He Yucheng, Xiaoye, Lengjiang, and Recomposed Words raised their guard against Moonshadow. Xiaoye had mentioned that only one team would fight the boss this time. But the "guards" could number as many as a major guild!
So, how many? Roughly a hundred!
In this game, boss allocations were mostly decided by big guilds cooperating. They reached consensus together. For wild boss fights, alliance guilds acted as "guards." Another method was each guild contributing members, then splitting boss loot evenly.
No matter how big guilds divided things, benefits stayed within their circles. It was extremely unfriendly to solo players or small guilds.
Lengjiang and Xiaoye were sisters, famous server-wide, yet belonged to no guild. This surprised He Yucheng. But after Xiaoye’s explanation, he never expected Lengjiang to be so introverted even in-game.
Still, the immediate concern was right here—Moonshadow!
"Hey, don’t you trust me at all?" Moonshadow raised his hands in surrender. He wouldn’t provoke trouble. What kind of team was this? He couldn’t win a fight alone, nor escape.
Moonshadow shot a pleading look at He Yucheng. After all, He Yucheng had "ruined his plans," forcing him to tag along. But He Yucheng’s group wasn’t easily fooled. Even if Moonshadow shared their goal—to loot the boss—they had no need for allies.
"See? If I were a ‘guard,’ I wouldn’t hide like this." Moonshadow pointed to his guild tag. He Yucheng knew nothing about guild strengths, so he deferred to Xiaoye.
Xiaoye sheathed her spear doubtfully. "Make one wrong move," she said coolly, "and I’ll teleport you back to town instantly."
Sweat beaded on Moonshadow’s forehead as he nodded with a forced smile. He didn’t doubt this "Queen’s" power. She could send him to the safe zone in a flash.
"Now that we have an extra person, you’ll join Recomposed Words to distract the ‘guards.’ Stay away from the main battlefield. Understood?" Xiaoye was team leader, commanding this operation. All decisions were hers.
Naturally, Xiaoye remained wary of Moonshadow. She, He Yucheng, and Lengjiang would enter the main fight to steal the boss. Moonshadow and Recomposed Words would draw the "guards’" attention, letting the trio slip in.
"Time’s short. In ten minutes, unleash every skill you have. Just buy me one minute." Xiaoye gazed at the endless desert ahead, where a breeze stirred yellow sand. She spoke to Recomposed Words and Moonshadow.
"Uh… Your Majesty," Recomposed Words raised a hand, "how many will chase us?" He worried about too many pursuers. Big guilds had ranked players aplenty. He was just an average player. His PVP skills were mediocre at best. Facing top-ranked opponents while outnumbered? Holding them for a minute seemed impossible.
"At least a dozen," Xiaoye replied casually, rearranging items in her inventory for quick access.
"What?! A dozen ranked players?! We won’t last half a minute!" Recomposed Words turned pale at her words.
Xiaoye glanced at him. "Ranked players? Why would they waste time as guards?"
"Exactly, brother Recomposed Words. What were you thinking?" Moonshadow clapped a hand on his shoulder. Recomposed Words slapped it away, glaring. "Cut it out. You were scared stiff earlier too."
"…"
He Yucheng sighed softly, watching their bickering. Stealing the boss was meant to get him a Concealment Jade. But he cared more about Xiaoye’s unspoken "condition."
What was Xiaoye scheming? He couldn’t guess. She claimed it was just to convince Lengjiang to return to school. But even her family couldn’t solve that—let alone an outsider like him.
Still, Lengjiang’s shyness amazed He Yucheng. Xiaoye said she was introverted in real life, friendless. He understood that; he’d been there too. They shared that pain. But in-game, He Yucheng wasn’t shy. He did things he’d never dare offline—like casually "picking up" Moonshadow.
Lengjiang was different. He didn’t know how she became the server’s "top healer." Yet even at that peak, she walked alone like a breeze. Her introversion was terrifying.
He recalled: maybe Lengjiang loved costumes so much that she accepted the Manzhu Ring Set for its outfit reward. Too shy to "take it for free," she obeyed He Yucheng.
He doubted it. Introverts worried less about "face" and more about interaction.
"Interaction…" He Yucheng murmured, glancing at Lengjiang. She stared blankly ahead at Xiaoye.
