Everything has a beginning and an end... like this can of Red Bull I'm drinking right now, like Michael Jackson's return to the heavens, like the very life of this spotted cow... Under the relentless assault of numerous Contractors, its life had inevitably plummeted to its lowest ebb.

It had desperately wanted to shake off the two tiny bugs in front of it to eliminate the few buzzing, annoying flies in the distance, but its cumbersome body and injured limbs always gave them too much time to escape.

Worse still, the damage inflicted by the two close-range insects was considerable. They were like small pebbles by the riverbank—seemingly insignificant, yet hard enough to actually chip a tooth! With such deep resentment, the massive beast spewed forth a torrent of blood from its throat, emitting a mournful cry of unwillingness, before collapsing heavily to the ground, dropping a key that shimmered with silver light!

All Contractors involved in attacking the spotted bull simultaneously received a notification that their RDA Company Battlefield Contribution Points had increased by 1000.

This key, of course, immediately drew the attention of every Contractor, but it was snatched up by Reef in one swift, unceremonious motion and instantly tossed into the team's shared storage space.

He then turned to glare provocatively at everyone around him. Astonishingly, no one stepped forward to challenge him! Reef stated coolly, "I'm taking this key. Anyone with an issue can step up now."

Silence met his demand... Having just committed an act that bordered on blasphemy in the eyes of many, Reef remained utterly composed, casually walking to a nearby open patch of ground to sit down, apply bandages, and dress his wounds. While a few dissatisfied grumbles were heard nearby, no one dared speak loudly. Most chose silence, understanding the principle that one must play the long game.

It was at this moment that Fang Senyan deeply realized the sheer dominance of MT Reef... 'Dominance' in the sense of being an overbearing tyrant. Even someone like Reef, who ostensibly believed in the code of chivalry, claimed spoils of war with such self-evident entitlement!

After a while, seeing his health bar mostly recovered, Reef suddenly opened his eyes, strode over to the group associated with Son of Kadang, and roared in fury, "Why didn't you follow my command just now? If you thought my plan had a flaw, you should have brought it up for modification then! But once execution begins, it must be followed unconditionally!! You fools, is this your first time entering the Space? Do you not understand the rules!?"

Strictly speaking, among the Contractors who had died first, Son of Kadang's group had suffered the most casualties! Especially the last one, a nimble specialist wielding dual blades—their leader. Now, as Reef pointed directly into their faces and cursed them, a woman holding a long glaive shrieked loudly, "Who do you think you are? On what authority are you barking orders here?! Furthermore, that spotted bull was killed by everyone; why do you get to monopolize the key?"

Reef merely glanced at her, let out a brief, cold snort, and turned to walk away. Mogensha, leaning nearby and puffing on a cigar, shrugged his thick lips, cradling his Golden AK, and chuckled, "Oh, what a pity that negotiations broke down so swiftly. Sounds like you all took a major loss... So, for the next Beast Tide, you guys find someone to stand at the front, alright? We won't be getting involved with you then."

The woman's face immediately shifted. She stared at Mogensha's retreating back, grinding her teeth, but ultimately dared not speak. She suddenly looked toward the remaining melee Contractor in their team: "Jim! You take the front line next time, and I'll give you half the spoils."

Jim scoffed dismissively, "What good are spoils to a dead man? You didn't think of me when distributing rewards during the last mission, but now that you’re being suppressed by others, you suddenly remember me? Dream on! You think that shielded MT made holding the line look easy? Let me tell you, without him and that formidable support character next to him—yes, Sailor—holding the pressure on the front lines, our rabble of an army formation would have collapsed long ago!"

"Look at the guy on the right—yes, the one holding two daggers in a reverse grip. Do you know who he is? That’s Leer, the one who wiped out seven people from Addie’s team in one go last time! A defiant character like him was the one who obeyed Reef’s orders most closely..."

By now, most of the group had finished resting. Mogensha casually fired a burst from a distance at the Viper Wolves who were busily stripping carcasses in a pit, naturally attracting the attention of more than half of the remaining pack. In the case of the Viper Wolves, their terror lay in their coordination and teamwork; once their attack patterns were understood, the threat posed by a single wolf was minimal.

But when their numbers aggregated, the threat level became terrifyingly high. A few other Contractors, cooperating with Reef’s potent, heart-wrenching slow effect, and having familiarized themselves with the combat rhythm, swiftly dispatched the remaining wolves with overwhelming advantage.

It is worth noting that subsequent loot drops, such as rare materials and keys, were no longer picked up by Reef, even when a key glowing with deep blue light lay right beside him. To Fang Senyan, he understood the principle that if one eats the meat, one must also let others have some broth. He highly approved of Reef’s restraint; for the time being, at least, they needed to unite for battle. If matters were pushed too far now, others would reciprocate with harsher actions later.

