Fantasy Game: Infinite City

Chapter 704, Floor 94 (6)

In stark contrast to the frigid and desolate Frozen Tundra, the Lava Purgatory is one of the hottest and most violent areas on the 94th floor. This region is covered by boundless lava and volcanoes, the sky and earth a crimson red, the air thick with the pungent smell of sulfur and scorching heat. The ground beneath your feet is unbearably hot, and you can even see lava churning and flowing in the cracks, radiating suffocating heat. Ordinary equipment simply cannot withstand such temperatures. Players who step into this area will be rapidly burned, their skin will instantly fester, and their energy will be continuously depleted. Without sufficient heat-resistant equipment and energy replenishment, they will soon be swallowed by the intense heat and reduced to ashes.

The terrain of the Lava Purgatory Zone is even more complex and dangerous. The flat ground is dotted with massive craters, deep lava pools, sharp volcanic rocks, and abandoned factories and mechanical wreckage destroyed by lava. Most of these factories and wreckage have been completely burned away by the lava, leaving only broken metal frames and mechanical parts twisted and deformed in the high temperature, seemingly telling tales of past terror and destruction. Deep within the Lava Purgatory Zone lies a massive active volcano, its crater constantly spewing billowing smoke and scorching lava. The lava flows down the volcanic slopes, forming a massive torrent of lava that reduces everything in its path to ashes, leaving no trace of life. Furthermore, this area contains many hidden caves, filled with lava and hotter than the surface, harboring numerous unknown dangers. No one knows what lies deep within these caves, and no one dares to enter them lightly.

As an extremely hot region, the enemies in the Lava Purgatory Zone have mostly adapted to the environment. They are predominantly fire-based, adept at using high temperatures and flames for attacks, and are incredibly powerful and destructive. The main enemies in this area are "Lava Soldiers" and "Flame Hunters," both of which are adapted to the high-temperature environment and possess formidable combat capabilities.

Lava Soldiers are the main defensive force of the Lava Purgatory. They are towering figures, over three meters tall, covered in thick lava armor. The armor is coated with scorching lava, radiating suffocating heat. Their heads are adorned with flaming metal masks, and they wield massive lava swords, the swords burning fiercely. The Lava Soldiers possess extremely strong defensive capabilities; their lava armor not only withstands physical attacks but also most elemental attacks, especially ice and snow attacks, which are absorbed by the fire energy on the armor and converted into their own power. Offensively, the Lava Soldiers excel in melee combat. Wielding their massive lava swords, each swing carries scorching flames and powerful impact, creating a vast area of ​​fire upon impact, inflicting massive fire damage on players within its range and causing continuous health loss. In addition, lava soldiers can unleash "firestorms." These erratic, moving firestorms inflict massive fire damage on players and ignite their equipment. If not dealt with quickly, the equipment will enter a "burnt" status, rendering it unusable throughout the entire questline and even dungeons. This status can only be removed by finding or using specific items, or by obtaining temporary or permanent buffs from defeating elite enemies or area bosses. Lava soldiers are mostly stationed in abandoned factories, mechanical wreckage, and area entrances. They are ferocious and will immediately attack players upon spotting them, relentlessly pursuing and eliminating them. However, if players can leave the lava area in time, using stealth or invisibility abilities, or find a way to avoid them for a period of time, they can temporarily escape their pursuit once the lava soldiers lose their target and their frenzied state ends, until they encounter them again.

Flame Hunters are the primary hunting force in the Lava Purgatory. They are agile and resemble phoenixes or phoenixes of various sizes, covered in burning feathers. Their wingspan ranges from several meters to tens of meters, and their sharp claws and beaks radiate intense heat. Their orange-red eyes exude ferocity and greed. Unlike Lava Soldiers, Flame Hunters excel at ranged attacks and aerial assaults. They can fly freely, using their high temperatures to attack players from the air. They scratch players' bodies with their sharp claws, peck at their throats with their sharp beaks, and spew forth bursts of scorching flames, creating a fire shockwave that inflicts massive fire damage on distant players. Furthermore, Flame Hunters can create "Flame Traps," laying invisible fire traps on the ground. Once a player steps into a trap, they are engulfed in flames, suffering massive fire damage and being burned, resulting in continuous health loss. Flame Hunters typically operate in groups. They are extremely fast, agile, and difficult to hit. Moreover, they are highly intelligent, cooperating with each other and having a clear division of labor. Some are responsible for distracting the player in the air, some for setting traps, and some for launching fatal attacks, making it impossible for the player to defend against them.

Besides these two main enemies, the Lava Purgatory also contains some scattered high-level enemies, such as "Fire Wizards" and "Lava Behemoths." Fire Wizards are magic-based enemies; they are slender, wear fiery magic robes, wield flaming staffs, have faces covered in flame patterns, and their eyes glow with an eerie red light. Fire Wizards are skilled in fire magic; they can summon massive fire meteors that fall from the sky, dealing massive fire damage to players within range. They can also cast "Fire Seal," sealing players in a fiery cage, rendering them unable to move or use skills, while also causing them to be burned and suffer continuous health loss. Furthermore, Fire Wizards can resurrect fallen Lava Soldiers and Fire Hunters, bringing them back into the battle, further increasing the difficulty. Lava Behemoths, on the other hand, are enemies that combine energy and fel magic. They are enormous, over ten meters tall, covered in thick lava and rock, their bodies wreathed in black fel energy, and wielding massive lava boulders, radiating powerful energy fluctuations and a fel aura. Lava ogres possess immense strength. Each swing of their lava boulders creates a massive tremor, slamming into the ground and generating a colossal shockwave that inflicts massive damage on players within its radius, while simultaneously igniting the ground and creating a zone of fire. Furthermore, lava ogres can unleash "Felfire," fusing their fel and fire energies to unleash a massive fel fire shockwave that deals massive fire and fel damage to players within its area, while also corroding their bodies and reducing their defenses. Lava ogres mostly inhabit the depths of the Lava Inferno, near active volcanoes. They are extremely ferocious, launching a frenzied attack upon spotting players. They are also incredibly resilient, difficult to destroy, and even if defeated, will revive quickly unless the player completely destroys their core.

