Chapter 443
"No, it was my doing at first. I only intervened once after the fifth day." Yuki raised his hand to stop them. He wasn't a babysitter who would choose to be a spectator after discovering their fighting habits.
His purpose was to provide a safety net, relieving these people of any worries, at the cost of receiving no reward whatsoever; it was simply an initial investment.
The combat strength of Orcs and humans is not actually that different. It's just that the former are too numerous and have a few experts. However, humans are cunning enough to change their strategy from how to escape to how to kill the enemy. They have fought a series of ambushes and encirclement battles very well.
Ultimately, the surviving humans are all survivors of the great upheaval, having already been thoroughly battered by the world, and possess a special ability.
Upon observation, humans seem more like green-skinned creatures. Mechanics always seem to be able to adapt to changing circumstances, assembling bizarre and wonderful equipment from all sorts of junk. This is called 'Historical Restoration,' but in Yuki's eyes, it's more like the power of 'I Guess'.
An incomprehensible ability, yet perfectly suited for survival. This talent requires materials, but it can be utilized from both Machine Race warships and Orcs chariots.
If you want to escape, you can always come up with equipment suitable for hiding in a flash of inspiration; if you want to fight, you can put together junk and create things like Electromagnetic Nail Gun and Guided Chainsaw.
It is precisely because of this that he is certain of human potential and is willing to invest.
"That's the truth, the Orcs who hunted you have failed." Yuki at the excited faces. His reputation had reached 'worship', which was effortless and didn't require any small favors or a kind attitude.
Yuki didn't even give them a friendly look; he simply wanted to lead them to victory and ensure their survival.
But that wasn't enough; these people were still thinking about how to escape, their ambitions not yet fully unleashed.
Yuki continued with his plan, his gaze falling on Slott's hesitant face. "Do you want to ask when we can retreat?"
"Yes, Lord Rod." The human king bowed slightly, his face beaming. "The Orcs have suffered a great loss and will certainly not dare to continue searching. This is the best opportunity to migrate. Our equipment has improved several times over, and we will be able to fight back if we encounter Orcs hunting parties in the future."
This character is more like a totem, a symbol. He, Scarface, Lucy, and others command all the battles. When they make a mistake and the Orcs shaman appears with an ambush, this totem will reappear, crushing all crises with its power.
"First, I ordered you to search the wreckage; we're fighting to sustain ourselves, not to relocate." Yuki held up a second finger, somewhat helplessly. "Second, why should we, the victors, flee?"
Yuki's question stunned him. He blinked and it took him a long time to come to his senses.
"But this isn't the main force of the Orcs. The Beast King has already arrived with two other land fortresses, and your own kind are inside. How... how are we supposed to fight them?"
The skirmishes were just the appetizer; even with the war to sustain the war effort, the balance of power between the two sides had not shifted, or rather, the Orcs were furiously preparing for revenge.
"That's precisely why you can't escape. The enraged Orcs will still seek you out and destroy you. There's no way out in this war from the very beginning." How could a ruthless person like Yuki sent chills down everyone's spines.
Yeah, those brainless, rage-driven Orcs are even more eager for revenge. They'll probably kill every single human to vent their anger. Before, they might have sent half the human population away, and the rest could have escaped.
Their eyes turned strange, yet they couldn't bring themselves to question Yuki; surely resistance couldn't be wrong.
"Ten days ago, you thought resisting the Orcs was impossible. What do you say now?" Yuki suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"This... this is different."
"What's the difference? It's still killing and looting. The fact is there are thousands of Orcs corpses, and it's also a fact that your strength has increased. So, if it's ten times that, is that something impossible?" Yuki looked around and saw tension and fear, but also a hint of eagerness.
False encouragement, empty platitudes, and inspiring speeches that get people fired up.
True motivation involves choosing the right target, using the corpses of enemies as stepping stones, and allowing people to climb upwards step by step.
In terms of fundamentals, these humans who teeter on the brink of extinction every day are not cowards.
