Chapter 263
"Yes."
Now that things had come to this, Yuki didn't bother to hide their relationship anymore. He turned to the remaining people and said, "Lei and I will go into the city. Ms. Hayasaka will be on the outskirts to provide backup. If there is any risk of exposure, we must retreat immediately. Preserving ourselves is our top priority."
The battle plan was fairly moderate, but it contained a key problem:
Levi Ackerman looked around with a strange expression. This plan was unfair; those hiding on the outside were clearly much safer.
This requires absolute trust; if the two weren't on opposing sides, he would have thought he was the only outsider.
Aren't you afraid they'll sell you out?
"I'm afraid, but they won't, just like you." Yuki couldn't explain interpersonal relationships either, and said frankly, "If something really goes wrong, I'll draw attention during the retreat. You don't need to betray me."
"How can I attract you? Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"I can't say, but I have a way. If you're willing, you can help me keep them in check."
Every player has secrets, but Levi Ackerman didn't pry. He simply snorted, "I have no interest in dying. Whatever your methods, my chances of escaping are the greatest."
Yuki said this; a top-notch scout wouldn't be able to operate without some stealth skills, but he didn't have high hopes for this arrogant dwarf.
The senior students had already devised an escape plan, and their coordination in this desperate situation was as precise as a clock.
Having braved countless dangers together, they were already used to adventure.
"Then let's proceed according to plan, and try to avoid contact with each other. I'll go first, followed by Captain Levi, and finally Hayasaka. Here's the route map." Yuki handed the two of them the route map he had compiled, which was accurate to the meter and second.
Knowing where to pause and for how long—this is the legendary memorization of the board—is not difficult for players at the Transcendental Grade level or above.
Compared to the swarm of insects, Yuki was more worried about the player variable. Logically speaking, the enemy players should either not be able to return in time or have been lured away by the second group, but it was impossible to know whether there were any left in the castle.
Looking out at the road beyond the forest, Yuki felt a strange sense of heroic mission.
End the swarm, end this war, let those soldiers who fought to the death return to normal life, and let Captain Chris take off her uniform and put on a beautiful dress...
I got too caught up in the role.
Yuki shook his head abruptly, took the Fool's Mask from Hayasaka Ai's hand, patted his face gently, and regained his rationality.
Not for humanity, but only for myself.
"Walk."
The insect swarm would never have imagined that a group of people would use their 'backplates' to cross the warning line.
As the information states, the swarm is too rigid; each individual operates according to a predetermined program. Once this system is broken by one player, it becomes ineffective for the rest.
According to the Defense Force's research, most insects lack intelligence, and the Queen has too many things to control, so she can basically only set the direction of missions. Even the best micromanagement master cannot control millions of nerve endings.
It can't, and there's no need for, to move the machine gunner five centimeters to the left.
The flashing light was left behind, and he saw the densely packed high-rise buildings in front of him, feeling his own insignificance.
This is definitely an insect nest.
This is an enlarged version of Blue Jade City, with all the high-rise buildings covered in a layer of fungal carpet, making it even larger and more disgusting.
The dense, fleshy growths swayed in the breeze, and various tumors covered the building's surface, pulsating like hearts, occasionally bursting open with a 'pop,' spraying out viscous, foul-smelling liquid.
The roads between buildings weren't as crowded as I'd imagined. Occasionally, insects covered in mucus would walk by, their mucus falling off as they went, eventually forming a neat line and heading east.
But you'd be wrong to think there aren't many insect swarms here. Yuki near a tall building, and even with the Devil's Vision obstructed, it can still see the densely packed soul reactions inside.
Gurgle.
Yuki swallowed hard, feeling like he was going to vomit, but he couldn't, since his sense of smell had already stopped working.
Ugh--
The Bat Dragon flew close to the rooftop, Yuki quickly lowered his head. He noticed that the swarm of insects had little interest in 'eating'; apart from covering everything with a fungal carpet, the outlines of streetlights, cars, and even trash cans remained unchanged.
Moreover, they are very 'lazy'; those that march will only march, while those that hide in buildings remain motionless as if in hibernation, showing no interest in anything other than following orders.
They've become too lax.
On his way here Yuki had already verified the Defense Force's research data and realized how serious their 'rigidity' was. The patrol teams in this city all followed fixed routes, giving people a sense of familiarity.
Yes, it's the "hosting" feature in Happy Landlords. It operates according to a fixed procedure, and considering the huge number of swarms and the single "Queen," this hosting is quite reasonable.
Even the most brilliant mind cannot micromanage so many subordinates. If one were to micromanage, their attention would be focused on the attack, not on this absolutely safe stronghold.
