His vision improved.

His hearing became acute.

Even his heartbeat became powerful, each throb pumping endless energy into his body.

"Power..."

Li Qiang looked at his palms, a fanatical light flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly turned and punched the hard concrete wall of the shelter.

*Bang!*

Stone fragments flew.

A fist print an inch deep was left on the wall!

"It's doubled! At least doubled!" Li Qiang trembled with excitement, "Now, I could beat ten of my former self!"

Su Mu stood to the side, nodding in satisfaction as he watched the soaring values on the backend data panel.

"Very good."

"Since you've all become stronger."

Su Mu pointed upward, his gaze becoming meaningful:

"Then go up and receive the guests."

"Those hundred to-be-slaughtered... oh no, lovely newbies, have already arrived."

...Time returns to the present.

Dawn Fortress Square.

The atmosphere was tense.

The hundred new players looked at the arrogant "Also a Ruthless Person" on the wall collecting protection fees, and the confusion in their eyes gradually turned into anger.

"500 Contribution Points?"

From the crowd, a slender young man stepped out.

Chu Qingkuang.

ID: Night God.

He cracked his wrists, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's as he locked onto Li Qiang on the wall.

As a former FPS world champion, what he despised most were these veteran players who acted high and mighty just because they had closed beta access.

"Old man."

A contemptuous sneer curled on Chu Qingkuang's lips as he pointed at the crude stone knife in Li Qiang's hand:

"That thing of yours is so blunt it probably couldn't even cut bread, right?"

"You want to collect protection fees?"

"That depends on whether you have the skill!"

Before his voice faded.

Chu Qingkuang moved.

It was muscle memory engraved in a professional player's bones.

Tactical evasion, Z-pattern movement, flanking maneuver.

The movements were as standard as a textbook, and his speed was so fast that in the eyes of ordinary people, he was just a blur.

His goal was clear—get behind him, grapple, and disarm the opponent.

"So fast!"

"Is this the reaction speed of a god?"

The surrounding new players let out a chorus of gasps.

However.

In the eyes of Li Qiang, who had just undergone gene enhancement.

This series of flashy movements was as slow as an old man practicing Tai Chi in a park.

"That's it?"

Li Qiang didn't even turn around.

He simply yawned, then reached back and slapped out extremely casually.

No technique.

Pure attributes.

*Slap!!!*

A crisp slap echoed throughout the entire square.

Chu Qingkuang's originally suave figure instantly froze.

Immediately following.

An irresistible force struck.

His whole body was like a mosquito hit by a flyswatter, spinning three and a half times in the air before slamming heavily onto the sandy ground.

*Pfft.*

A mouthful of blood mixed with teeth was spat out.

Half of Chu Qingkuang's face instantly swelled like a pig's head, his brain was buzzing, and he was completely stunned.

How is this possible?

I clearly predicted his movement... I clearly saw his startup... why couldn't I dodge?

"Decent reactions."

A large foot wearing a tattered straw sandal stepped heavily onto his chest.

Li Qiang looked down at this so-called "god," his eyes full of mockery:

"But in the face of absolute strength attributes, your technique is nothing but a fart."

"Remember, rookie."

"This game doesn't care about your rank."

"It cares about who 'grinds' more and who is more 'desperate'."

The whole place fell silent.

The new players who had wanted to join the commotion were now as quiet as cicadas in winter, instinctively taking half a step back.

Insta-killing a world champion with one slap?

What kind of monstrous stats are these?

Just as panic began to spread.

*Ding—*

The System notification sound that made everyone's Soul shudder rang out at the perfect time.

[Server-wide Emergency Announcement!]

[Detected that the Zombie Tide Vanguard has broken through the outer defense line!]

[Time until large-scale contact: 23 hours 59 minutes.]

[Mission Objective: Defend Dawn Fortress to the death.]

[Failure Penalty: All accounts will be deleted, and IPs will be permanently banned.]

That last line of bloody red text was like a heavy hammer, slamming hard against everyone's heart.

"Ban... Ban the IP?!"

Wang Wei's hand pushing up his glasses was trembling: "This is the account I got after queuing for a week! If it gets banned, I'll never be able to get back in for the rest of my life!"

"What kind of dog developer is this! Hell difficulty right from the start?"

