Some brothers, some.
Meanwhile, Ed, dozens of kilometers away, gave this response in his mind.
If there's anything in this World of Disorder he hasn't seen before, then this failed boss battle is definitely one of them.
Watching a team of over a dozen players wiped out before his eyes, it would be impossible for Ed to feel nothing, but it's not like he would be sad...
A dozen or so bodies were just a drop in the ocean compared to his current inventory. Such a sacrifice was not meaningless; at least it allowed him to see the attack list of a BOSS in its first phase.
What truly shocked him was the wild giant Blood Corpse that the players had found.
Although from the players' perspective, this BOSS is a monster they awakened, Ed knows it's actually a coincidence.
Even if the players don't go to that cave, the count will still absorb enough blood to revive tonight.
Through the eyes of the players, Ed saw the sliding coffin, the incomplete sealing array on the ground, and the Blood Corpse nourishing the count with their own blood.
Based on all his previous actions, Ed was completely certain of one fact—
The weakening of the seal and the resurgence of the Blood Corpse are gradual processes. Therefore, the Blood Corpse that are resurge at the beginning are the weakest, and they will become stronger and stronger. In the end, the legendary Blood Grand Duke will crawl out from some unknown corner and stir up a bloodbath in his territory.
This was bad. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, he quickly raised the danger level of the Blood Corpse in his mind.
At this moment, Ed couldn't help but feel that he was indeed cheating. He had three abilities that came with him when he transmigrated, and if he had lost any one of them, he probably wouldn't have been able to survive the double attack from the Tree Worship Church and the Blood Corpse.
As players died one by one, Ed planned to launch an emergency mission in the name of the game's official team, mobilizing troops to wipe out the resurrected count within a day. However, subsequent developments made him realize that things were not so simple.
Feeling the body he had created being corroded by the Corpse Poison, Ed realized that a certain player had actually betrayed him under these circumstances!
However, putting himself in the players' shoes, he understood that this was no big deal. After all, it was just a game for the players. If a Blood Grand Duke had the ability to summon players, he would probably be under heavy attack right now.
So when Ed realized that a shameless count was planning to poach his girlfriend, Ed reacted quickly.
While protecting this soul from another world, Ed quickly compiled all the panel content that [ Aluode ] saw.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, it implied that the Blood Corpse was not a good thing, and that one should be cautious when making a choice.
So if you ask Ed what gameplay is more fun than hiding equipment and respawning, the Infernal Affairs is definitely to use some old guy's blind confidence in the Corpse Poison to carry out a double agent stunt...
I just don't know if this Soul Returner will be able to understand my meaning after I've hinted at it so much.
Feeling a slight numbness in his body, [ Aluode ] realized that the vampire count had withdrawn his fingers from his forehead.
He was about to raise his arm to wipe away the blood that was flowing down his face when he realized that he had theoretically become the other party's puppet.
Feeling that spiritual guidance, [ Aluode ] knelt on one knee and placed his hand on his chest:
"I would die for you, Your Excellency."
Get up.
The old man's voice remained calm; he had anticipated all of this.
[ Aluode ] stood up following the directions. The old Blood Corpse glanced at his already bloodshot and cloudy eyes and asked:
Tell me everything you know about humanity.
"Yes, sir."
Upon receiving the Count's order, [ Aluode ] felt a tingling sensation in his throat, as if he would never find peace unless he spoke his mind.
However, the player's pain shield effectively alleviates this symptom, maintaining it at a level that they can feel but does not affect their actual choices.
His own soul was clearly not being manipulated as intended, so after organizing his thoughts, he said:
"This is the Wilderness of Chaos, and most of the nomadic tribes living here have become part of us. The nearest human powers are the Graycast Corridor, the Eternal Domain, and the Tree Worship Church Theocracy."
The old man with the Blood Corpse felt a headache coming on when he heard about the first two forces.
Although they were not sealed by the powerful figures of the corridor and the domain, he had heard of the power of these two gatekeepers.
He waved his hand impatiently and asked directly:
"Tell me about the Tree Worship Church. Your companions' weapons and abilities all bear traces of plants. You must be members of the Tree Worship Church, right?"
"Your Excellency is wise. We are indeed members of the Tree Worship Church. Some time ago, our settlement began to be frequently attacked by small groups of Blood Corpse. Therefore, His Excellency the Bishop trained us and sent us out to explore and find the source of the Blood Corpse."
Upon hearing this, the count chuckled twice:
"Now you've found it, but unfortunately..."
Unfortunately, [ Aluode ] did not receive his orders, so he did not jump out to play the straight man at this moment. He simply assumed that the count had interrupted his story and stood aside silently, entering "AFK mode".
The vampire count clearly didn't consider his newly acquired subordinate to be any intelligent being. Seeing that the other didn't respond, he sighed and continued:
"Alright, tell me where you're from. As the first subordinate I transformed after my awakening, I will lead a horde of Corpse Tide to sweep through your former home. Thank me, and you and your family will soon be reunited."
Praise be to your grace.
[ Aluode ] obeyed his body's command and lowered his head:
"I come from Weeping Willow Town, Aduolin Province Tree Worship Church Theocracy."
really!
Ed, who was in the castle, suddenly laughed out loud in an empty room.
He knew his players wouldn't easily surrender to the Blood Corpse faction. After all, the Second Holy See offered such a high degree of freedom and good benefits, and as a promising startup, it clearly had considerable development potential.
As for the Blood Corpse faction—how rigid is their hierarchy? Their class system has been solidified for hundreds of years; only a fool would choose to be a dog for vampire nobles.
In comparison, Ed had reason to believe that most players' hearts were still with him.
Sure enough, the cunning [ Aluode ] has only been with the group for less than ten minutes and he's already showing his true colors as a traitor.
Weeping Willow Town is a town south of White Wax Town, and it also borders the Wilderness of Chaos.
Based on the situation in White Wax Town, it's estimated that Weeping Willow Town is also likely under the control of the Fallen One of the Tree Worship Church.