Chapter 255
"Who?"
"Remember that Monster Front? It's the same person. At least the swarm managed to scrape some data out of the database."
Kamui didn't keep them in suspense any longer, pulling a piece of paper out of thin air. It was data retrieved from the Interior Ministry's database. The three of them looked at it at the same time and saw the black-haired youth in the photo.
Yuki Sorajima?
This is a player I've never met before, and I don't know which faction he belongs to. According to the information from the Defense Force's Interior Ministry, this person is a rare lone wolf.
Even the most ruthless and powerful players will have a few 'companions' to use as cannon fodder at crucial moments, like the recently deceased Saito. He could be used as a crucial piece of the Zerg Swarm Project, helping Kamui gain reputation and obtain important information through the storyline.
There are very few things a lone wolf can do, and very few options; they can only go down one path to the bitter end.
"Is this guy really planning to tie himself to the natives? Can't he see the current situation?" The Mahito was puzzled; he had a way of bypassing the clues and getting the truth from a few 'toys'.
Not entirely, but it's certain that the Guardians' main quest does not include protecting the indigenous people's survival.
"Tsk, another one who's too immersed in the role, talking about loyalty to a toy." Akaza scoffed, but then he saw Kamui staring intently at the photo, licking his lips.
"He gives me a sense of kinship," the red-haired boy murmured to himself, his narrowed eyes opening a crack.
"Him? A player who's too immersed in the game?"
Kamui remained silent, staring at the photo, feeling that something was amiss. He was undoubtedly a hero on the human side, but the Zerg swarm's response seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Was it a deception, or just a simple coincidence?
He reached out and crushed the photograph.
"The Mechanical Believers and Hunters are yours; I'm more interested in him."
Chapter Twenty: Different Paths, Same Destination (5K)
Good news! I've raised my reputation with humanity to Exalted, which means I can now act with impunity within the Defense Force.
Yuki was moved to a more luxurious cabin, with supplies that were a level above what was expected.
Vice Commander-in-Chief General Reingor personally awarded him the rank of 'Honorary Major' to recognize his highest military achievements, foreshadowing that Yuki would be included in textbooks and become a hero whose story would be told.
Honor is priceless, but the tangible rewards are few. The Defense Force neither allowed him to open the warehouse to choose freely, nor did they grant him military power or the authority to freely access classified information.
They were still uneasy, but my contributions were so significant that they had to make a statement.
Another piece of good news is that the commander-in-chief was injured in the previous battle and could only send his congratulations via voice message, so there was no need to risk having his identity exposed and facing him directly.
In fact, Yuki wasn't worried about this. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. If the commander-in-chief were even slightly smart, he would see through his identity but wouldn't reveal it, as that would cause unrest among the soldiers he had inspired.
Manipulating public opinion is the true mark of a treacherous villain disguised as a loyalist.
"But the bad news is that I played the bad guy and messed up the Swarm's plans."
The swarm had clearly been planning this for a long time, waiting until the players gained their trust before launching their attack, and they spared no expense.
The General Bug, the high-ranking Zerg at the top, can be likened to generals of Defense Force. It is precisely because of their encirclement and annihilation that this battle has been elevated to such a high level. In addition, two Puppet Bug that had infiltrated to high positions were also lost, along with a large number of mid-sized Zerg swarms.
"You could say there are gains and losses, but at least I have the guaranteed 7 points, which can help me recover my reputation in a crucial moment."
Yuki never intended to play both sides; those insects were too disgusting to cooperate with at all.
Hatred and worship are inherently opposed. It's easier for the Defense Force to gain reputation, but the cost is greater danger. As for the attitude of the players who side with the swarm, he's not too worried.
Yuki herself is an Infiltrator, and her main mission is to seize or destroy the Fire Seed, not to help the insect swarm slaughter humans.
The reason for helping was simply to hitch a ride and obtain information about the 'Fire Seed'. As for what the Zerg swarm wanted to do with the Fire Seed, that needs further investigation.
"They'll definitely try other ways to get information, I need to take this opportunity to improve my strength."
This battle not only gave him a strategic advantage, but also brought him considerable personal gains, essentially completing a side quest, in addition to the points he had accumulated before—
Two specialization points and six enhancement points are equivalent to 1600 points.
A huge sum of money, comparable to the entire team's points at the Outpost; then look at the player panel:
Player: Yuki (Player experiences: Bloodthirsty Red Moon, Demon Hospital, the Bystander Is Blind, Calamity of Blood)
Faction: None
Physical Strength: Monster
Storage space: 4 cubic meters
My Ego Trait: Unknowner's Mystic Code (LV.3), Conceptual Craft Essence: Your Latency Is Too High
Equipment: Demon-Breaker Longsword +3 (Chaos Grade), Hunter's Double-Barreled Blunderbuss +3 (Transcendental Grade), Phantom Twin Blades +3 (Transcendental Grade), Defense Force Individual Armor
Items: Night Domain (Transcendental Grade), Shape-shifting Outfit (Transcendental Grade), Quiet Dew +1 (Chaos), Soil-Offering Contract (Chaos), Lava Grenade, Molecular Antidote, Adrenaline, Coagulation Potion, Electronic Bug Spore.
