C5 The Door of Choice(1)

The heavy artillery gunners, archers, and magicians launched their attacks in unison. Priests and their companions swiftly cast protective shields to amplify their damage output. The two factions clashed head-on in a fierce battle!

Jiang Hao's team had never anticipated being attacked by their own allies. In a critical moment, a wall of water emerged, dividing the two groups. Countless vines lashed out, ensnaring bullets and arrows, flinging them against the walls.

Meanwhile, Blue Star had issued an order to cease fire. Messages flooded everyone's communicators, revealing that Jiang Hao and his comrades were indeed real—neither illusions nor monsters.

Zhou Yi, in a fit of anger, slapped one of his comrades. "Look what you've done! You're useless!" Others joined in the criticism. "Not only did you squander resources, but you nearly killed our own people!" someone exclaimed. "Thank goodness for Jiang. Did you see that? He just used a sailor's skill!"

Jiang Hao gestured, and the water wall vanished, the vines retracted, and the spent ammunition clattered to the ground. Lu Zhiyao approached Jiang Hao, presenting a red carnivorous flower in her palm. "Take this. It'll boost your damage and shorten your cooldowns."

Jiang Hao declined firmly, "No need." Jiang Lulu interjected, "It's a consumable. You shouldn't use it on your own. We wouldn't want you to face punishment on my brother's behalf."

Zhiyao quickly clarified, "My father gave this to me; it's not part of the loot." Jiang Lulu turned to Jiang Hao, seeking confirmation. "Brother, we don't need it, right?" Jiang Hao nodded in agreement, "Correct, we don't accept rewards without merit."

Suddenly, the monster on the fifth floor stirred—a horde of mutated toads, unlike those on the first floor, each with two heads capable of attacking from both front and rear. A moment's distraction could lead to being devoured whole! The team grouped into quartets, standing back to back, ready for the next round of combat.

Jiang Hao quickly directed Jiang Lulu's squad to form a protective circle around him. Guided by the system, he soon discovered a hidden passageway.

Immediately, he flung his scepter, summoning a human-faced spider.

A torrent of spider silk shot out, ensnaring a particularly unique toad!

This toad was the only normal one, with just one body and one head, but its mouth was sealed shut!

Next, Jiang Hao unleashed his skill, causing several vines to stretch out infinitely and entangle the five team members, who followed closely behind him.

Soon after, the toad, now encased like a silkworm cocoon, self-destructed!

Boom!

In a flash, black smoke enveloped everyone, blinding them!

Jiang Hao and his companions were drawn into a black hole that appeared in the ceiling!

They found themselves in the mezzanine between the fifth and sixth floors!

This time, the monster they faced was ten times stronger than the previous ones!

If they succeeded, they would ascend to the tenth floor!

The swordsman's damage output was significantly boosted with the addition of a heavy sword.

Jiang Hao also equipped the priest with a magic staff, which greatly improved cooldowns and mana regeneration.

Thanks to their prior teamwork, the squad had developed a deep trust in Jiang Hao. With little need for words, their coordination swiftly improved.

In just twenty minutes, they vanquished three waves of monsters!

Jiang Hao and his team emerged on the tenth floor!

Throughout the battle, they collected numerous valuable items. All consumables were stored, and weapons were allocated based on compatibility.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yi and his group had only just reached the seventh floor.

At the same time, a team from Umoris had uncovered the secret to skipping levels and had followed suit, arriving on the tenth floor.

The floor was eerily silent. Three minutes had passed, yet no monsters had appeared.

All around, a blanket of white stretched out, creating the sense of being in a void-like dreamscape.

Kassa from Umoris gazed at Jiang Hao and promptly knelt on one knee.

"We implore you, Jiang Hao of Blue Star, to collaborate with us. We need a mutated immortal orb to cure our sickness. If you can assist us in obtaining it, we are willing to share half of our resources from this venture."

The public chat was abuzz with speculation that Jiang Hao would refuse!

After all, he had previously turned down Kassa quite decisively!

Yet, a minority believed Jiang Hao might accept the offer.

Considering that half of the resources were at stake, it was a substantial amount!

Even the Jiang family was convinced that Jiang Hao would decline.

To my surprise, Jiang Hao nodded in agreement.

"We can collaborate, but I'll take two-thirds of the resources. Plus, I get to choose them myself."

Kassa nodded with delight. "Of course, Mr. Jiang Hao, I respect your decision."

She stood up and passed the blueprint to Jiang Hao.

After consulting the system, Jiang Hao learned that consuming the mutated cactus could absorb toxins and Gu insects from the body without any adverse effects.

However, obtaining this mutated cactus was no easy feat; it only had a chance of appearing on the 50th floor!

And no one had reached the 50th floor in nearly a century!

It seemed like an impossible task!

Impossible for others, that is.

But for Jiang Hao, it was a piece of cake!

If he hadn't been leading the team, he might have already made it to the 50th floor on his own!

The Magic Building, shaped like a pyramid, boasted a hundred floors!

No one knew what awaited at the summit!

A day had passed since the group entered Iphario. Jiang Hao took charge of organizing the defenses and setting up shifts for standing guard and resupplying.

The supplies were straightforward: consume the strange fruit that satisfied hunger and absorb a water-rich blue crystal for enough energy to last the day.

Eager to keep up with Jiang Hao, Kassa brought along just one teammate.

Both parties stayed close, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.

The 10th floor was peculiar. Usually, the presence of people would trigger a monster attack.

Yet, it remained eerily quiet!

But no one let their guard down.

Suddenly, the once white ground turned golden!

In a flash, it became quicksand!

Everyone began to sink into the quicksand.

The more they struggled, the deeper they sank.

Jiang Hao quickly released the Wind God's bubble, enveloping everyone and allowing them to float above the treacherous sand.

At that moment, an alert was broadcast to everyone's communicators from the Alliance.

[Warning! The Magic Building has undergone another mutation! All floor monsters will change!]

Simultaneously, Zhou Yi's team was devoured by a swarm of man-eating flowers!

Jiang Hao received orders from the Jiang Family patriarch on his communicator to send aid to the inhabitants of Blue Star!

Jiang Lulu and the others also received the patriarch's distress signal.

"The head of the household is pushing us too hard!"

"It was Zhou Yi who decided to go rogue and not follow the captain. Now he's holding us back!"

Jiang Hao, enveloped in bubbles and floating in mid-air, had a spark of light flash in his eyes.

Thankfully, he had been cautious earlier.

With a flick of his scepter, he chanted for five seconds!

He unleashed the Carpenter's skill.

Wooden Ox!

Simultaneously, a red circle materialized behind Zhou Yi and the others!

In an instant, they all teleported to the tenth floor!

They plunged into the quicksand.

Zhou Yi exploded with expletives!

"We haven't even collected the Man-Eating Flower's gear yet! Jiang Hao, you..."

Zhou Yi sank into the quicksand, with only his head poking out.

Jiang Hao's voice drifted down from above.

"You really are a chatterbox."

"The creatures and conditions inside the Magic Building have undergone mutations. If you don't want to die, stop fixating on the petty gains before you."

Jiang Hao spoke with detachment, "From now on, everyone sticks together. Without my command, no one breaks away."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi, freshly rescued, immediately showed his displeasure.