The Thrill of Slaughter

"Are you all right?"

Realizing he had neglected his teammates, Jian Shang felt a burst of shame and hurried back to Drunken Star, Blue Moon, and the others to ask.

"N-No... we're fine! It's just... too terrifying!"

Of the five, Drunken Star was holding up the best. Blue Moon's face had turned greenish, her lips pale as she trembled. Without Drunken Star supporting her, she looked like she would have collapsed on the spot.

"Hurry and keep up! You should have been mentally prepared before coming here! The first time is always like this. You'll get used to it after seeing it a few more times. Given the current situation, falling behind is dangerous, and you could very well be judged a deserter!"

Li Birong, the Squad Leader whose face was likewise pale, hurried over behind them and comforted them in a hoarse voice.

"Those approaching, halt!"

Just as Jian Shang, Drunken Star, and the others were about to thank her, an explosive shout came from ahead.

"Kill!"

Another round of fervent battle cries rose up. The players at the front of the group looked utterly crazed as they roared and charged toward the rear gate of the Village Head's Office. Quite a few people behind Jian Shang and the others also excitedly rushed forward, completely swept along by the crowd.

"Are you kidding me? This online game is way too realistic. Even if the NPCs aren't real people, getting hurt and dying is no different from reality. And these people are still this crazed and excited? They're psychopaths!"

Watching so many people fanatically throw themselves into battle, the recently traumatized Blue Moon stared in disbelief and muttered indignantly.

"You said it yourself—it's an online game. Just treat it like watching a horror movie. As long as you overcome the obstacle in your heart, there's naturally no problem! As for why they're so crazy, it's not because they're psychopaths. It's because they worship strength. Slaughter is currently the most effective way to increase strength. Just think of it as killing monsters to level up—they're competing for kills!"

Li Birong's face twitched slightly several times. She forced herself to explain calmly, since it was also her duty and responsibility as Squad Leader.

"They're clearly real people. How can you treat it as killing monsters to level up? They're living, breathing people of flesh and blood! Besides, their combat strength is generally higher than ours. They aren't experience monsters waiting to be slaughtered!"

Purple Rain was in even worse shape than Blue Moon. Hearing Li Birong's words, she immediately shuddered and grumbled like a resentful wife.

"Reality is this cruel. Even if you can't adapt, you still have to accept it. This world is even crueler and harsher! Strength is the best way to prove yourself. Without strength, you are nothing. Even if you have power and influence, it's hard to win people over—at the very least, it's hard to become a leader. Of course, if you truly can't adapt, you can apply for logistics, administration, or other clerical and life professions! Still, having more strength is ultimately a good thing. Do your best!"

Li Birong nodded slightly in agreement, then remembered her identity and immediately straightened her expression as she spoke seriously.

"Strength is the best way to prove yourself. Without strength, you are nothing. Even if you have power and influence, it's hard to win people over—at the very least, it's hard to become a leader."

Jian Shang murmured thoughtfully.

"Stop thinking! Let's go! Don't forget that we and the Shizhuang NPCs are enemies now. Even if we don't take part in the battle, Shizhuang's armed NPCs won't spare us. Falling behind is even more dangerous!"

Seeing that Jian Shang, Drunken Star, and the others still could not let go of their fears, Li Birong anxiously looked toward the players who were streaming into the Village Head's Office and urged them on.

"Whether for public or personal reasons, we can't stay out of this, much less fear battle. Drunken Star, Blazing Sun, and I will handle the fighting. Sea Breeze, protect Blue Moon and Purple Rain. Move!"

Jian Shang's thoughts raced. Looking at Blue Moon and Purple Rain, who could barely even walk on their own, he sighed inwardly and gave his orders.

As for the tactics they had discussed the night before, they clearly would not work now. Besides, Blue Moon and Purple Rain had special identities. Jian Shang could neither bear to nor had any way to abandon them.

"I'm counting on you!"

Blazing Sun and Sea Breeze immediately looked at Drunken Star. After thinking for a moment, Drunken Star agreed with Jian Shang's arrangement and solemnly spoke to Sea Breeze.

"Let's go!"

Jian Shang felt deeply conflicted. He truly wanted to join the battle alone, but as Squad Leader, he could not. Otherwise, he would have no way to account for himself after the battle. Yet Drunken Star and the other five were relatives and friends in real life, while he was merely an outsider they had just met. It was only natural if they did not listen to him.

"Kill!"

Charging in through the wide-open rear gate of the Village Head's Office, Jian Shang saw blood everywhere and corpses strewn across the ground. Hearing the battle cries and screams ringing around him, his blood rushed to his head. He could not help quickening his pace, wishing he could immediately tear into the enemy.

"Squad Leader Jian Shang, wait!"

Jian Shang had only sprinted a few meters when Drunken Star called out anxiously.

Jian Shang turned around and saw that Drunken Star and Blazing Sun were still guarding the two women. Li Birong, the Squad Leader who had been speaking so eloquently earlier, was also mixed in with them, showing no sign of speeding up to join the battle.

So what if I neglect my duty? After this battle, the leaders at every level will probably undergo a major reshuffle. I'm not close to them anyway. Forcing them into battle may not be a good thing—it could get them killed, and they might even resent me for it!

