Chapter 78:
“F**k, this is too tragic.”
After the battle ended, the luckily surviving Brother Stick led the four-man strike team to patrol the battlefield. Seeing those player corpses whose computation beads had been retrieved, he sighed with a regretful expression.
Because Murphy had done a disguise, the bodies wouldn’t immediately turn into light particles after death. Thanks to the stabilization of the spirit dog tags, the corpses could remain for a few hours. This allowed the 17 surviving small players to witness the bizarre deaths of their companions.
The most normal deaths were caused by vampires in various ways, while the less common ones involved vampires taking the victims to the sky and dropping them to their deaths.
The most rare and shameful case was Spicy Gugu Chicken. When executing a vampire, this guy was given a “Heaven and Earth Longevity” claw attack by the opponent.
His death was utterly tragic.
“The Tiger Leopard Riders are essentially wiped out with only two survivors left. Damn, they were truly fierce. Half of the slain vampires were killed by them alone.
But the casualty rate is too high, isn’t it?”
Walking behind Brother Stick, East River Lion’s Roar said with a frown:
“We sent them as the vanguard, not a suicide squad. I just saw that Old Lie guy embraced an alchemy bomb and did a mutual strike with a one-armed vampire. That tactic is way too reckless.”“You know jack shit.”
From the other side, West Valley Wolf’s Prowl snorted and prodded the vague bloody mess of a vampire cut into eighteen pieces but still slowly regenerating in a blood pool with his battle spear, saying:
“They fought so desperately for the battle spoils. Didn’t we agree before the fight started? Whoever kills a monster gets to keep the loot. The Tiger Leopard Riders wiped themselves out but took down at least seven of those rare monsters fully armed.
It may seem like a loss to you, but they actually scored big this time.
In just three days, those guys will transform into the best equipped among us.”
“Damn, it’s just a game. Did they have to go that hard?”
North Forest Dog’s Paddle mumbled a complaint but failed to notice the smug smile on the walking Brother Stick’s face.
That’s right!
This suicidal tactic was secretly fed to the Tiger Leopard Rider brothers by him.
And now it seemed his strategy was flawless. The Tiger Leopard Rider brothers dared to fight and risk everything. Through his ingenious scheme, they had obtained a batch of at least “Standard Veteran” level equipment. Coupled with the upcoming team quest reward,
This Joy Stick subordinates had almost overnight upgraded their gear, essentially reequipping themselves with far better arms.
After all, death in this game didn’t cause experience loss, and leveling up didn’t increase attributes either. Only rank promotions granted attribute points for allocation. So level gaps within the same rank were basically negligible.
This meant equipment was far more important than levels in this game.
The “dungeon” sewer that had trapped them before would definitely be cleared smoothly after this battle. Obtaining those resources would be like rolling the first snowball, allowing them to keep rolling it bigger from then on.
When the wolves outnumbered the meat, they had to be ruthless to themselves in order to get ahead!
This was the life principle Joy Stick had concluded from his previous life, and it proved effective in this other world too.
“Collect our brothers’ dog tags and computation beads.”
Joy Stick waved his big hand, instructing the four brothers beside him:
“Dig them a pit too. Even if it’s a game, we should still have some ceremonial feeling.”
“You got it.”
The other four brothers didn’t object.
They had just had an exhilarating battle, their warrior hearts burning fiercely. Soldiers were always so straightforward, when they were having fun, they’d do anything.
While Joy Stick calculated the battle results, Meow King’s team was also conducting similar actions.
But the path they chose was entirely different from Joy Stick’s.
Of the 17 survivors, Meow King’s team of 6 were completely unharmed, clearly having taken the sneaky route. As for obtaining spoils, Meow King had his own plan in mind.
“Tie them all up!”
Holding a captured Masterwork Veteran-grade Crimson Spirit Staff taken from a vampire Spirit Mage, Meow King pretended to be a powerful wizard, grinning widely to show his big fang.
He told his weary yet energized brothers:
“Load them onto the truck and deliver them to Lord Murphy!
I reckon Lord Murphy’s faction has just started and might need these kin. We could probably exchange these captives for a huge reward from Lord Murphy.”
“Meow King, you make a good point. But what if Lord Murphy doesn’t want them?”
The exhausted, bloodied shield-bearer Led More Than Three to Five Pecks sat on his shield, looking up at Meow King and saying:
“From what I know, Lord Murphy isn’t on the same path as these evil vampires. If he rejects the captives, won’t we end up losing big time? According to the previous loot distribution rules, we got nothing this time.”
“What are ya afraid of?”
Meow King stared at the four vampires still in their regeneration phase, his narrowed eyes flickering with a cold light.
