Chapter Two: The Pursuit

Online Game: Blood-Blazing Shot, Chapter Two: The Pursuit

The sky was a brilliant blue, the sunlight piercing, and the desert seemed even hotter. Seated atop the Six-Tiger military vehicle, gazing out over the vast expanse, the entire desert resembled a world of gold. Though beautiful to behold, death lingered everywhere, its scent thick in the air.

In the month since the server had opened, Wu Hua had traversed every stretch of the territory the players had managed to pioneer. Surrounding Dream Star City for sixty kilometers in all directions was nothing but desert. Even within the sands lurked monsters around level thirty—desert lizards, blazing scorpions, sand golems—more than enough to keep any player below level twenty on their toes.

To the east, south, west, and north of Dream Star City lay four regions of certain death: Mirage City, Wind Forest Volcano, Blood Wasteland, and Ice Plateau. Four highways led to these perilous realms, and beyond them stretched the dark unknown—territory yet untouched by any player. Most dared not venture beyond, fearing for their lives at every misstep.

Leveling in Star War World was no easy feat; one death meant dropping a level. Wu Hua, at level thirteen, could survive such a setback, but Maragobi, level twenty-six, would be devastated. If he died, he’d have to grind desperately in the desert for ten days or more—enough to bring anyone to tears.

On the elevated highway, the Six-Tiger sped along at 130 kilometers per hour, carrying four people. This model of military vehicle, named Desert Fox, was designed to drain players’ wallets—each costing around eighty thousand credits. Its speed and performance matched that of its real-world counterpart, and riding in it, one barely felt a jolt.

Sister Shi Nai drove, her companion, the fierce young woman, sat in the passenger seat, weapon cradled, gazing into the distance. The wind blew wild, her long hair streaming, her expression icy and resolute. She was truly valiant, her bearing extraordinary.

Wu Hua had no mood to admire the beauty of car and woman. For over ten days misfortune had hounded him; today’s quest, though offering a thousand credits, could cost him another level.

Last time, he’d joined a combat squad from Dream Star City to pioneer the Ice Plateau. The group had spent half a day stirring up the guardian boss, and after a fierce battle, all twenty players perished. The boss fell as well, but there were too many minor monsters. Wu Hua was the last to die, desperately lunging for the loot dropped in the final seconds, managing to grab a sensor right before death. The price was steep—he lost a level, and his gear exploded: TT-type camouflage suit, G2 plateau combat boots, all gone.

Worst of all, his most valuable weapon, the "Model 54" old pistol, was lost—a rare red item he’d bought for over six hundred credits. Now even his eating utensil was gone, so he had to mine for ore. By luck, he found a high-quality B-grade crystal, sold it for over a hundred credits, and bought the most basic Mauser pistol at the weapon shop.

“This is better than fighting barehanded,” Wu Hua sighed, touching the "Turtle Box" at his waist. The Mauser’s attributes appeared:

White-grade equipment
Level requirement: 3
Length: 288mm
Weight: g
Caliber: 7.63mm
Magazine: 10 rounds
Precision: 82.5%
Fire rate: 1/sec
Muzzle energy: 576 Joules
Effective range: 50 meters

Wu Hua frowned at the stats. This gun might suffice on the Ice Plateau, but in Wind Forest Volcano, it would only tickle the level thirty-five flame warriors.

Lost in thought, the vehicle screeched to a halt, stopping smoothly by the roadside.

The fierce young woman switched on the onboard TV. An electronic map appeared on the screen, dense with red and white markers. Wu Hua recognized the three-dimensional map—part of the onboard GPS system, as expensive as the vehicle itself. Areas already explored appeared in detail; unknown regions were nothing but black.

Wind Forest Volcano was not fully mapped—only the ground to the mid-slope was visible. In truth, everyone’s receiver carried a mini-map, but her next actions proved Wu Hua’s suspicion: she was a gun specialist.

For a gunner, knowing the terrain was essential. You might not know the enemy’s strength, but if you’re unfamiliar with the land, rushing ahead spells certain death.

With her energy pen, she marked and circled three areas on the map, indicating Maragobi had only three possible hiding places. The reasoning was simple: a controller, though capable of powerful elemental spells, was fragile. He wouldn’t dare enter unknown territory alone, nor could he stay at the volcanic ash site—ashes there could kill any player below level twenty. Even as a level twenty-six tank, Maragobi would barely survive.

Eliminating options, only three areas remained. Wu Hua was impressed; she was no ordinary player.

“Any questions?” She glanced at Oath and Sister Shi Nai. They nodded.

“And you?” She turned to Wu Hua.

Wu Hua murmured, “You’re really going all out just to hunt one person.”

Wind Forest Volcano was aptly named—a towering black volcano, barren and desolate, its crater in the distance ceaselessly belching smoke, seemingly ready to erupt. The avenue up the mountain was swept by waves of heat.

