Chapter 45:

Lumina and the other four newbie players had just logged on, looking confused, when Tris greeted them and handed them a quest. Fortunately, they had seen the update announcement on the forum before, so they knew that this seductive and sexy NPC was an important story character. Without hesitation, they accepted the quest and also took the main Disaster Day quest from Murphy. Afterwards, they followed the route suggested by their group mates and began exploring the city. It was already evening in the real world. Apart from these five players who had just logged on due to special circumstances, most players had already used up their allotted game time for the day and were collectively lying in the shabby shelters along the city wall defense line. This made the five newbies feel a sense of loneliness, but soon they had no time to be lonely. Because there were so many things to do in the city ruins! Although the few blocks near the city wall had been ransacked during the day by others, Lumina, with her keen eyes, quickly found the aged wine that Lady Tris needed in a half-collapsed shop. She also rescued the shopkeeper’s family from the basement, which had been blocked by debris. They had been trapped for over 6 hours, exhausted, hungry, and scared. When Lumina and her group rescued them, they were nearly kowtowing in gratitude. “The NPC interaction in this game is so realistic. I just saw that little girl wiping tears in her mother’s arms. Other games don’t have such details.” Dump Truck Iaido, carrying a gun, was rummaging through the street as he said to Bulldozer Man Charging: “Say, is it possible that all the NPCs in this game are AI performances? Bulldozer, what are you staring at so intently?” The questioned Bulldozer Man snapped his gaze back from a pile of rubble and said softly: “This city has been plunged into disaster for over 6 hours now, right? People like this shopkeeper’s family could still be alive if trapped, but who knows if they had been trapped longer. Remember those disaster response proposals we did for the fire department? They said after 24 hours, the chances of survival become...” “This is a game!” Dump Truck Iaido waved dismissively: “For them to stay alive is just a line of code. You’re overthinking this.” “Yes, I know it’s a game, but this game claims to be fully realistic. Don’t ignore that! If the developers really can achieve 100% realism and are willing to design it that way, then the NPCs buried in the city would absolutely not survive until tomorrow night!” Bulldozer Man stubbornly shook his head, saying: “I don’t doubt they have the technology to achieve the realism they want. I doubt, well, just doubt, if you read the quest description carefully, it clearly states that the number of NPCs we rescue will affect the subsequent story development. I’m starting to suspect this is a trap set by the developers, you know what I mean? They deliberately didn’t spell it out, probably wanting us to discover it ourselves!” “Damn! When you put it that way, it does seem like that.” Dump Truck Iaido pondered the main quest description again, then slapped his knee hard, saying: “We might be onto something big here. Let’s quickly ask around the NPCs. Call the other three over too.” “Yeah.” Bulldozer Man repeated his guess to Lumina, Day One No Fap, and Black Stockings Under the Keyboard. The two rough guys thought the old man was overthinking it, but Lumina didn’t agree. This brilliant girl felt that Bulldozer Man’s guess was probably correct. So the five of them hurriedly escorted the shopkeeper’s family back to the city wall safe zone. After completing the quest and receiving high praise from Tris, they ran over to Murphy, who was hunting the spawned fear creatures alone, and told him their guess and concerns. “It’s great that you noticed this. I’ve overlooked this important situation too!” Murphy was taken aback. He suddenly realized that in recent days, he had been too immersed in the player mindset and ignored the truth of this world. For him, this damn thing was not a game at all! Those civilians trapped in the city ruins, suffering from hunger, thirst, and Astral energy corrosion, would definitely not survive two more days. And he, a real vampire, needed players to remind him of this, it was truly a strategic failure. Although Murphy had little concern for the lives of unfriendly people in this city, the unexpected perspective brought by these five cute kids inadvertently gave him a new inspiration. Just like his earlier thoughts in the secret vault, the final stage of the Newbie Guide Quest required Murphy to obtain his own domain. Now, with the Blood Vulture Clan ambushed and its governing system completely collapsed while Kadman City was about to be devoured by the Astral Realm, the manpower and resources in the city could be utilized by him! He could take this rescue as an opportunity to employ the native manpower currently at his disposal, starting from this rescue to establish his own prestige and governance system among the survivors of Kadman City. After all, what could be more worthy of allegiance than a leader who could guide everyone out of the disaster and into a new life? Murphy blinked. He was still an