He said in a low voice:
“If Lord Murphy doesn’t fancy them, there’s still the Witch Hunters’ side. How could the monster hunters tasked with slaying evil refuse materials delivered to their doorstep?
The Old Faith fellows are actually better trade partners.
Don’t forget, those high-ranking Silver-rank vampires were taken down by them. They have plenty of good stuff, even giving us a small portion would be enough!
Trust me, brothers, we won’t lose out on this deal either way.
Day One No Fap, go ask the Student Squad later. They seem to have captured two vampire prisoners too. If they’re willing, we could do this trade together.”
“Why not join forces with Brother Stick instead?”
Black Stockings Under the Keyboard and Electronic Succubus Old Tune exchanged a glance, humbly asking Meow King for guidance. The latter pursed his lips and said:
“I’ve known Joy Stick for nearly seven years. That guy is an old military mutt. Don’t be fooled by his constant grinning. I reckon he’s probably itching to swallow us up with his military unit tactics.
The Student Squad is obviously more reliable, and they suffered heavy losses this time.
If it’s really Sister Pomegranate commanding them from behind, I believe they won’t refuse this proposal.”
Meow King appeared to have calculated things ingeniously. However, the envoy Day One No Fap soon returned with a strange expression, telling Meow King:
“They don’t want to trade!”
“Ah? Why not?”
Meow King was shocked. Had the Student Squad already been swayed by Joy Stick?
But that wasn’t the case.
“They say they want to keep the two vampire prisoners.”
Day One No Fap made an odd expression as he spoke:
“Leading Pigeon said it himself. They want to learn from Lord Murphy and cultivate their own NPCs. But I think they definitely have other ideas.”
“Damn! What are those students even thinking?”
For a moment, Meow King couldn’t figure it out.
He eventually stopped pondering and, humming a hunting return song with his brothers, went to trade the four captives with Murphy for goods.
Meanwhile, the Student Squad was still “mourning the graves.”
“Wuu wuu wuu, poor Cheche, poor Ah Yuen, poor Snail, poor Maomao. You all died so tragically, my poor children. White-haired people sending black-haired people away.”
Leading Pigeon had made a small grave mound in front of him, burying the tattered armor of his four fallen dorm brothers inside, creating a rather ceremonial burial mound.
This scene left Heaven’s Chosen Grayman utterly baffled.
He glanced at the panting Precipitation Niuniu, who rolled his eyes and said:
“Don’t mind him, that’s just how his dorm mates are, crazy and overly immersed in character. Rumor has it finance majors all end up like that.”
“No, I mean, why are you keeping those two vampire prisoners?”
Grayman looked at Khaki Tony Tai and Path of Mud and Oil, who were enthusiastically making a wooden cage, then at the tightly bound two female vampire prisoners.
With an odd expression, he said:
“You’re not actually planning to do anything lewd, are you? You even specifically captured two female vampires.”
“What are you thinking!”
Niuniu was amused by his roommate’s vivid imagination. Rubbing his aching chest, he explained in a low voice:
“It was my sister’s idea.
She heard about some vampire’s initial embrace rule from somewhere. Black Iron-rank vampires have three progeny slots, but neither Lord Murphy nor Lady Adele have filled theirs yet. So she wants us to capture these female vampires and offer them as progeny.
It’s just exploring the gameplay anyway.
If they refuse, we’ll just kill them and turn the vampires’ hearts over to Lady Tris for some reward. Or trade them to the Witch Hunters as a last resort.
Isn’t that exactly what Meow King and his group are planning?”
“Leave it to Sister Pomegranate to think so far ahead.”
Grayman realized it made sense. Rolling his eyes, he whispered to the grave-mourning Leading Pigeon:
“The Kadman Civilian Self-Defense Force seems to have captured two or three as well. Should I ask Dump Truck to see if we can get one or two from them?”
“Hey, that would be great!”
Leading Pigeon was delighted, then coughed and stated his demand:
“Our team has class. We don’t want males, only beautiful ones, you know? Pet vampires must also have elegance, the kind of elegance Lord Murphy exudes. We can pay them in gold coins!
We scavenged quite a lot from the city earlier, and there aren’t any proper stores open yet, so we have money with nowhere to spend.”
——
“Murphy, your warriors have brought four vampire prisoners, saying they want to hand them over to you.”
Inside the Survivor’s Camp, Lady Tris entered the tent, holding an unmixed fresh blood cocktail as she spoke to the just-awakened Murphy.
“What do I need them for? They are servants of Jed’s group, I don’t feel comfortable keeping them.”