Sister Shi Nai was fully geared: fiery red metal armor, muscular arms exposed, chest half-revealed, wielding a purple energy sword. She looked powerful and imposing.

“Gene Warrior?” Wu Hua asked.

Sister Shi Nai nodded solemnly, “Once we kill that bastard, I’ll reach level twenty-four.”

“Didn’t expect you to be so strong,” Wu Hua gasped, turning to Oath. She wore the standard doctor’s white suit, resembling an astronaut’s spacesuit, tightly wrapped. To Wu Hua, she looked more like a firefighter, though she carried a gleaming knife.

“Nervous?” Wu Hua joked.

“Cut the crap, you lead the way,” Oath barked.

Wu Hua nodded, moved to the front, and unhooked the sensor from his waist. The precise instrument sprang into action; its small screen displayed a 2D map in simple colors—red, black, white.

Pressing a few buttons, the map shifted hues, the micro-radar scanned, and streams of data refreshed:

Temperature: 34
Heat: +36
Liquid level: 46%
Gas sensitivity: 61%
Vacuum: 2%
Biological units: 4
Mechanical units: 20

The data dazzled, ever-changing. The fierce young woman, unfamiliar with such a high-performance device, was baffled. “No wonder it’s a green-grade item. What do these mean?”

Wu Hua replied, “Too much to explain right now. Just follow me. I’ll report any situation immediately.”

She nodded, gun at the ready, trailing Wu Hua cautiously.

Her thousand credits had not been wasted—it was worth every penny. Wind Forest Volcano was even more perilous than she’d imagined.

The first area was the main road up the mountain, wide—over twenty meters, more exaggerated than the highway. Massive black rocks on either side blocked visibility. Wu Hua’s route zig-zagged in a "Z" pattern.

Oath complained, “What kind of path is this? Wasting time, hmph!”

Wu Hua smiled, said nothing. The fierce young woman replied coldly, “Be quiet. You know nothing. He’s expertly avoiding four waves of monsters. If thirty-five level mechanical warriors surrounded us, you know what the outcome would be.”

Oath shrank back, face pale, saying no more.

Indeed, the sensor showed all monster red dots hidden behind rocks; over thirty mechanical units, heat at 57+. Monsters here were all mechanical guards, powered by fuel. If the heat exceeded 30+, the sensor would detect them; over 50, even biotech warriors like Sister Shi Nai would be burned by the intense heat.

The first area was traversed smoothly. The fierce young woman eyed Wu Hua with appreciation. “You seem very familiar with this terrain.”

Wu Hua replied slowly, “Bear in mind, our target is even more familiar. He certainly doesn’t have a sensor, but the main road is empty—he didn’t trigger the guards either. Remember, he’s a fragile controller. That alone proves he’s not ordinary. You must be careful.”

The three were startled, struggling to believe such calm, professional insight came from a level thirteen player. The fierce young woman regarded him quietly. “Your level and gear are lacking, but your judgment is expert.”

Wu Hua replied, “Because I survive on skill.”

The second area was the steep mountain slope. No monsters, clear visibility, but the temperature soared to forty-six degrees, heat at 64+, rising with each step. The three felt scorched, and noticed their HP dropped by two points per second—clearly the volcano was burning them.

The sensor showed no green dots—no biological units—meaning the target was not here.

Oath began casting "Energy Healing" spells, constantly restoring everyone’s health. Judging by her casting frequency, Wu Hua said, “You’re a specialized healer, aren’t you?”

“How did you know?” Oath was surprised.

In Star War World, each level-up granted attribute points. The main system allowed players to specialize: strength, agility, armor, meditation, focus, ranged—like a skill tree. The choice shaped a character’s growth. "Focus" reduced all spell cooldowns.

Most healer girls prioritized agility—improved defense and movement, since healers lack offensive power and survival is paramount. Oath, however, chose focus, indicating she didn’t care for her own safety.

But Wu Hua saw it differently. Oath, the fierce young woman, and Sister Shi Nai must have a long-standing partnership. The latter two lacked defense, relying on Oath’s healing, while Oath depended on their high attack for protection. With perfect teamwork, strengths covered weaknesses—otherwise, they wouldn’t attempt a three-person pursuit.

Considering this, Wu Hua nodded at the fierce young woman. “You’re all professionals.”

After passing the second area, the four arrived at the mouth of a cave.

Sister Shi Nai said, “Only this place remains. That bastard is definitely hiding inside.”

Wu Hua fiddled with the sensor. “He’s definitely in there. There’s a green dot inside—means a biological unit. To survive here, it must be a human, and surely a player over level twenty-five.”

The fierce young woman pulled her gun’s bolt. “Let’s go!”

“Wait!” Wu Hua stopped her.

“Is there a problem?” she demanded.

Wu Hua nodded, placing the sensor before her. “See for yourself.”

(The author: At last, the new book is launched. My reliability and update speed are proven in my previous four novels. Now, back to the starting point. New and old friends, please support me, and I urgently request recommendation votes!)