Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Rage of the Solo Players
The players from smaller guilds and the lone wolves, who had been hiding out like rats, began to stir.
While they couldn’t take on the three major guilds in a head-on fight, it didn’t mean they had given up on reaching the observatory.
They all crept out and moved toward the four grand elevators, planning to wait for the major guilds to ascend before ambushing them from behind!
「In the sewer.」
Long Ming glanced at his wristband. It was already one o’clock, meaning the observatory’s defensive weapons should be paralyzed. He got to his feet and said to Qin Ying,
"Let’s go!"
"Mm."
Qin Ying quickly stood up.
Long Ming pushed open the manhole cover and poked his head out. After confirming it was clear, he led Qin Ying out.
He led Qin Ying toward a damaged section of the inner wall.
As they approached, he saw a Gray Crow close-in defense turret set up right next to the breach in the inner wall.
If that weapon were triggered, the two of them would be torn to shreds.
But this was the route Bai Xiu had paid a fortune for. It should be safe.
So, without a moment’s hesitation, Long Ming led Qin Ying straight through the breach.
But instead of heading for the grand elevators as the route dictated, he ran toward a nearby lift platform.
Qin Ying looked at Long Ming, confused.
"Are we going the wrong way?"
"No. We’re not taking the grand elevators. That place is a meat grinder."
"Oh. Then how are we getting up?"
"The lift platform."
"But the platform is broken. It won’t start."
"Just stick with me."
Long Ming didn’t explain any further.
"Alright."
Since Long Ming had put it that way, Qin Ying didn’t say anything else.
「A few moments later.」
Long Ming led Qin Ying to a large lift platform.
Just as they arrived, they saw a scrawny player dash onto the platform, leap up to grab one of its metal cables, and mutter excitedly to himself.
’I’m a genius! Who else would think to climb up the lift cables? Only a master climber like me could pull this off.’
Long Ming was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected someone else to have the same idea.
He immediately drew Poison Fang and fired at the player.
"AH!"
The player fell before he could even react.
Long Ming led Qin Ying onto the lift platform.
The dead player dissolved into motes of light, leaving behind a backpack.
Long Ming stepped forward to inspect it. The player had been dirt poor, carrying only an automatic pistol and a pile of tools.
Still, he took a nylon rope from the backpack.
"What do we do now?"
Qin Ying asked, looking at Long Ming uncertainly.
"We climb."
Long Ming said, looking at the cable stretching up into the sky.
"What? I... I can’t climb that."
Qin Ying was dumbstruck.
BANG! BANG!
Just then, a cacophony of gunfire and explosions erupted from the direction of the four grand elevators. Clearly, the lone wolves had clashed with the three major guilds.
Long Ming immediately crouched down and said to Qin Ying,
"I’ll carry you."
"Will that even work?"
Qin Ying asked in disbelief. She was light, but she still weighed over eighty pounds.
"No problem."
Long Ming assured her in a low voice.
All of his base stats had improved. While they weren’t at the absurd levels they reached during his mutation, they were still far beyond those of a normal person.
"Okay."
Qin Ying hopped onto Long Ming’s back.
Long Ming hoisted Qin Ying up, then grabbed the nylon rope and used it to secure her to himself.
Once they were secure, he walked to the edge of the platform, grabbed the metal cable, and began to climb.
The seconds ticked by.
The fighting at the four grand elevators grew more intense; they could even see the constant flash of explosions.
Qin Ying’s heart was in her throat, and her body trembled slightly.
Sensing her trembling, Long Ming comforted her in a low voice.
"Don’t be afraid. It’s so dark, they won’t spot us."
"It’s not that... I’m afraid of heights."
Qin Ying replied meekly.
By this point, they had already climbed a hundred meters high.
Long Ming was a bit exasperated.
"Close your eyes. We’ll be there soon!"
"Mm."
Qin Ying quickly squeezed her eyes shut.
Long Ming took a steadying breath and continued to climb, carrying Qin Ying all the way up.
...
「At the entrance to the southern grand elevator of the observatory.」
Numerous lone wolves and players from small guilds had run into each other, and they all had their guns pointed at one another.
Just then, a man with extremely short hair, a chiseled face, a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, and sharp eyes stepped forward.
"Everyone," he said, "we’re all lone wolves or from minor factions. Why make things difficult for each other? The three major guilds are controlling the elevators right now. If we’re here killing each other, we’ll have absolutely no chance of success."
"So what are you suggesting?"
The crowd turned to look at An Ken.
"I’m saying we should unite. Take down the three major guilds first, then we can decide the winner among ourselves! Otherwise, we won’t even be able to set foot on these stairs."
An Ken told the crowd gravely.
"I think he’s got a point."
"He’s right!"
...
Hearing this, the crowd voiced their agreement.
"Alright! Then we have a temporary alliance. Let’s move out together!"
An Ken raised his weapon and led the group creeping up the elevator stairs, ready to stab the Sin Abyss Guild in the ass.
The staircase leading to the observatory was perfectly straight.
In the daytime, you could basically see all the way to the top from the bottom.
But since it was the dead of night, visibility was much more limited.
Even so, they could roughly see that the members of the Sin Abyss Guild were already halfway up.
They immediately quickened their pace, climbing upwards.
Suddenly, a dense hail of bullets rained down on them from the steps above.
"AH!"
...
One after another, the lone wolf players were gunned down before they could even react.
An Ken was startled. He looked up and saw members of the Sin Abyss Guild getting to their feet on the stairs above.
"Shit, it’s an ambush!"
...
An Ken and his group immediately returned fire.
Bide gripped a heavy machine gun, strafing them with fanatical glee.
"A bunch of ants, trying to compete with us? You really think we weren’t prepared?! Today, I’m going to teach you the meaning of despair! Waste ’em all!"
His subordinates pulled out grenades and tossed them down below.
KABOOOM!
Lone wolf after lone wolf was blown to smithereens.
Although An Ken and his group fought back desperately, the two sides were not in the same league.
For one, they had been caught completely off guard and had lost the element of surprise.
In terms of firepower alone, the two sides weren’t even comparable. Bide and his men couldn’t care less how expensive bullets were, spraying them with abandon.
But the lone wolves had limited ammunition. Even though the market price had been dropping, a single bullet still cost 2,500 Uni-Coins. They couldn’t afford to fire many shots.
And so, after a short exchange of fire...
Seventy percent of the lone wolves were taken out, and many others turned and fled in terror.
Seeing his side on the verge of collapse, An Ken’s face twisted into a vicious sneer and he spat on the ground.
"Damn it. Even if I die, I’m not letting you get away with this."
With that, An Ken pulled a flare gun from his backpack and fired it into the pitch-black sky.
FWOOSH!
A dazzling light arced into the air, instantly illuminating the southern grand elevator.
Padoka, who was partway up the stairs, flew into a rage.
"Who fired that flare?!"
Looks of panic flashed across the faces of the Sin Abyss Guild members.