Murphy replied softly.
Only to receive a contemptuous look from the gorgeously dressed Tris.
Tris stepped forward, pouring him a drink and bringing it to his lips. She said in a low voice:
“After all this time, are you still not accustomed to being a vampire? For us, loyalty means nothing, except for someone steadfast like Maxim.
They are indeed servants of Jed’s group.
But the elders are dead! The shackles of the blood pact leave them in agony, practically crippled. Without finding a new elder, they will remain this way. So as long as you give them a path, they will offer you everything.”
“Not interested.”
Murphy closed his eyes, took a sip of the icy cold blood wine, and said in a hoarse voice:
“I’m not a trash can, I don’t collect trash!”
“If you don’t need them, you can give them to Adele or keep them for Maxim,”
Tris said softly:
“In the Blood Vulture Clan’s current state, Adele won’t be able to find suitable Blood Servants to cultivate for a while. She might as well make do with them. You can doubt Jed’s group’s wisdom, but their eye for selecting elite guards for the Patriarch is unquestionable.
These ones brought out from the Blood Vulture Halls were truly one in a hundred Blood Servant warriors. Take my advice, little Murphy, you need to learn to consider issues with a vampire’s mindset.
I also don’t think Adele would refuse. A vampire with progeny has status, it’s an established custom.”
“Sigh Alright, let her decide then. Please notify her.”
Murphy eventually accepted Tris’ suggestion and said casually:
“Also, I know what my warriors want. Please let them know that processing the prisoners will take time. Tell them to wait patiently.”
“What processing?”
Tris asked in surprise. Murphy waved his hand dismissively:
“Don’t look too deep into it, just say that. They’ll understand.”
“Okay then, my little Murphy should rest well. Having completed the Trial of Strength, you’ll experience an unlocking of potential, and your wounds will heal quickly. But don’t be in a hurry to move around.”
Tris caressed Murphy’s face with a loving expression, then left the tent.
Murphy did feel rather weak at the moment.
He planned to sleep for a bit.
But as soon as he closed his eyes, his ears twitched, and he turned his head toward the corner of the tent where Miss Femis’ figure was emerging quietly.
“I’ve come to notify you, Murphy.”
Femis still had the appearance of a loli without the three allowances, but the light in her eyes had softened considerably as she said in a low voice:
“I’ve just received a reply from the Blood Pact Knights. A Knight Lord, commanding a squad of elite knights, has just crossed the Desolate Mountains and entered the Foul Swamp. They will arrive at the Kadman City ruins within three days at the latest.
You need not worry about the Witch Hunters breathing down our necks.
As long as we last three days, we won’t have to watch our steps around them, and the Desire Fragments can be…”
“Swish”
At that moment, the tent flap was suddenly flung open.
Her face icy cold with furious anger, Tris rushed in like a flashing crimson shadow, grabbing Miss Femis by the throat and lifting her petite body into the air.
“What did you just say! Who is coming? The Blood Pact Knights? You summoned them on your own?”
Faced with Tris’ interrogation, Miss Femis broke free from her control amidst the scattering shadows and reappeared farther away. Knowing Tris had always harbored inexplicable hostility toward her, she said without a smile:
“It’s a privilege from the Patriarch’s bloodline. Requesting aid from the Blood Pact Knights when one’s own clan faces a crisis is perfectly normal, isn’t it? Especially given our current situation requires their help.
Whether dealing with the Witch Hunters or entering the Blood Vulture Halls, we need assistance from the Blood Pact Knights.”
“That’s for normal circumstances, you foolish girl! Don’t you look at your own origins before daring to summon them! Are you afraid of dying too slowly, so you plan to hurry the process with the Night Mother?
You clearly know you’re not a true vampire, so you should be more cautious. Now you’ve really done it and gotten us all killed!”
Tris clutched her head, wailing in anguish. She grabbed the clueless Murphy from the bed, hastily packing his belongings while shrieking:
“We can’t stay here! Quick, little Murphy, pack your essentials and run with me!
We must leave Kadman City before the Blood Pact Knights arrive. No! We have to leave Transia and go to Shaldor Port. Take the next ship from the Adventurer’s Guild and hide on the other side of the world, in the new continent!
This wretched place will soon be razed to the ground by the fully deployed Blood Pact Knights. Any life involved in this matter will be mercilessly massacred by Lord Payne until everything here is buried in history.
I’m not wrong!
This Femis is just a troublemaker! An ill-fated chosen one! Whoever gets close to her will meet misfortune!”
Tris clutched her head, shrieking:
“Let her walk the path to her own death. Let’s get out of here quickly before her blood splatters on us!”
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