Chapter 11 – The Trial

Chapter 11 – The Trial

After eliminating several waves of demonic creatures, the situation took an unexpected turn. They waited for a full minute, yet no new monsters appeared.

*Could the monster spawns have stopped? That shouldn’t be possible.* Based on Cheng Yang’s knowledge, since the emergence of these creatures, demonic beasts had never ceased to appear, even within cities. If a demonic creature was killed in one area, another would spawn nearby almost immediately. Even if left alive, new ones would eventually appear, though the respawn time was slightly longer.

“Everyone, sit down and recover your magic energy now!” Cheng Yang shouted, sensing something was amiss.

Less than twenty seconds after everyone had settled, blinding white lights flashed from both east and west, far more intense than the usual monster spawns. Simultaneously, similar lights appeared in the north and south, though these were less remarkable.

Cheng Yang’s expression darkened. These were clearly more powerful demonic creatures, likely mid-tier first-order beings. *Why are mid-tier first-order creatures appearing now? In my previous life, they didn’t emerge until two weeks after the apocalypse began.*

Suddenly, a possibility struck him. When he had claimed the Phoenix Fall Village territory earlier, there had been mention of a trial. However, with no demonic creatures present at that time, the trial couldn’t commence. The sudden appearance of two mid-tier first-order creatures likely represented the gods’ test for territory claimants.

Though this was just speculation, the immediate concern was survival. Failure would mean the demonic creatures reclaiming the territory, reverting everything to its previous state.

In that critical moment, Cheng Yang made his decision. He sprinted toward the eastern gate at more than double a normal human’s speed, covering the seventy to eighty meters in mere seconds.

As he reached the eastern gate, a massive green-skinned monkey, two-thirds larger than its predecessors, materialized from the light and charged toward him with terrifying speed.

“Support the western gate! Hold that monster at all costs!” Cheng Yang barked orders while forming a magic missile at his staff’s tip. The projectile shot forth, striking the creature’s abdomen and momentarily halting its advance.

Yu Kai hesitated briefly before leading seven others toward the western gate. They had no choice but to follow Cheng Yang’s commands, being completely out of their depth in this unprecedented situation.

Cheng Yang launched another magic missile, this time striking the creature’s head. Though the blow should have been fatal, some cosmic rule prevented instant death, leaving the monster bloodied but still mobile.

Based on its speed, Cheng Yang estimated it to be a mid-tier first-order creature. Without detection skills, he couldn’t be certain. Unlike humans, demonic creatures didn’t follow strict attribute templates – some might be slow but possess extraordinary vitality and attack power.

As the creature closed within ten meters of the gate, Cheng Yang dashed outside, drawing its pursuit. The enraged monster abandoned its charge toward the settlement, focusing entirely on its tormentor.

Cheng Yang’s experience from his previous life served him well. With his slight speed advantage, he gradually increased the distance between them while launching periodic magic missiles. After eight such attacks, the creature finally fell, releasing a flood of energy points that surged into Cheng Yang.

Meanwhile, the western battle raged fiercely. One driver-turned-warrior had already fallen to the other large green monkey’s attacks. With twice the speed of normal humans and attacks capable of killing a new warrior in three hits, the creature wreaked havoc.

Despite the chaos, Cheng Yang noted with satisfaction that the seventeen warriors maintained their formation, surrounding the beast and quickly filling any gaps in their defense. This tactic, born from nearly an hour of combat experience, proved effective – while their shields offered no special effects, they could block attacks without injury unless the force was overwhelming.

Cheng Yang rushed to assist, his powerful magic missiles quickly drawing the creature’s attention. As he kited the monster away, the ranged attackers unleashed a barrage of attacks, their combined firepower quickly overwhelming the beast.

With both major threats eliminated, Cheng Yang felt a sudden connection to the land, gaining control over a one-kilometer radius centered on the settlement’s altar. He had officially become Phoenix Fall Village’s lord.

Without hesitation, he ordered the gates sealed. While they could currently defend the entrances, the risk of more mid-tier creatures appearing was too great. He directed ranged fighters to the walls while warriors gathered materials and buried their fallen comrades.

Cheng Yang’s authority had reached new heights after single-handedly defeating a mid-tier creature that had challenged their entire group. Though the loss of a comrade weighed heavily on everyone, they followed his orders without question, knowing their survival depended on his leadership.