Calamity Messenger

Chapter 235 - 187: Spoils of War

In any MMORPG, player-created factions are an indispensable part of the game, and even one of its main features.

Take guilds in games like "Legendary Journey," for example; if you’re brothers, let’s go hack and slash together! Or it could be a large online social platform where you can find brothers, girlfriends, have your brothers become girlfriends, or your girlfriends become brothers... such stories are far from uncommon.

In many cases, players might have grown tired of the game, but continue to play because their friends are still playing. It’s less about playing the game, and more about playing with friends.

However, no matter which online game it is, establishing a player faction is quite simple. Either you’ll meet the level requirement and gain the qualification to create one, or you’ll complete a very easy quest to unlock guild features—online games don’t tend to intentionally create obstacles here.

"The Messenger" is probably one of the rare exceptions, or rather, it offers two types of player factions. One is a chat group, where players can casually invite others to join and chat. This type has no restrictions and can be created by anyone, much like a QQ group. For those who love high-difficulty dungeons, they likely belong to multiple chat groups, wandering around like mercenaries and tackling various instances.

The other kind is a true ’player organization,’ where you can only join one, each has its unique benefits and tasks, and later on, it might evolve into features like faction wars or territory battles.

To establish a player faction, one needs a "Clan Establishment Order." But in "The Messenger," the drop rate for these orders is extremely low, unchanged even after several updates.

Yan Qing joined the company at the end of the Foundation Establishment version, naturally missing out on why the main designer made such decisions. However, forum analysis strongly suggests that the game owner or chief designer is a fan of old-school game literature, resulting in the rarity of these orders.

Not only that, but the Clan Establishment Order also comes in three levels: Precious, Legendary, and Immortal. Three Precious can synthesize into one Legendary, and three Legendary can synthesize into one Immortal. Old-version players aiming to gain an early advantage had to collect nine Precious Clan Establishment Orders, a process that obviously required a substantial time and financial commitment.

Later, the planners realized this was an excellent marketing strategy. Every so often, players hitting the jackpot by obtaining a Clan Establishment Order make headlines, inadvertently attracting more players to the game.

Currently, Yan Qing just permanently liberated the Third-Turn Demon King and unexpectedly got an Immortal-Level Clan Establishment Order. It seems the developers leveraged the "all-things-must-go" nature of the Celestial Calamity version to reduce the difficulty of acquiring rare resources for players.

Yan Qing couldn’t help but admire the genius of this concept, as although the drop rate wasn’t increased, the overall resource output was boosted. Otherwise, how could players gather resources for Immortal Ascension? It also guided players to conquer neglected low-level dungeons, fully utilizing every bit of game resource.

"Clan Establishment Order"

"Rank: Immortal"

"Effect: Establish a player faction and freely choose any two faction skills."

"Review: For the Horde!"

It might seem ordinary, but it’s crucial to know that a Precious-level Clan Establishment Order can only ’randomly acquire’ one faction skill, while a Legendary-level order ’randomly acquires’ two. This illustrates the value of an Immortal-level order’s ’freedom of choice,’ which can be considered revolutionary.

However, this doesn’t mean much to Yan Qing, as he currently has no plan to form a faction, at most reaping two faction skills for free. Comparatively, the two other spoils from the Corpse King are more valuable.

"Mediation Creation Jade Talisman"

"Rank: Celestial Spirits"

"Absorb: Absorb the Mediation Creation Jade Talisman to increase Qi Blood by 50 and gain the Mediation Creation’s wondrousness. All inflicted damage +20%, with a minimum increase of 10; all received damage -20%, with a minimum reduction of 10. Ineffective after Foundation Establishment."

"Inject: Inject the Mediation Creation Jade Talisman into a token to enhance any power."

"Refine: Refine the Mediation Creation Jade Talisman with a token to elevate the rarity of selectable powers by one tier."

"Click to view combination options"

Yan Qing sharply inhaled; it turned out to be the rarest Celestial Spirits, the Mediation Creation Jade Talisman!

There are naturally tiers among the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends, and judging by its injection and refinement effects, it’s clear that Mediation Creation is undoubtedly the top tier. It can enhance any power, and during refinement, it can select powers from a higher tier pool!