"You are getting stronger, the gap in strength is narrowing, but your goal of survival has never changed from the beginning." Yuki's tone was flat, hardly inspiring.
"Do you know what the biggest gain from these ten days has been? It's not the equipment crafted by the mechanic, nor the supplies we've acquired, but rather having an additional option besides escaping—the right to step onto the poker table."
"Fight! Only through fighting can the impossible become possible, and only through fighting can we escape the Destiny of being rats. As I always say, listen to me, and you will win."
His calm tone and indifferent expression made the people around him slowly straighten their backs.
Ten days ago, even if Yuki had used mental manipulation, these words would have only earned him ridicule. But now it's different. Killing and victory are addictive. Often, a single hunting party can kill nearly a thousand Orcs were fleeing, leaving the survivors to escape in a sorry state.
"Give the order, Lord Rod." Slott lowered his head again, staring at the dark ground with a ferocious expression.
A certain desire was ignited within him, and he began to consider other options besides constantly fleeing.
Nobody wants to be a rat, nobody wants to self-destruct before they even have a chance to use their skills. They can resist, they can kill, and they can win.
The seeds are taking root and sprouting.
Yuki smiled with satisfaction. He understood human nature and knew how to exploit it; he was truly incorrigible. Why would he waste ten days playing this game of raising children with them?
First, observe human potential, unleash their instincts, use blood and corpses to stimulate their fighting spirit, and regain their confidence.
Second, use war to sustain war, collect resources to enhance strength, and complete combat formation.
Third, he must completely seize control of the discourse, claiming that the Miracle were his doing, and make humanity obedient and convinced.
"I intend to fight to the death. You all hurry up and forge your weapons. I'll be gone for a little while. Don't look at me like that. I've spent so much time on you; I won't abandon you easily."
On the surface, this battle seems unwinnable unless Yuki his full power and turns the tide, but don't forget—
This time it was a gang crime.
"Those rats actually turned the tables and defeated you? Am I listening to a joke?"
In the hall filled with pipes, a strong Orcs, about four meters tall, sat on Steel Throne, looking down at the kneeling warriors below the steps.
Gangbad removed his heavy armor, revealing powerful muscles covered in whip marks. He was still somewhat bewildered, finding the Beastmaster's question truly laughable.
How could those rats possibly dare to resist? Could it be that they were all poisoned with 'control spores' by their accomplices and turned around to ambush the hunting team?
He could understand if it were Yuki who Yuki, but Yuki hadn't made a single move from beginning to end. Instead, more and more humans were involved, and their methods became increasingly sophisticated.
Enraged, Gangbad sent out even more Orcs to retaliate. The ensuing skirmishes resulted in heavy casualties. The humans used their scouting skills honed during their long escapes in the battles. They were difficult to detect, moved stealthily, and were masters of ambush warfare.
Guerrilla tactics, ambushes, encirclement and suppression of reinforcements, and a battle of wits—the single-minded Orcs were no match for him. By the time he realized what was happening, he had already lost most of his forces.
"I don't know what happened, we just inexplicably lost, and when we counted the number of people, we found that a lot of kids were missing." Gangbad shook his head blankly.
"Did the accomplices do it?"
"He has connections, but the main force is still those rats. I just don't understand how they dare to rebel."
The Beast King was equally puzzled. In his memory, humans, apart from being very good at hiding and extremely vigilant, had no other distinguishing features. No matter how cunning the prey, it could not escape the brave hunter.
I never expected that even a rabbit will bite when cornered, and it bites really hard.
"It must be related to the assistants. Cowards can't suddenly become brave." The Beast King shook its head. It didn't believe that humans would dare to resist either. Suppressing its anger, it looked to the other side of the hall. "Fellow assistants, what do you think?"
Unlike the fanged, black-haired Orcs, four men and women dressed in different clothes stood there; this was a standard player squad.
The leader was a man, dressed in a monk's robe, with his eyes covered by a red cloth, and a long braid on his bald head.
Li Qing, the Blind Monk from 'Glory Alliance', a powerful Monster IV player, opened his mouth but didn't know what to say when he heard the Beastmaster's question.
