Chapter 12:

Meow King was holding a bloody pitchfork, standing in the ruins of Morland Village, staring dumbfounded at the fierce huntress lying on the ground after being attacked by Precipitation Niuniu and his own NPC. Although this wasn’t his first time participating in a test, and he wasn’t a newcomer to the world, Meow King’s heart was still pounding rapidly. There were two voices arguing in his mind. The rational one told him that this was just a game, so he needed to stay calm! But the more excited voice was grasping at his brain, roaring. Look at everything in front of you! The bloody sunset, the collapsed ruins, his comrades standing with him after the bloody battle, and finally, the defeated powerful enemy. The scent of war was wildly provoking the most primitive wildness deep within this man’s heart! He could feel his heart skip a few beats when that dangerous figure fell to the ground. It’s true! He had just fought a battle with these extremely vicious enemies! And he won! So screw rationality. “We won, we won!” Meow King raised his pitchfork and shouted excitedly, almost cracking his voice. The surrounding players snapped out of their daze and joined in the cheers. Even the tough sister Lumina with her broken leg raised her dwarven hunter’s rifle with Miriam’s support. This scene was like a team celebrating their first clear of a raid, but the immense sense of accomplishment and satisfaction they got here could never be obtained in those paper games. The cheers from behind made Precipitation Niuniu, who had just delivered the “final blow,” feel unreal. He looked at the captive huntress squad leader he had knocked down and the heavy, strange steam-powered mechanical weapon that had fallen to the ground. It felt like the adrenaline was wearing off, leaving him dizzy and panting as he plopped down on the ground. That surprise attack was too intense, what was the difference between that and rushing a tower under AK fire? He didn’t expect himself to run that fast. He was clueless when he first logged in, but in the blink of an eye, he became the hero. This game is really amazing! Little brother Precipitation Niuniu looked at his hands in the game, exactly the same as his real ones. Then a shadow fell in front of him, and he looked up to see the handsome NPC reaching out his hand. “Is this the first time you’ve experienced this feeling?” Murphy, standing with his sword against the backdrop of sunset and dusk, asked softly. His crimson cloak swayed behind him, as if trying to block out the last ray of light. The athlete was stunned for a moment. Damn, this real-time rendered CG animation is too impressive! “Ah?” Precipitation Niuniu replied dumbly. He didn’t quite understand what this NPC was saying, but he accepted Murphy’s help and was pulled up from the ground. Then he heard Murphy say: “What I mean is, the feeling of savoring the sweet taste of victory, the desire to indulge in it, the feeling of staying alive. My warrior, look, your comrades are hailing you as a hero! Just as I see you as a heaven-sent miracle soldier.” “Heh heh.” Precipitation Niuniu instinctively turned to look at the players who were still standing behind him. Led by Meow King, the guys were whistling and making strange noises at him. This scene made him feel like when he had broken a record at the school sports competition and stood on the winners’ podium. He felt a bit embarrassed but also proud as he gave a thumbs up and wiped his dusty nose. “This feeling is really great, Murphy... uh, Lord Murphy!” He replied, then watched as Murphy bent down and pulled an exquisite hunting knife from the huntress’s waist, presenting it to him with both hands in a respectful manner. “Today, you are also a hero of this destroyed Morland Village. The dead will thank you for your grace. Take it, it is your deserved reward.” “Uh, thank you.” Precipitation Niuniu immediately took the weapon with both hands. He felt like he was receiving a trophy. Although this was just a virtual reality game, well, the atmosphere had built up to this point, right? “Lord Murphy! The four lousy hunters at the village entrance escaped!” Spicy Gugu Chicken came running over, dragging his sword, and excitedly reported to Murphy with an awkward salute: “Should we chase them?” “Can any of you ride horses, brave warriors?” Murphy raised his voice to ask. The players who had just been cheering immediately fell silent, looking at each other. Finally, Meow King said with an odd expression: “Dump Truck is quite fond of that stuff, he should know how to ride.” “Where is that brave warrior now?” Murphy followed up, and Meow King shrugged, pointing to the collapsed “sniper tower”. “Probably been blasted into a sieve.” The environment was just too realistic! If they couldn’t log out normally, it would truly feel