Chapter 748 Blackmail
“Suppressive fire! Suppressive fire!”
“Damn it! Try your best to just use bullets! Do not waste the energy reserve of the Thunderstorm Tank’s main turret!”
“The wounded from the frontlines have arrived! Hurry up and treat them!”
“Give me an inventory of the remaining Healing Beast Blood! Everyone, don’t hold anything back!”
“A gap has opened up on the left flank! Sentinel mech! Sentinel mech, reinforce!”
“Magi! Magi! Where are the magi?! Hurry up and throw a big one here!”
“Son of a bitch! Just how many of these guys are there?”
The sounds of artillery firing echoed out and energy beams dominated the sky.
Within a vast sandy desert were countless bipedal jackal-headed monsters. Those monsters surged forth from the sands to charge a lonely hill.
Each of the monsters was at least two metres tall and were either wielding shields, scimitars or spears. Wave after wave of the monsters charged forward like a tidal wave. On the sides, monsters wielding bows were assembled into formation and they fired arrows from afar.
Hundreds of men were stationed atop the lonely hill, having created a defensive position there to defend against the offensive by the tens of thousands of jackal-headed monsters.
Four Thunderstorm Tanks had been positioned at all four corners to form four pillars of defence. Tens of figures held positions around each Thunderstorm Tanks. The ones with melee abilities would rush forward to do battle while those with long-range abilities would stay within the perimeter to fire their attacks.
There at the centre of the hill, a large number of heavy weaponries had been set up. The weapons there range from recoilless rifles to rocket launchers. There were even a few walker mechs there. All of them were firing non-stop.
A number of figures dressed like magi were chanting. Every time they finished their chant, a devastating spell would erupt upon the battlefield outside. Sometimes, a spell for boosting the defenders would be cast.
The rate at which the defenders fell was high. Although their companions would rescue them back to the centre of the hill, men were dying.
Every time an artillery blast or spell was unleashed, a stretch of monsters would be wiped off the desert surface. However, after falling, the monsters simply transformed to sand before becoming one with the desert again. It did not take long before new monsters emerged from the sands.
“This won’t do.” There at the centre of the hill was a dark-skinned figure, tall and lean, wearing a high-grade protective suit. Although he was wielding a laser submachine gun in his hands, he did not open fire with it. Instead, he stared into the distance.
The hill was surrounded by the jackal-headed monsters who formed a radius of a few kilometres around the hill. Meanwhile, standing several kilometres away from the siege was an even bigger monster.
The monster also sported a jackal head. However, it was not holding onto a weapon. Instead, its right hand held a sceptre while waving non-stop with it.
Every time it waved the sceptre, hundreds of jackal-headed monsters would rise from the sands. After shaking the sands of their bodies, the monsters would then charge forward with a roar.
“Be honest, Riche.” There was a one-eyed, muscular man in medieval armour standing beside the dark-skinned man. He was wielding a shield and a war hammer. He continued, “What do you want?”
“We only brought the regular amount of ammo for this instance dungeon. We did not imagine we would encounter something like this.” The dark-skinned Riche revealed a gloomy expression on his face. “Be it the Thunderstorm Tanks or the Walker mechs, their energy reserves are limited. And then there are our magi. Once their magic power is exhausted, they will no longer be capable of unleashing those large area-of-effect spells to devastated the enemies. When that happens, these enemies will certainly break through our defence.”
“Who was the one who said that Anubis’ position as a god is not high and that he will quickly exhaust all his magic power?” The one-eyed man gave a snort as he glared at Riche. “If we had followed my plan of breaking forward before these monsters reach critical mass, we would have been able to kill that guy by now!”
“I was wrong, all right?” Riche glared back at the one-eyed man. “Terraflame, I am now discussing what to do with you. I am not here to listen to discouraging words. Given our present situation, you still want to argue with me?”
“Then, hurry up and tell me your plan!” The one-eyed man was shouting so loudly, spit ended up landing upon his feet.
“Gather the elite members and those with high-grade equipment together and attempt to break through.” Riche took a deep breath, suppressing the rage in his heart as he stared at Terraflame. “Kill off Anubis and these jackal-headed monsters will disappear.”
“Go on, then.” Terraflame spread his hands. “We will continue defending. Since this is your plan, you Players can go ahead and execute it.”
“You…” Riche clenched his fists. “Enough, Terraflame! You know what I meant! Right now, I don’t have that many elites! I need your party for the defensive backbone! Aliosha and Ghostfox too, they must participate in this assault!”
“Is that so? I personally think there are plenty of talents in Thorned Flower Guild. Surely, you don’t need our help to kill off this BOSS?” Terraflame rolled his eyes. “There is no way I will leave this defensive position. I am currently Starfall Guild’s Manager of the African Region. I have a responsibility towards my men.”
