Act IV: Darkness Spreads

Su Fei's plan was as follows.

If his memory served him correctly, the Captain of the Guard in Buchi at this time should be that famous veteran, Maden—a man who, like Brando's grandfather, had lived through the November War.

Su Fei knew of him because, in the game, this NPC would teach travelers the "Scout" skill.

However, this veteran was truly famous because, during the First Black Rose War, he had committed a grave error as the Captain of the Guard in Buchi; he had misjudged the intentions of the Madara army.

He had assumed the enemy was merely conducting their usual border harassment, and thus, he had relocated the villagers of Buchi right from the start. He had originally possessed a chance to launch a counterattack, repel the vanguard of the Undead Army, and then retreat with ease.

Regrettably, that opportunity had slipped through his fingers.

He should have become a hero of the kingdom, yet he ultimately walked down a different, dim path. For a man such as this, Su Fei felt both lament and curiosity.

He lamented the latter half of the man's life, but he was curious as to how the man had discovered the Madara Undead Army in advance. One had to realize that this was the only variable in the entire Golan-Elson region.

"Could it be because of me?" A thought suddenly popped into Su Fei's mind, one that seemed impossible.

However, he immediately cast this absurd notion out of his head.

Now, he had to change history; he had to find a way to warn the man. In military regulations, fire symbolized warning and invasion. Su Fei could only hope the other party was clear-headed enough—

Pounding sounds echoed outside the door, and every passing second felt as if it were submerged in a tense atmosphere.

"Brando, they're coming in!" Miss Merchant gripped her Mason's Hammer with both hands, her brow furrowed beautifully as she stared fixedly at the kitchen door, terrified that it might be smashed open at any moment.

Su Fei had no time to ponder this; if the Skeleton Soldiers swarmed in, they would be dead. But hearing the Merchant's Daughter's cry, he couldn't help but turn his head to glance at the door:

The kitchen door emitted a scratching sound as sharp swords were repeatedly thrust in and pulled out; the blades of Madara were as bright as the fangs of a wild beast. Something outside slammed violently against the door with a thunderous crash, causing a layer of dust to fall from the ceiling in a flurry.

The wooden door groaned and creaked, the cracks widening significantly—

"Calm down, calm down, just pretend it's still a game. Su Fei, think carefully about the quests you've experienced; this isn't anything..."

He struggled to inhale, steadying his nerves while wrapping oil-soaked cloth around a bundle of straw and firewood, then binding it tight with a rubber band. He was well-versed in this; crafting a makeshift torch was a skill so basic it didn't even qualify as a trade in the game.

This was considered a relatively well-supplied situation. He even knew how to make those torches that could only burn for five minutes; he remembered using dried lichen and shrubs to try it once in the Nokhan and Hain Underground Tunnel.

But he didn't have much time left. Soon, the door shuddered violently again, and the doorframe let out a loud, splintering crack. Lime splashed everywhere, then drifted down in a cloud.

"Brando—!" Romane felt her heart leap into her throat, and she blinked her bright eyes.

"I'm here, don't worry, hold on a little longer." Su Fei was already drenched in sweat. He sawed an iron rod against a piece of flint several times, sparks flying everywhere, but the torch simply wouldn't ignite—

After all, reality was still somewhat different from the game.

The immense force of the Skeleton Soldiers proved too much for the door bolt; it snapped in the middle with a crisp sound. The wooden door tilted, though it did not yet swing wide open.

A bare, bony hand reached in from the outside, attempting to break the bolt from within.

The young merchant girl was startled. She immediately raised her hammer and swung it over, but with a bang, the hammer struck the bone and merely left a crack—Madara's Skeleton Soldiers felt no pain; it simply paused for a moment before continuing to tug at the bolt.

Seeing this, Romane froze for a moment, forgetting even the hammer in her hand.

"Brando, Brando, what do we do..." she asked, her voice tinged with sudden nervousness.

At that moment, the flame finally flared to life.

And at the same time, the bolt fell to the floor with a clatter.

The door swung wide open. A Skeleton Soldier holding a precious sword stepped inside, pushed the door, and turned its head. Two flickering red flames in its hollow eye sockets locked onto the two pale-faced young people.

What was that young man doing?

Before it could react, a black object in the undead's hazy field of vision grew larger and larger. With a crack, a wood-chopping knife embedded itself into its forehead.

"...This is your final move. When throwing the sword, remember to keep your hand steady, your center of gravity low, and do not hesitate. You and your target must be in as straight a line as possible..."

"...If your enemy is a skeleton, your best targets are the connection between the shoulder blade and the arm, the base of the thigh, or the spine. Unless you are certain of a decapitation, the skull is not its greatest weakness..."

"Damn it—!"

Su Fei watched the Skeleton Soldier tilt backward and couldn't help but curse inwardly—the "Throwing" technique in Military Swordsmanship was a profound skill, but for someone like him, a veteran warrior, it shouldn't have been a problem—yet the moment he threw the wood-chopping knife, Su Fei suddenly remembered he was no longer that expert.

