Minecraft : Only I Know the Crafting List

When the system announced that Xu Yuan had achieved the first clearence of the nightmare-level dungeon, KEN, who had been anxiously waiting in the guild's main city, finally let out a long, relieved sigh. A wave of exhilaration and indescribable joy washed over him, accompanied by a shock that was almost impossible to believe.

At this moment, the guild players were stunned into silence, their eyes fixed on the system message that appeared in the air. When they first learned that Xu Yuan was planning to clear the nightmare mode solo, concern had crept into many hearts. It wasn't that they doubted Xu Yuan's strength—far from it. But the difficulty of this dungeon was notorious; even the 30 elite members of other guilds had been thoroughly crushed when they entered. Yet, Xu Yuan aimed to take it on alone.

While everyone could see Xu Yuan's power, many more felt that he was overly confident. The situation at this moment proved them wrong—Xu Yuan's confidence wasn't misplaced; their doubts were.

"I don't think there's any dungeon we can't clear in the future…"

"Well… It seems even the officials didn't expect someone to brush through nightmare mode alone…?"

"I wonder how Boss Steve did it… Why is the gap between people so huge?!!"

"I'm blessed in my past life to have followed a boss like Steve in this life!!!"

"….."

After the system broadcast Xu Yuan's solo clear of the nightmare-level dungeon, his backpack contained a few new items— a title deed, a hundred gold coins, and a drawing of the Broken Twilight Forest. When Xu Yuan saw the Twilight Forest drawing, he confirmed his suspicion: this full-service boss system that triggered after he defeated the Wither must be the key to gathering fragments of the Twilight Forest's illustrations.

Having received his reward, Xu Yuan left the dungeon. Yet, he had an odd feeling—like he'd forgotten something but couldn't quite recall what it was. Shrugging it off, he dismissed the thought as unimportant.

He reappeared in his room. At this moment, KEN was already waiting in front of him. When he saw Xu Yuan step out, KEN's eyes lit up with excitement. It seemed he wanted to say something but hesitated, unable to speak.

Xu Yuan chuckled and teased him, "People don't know, but they think you're the one who cleared it first." 

"Why are you more excited than I am?"

KEN was instantly amused by Xu Yuan's words, shook his head, and laughed. 

"How can you treat everything like it's nothing?" 

"You just cleared a nightmare-level dungeon!"

Ken had initially thought that Xu Yuan would be just as excited as he was—after all, soloing a nightmare dungeon was no small feat. Typically, success in such a challenge would ignite joy, but Xu Yuan's calm demeanor barely showed a flicker of emotion.

Xu Yuan smiled and replied, "In fact, this nightmare level was manageable. I've seen even scarier things…" He paused abruptly, realizing he almost said too much. What he truly wanted to mention were the Titan, Wither Storm, and Wither Slava—the monsters far more terrifying than this nightmare boss. But for now, these were beyond the game's current scope and probably best left unsaid.

Ken was stunned by this revelation and saw that Xu Yuan chose to remain silent. Though his curiosity was piqued, he knew better than to press. This tacit understanding had become their unspoken rule, and Ken didn't ask further.

The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment. Ken thought for a second and then shifted the topic.

"By the way, what's the reward for the first clear?"

"Title deeds, gold coins, and fragments of the Twilight Forest drawings," Xu Yuan replied.

Ken nodded, then asked, "And what about the boss?"

Suddenly, Xu Yuan remembered—he had forgotten to collect the boss's drops. Since the zombie fell into the water and died underground, he'd completely overlooked it.

He patted his head with a wry smile. "I left straight after the fight and forgot to check."

Ken's expression darkened; a wave of frustration swept over him. Even the boss's loot could be forgotten? Usually, the final boss's drops were a highlight of the dungeon run. Xu Yuan's nonchalant attitude was astonishing.

Xu Yuan shrugged and left, feeling satisfied. His goal had been the Twilight Forest drawing fragments, and now he had what he wanted. He didn't think much of the boss's loot—he already had everything he needed.

"I figure no one will clear this boss again for a while," Xu Yuan murmured. "I'll just farm it again later."

Ken was slightly comforted by Xu Yuan's words, though he knew that generally, the first kill of a boss would yield higher drop rates and rarer items. Still, with Xu Yuan having already left, there was no point dwelling on it.

Ken then proposed, "Should we organize the raid record? I'll have the brothers attempt the first pass of the easy and hard modes."

Xu Yuan nodded. "Yes, but I think it's better to do a solo run first. The system grants additional rewards for that."

Ken asked, "Are you planning to do it yourself, or find someone else?"

"Find someone else," Xu Yuan replied. "I've already been rewarded for the first pass."

Ken nodded and said, "Then assign someone."

Xu Yuan considered it. "Call in the top 30 players in the guild."

Ken was taken aback but didn't question Xu Yuan's decision. He simply nodded and went to gather the elite players.

Soon, KEN returned with the top 30 guild members. They looked excited upon seeing Xu Yuan—everyone knew he was about to share the strategy.

Xu Yuan addressed them: "You are the elite of our guild, and your skills have been validated by Boss Ken. That's why you're here. I want 30 of you to attempt the dungeon alone—no groups. Each of you."

The players stared at him in disbelief. 

"Uh… do you want us to clear it alone?…" 

"Boss Steve, our strength isn't as good as yours…" 

"Boss, are you joking? Really?"

Ken frowned and coughed softly, signaling them to quiet down. Recognizing the seriousness, the players fell silent.

Xu Yuan smiled and said, "First, listen to the strategy, then decide if you think you can do it."

He then explained the dungeon's mechanics. 

"There will be three waves of zombie hordes. After the first two, there's a short window for preparation. But after the third, no downtime—the boss appears immediately." 

"The boss is a giant zombie, surrounded by various undead. When its health drops to 50%, it will summon over ten zombie mobs. When it reaches 10%, it will self-harm—small zombie heads will attack other parts, then split off. Any kill strengthens the boss." 

"This is the nightmare mode mechanic—though it's uncertain if the easy and hard modes share the same. Be cautious."

Many elite players paled at this description, especially at the self-harming mechanic that increased the boss's power.

Seeing their reactions, Xu Yuan continued, "Don't be afraid. Now, let me explain the strategy."

He outlined the approach: 

"Dealing with the corpse tide is straightforward—use water flows to wash away the zombies, then transport and execute them elsewhere. The tide won't come out until the next wave is killed, so don't try to lock them down." 

"Afterward, the boss fight: use four iron blocks and a pumpkin head to summon an iron golem to assist in attacking. Adaptability is key."

He paused. "That's all for now."

The guild elites listened carefully, jotting down notes. When Xu Yuan finished, a wave of confusion spread.

"Boss… are you serious? Are you joking us…?" 

"Feels like he's talking a lot but not really saying anything…" 

"I think I kind of understand…"

In truth, Xu Yuan deliberately kept the explanation at a high level, focusing on principles rather than step-by-step tactics. Revealing detailed operations would have allowed the players to clear the dungeon easily, but he wanted them to think for themselves. This way, they'd develop their own methods, improve their skills, and be better prepared for future challenges. It also laid the groundwork for future quests, fostering better teamwork and problem-solving in large-scale dungeons.

After assigning some iron blocks and pumpkin heads to the players, Xu Yuan concluded, "Alright, don't hesitate. Enter the dungeon—difficulty is optional."

In the ears of the players, his words echoed as: 

"Okay, don't be stunned—go ahead and crush it. Pick your difficulty!"