The battle unfolded unexpectedly and ended without a sound.
The Crusader scout clearly didn’t expect the vast difference in strength and had no time to react to what was happening. After a moment of dizziness, he was down on the ground.
As for the two Life Guild players he had originally planned to “eliminate,” they casually brushed non-existent dust off their hands and picked up the health potion that had dropped on the ground!
The Crusader scout mournfully cried out in the team channel: [This is Team Five, Number 2! I’ve been killed by two members of the Silver Coin Guild! They were well-prepared, and this guild definitely came to steal the boss. Report completed!]
Yu Weize glanced at the team channel content and, after a moment of silence, turned to Green Fanatic beside him. “The quality of people in the guild has been deteriorating lately. I’ve felt they were underperforming before, but now they can’t even handle regular players.”
Green Fanatic sighed in agreement. “We’ve said it before, having someone like Pojun Baba as the guild leader, the Crusaders are doomed sooner or later.”
“Let them be doomed.”
Yu Weize shrugged indifferently and then switched to a very serious tone in the team voice chat. “Gather coordinates, prepare other teams, and move to provide support.”
The scout named Douzi quickly posted the coordinates in the team channel.
Several team leaders were puzzled. “Go there? What about the boss? Are we still going to try to steal it?”
Yu Weize answered nonchalantly, “Why rush? Clearing the field in the wild map is an essential part of boss stealing. How about I make one of you the commander? Do you want that responsibility?”
The team leaders hurriedly responded, “No, no, we’re heading over to support.”
Yu Weize was satisfied and glanced at the coordinates in the team channel. He then began moving with his team towards the designated location.
Having followed Yu Weize for so long, Green Fanatic knew that his master was using the pretext of clearing the field to slack off. He held back his laughter and asked, “Master, are we going to steal the boss or not?”
Yu Weize didn’t even lift an eyelid. “Depends on my mood.”
At the engagement point, the two watched in amazement as the corpse in front of them suddenly disappeared.
Jiang Shi said, “This guy respawned back at their camp.”
[[Team] Deep Well Ice Player: He wants to fight us without waiting for us to make a move? He’s taking advantage of this situation!]
Jiang Shi chuckled, “Not necessarily. Have you forgotten where the nearest respawn point is now?”
Deep Well Ice Player quickly realized after the reminder.
[[Team] Deep Well Ice Player: He’s from the Crusaders. Can Night Raiders touch him?]
“Why not? In front of the boss, everyone is equal. Besides, by sending him over, we’ve indirectly told them that the Crusaders are guarding the boss too. Night Raiders should be grateful for this important information.”
Jiang Shi, still in a good mood, continued, “Just a moment ago, I was thinking about how the two of us would act, but it seems we don’t need to anymore. Help has arrived.”
[[Team] Deep Well Ice Player: Help? Where?]
As soon as this question appeared in the team channel, there was a whistling sound from the space rift.
Deep Well Ice Player reacted quickly, quickly dodging the incoming projectiles, and when he looked back at the point of impact, he saw a series of arrows that had appeared there. This was accompanied by a swarm of small mechanical bees that arrived in a wave. If he hadn’t dodged the second wave in time, the chain of small explosions alone would have taken away most of his health.
As everyone knew, with Yu Weize around, the Crusaders’ guild could be considered the home base for engineers.
As the footsteps drew nearer, Deep Well Ice Player finally realized what Jiang Shi meant.
He took a deep breath and turned his head stiffly.
A massive group was closing in from all directions, their skills already precisely targeting him and Jiang Shi. Faintly, he heard someone shout with great confidence, “Members of the Life Guild, there’s nowhere to run. Get ready to die!”
Deep Well Ice Player: What the heck?
Help? Isn’t this… the Crusader who came for revenge just now?
In comparison, Jiang Shi seemed much more relaxed.
Having just been attacked in quick succession, he didn’t seem to sense Deep Well Ice Player’s mood at all. He lightly patted the other’s shoulder. “Old Player, are you fully loaded now? 37 degrees in the southeast corner, fire a few rounds.”
Although Deep Well Ice Player didn’t understand, he had always been willing to fire the big guns without much thought. Without hesitation, he launched a series of chained shots.
As the members of the Third and Fourth Crusader squads approached, they were hit with a barrage as a welcome gift. They frantically tried to dodge, but they still couldn’t avoid getting hit. In their embarrassment, they seemed somewhat incredulous.
D*mn, they’re surrounded, and they’re still provoking us!
Both squad leaders gave the order: “Did you see that short guy? Get him!”
The movement of the main force’s firepower was very apparent. Jiang Shi noticed the timing was right and asked one more question, “Do you remember the respawn point location?”
[[Team] Deep Well Ice Player: I remember, why?]
Jiang Shi looked deeply at Deep Well Ice Player. “Get there alive. I believe you can do it.”
[[Team] Deep Well Ice Player: ?]
Jiang Shi didn’t explain much, but after reeling in his attention, he briefly stretched his muscles and then glanced at the rear-right position. “Stay close to me.”
