Chapter 261
Yuki Hiyori and heard along the way, and not to linger at any base for too long. Meanwhile, more and more news was being relayed to her.
First, there's bad news: the third and fourth groups heading east have been exposed, and they hastily launched their coordinates and are now retreating.
Yuki wasn't surprised; the 'Sentinel Plan' sounded reasonable, but it started out like a joke.
Not every player dares to take the risk; if any Sentinel Array is leaked, the Zerg swarm will quickly become alert.
The battle of wits between the two sides has lasted for countless years. The Zerg swarm must know the purpose of this array, and will soon send out a special team to search around the Wall of Sighs.
The ideal placement for Sentinel Array is 20 kilometers outside the wall. No matter how well it is hidden, it is not difficult to find. Moreover, most players would not dare to go that far from the wall.
"It's confirmed, the Sentinel Plan is simply not feasible."
Yuki stood on high ground, gazing at the surrounding plains and 'forests,' with a roughly 'T'-shaped mechanical outline beneath his feet.
He didn't send any coordinates at all; looking at the map, it was exactly at a position of twenty kilometers.
"Your path may be correct, but going further in could be dangerous." Levi Ackerman hesitated; the chances of encountering a swarm patrol were increasing, and he already needed Kaguya's help.
They even encountered the construction site of a wormhole, where the dense swarms of insects made everyone hold their breath, and they quickly retreated.
"Don't worry, I'm confident." Yuki expressionlessly, turning to look at Hiyori. "What's the situation with the other teams?"
"The third and fourth squads engaged the insects but failed to annihilate them completely. Then they encountered a sweeping force. After determining that they could not resist, they launched their coordinates and are currently retreating."
This counts as a mission failure, right? Well, the fact that they didn't immediately launch the coordinates after a problem shows they weren't willing to give up.
Yuki chuckled inwardly. He knew the players too well. They would definitely fight for the chance to obtain bloodline skills, but they would chicken out faster than anyone else once they realized there was a risk of death, dragging the other players down with them.
"It's a lose-lose situation. The Zerg are definitely researching what the Sentinel Array is, and they'll send out special teams to search for it. In other words, we already have Zerg behind us."
Yuki's words made Levi Ackerman scoff, and also made everyone tense; being trapped outside would be bad.
"Should we retreat before the swarm reacts?" Kaguya asked tentatively.
"No, this is precisely an opportunity to conceal our true purpose." Yuki shook his head in refusal, then looked at Levi Ackerman, "I think Smiling Lady thinks the same way."
Levi Ackerman's lips twitched, and he chose the default option. This had little to do with courage; the stronger the player, the more risk-takers they were.
It is known that the Zerg swarm's forces are not unlimited, and that several battles are being fought simultaneously.
They need to besiege humans, block retreating players, and send troops to search for Sentinel Array. Given the vast area outside the walls, even a perpetual motion machine would need time to process them.
"And the players on the Zerg swarm's side will hunt down the first ones to be exposed, so we're actually the safest."
The familiar fishing smell, using other players, even the entire Defense Force, as bait.
Mai Sakurajima and the others wanted to laugh, but had to pretend to be amazed. At that moment, Hayasaka in the distance, whistled, and the people standing on the high ground scattered to avoid him.
Half a minute later, a dark cloud flew overhead. The insects looked very strange, with bat-like wings and sausage-like bodies.
"A swarm of Bat Dragon, are they here to find us?"
"Isn't such a large scale necessary? Haven't you noticed a characteristic of the Zerg swarm? Most of them have evolved for large-scale warfare, and they lack the ability to detect and hunt."
Yuki in the shallow pit, Yuki saw hundreds of Bat Dragon rolling overhead.
Not only Bat Dragon, but along the way he also saw giant insects that looked like dandelions, spewing giant spores toward the humans. The spores slowed down like parachutes, clearly a means of delivery.
Good heavens, a combined air and ground operation—I wouldn't have heard a thing if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes.
"The Defense Force weren't telling the truth. Their troubles certainly don't stop at wormholes. Even if the Sentinel Plan is executed perfectly, it's just a drop in the ocean."
"Why not tell the truth? Are you afraid of scaring us? Then there's no need to send us out of the wall. Didn't we discover the truth?" Kaguya Shinomiya didn't quite understand, feeling like she'd just made a pointless argument.
"Perhaps seeing is believing. Players who dare to venture deep outside the walls must be powerful, and powerful players, upon discovering the truth, will only try to find a way to resolve it," Yuki explained on behalf of the Defense Force, glancing around.
"With just a few of us, we probably don't have the chance to change sides anymore."
This is the truth, and it gives the impression that the top brass of the Defense Force is plotting something. Everyone is in the same boat, and the worse the situation gets, the harder the truly powerful players will work.
"It's a kind of reverse psychology." Levi Ackerman nodded in agreement, casting a questioning glance at Yuki: "Should we continue forward?"
This Yuki Sorajima isn't a coward; he's actually to his liking.
"Hmm, this location faces the Unfallen Fortress directly, making it the most likely."
