205 Last Meeting
Alan returned to a complex within Camelot City, where his friends and all the New York server players had gathered. Despite being among the servers with the fewest casualties, they had still suffered a significant loss of over a thousand players in the last six days. Nearly everyone had lost a friend or acquaintance in the relentless onslaught of the Apocalypse Game.
The game's mission parameters were clearly shown in their game link
[Main Quest: Survive]
[Time: 7 days]
[Secondary Quest (Optional): Kill the source of darkness]
[Mission Failure Penalty: 10,000 survival points]
Initially, the players might have felt relief when they saw that the main quest for this round appeared simpler compared to previous objectives, like taking over the town during the second round. However, as time passed, the game's cruel nature became increasingly apparent.
A death during this round carried a double penalty – losing 10,000 points for the death itself and an additional 10,000 points for failing the mission. The cheers of having an "easy" main quest were replaced with the harsh reality that even a single death could lead to a significant point loss.
This grim realization sank in further when they understood that they couldn't change the fate of those who had already perished, no matter how well they performed on the last day of defense. The game's unforgiving nature left them with the somber truth that some losses were irreversible.
Furthermore, the prospect of gaining 20,000 points to offset the penalty seemed daunting. To achieve this, they would need to kill at least 100 undead, if not counting the bonus points from the quest. In reality, only a small fraction, maybe around 10%, could collect such a substantial number of points. For the majority, their deaths were indeed final.
Alan returned and saw Captain Carter presiding over a simple ceremony, where a few words were spoken in honor of the fallen players, and encouragement was offered to those who remained. It was a solemn moment, a reminder of the sacrifices made, and a call to stay strong in the face of adversity.
Once the brief ceremony concluded, Captain Carter organized the players into two shifts. Half of them were granted a well-deserved 4-hour rest, while the other half began the arduous task of fortifying the city's defenses with barricades and trenches outside its walls.
Simultaneously, the team leaders were summoned by the female captain for their final meeting.
In this crucial gathering, they discussed the allocation of resources and personnel. They categorized the players based on their strength, one with knights' job class designated as the front liners, warriors forming the second line of defense, and soldiers positioned at the backline. Among the 2000-plus players, there were also two dozen players who took the acolytes job class and possessed the spell [minor healing] as their primary form of support. The remaining healing tasks would be handled by the dedicated support team.
Seeing the arrangement that had been made, Alan decided to share his strategic insight with the group. He suggested that the warriors and soldiers remain vigilant and prepared to handle any situations that might arise inside the city walls. When people inquired about the reason behind his advice, he explained, "I believe that on this final night, there will be undead flying units; so watch the night sky and save your ammunition for them."
By this stage of the game, Captain Carter and the other officers had learned to take Alan's advice seriously, as his predictions had consistently proven accurate. Even Captain Farell had given up on arguing against it.
The allocation of leadership roles then became the focus of discussion. Surprisingly, Alan declined to accept any position, which raised questions among the group.
"What's going on? Are you planning something else?" Vicky asked with concern.
Captain Carter, too, sought clarification. "Does this have to do with your conversation with the Frenchman?"
Alan nodded and proceeded to explain the situation to the group regarding the quest for the tomb and his plan to bring the fey warriors with him.
"I'm coming with you, Mr. D.!" exclaimed Daniel excitedly. His enthusiasm quickly spread, and others expressed their desire to join as well, including Vicky, Milo, and even Lieutenant Marsh, who argued that it was his turn to accompany Alan.
Alan appreciated their willingness to support him, but he had to decline their offers "Maybe on the next quest, this time only veterans will be joining. It's a B-rank quest after all."
In reality, this was a lie. Alan couldn't bear to put his friends at risk with Axel's men leading the mission, as he had no control over the quest. Surprisingly, one figure volunteered to join.
"I'm a veteran; I will accompany you," declared Merle, the Crimson gunner.
Merle's offer to accompany Alan was met with genuine appreciation from the group. As a veteran player with significant experience and skills, his presence would undoubtedly be helpful to Alan.
Alan knew that the Crimson Gunner's motivation stemmed from the desire for any potential rewards, especially after missing out on the [Super Soldier] reward in the previous round. However, Alan couldn't ignore the harsh realities of the game's mechanics. Veterans like Merle faced double the penalty compared to newcomers when it came to accumulating points. This meant that Merle would need to amass a staggering 40,000 points to ensure his safety in the event of mission failure.
"I am sorry Merle, not this time."
At the end, Alan recognized the necessity of having Merle on the mission to defend Camelot. Merle's expertise would be crucial in combating the flying undead, this message also pointed to Rose, who had been silently observing the proceedings with a watchful eye.
As concerns and worries filled the room, Alan decided to bring the discussion to a close with a final decision. "Don't worry, I'll be back before nightfall." He reassured the group with a hopeful smile. However, it was clear that none of them truly believed such optimistic words.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