Without waiting for Deep Well Ice Player to respond, he turned and ran before the large force reached them.
In the one operation that still retained a bit of conscience, he probably cast a minor healing spell on his nearby friend before sprinting away, as a token of goodwill.
In no time, he had run a considerable distance, leaving only his back.
Deep Well Ice Player: ?
What the hell?
Stay close to you, you idiot! Your healing is poisonous, you scoundrel!
However, the current situation didn’t allow him any opportunity to vent his frustrations. As the Crusader’s large force arrived, a dazzling array of skills came hurtling towards them, originating from all directions but targeting with remarkable uniformity.
This was clearly payback for Deep Well Ice Player’s provocative chain of bombardment.
Guilds like the Crusaders had well-rounded team configurations, and the individuals hit by the chained attacks had their health restored to full by their healers, each of them sporting angry expressions, ready to make the short guy pay for his reckless behavior.
Deep Well Ice Player avoided a wave of skills and retaliated with a series of cannon blasts. However, he couldn’t help but cast a dark look at Jiang Shi, who had already left only a shadow.
MD, I’ll be damned. If I trust this guy again, I’m a fool!
However, Jiang Shi didn’t seem to feel he had done anything wrong at all. He continued giving instructions in the team voice chat without a care in the world. “Don’t mind the Crusaders, just head to the respawn point to meet our people. Got it? If you understand, say something. Deep Well Ice Player, can you hear me?”
In the midst of the gunfire, Deep Well Ice Player couldn’t spare the attention to type a response.
To hell with your requests, you darn son of a…
Jiang Shi seemed to hear his friend’s inner cry and turned around to check the situation behind him, showing his consideration. “No time to type? That’s fine. Fire four shots in a rhythmic pattern to let me know you heard me.”
Deep Well Ice Player fired four shots in frustration.
Jiang Shi made an “OK” gesture with his hand. “Received.”
On the other side, the members of the Seven Silver Coins guild were lying comfortably on the ground.
In this specific wild map, even choosing to “respawn in town” would only take you to the nearest respawn point. Today, Night Raiders had brought quite a few members, clearly treating Madman Taitei as a high-priority target. At this point, a squad of Night Raiders was blocking the Seven Silver Coins guild members at the respawn point, immobilizing them. They couldn’t even access the teleportation area.
After Jiang Shi had finished speaking earlier and had gone silent, they concluded that it was impossible to approach and had given up on their rescue attempt while they were outside. They were considering whether to log out in place to save time when the familiar voice suddenly appeared in the team voice chat. “Sorry for the wait, everyone.”
Madman Taitei was surprised. “You guys didn’t leave?”
“Of course not. We said we’d come to rescue you.” Jiang Shi could already see the situation in the area where the corpses were guarded. After scanning it briefly, he said, “Don’t worry. Did you hear that commotion? I’ve brought reinforcements.”
Madman Taitei carefully listened for a moment and indeed heard the sound of a large number of footsteps from Jiang Shi’s voice channel. He was both surprised and pleased. “You didn’t go to fetch reinforcements earlier, so where did these people come from?”
Jiang Shi chuckled. “You don’t need to ask about that. Just be ready to respawn.”
As the large force drew closer, the sounds in his voice channel gradually merged with reality.
The imposing formation had also caught the attention of the people on this side.
Night Raiders were guarding the corpses attentively, and upon sensing the unusual activity in the distance, they looked up.
Night Raiders’ squad leader confirmed in the team voice chat, “What’s going on?”
The scout stationed at the perimeter replied, “Reporting to the squad leader, the Crusaders are charging in! There are two people in the front, and they seem to be from the Seven Silver Coins guild.”
The Night Raiders’ squad leader involuntarily twitched his lips and glanced at the unlucky Crusader they had trapped with them. He cursed internally. They were just blocking one guild member; how did the Crusaders team up with the Seven Silver Coins guild?
The Night Raiders’ team leaders asked cautiously, “What should we do now?”
After a moment of contemplation, the Night Raiders’ leader clenched his teeth and said, “I’ll contact the overall commander here. If the Crusaders really make a move, we’ll charge directly.”
Night Raiders’ team leaders: “Understood!”
Two figures at the forefront had already reached the scene.
Accompanying them were waves of mechanical attacks from the Crusader’s guild, and with Jiang Shi and Deep Well Ice Player’s astute angles of attack, they immediately inflicted heavy damage on the outermost Night Raiders members.
The Night Raiders were momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting the immediate hostility from the other side.
The anger of both guilds was simultaneously ignited, and they engaged in direct combat within minutes.
“They’re here, everyone get ready to respawn,” Jiang Shi deftly avoided tons of skill damage in the midst of the chaos. After sprinting to the respawn point and firmly planting a cross into the ground, he spoke with calm composure. “Just move forward, don’t look back. Deep Well Frost Patient and I will cover your retreat.”
Deep Well Ice Player, who had finally managed to catch up while carrying a heavy cannon, almost felt an irresistible urge to blast this shameless guy in the head upon hearing his words.