In the Lava Purgatory, besides formidable enemies, there are also neutral and friendly units. Their presence adds a touch of life to this raging, scorching land. The neutral units are primarily "Lava Merchants" and "Trapped Mechanics." Lava Merchants are a group of merchants skilled at surviving in high-temperature environments. They wear thick, heat-resistant gear and push small metal carts loaded with supplies, slowly moving through the Lava Purgatory. Lava Merchants possess many scarce resources, such as heat-resistant gear, energy supplies, fire resistance potions, and fire weapons. However, unlike the merchants on the Ice Plains, purchasing these resources from them requires collecting special ores or the cores of lava behemoths. Lava Merchants are honest and inflexible; they won't overcharge, but they also won't negotiate. They are extremely vigilant; if monster units appear nearby, they will immediately flee in their metal carts, releasing fire traps and smoke to hinder pursuit. The trapped mechanics are NPCs abandoned in the lava inferno zone due to failed experiments, trapped in the ruins of an abandoned factory, facing the dual threats of high temperatures and enemies. These mechanics are mostly skilled in repair and crafting. They won't attack players unprovoked, but if players approach within a certain range, they will actively seek help. If players offer assistance, such as providing heat-resistant equipment or energy supplies, they will help repair equipment, craft simple mechanical items like fire-resistant shields and energy rifle ammunition, and provide information about the abandoned factory and experimental base. However, this information is mostly fragmented and requires players to piece it together. Occasionally, some of them will offer simple tasks. After completing a certain number of tasks, players will receive help from these mechanics, who will appear at specific times to assist or rescue them, essentially providing several resurrections.

Friendly units are primarily "Fire Elementals," native creatures of the Lava Inferno. Formed from fire and energy, they are small and fiery, radiating a warm, warm aura. They are kind and friendly, and will not attack players unprovoked. Fire Elementals live in hidden caves within the Lava Inferno. They are adept at manipulating fire energy, helping players withstand high temperatures and providing fire resistance bonuses. Furthermore, Fire Elementals possess many secrets about the Lava Inferno, such as the distribution of lava pools, the eruption patterns of active volcanoes, and the triggering conditions for regional events. If players can establish a good relationship with them, they will share this information without reservation. However, Fire Elementals have their limits. They deeply resent those who damage the Lava Inferno environment or harm their kind. If players cooperate with these factions or harm Fire Elementals, they will immediately turn hostile, viewing players as enemies and attacking them with fire energy. It's worth noting that if these creatures witness items or units burning, and the burning is caused by the player, they will become excited and may become uncontrollable.

The regional events in the Lava Purgatory are also highly unique, mostly related to high temperatures and volcanoes. These include both natural disasters and special events, which are randomly triggered and significantly impact players' exploration and combat. The most common regional event is a "volcanic eruption," an extremely dangerous natural disaster. Whenever a volcano erupts, the crater of an active volcano spews out large amounts of thick smoke, molten lava, and volcanic debris. The lava flows down the volcanic slopes, forming a massive lava torrent that reduces everything in its path to ashes. Simultaneously, fiery meteors fall from the sky, causing massive fire damage to players on the ground. The ground shakes violently, and numerous fissures appear. Players who fall into these fissures will be swallowed by the lava and completely incapacitated. Furthermore, during a volcanic eruption, the number of Lava Soldiers and Fire Hunters increases dramatically, and their strength is greatly enhanced, becoming even more ferocious and powerful. Volcanic eruptions typically last from a few minutes to over ten minutes. During this time, players should find a high place to take shelter, such as the top of an abandoned factory building or a hidden cave. Otherwise, they may be swallowed up by the eruption or eliminated by enemies.

Besides volcanic eruptions, the Lava Inferno Zone also features special regional events, such as "Lava Flood," an extremely dangerous event. Whenever this event is triggered, lava pools on the ground crack, spewing out massive amounts of lava that flow in all directions, forming a boundless ocean of lava. Players engulfed by this lava will be instantly swallowed and reduced to ashes. Simultaneously, the number of lava monsters increases dramatically. They roam freely in the lava ocean, launching frenzied attacks on players within range, making escape impossible. Furthermore, their attributes are doubled due to the lava, and their regeneration and energy are virtually limitless. To survive, players must quickly escape the area, find higher ground to hide in and wait for the lava flood to end, or use abilities with cold elemental properties to counteract the attack.

For example, there's the 'smoke zone,' a neutral special area event. At certain fixed locations, smoke will appear every hour, gradually covering these areas with smoke composed of flammable gases. Stepping into it won't cause harm, only reduce visibility and perception range. However, if an attack or other action is launched within it, even creating just a spark, the smoke-covered area will immediately ignite, occasionally resulting in a violent explosion. It can be used as an obstacle to quickly evade pursuing enemy units, or as a trap to eliminate large numbers of pursuing enemy units. It's important to note that the power of the smoke's combustion and explosion is not negated by fire or explosion resistance; it's a special attack that ignores resistance. And it can also cause a 'burn' effect.