In the unsettling night of Kadman City, Lady Femis had just changed into a very formal spirit armor for combat, a form-fitting robe style, but also with an outer leather layer for physical defense.
Her usual spirit sword had been replaced with a more formal crimson spirit staff, the top shaped like a bat with outstretched wings, looking both mysterious and dark.
There was also a full set of scrolls placed on her combat belt, as well as a few alchemy vials to substitute for spell attacks.
Such full combat readiness meant the young lady had prepared for an intense fight to the death.
Behind her, Lady Adele was also loading her spare crimson handgun with specially made alchemy bullets, while her Thorn piercing sword had just been temporarily enchanted by the young lady herself.
The slender, sharp blade was coiled with faint searing heat, able to inflict continuous burning damage on opponents when struck.
For creatures weak to fire and light like vampires, it was a targeted counter-preparation.
Before them was the unsettling night, from this tower they could see the shrinking spirit vortex in the sky above Kadman City’s inner city. By tomorrow, that thing would disappear completely from the physical world.
Provided, of course, that they were able to live until then.
“Are you certain your warriors can complete the ambush on Jed’s group? Are you certain those witch hunters will cooperate with you? Are you certain this won’t be discovered by Jed in advance?”The young lady leaned on her spirit staff and asked.
Behind her, Murphy was putting away the armor and spirit sword the young lady had just taken off.
Don’t misunderstand.
This wasn’t some perverted act of collecting a “lolita battle outfit fragrance.”
He was just preparing the quest rewards in advance for the little players after they completed the “Main Line – Prologue” chapter, as a main line NPC he had to consider these things ahead of time.
The system wouldn’t just spontaneously generate this equipment for gifting, he had to figure it all out himself. His little players would never imagine the cool Murphy actually having to act as a lowly “trashman” when their backs were turned.
Alas, it was too difficult.
Murphy sighed, tossing the collected items into a special spirit bag for quest rewards.
Facing the young lady’s uneasy questions, as he drew and sheathed the polished Blade of the Desire Clan at his waist, he answered calmly:
“I have faith in my warriors. They may be weak but they are not lacking in courage or wisdom. They can complete the ambush, though perhaps unable to completely wipe out those vampires, but the witch hunters will help them finish it off.
As for cooperation,
I do not doubt this.
Those witch hunters can be reasoned with.
My warriors have visited them twice already, proving this point. Their leader is a wise person, not just a reckless slasher.
They have no reason to refuse such a mutually beneficial arrangement.
As for whether Jed will discover this,
I think your question is rather superfluous and a waste of time. You don’t really think Jed would entrust the task of executing you to me, an insignificant nobody, do you?”
Murphy rolled his eyes and said:
“I’m just the smoke bomb he tossed out, my lady.
Whether I can take your head or not has no real impact on Jed. He’s only creating this feigned threat to buy time for his companions’ recovery.
The constant flow of fresh blood from the survivor’s camp being sent to their location was enough for those vampires crawling out of hell to recover six-tenths of their strength overnight.
You don’t think you, a genius, could directly face seven silver-ranked clan patriarchs’ personal guards and actually kill them in return, do you?
Jed was already prepared to take you out himself.
He wouldn’t entrust this task to anyone without being cautious.”
“You know they’re recovering, and you’ll even use the blood of your own civilian subordinates to nourish them?”
The young lady looked at Murphy, saying indignantly:
“You just see them as expendable too?”
“Are you stupid?”
Murphy retorted bluntly:
“If I don’t give them incentives, how can I get them to willingly drink that poisoned blood wine at the last moment? The daybreak poison may be colorless and tasteless, but don’t underestimate Jed’s caution.
They’ll keep sipping that delicious fresh blood and indulging in it, until the very end. Alas, those addictive things are often harmful. I must remember that.
Let them drink.
When walking the path to the yellow springs, one should at least eat their fill, no?”
“What about Tris?”
The young lady questioned again:
“You’re so confident leaving Tris with Maxim? That fool’s loyalty is a double-edged sword. Jed raised him for twenty years, aren’t you worried he’ll turn traitor? You seem to care so much about Tris.”
“You think Tris is easy to handle? It seems my elders’ pretense as a queen of waste was quite effective.”
Murphy snorted.
Walking to the edge of the tower, gazing at the brightening sky, he touched the ancient walls and looked down at the ash-covered old city below, saying softly:
“Let me tell you, when I found Tris in the city ruins, there was a slain Astral Realm beast beside her. I don’t know how strong that thing was, but I think it could have eaten you with no problem.
Tris is a golden-ranked spirit sovereign, although she lost most of her power due to your father’s dark deed, she still has the ability to defend herself.
If Jed went mad and attacked her, Tris would definitely give him a surprise.