like they had entered another realm, making them linger and forget to leave, even though it was just an ordinary little village. It would be enough for these innocent little players to spend a long time here. Murphy stood by the mud wall, watching these naive and lovely little players surround the language-barriered Miriam, trying to communicate with gestures. He felt a rare sense of relaxation since he had crossed over. But this relaxation didn’t last more than a few seconds before a new prompt appeared before his eyes: 【Newbie Guide Quest (5/6): Comprehensive Assessment – Lead your current manpower, from planning to preparation to final execution, to complete a complex combat operation! Specific requirements are as follows: 1.Alpha must strategize with the lovely little players in-game and formulate a plan. 2.The main combat operation must be carried out solely by Alpha and the player forces. 3.Alpha or the players must personally kill the leader chosen as the combat target, and ensure at least one-fifth of the current manpower survives by the end. Reward: +10 test invitation codes, new functions unlocked, additional rewards based on completion. Developer’s Note: Keep it up, there are only six stages to the Newbie Guide Quests. Once you complete them all, it means you are a qualified test admin capable of handling most contingencies. Although, that also only means the true beginning of your long service life.】 Murphy fell into contemplation looking at this quest. Although he didn’t know which idiot had designed this system and implanted it in his body, he could basically confirm that person was a moron. Is this really a quest a ten-year corporate slave like himself could complete? Damn, and this is just the beginner’s quest, but the difficulty level is already so insane. If I become a formal test admin later, what the hell are you going to make me do? I dread to think about it. Tch! The good mood is gone. —— “We cannot leave!” On the road away from Morland Village, the burned Witch Hunter on the saddle grit his teeth and shouted to the veteran soldier Norman ahead: “Norman! We have to rescue little Natalie! We cannot abandon that child, her life is far more precious than ours.” The veteran Norman did not respond, only spurring his warhorse forward with his spurs. In the increasingly gloomy night falling around them, he said in a hoarse voice: “Calm down, Monde. This was a trap from the start, that vampire played us completely. Stay calm, and trust Natalie! Nothing will happen to her. Have you forgotten the prophecy Elder Glamo made about her at her birth? This child will become a true leader under Avalon’s protection, she will accomplish feats beyond ordinary reach. She absolutely will not die here! Avalon protects her.” These words silenced the hunters around him. They could not refute Norman’s reasoning, for almost all of Elder Glamo’s prophecies over these hundreds of years had come true, including the rebellion ten years ago that turned the Avalon Church into the Old Faith. In this world where gods existed, prophecies were not vague and unsubstantial. Moreover, in their current state, any attempt to return and rescue Natalie would only increase casualties. They had to leave first, gather forces, and then kill their way back. “The mission to intercept the messenger has failed.” The veteran grabbed the reins and said solemnly: “We must immediately regroup with the battalion commander to determine our next plan of action. Buck up, lads, our hunt is not over yet!” “No, it’s over!” A chilling voice, like encroaching shadows, suddenly appeared beside the four escaping Witch Hunters, causing their warhorses to whinny uneasily and stop in their tracks. The lead veteran Norman looked up to see a pair of massive blood-red wings unfurl before him. Those enormous blood-red bat wings bore a petite silhouette hanging like a specter in midair. Behind her stood four Blood Vulture Midnight Hunters wielding spears, swords, and bladed whips. And higher above, a crimson firework was bursting in the sky. The light points converged into the spread-winged emblem of the Sacred Blood Vulture, the signal of the Blood Vulture Clan, indicating the roaming Midnight Hunters would all gather here tonight. “Shua!” Old Norman drew the sword from his waist. The three Witch Hunters behind him made the same motion. Facing the elite Midnight Hunters of the Blood Vultures, whose power was generally in the upper Black Iron realm, they knew they could not win. But that was no reason to abandon the fight, much less surrender. “37th Witch Hunter Squad of the White Oak Battalion!” The veteran thrust his blade forward, pulling his reins to calm his restless mount. Facing the mocking gazes of the Midnight Hunters appearing in the darkness one by one, he shouted expressionlessly: “Charge!”