Besides investigating secrets, he has also been getting to know these Orcs these days. To put it simply, they are a group of straightforward brutes who are easily angered and not very quick-witted. Judging by their combat strength alone, they are definitely a mid-tier race.
They have a large number of members, and their individual strength is not bad. Some of them bully the weak and fear the strong, but when it comes to a real fight, they are among the top in the mid-level races. The 'Glory Alliance' has also held several meetings and has roughly figured out the settings.
This team has two Monster IV players, Li Qing and Ao Yin, and one Monster III and one Monster II. Judging from this, the human player must be an Epic player.
According to hint 2, players cannot attack cooperative races, which should be unrelated to mind control or anything like that, but who knows what abilities epic-level players might have?
Bang!
Are you blind and deaf?!
A furious roar erupted, and the hall guards drew their swords. That's how Orcs; one moment they're cheerfully calling each other brothers, the next they're fighting to the death.
"Your Majesty, we are currently discussing this," Li Qing said, reluctantly bowing, not wanting to provoke the other party.
"It's either yes or no, there's nothing to discuss. Are you all too weak to understand the background of that assistant?!" The Beast King the Roar, spittle flying everywhere, causing the handsome young man in white to frown and back away.
"He hasn't even made a few moves, how can we judge?" Ao Yin replied coldly. Seeing the Beast King glaring fiercely at the warrior, he raised his hand to stop him. "Don't be hasty. What I can confirm is that He is stronger than us, and should be a master of physical combat."
"Stronger than you?" The Beast King suddenly turned his head. The Orcs had a population of tens of thousands, more than half of whom could serve as soldiers, so its strength was only that of a Monster III.
It's nothing. Great Game is a war, not a one-on-one arena battle. It's about the overall strength of the race.
"Yes, to be precise, they should be much stronger than us, Your Majesty. You must be wary of him capturing generals and seizing flags," Li Qing added, only to be met with a hearty laugh.
"Hahahaha, I'm not stupid. The fighting is for the underlings. I'll stay here in this Steel Fortress. If he shows up, I'll give him Giant Spore Cannon." The Beast King's laughter shook the entire room. He grinned, revealing his mouth full of sharp teeth, and said smugly:
"The Machine Race tried to do the same thing last time, digging a lot of traps, but their entire squad was still wiped out inside this fortress."
Epic-level players are different, and this one is definitely not a reckless fool.
Li Qing wanted to dissuade him, but knew that slapping the Beast King in the face would provoke him, so he could only glance at his companions. With their entire team here, they should be enough to fight against an epic-level player.
In reality, they didn't want to provoke a human with an epic-level player; the risk was too high and the reward too low. But these Orcs were all stubborn and would never listen to orders.
"Your Majesty, we have found humans!"
Just then, an Orcs came stumbling in, and the Beast King's eyes lit up.
Where?
"There are many people on the other side of the mountains, quietly migrating. It seems they want to go to the far north."
"Damn it, we've already taken that territory, and these rats dare to go there?" The Beast King roared in fury. He hadn't avenged the blood feud of so many brothers, and these rats dared to steal his land! "Chase them down and wipe them out! Don't try to persuade me, I'm not stupid!"
His eyes, wide like copper bells, made Li Qing close his open mouth again.
"Gangbad, you and Leibad go and handle this. Don't come back if you can't kill them. Steel Fortress, advance in tandem, highest alert. I want to see where that accomplice is."
If Yuki out, the stakes will be raised to see if he can protect the entire tribe by himself. If he doesn't come out, it won't believe that these rats can withstand the onslaught of the fierce Orcs.
Fortunately, He had a bunch of burdens with Him. In terms of overall strength, the Orcs were far superior to the humans.
The players exchanged glances. Even the strongest epic-level player was still just one person and couldn't possibly complete both the assassination and protection missions simultaneously. After thinking it over, there was only one way out.
By protecting humanity and inflicting heavy losses on the Orcs, they will naturally step in to mediate between the two sides and try to gain the friendship of an epic-level player.