Transcendental Grade Skills: Vitality Shift (Proficient), Reinforcement Magecraft (Master), Demon Man Secret Technique
Bloodline Skill: Demon Possession (LV4)
Devil's Vision: Possesses Transcendental Grade vision, observing all soul matter.
Regenerative Tail: Consumes soul energy to rapidly repair the injured body.
Demon Heart (Full): Transforms the soul into energy, serving as the energy core to supply the entire body.
Blood-Burning Heart: Burns soul energy to increase energy efficiency; the more damage received, the more intensely it burns.
Enhancement Points: 6
Specialization points: 2
Points: 25
Overall rating: Monster (I)
The player panel is becoming increasingly complex, especially with the special items that have been redeemed. Yuki wishes he could fill up his storage space. As for how to use the points, he already has a plan in mind.
The Demon-Breaker Longsword doesn't need upgrading; it can be used as a secondary weapon with defensive capabilities. Further upgrades would only enhance its energy protection.
Used for attacking, this longsword, which had been with him since the Bloodthirsty Red Moon, was no longer sufficient; the attached Soul Flame had left scorching marks on its surface.
The Phantom Twin Blades are a perfect substitute; both are of similar strength, but the Phantom Twin Blades possess illusion-based abilities.
"To advance my Reinforcement Magecraft further, certain conditions need to be met; the Vitality Shift can be improved. I currently have the Regenerative Tail, and I can also stack the Blood-Burning Heart to accelerate my recovery. As long as I'm not killed on the spot, I can recover immediately."
"Invest six enhancement points to upgrade the Vitality Shift to the master level."
Either don't use it, or go all in. Yuki threw out all his enhancement points, pushing his initial Transcendental Grade skill, Vitality Shift, to its Limit.
[Vitality Shift (Master)]
[Source: Extermination of the Giant Abnormal Type (Bloodthirsty Red Moon)]
[The skill transfers to vital areas inside and outside the body, granting the user the concept of 'near death' upon activation. The transfer distance is 5 meters, and the cooldown period is six hours.]
"Inside or outside the body? It seems this move is most vulnerable to area-of-effect attacks. Five meters is too close; if you can't escape the attack range, you'll die anyway."
"The cooldown period is too long. No battle can last more than six hours. Fortunately, I have my senior's support, so I can use it twice in a row without any problems."
A Transcendental Grade skill that transforms from quantitative to qualitative change. To be honest, Yuki doesn't use this skill often, but every time he does, it's at a crucial moment in a battle between two strong opponents.
"When faced with a desperate situation, the first thing to do is to find a way to survive, and then use the Conceptual Craft Essence to turn the tide. Hmm, this plan needs to be studied in depth, and at least ten contingency plans should be prepared."
Yuki stroked his chin. He didn't plan to use the two specialization points. Players couldn't convert points in dungeons, otherwise he would have gone all in on physical attributes. With so many new items stacked up, the last column of the panel finally changed.
Overall rating: Monster II
"Well, this evaluation can only be used as a reference. I currently have too many special items to accumulate points. Once these things are used up, they can only be thrown away and cannot be used to upgrade."
Yuki has no intention of switching to an item-based playstyle. Those special items are all consumables, and the accumulated rating points are very unstable, and the overall rating will drop.
But a new element has been added to the overall plan: having already accumulated exalted reputation, is there an opportunity to go further and break through the shackles of 'Epic'?
He didn't know what constituted achieving that special accomplishment, but decided he'd give it a try if given the chance.
Standing up, Yuuki went to the full-length mirror, glanced at his crisp black military uniform with gold trim, Yuki somewhat narcissistically.
"Honorary Major directly under the Command Headquarters, the number one player."
This was the glory brought by military achievements. Yuki felt a vague sense of belonging as he looked at the open automatic door.
Captain Chris also changed into a black military uniform. As a meritorious soldier of the battle, she was also assigned to the direct command of the Command Headquarters. She hid her sadness well, as if she had forgotten about her guardian.
"Have you found Mr. Silver Hand?"
"No, he seems to have vanished from the ship. We've searched every area." The girl stood ramrod straight and explained, "You and I have done everything we can. I think we can request the Commander-in-Chief to close the case."
The task of finding Johnny Silverhand was directly assigned to Yuki. This might have been a test, but Yuki did his best because he knew that the ghost couldn't be found on a physical level.
"Don't rush, we still need to keep searching." Yuki gestured for the girl to enter, leading her into the corridor. "How are the other reinforcements doing?"
"Mr. Purple Shadow died in the battle, and the Defense Force will compensate his comrades; Ms. Hiyori did not participate in the battle, and will be given a symbolic reward; as for Smiling Lady, she made great contributions, leading the team to suppress F District, and also proposed a plan that happened to coincide with the General Staff."