In the game, with his strength, this throw would have split the skull in two, but now, just as Brando had learned in the militia training, the enemy was merely slightly hindered—the wood-chopping knife stuck in its forehead caused no structural damage to the Bone Frame at all.

"Miss Romanee, look out!" Seeing the creature about to stand upright again, he immediately pulled the dazed merchant girl behind him.

"Brando..." The merchant girl was terrified.

"Don't worry, I'm here." Su Fei said this, but he had no confidence in his heart, especially seeing the dense mass of Skeleton Soldiers behind it preparing to swarm in.

In such a critical situation, he couldn't afford to care about anything else. He scanned his surroundings, but there was truly nothing he could use. Yet, that Bone Frame was already rising; what could he do? Just give up and watch?

Su Fei shook his head. He swore that never in his life had he been so ready to cast aside life and death—of course, those experiences in the game didn't count—he felt his mind go blank. There was only one chance to fight; succeed or perish!

He charged forward, gritted his teeth, grabbed the arm holding the sword, and almost instinctively shoved the Bone Frame backward with a violent heave.

People often use their full strength instinctively in moments of tension, and the Bone Frame, having lost its balance, had no power to resist. It let out a rattling sound as it fell backward, causing the line of Skeleton Soldiers behind it to stumble back in succession.

The momentum of Madara's undead surging into the room stalled. It was only for an instant, but that was enough.

The young man felt a sense of bewilderment; he could hardly believe he had actually succeeded. This was reality, after all—was he really still that useless gamer?

He instinctively threw the torch in his other hand toward the corner where the dry straw, leather goods, and firewood had been piled.

The flames surged upward instantly—

"Let's run, Brando!" The merchant girl ran up from behind and grabbed his hand.

She felt she had never been this nervous in her entire life. She remembered the first time she met that young man from next door over a year ago; he had seemed so shy and easy to talk to.

But today, that ordinary young man had displayed extraordinary calmness and courage. Was this the quality of a "reliable man" that her aunt was always muttering about, revealed in such a moment of crisis?

What a strange feeling this was—

The young girl couldn't help but harbor some vague, indescribable thoughts. She noticed that when she grabbed his wrist, her heart couldn't stop pounding.

"Brando?"

Smoke had already begun to billow, and the kitchen was filled with a choking, acrid scent.

Su Fei snapped back to reality with a jolt. Martha above, he had actually burned down his grandfather's old house! Brando would definitely be in deep trouble for this—even though he was Brando now.

His mind was in a whirl, but amidst the chaos, Brando's memories still held the upper hand.

However, a dry, low voice soon drifted from behind the smoke: "Faster, Dead Soldiers. Extinguish the fire and drag that vermin out. We only have one minute—"

This voice reminded the young man that he was still in grave danger and had to find a way to escape. Yet, Su Fei knew that low-level undead driven by Soul Fire were instinctively afraid of fire. It would likely be difficult for that Lich to force his skeleton subordinates to overcome this fear in such a short time, so it was his turn to act.

But fire was a double-edged sword; he had to hurry.

"Miss Romanee, follow me." Su Fei casually snatched a string of sausages from the ceiling and led the Merchant's Daughter toward the back door. It wasn't that he was greedy; for players in The Amber Sword, making basic food preparations before fleeing had almost become an instinctive reflex.

The fire was growing larger, engulfing the surroundings in a sea of flames. Smoke filled the air, and the temperature rose rapidly. However, Su Fei soon felt for the small door he remembered for delivering food—he pushed it, but it was locked.

Su Fei coughed, and the Merchant's Daughter behind him was already coughing violently. He steadied his mind and reached down, immediately finding the metal bolt. He was about to open it, but hesitated.

He remembered something else.

"Freya!"

Perhaps for the residents living in the Elson-Golan mountain region, the stars of April and the night sky of May did not look very different. It was just that from the end of May, the temperature had gradually risen. Looking down from the gentle slopes of the Yusong Mountains, one could see a sea of red and white flowers that had bloomed since early summer. In peaceful times, this was the most tranquil and serene countryside in all of Eluin, yet for Centuries, it had been ravaged by the flames of war.

The young girl looked up. On this summer night, the firmament was as clear and crystalline as if crafted from crystal—from west to east, a bright band of light pierced the entire night sky, crossing through the many constellations of myth and legend.

She was standing at the entrance of the village, looking up toward the other side of the mountain. Freya felt a bit worried; the loud noise from earlier had been particularly unsettling. Hadn't there been talk of undead activity in the area recently? Could it be...

Hearing a shout, she turned her head and was surprised to see a boy with a childish face running out from the village entrance, rushing to her side in a panic and bending over to gasp for air.

"What's wrong, Little Finis? Did something happen?" The girl's voice was soft and clear.

"Did you hear that sound just now?"

"Yes, that's why I came out to take a look," her gaze drifted back toward the direction of the hillside, "I'm really worried about Miss Romanee. Her aunt went to the nearby town too... I heard it hasn't been safe lately. I asked her to come stay at my place for a few days, but she didn't agree."