“Responsibility? First, you need to make sure they get to live!” Riche did his best to hold back the expletive in his mouth. “Once our BOSS killing plan begins and all our elites get dispatched out, this defensive position will fall! No… it would be more accurate to say, it is only a matter of time before we die here. Right now, a sudden assault on the BOSS is the only way! We only need this defensive position to hold out until we kill off Anubis! The amount of time this place can hold depends on how long it takes us to finish off Anubis! The stronger our assault team, the faster we can kill off Anubis. That way, we can secure the safety of those who are left behind. Can’t you understand this?”
“Of course I understand. However, right now, you are the one asking me for help,” responded Terraflame with a sneer. “I am aware that you did not bring any highly defensive warriors this time. You don’t have anyone who can bolster your warrior’s strength and you don’t even have any burst-type spiritual attacks.”
“That is right… … your assessment is correct! So, just what is it that you want?!” Riche bellowed. “Do you think I like dealing with you traitors? Right now, I am talking about the lives of everyone here! Lives!”
“Likewise, I have to hold my nose when talking to you.” Terraflame cast a cold stare at Riche. “I had never liked you even back when I was part of Thorned Flower Guild. To have you die here with me is not a bad thing.”
“Shut up, Terraflame. You are not that kind of person. Tell me your conditions. What will it take for you to help me?” Riche was gnashing loudly. “Don’t say things like letting you guys go. After we exit this instance dungeon, Thorned Flower Guild will pursue you traitors until the ends of the earth.”
“The day we decided to establish Starfall Guild, we no longer fear you,” Terraflame replied with a smile. Then, he listed out his conditions, “The four Thunderstorm Tanks here, they will belong to us.”
“Four?” Riche shouted. “This is blackmail! At most, two! Otherwise, I will have no way of explaining myself when I return!”
“Explain?” Terraflame said with disdain, “That Shen has disappeared for so long, he is probably dead by now. You are the Team D’s Captain. Who do you need to explain yourself to?”
“Damn it… … three! I cannot give you all my assets!” Riche gritted his teeth.
“Four Thunderstorm Tanks are all you have? Riche, I never knew you to be so poor.” Terraflame sneered. “As long as you spend some points, you can slowly accumulate these technological equipment. I am not asking you for those rare equipment that can only be obtained through instance dungeons. Know your place!”
“… … Terraflame! We are on the brink of annihilation here! You still have the gall to bargain with me?” Riche’s dark face nearly turned purple. However, the sounds of battle coming from outside the perimeter grew more intense while the rate of artillery fire was slowly falling.
Their ammunition and energy reserves were slowly and steadily decreasing.
They can no longer drag this on.
“Fine, four! However, all three of you must go out and assist!” Riche stared right at Terraflame.
“Nonsense.” Seeing Riche agreeing to his conditions, Terraflame revealed a pleased smile. “I don’t want to die as well. Just give me the details of your plan.”
“Damn it! You bastard…” Riche gnashed his teeth. However, he suppressed his rage. “From my side, there are Hillghost, Myriad Baiter and me. You should be familiar with these two.”
The moment Riche said that, his two companions appeared from behind him.
“It seems I will have to be at the front.” Terraflame lowered his head to look at the shield he was wielding. “Ghostfox is a spirit-type assassin while Aliosha can bolster the team. Myriad Baiter can handle the surrounding monsters while you face them head on. However… … what of Hillghost? His skill doesn’t seem suitable for this task?”
“Some time ago, he found a big equipment in an instance dungeon. However, the upgrade for its core energy part is still incomplete. So, it cannot be used for combat for too long. That is why I did not bring it out before this,” said Riche coldly. “Let’s hurry.”
“I have informed them to return.” Terraflame smiled as two figures walked over.
One of them was thin, pale-faced and dressed in ninja attire. The other was a muscular woman in elastic vest who sported short golden hair.
The two of them had just returned from the battle outside. However, there were no traces of a wound on either of them. Neither were there any looks of exhaustion on them.
After moving over to stand behind Terraflame, the ninja secretly asked, “Did the talks succeed?”
“All four are ours.” Terraflame nodded his head, a pleased smile on his face.
“Excellent.” The ninja extended a long tongue out to lick his lips. “Let’s hurry, then. I can wait no longer.”
Hearing Ghostfox’s words, Riche was reminded that the four Thunderstorm Tanks will be given away. He could not stop the aching feeling in his heart.
With a flash of light, a Devourer fighter aircraft appeared in the open space in the centre of the hill.
“No matter how damaged it gets, I hope it will not be utterly destroyed.” Riche reached out his hand reluctantly and stroked the glossy surface of the intact aircraft. “Let’s get on!”