I STACK ATTRIBUTES IN THE APOCALYPSE -MyOwnEdit-

Meijixi's shock was palpable. He turned to Jing Yi, who remained unperturbed, and couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Countless bits of information had pointed to one conclusion: the Heaven Saber Gang had found no ruins. The so-called Flame Clan ruins were merely a smokescreen created by Jing Yi.

Yet, here it was, a colossal ruin shimmering before his very eyes, undeniably real.

Whether or not this was the actual Flame Clan ruins was irrelevant. The fact remained that Jing Yi's words were no longer baseless.

Jing Cong was equally perplexed.

Just two days ago, his father had confided in him about their plan to lure the city's explorers with the false promise of the Flame Clan ruins and turn them into zombie soldiers.

The ruins were fake, but the scheme was real.

But now, the fake had materialized into reality. What was the truth?

Jing Yi, oblivious to the confusion and suspicion swirling around him, simply tilted his head, slowly admiring the ruins before him. Then, his expression turned serious.

"These ruins," he declared in a booming voice, "are the Flame Clan ruins that my Heaven Saber Gang spoke of!"

"Countless opportunities lie within, waiting for those destined to claim them!"

"However," he continued, "with just over ten thousand members, my Heaven Saber Gang cannot fully control these vast ruins. To ensure we can keep the treasures within, I, Jing Yi, will share these ruins with all of you."

With a flourish, Jing Yi turned to face the crowd behind him, gesturing invitingly towards the ruins.

No one moved.

Perhaps they were still reeling from the sudden appearance of the ruins.

A smile crept onto Jing Yi's face. "Since no one wishes to be the vanguard, then let the Heaven Saber Gang take the lead."

"Members of the Heaven Saber Gang, listen up! Enter the ruins!"

Before his gang members could even react, Jing Yi strode towards the entrance of the ruins, pulling Jing Cong along with him.

Until they vanished completely through the shimmering portal...

Hesitantly, the members of the Heaven Saber Gang followed their leader's footsteps.

Meijixi, however, was left standing in stunned disbelief.

"What's going on?" he muttered to himself, his mind reeling.

If that cunning old fox Jing Yi claimed there were ruins, and now there actually were ruins...

Initially, Meijixi had suspected a trap. He assumed there might be significant dangers lurking within. But Jing Yi had boldly entered the ruins with his son and the entirety of his gang ahead of everyone else...

Meijixi's mind raced, his suspicions deepening.

"Could Jing Yi have set up some sort of trap inside the ruins?"

But before he could fully process his thoughts, the unaffiliated explorers behind him surged forward, rushing towards the ruins' entrance in droves.

This group of individuals cared little for the circumstances.

Enter the ruins, seize the opportunities.

That was the explorer's creed. They had already embarked on this perilous venture; there was no need for further hesitation. They simply needed to charge in and grasp their chance at glory.

Before Meijixi could react, countless residents of Archean City had already joined the stampede towards the ruins.

And from behind, more and more people arrived, drawn by the spectacle.

The opening of the ruins, marked by the towering beam of light, had captured everyone's attention. The radiant column pierced the heavens, a beacon visible to all in the vicinity of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

It attracted the explorers who had been scouring the mountains for ruins.

It also caught the attention of Apelo, who was still searching for the Nanxiang people.

Somewhere in the wilderness, Apelo watched the persistent beam of light rising in the distance, a frown etching itself onto his face.

"What's going on?"

After a moment of contemplation, an answer dawned on him.

"Ruins? The Flame Clan ruins they were talking about in Archean City?"

It seemed so...

He had never expected the rumors to be true.

But now that he knew they were, it wasn't too late.

"Everyone, rise. Let's go!"

Without further hesitation, Apelo made his decision.

True, tribulation transcenders were valuable.

However, even with the qualifications to ascend to the heavens, one still had to compete for a divine position with other ascenders. Without sufficient strength, it was a futile endeavor.

Therefore, both the qualification to ascend and one's own power were crucial.

Now that the Flame Clan ruins had opened, they undoubtedly held opportunities and treasures within. While Apelo might not have been particularly interested in them before, with the ruins appearing right before his eyes, there was no reason to ignore them.

Location: Southern Mountains

Lu Ming, who was about to rest, suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze drawn towards the direction where the Flame Clan ruins had manifested.

He couldn't see the beam of light from his current location, but something else had alerted him.

A subtle tremor, originating from deep within his soul, prompted Lu Ming to open his attribute panel. The panel pulsed with a faint, ethereal light.

The radiance seemed to whisper a silent command.

Go over there.

"There's opportunity!"

The words echoed in Lu Ming's mind, a clear and direct message from the attribute panel. This was unprecedented. The system was asking him to go.

Lu Ming's brow furrowed in thought.

After a moment's hesitation, he donned his clothes and slipped out into the night.

The towering beam of light, still piercing the sky, served as his beacon. As he approached, the tremor from the system intensified, urging him onward.

Pulling his hood up to conceal his face, Lu Ming quickened his pace.

An hour later, he arrived at the scene.

A massive crowd stretched before him. Countless individuals of various races and forms, their eyes gleaming with avarice, surged towards the open doorway at the base of the light beam, like moths drawn to a flame.

Lu Ming paused, his senses heightened. He listened to the whispers and murmurs swirling around him, piecing together fragments of information.

"The ruins of the Flame Clan..."

"The ruins have opened here..."

"So, there's an opportunity for me inside? An opportunity recognized by the system. Or perhaps something the system needs?"

That seemed to be the case.

But whether to enter or not was another matter entirely.

Lu Ming was not one to rush headlong into danger.

However, the system's unusual behavior piqued his curiosity. It was the key to his survival in this apocalyptic world. Any anomaly demanded his attention.

After careful consideration, Lu Ming made up his mind.

He turned and left.

Two hours later, Lu Ming returned to the same spot, accompanied by Velo.

Velo blended into the crowd, using his Corpse Crystals to gather information discreetly. An hour passed, and then Velo stepped through the doorway into the ruins.

Lu Ming waited anxiously.

Two hours later, Velo emerged, rejoining Lu Ming.

"It's very spacious inside, and there's no immediate danger," Velo reported. "At least not near the entrance."

Lu Ming nodded, a plan forming in his mind. He had Velo scout ahead to assess the risks. If there was any sign of danger, they would retreat. If not, Lu Ming would venture inside to investigate.

As for the deeper mysteries of the ruins, he would deal with them as they came.

Opportunities were secondary; survival was paramount.

Lu Ming was no fool. He wouldn't risk his life needlessly.