It's almost midnight.
Brand couldn't help but recall that strategy guide, which mentioned that after the plot entered 'Extermination of Lizardman Thieves', the enemy would launch their first action one midnight; the enemy referred to would naturally be the Tree Shepherds, or the 'Paper Card' mercenary group visible on the surface—
'...The sudden attack came fiercely, it could be said that every one of us was stunned by it. The attack started from the northern hill, but anyone running southwards was likely to be hit once; because the main force of the monsters (Tree Shepherds) was evidently in the south. Well, this at least indicates that the advanced artificial intelligence promised by Torrential rain is not just a paper gimmick...'
'Our countermeasure is to try our best to save the Grey Wolf mercenary group from inevitable destruction. It's worth noting that Mane Wolf Macaro and Deputy Commander Bujia both possess extremely strong combat abilities, roughly equivalent to Level 45 and Level 55 players. Ensuring their survival is the most important point to help you complete the task.'
'However, we discussed another feasible plan, derived from a small discovery we later made in the east. I think Torrential rain had clearly considered the tolerance level of players at this stage, so they designed a Light Altar in the eastern part of this area...'
'Our team has discussed how to utilize this point, but no matter what method. Undoubtedly, as long as you can save Grey Wolf mercenary group from inevitable destruction, this might be the crucial condition to achieve one hundred percent task completion in this plot task—'
Brand rubbed the tip of his nose, this was more of a lesson summary rather than a strategy guide. Because of the unique nature of the plot task, he couldn't complete it repeatedly; he previously regarded the whole story with the mindset of reading a novel—after all, watching a group of players in a real adventure is still thrilling.
Especially using imagination to fill in the gaps between the lines, that feeling of being immersed was what Brand liked the most.
"But damn it, when writing a battle report, at least make clear the time, place, and people!"
What made Brand curse was that the guy who wrote the strategy guide seemed to have a bad habit. Terms like 'one midnight' appearing in a serious lesson summary post, is this really okay?
Previously he didn't mind, but now he found this kind of perfunctory attitude fatal. Of course, he couldn't pull that guy from the other side of the network to hear him say 'You're a real man, big milk'. Now he could only rely on his own experience to fill in the gaps of the strategy guide, and look up at the sky—
Of course, he also hoped—could Redi finish speaking quickly?
He certainly wasn't seeking one hundred percent task completion. In past games, perfect completion meant a so-called double task reward, but in this real world, where could he find the damned 'system' to claim rewards? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on NoveI[F]ire.net
Should he silently pray to the sky, Lord Martha, drop a pie from the heavens?
This clearly wasn't realistic.
Brand's plan was clear, previously he didn't understand the entire plot direction, now that he remembered it, he naturally had to revise the plan. Now he had to leave the Grey Wolf mercenary group before the Tree Shepherds launched an attack, and then rush to the Light Altar to start another side quest.
Then he would use this line to eliminate the lizardman thieves, grab the Sage's Stone Tablet, and make a run for it.
As for whether the Grey Wolf mercenary group lived or died wasn't much of his concern, each year in Vorn many mercenary groups were destroyed due to various conflicts—at least eighty if not a hundred—besides, he didn't feel he currently had the ability to subdue Mane Wolf Macaro or Bujia.
After all, one was a Level 45 Great Swordsman and the other an awakened Element, Level 56 Church Knight—although Bujia himself might not acknowledge the rank. But anyway, for these two big shots, Brand didn't dare to think about them for now.
He currently relied on discovering more potential talents like Antitina and Tama; seeing the future made clear that long-term investment is evidently the low-risk, high-return king's way.
Unfortunately, though the imagination is beautiful, reality deviates from expectations. Not to mention that the plan itself isn't flawed, Brand certainly hadn't considered sudden situations like now.