The general stormed off, needing to vent his hatred and anger; at least a hundred human skin cloaks would be needed to dilute his fury.
"Do you have anything to add?" The Beast King glanced at them sideways, and the players shook their heads. All they could do was protect the Beast King.
Three Steel Fortress, tens of thousands of orc soldiers, plus a squad of players—even the strongest enemy couldn't possibly withstand a head-on confrontation. And don't forget, there are other players lurking nearby; what if they raid your base?
[Tip 6: When a race loses more than 80% of its population, it enters a critical state, and its overall strength is greatly reduced. When it loses more than 90%, it loses its eligibility to play and will assist the player in wiping it out.]
This message is a restriction on epic-level players; for them, being eliminated by the game is unacceptable.
"Hahaha, I told you all long ago, stop babbling on and telling me what to do." The Beast King seemed to have won back some ground and sat back on his throne with satisfaction.
I have a brain.
Chapter Four has some brains, but not many.
Kill!!!
The valley was filled with the sounds of battle, and human corpses and the wreckage of Orcs chariots were everywhere. Black ash floated in the sky, and many of the corpses had already begun to freeze.
The migrating caravans had already taken refuge in the caves, while the Orcs launched wave after wave of ferocious charges, traversing the mountains, their bodies covered in ice, their strange equipment and spore cannons clashing together, blasting large craters into the hard rocks.
In terms of individual combat strength, there is not much difference between humans and Orcs. However, the latter outnumbered humans by more than ten and were fearless, breaching several layers of their prepared defensive positions.
Such valor naturally resulted in heavy losses; the weapons available to humanity were a hodgepodge, and the sheer variety made defense difficult.
Bite--
Several meters long 'steel needles' pierced through the tank, spinning wildly inside and shredding all the Orcs in the cockpit into mincemeat.
The wheel-like disc whistled past, sweeping down infantry in droves. Its core resembled a wheel removed from a chariot, while its diffused light blades originated from the Machine Race's energy weapons.
Explosive bombs powered by warship electromagnetic technology, crushed by unmanned spiked vehicles...
The Orcs showed no sign of retreating in the face of this the Roar firepower, continuously deploying reserves, determined to fight to the death.
"Ingenious ideas, impossible to guard against, is this the Power of 'I Fink So'? Once the target is killing, they can always piece together something useful?"
"But the Orcs' greatest strength is their reproductive ability. As long as there is enough food, they can produce a large number of offspring in a few months. No wonder they don't care about casualties."
"I see. That's what the sacred and inescapable meaning of the backstory means. Once the two races commit their main forces, it's like the game has begun."
Yuki watched the racial war with a cold eye. Humans didn't have many vehicles, and they definitely couldn't escape now. After ten days of special training, they occupied the high ground and fought to the death with the Orcs, using all the resources they had accumulated over the years.
Instead of attacking directly, he took advantage of the Orcs' tendency to become enraged when fighting, unleashing the Ice Snow Goddess's Heart and the Illusion of Avalon to create a death zone in the middle of the mountains.
Normal races had stopped long ago, but the Orcs, with bloodshot eyes, charged in like reckless fools, filling in the fortifications with their flesh and blood, and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with humans while wielding serrated knives.
The difference was immediately apparent. Even with the Black Snow's weakening effect, an average of five times the physical strength was no joke. Apart from a few warriors with power armor, everyone else was at a disadvantage.
"There's not enough time. We haven't even digested the wreckage of that warship yet, which means we lack firepower. Once it comes to melee combat, humans simply can't beat the Orcs." Yuki assessed the situation, then nodded with satisfaction as he watched a warrior charge into the enemy ranks and detonate a bomb.
The people here are fearless. Yuki's job is simply to guide that bravery in the right direction. For example, if you're going to self-destruct anyway, wouldn't it be better to take a few with you?
Even a cornered beast will fight back; it might still be of some use.
Yuki vanished into thin air and reappeared directly above the battlefield, his arm enveloped in soul energy, as he unleashed a punch.
Boom--