Ye Ao Nai He and his companions struggled up onto Votradnoi's walls. The instant his backside touched the cold paving stones, he rolled, holding his shield over his head to protect himself.
From past experience, this was when the enemy would attack. Whether it was musket fire, arrows and bolts, spear thrusts or sword strikes, any of them could prove fatal to players who had just climbed up and had yet to find their footing.
Even battle-hardened veteran players in full armor could be hacked to death by NPC militia lying in wait a second after they reached the top.
While clearing out small towns under Republic control, Ye Ao Nai He had often seen veteran players far more badass than him come to grief. He himself had been knocked off his feet with a pitchfork while climbing onto a small stone fort.
Having witnessed those scenes and experienced it himself, Ye Ao Nai He had learned one thing... when you were the vanguard, you should not rush to kill enemies after reaching the wall. First, protect yourself and secure your footing. Only then would you have a chance to deal damage.
That was why Ye Ao Nai He had deliberately learned a practical saber technique that combined offense and defense. It worked well, even if it looked ugly... the Ground-Sweeping Saber.
This saber-and-shield fighting style was hardly dignified, but it was pretty effective.
Tonight, however, Ye Ao Nai He rolled several times without facing the expected attacks. When he cautiously poked his head out to look, he was astonished to discover that nobody was paying him any attention.
It was not that this stretch of wall where the players had arrived was deserted. Quite the opposite: plenty of people were there, and things were lively. People wearing standard Republic