"Are you saying that the swarms of insects in the sky and on the ground are all feints? Or are they trying to deliver the final blow?"
"After the raid on the Command Headquarters failed, the conspiracy is no longer useful, so why not turn to an open strategy?" Yuki snorted. This was a guess, but also an inevitability.
Both the Defense Force and the players fear this move the most: breaking through the Wall of Sighs with overwhelming force. If the defenses are truly impregnable, why would they need to leave the wall?
The two quickly reached a consensus: based on what they had seen along the way, the situation was worse than the Defense Force had described.
Fifteen days left.
Even if Johnny Silverhand finds the Fire Seed, it will be difficult to succeed using conventional methods. As for destroying the Fire Seed to complete the protection mission once and for all?
Yuki could guess that there was a trap hidden there, how could Levi Ackerman not? It's the same old story:
If the Fire Seed is destroyed, the player cannot return, the Wall of Sighs becomes useless, and swarms of insects will pour in from all directions. It will be too late to regret it then.
From this perspective, the second main storyline is actually a bit 'simple'.
"First, we'll find the queen. Then, combining that information with what Johnny Silverhand found, we can freely choose which main quest to complete."
Yuki clapped his hands, making a decision for all the human players. His rationality was impeccable, leaving Mai Sakurajima momentarily dazed.
If I hadn't known that Yuki was an infiltrator and that his main mission was to destroy the Fire Seed, I would have been fooled.
With the objective set, everyone brainstormed on how to execute it. They decided to set a two-day limit; if the time was exceeded, they would have to return no matter what, as survival was the top priority.
Next, Levi Ackerman set up a simple trap, placing the coordinate gun on it. If anything went wrong, it would fire the coordinates to attract the Sentinel Array. Now that the Zerg swarm was on guard, it would definitely be lured away.
Finally, Yuki removed the 'Loyal Guardian' badge from Mai Sakurajima's chest and threw it into the nearby wasteland, much to Mai's bewilderment.
"Put them all away. This thing can send coordinates; the commander-in-chief can use those coordinates to determine our location."
"You mean... they're using us as human spies?" Mai Sakurajima, her expression showing displeasure.
"Possibly. The further we go, the greater the resistance. They can use this to determine our Reconnaissance route and thus find the insect hive." Yuki grinned. Right now, most of the people in the Command Headquarters were staring at the map. He knew that the west was the biggest problem and that others would also consider it a priority.
"Since the people at Command Headquarters aren't being honest, if we actually make a profit, I can play some dirty tricks on them too."
Yuki waved his hand, this time walking at the front. He had never intended to become a loyal warrior.
He can only be a chess player, risking his life against humans, the Zerg swarm, and other players on the chessboard of Emerald Star.
Chapter Twenty-Six: Open the door, let the senior out! (5K)
The Wall of Sighs, South.
The black mountains stood not far away, and when viewed from below, they resembled a giant black wall whose top was impossible to see.
The purplish-black plain was riddled with craters, and the remains of thousands of insect swarms lay piled on top of each other. Some had been blasted into pieces, while others were slowly wriggling, regenerating with tenacious vitality.
Beyond these craters lay the bodies of more than a dozen Psychic Warrior, all lying face down on the battlefield, forming a clear dividing line.
Beyond this dividing line, a kilometer from the wall, lies another battlefield.
Yellowish-green smoke billowed as dozens of Bat Dragons that had swooped down were reduced to ashes, their bodies riddled with pale bone spears, stretching out into the distance in a dense mass.
Cough cough.
Accompanied by coughing, an arm covered in stitches pierced through the smoke. The Mahito covered their mouth and nose, coughing incessantly, spitting out some blood and flesh, which they then swallowed back.
"These 'Graveyard Guard' really stink; they even fart before they die."
The best at dealing with players is always the players themselves. 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' accepted the mission and rushed to the outside of the wall at top speed, just in time to intercept the 'Graveyard Guard' who were trying to return.
He saw the densely packed shell craters and corpses in front of him and tilted his head slightly.
"You think the natives are just fishing? If so, these players are incredibly stupid."
The swarm reacted extremely quickly, using neural networks to mobilize all nearby troops. As a result, they were subjected to a barrage of fire, and then all the Psychic Warrior in the tunnels rushed out to join the battle, never retreating an inch until their deaths.
Thump--
The shadow fell, kicking up a cloud of dust. The Mahito turned his head and saw a black dragon, over ten meters long, crash down beside him, creating a large crater. The storm dispersed the mist.
A fair-skinned, red-haired boy sat on the dragon's back, one hand gripping a knight in black armor whose crown-shaped helmet had been smashed into his chest.
"How could it be a fishing game? They were indeed doing their best to cover it up. But Mr. Mahito, you look rather disheveled." Kamui sat cross-legged and tossed the knight's corpse aside like a rag doll.
"The souls of these stinking skeletons are strange, making it difficult for me to use my abilities." The Mahito ignored the provocation and instead asked, "How is this Death Knight feeling?"
"Monster level, that should be the captain, but without any blood, killing it feels pointless." Kamui squinted, jumped off the dragon corpse, and rubbed his hands together lightly. "But this battle was really intense, so many insects died, and now there are only three of us players left."
