Chapter 84: Zombie Siege (Part Six)

Chapter 84: Zombie Siege (Part Six)

It was a remarkably long and brutal battle. Even with Xie Fangcheng’s aerial support, there were times when he could not attend to everything, being just one person.

Apart from him, other players including Nie Shuangshuang, Wei Yuan, Qi Chanyang, and Tao Youyuan didn't hesitate to join the frontlines, except for Qi Chanyang who, due to insufficient strength, stayed back to handle logistic works.

The other two veteran players from the “Cozy Cat Climbing Frame” also went with the flow, each leading a team of NPCs as vanguards.

For most players, collaborating with NPCs was a norm, but charging into battle with them was indeed something many hadn't experienced before.

Having experienced it in a previous instance, Nie Shuangshuang now was quite adept at it.

"Just treat them like new players... no, most of them are actually more obedient than regular players."

Indeed.

Unfortunately, the team led by Tao Youyuan encountered a level 4 zombie. Facing such a formidable foe was terrifying for these NPCs, but they charged forward without hesitation, and even another nearby team joined in after dealing with their own enemies.

"Don't let it breach the base!"

Numerous people charged forth one after another. Before Tao Youyuan could react, he found himself instinctively joining in to combat the zombies as well.

How strange.

As Tao Youyuan tirelessly fought, he wondered inwardly: why was he so willing to assist a group of NPCs?

The level 4 zombie before him was incredibly powerful, putting Tao Youyuan in a difficult spot, yet he didn't have the slightest intention to retreat.

It wasn't until he and the NPCs finally managed to kill the level 4 zombie that, without time for celebration, the team immediately moved towards the next hotspot.

Tao Youyuan surveyed his surroundings.

He couldn't see any other players, only countless NPCs all around.

At this moment, these NPCs, who he once perceived merely as background figures, became his teammates, fiercely and fearlessly defending their home without any regard for their own lives.

"Team Leader Tao, let's move!"

While he was lost in his thoughts, an NPC up ahead called out to him.

Tao Youyuan's Adam's apple moved slightly, he nodded and then quickly moved forward to join up with the NPCs.

The battle lasted until the dawn of the third day.

Humans reclaimed thirteen ground bases, rebuilding their defense systems. They plan to radiate outward from these thirteen bases, ending this apocalypse.

Some individuals, who had been living underground for many years, finally witnessed the sunlight once again. There were even children who were born underground, unaware of the existence of the sky and the sun, Tao Youyuan witnessed a couple of special forces parents on his way back to the base.

The father had a disabled right arm, and the mother was missing half of her face. These were their badges of honor, earned from participating in the war.

At this moment, the two heroes were introducing something to their child.

That was the sky, those were the woods, and above them were the white clouds and the sun. In about ten hours, the moon would appear.

Of course, in the future, the child would witness the four seasons, see rivers and lakes, and behold towering mountains.

Humanity would once again reclaim this land and sky.

Filled with stirring emotions, Tao Youyuan returned to Base 13, noticing that the expressions on the faces of the players who participated in the battle had changed.

Previously, most of them scarcely paid attention to these background characters since everyone was focusing on finding clues to clear instances, and these clues were only related to significant NPCs.

But this time, these NPCs truly surpassed everyone's expectations, almost as if they were...

"Has the game's NPCs always been this well-made? They seem highly intelligent, even quite human-like! How come we never noticed this before?" someone casually remarked.

Wei Yuan had been silent since returning, seemingly lost in thought. He suddenly looked up upon hearing this remark.

"...Quite human-like, you say?"

"Huh?" The person who made the remark turned to look at an NPC beside him.

Although the battle had ended, there was still much work to be done in its aftermath.

The bodies of the zombies on the surface had yet to be cleaned up, and those special forces who had been attacked needed to be disinfected a second time to ensure they were not carrying the virus before they could enter the base.

Many ground bases had not been used for several years, with many even transformed into zombie cities, their infrastructures thoroughly damaged.

However, the NPCs were busy yet organized, continuing to follow the current management system where the base's administrative layer distributed tasks and everyone picked them up as per their roles.

"They really are highly intelligent. In other games, by this stage, NPCs might automatically complete tasks. But look here, these NPCs perform simple tasks autonomously, like eating on their own, sweeping nearby rubbish, even closing the door when they leave. Yet, for major tasks, they wait for instructions from the administrative NPCs before undertaking them... they even erect tombstones."

