Chapter 242
[Requirement for wearing: Defense Force reputation 'Friendly' or higher]
The murmurs were concise and to the point; just as expected, it wasn't something commonplace.
"There's even a reputation requirement, which means it's useless for other players to pick it up. But 'Loyal Guardian' sounds rather ironic."
Yuki chuckled self-deprecatingly, not forgetting that he was a 'lurker,' and probably some veteran players had reached that level before.
It doesn't mean anything. The Interior Ministry doesn't trust me at all. On the contrary, this thing is a scourge and can easily cause misjudgment by players with the same identity.
"But my seniors are the 'Guardians,' and I don't care what other players think." Yuki's smile turned cruel as he comfortably sank into the leather cushion.
Within minutes, the massive city walls filled the field of vision, and a city came into view.
Yuki stopped daydreaming and, as the hovercar slowed down, began to observe the street scenes on both sides.
It's similar to a modern city, full of high-rise buildings and residential areas, but there are very few pedestrians on the street, and even those few are all wearing military uniforms.
What kind of city is this? It's clearly a military camp, and a military camp with very few people at that.
Yuki gradually came to his senses. The current situation on Emerald Star was more serious than he had imagined. As the hovercar drove along the main road, he didn't see a single child. All the humanoid creatures were dressed in military uniforms.
What is this? Is this absolute mobilization of the entire population as soldiers?
A strange yet familiar smell wafted over, and the hovercar finally came to a stop, its scissor doors opening automatically upwards.
"Please get off the bus, please get off the bus."
The synthesized voice kept repeating, Yuki stopped observing, burying himself in his hands as he got out of the car.
There are tall buildings on both sides, and across the street is a huge square with a square building on it, the walls of which are painted with the emblem of the Defense Corps.
As dusk fell, the world turned a dark green, and as far as the eye could see, there were only a few lights, like a few stars in a dark universe.
Is this downtown Blue Jade City?
Yuki be fair, the city's architecture was modern and its layout scientific, with each area perfectly square, as if it had been planned out by obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, as the wind swept by, carrying a faint musty smell, only a heavy sense of oppression remained.
Civilization is heading towards its end. After humanity is wiped out, even the most exquisite buildings and the most modern cities will be nothing more than a pile of silent tombstones. Yuki finally understood where that sense of familiarity came from.
"Isn't this just the Outpost I'm stationed at? A lonely the Miracle."
The question is, why did Kudus send himself to this Ghost City? Was it so he could experience despair, then repent and become the shield of humanity?
That's possible. I just felt a sense of resonance; we should feel ashamed when we do bad things.
And then what? I'm stuck writing a self-criticism in this wind for twelve hours?
With a chuckle, Yuki prepared to wander around the city and experience the local customs and culture more deeply, but he paused after only a few steps.
Someone is watching me.
Reaching the 'monster' level, one's intuition also becomes sharp. This spying gaze is Taiyi the surveillance by the Interior Ministry, which uses high-tech equipment for spying.
Are you a player? Where are you?
Yuki continued walking along the street, looking with interest at the few shops still open on both sides, but he had already switched to Devil's Vision, tracking back from the soul level.
He wasn't surprised by this spying.
[Tip 3: You will receive rewards for killing enemy players and finding other players of your own kind. Players cannot share main quest information with each other.]
Players with these two identities are inherently contradictory; judging from Yuki's behavior, he is practically loyal to humans.
Few players would dedicate a week to focused bug eradication; even 'Guardians' are merely stepping stones, hardly interested in becoming true NPC allies. As for 'Infiltrators,' even less likely—isn't that going against the game's prompts? Aren't they afraid of being surrounded by friendly forces?
But why am I being targeted?
Yuki glanced at the hovercar that had left following a fixed route, then looked down at the badge on his left chest, and immediately understood.
Hey, are you trying to bait me?
Chapter Nine: The First Clash of Factions (5K)
The fixed route delivers directly to the central square; the badge has a special function and is certainly not easy to counterfeit.
A military vehicle and an insignia clearly identified Yuki, but a question arises:
How did they know I would come?