"No weapons, no equipment, and the enemy is a Zombie Tide? They're sending us to our deaths!"

Despair.

Anger.

And a deep sense of powerlessness.

Right then.

*Tap. Tap. Tap.*

Elegant footsteps sounded.

Su Mu, clad in a black trench coat, slowly walked down from the high platform of the shelter.

The wind blew his coat tails, revealing the modified revolver at his waist that emitted a cold gleam.

"Do you want to live?"

Su Mu's voice was full of magnetism, like a demon peddling hope on the edge of an abyss.

He pointed at Li Qiang, who was stepping on Chu Qingkuang, and then at Lin Xiaowan nearby, who was radiating elemental fluctuations.

"Do you want to possess power like theirs, rising above Mortals?"

Chu Qingkuang lay on the ground, his swollen eyes struggling to open a slit as he stared intently at Su Mu.

Yes!

I want it even in my dreams!

The humiliation of that slap must be washed away with power!

"Very good."

Su Mu smiled slightly and snapped his fingers.

"Since everyone is short on cash, this NPC is specially launching the 'Newbie Support Plan'."

*Hum.*

One hundred holographic screens popped up simultaneously in front of all the players.

[Su Mu's Loan Contract]

[Party A: Su Mu (Creditor)]

[Party B: Player (Humble Borrower)]

[Loan Amount: 500 Contribution Points (Limited to purchasing newbie weapons/skill books).]

[Interest: 30% (Daily Settlement).]

[Default Clause: If principal and interest cannot be repaid on time, 'Hard Labor Debt Repayment' mode will be enforced (including but not limited to mining, acting as bait, cleaning excrement) until the debt is cleared.]

Seeing the words "30% Daily Settlement."

Wang Wei jumped up immediately: "Thirty percent?! And daily?! This is a shark loan! It's illegal! I'm going to report you to the Consumer Association!"

Su Mu shrugged with an indifferent look:

"This is the Wasteland; there is no Consumer Association."

"You don't have to borrow."

"The gate is right there. Turn left for the zombie nests, turn right for the mutant dog cafeteria. Be my guest."

*Roar—!*

As if to cooperate with his words, a shrill zombie roar came from outside the fortress.

Wang Wei shivered, looking at the gray, desperate sky around him, then at the shining "500 points" on the contract.

"Damn it..."

He gritted his teeth, his eyes red: "I'll sign! Give me an Entrenching Tool! I'm going to pry open those zombies' skulls and use them as bowls!"

Once there was a first, there was a second.

"I'll sign too! Give me a bow and arrows!"

"I want that Basic Blade Technique!"

Chu Qingkuang struggled to crawl up, pushing Li Qiang's foot away.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and pressed his handprint firmly onto that indenture, a crazy fire burning in his eyes:

"Give me... a gun!"

"As long as I can become stronger, never mind a shark loan, what if I sell my Soul to you?"

One hundred players.

One hundred contracts.

Su Mu looked at the "debt data" skyrocketing in the backend, and the smile on his face was brighter than the sun.

Leeks, aren't they planted now?

Not only did he make them willing thugs, but he also saddled them with a mountain of debt.

From now on, if he told them to go east, they wouldn't dare go west.

This is the ultimate form of a capitalist.

Once the equipment distribution was complete.

The originally unarmed refugee camp instantly turned into a... Beggar Sect Army holding scrap metal.

But this wasn't enough.

Su Mu needed them to be a bit crazier.

He needed them to take the initiative to rush out, to plunder, to kill, and to bring back more energy cores for him.

"Don't celebrate too early."

Su Mu opened the server-wide broadcast, his voice becoming low and carrying an irresistible allure:

"Look at your IOUs."

"At this time tomorrow, the interest will roll over."

"Relying solely on defense? You'll never be able to pay off your debts in this lifetime and will only spend the rest of your lives in the mines."

The players' expressions changed.

That's right.

A 30% daily interest rate was practically a death warrant.

Su Mu raised his hand, his slender finger pointing outside the fortress, deep into the ruins shrouded in night and mist.

There, a ghostly blue light flickered faintly.

"Under the cover of night."

"Go hunt."

"In those ruins, there is an Armory forgotten by the old era."

"Whoever finds it first..."

Su Mu paused, his gaze sweeping across every greedy and fanatical face:

"Who can truly..."

"Become king in this world!"