More importantly, Mediation Creation can correspond with three Perfect Dao Foundations, six Superior Dao Foundations, and thirty-six Middle Grade Dao Foundations. Pair it with any Earth Fiend, and there’s a 60% chance of forming a Dao Foundation, with a 10% chance of forming a Superior or even Perfect Dao Foundation!

If sorted by token rarity, Mediation Creation is doubtlessly a legendary Celestial Spirits! This is a loot that many high-level players would envy on gaming forums.

Yan Qing found it hard to imagine how well-fed players in the Celestial Calamity version must be—taking out a Third-Turn Demon King and spawning such an item? Is "The Messenger" planning to cash out and disappear? Or in the era of Immortal Ascension, has Foundation Establishment become trivial resources?

"Dragon Roaming’s Hand Bone"

"Rank: Rare"

"Carry Effect: When an enemy defends against your attack, a strength check is required. If the force you exert is greater than twice the enemy’s strength, the attack will be a crushing blow, dealing double damage and bypassing defense, activating every thirty seconds."

"Use Effect: Can be used on rank Third-Turn Rare or lower tokens to enhance them to Third-Turn Rare, with power boosts drawing from ’Crush,’ ’Counterattack,’ and ’Power’ keywords."

"Review: To advance Dragon-Slaying Seal to unprecedented heights, Dragon Roaming labored over his exercise till muscle and bone fused with the seal, claiming invincibility below Foundation Establishment, daring to massacre at the demon-slaying meeting. Posthumously, his hand became a celestial treasure."

What a gem! It’s equally as valuable as the Clan Establishment Order and Mediation Creation Jade Talisman because it’s a ’carry-to-activate’ talisman!

Unlike tokens expiring post-Foundation Establishment, talismans aren’t level-restricted and remain effective even after Immortal Ascension. Hence, talisman effects are ornamental, rarely triggering, but when they do, it’s akin to finding a hundred-dollar bill in your pocket unexpectedly.

However... Yan Qing scratched his head, realizing the gadget’s carry effect only benefits lower-level characters. People in this world, himself included, gain no benefit since they can’t access personal storage. Comparatively, it’s better used to upgrade a token, yet currently, he lacks a token matching the three keywords.

Closing the inventory page, Yan Qing saw four Third-Turns hoisting a massive chest from the pit in the distance. Each one managed a corner, not just Pharmacist’s Wish but even the Three Great Guardians eyed one another warily, fearing someone might suddenly open the chest and abscond with the loot.

Reputation is a currency meant for timely exchange into lifelong, unabating gains.

With a wave of Pharmacist’s Wish’s hand, the Rabbit Heroine scampered over like a Little Rabbit. Just like before, Pharmacist’s Wish and Prajna tilted the chest over, pouring everything out.

Are there any Foundation Establishment Pills? Are there any Foundation Establishment Pills? Please, let there be one Foundation Establishment Pill!

Yan Qing seemed to hear the roars from the other four people’s hearts—these Peak Third Transition folks indeed lacked nothing, Celestial Spirits and Earth Fiends were mere icing on the cake. The only thing to push them further was the Foundation Establishment Pill!

First to fall was a massive pile of Spiritual Jade, nearly a small mountain’s worth, approximately around a hundred thousand at a rough estimate. Yet no one cared for the money; all eyes were on those few items.

Among them were three tokens, a Celestial Spirits, a stone, and... a Token!

The Reward Good and Punish Evil Order!

While not a Foundation Establishment Pill, it was the closest thing to it!

Indeed, with Si Wuxie’s Foundation Establishment battle power, he struggled to acquire a Foundation Establishment Pill, but the Reward Good and Punish Evil Order was more attainable. Even if he scoured heaven and earth for it, other Foundation Establishments wouldn’t interfere, as ultimately, the Reward Good and Punish Evil Order only provided a chance to acquire a Foundation Establishment Pill.

As everyone focused on the Reward Good and Punish Evil Order, peripherally two individuals eyed the seemingly ordinary stone.

As the Rabbit Heroine gazed at the stone, the game screen showed a prompt: "You sense a relic from a Messenger’s demise, retrieving it can absorb contained Celestial Calamity Karmic Force."

"This monk only requires that stone!"

"I want that stone!"

Prajna and the Rabbit Heroine simultaneously declared, startled by their identical desire and then comprehending a shared fact:

The opponent also harbors Celestial Calamity Karmic Force!