The boy looked up at her, unable to help but widen his eyes—

The girl's light brown hair was tied back into a long, simple ponytail, accentuating her heroic posture. She wore a form-fitting gray-white leather armor over a thick cotton shirt, with an armband on her left shoulder—an abstract Pine Leaf drawn in black pigment.

She also carried a short sword at her waist, a medieval Western European short sword, with a Flame Emblem on the iron disc of the hilt.

If Su Fei were here, he would have recognized her attire at a glance—a Buchi Militia. Golan Black Pine was the most common tree species in the Elson-Golan region and served as the emblem for the local Buchi troops.

However, the Guard Detachment was well-equipped and even had uniforms; only the local militia wore this kind of gray-white leather armor stitched from the hide of a Gray-maned Ox.

In Eluin, every young person in the local area was required to undergo militia training. This training usually began at the age of fourteen and took place between October and March each year, lasting until they turned nineteen. Trained youths and even adults could serve as militia at any time, and in wartime, they became the most important source of reserve troops. Therefore, since the decree was issued in the Year of Thunder, militia training had become one of the most important military measures in Eluin.

"Doesn't that kid live over there too? I heard he served as a militiaman in Brags," the boy asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Hmph, city folk aren't worth trusting," the girl flicked her long ponytail back and couldn't help but frown: "It's precisely because that guy is there that I'm worried!"

"That's just your prejudice, Big Sister Freya."

"What do you know... forget it," the girl scolded without looking back: "Alright, tell me what's going on quickly. Boys shouldn't be as gossipy as girls, you know!"

Little Finis shrank his neck: "Did you know, Captain Maden has already ordered the Guard Detachment to assemble!"

A flash of surprise crossed Freya's bright eyes: "Captain Maden? How do you know?"

"Bresen told me," Little Finis blinked and replied: "When I left, he had already mounted his horse to report to the Guard Detachment."

"Do you know what happened?"

"I don't know." The boy shook his head.

The girl turned back and looked toward the hillside with some concern. In the darkness, she could only vaguely see the outline of that manor.

"Wake everyone up, we're going too."

"Freya, it's so late, Aunt Syl will kill us!" The boy widened his eyes and asked in disbelief: "Shouldn't we wait for news tomorrow?"

"What a coward!" The girl couldn't help but glare at him, though she knew Little Finis was telling the truth. Thinking of her aunt's intimidating presence—even though she was a militia captain in Buchi, she still didn't dare to act recklessly.

"You're just the same..." The boy had just muttered this when he saw her turn back and give him a serious gesture to be quiet.

"Freya?"

"Shh—" The girl tilted her head, making a 'listening' gesture. In the darkness, a faint, wailing sound was clearly audible.

"What is that sound?"

The wailing sound approached from afar, moving very fast above their heads.

The girl's expression changed. She looked up and tried to dodge, but it was too late. A Black Shadow suddenly dove from mid-air and pierced her shoulder, causing her to scream and fall backward.

"Big Sister—!"

"Run, Little Finis, run!" the Ponytail Girl screamed in agony.

Arrows rained down like a downpour.

Su Fei came to a halt.

"What's wrong, Brando... cough, cough?" The future merchant girl, sensing something amiss, couldn't help but ask.

Su Fei didn't answer; he had just recalled something.

When Madara launched their surprise attack in the game, they inevitably couldn't bypass the players. Players didn't live by the sunrise and sunset like NPCs; in fact, one could say a significant portion of them were bona fide nocturnal creatures.

He remembered that when Madara initiated their operations back then, they had encountered interference from players elsewhere—players just like him—yet the majority of Madara's operations had still succeeded.

Why?

Yes, he finally remembered this era. As the ancient kingdom of Eluin approached its twilight, its neighbor was ushering in a new age—a turbulent, surging era.

A gathering of star-like generals, indeed...

Su Fei couldn't help but sigh. In this era of Madara, not only were legendary generals who would later shake the continent emerging one after another, but thanks to the military reform seven years ago (year 368, the Black Rose Reform), a solid foundation had been forged. The endless stream of excellent apprentices being cultivated was supporting the nation's war machine from the ground up.

And this strength would eventually be revealed in this very war.

During the First Black Rose War, the powerful execution and judgment displayed by the Madara army were enough to make everyone take notice, yet it was a pity that until the fall of Eluin, the world had never truly been on guard.

That was exactly it.

The kingdom within that darkness was rising, and it would soon reach its zenith.

"Those guys are no ordinary foes."

As a long-time nemesis, Su Fei had a particularly deep impression of Madara's outstanding junior and mid-level officers. Their shrewdness was something only those who had fought them for a long time could truly understand—

Su Fei's hand rested on the cold door latch, his heart growing colder by the second. The moment he closed the door, the enemy would have already launched their attack on Buchi—they wouldn't give him the time to sound the alarm in the village, not even for a mere possibility.

And behind this door, there might even be Madara's Skeleton Soldiers.

What should he do?