Being targeted the moment I got off the bus was clearly no coincidence. Even if the Defense Force were using me as bait, they would still have to find a way to get the message across to them.
He suddenly recalled the subtle look in his eyes when he wore the medal, and spat.
Damn, there are Puppet Bug at the airport; the ones coming must be 'lurkers'.
"Among all the players, I'm probably the one whose identity is most 'clearly' exposed, and I'm also a lone wolf. Anyone would be tempted by that."
If you don't want internal strife, it's simple: the main quest is just a code; you just need to match it. But then—
Yuki glanced at the badge on his left chest and immediately dismissed the idea.
A week must not be wasted. Even if there are many ways to bypass it, there's a saying...
Loyalty that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty.
His pace slowed, and the feeling of being spied on became increasingly obvious. Because all combat information was strictly confidential, the other side only knew that he had returned in a military vehicle, and they were in no hurry to make a move.
Judging from my assessment of my abilities, the person who leaked the information to them wasn't a high-ranking traitor.
Similarly, Yuki didn't know the strength of these players, but judging from his observations on the spaceship, each team had a veteran player at the Transcendental Grade level or above.
He turned into a side alley, where the dim streetlights cast long shadows. The residential buildings on both sides were neat, detached houses, but there wasn't a single light on them.
Yuki could hear his own heartbeat. He slowly gripped his longsword. Through his Devil's Vision, he could see two flickering souls in the shadows ahead, along with a strange sucking sound.
What the hell is that?
Yuki continued to approach, and one of the souls instantly dissipated, followed by a strange energy spreading out.
The barrier should first shield the electromagnetic waves from the badge?
He found that his infusion of soul energy was ineffective, so he immediately stopped and slowly raised his head.
Like seeing a ghost, the spirit that was originally a hundred meters away appeared silently in the middle of the road. In the dim light of the street lamp, Yuki could see that it was a man of similar build to himself, and from the outline, he could see that he had two sharp horns on his head.
"Sir, there's no need to waste your energy. I've already detected 20 such unique soul fluctuations in the city. It will take the Defense Force monitoring you quite a while."
The voice is magnetic and approachable, indicating good manners.
Wow, so decisive, you're going straight in? Oh right, this is human territory, there's no time for a drawn-out struggle.
"Do you know the Loyal Guardian Badge?"
"Sir, every player is exploring the dungeon, just with different approaches and methods. As for 'Loyal Guardian,' don't you think that's ironic for the players?" The man stepped forward, emerging from the shadows.
"We are mobile natural disasters, and the storyline of the instance is irrelevant to us. If we truly want compassion, then we should relieve their suffering. You have seen the current state of this planet, and I personally believe that extinction is the greatest relief."
As expected of a player in the next stage, the arrogance is something I've never experienced before; they're practically turning quests into philosophical exercises.
Yuki was not good with words, so she didn't reply, but just watched quietly as the man walked out of the shadows, then her pupils trembled slightly.
He had long, flowing blonde hair, a handsome face, and even two feet on his head. He wore clothes with an otherworldly style, and there was still blood at the corner of his mouth.
'I recognize this person. He seems to be an acquaintance of the Mushroom. He's a demon they encountered on their journey. What was his name again?'
Memories may be hazy, but the classic 'catwalk' remains forever. Yuki's mouth dropped open:
"Aether Particles?!"
Clatter.
The demon Luguna stopped and examined Yuki closely from a physical perspective, confirming that he had never seen this person before, but he didn't think about it too much.
It's likely that they're players from other factions you've cooperated with on a mission before, which is a good thing.
"Since you recognize me, things are easier to discuss." The man placed his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly. "I am a player from the 'Aether Particles' Monster Front, codenamed Blood Demon. It's truly heartwarming to be fellow players. Please rest assured, I have no particular preference for or aversion to the storyline; I'm simply making a deal with someone of my own kind."
The Aether Particles represent factions, the Monster Front can be seen as teams, Blood Demon is its code name.
