Chapter 99 - 95: Distribution Plan and Fire Attack Strategy

Chapter 99: Chapter 95: Distribution Plan and Fire Attack StrategyXiao Jie had long been prepared for this issue, after so many years as a professional player leading groups, organizing events and raiding, the most important aspect was the distribution of benefits. Such matters could easily cause trouble if one wasn’t careful, at the least leading to a flurry of complaints, with the world channel being spammed, or at worst ending up on NGA or even being reported to GMs. Therefore, he was well-acquainted with all sorts of distribution rules: ROLL teams, gold teams, DKP teams, Four-Quarters Teams... understanding how to manage the team members’ psychology and getting them to follow his lead was something he had quite a bit of insight into. Moreover, he had studied this game’s loot distribution system in detail, and found it relatively easy to resolve. "The loot dropped by little monsters will go to whomever picks them up; I think that’s something everyone can agree on, right? The real issue is how to distribute the loot dropped by the BOSS. I have three distribution schemes here for everyone to consider. 1, Pick up in turns based on Contribution Value. This system is built into the game; any and all actions by players in the BOSS fights are scored, including dealing damage, tanking damage, healing, dispelling DEBUFFs, applying negative states to the BOSS...any beneficial action in the BOSS fight is counted towards their Contribution Value. After the BOSS fight ends, the system will give each player a score for their Contribution Value, and the player with the highest score will have the priority to pick up loot first. This will then proceed to the second highest, third highest, and so on, if there is still leftover loot after everyone has picked something, then they’ll go for a second round, until all the items have been distributed. 2, ROLL distribution, one need and the rest greed, after the equipment drops, those who want it will ROLL, and the highest roll wins. After getting an item, they’ll temporarily drop out of the rolls until everyone has received one. Then they’ll start the second round of rolls until all equipment is distributed. 3, Team leader distribution, where everyone votes for a team leader they can trust. After the fight, everyone discusses what they’re seeking, as well as their contributions, and finally, the team leader allocates loot based on each person’s contribution to the BOSS fight. So, which scheme does everyone prefer?" Dongfang Sheng said, "I vote for ROLL distribution; it’s the fairest method." However, I Want to Be Immortal retorted, "Don’t give me that; with your level so low, you’ll definitely have the advantage in ROLL, I trust Feng, I think team leader distribution is better, it ensures everyone gets the spoils they want and deserve." Xiao Jie noncommittally asked, "Ye Luo, what’s your opinion?" "I choose Contribution—" she began but suddenly stopped, "Wait a minute, you’re being sly, deliberately giving us three different options to split the vote so that your final vote becomes the decider. Doesn’t that mean you can choose whichever you want? You must have chosen team leader distribution, so in the end, you’re the one who decides how the loot is split." Xiao Jie responded with a dry laugh, "Hey, why are you baselessly accusing me of being unscrupulous? Am I that kind of person? We’ll definitely decide by voting... But if you really care that much, then let’s go with your preference, shall we? Let’s distribute the loot based on Contribution Value; how’s that?" Ye Luo was somewhat surprised; she hadn’t expected Xiao Jie to compromise so easily. With this, she found herself at a loss for what to say. Dongfang Sheng opened his mouth as if to speak but couldn’t question it either. "Then it’s settled, after forming the team we’ll use the Contribution Value distribution system, with those having the highest Contribution Value picking loot first. Xiao Jie declared, indicating a resolution to the distribution issue. Suddenly, Dongfang Sheng said, "Brother Wang Kai, I’d like to buy some more stuff, can we talk privately?" "Ah, sure, what do you want to buy..." As Dongfang Sheng and Wang Kai walked off to the side, I Want to Be Immortal appeared anxious. "Feng, Dongfang Sheng must be planning to buy items to boost his damage and Contribution Value." Xiao Jie just smiled and said, "Don’t worry about it." "But—" "If Dongfang Sheng can really use the items to kill the BOSS, then I’d be more than happy to see it happen. After all, we need to defeat the BOSS first to have any spoils to distribute. The biggest problem now is whether we can win or not. If he truly earns the highest Contribution Value, that means his contribution is greatest, so why shouldn’t he pick the rewards first?" In fact, he had reckoned from the start that using the Contribution Value distribution method was the best approach, as it would inspire everyone to exert their maximum effort against the BOSS for the limited loot rights. If people didn’t give it their all, and allowed the BOSS to wipe them out, then that would be the end of everything. While the idea was good, he couldn’t be the one to decide, as the person who proposed it; even the best suggestion would be suspect if decided by the proposer, as if there were some calculation behind it. Therefore, he had to make Ye Luo choose this method, which might seem redundant, but it was necessary given the complex nature of human thought. "Besides, don’t worry, don’t you have confidence in me?" he asked. "Of course not, just tell us what to do, Feng," she replied. "Remember the trick we used at Tian Family Mansion to deal with the Demon?" Upon hearing this, I Want to Be Immortal’s eyes lit up. "Are you suggesting—fire?" "Exactly!" Meanwhile, Dongfang Sheng had completed his additional purchases, walking back with a confident look. Xiao Jie didn’t care what he had bought; everything was beneficial for the BOSS fight. "Alright, now that the distribution scheme and the basic tactics are set, let’s stick to the plan. For the next two days, everyone do what you need to prepare, and give it your all. In three days, let’s make a big push. Safeguard your positions, but be prepared for failure—even if you manage to hold your ground, that’s great, but if the village can’t be held, everyone should flee to the mountains in the back, and regroup at the top. If worst comes to the worst, we’ll cross the mountains and escape, at least avoiding a total wipe." Xiao Jie had also considered the scenario where defending the village might fail, and invisibility talismans and Godspeed Talismans were his reliance for escape. It was a pity he didn’t have any teleportation talismans, which would have made things much