official member of the Blood Vulture Clan. In this situation, as the last member of the vampire clan that had ruled this region for over four hundred years, it was only natural for him to inherit the Blood Vulture Clan’s dominion over this land and its people, right? So, if everything was handled properly, the disaster that had befallen Kadman City might not be a problem for him personally, but rather the absolute key to completing the Newbie Guide Quest and breaking the deadlock! Yes. This approach and plan were completely feasible! The premise was that he could truly lead the survivors out from the ruins and save more lives, letting them directly witness his capabilities, wisdom, and strength. In these brief seconds, Murphy became determined, and the traces of contemplation on his face were noticed by the players, reinvigorating them. Murphy gestured and walked over to Tris with Adele. He needed to plan three routes to maximize efficiency before taking action. His only consolation now was that the city’s chasms had split it in half, leaving only a quarter of the original city area for Murphy and the little players to explore. Though it sounded a bit cruel. With the remaining three-quarters consumed by the terrifying Astral energy, plus the ravaging of Astral beasts and spawned fear creatures, that area basically didn’t need checking. Unless a miracle occurred in this dark land, it was impossible for ordinary people to survive in such conditions. “Murphy!” Just as Murphy turned to leave after a few steps, the Young Lady’s dry, hoarse voice came from behind him. The ragged and lost loli stood up straight, looking at Murphy, this outcast of the clan, with despairing eyes. She said: “The Blood Vultures are finished. Literally! Our clan’s sacred pool has been polluted. I saw it with my own eyes, the entire Blood Vulture Halls is shrouded in a dangerous energy I can’t comprehend. Our elite clansmen are suffering in the Astral filth, unable to leave the halls... They’re beyond saving! It’s just us few left, Murphy. We’re the last of the Blood Vultures. We have no home anymore!” “No wonder she was struck so hard.” Murphy instantly realized that the Young Lady, who always prioritized the clan’s interests, must be having a hard time accepting the fact that their home was gone. But unfortunately, not everyone could understand her emotions. Like Murphy. He glanced back at the Young Lady and said with emphasis: “Does that have anything to do with what you need to do now? Does it have anything to do with those civilians trapped in the city, scared and facing death at any moment? Young Lady, you’re free to fly far away, no one can stop you. Or you can do one last thing for those who contributed blood and taxes to the prosperity of the Blood Vulture Clan in this city. In my heart, I’ve always felt you were out of place among the other vampires, though I don’t know why I had that thought. But I can sense your attitude towards humans is truly different from other vampires. Maybe we can cooperate?” “But what exactly are you planning to do?” The Young Lady suddenly erupted, grabbing her hair and screaming: “I heard what you ordered your servants to do, you’re deliberately spreading your authority and strength among the survivors. What are you trying to do? Win their hearts? Are you going to trample on the bones of the Blood Vultures to establish your own clan? You...ambitious traitor!” “Was I so transparent that she saw right through me, or is this Young Lady just that perceptive?” Murphy was a bit puzzled. He thought he had concealed his intentions well enough, but considering his opponent might be a centuries-old wily fox, it all made sense. His meager skills were indeed no match for her, so Murphy simply admitted it honestly. He nodded and said: “I do intend to do that! I’ll be frank with you, Femis. The Blood Vulture Clan you cherish and are willing to sacrifice everything for looks completely different in my eyes. I have no plans to join it in extinction, but I do want those who call you ‘masters’ to survive. If you’re unwilling to help, it’s fine! Just don’t make trouble. With Tris here, I’m not afraid of you. Also, a traitor? Heh, I don’t know what you encountered in the Smuggler’s Woods, but how did you actually survive? Young Lady, why did that terrifying being that massacred the entire Midnight Hunters spare you? Surely not because you’re cute?” Murphy narrowed his eyes and countered: “So before standing on the moral high ground of the clan to accuse me, how about you clear your own suspicions first?” “You...don’t you dare slander me!” Femis’s face flushed red. She was about to retort when she noticed Tris standing ominously in the darkness not far away, gesturing at her heart with a strong threatening implication. The once furious Young Lady immediately deflated like a punctured ball, her spirit and vigor draining away as Murphy looked on in surprise. She waved her hand weakly and said: “Fine, I’ll help you. But I have my own demand! After the Astral tide recedes, you must go with me to the Blood Vulture Halls. I need to get to the bottom of some things! And in this matter, apart from the final Blood Vulture members, you and Adele, I cannot trust anyone else.”