Fang Yue turned to look at Niu Niu beside him.
The one who had just spoken wasn't him. It was Niu Niu.
Fang Yue was a little surprised that Niu Niu knew about the Focus Fire Order.
But after a moment's thought, he understood. Niu Niu was a reserve member of the Patrol Team, after all. Though he wasn't an official member, he would still be taught the necessary knowledge.
Niu Niu looked back at Fang Yue, his face full of terror.
"Don't panic!"
Fang Yue reassured him, then frowned and began to think.
The flame signal that had just soared into the night sky and burst like fireworks was called a Focus Fire Order.
The Focus Fire Order was a distress signal that only the three captains of Ancient Moon Village were authorized to send. Every time one appeared, it meant the village faced a massive crisis that threatened its very survival!
Captain Chen was naturally also authorized to send a Focus Fire Order for help, but he hadn't even managed to send a distress signal before dying silently in the Chen residence.
That was why Fang Yue was so deeply wary of the strange entity in the Chen residence. He didn't even dare think too deeply about it.
This Focus Fire Order, however, had come from the direction of the village center.
If Fang Yue remembered correctly, that was where the... earth core was!
"The earth core is in danger! The strange entity's target is Ancient Moon Village's earth core!"
Fang Yue's expression darkened.
The earth core contained a vast amount of Lifespan. Burning that Lifespan provided Soul Fire to protect everyone in the village!
If the earth core was destroyed and the Soul Fire went out, everyone in Ancient Moon Village would be exposed to the Cold Night!
By then, Night Chill Erosion would enter their bodies and kill everyone in Ancient Moon Village overnight!
In other words, the entire village would be wiped out in one night!
Hiss—
Realizing this, Fang Yue felt a chill at the strange entity's methods.
It wasn't leaving them any way out. What were they supposed to do?
The earth core was under the protection of Captain Lin Ling.
This Focus Fire Order had obviously been sent by Captain Lin Ling.
If even Lin Ling had to send a Focus Fire Order for help, then the strange entity he was facing had to be extraordinary.
Should I go help, or... leave Ancient Moon Village?
Fang Yue pondered briefly, then made up his mind.
The wilderness was full of strange entities, with danger at every turn. It was incredibly dangerous.
With Fang Yue's current strength, he could only be sure of his safety by staying in Ancient Moon Village.
"Brother Ye, let's get out of here! It really is a strange entity attacking the village. This damn game developer started an event just to kill all the players in Ancient Moon Village!"
Niu Niu started going on about his monster siege theory again. Fang Yue's mouth twitched, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he raised his torch and dragged Niu Niu toward the Focus Fire Order.
"Brother Ye! Brother Ye, what are you doing? We barely know each other! If you want to die, go by yourself!"
The Focus Fire Order had scared Niu Niu. He'd only just survived, and he didn't want to go to his death.
Fang Yue let go of him and said earnestly, "Niu Niu, take a look at the [Strange Curse] on you. Do you think you'd survive if you left the village? Now look at the crisis the village is facing. If you take this chance to earn some merit, the people in charge will definitely try to help cure your [Strange Curse], right?"
His words struck a nerve, leaving Niu Niu unable to argue.
He was afflicted with a [Strange Curse], and unlike Fang Yue, he didn't have a special constitution. All he could do was wait for the big shots in Ancient Moon Village to treat him.
But without any achievements or money, why would anyone go to the trouble of saving an ordinary reserve member of the Patrol Team? Just because he had a big face?
"At worst, I'll just make a new character..."
Even Niu Niu didn't believe what he'd just said.
The Lucky Gift Pack and his Innate Divine Strength talent were too good to give up. Otherwise, he wouldn't have fought so hard to survive, even when he'd been on the verge of death several times.
Fang Yue shook his head. "All right, then. You can go. I'll go support the Focus Fire Order by myself. But think it over: if you go protect the earth core now and earn great merit, you might be able to get Lifespan, equipment, or even Martial Path techniques afterward. You won't get another chance like this."
After saying that, Fang Yue stopped trying to persuade Niu Niu. He raised his torch and ran ahead on his own.
Fang Yue had laid out the opportunity, the benefits, and the risks. He'd done more than enough for his client.
If Niu Niu had been an ordinary player who wasn't paying him, Fang Yue would have left him behind long ago.
Analyzing a problem and reaching a conclusion also came at a cost. Valuable information was worth money.
"Brother Ye? Brother Ye, you're really leaving? Brother Ye, wait for me! Brother Ye!!"
When Niu Niu saw Fang Yue run off without looking back, he finally panicked and hurried after him.
But he hadn't followed for long when Fang Yue suddenly stopped.
"Brother Ye? What's wrong...?"
Niu Niu's confused voice gradually fell quiet.
He'd seen them too. All around them, clusters of flames were appearing.
Each cluster of light represented a six-man patrol team.
The flames were all around them, near and far, and they were closing in from every direction!
"So many people?! We're surrounded!"
Niu Niu panicked and hurried to hide behind Fang Yue.
"Why are you hiding behind me?"
"Brother Ye's back makes me feel safe!"
"...I suggest you see a therapist after you log out."
As they spoke, the flames drew closer.
"Brother Ye, there are too many of them! What do we do?"
They'd just killed Xin Jue, and everyone still thought they were strange entities.
"Fight our way through and find Captain Lin for protection. Captain Lin may be jealous, but he's fair about settling scores. No matter how much he dislikes me, he'll still handle this by the book and protect us!"
If Fang Yue hadn't met Lin Ling before and learned what kind of person he was, he wouldn't have dared to seek help from a captain while everyone thought he was a strange entity.
"Fight our way through? Then I'm dead for sure!"
"Every man for himself!"
Fang Yue wasn't very confident either, given how many people there were.
As the two prepared themselves, the first patrol team to approach drew near.
"They're here!"
Fang Yue growled, his muscles tensed and ready to exert force.
But the patrol team had more than a dozen people!
They ran right past the two of them with their torches, without stopping at all.
As Fang Yue and Niu Niu stood there, stunned, the passing patrol team suddenly stopped. A bald man holding a torch called out, "What are you two standing around for? Keep up! We're going to support the Focus Fire Order!"
"Ah... right!"
Fang Yue came to his senses and answered. He exchanged a glance with Niu Niu, then joined the patrol team.
It seemed the five people who'd escaped from Xin Jue's team hadn't spread the word about what they'd done yet.
But that made sense. Hardly any time had passed since it happened, and then the Focus Fire Order had burst across the night sky. Who had time to worry about anything else?
Responding to the Focus Fire Order took priority over every other order. The village's survival was at stake!
In the face of such a serious crisis, everything else could wait!
Fang Yue and Niu Niu blended into the team and moved along with the main force.
Then they noticed more and more teams joining the group.
All the small flames that had appeared earlier were converging on them.
Only then did Fang Yue learn from the others that the bald man who'd invited them to join was a vice-captain named Old Sheep.
Somehow, he'd gotten the other teams to converge on his group. Before long, they'd formed a force of over a hundred people.
Torches blazed everywhere, shadows overlapped, and their voices shook the sky!
"Focus Fire Order! Save the village!"
"Focus Fire Order! Save the village!"
"Focus Fire Order! Save the village!"
Before you continue