My Players Are So Fierce

Theoretically, tonight’s situation didn’t require an NPC of Murphy’s level to show up, but the Governor came anyway.

First, it was to boost the morale of his new players and make his presence felt before them.

Second, because there weren’t many veteran players in the “main city” of Crimson Citadel at this time, relying solely on these newcomers’ combat power might not be enough to handle the starved ghouls who had become extremely aggressive after being “hungry” for so long.

Of course, there was also a third reason.

Since defeating the fallen swordsman summoned by Lady Cecilia until now, Murphy hadn’t drawn his sword in battle. Although he had been practicing swordsmanship with the super sword instructor “Evil Master”, Murphy felt he should take this opportunity to get some exercise.

He felt that if he didn’t move around a bit, his bones would start to rust.

Murphy’s timely appearance as a “powerhouse” did indeed boost morale effectively as he had anticipated.

Especially after witnessing Lord Murphy’s mighty single sword strike with the Crimson Arc Slash that instantly killed three elite ghouls, the new players who had been sent to the battlefield without much experience all exclaimed “Holy crap, so powerful!”

This familiar praise made Murphy satisfied.

As a main storyline NPC, one needs to demonstrate their power from time to time to reinforce players’ inherent perception that “Lord Murphy is strong.”

However, this Oscar-worthy performance couldn’t fool Tris who had been monitoring the city.

When Murphy summoned the wolf pack to help the little players clear the sewers, Tris’s inquiry rang in his ear, carrying a hint of teasing and puzzlement.

The Crimson Witch said:

“It’s just an ordinary ghoul uprising, why does our Lord Murphy need to personally appear? So, does my little drama queen Murphy feel regret and itchy all over if he doesn’t demonstrate his valor and care for his subjects for one day?”

“I’m just protecting my subjects.”

Murphy replied with a straight face:

“And don’t just use a word randomly after learning it, this behavior of mine is definitely not being a ‘drama queen’.”

He answered Tris’s teasing in his mind while swinging the sword cane in his hand in a batting motion, hitting back the corrosive spell orb thrown by the wraith ahead like hitting a baseball.

Using a sword to cut spells sounds absurd, and if one really did this on the battlefield, the outcome definitely wouldn’t be too good. Spirit energy spell orbs have no physical form and are very unstable after formation. Once cut by a blade, it would only cause their internal magical patterns to collapse faster, triggering unnecessary explosions and dispersal.

However, under Murphy’s “magical operation”, not only did he use his sword to “deflect” the corrosive spell orb back, it also followed a precise trajectory and hit the wraith who cast the spell, causing the corrosive spell to burst open and engulf the wraith within.

This scene was witnessed firsthand by Gao Mao Ah who had regained courage to return to the battlefield. Watching in amazement, the little player exclaimed:

“Holy crap! Jedi lightsaber deflection! How many things did this damn game patch in?!”

“Tch, inexperienced little one.”

Murphy heard Gao Mao Ah’s exclamation after completing a perfect deflection, and sneered at this.

This wasn’t sword technique inspiration learned from the Jedi, this unique spirit energy deflection is a core skill of the Blood Vulture Clan’s “Spirit Energy Secret Sword Technique”.

Murphy had already practiced this sword technique to proficiency, and wasn’t far from reaching the master level.

Murphy didn’t have a clear understanding of exactly how powerful spirit energy spells this skill could deflect, but according to Tris, she had personally witnessed a Blood Vulture Clan elder use his sword to deflect back a lightning storm from an elven archdruid, letting that enraged archdruid personally experience what “nature’s wrath” meant.

Getting hit in the face by a lightning storm head-on, ouch, just sounds painful, wouldn’t that leave black and blue bruises all over?

“Warriors! Follow me forward! Break through the enemy lines!”

Murphy raised his sword cane and swung it forward. The wolf pack surrounding him charged forward under George’s lead, with the Kadman People’s Army and reinforcing witch hunters following closely behind.

Thanks to their defensive line in the sewers not being broken through, the ghouls’ first wave of attacks didn’t spread beyond the first level of the sewers before being pushed back.

Lacking the command of “core wills” like the Plague Rat King and Ghoul Overlord, these ghouls that could only fight by instinct may be numerous, but their threat level was far from as terrifying as during the previous Night of the Ghouls.

After all, this “random event” was just meant to provide a “leveling area” for new players entering the game in the coming period. It itself could no longer be considered a threat to the current power of Crimson Citadel.

“This is a show put on by you and Dorothy together!”

Just as Murphy led the players to push the ghouls back to the third level cavern, Tris’s voice rang out again, this time carrying a hint of gravity.

She asked:

“Which faction are you planning to pin the blame on this time? And who are you planning to point the gathered player warriors’ spears at? Don’t tell me you’re already preparing to open the third raid dungeon?”

“What a clever girl, my dear and wise girlfriend.”

Murphy sheathed his sword.