Forget it. No time to dwell.
"Ready?" Xiaoye asked as He Yucheng and Lengjiang approached.
He Yucheng nodded. Lengjiang still glared at Xiaoye with quiet resentment.
Xiaoye said nothing more. After briefing Recomposed Words and Moonshadow on luring tactics, she turned to He Yucheng and Lengjiang. "Let’s start. Skyward ascent—you know how?"
He Yucheng nodded. Skyward Skills used knockback effects to climb higher.
Most skills only hovered at current height. True Skyward Skills were rare. Typically, you’d use Rising Dragon Strike to gain altitude, then hover with attacks or skills. Once the next Skyward Skill cooled down, you’d climb again.
Xiaoye’s plan was clear: deceive the guards. If they were distracted, and the trio stayed over 50 meters away, their icons would vanish from the mini-map. The guards, busy with "invaders," wouldn’t notice "airborne" intruders. Who’d waste time flying 50 meters up anyway?
Plus, disrupting a guild alliance’s boss fight meant provoking top-ranked guilds. He Yucheng had only annoyed a "love rival" before. Most big guild players were in relationships, so they ignored him. But angering ranked guilds? That was different.
His pursuers wouldn’t be PVP noobs anymore. Real elites would hunt him.
If He Yucheng stole the boss and got the Concealment Jade, he’d be fine. His bugged costume weapon buffs made him a master escaper. Once out of the encirclement, Mirror Image’s bluffing power and the Concealment Jade’s mini-map stealth would protect him.
But if he failed—and angered those guilds—his future would be grim. Elite players might ambush him constantly.
He didn’t know their strength. Only that they’d be tough.
This battle would make or break him. Victory brought glory; defeat, shame.
"Huh?" After an upward dash, He Yucheng cast Mirror Image mid-air. To his surprise, Xiaoye knew Mirror Image too! As for Lengjiang, he saw her pause mid-flight, chant a rune, then teleport higher.
The trio climbed using only Skyward Skills. When they were nearly invisible and their icons vanished from the mini-map, Xiaoye typed in chat: Start!
Recomposed Words and Moonshadow shrugged. No words. Swords drawn, Invisibility active, they charged into the endless desert.
They ran until spotting players stationed at intervals ahead—clearly the "guards."
One glance showed dozens of guards. Recomposed Words and Moonshadow hated this duty. But they had to rely on He Yucheng’s trio.
"Ready!" Recomposed Words called to Moonshadow, who nodded. They halted, sheathed their swords dramatically, then swung hard. A high-intensity Drawn Blade Slash sent a sword wave surging out. Their Invisibility broke as they appeared.
"Intruders. How reckless." The guards saw only two attackers and scoffed. They were hopelessly outmatched.
A few guards exchanged nods and charged toward them.
"Tsk tsk, brother Moonshadow—time to go!" Recomposed Words chuckled. He just needed to hold their attention, keeping eyes off the sky.
His "go" meant "run." When four guards closed to fifty meters, Recomposed Words turned to flee. Then he froze, dumbfounded by Moonshadow’s move.
"KILL!!! Taste my Meteor Sword, punks!" Moonshadow dashed upward. Blue light flared as he Skyward-boosted again, then shot down like a blue meteor toward the guards…
"HOLY CRAP!!! ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" Recomposed Words gaped. Moonshadow had taken "ready" as "eliminate them."
…
"What’s that guy doing?" High in the clouds, Xiaoye used Displacement Skills to advance. She saw everything below clearly.
"Dunno… suicidal?" He Yucheng watched Moonshadow’s brave charge, wiping sweat from his brow.
"(￣.￣) Boss spotted~" Lengjiang said stiffly, uneasy with Xiaoye nearby.
Hearing her, He Yucheng and Xiaoye turned. Through the sandstorm, a colossal scorpion waved giant claws. Ten players surrounded it, attacking relentlessly.
"He Yucheng, build my combo meter. Sister, keep heals ready." Xiaoye checked the desert scorpion’s health—still half full. She commanded calmly.
"Uh… got it." He Yucheng wasn’t thrilled to be a punching bag. But for better leveling later, he’d endure.
"(／_＼)"