Dwarves naturally had short legs, and he was carrying a heavy cannon as well. How did this guy even manage to bring it here? And now he wanted him to help with covering the retreat?!
Even after knowing this guy for so long, it seemed that Jiang Shi hadn’t reached the limit of his audacity.
As the battle around them became increasingly chaotic, the members of the Seven Silver Coins guild began to respawn.
Just like the others, What Pen Carries Fragrance sprinted out of the battle without looking back. When he took another look at the chaotic scene where the two guilds were brawling, he remained immersed in a state of shock.
The fact that they could mobilize the entire Crusaders’ guild to come to their aid was a testament to the extent of their influence.
As he was pondering this, he noticed that Jiang Shi was still at the respawn point and warned him, “Material Main Account, it’s time to go. Our people have all respawned.”
Jiang Shi, dodging incoming skills as he spoke, swiftly scanned the ground around him. In the vicinity of the respawn point, members of both guilds were resurrecting and dropping numerous items from their backpacks, making it quite a spectacle.
However, to his disappointment, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for. “Don’t worry; I’ll look for Dragonwhisker for the guild leader.” Jiang Shi casually responded while placing the purple material in his backpack. Then, he added, “Oh, by the way, if anyone has ideas, stay behind. We’ll go together to deal with the boss later.”
“What?” What Pen Carries Fragrance couldn’t believe his ears. “Did I hear that right? It’s already so late, and you’re still thinking about Dragonwhisker? Besides, with just the few of us, there’s no way we can claim the boss!”
Jiang Shi, still in the midst of the battle, casually replied, “Ah, that’s why I said it’s up to you whether you stay or go.”
Island Forest, who had been silent until now, suddenly chimed in, “It sounds kind of fun to me, what’s wrong with joining in?”
“Come on, I’ve told you so many times to call me Carries Fragrance, not ‘What Pen!'” What Pen Carries Fragrance looked skyward, exhausted but conflicted. Eventually, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the party.
After a while, he added, “I’m not staying because I find it fun. It’s just that as the vice guild leader, I have a responsibility for your safety. Don’t say I didn’t sacrifice for you when the time comes! And, guild leader, you’ll reimburse all the losses from today, it’s like an on-the-job injury, you know!”
Island Forest was already wealthy, so she didn’t take the financial aspect too seriously. “Okay, dear!”
What Pen Carries Fragrance: “Alright, I guess we’re good. Since the team needs me, I’ll reluctantly stay.”
Listening to this conversation, Jiang Shi suddenly found the people in this life guild rather endearing.
While sweeping his gaze around, he finally spotted the faint glimmer of what he was looking for not far away.
He had found it, his beloved Dragonwhisker.
Jiang Shi contentedly shoved Crusader guild members aside as they tried to loot items, and he placed the purple material in his backpack. Then, he called out, “Deep Well Ice Player, let’s go and deal with the boss.”
Deep Well Ice Player reluctantly grunted in response through the team channel.
Jiang Shi chuckled and turned to gather guild members.
Amidst the chaotic battle, no one noticed the small team that had emerged on a nearby hill.
“So, you’re saying we’re going to fight the Night Raiders now?” Yu Weize had heard about the fact that his guild members were being kited by two players and had already grown somewhat interested. Now, watching the situation below, he found it even more intriguing. “What about the Seven Silver Coins people?”
Green Fanatic, who had been gathering information, responded, “They seem to have allied with the Night Raiders, probably because they couldn’t defeat us. They’ve essentially disappeared from the scene.”
“Allied?” Yu Weize hadn’t yet grasped the full situation while observing the intense battle in the center. He commented with amusement, “Well, it seems they’ve been played.”
Green Fanatic asked, “What do we do now? Clearing the Night Raiders first is an option, or we can just enjoy the chaos.”
Based on the principle of “On the boss map, there are no friends, only enemies,” Yu Weize was inclined to go for the brawl rather than boss hunting.
He was about to lead his small team into the fray when, quite by chance, he stopped in his tracks. Although it was just a brief glimpse, he saw a silhouette wielding a massive cross-like weapon, and it remained strikingly vivid in his field of vision.
As the saying goes, sometimes all it takes is one more look amidst the crowd…
Yu Weize opened the team voice chat and asked, “Is Squad Two, Over? Over.”
The Crusader’s scout, who had died earlier during the chaos and quickly respawned, promptly replied, “This is Squad Two, Number Two!”
Yu Weize asked, “Do you still remember the names of those two Seven Silver Coins guild members you encountered earlier?”
The Crusader’s scout replied, “I remember! One was called ‘Material Main Account,’ and the other was ‘Deep Well Ice Player.’ They’re a Light Elf and Deep Cavern Dwarf!”
Yu Weize paused, the name [Deep Well Ice Player] did ring a bell, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he had given an order he shouldn’t have…
Author’s note:
Well, sometimes a one-year “fire cemetery” takes ten years to be appreciated properly~.