She knows exactly what she’s doing.
Intelligent women always find clever ways to help the men in their family, but in this regard, you are both oblivious and arrogantly unwilling to face your shortcomings.
You really fall far too short. It makes me worry for your future partner.”
This slightly teasing response made Femis fall silent.
After a few seconds, she sighed and said:
“I’m occasionally envious of your strange relationship with Tris, it’s different from how I know most vampires interact. It’s more like those human families.
Father once demanded I stay away from Tris, saying she would bring disaster.
But facts have proven otherwise.”
“My warriors have set out!”
Murphy glanced at the nearly 40 little players who came online on his core bead at almost the same time. He let out a breath, estimated the time, and said:
“Prepare for action in an hour! Protect yourself, my lady, but there’s no need to worry excessively. If you unfortunately die, I’ll prepare a tombstone befitting your status and make offerings to you annually.”
“Can’t you say something more auspicious?”
The young lady criticized harshly, then looked towards the silently waiting Lady Adele beside her and said:
“Adele, go with him. With your meager strength, you’ll easily get yourself in trouble.”
“No! This is a hunt.”
Murphy waved his hand, saying:
“We are a united wolf pack, about to fight a pack of crazed tigers and leopards for territory and food. It’s life or death, with blood to be spilled!
As one of the strongest members of the pack, Adele has her own targets and tasks.
I don’t need protection!
This is just the light breeze before the raging storm arrives. If I can’t even get through this, then being granted eternal rest may be the merciful ending I deserve.”
He turned back, holding up three fingers to the silent Lady Adele, saying:
“Your task is three! This is the minimum requirement, can you do it?”
Lady Adele raised her head.
Those blood-red eyes flickered with a certain light. She swiftly drew her piercing sword, making a sharp ringing sound, then holstered her crimson handgun on her combat belt.
In her distinctive husky voice, she said:
“If I take down five, my lord, may I make an impudent request?”
“We’ll see how you perform. For outstanding ability, Lord Murphy is always generous with rewards.”
Murphy shrugged and grinned, his bared teeth making his handsome androgynous face take on an unusual ferocity in the night. He crouched down, gripping the wooden ladder descending the tower, saying:
“Well then, ladies, remember to stay safe at the dance. We’ll meet again later.”
“Shh, shh”
Two gusts of wind whistled overhead, the flapping of blood-red bat wings nearly blowing Murphy away.
Watching the two slender figures disappear into the night sky, the sourly envious vampire who had yet to grow his own wings pursed his lips. As his cloak billowed, he began climbing down the wooden ladder, inwardly grumbling:
“Big deal being able to fly! Once I complete the Black Iron Trial and grow my own wings, I’ll fly even when going to the bathroom! Tch.”
Meanwhile, as they silently flew side-by-side above the dim clouds of night, Lady Adele reached out and pulled her hood tighter, hoarsely saying to the young lady:
“Just now…I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist…”
“It’s okay, Adele. This is a path you must walk.”
Femis’ black hair blew in the cold night wind as she softly said, gripping her staff:
“Don’t resist the call of your heart. Although it’s hard to let go, fate has given its warning. Lingering on the past is harmful for both of us. We must part ways here and walk different paths in life.
I wish you an enjoyable hunt in the night…progeny of Murphy.”
Lady Adele let out a choked sob.
After a few seconds, she flew ahead and embraced the petite young lady, planting an icy kiss on her brow amidst their spinning as the young lady looked on in surprise.
As if it were a final blessing and farewell, she responded in a trembling voice:
“I also wish your rebirth goes smoothly, my only friend, Lady Femis.”
Then with a forceful push, Lady Adele separated their figures in the clouds, both streaking off in different directions with a howl.
Never to intersect again.
——
“This is the last batch of fresh blood being sent to Jed’s group, provided by some virgins from the survivor’s camp.”
Inside a large tent at the survivor’s camp, Dump Truck Iaido looked at the crystal vials of fresh blood with disgust, saying:
“These damn bloodsucking leeches really know how to drink, no old ones, no men, no married ones, just pure virgin blood.
To satisfy their deviant demands, the poor girls in the camp have suffered injustice. A few of the frail ones are nearly anemic.
And these were NPCs we rescued with our own hands!
These bastards deserve to die!
Disgusting! Depraved!”
“Burn them to death!”
Heaven’s Chosen Grayman, clutching a battle spear and a hunting rifle on his back, had just witnessed his two paper servant assistants also having their blood drained. His heart was filled with unbridled rage as he said viciously:
“Absolutely can’t let them die that easily!”
“That’s right!”
From the side, Invincible Tyrannosaurus Cheche chimed in disdainfully:
“Isn’t that why we say our lord Murphy is upright and righteous? As a vampire, he never wantonly drains blood, and if he can’t resist, he only drinks the hot blood of enemies.”
