When they arrived at the base, it was already night. The wall repair was still underway, and the entire camp was buzzing with both players and NPCs.
Most of the players had decided to stay back, far longer than the advisable time for gaming, as they prepared for the attack on the Eastern Camp.
Legendary Logan, with the help of others, was also working tirelessly in his workshops, crafting more weapons and equipment.
The moment Gabriel arrived at the camp, he went toward the central area where Scarlett and several others were discussing among themselves.
As soon as they noticed him, the conversations paused.
"You are back sooner than expected," Sophie said. "I thought you might hunt overnight."
"I found what I needed," Gabriel replied. "And confirmed something else."
He did not waste time on buildup and quickly reported what had happened in the wilderness.
"The Eastern Camp has already begun probing. They sent an advanced scout. His name was Garret."
A ripple of tension passed through the group as they all stiffened. Scarlett noticed a detail, and she was not the only one.
"Was?" Lilly asked quietly.
"He is dead," Gabriel answered flatly. "Along with two assassins who accompanied him."
When she heard this, a bitter expression appeared on Lilly’s face.
’He just escalated everything,’ she sighed inwardly.
"Killing another one, oh boy. That will definitely provoke them," Ragnarok whistled.
"It already has," Gabriel replied. "Which is why we cannot delay any longer."
He glanced around, making sure everyone important was present.
Currently, there were Sophie, Scarlett, Alice, Lilly, Ragnarok99, Sniperbowlegend, Bunny, Anna, Cassie, Samantha the necromancer, and a few others.
"I have something for you all," he announced. Immediately, their eyes lit up, especially the players.
One of Sir Broken’s nicknames was Mr Generous. He was the only NPC who handed out treasures like candy.
"Alice," Gabriel called first. "Step forward."
Alice blinked in surprise but did as told.
"You are an assassin," he continued. "Your combat style suits this."
He reached into his inventory and handed her the Killing Intent Suppression skill scroll.
She already possessed a short range teleportation skill. With the added Killing Intent Suppression skill, she would truly become a menace on the battlefield.
Moreover, she would be extremely instrumental in the upcoming attack.
Alice took it carefully, her eyes widening the moment she read through the description. She tried to remain aloof, but her expression clearly betrayed her excitement.
"Thank you," she said stiffly.
After that, he turned to Cassie, the support type adventurer and Sophie’s best friend.
Sensing his gaze, she stiffened instinctively.
He handed her another item. This time, it was a defensive bracelet called the Guardian Sigil Bracelet.
"Although you already have the Replica Mirror, as the only support in the guild, it is always better to have another defensive treasure in case the first one fails you," he explained quietly.
"Again? You already gave me one before," she hesitated, clearly moved. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," he replied. "I am not hoarding power. You will need it more than I will in the coming days."
As for the [Water Manipulation skill] scroll, he gave it to Bunny, as she already possessed an ice based skill, which complemented her build.
The rest of the items he had obtained were distributed among the troops. Although it was not enough for everyone, all frontline fighters received something suited to their role. Defensive gear went to tanks. Support tools to casters. Ammunition enhancements to ranged fighters.
Immediately after the distribution was completed, a meeting was called. It did not take long for everyone to gather in the meeting room.
They were not surprised, as before Gabriel had left, he had already informed them that he would brief them on his plans.
Once all the key members were seated, Gabriel did not beat around the bush. He went straight to the point.
"Because the enemy numbers are several times higher than ours, a frontal confrontation would be a death wish," he stated in a firm, deep voice. "Which is why we will infiltrate their base and strike them secretly. By the time they realize they are under attack, we will have already inflicted enough damage."
Hearing the plan, the others nodded in agreement. If they followed this approach, defeating the enemy might be possible, at least to some extent.
The reason it was not close to ninety percent was because the plan sounded easy when spoken aloud, but executing it would be an entirely different matter.
Infiltration meant operating deep inside enemy territory, where a single mistake could expose them all. The Eastern Camp was larger, better supplied, and had more eyes watching every corner. Even slipping past the outer perimeter would be dangerous, not to mention striking key targets and withdrawing safely.
"We will split into small teams," Gabriel continued. "No loud clashes. No heroics. Strike fast, destroy key assets, and disappear before reinforcements arrive. Supply depots, key commanders, and communication points. Anything that can slow them down or throw them into chaos is a target."
Everyone listened attentively. It was because of this plan that Gabriel had avoided recruiting more players, afraid that information might leak and alert the enemy.
Due to the number of enemies he had, it was not only the Eastern Camp he was wary of. The Northern Camp also posed a risk. Any of them could ruin the entire plan.
Even the groups participating would only be informed of the full details on the day of the attack.
The room fell silent as everyone absorbed his words.
Suddenly, Sniperbowlegend spoke in a more serious tone than usual.
"And if we get discovered?"
"Then we go with plan B," Gabriel replied calmly.
"What’s plan B?" someone asked in a quiet voice.
"We go all out," Gabriel answered. "If they discover us, it won’t take long for them to find our camp, so there will be no point holding back anymore."
Cassie nodded quickly, clutching the bracelet Gabriel had given her.
Sophie exhaled slowly. "It’s risky," she admitted. "Let’s just hope plan A works. It’s far better than a head on clash."
"That’s why we move before dawn," Gabriel said coldly. "They think they have the upper hand. We will make sure they regret that confidence."