"You can search for them again at the Outpost, but you should have kept some alive. I also want to ask them what they're trying to do."
"Easier said than done. Every player knows that falling into enemy hands is worse than death. Didn't you get injured by that fat guy called Abomination?"
Kamui shrugged. He didn't care about teammates; there were plenty of players below monster level. It was just that this battle was somewhat inexplicable.
This group of people ran out of the wall to set up some kind of array, but they got blocked while trying to escape. Don't they know how dangerous it is to go outside the wall?
The swarm reacted quickly, but not fast enough; the players had teleportation abilities, and by the time they wanted to retreat, it was too late.
"It looks like a coordinated operation. Weren't those guys from Aether Particles supposed to be blocking the east side?"
"Those useless cowards are too afraid to advance; we definitely can't stop them." Kamui waved his hand, indicating that he had no expectations, then suddenly raised a finger, "Hey, do you think there are players breaking through the walls to the north and west as well?"
"Theoretically, it should, but the swarms of insects aren't reacting."
"They must not have been discovered. Those patrolling insects are all killed if they're not caught. Ordinary insects aren't very intelligent." Akaza, emerged from the smoke, facing the two approaching figures, and spread his hands:
"That woman from the Mechanical Believers has run away. She actually pre-programmed the phantom puppet. Don't look at me like that. Thanks to her, I've discovered a secret. Do you want to come and take a look?"
The smoke had dissipated considerably, and Mahito and Kamui turned their heads to see the cracked wall. Only this evil spirit would use all its strength to smash the wall right from the start.
A bluish light shone through the crack, revealing layers of Jade, which looked quite beautiful.
"Huh, isn't that Emerald Stone? Why aren't the insects interested?" Kamui sat up slightly.
"Because the soul isn't inside the stone at all, just like those native machines, they're useless against insects." Mahito expert in this area revealed a playful smile, "So, the soul fire above is ineffective against us players, we can just drill a hole in it."
"I have no interest in playing around with the wall. Speaking of which, Akaza's reminder earlier was quite interesting. The Hunters' experts are definitely in other directions." Kamui didn't care about the swarm's fate; his attention was drawn to them.
"You want to mess with them? Those Hunters are not to be trifled with, and these swarms of insects won't listen to us."
"It doesn't matter. Do you know why I like this game?" The boy turned around, tossing his red braid, and opened his narrowed eyes to reveal pure blue pupils.
"Because there are countless powerful figures waiting for me to kill, how interesting is that?"
You madman, is all the fun in fighting?
Mahito watched the boy walk away and saw Akaza follow, he couldn't help but lick his lips.
Yes, I'm crazy too.
The Wall of Sighs, West.
Yuki led his team deeper into the plains, he found it increasingly difficult. If it weren't for the severe aftereffects of destroying the Fire Seed, he would have loved to turn back.
But since things have come to this, he should at least try to find some clues and make some preparations for the second main plot.
The swarms of insects on the road were growing larger and larger. They marched eastward along the road like a disciplined army, their numbers far exceeding the scope of what could be dealt with.
The group had no choice but to hide and avoid the enemy's advance, with many venturing into the woods. Occasionally, they would see a large flock of Bat Dragon- like creatures flying overhead, some of which were enormous, resembling balloons with bulging eggs hanging below them, clearly not the kind of creatures that burrowed.
The forest can conceal one's vision, but skirmishes often occur. It was only thanks to Levi Ackerman's maxed-out 'Reconnaissance' skill, coupled with Yuki's speed, that no one was left alive.
"How many suspicious locations are there now?"
The sky had completely darkened. Yuki leaned against a slippery tree, his sword in hand, with a centipede-like insect about two meters long at his feet.
That thing just burrowed through a hole and tried to escape at lightning speed. Luckily, I managed to drag it down with the Tidal Longbow, Yuki off with a single strike.
"Fifth, we're already sixty kilometers away from the Wailing Wall." Hiyori held the map; she hadn't participated in the entire battle.
There is a winding curve on the electronic map, covering only sixty kilometers in a day. It is clearly not moving in a straight line. Yuki will approach towns or mines to observe, and then leave behind the Loyal Guardian badge.
There were clues along the way, but no decisive discoveries. For example, some towns had large swarms of insects stationed there, clearly indicating that they were concentrating their forces.
"A prelude to a general offensive; their goal is indeed to break through the 'Unfallen Fortress'."
"Should we go back and report to the Defense Force?" Mai Sakurajima happened to return from her Reconnaissance and overheard the discussion.
"They know, but there's nothing they can do. We can't just sit and watch the wormhole form." Yuki scratched his head; this was a dead end he couldn't solve either. "Make a record of all the worm swarm gathering places, and tell them when we get back."
With all communication cut off, this meager gain wasn't enough to make Yuki turn back. He stared at the dark plain, vaguely sensing that the truth was not far off.
From a military perspective, the main base wouldn't be too far from the target, and since they hadn't encountered any advanced Zerg along the way, it must be hiding somewhere under the cover of night.