Murphy successfully obtained what he wanted.
As he had anticipated, it wasn’t difficult at all.
Although the strength of the gnoll warlord entrenched in Anderma Hills was still growing day by day, Murphy was also uniting his own forces, and he didn’t feel that he had no chance of victory.
The individual combat prowess of gnolls was quite impressive, and as supernatural beings, they possessed better physical conditions than humans. However, even in a place like Transia where order was lacking, they couldn’t turn the tables.
Their worship of barbarism left little room in their walnut-sized brains for complex thoughts beyond “eating meat” and “eating more meat” as well as “mating” and “more mating”.
Their civilization was still in a rather primitive state.
Although some gnolls had awakened and were moving towards civilization, from an overall perspective, this species could still be called “absolute barbarians”.
Numbers were their advantage, but the lack of organization was a fatal problem that went hand in hand. Before the gnoll population reached an irresistible absolute threshold, there were many ways to deal with them.
Although in Murphy’s view, vampires and other civilizations on this continent weren’t particularly advanced either, but in the face of the barbaric races of the primitive era, the organization derived from “higher civilizations” was already a “dimensional reduction attack”.
Not to mention, in the previous four Black Disasters, no matter how obvious the gnolls’ advantage was in the early stages, the sudden collapse in the later stages had already played out four times. Did the gnoll leaders not know where the problem lay?
No!
They were clearer about it than anyone else, they just had no way to make effective adjustments, that’s all.
It was something even the King of Gnawbone couldn’t do.
While Murphy was considering his next strategic tactics, he decided not to put more pressure on his lovely little players who had just finished fighting for the next couple of days.
Let them play around and relax for a while.
A big battle would soon be waiting for them, and resting and recuperating was also an important part of ensuring the players’ combat effectiveness. Being both tense and relaxed was necessary to maintain the players’ fighting power.
That’s what Murphy thought.
His thoughts were good, but the players simply couldn’t stay idle.
“Let’s run dungeons! Let’s run dungeons!”
Little Ashina, who had just returned to Crimson Citadel from the Baroness of Shadows, was now flapping her wings and circling around Lady Aqua like someone with ADHD, just like a big fairy. She waved her hands and screamed:
“Quick, quick, there’s a new dungeon on the third level of the sewers. They say there’s even hidden loot. If I take you through it once, you’ll probably reach level 10, right?”
“I’m only level 7 now.”
Lady Aqua obviously wasn’t that optimistic.
But she wasn’t pessimistic either. As a perfect woman who viewed “housewife” as her ultimate life profession, even when playing games, she didn’t care much about improving her personal strength.
She was less interested in the Black Iron Trial than spending some time studying the unique aesthetic style of vampires and the characteristic customs possessed by the locals.
But since it was a game, levels were certainly very important, and she did indeed need some new equipment.
The other girls in the group were all physical classes, and their leather armor and chainmail weren’t suitable for Lady Aqua, who was an absolute magic user. She needed to save up some Recruit Badges to exchange for a set of veteran mage equipment from the Blood Vulture quartermaster before she could enter the only current team dungeon, “Advance into Blood Vulture Halls”.
“It’s okay, I’ve calculated it all for you. We’ll run through four five-person dungeons today, and then again tomorrow should be enough. We’ll collect badges at the same time, 24 badges in total from two runs, enough for you to exchange for 8 pieces.
We’ll even get the weapon sorted out, easy and pleasant.”
Little Ashina counted on her fingers with an energetic look, making Lady Aqua feel too embarrassed to refuse.
Plus, Fatal Orchid, the powerful tank, was already in position holding her red tea and shield. So soon, the three of them teamed up to head to the sewers to try their luck in the new dungeon “The Rat King’s Doomsday” and see if they could get any hidden loot.
By the way, it’s been five days since this new dungeon was released, and no one has gotten any hidden loot yet.
After the three girls left their tent, Lumina and Sister Pomegranate were left with nothing to do. After fighting for seven consecutive days, even Sister Pomegranate, a battle maniac, rarely felt mental fatigue.