"What plan?"
"The exploration plan outside the wall." Chris clenched her fists, her face filled with hatred. "The swarm suffered a great loss this time, and they will definitely retaliate. We should take the initiative to Reconnaissance."
Exploring outside the Great Firewall?
Yuki suddenly thought of someone from the 'Hunters' group; the trajectory of Destiny was so persistent. After a moment's thought, he understood the Smiling Lady's intention.
The Central Database contains its own digital life form, and it will be fighting Johnny Silverhand in another dimension. At this time Defense Force cannot be allowed to stop and rest properly, otherwise, it would be bad if they were to be detected and external intervention occurred.
"What does the Commander-in-Chief need me to do?" Yuki asked in a low voice.
"We hope you can persuade the reinforcements to participate in the plan. You know the Defense Force shouldn't interfere in your affairs."
Chris doesn't mince words; now that Yuki has become the leader of the human players, the Defense Force will help deal with any disobedient individuals.
Through division and subjugation, coercion and bribery, a mere honorary major managed to buy me off?
Yuki did not disappoint her, and stopped her steps toward the armory.
"Okay, take me to see them."
Yuki returned to K District, but after only three days, only three of the original seven player representatives remained.
Saito betrayed them, Johnny Silverhand went missing, Purple Shadow and the Guardians died, and there are still six factions that can be used, among which the 'Mechanical Believers' were saved by Yuki.
The three met again. When they saw Yuki in his crisp black military uniform, Teresa still wore her signature smile, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking. Shiina Hiyori's eyes kept switching between Chris and Yuki's faces, her gaze quite strange.
Is this girl planning to tell on me? I'm not a harem horse, why would I be so desperate to find someone in a dungeon?
Yuki quietly moved a little further away from Chris. That Purple Shadow was someone who obtained her entry ticket by attacking plot characters, so it was quite valuable for reference.
Furthermore, he came with considerable influence; he wasn't there to discuss any overseas inspections.
"Captain, you go ahead. I'll have a good talk with them."
"Yes." Chris saluted, while glaring at the two women, warning them not to make things difficult for Yuki.
Once the captain was out of sight and the signal was blocked, the players finally breathed a sigh of relief. Teresa's silver eyes sparkled, as if they held many unspoken words.
With Thorny Rose already "joining the party," the two no longer need to hide anything.
"Mr. Yuki, you haven't fallen for a honey trap, have you?"
"Nonsense, if I got too caught up in the role, I'd report you first, then go kill Johnny Silverhand." Yuki sneered disdainfully, noticing Hiyori's increasingly suspicious gaze out of the corner of his eye, he simply added a touch of sincerity:
"We've all turned our Zerg reputation to 'Hate,' so it's impossible for us to remain unscathed. Besides, aside from being overly suspicious, the Defense Force are actually a reliable partner."
"In terms of courage, that's certainly true. I personally hope they can survive." Teresa quickly stopped teasing him; she wasn't familiar with Yuki, and it would be impolite to continue.
Hiyori nodded slightly. Although they had been monitoring them these past few days, the Defense Force had certainly not mistreated the players.
"That's why the Zerg swarm hates us. If they get access to the data in the Central Database, humanity will be like a naked man, unable to survive for long."
The information about the Fire Seed is the ultimate goal, while the various top-secret documents such as combat plans, troop deployments, and war machine parameters are the process. Once the relevant information is obtained, the swarm will not need to dig tunnels at all; they can simply concentrate their forces to attack the weak points.
"Your honorary rank of major is truly well-deserved." Hiyori offered just the right amount of flattery, as if she were deliberately trying to build a closer relationship.
"It's useless. Honor can't absolve us of death, and victory in this battle is not enough to reverse the balance of power." Yuki was more clear-headed than anyone else. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he said, "The dungeon has reached its tenth day. The factions that were supposed to be eliminated are already out. After this crushing defeat, the swarm will resort to even more drastic measures. I think they know that the players are after the 'Fire Seed'."
Based on hint 3 and past experience, neither the Zerg swarm nor humans knew of the existence of the Reincarnation Game, but they were well aware that these extraterrestrial visitors were capable of things beyond imagination.
The Defense Force fear the players will seize the 'Fire Seed' for themselves, and the swarms are equally afraid the players will take it away. Starting from ten days ago, this game has been played by three players.
Thinking of this, the Smiling Lady's smile froze slightly, and her eyes sharpened. "You don't trust Mr. Silverhand?"
"There are many ways to protect him, but it has nothing to do with trust." Yuki pulled out the red and green spores, the ones he had picked up from Jackson's mouth. "Tell him not to play tricks. I can help him, and I can kill him. Once we find the location of the 'Fire Seed,' we'll have to protect it. It would be troublesome if it fell into the hands of an enemy player."
The Electronic Bug virus physically extracts data. Teresa took a deep breath. This man is not loyal, but extremely insidious.