A lone wolf by nature and violent in temperament, Jian Shang truly could not stand such hesitant behavior. He hardened his heart, then shouted at Li Birong:

"You advance slowly. The battle up ahead is urgent—I'm going to take a look!"

With that, he ignored whatever reaction Li Birong, Drunken Star, and the others might have. He tightened his grip on the Pear Blossom Wrought-Iron Spear and rushed toward the fierce battle flashing with blades and swords.

By then, the players' force had pushed forward a considerable distance, leaving many corpses along the way. Both sides had suffered heavy casualties, but the players held a clear advantage thanks to their numbers, their tactic of attacking from all sides, and their frenzied drive.

"Aah!"

The moment Jian Shang reached the battlefield, a scream rang out. The back of a player standing in front of him suddenly sprouted a sharp blade. Without a second thought, Jian Shang charged forward and instinctively thrust his spear at the NPC who had cut down the player...

"Pfft..."

The Pear Blossom Wrought-Iron Spear sank in as though stabbing into mud. The recoil made Jian Shang's body pause, but the spear unexpectedly pierced the NPC's chest, its sharp tip punching straight through.

"Ding! Congratulations, player Jian Shang, for killing one hostile armed unit. Your combat value has increased by one point. You have obtained one copy of Basic Saber Technique (Incomplete), practiced by the slain target. You have gained one merit point!"

At the same time, a loud and pleasant system notification sounded in Jian Shang's mind.

"No way! Killing one person raised my combat value by one point? It's more effective than training myself half to death all night? But why is the Basic Saber Technique only incomplete? What kind of joke is this?"

Jian Shang was overjoyed, excitement surging within him.

No wonder those players were so crazed and excited. Raising combat value by one point was not difficult after all.

Just as Ye Caiyun had said before, commanding troops in battle, marching, and similar activities could increase command value; training, killing people through martial strength, and fighting could increase combat value; practicing mystic arts could increase intelligence value; and handling government affairs could increase political value.

However, Ye Caiyun had left out one thing: the greatest effects came only from achieving a certain degree of success in what one did. Otherwise, the efficiency was extremely poor.

"Ah... splat..."

A scream and the sensation of hot liquid jolted Jian Shang awake. An NPC had attacked him, but fortunately, a nearby player had chopped the NPC down with an axe. Quite a bit of hot blood splashed across Jian Shang's face as well.

"Damn it! This is a battlefield. How can I still have the mind to let my thoughts wander?"

Jian Shang's heart sank. The fright had broken him out in a cold sweat. Instinctively, he tried to move away, only to find that his spear was stuck in the NPC he had killed earlier. He could not pull it free at once, leaving him unable to move.

"Die!"

With a furious roar, an NPC with a vicious, savage expression and a broad saber in hand appeared in Jian Shang's sight. The sharp saber whistled as it came straight down at him. Before it even landed, Jian Shang's instincts made his skin crawl.

"I'm done for! Dying before I've even achieved anything!"

Jian Shang groaned as his scalp went numb. His body felt as if it had plunged into an ice cellar. So this was what it felt like to face death!

This was too realistic!

"Crack..."

"Squad Leader!"

An axe split in from the side and sent the NPC's head flying. Drunken Star's rough voice rang out as his burly figure appeared.

"Thanks!"

Jian Shang secretly let out a breath. His whole body felt chilly as he thanked him hoarsely, then pulled his spear backward and yanked it free from the corpse. Suddenly, his eyelids twitched as he shouted:

"Watch out!"

As he spoke, he thrust his spear with all his strength, piercing through the abdomen of an NPC who had attacked beside the stunned Drunken Star. Drunken Star had likely been frozen by the system notification that had suddenly appeared.

"Ding! Congratulations, player Jian Shang, for killing one hostile armed unit. Your combat value has increased by one point. You have obtained one copy of Basic Saber Technique, practiced by the slain target. You have gained one merit point!"

At the same time, the loud and pleasant system notification rang out in Jian Shang's mind once more.

"Thanks!"

This time, it was Drunken Star who thanked him with lingering fear.

"We're comrades... brothers!"

Jian Shang's face was spattered with blood, but he answered with a hearty smile.

"Kill!"

Drunken Star broke into a smile, nodded firmly at Jian Shang, tightened his grip on his axe, and shouted.

"Kill!"

Jian Shang raised his thick brows and answered. Gripping the spear with both hands, he charged at another NPC like a raging bull.

Jian Shang did not yet know how to twirl or wield a spear, and with his current strength, he could not manage it anyway. But relying on the traits of a long weapon, charging, jabbing, and thrusting were no problem.

Moreover, with his combat value raised again, Jian Shang found the Pear Blossom Wrought-Iron Spear even easier to use. He could clearly feel the obvious growth in his own strength, making him even more fervent for battle and setting his blood ablaze.

Strength and battle! They truly were enough to drive a man mad and intoxicate him!

Fortunately, the Basic Saber Technique he had received this time was a complete copy rather than the incomplete version from before. It depended on how complete the opponent's practiced technique was—those who had learned it fully gave complete copies, while those who had only learned part of it gave incomplete copies.

As for things like weapons, equipment, and money, the enemies he killed certainly had them. But such tangible items had to be taken from the corpses themselves; the system would not hand them out directly.