Watching the scene of little players yelling and charging at the ghouls with crude weapons under the cover of People’s Army veterans made him sigh that the young people of the great Seris tribe indeed had abundant martial virtue.

But the following scenes had nothing to do with him anymore.

The dramatic entrance that needed to be shown had been shown, and the battle meant as tonight’s casual physical exercise had also ended. It was time for him to return to his role as Governor of Transia.

He stood in place, commanding the wolf pack he summoned to charge forward and cover those reckless players, while answering Tris in his mind:

“Raid dungeon 003 will officially open in one month. Counting the time, when my warriors conquer Plague Town and clear the road through Foul Swamp, there will be exactly two months left before the Black Plague outbreak.

This is enough time for our vanguard to cross Foul Swamp and rendezvous with the Blood Pact Knights at Dark Mountain.

As for the next month, it will be ‘raid dungeon warm-up’. I can no longer casually ‘create’ a raid dungeon for them to challenge like before.

This time I will not intervene in the information gathering and tactics development for the raid dungeon. All matters will be completed by them independently.

The one month time must be reasonably allocated.

They need to carry out reconnaissance, harassment and attrition, until the final moment of decisive victory!

Tris, since we’ve already decided to open the ‘world map’ to my warriors after the Black Plague outbreak, it’s time to test their growth during this period.”

“You’ve planned well, but there’s a fatal problem.”

Assistant Xiao Cui immediately reminded:

“Your warriors are unquestionable in terms of tactics and courage, but since entering Transia until now they’ve only dealt with ordinary enemies, they lack experience in dealing with spirit mages.

In fact, I think you also lack practical combat experience in this aspect, so I’ve decided to personally-”

“Let Femis come!”

Murphy interrupted Tris’s voluntary nomination, saying:

“The young lady had quite a few criticisms about my ‘dungeon design’ last time, so let her assist the warriors in completing the attack and occupation of Plague Town this time. I’m also curious to see if our Lady Femis has talent in this aspect.

I will remain stationed at Crimson Citadel and be ready to support the swamp front at any time, while Maxim will use this time to train troops plus the rapid construction of the Maginot Line. This way even if they fail, I can cover for them.

As for you, Tris.

During the time I’m away from Crimson Citadel, you must shoulder my responsibilities and continue to lead Transia in war preparations in your capacity as Blood Vulture Grand Duchess.”

Tris fell silent.

After several seconds, she said unhappily:

“Little Murphy, tell me honestly, are you deliberately restricting my movements? Ever since we discovered traces of Dusk, you’ve consistently forbidden me from participating in any matters that might involve contact with them.

Have you discovered something?

Are you hiding something from me?

You’re not being good.”

“No, you’re overthinking it, I’m still the same obedient Murphy as before.”

The vampire lord lied without changing expression:

“Rather, it’s you who’s been acting mysteriously lately, rejecting even my date invitations with the excuse of doing experiments. I’m starting to wonder if you’ve fallen for someone else. So, little Tris, are you hiding something from me?

You’re not being good.”

“No.”

Tris on the other side also rejected firmly, then said:

“Alright alright, let’s do it your way then, leave everything to Femis to manage. I’m too lazy to care anyway, might as well enjoy some hard-to-come-by peace and quiet. As for what I’ve been doing in the laboratory lately…

Hmph, perhaps you’ll know in a few days, if everything goes smoothly.”

Tris’s voice dissipated around Murphy’s ears.

But she also gave Murphy something to look forward to, making the vampire lord unable to resist wondering what this surprise could be, while feeling in his heart that Tris’s move of feigning indifference was becoming increasingly exquisite. Ah, what an enchanting “older woman”.

Meanwhile, the little players who had begun counterattacking the ghouls in the sewers also had unexpected “gains”.

Because the veteran players had all rushed to West Seicob territory and Smuggler’s Woods, Little Rich Brother who participated in tonight’s event instead became the big shot leading the players.

With the increasingly fierce cooperation of the smelly treasure manticore, Feel You Poor almost single-handedly cut through the ghouls’ battle lines. However, he soon discovered some strange figures at the fork leading to the third level cavern.

They were some undead gnoll warriors.

Judging by their attire, they should be the vanguard under Kenport’s command, unfortunate ones who were tricked to death in the cavern by the Wolfsbane vampire. They had also charged into the sewers along with the ghouls, and having lost the wisdom of the living with only savage strength and hatred for the living driving them to launch attacks on the manticore and summoner.

Little Rich Brother was no longer the crybaby who would cry when his foot got hit. Faced with a group of gnoll ghouls surrounding and attacking him, he wasn’t afraid at all.

Right hand gripping the sword cane and left hand drawing the large caliber revolver from his waist, this was “high-end merchandise” purchased from Countess Sharon, loaded with combustion rounds perfect for dealing with these thick-skinned fellows.

Darting forward with Shadow Step’s flash, swinging his sword while firing a shot forward.