"I have arrived at the Second Ring Road in the north of the city." Levi Ackerman's cold voice came through, faster than Yuki's.
"How's the situation?"
"It's impossible to go any further. You'll have to find out the specific reasons yourself."
Yuki didn't have time to play riddles with him. He dodged the patrol team and wandered through the alleys, soon seeing a 'red wall'.
To retract the foreword, these insects also belong to the category of the cunning.
This wall was built using the ring road, with a fungal carpet hanging down to completely seal the gaps. It was about twenty meters high, a height that Yuki could easily jump over, but the top of the wall was teeming with insects.
Samurai Bug, Bat Dragon, and some insects like eight-legged spiders with skin like jellyfish—these are spider insects that use their alloy-like webs to trap people.
At a glance, there were more than a hundred intermediate-level insects, which was bad enough, but the key was that some of them had human heads and bodies, greenish carapaces, and colorful antennae on their heads, just like upright grasshoppers.
"Advanced Zerg swarm, Human Bug."
The data clearly explains why the Zerg swarm can execute complex tactical maneuvers: besides the Queen's personal micromanagement, these advanced Zerg swarms act as command nodes, directly mobilizing surrounding Zerg swarms.
The number of Puppet Bug, Human Bug, and General Bug is not large, especially the latter two; only by killing one can one be considered a victory in the battle.
These insects were hidden in the pale purple mist, appearing hazy and indistinct. Because of this mist, whether viewed from the Devil's Vision or from the sky, only the shadows of the buildings could be seen.
"The Human Bug are intelligent; it's almost impossible to get past them. The Defense Force has even given them names. According to the encyclopedia, the one in front of me Ashmide," Levi Ackerman said quietly. As an expert in exploring beyond the walls, he felt he had reached the Limit of his exploration.
"Let's retreat. We've located the Zerg hive and calculated their strength; it's enough for the Defense Force to formulate a battle plan."
Not enough, far from enough.
Yuki simply shook his head at Levi Ackerman's opinion. He glanced at the electronic map; the area within the second ring road was roughly the size of Tokyo's urban districts, and the error was too great.
At least 100,000 insects are lurking in the entire Emerald Star City. The number of assassins from the Defense Force must be small. They don't have time to slowly search for the Queen's location. If they are not careful, they will all perish here.
Not to mention parachuting directly to the Queen's side, it's better to be as close as possible, besides—
"The insect hive is here, but the queen might not be. We have no information on that insect. What if it's a trap?"
"Then give up on main storyline two. Do you really want to see that queen in person?" Levi Ackerman snorted irritably. This was a question for the Defense Force to consider; the players had already done their best.
I really want to see it in person.
Yuki's idea was crazy, but it wasn't a completely illogical fantasy, because from beginning to end he was an 'Infiltrator,' one of the Zerg's own.
'It has been confirmed that the Zerg swarm does not rely on appearance, but rather on reputation to determine friend or foe; this is evident in the frenzied attacks they launched upon encountering me.'
His Zerg reputation is already at 'Hate', and theoretically there's no way to get it back except by killing the Supreme Commander. But don't forget there's also tip number seven.
[Tip 7: Players can temporarily raise their 'Trust' reputation with their chosen faction, limited to once per instance, lasting for 5 hours.]
'While my loyalty is unquestionable, my faction is indeed the Zerg swarm. Using this information, I can avoid being attacked for five hours.'
What should we do? Should we take the risk?
Yuki was unusually conflicted. Even from the perspective of a 'guardian,' it was feasible to hold onto the Fire Seed, resist step by step, and buy time.
But that would be too passive; he rarely takes the hit passively unless he has no other choice.
To advance or to retreat?
Yuki gritted his teeth. If he retreated this time, he would be stuck on a dead end with no other options. In the end, it was the Defense Force' evasiveness that prevented him from assessing how bad the situation was.
If things are relatively calm, there's no need to take risks; but if things are extremely dangerous, it will be too late to regret it then.
"You idiot, should I go in and take a look?" Mai Sakurajima noticed the hesitation and initiated a private message.
"No, your abilities aren't invincible. The swarm's detection is all-pervasive; they only trust reputation."
"Reputation? You want to use hint 7 to infiltrate?" The senior instantly realized; she had almost forgotten that this idiot was an infiltrator.
"Yes, I need to at least confirm whether the Queen is present."
"But that Human Bug possesses intelligence. Even with the Fool's Mask, you might not be able to get away with it. You can't take risks in a place like this."
"So I need you to lure it away; ordinary bugs only recognize reputation."