simpler. Retreating might not be honorable, but it was certainly better than losing one’s life. Ye Luo said calmly, "Sure, but I don’t think it’s a big issue." Dongfang Sheng also analyzed, "As long as we work together, we should be able to win. The system wouldn’t let Newbie Village be destroyed, right?" I Want to Be Immortal was more direct, "Just do as Feng says, and get it done." Seeing everyone’s high spirits, Xiao Jie felt quite satisfied. "Go ahead and place the order, Brother Wang Kai." "Alright!" Everyone transferred their money to Wang Kai. Xiao Jie was actually a bit worried that Wang Kai would take the money and run, as he had heard of such incidents before while playing games. Fortunately, Wang Kai was quite reliable. The items were delivered before it even got dark. Everyone received their ordered items and copper coins. Looking at the pile of items in his package, along with 15,500 wen in copper coins, Xiao Jie felt a wave of emotion. The 500,000 they had earned hadn’t even had time to warm up before it was all spent. But it didn’t matter. Money is inconsequential; once spent, it can be earned again. Once they defeat the boss and grab the top-grade loot, they would make back their money and then some. Over the next two days, all five of them went full throttle with their preparations for battle. Dongfang Sheng began leveling up outside the village immediately. He was only level 1 now and felt somewhat incapable of contributing to the defense of the village from monsters. He couldn’t just throw items the whole time; no amount of money was enough for that. He had to use these two days to boost his level as much as possible, especially since the early levels in the game are relatively easy to rise through. Plus, he was equipped with top-grade newbie equipment, fine leather armor, a top-grade long spear, and he had bought a combat skill book called "Sweeping Thousands of Army" specifically to deal with groups of monsters. He also knew the "Long Spear Thrust" move and had various talismans and items in his bag. His equipment was absolutely luxurious. He could probably handle the legendary Three-Dog Extermination Formation with ease. Ye Luo, on the other hand, seemed to have disappeared somewhere; she was nowhere to be found the next day. Xiao Jie didn’t inquire; this woman had a deep understanding of the game, and he felt certain that she must have prepared some strong trump card. She was the most likely to secure a priority looting right. However, Xiao Jie was also quite confident in his own plan. Hard work irons out the kinks; it’s better to rely on oneself than on others, a truth Xiao Jie understood deeply, so he pinned his hopes on defeating the boss on himself. The first thing Xiao Jie did was purchase supplies. He had already bought all the high-level consumables, and he couldn’t omit the lower ones. Small amounts of golden sore medicine, Power Pills, he bought a bunch, and ordinary arrows were even more essential. He bought 400 arrows, costing another 2000 wen. Considering that the siege would mainly involve soulless zombies, zombies, and Corpse-eating Dogs, it was inevitable that corpse poison would be present. Blood Rice Cakes were also a must, and he had to prepare some for others as well. Various items, the money flowing like water. Beyond purchasing supplies, the most important thing was to set up his fire attack plan. Xiao Jie’s plan was to construct a temporary defense inside the city gate using wheat straw, dry firewood, and wood to build a U-shaped barrier. When the Corpse Group breached the gate and flooded in, he would ignite the barrier. These monsters were brainless and would charge mindlessly, so a fire could burn a significant number through and earn a soaring amount of Experience Points. It could also deal a solid wave of damage to the Ghost General Corpse Vulture. This would secure his first right to loot. Setting up such a system would consume a massive amount of materials. Over the two days, not only had Xiao Jie been collecting materials like mad, I Want to Be Immortal had also helped in chopping a significant amount of wood, but it still wasn’t enough, as their manpower was limited. In the end, they simply bought a large quantity from the NPCs, spending over 3,000 wen, with the repair costs for the Firewood Axe and logging axe costing several hundred. During the two days, they accumulated 132 bundles of wheat straw, 145 bundles of dry firewood, and 254 logs. Such an amount of flammable materials was enough to set a great fire. Because the game has a refresh mechanism, they could only store these materials in the warehouse and take them out half an hour before the siege to set up the defense. Finally, the time had come two days later. After another day of busyness, the sky gradually darkened. Xiao Jie exited the game. He had just had a meeting with several players, confirming the defense tasks for the next day. At this moment, Xiao Jie looked at the desktop background of his computer screen and then at the sunset outside the window. Suddenly, he felt a serene calmness typical of the eve before a great battle. Tomorrow would be the day the monsters would attack the village. He had gone all out in his preparations for the past two days, and he believed he had done everything he could. His allies had also given their utmost, absolutely pushing their abilities to the limit. But the outcome of a war is never determined by one’s will. With the monster village attack and Boss-level Boss, as well as the countless little monsters, no one knew what the fight would become. As for tomorrow’s battle, Xiao Jie did not have complete confidence. Although he had prepared an escape plan, whether it would work in the moment remained uncertain. At this moment, Xiao Jie was filled with anticipation, tension, and unease regarding the upcoming battle. Could it be possible that he might actually die in battle tomorrow? The thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, troubling him. His heart fluctuated intensely as he thought of various possibilities, the suffocating feeling pre-battle becoming increasingly distinct. Drawing a long breath, Xiao Jie tried to calm himself. There was actually another way — he could ask for help in the chat group. An event as rewarding as a monster village attack would surely interest many players. Not to mention An Ran, that woman alone could likely take care of the boss, but the biggest problem with doing so was deciding who would get the boss’s loot. It would obviously go to the helper. If that person kills the boss and collects the loot, Xiao Jie would still have to thank them, gaining nothing and owing them a favor. It would be better not to trigger the story event from the beginning. So, soliciting help remained merely a thought.