“Lady Tris is even better, drinking wine but not blood, yet so alluring and beautiful. Compared to them, these ugly, decrepit leech vampires really deserve to go to hell.”
“Don’t be hasty, as the righteous ones, aren’t we about to personally send them to hell?” Meow King said with a sinister look, uncorking several bottles of fine wine into a large cup. He then took the daybreak poison Lumina received from Maxim, opened the lid and evenly poured it into the wine, shaking to mix.
North Forest Dog’s Paddle, a part-time chief bartender at a tavern, took over the remaining work.
This tall Minnan brother rolled up his sleeves and professionally poured the wine into the blood, shaking it repeatedly using a special technique, and finally garnishing it with fresh raspberries and lemon slices.
“Done, fresh blood cocktail!”
North Forest Dog’s Paddle set the prepared blood wine in an ice bath, then watched as it was loaded onto a special cart and rushed toward Kadman City.
The other little players were already waiting in strict formation outside the tent. In front of them were masterwork weapons and armor that Lumina had just brought over by cart.
These were the masterwork recruit-level weapons that Maxim and Murphy had scavenged from the city over the past few days.
They had all received minor enchantments, far better than the standard recruit weapons the little players currently equipped. This was basically a power-up for the players right before battle, but Maxim made it clear that these weapons and armor were just lent to them, only to be kept if they won the team battle.
In other words, these were all “trial versions” of good stuff.
“Let me say it one more time, listen up.”
With only 30 minutes of game time left, Sister Pomegranate stood before the little players and shouted:
“The witch hunters have already scattered outside the city. Our combat objective is to drive Jed’s group out of the city. Kill if you can, but don’t force it if you can’t.”
“The crucial thing is to absolutely not split up. Our strength is relatively weak, and if we separate it will be easy for those guys to instantly kill us.”
Not to be outdone, Onboard Joy Stick again took charge as the action commander. He even made himself a board with a hand-drawn “combat area” terrain map by Grayman.
Brother Stick pointed at three positions on the map with a wooden stick, saying:
“Meow King, Pigeon and I will each command in three directions. Use the computation beads to communicate. When you receive the signal, attack simultaneously. Our individual strength is weak, our only advantage is daring to fight recklessly and able to catch them off guard to kill some. So tactics and such are unnecessary, just charge in wildly swinging when the time comes!
The key is to force them into buildings and not let them fly around. Then force some of them to split up!
Bulldozer!
Are your camp guards in position?”
“30 musketeers! No problem!”
Bulldozer Man responded with a raised hand:
“I’ll lead them to provide sniping support from the outskirts. The Kadman Civilian Self-Defense Force in the city has also received orders. They’ll find their own positions led by their own sergeants.
Us casual players can’t charge in with you.
Our skills aren’t enough, so we’ll only provide ranged fire support, no close combat.”
“Good!”
Onboard Joy Stick nodded in satisfaction, saying:
“Have our marksman expert sister Lumina operate that advanced hunting crossbow the witch hunters supported us with. Set it up at a high point and shoot wherever there are more enemies! As long as we drive out those powerful silver-ranked vampires, we win.
Any other questions?”
“Me me me!”
Khaki Tony Tai, clad in veteran armor and leaning on his cool big axe, waved his computation bead and shouted:
“I’ve imported a ‘battle music’ segment into my personal interface, so we can all fight with BGM now! Big power-up!”
“Frivolous stuff!”
Onboard Joy Stick rebuked:
“A unified charge horn is enough. Alright, let’s do it this way, brothers! Those dumb bloodsucker bastards dare block our path, we’ll just kill them today!
This territory we fought to take is ours! Anyone who dares stick their claws out gets chopped!
Now, follow my command!
Move out!”
“Ding!”
The familiar quest update sound rang out simultaneously on the little players’ character interfaces.
【Prologue – The Last Night of Kadman City
Quest 4: Fang of the Night
Details: Lord Murphy’s rule over Kadman City has been challenged by the ignorant, but this may also be fate’s design. No legend can smoothly progress to its conclusion, and so-called heroes must bravely stand atop the peak and face the raging winds.
The storm has risen, and you who march into the wind have no other choice.
Either win!
Or die!
Warriors, declare with your blades whose territory this is to the foolish! Become a wolf pack devouring them, let them wail loudly for having mistakenly entered your forest!
Objective: Attack and delay Jed’s group until Murphy completes the beheading of their leader.
Reward: Standard Veteran Armor Set [6/6], Masterwork Recruit Weapon [1/1], unlock next quest stage.】
“For Lord Murphy and our grand plan! Charge charge charge!”
“Awoooo, kill them all!”
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