In the midst of answering, Yuki had already made up his mind. He was already at the doorstep of the insect swarm, so he should at least go in and take a look.
It was risky, and her life would be threatened, but Mai Sakurajima was already used to taking risks with Yuki. She gently bit her lip and didn't try to correct this idiot's idea.
"Okay, but what about him?"
Levi Ackerman doesn't have unconditional trust. Knowing that Yuki could infiltrate the core area, he would definitely suspect his identity. But this charade is being put on by both factions.
"Don't worry, I have a way."
Time ticked by, and Yuki and Levi Ackerman circled the red wall, neither of them giving up, trying to find a way out.
Unfortunately, it was all in vain. The red walls were impenetrable, with Bat Dragon patrolling in the air and Human Bug directing operations on the walls. Most importantly, no one knew what was behind the walls; all they could see was half of the tall building protruding out.
Levi Ackerman wanted to try the same trick again, but Mai Sakurajima refused to go in and take the risk, which made him increasingly anxious.
"Let's go, it's a complete waste of time, this isn't a good place for a picnic."
Although the city's defenses were loose, the constant tension was a form of torture.
"Alright, in terms of the gains, it's enough for the Defense Force to be grateful. The choice to gamble or not is in their hands." This time, Yuki didn't insist anymore. The Reincarnation Game is full of helplessness; how can everything go smoothly?
Phew, at least this bastard has some brains.
Levi Ackerman breathed a sigh of relief. Exploring beyond the walls requires knowing when to stop; those who try to uncover the truth in one fell swoop never end well.
"Then let's retreat. While Smile keeps our attention focused on the north, let's get out of here." Levi Ackerman turned and disappeared from the rooftop like a shadow.
He was incredibly fast and knew the General Bug patrol's route by heart. He returned to the edge of the city in less than ten minutes. Just then, a gunshot made his heart stop.
Bang--
The crisp sound of gunfire echoed through the deathly silent city. In an instant, the dense swarms of fleshy growths stopped twitching, and the patrolling Soldier Bug on the street came to a neat halt.
A deathly stillness was brewing before a storm, which suddenly burst forth as Levi Ackerman's pupils contracted.
"Get out of here! Bugs are crawling out of the ground and have spotted us!" Hayasaka Ai seemed to be screaming.
"Proceed according to the third plan. Captain, you lead the way and retreat to the wall at full speed. Mai Sakurajima, you come with me to draw attention and create time for the retreat." Yuki appeared calm, but his words were filled with fear.
We hid for so long, and then we were discovered just because of a coincidence?
Levi Ackerman was instinctively suspicious, but he quickly lost interest in doubting anyone. In front of the insect hive, who would dare to risk their life? These insects don't listen to reason.
The buds were growing wildly, connecting with each other to form dense networks. A tidal wave of insects surged out of the building, flooding the streets and spreading along the alleys and streets. Even the most skilled assassin could not escape this swarm of insects.
Looking outside the city, the previously fluctuating light shields unfolded together, forming a bright blue wall of light that connected to the sky. Even nuclear bombs falling from the sky would be intercepted by the force field.
The swarm is very rigid, but it is precisely because of this rigidity that they can switch to an alert state in an instant after an alarm is triggered.
The insect hive fully unfolded, instantly transforming into a heavily guarded and impregnable fortress.
Bang!!!
With an even louder gunshot, a hole was blasted through the azure light wall.
Let's go!
Levi Ackerman snapped out of his daze and ran off in that direction, unleashing his Wings of Freedom and slicing the swooping Bat Dragon in two.
Plan Three: Upon discovery, move away from the insect nest as quickly as possible and proceed step by step.
He returned to the forest in just twenty seconds. Kaguya Shinomiya, hidden in the treetops, was using 'Scatterlight Arrow' for cover, and some insect corpses were scattered on the ground.
Levi Ackerman was also unable to examine the insect corpses; in his memory, no player had ever dared to risk their life.
Everyone looked terrified. The battle had pointed the way, and countless swarms of insects were pouring in from the city. Hundreds of enormous Bat Dragon looked like a moving dark cloud.
"Run! I'll be the spearhead!"
With his twin swords in hand, Levi Ackerman saw Hayasaka Ai Hiyori, and he took off running.
A mere 100 kilometers—as long as they aren't surrounded and intercepted, they can get back inside the wall in half an hour.
Therefore, the first step is to create the illusion of an attack, preventing the swarm from having time to pursue.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the city; the nitrogen-based high-energy explosive was far superior to Earth's TNT. A tall building was instantly pulverized, and hundreds of insects were left with missing limbs.