Chapter 1935 - God's Domain Shaken
Upon hearing the system announcement, Shi Feng was stunned.
Why has this happened so soon? Shi Feng's expression darkened slightly as he read the system announcement.
The "Return of the Survivors" was a massive expansion pack that affected the entirety of God's Domain, but as far as he could remember, this expansion pack shouldn't have triggered until mainstream players had reached Level 70. Most mainstream players were only Level 50 right now. Most of the various large Guilds didn't even have many Tier 2 players, yet the 'Return of Survivors' expansion pack had just triggered...
While this expansion pack was good news for the various major powers, the same couldn't be said for Zero Wing.
Once the "Return of the Survivors" expansion pack activated, the Ancient Humans that had split away from God's Domain's main continent due to the ancient war would return. Unlike the current human population in God's Domain, these Ancient Humans retained some of the combat techniques and Lifestyle techniques from ancient times. The return of these beings also meant the return of lost technologies. One could easily imagine the impact this change would have on current players.
In addition to the return of the Ancient Humans, the "Return of the Survivors" expansion pack also reduced the teleportation fees between the continent's various countries. The price of Guild Transfer Scrolls would also drop. Once the expansion pack took effect, both independent players and Guild players would have a much easier time traveling between countries. As a result, competition within the various countries would become far more intense.
However, these changes were only the tip of the iceberg. The expansion pack's real impact lay in the real world.
When the 'Return of Survivors' expansion pack activated, the Main God System would also activate the Mental Assistance System, incorporating players' habitual movements and nerve reactions from the real world in the game. Players' control of their virtual bodies would become more comfortable due to this change, removing the disparity between players virtual bodies and their physical forms.
This latest expansion pack also introduced the EXP Potion, the effects of which lasted for six hours and disappeared upon death, to the game. The potion would help low-level players level up quickly, doubling their EXP gain from monster kills. Of course, the EXP Potion would only be effective for players below the mainstream level, which the Main God System determined.
To acquire the EXP Potion, players had to increase their Reputation with the survivors until they were Respected and complete a series of quests. Only then would players have the privilege of purchasing the EXP Potions from the survivor NPCs at the low price of 1 Silver per bottle.
Due to the EXP Potion, new players had an easier time of quickly catching up to mainstream players. This also allowed experts to arise at a much faster rate, which, in turn, allowed the various major corporations to develop rapidly.
Many major corporations had only invested in God's Domain after they had realized the game's potential. However, the game's top players had reached a considerably high level by then. As a result, these corporations' experts hadn't been able to exhibit their true strength, even though so many powerful, real-world experts worked for these corporations. Fortunately for them, the EXP potion just so happen to mitigate this problem. In return, though, the EXP Potion had increased the competition in God's Domain by several times.
Even the Secret Pavilion's God's Domain Experts List had changed so frequently that the experts in one edition would be gone in the next.
Meanwhile, the "Return of the Survivors" expansion pack thoroughly eliminated the small advantages Zero Wing had accumulated over the game's various powers...
"Guild Leader, the forums are going crazy over this new expansion pack. The game's official website has even published some information about it. According to the game developers, once the new expansion pack takes effect, human survivors from ancient times will appear in the various NPC cities. These ancient survivors can teach players advanced combat methods for their classes, with each learning attempt only costing 3 Silver," Aqua Rose said, surprised when she read the information on the official website.
Before this, players had been forced to experiment on their own to learn the combat methods most suited to their classes. However, many elite players had only grasped a few basic combat methods. The various large Guilds kept their advanced combat methods a secret, yet God's Domain was about to sell such combat methods to players directly...
Advanced combat methods were nearly on par with Basic Combat Techniques.
With this new feature, players' combat standards in God's Domain would drastically improve. This feature would bridge the gap between independent players and Guild players by a significant margin, and when the various large Guilds obtained these system-approved advanced combat methods, it would bridge the gap between their elite and expert members. The minimum requirements to be considered an expert in God's Domain would also change.
I'll need to accelerate my plans, Shi Feng thought as he read the Sea of Death's official forums.
The majority of independent players eagerly anticipated this new expansion pack, since it would undoubtedly bridge certain gaps between players. Shi Feng needed to improve Zero Wing's nurturing system before the rest of God's Domain benefitted from this expansion pack and soon. Only by doing so could he guarantee Zero Wing's advantage.
Meanwhile, in the Ore Empire's Crimson Flame Fortress...
"Vice Guild Leader, although we don't yet know who triggered the new expansion pack, it has assured our Guild's rise to glory. Previously, those super-first-rate Guilds and Super Guilds have relied on their long-standing foundations in the virtual gaming world to suppress us, but now that advanced combat methods will be available to everyone, the Blackwater Corporation's support will allow us to nurture a large number of experts in a short time," Snow Scar, who wore silver scale armor, reported to Xuanwu Chisa as she sat in the Guild Leader's office.
The new expansion pack was undoubtedly good news for the various major corporations, and the Blackwater Corporation would reap even greater benefits since it had so many real-world experts under its command. Now that Blackwater had access to system-approved combat methods, nurturing a large group of expert players would be a piece of cake.
"How are things conning along in the capital's armory?" Xuanwu Chisa asked the excited Snow Scar; based on her indifferent expression, she didn't seem to think much of the new expansion pack.
"We have already moved past the outer area. Once we've prepared, we'll enter the armory's inner area. It would've taken us some time to secure the inner area, but with the expansion pack, I doubt it will be long," Snow Scar said.
"Good. Once we have secured the armory, formulate a plan to assault Silverwing Town," Xuanwu Chisa said. Looking at the map of the Ore Empire before her, specifically Zero Wing's territory, disappointment flashed in her eyes as she muttered, "I had thought that Zero Wing would be able to entertain me, but it seems that battle is over before it has even begun. What an uninteresting Guild."
Various large Guilds and corporations also started to prepare to welcome the latest expansion pack.
Meanwhile, on Kama Island...
When it was almost time for the system update to begin, Shi Feng ordered his team to log out to rest.
The moment Shi Feng logged out himself, he began to prepare for the 'Return of the Survivors' expansion pack.
He had Blackie significantly increase Zero Wing Workshop's recruitment efforts and try to recruit as many talented players as possible. With the EXP Potions, new players would have a much easier time catching up to mainstream players, after all.
Previously, he had been able to set recruitment aside, but with the latest expansion pack, other Guilds would likely snatch up talented players before he got a chance if he didn't do so now.
God's Domain's various major powers had yet to learn about the EXP Potions. Even after this new expansion pack released, they'd only learn about the potions once players had accumulated enough Reputation. To become Respected, players would have to quest for at least two weeks.
Shi Feng needed to secure as many opportunities as possible during the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, while Shi Feng was busy recruiting internal members for the Guild, Gentle Snow contacted him.
"Guild Leader, good news! We've dealt with the training ground! The five companies have finally caved in and sold their shares. From now on, that training ground belongs fully to Zero Wing," Gentle Snow reported, smiling.
"Good! Wonderful!" Shi Feng was ecstatic to hear this.
He had waited for this moment for a very long time. Finally, Zero Wing had its own training ground.
After disconnecting the call with Gentle Snow, Shi Feng contacted Blackie and had him gather the Zero Wing Workshop's members in the Workshop's main hall.