Chapter 227: Battle Preparation
After hanging up the communication, Lan Chen began to think.
The Shadow Lord hasn’t made any moves yet? Based on the last time when he copied an army of hundreds of thousands, there should be more talent in Huawucheng than just what Mo Ran mentioned.
Could it be that Xieu’s injuries were too severe? So much so that the lord hasn’t been able to recover in a short time?
This possibility cannot be ruled out.
In that case… the odds of winning this time seem quite high. Although the key members of the Liufeng Mercenary Group are not present, the NPCs that were parachuted in shouldn’t be too weak. As long as someone can hold the boss, the minions will surely be picked off by players one after another.
Perhaps this could also be an opportunity for Kurei to level up.
Although this vice officer seems a bit dim-witted, he never hesitates to strike when the time comes. His growth would absolutely be a huge asset to Yunshui City, and considering Alna’s identity, perhaps she could persuade him to do something.
…
In the Beginner Village, after five minutes of running, Ziyu had already shaken off that group of ill-intentioned players.
In the early stage, without job changes or equipment, the basic movement speed is consistent; running in a straight line, no one could touch anyone.
After a while of this, they gave up.
If they went further down, it would be hard to act in crowded areas. Facing players who are level 10 and can solo the boss, they certainly don’t have much confidence in a group fight.
Ziyu also wouldn’t take the initiative to attack; she was not interested in PKing, and it was best to avoid conflict. Moreover, there were no benefits to fighting in the Beginner Village except for forming a team.
Glancing at the items dropped by the boss, there was a black iron ring that boosted stamina and several special slimes, with a concentration three times that of ordinary slime. She wasn’t sure what they were for.
“Lucky, we actually got a black iron item.” Zichen exclaimed at the equipment’s stats. The drop rate for a boss in the Beginner Village can’t be considered high, and since this isn’t a first kill, getting just one is already quite fortunate.
“Is it really rare?”
“A few days ago it was, but now it’s not worth much anymore.” Equipment in online games is updated very quickly; out-of-date gear also depreciates accordingly.
“Alright… brother, so what’s this slime for?” Ziyu pulled out a grayish liquid.
“It should be used for secondary professions or some quest; just keep it in your inventory.”
“Hmm.”
“By the way, you can go to the Water City for a job change now that you’re level 10. If you stay in the Beginner Village, you won’t be able to level up.” Zichen reminded her. “I might get busy here, so if there’s nothing else, I’ll log off first?”
“Okay… I’ll go back to the village to have a look and then head for the job change later.”
“Sure, I might stay up late working on version tasks today. Let’s level you up tomorrow then. Talk later.”
Ka—ka—ka—
…
Half an hour later.
Starry and Fenghua were almost nearing Huawucheng, and the closer they got, the more the light seemed to dim.
Although it was already night, visibility ahead was much lower, and there were strange, chilly winds blowing, accompanied by faint whispers.
“This Shadow Lord really has a twisted sense of humor…” Fenghua said with a slight grimace, clearly feeling uncomfortable.
Starry didn’t mind much; she was in no abnormal state and hadn’t lost any health, so it was whatever.
However, just to be safe, it was better to prepare. She took out two talismans from her bag.
These things worked quite well; they had held up for a whole night back in the underground passage.
“What is this…?”
“To ward off evil.” Starry handed over the talismans succinctly.
“Is it real… like what a priest would use?” Fenghua hung the talisman around her neck half skeptically, and it emitted a warm aura. The whispers in the chilly wind actually disappeared.
“How’s that? I didn’t lie to you, I found this in the general store; the effect is surprisingly good.”
“A general store…? Fenghua found it hard to believe; does the store really sell things like this?”
“Yeah, it’s considered a hidden item. It only becomes available for trade if you discover and interact with it.”
“Hmm… Fenghua’s mouth can hold an egg now.”
It seems not many people have discovered this hidden setting.
Casually taking out a magical lantern from her bag, she lit it!
The soft glow dispelled the surrounding darkness, making it particularly noticeable in the dim environment.
However, now they could see the road clearly.
“Starry, your true form is a robotic cat, right?”
“Absolutely not! These are all items bought from the general store.” Starry stated matter-of-factly.
When Starry was still a few hundred yards away from the city wall, Zichen received a message from Mo Ran.
“Zanny, there’s movement!” Mo Ran’s voice was quite excited, and who wouldn’t be? After waiting so long, something finally happened.
“What movement?”
“I saw those Shadow Warriors moving the Magic Crystal Cannons up to the city walls. Here alone, I can see at least 30 of them.” Mo Ran thought for a moment and added, “By the way, I’ve encountered the power of these Magic Crystal Cannons before; one shot can blow up a 10×10-yard area, and anyone below silver level can’t withstand even a single hit!”
Magic Crystal Cannons…? Sounds a bit formidable, although Yunshui City has some defensive devices, but only ordinary crossbows and catapults with low lethality.
“How many rounds of ammo do they have?”
“Ammo?” The ammunition for the Magic Crystal Cannons is naturally magic crystals. Mo Ran paused and then said, “Seems like they have three large carts of magic crystals.”
“I see. Wait, wait, wait, can you explain what you mean by three large carts?”
“Literal meaning; it’s about the same as the rear half of a truck.”
“.” No wonder the Shadow Lord seemed quite helpless; if they squandered all that ammo, the players would probably be wiped out.
“I understand…” Zichen said solemnly. Since this situation was discovered early, there may still be a chance. If infiltration goes smoothly, perhaps they could secretly take down part of the Magic Crystal Cannons.
“By the way, I’ve been hearing strange sounds for about 10 minutes now. It seems like something is calling, and the sound is getting louder.”
“…Forget what I just said; the odds of winning might not be as great as I imagined.”
Seeing Zichen silent, Mo Ran said, “It’s been long enough for these soldiers in Mingu to not make any more moves. I’ll go find out what that sound is and let you know later.”
“Be careful; don’t let the Shadow Lord catch you.” Zichen warned.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that easy to take down.” With that, the communication was cut off.
This is troubling; I need to tell them.
“Kurei, come with me; we need to find Gal and Peli.” Zichen urged anxiously.
“Huh? What happened?” He quickly caught up while asking.
“Do you know what a Magic Crystal Cannon is?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of it. It’s a cannon that uses magic crystals as energy. Even the lowest level magic crystal can easily kill low-level undead.” Kurei nodded.
“What if… the Shadow Lord has over a hundred Magic Crystal Cannons and unlimited ammo?”
“… He suddenly stopped in his tracks, shaking his head, ‘Are the Magic Crystal Cannons in Huawucheng all taken…’
“There’s a high possibility.”