With a boom, dazzling flames burst open on the head of the gnoll ghoul in front, the accompanying intense burning setting its entire withered body ablaze, while the manticore’s flank support made Little Rich Brother fight more and more courageously, with the coordination between man and beast becoming increasingly skillful.

A few minutes later, five gnoll ghouls had been completely slaughtered, and Little Rich Brother pulled out a leg of lamb from his spirit bag to feed the manticore as extra meal, while he himself crouched down and began looting.

Just looking at his skilled movements showed that Little Rich Brother hadn’t done little of this in his running around during this period.

“Eh? What the hell is this thing?”

Feel You Poor soon discovered some strange things on the gnoll ghouls, it was a somewhat tattered beast skin letter, hidden in these ghouls’ pockets, already contaminated with undead stench.

But Little Rich Brother didn’t mind.

He was already a qualified veteran, mere corpse stench was nothing, just holding his breath was enough to deal with it!

He disgustedly pinched open the rolled-up letter and found it was all in gnoll script, but with the computation bead’s vague translation he read through the content and then frowned.

“Plague Clan? Never heard this name before. Why would this letter from a Flesh Render shaman to Kenport be on these gnoll ghouls? And the letter mentioned those gnoll shamans are searching for some treasure in Foul Swamp?

Holy crap, could this be a clue to some big hidden treasure?”

Little Rich Brother immediately got excited.

He looked left and right, hid this gain in his spirit bag then continued hunting with his manticore, while arranging in private chat to meet Joy Stick tomorrow outside Crimson Citadel’s military camp to properly discuss this matter.

All this was noticed by Dorothy hiding in the shadows.

After seeing off Little Rich Brother and the manticore disappearing into the chaotic sewer battlefield, Dorothy also quickly left this place, returning to Lord Murphy’s side who was now resting on the defense line.

She emerged from the shadows, bent down and reported in Murphy’s ear:

“That forged letter has been delivered to your warrior as planned. If they follow the letter’s guidance to Foul Swamp searching for the legendary lost treasure, they will inevitably discover Plague Town and the undead army of the Plague Clan shamans.

As you wished, they will participate in all operations in Foul Swamp with a very proactive posture.

But honestly, I have some doubts about this, Lord Murphy, can your warriors really handle a fully equipped gnoll shaman clan?

According to the intelligence we’ve received so far, the number of undead near Plague Town is an exaggerated astronomical figure.”

“Could it be more than the undead under West Seicob city?”

Murphy shook his head, while stroking the increasingly sleek glowing fur of the giant wolf George lying at his feet, saying:

“If they cannot resolve Plague Town’s trouble, then they cannot participate in West Seicob’s affairs. Sigh, the Lord said he would send reinforcements, it’s been almost half a month with no movement, forget about them!

After the 100-day grand construction campaign ends, in the last month before the Black Plague outbreak, we must resolve the hidden danger of West Seicob city.”

The vampire lord said decisively:

“Whether we can resist the gnolls on the front lines while still being tied down by undead in the rear, if the Lord’s reinforcements keep not coming, then I’ll have to mobilize the mountain folk’s strength. West Seicob city was once their first and only city on the plains, I believe the brave and fearless mountain folk won’t reject my invitation.

Oh right, hasn’t your Blood Rat Gang been seeking to establish contact with the Thieves Guild?

Andrei even wrote you a letter of recommendation in the name of the Thorn Clan, why has there been no movement on this?”

Faced with Murphy’s inquiry, Dorothy also had a pained expression.

This vampire society big sister put her hands on her hips and sighed:

“I’ve already sent people to the Thieves Guild stronghold in East Prussia region, it’s been several days now, I also don’t know what problems occurred there. I guess the Thieves Guild probably also realized the threat that Transia poses, they’re unlikely to absorb us as their faction member at this point in time.”

“If their leader truly has foresight, I guess you’ll get a response soon.”

Murphy shook his head and said:

“If those thieves who pride themselves on selling information don’t even understand the principle of ‘sending charcoal in snowy weather’, then you don’t need to rack your brains trying to join such an incompetent organization.

At that time we can start from scratch, team up with the Thorn Clan to rebuild a new Thieves Guild, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“That’s easy to say”

Dorothy sighed and said:

“But they are after all an ancient organization that has existed for over 500 years, wanting to join them isn’t so simple. I estimate there will probably be some troublesome trials and tests later, but they have the capital to be arrogant. Not to mention the various information channels and support controlled by the Thieves Guild itself, just their subordinate Assassins Guild has existed longer than the history of the Portia Federation.

Perhaps they know more secrets about what’s under this land than we locals do.

Whether for your cause or for Blood Rat Gang’s future development, joining the Thieves Guild is quite a good choice.”

“The longer something exists, the greater the possibility of corruption.”

Murphy thought of the seemingly omnipresent Dusk, saying softly:

“In any case, be careful when dealing with them. If you encounter trouble, make decisive action, I’d rather not have their help than have them add an unpleasant flame to Transia’s situation.”