She planned to walk around the city with Lumina this afternoon to see if they could get new sheet music as a way to relax, then sleep at home for a day tomorrow, and go out for a stroll in the afternoon after dressing up nicely.
She couldn’t always play games, if she really became a gaming otaku, it would be terrible.
But before she could finalize her rest plan, she saw North Forest Dog’s Paddle from the Soldier Strike group peeking around outside their tent, holding a basket of freshly picked fruit.
“What are you doing? Brother Dog, come in.”
Lumina, who was polishing her instrument, had sharp eyes and cheerfully called out. North Forest Dog’s Paddle also chuckled stupidly as he lifted the curtain and walked in.
He acted as if he was really visiting, first putting the fruit in his hand on the table and exchanging pleasantries for a few words before getting to the point. He stole a glance at Sister Pomegranate, who was maintaining her claw weapon, and this usually forthright soldier said softly:
“Well... Sister Pomegranate, I’m a rough man, not very good with words. Anyway, my brothers and I want to ask if you could go easy on us in the upcoming hunting battles.”
“Huh?”
Sister Pomegranate raised her head in surprise, unable to understand North Forest Dog’s Paddle’s meaning for a moment.
So Brother Dog explained somewhat helplessly:
“It’s like this, Brother Mao took a quest from Lord Kudel. That Civilian Protection Officer really appreciates Brother Mao’s battle talent, and he wants Brother Mao to transfer from Maxim’s faction to under his command, to become the warrior of the Hunting Baron.
Lord Maxim didn’t rebuke and agreed to this faction change, but he gave Brother Mao a challenge.
He requires Brother Mao to take first place in this gnoll hunt before he’ll let him go. Lord Kudel also thought this was a warrior’s journey and agreed to this harsh condition.
But...”
“Oh, so that’s how it is.”
Sister Pomegranate immediately understood what North Forest Dog’s Paddle meant by “go easy”.
She glanced at the current individual score rankings. The third place had already changed to Niuniu, whose score had reached an astonishing 642 points.
However, Brother Mao in second place had 843 points, while Sister Pomegranate, the “Ultimate Wolf Slayer” in first place, had 880 points.
This was already a crushing lead at a different level.
Considering that the current gnoll grand hunt had only cleared one baron’s domain, and when all three count domains of Transia were cleared, it was enough to guarantee that the scores of the top ten would definitely break through to over 2000 points. So it could be fully understood that the players in the top thirty of the scoreboard were truly “blood-handed wolf slayers” in the real sense.
“No way!”
“Ooh, meeting online friends offline!” Lumina’s eyes widened, and she said very gossipy:
“You’re going to meet in person! You must let Niuniu record it for me. Do you need cosmetics? I can buy them here and mail them back to you. There should still be time.”
“Do you know how to talk? What do you mean by ‘meeting in person’? Explain it clearly!
Can’t you put anything serious in that brain of yours?
Don’t run!
Come back.”
Sister Pomegranate, annoyed, pressed Lumina’s head hard and rubbed it around, making her scream repeatedly, finally not daring to speak nonsense anymore.
——
“What are you sneaking around for?”
In the “Rat King’s Doomsday” Convergence Stone-crafted illusion dungeon in the sewers, Little Ashina, who had developed her own fighting style, had just shattered the body of the scythe-wielding death god with her Iron Warden. She was enjoying the thrill of victory with a satisfied face, feeling that the equipment in this game was indeed worth every penny.
Her powerful weapon, custom-made at great expense from Grandma Marianne, was far more powerful than the standard elite firearms of the Blood Vulture Clan!
But when she turned around, she unexpectedly saw the little player dressed in all-black stealth gear lingering beside the BOSS’s corpse.
He seemed to want to say something but didn’t know how to start. Little Ashina’s eyes rolled, and she grinned teasingly:
“Is this what they call social anxiety disorder?”
