Chapter 66: The Whispers of Strategy and Doubt

The Main Camp Barrier possessed a self-healing ability, which would double its regeneration rate the moment it ceased taking damage.

Consequently, the few minor soldiers who had managed to slip past earlier were now inconsequential; once dispatched, it was as if they had never existed, the barrier’s health having fully replenished.

“Oh, this thing heals itself! Doesn’t that mean we don’t have to worry too much? Even if it takes a bit of damage, it’ll just fill right back up.”

Great Tengu, having noticed this crucial detail, exclaimed with delight, “This game is actually quite simple, isn’t it? The minor soldiers don’t deal much damage, and the barrier has high health *and* self-regeneration. All we need to do is clear out the minions!”

“Heh, how utterly naive. Do you truly believe this game is some sort of charity, just handing out rewards?”

Mountain Rabbit sneered, her voice laced with disdain. “While my own experiences may be limited, I’ve witnessed the system’s brutality firsthand. Never has a single instance concluded without severe casualties. This veneer of peace is merely a ploy, designed to lull simple-minded fools like you into complacency!”

“I’m telling you, can you please stop insulting your teammates? Even if this isn’t a 5v5 match, we are undeniably a team, aren’t we?”

Black Child, who had harbored a long-standing irritation with Mountain Rabbit even outside the game, bristled at her continued arrogance. “We’re all in this together, like grasshoppers on the same rope. If you curse your teammates to their doom, you’ll only seal your own fate!”

“Alright, alright, everyone, please calm down. Completing the mission is paramount right now; let’s put an end to this infighting.”

Kiyohime, unable to tolerate the bickering any longer, finally interjected. “Based on my understanding of this game, the early-game minor soldiers are indeed not formidable. However, the late-game super soldiers become incredibly powerful. And if a great demon from the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (TL Note: A traditional Japanese folktale where supernatural beings parade through the streets at night) appears, it will be an even greater challenge. While I sincerely hope we only encounter ordinary minor soldiers, your discussion suggests that these more formidable threats are inevitable. We must develop quickly, acquiring all six divine items for our equipment, as only then might we stand a chance against the onslaught of super soldiers across all three lanes!”

“In my opinion, there’s certainly more to come. If you grow complacent and careless, your death would be a minor concern, but don’t you dare drag me down with you!”

Mountain Rabbit delivered this final warning, then lapsed into silence, dedicating herself to clearing the minor soldiers.

Wang Tianming remained a silent observer, harboring no desire to intervene in their squabble.

His experiences from the previous game had left him unable to fully trust these newfound teammates. What if one of them had been assigned a mission to ‘kill others’? He might perish without even comprehending the cause of his demise.

Nevertheless, Wang Tianming harbored no significant anxieties.

Firstly, barring unforeseen circumstances, the game itself was unlikely to allow harm to friendly forces.

Secondly, all three Shikigami (TL Note: Japanese term for summoned divine beings or spirits, often used in Onmyoji games) he had chosen were marksmen. Pipe Fox excelled at clearing minor soldiers in the early game, while Zhen and White Wolf were exceptionally powerful marksmen in the late game. As long as he navigated the early stages smoothly, he believed he could still complete the entire match, even if all his other teammates fell in the later phases.

Indeed, Wang Tianming had never entertained the notion of relying solely on Pipe Fox for the entire duration of the game.

He was intimately familiar with the capricious nature of this game system; an unforeseen event could easily erupt, leaving one completely caught off guard.

****

Given that all five players were consistently sharing the experience from the three minor soldier lanes, leveling up proceeded swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, they had all reached level four.

Wang Tianming allocated points to Pipe Fox’s second and third skills, bringing them both to level two, while deliberately leaving its first skill unlearnt.

In truth, the first skill was Pipe Fox’s primary source of late-game damage, significantly boosting the power of its basic attacks.

Yet, considering the uncertainty of Pipe Fox’s survival into the late game, and the inability to further upgrade the second skill at level four, Wang Tianming chose to invest in the third skill instead, completely forsaking the first.

The level four minor soldiers, it seemed, were also nothing particularly formidable.

In stark contrast to the earlier phase when the team lacked both levels and equipment, these level four minions appeared even simpler to dispatch.

Could it truly be that the game grew easier as it progressed? Wang Tianming found himself eager to witness the true strength of the super soldiers and the great demon soldiers from the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons that were yet to come!