Once the immediate pack was cleared, Reef gathered three Contractors of considerable standing for a brief meeting. After a few exchanges, an agreement was reached. He then instructed a Contractor named "Yu Ze," who belonged to the Goth team and specialized in reconnaissance, to scout the situation on both the northern and southern battlefronts. Taking advantage of the lull, Fang Senyan and his inner circle—relying on Reef’s absolute authority as the premier MT—managed to open one of the unopened silver-quality keys they had acquired earlier. As the silver light flared, a series of notifications appeared: "You have obtained 4200 Universal Points."

"You have obtained 5 Potential Points."

"You have obtained Giant Ox Gallstone: Valuable item, medicinal material, exchangeable for 3000 Universal Points."

"You have obtained Ring: Savage Demon Eye..."

"You have obtained Item Soul: Soul Artifact of the Spotted Bull."

"Ring: Savage Demon Eye."

"Equipment Rarity: Black"

"Equipment: Strength +3."

"Equipment: Spirit -4, Charm -1, Basic Ranged Combat -1 (Owner does not possess this ability, so this attribute is ineffective)."

"Equipment Slot: Finger."

Material: Calcium Silicate, Barium Sulfide, Carbohydrates.

"Passive Equipment Ability: Soul Gaze. This hollow eyeball occasionally exhibits the phenomenon of stripping away fragments of an enemy's soul, inflicting 10 points of defense-ignoring damage."

"Equipment Ability: Rage of the Horn. Initiate a sudden charge toward an enemy target at a distance of 8–35 meters, stunning the enemy for 3 seconds, dealing no damage. During the charge, your movement speed is considered the maximum limit for the current world difficulty, and you are immune to all forms of slowing effects."

"Only when your Strength vastly exceeds that of the target (achieving a crushing effect) can you guarantee a 100% hit rate for Rage of the Horn. If your Strength is less than the target's, this ability cannot be activated."

"Regardless of whether you hit the target or not, you will suffer a brief stun after the Rage of the Horn concludes (the stun duration is determined by your current Strength value; the higher the Strength, the shorter the stun)... Cooldown: 180 seconds."

Weight: 14 grams."

Description: This is the hollowed-out eyeball of the spotted bull, filled with lingering resentment. Although the soul that once commanded it is gone, it still retains some of the beast's unique abilities. Naturally, for the physically dominant Spotted Bulls, it inevitably weakens the spirit of its wearer.

Spotted Bull Soul Artifact Item Rarity: Silver Plot-Grade Effect: When used on a Black-grade piece of equipment or weapon, it becomes its "Item Soul," elevating the rank of the designated item to Silver Plot-Grade.

Warning: If the Item Soul’s compatibility with the equipped item is insufficient, the Item Soul will be damaged.

Material: Ethereal Weight: 3 grams." Description: The unique circumstances of Pandora Planet have led to a significant proliferation of Item Souls, undoubtedly a consequence of the presence of the Avatar Planet's dark... (Holy Mother) entity.

Considering Gold Mine might be particularly interested in the Giant Ox Gallstone, Fang Senyan consulted Reef and the others before deciding to keep it. As for the ring, after some deliberation among the three, both Mogensha and Reef relied somewhat on their mental fortitude, whereas an increase of three points in Strength would grant Fang Senyan a much greater chance of achieving a crushing advantage. Thus, the ring was given to Fang Senyan. They anticipated that upgrading this ring to Silver Plot-Grade equipment would yield even better performance.

At this point, the first milestone of this world was achieved: the Butcher Shop Owner title was completed. The reward was the "Butcher Shop Owner" title, granting a 10% damage increase against beast-type creatures in this world. Undoubtedly, this title needed to be equipped immediately, as a cumulative 10% damage boost was substantial.

Less than five minutes later, the scouts rushed back. Because the western battlefield had been cleared of corpses, the resulting decrease in attraction had diverted a considerable portion of the beast swarms, making it entirely logical that the northern and southern fronts were still locked in fierce combat.

According to Fang Senyan's prior investigations, the northern front was being defended entirely by the Illuminati organization as a whole. The southern front, however, was composed of a more complex mix, centered around a team called Lockos, supplemented by two or three smaller teams and scattered Contractors, and crucially, it lacked a leading figure like Reef, who acted as an unshakeable pillar. Logically, the southern front should have been in extreme distress, yet the feedback indicated...

...that the northern front, held by the Illuminati, was actually the side in a more desperate plight! (To be continued.) If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)