“Ah, no! I just rarely interact with people,” the player named “Frostfang Claw” shook his head and scratched his head embarrassedly, saying:
“I just wanted to ask, what is this ‘Rat King’s Malicious Echo’? I just touched the BOSS’s corpse, and this special token appeared on my character interface.”
“Damn! Hidden loot!”
Little Ashina was startled when she heard this.
She leaned over to look. The description of the token on Frostfang Claw’s character interface read “The malice of the Plague Rat King Zweig remains gathered within.” It sounded very powerful.
“Is this your first time running this dungeon?” Orchid also came over, leaning on her masterwork kite shield and asked:
“Getting it on your first try? Such good luck?”
“Uh, this is actually my first time running a dungeon with others,” Frostfang Claw answered quietly, somewhat embarrassed:
“I’m not very used to acting with others. I’ve been doing Miss Dorothy’s quests alone all this time. Also, I wanted to ask what the title ‘Warrior’ means?
This morning, after I finished a profession quest, Lady Dorothy said that from now on, I’m her number one ‘Warrior’.”
“That means you’ve already won Lady Dorothy’s trust and she sees the potential in you, recognizing that you’re qualified to become a powerful lone rogue! It must be your perseverance that moved that cunning gang boss.
Based on my observations of the Blood Rat Gang, this is not easy at all.”
Another administrative profession player, “Honorary Knight Typal,” who was tagging along with the three girls for the dungeon, came over. This guy, who dressed himself up like a paladin, said to Frostfang Claw with a serious face:
“This is a great opportunity for you, rogue! You’ve gained the trust of a lady with a mysterious past. You can’t let her down.”
“Hey, why do you talk like that?” Little Ashina blinked and said:
“Oh, I know, you’re the legendary ‘RP party’, right? Lumina said you’re a true role-player.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, beautiful and dashing lady,” Honorary Knight Typal replied with a straight face in a tone identical to the NPCs, making the other three girls laugh out loud. It was mainly because his style was so strong. Especially that “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
This was Lord Murphy’s catchphrase, and this guy imitated it perfectly.
“Let’s go, let’s follow Fangy to see what this hidden loot can be exchanged for,” Little Ashina called out, leading the way and being the first to exit the dungeon.
But Typal didn’t move.
He still wanted to explore the completed dungeon process a bit more. Lady Aqua, the last to leave, looked at this deep role-playing party member and asked curiously:
“You’re an administrative player, right?”
“Yes, I have already received an official appointment from Crimson Regent Baroness Miriam!” At the mention of this, Honorary Knight Typal immediately puffed out his chest proudly and replied:
“I just need to complete the rigorous administrative assessment, and I can go to my own fief with my loyal guards. It’s in one of the five collective farms under the Baron of Leim’s domain. I’ve already decided to name my village ‘Newbie Village’!
After I’ve settled everything there, I will send invitations to the three beautiful ladies who helped me today, sincerely inviting you all to my manor for a banquet befitting our status.”
“Ah, your way of speaking is too intense,” Lady Aqua waved her hand, feeling a headache:
“I really can’t get along with you weird guys. But I will attend your knight’s banquet, Lord Typal. I hope it will be a banquet that doesn’t disappoint a lady.”
With that, Lady Aqua pinched her skirt and gave Typal a very standard and elegant court curtsy. Typal’s eyes lit up, and he immediately responded with a perfectly standard knight’s bow, then watched Lady Aqua disappear into the illusion.
“Ah, I truly love this game!” In the dungeon illusion where only he remained, Typal spread his arms wide, as if a sun knight embracing the world, and shouted:
“Gentlemen! I have found my long-sought holy land. I will complete the second life I’ve been planning and longing for in this world!
Gentlemen!
Please witness the legendary story of Lord Honorary Knight Typal!
I want to...
Hm?
What’s that strange noise nearby?
There shouldn’t be any monsters left in this dungeon!
Could it be?
Hidden plot!
Ha, I truly am the chosen knight, right? Transia is indeed my destined holy land!”