Who the hell is like you, you man-eating monster?
Anyone else might have been fooled by this polite attitude, Yuki knew exactly what the other person was really like.
A cunning and cruel demon, he wouldn't have let me go even without hint 3.
Yuki immediately entered a state of combat readiness. Looking around, he could see several more soul flames closing in, and his heart raced.
This was the first time he had encountered players from other factions in normal condition. No one knew how strong they were; the only clue was that the players were likely related to fantasy based on the 'Aether Particles'.
You can't judge a book by its cover. This Blood Demon has clearly been a part of the Reincarnation Game for a long time. I could crush the original Blood Demon with one hand.
"Don't be nervous, my companion is just trying to avoid any unpleasantness." Luguna remained polite, giving a slight bow. "But this place is full of Soulless Blood, and they are very thirsty for you."
Soulless Blood?
Yuki remembered this key word and understood even more clearly that the other party's main point was to threaten him.
How did you know where I was?
This is none of your business.
"So what do you want?"
"Simple, the main questline for 'Guardians,' plus some intelligence on the Defense Force." The man spread his hands, revealing a friendly smile, "Don't worry about hint 3, open your soul, I have a way to obtain it."
What if I say 'no'?
With a flick of his thumb, he drew the longsword three inches from its sheath. The bright blade drew Luguna's gaze, but he merely sighed softly.
"Sir, you really don't need to sympathize with the creatures in the script; they're just a bunch of lifelike puppets."
Ha.
Yuki finally smiled. Theoretically, he should have feigned compliance and first figured out the strength of this Monster Front. But how to put it? Precisely because he understood the true nature of this Blood Demon, watching this clumsy acting was simply nauseating.
On the other hand, he knew that these kinds of encounters would become more and more frequent, and he could no longer suppress his desires.
The images from my memories have all come to life. For example, the senior students brought me a sense of closeness upon first meeting, as did the Blood Demon and the Silver Hand. I used to watch their performances through a screen.
Now that I'm standing on this stage, how can I not be eager to make my move!
The paper dolls I used to like have quickly become my wives; the people I used to hate or despise will stand alive in front of me, and I'll chop them up with a knife.
How wonderful, Reincarnation Game...
Yuki surprisingly tasted a hint of sweetness amidst the bitterness, and with a 'clang,' he drew his sword.
"I'm not interested."
The hostility was evident, causing Luguna to frown slightly. The barrier possessed its own mental magic, which amplified its affinity, causing creatures to unconsciously develop trust.
Surprisingly, I didn't fall for it. In fact, it felt like the opposite of what I expected. Could it be that this person disliked me before?
He didn't have time to dwell on why; the ferocious aura emanating from this prey made him realize that this prey was not to be trifled with.
"It's a real shame, I'll have to find another collaborator."
Blood dripped from his palm, quickly spreading into a pool of blood. Before he could even make a move, a shrill whistle filled the air.
Bite--
Yuki raised his sword, deflecting a bone arrow. His hand went slightly numb, and he used the sensation to Repulsion the strength of the arrow.
She's not as good as the silly young lady.
"Pretending to be virtuous, huh? You really think I'm a noob?"
Concept Enhancement. Extreme Speed.
Yuki vanished from his spot and reappeared above the Blood Demon's head in a mere second, stretching his body and raising his sword to strike.
Combat Technique: Falling Moon.
The released soul energy formed a crescent moon, slashing fiercely at the blood-red shell. With a 'boom,' the two-lane alley collapsed completely, and the Blood Demon was hammered into the ground like a steel nail.
Before Yuki his second sword strike, the bone arrow flew from the darkness once more, its S-shaped trajectory making it impossible to predict.
It's not very powerful, but it's extremely insidious and has a built-in tracking function.
Yuki deflected his sword, then drew his gun and pointed it at his feet, blasting the extending blood-red thorns with shotgun pellets before activating his belt.
The Night Domain.
The props were deployed, creating an inner barrier within the outer barrier, which blinded the sniper. Taking advantage of this opening, the Hunter's Blunderbuss.
Bang!