As he spoke, the person suddenly found himself at a loss for words, utterly stunned.

Wei Yuan gazed at these NPCs.

He had always felt that this game was incredibly realistic, with the key NPCs demonstrating a high level of intelligence, almost as if they were indeed sentient beings akin to normal humans.

But... even the background NPCs are crafted with such intellect?

Those who perished in the battle were all individuals with special abilities, immune to the infection of the zombie virus. Everyone worked diligently to bring back the bodies of their fallen comrades, burying them at the heart of the base, as if interring these heroes in the very heart of their stronghold.

The sound of the NPCs conversing flowed unceasingly into his ears.

"We are set to breach the current area by tomorrow, aren't we? I've never seen what lies beyond the base since I was born! Is there really a river longer and wider than a highway?"

"Yes, there even is a vast ocean to the east, haven't you learned that from the textbooks?"

"Have you seen it after learning it?"

The NPCs were engaged in vibrant discussions, plotting the tasks for the following day, while the players remained silent.

It's uncanny... these NPCs are excessively human-like.

What if... they are actually humans?

Is it just the NPCs in this instance who are humans, or is it possible that the NPCs they've encountered in other instances could be humans too?

If they all indeed are humans, then what about their past...

Just then, Tao Youyuan suddenly spoke up.

"I find myself quite envious of them, actually."

Everyone turned to look at him.

Tao Youyuan pointed towards the place where the tombstones stood: "After they die, they have monuments in their honor. Moreover, they have beliefs, companions, a home. Honestly, don't you think that they seem more human than the players?"

Indeed.

The longer Tao Youyuan survived in the game, the colder he felt inside.

Inside the instances, deceit was rampant, while outside, the major guilds were engaged in their own quiet power struggles. After each global instance event, determining guild rankings turned into a massive battle, and Tao Youyuan found himself slowly adapting to this way of life.

But now, with NPC companions in this instance, Tao Youyuan experienced a long-lost sensation in the past few days, feeling as if he had returned to a human society.

There were companions, a home, and emotions far richer than mere hostility.

Suddenly, a sneer echoed amongst the players.

"Envious? Of instance NPCs?"

It was Yi Zinan.

Zhang Daoan and Xie Fangcheng, along with the woman with the most explosive temper, hadn't returned yet. Yi Zinan had been stifling his frustration over the past couple of days.

Before his demise, he was the epitome of a winner in life. Although his family wasn't wealthy during his childhood and he hailed from a single-parent household, he was intelligent and ambitious, consistently topping the exams year after year, always the child others' parents pointed to as an example.

Through relentless efforts, he broke free from his less than stellar familial background, securing a place in a prestigious university, pursuing masters and doctorate degrees, and eventually marrying and having children.

Yi Zinan always perceived himself as a protagonist from a novel, capable of defying the heavens in his cultivation, turning even the worst hand of cards into a spectacular play.

Even in death, he was not destined for the mundane; instead, he found himself in this boundless game.

Leveraging his intellect, his journey indeed continued to be smooth and successful.

Until this particular instance, Yi Zinan's life hadn't encountered any significant setbacks.

While he faced challenges and difficulties, he overcame them all through sheer determination and strength.

But this instance was truly infuriating!

Having to deal with a couple of brute-force thugs with no brains to speak of was tolerable; had they followed him, they would have merely expanded his group of underlings slightly.

Yet now, another individual, just as intellectually brilliant as himself, has appeared.

Lately, Xie Fangcheng has been constantly ready to parachute in, even from the airplane, creating sounds akin to cannon explosions that could be heard intermittently even within the underground base.

Although Zhang Daoan appeared humble, his reactions were quick and his mind sharp. He had now taken a seat in the command room of the first base, assimilating information and strategizing the next expansion plans while Xie Fangcheng parachuted in and out.

In Nie Shuangshuang's words, this man was a highly professional rebel genius.

What about Yi Zinan?

Upon returning to the base, he carefully analyzed the reasons for his failure and quickly decided to align with Zhang Daoan's plans, dedicating his efforts to helping the human beings in this instance survive the apocalypse — starting with seizing control of the thirteenth base.

He sought out Liu Shanhen, who was stunned upon hearing his proposition, and subsequently ordered his men to throw him out.

Yi Zinan had not anticipated this. He had even relinquished the overall command, only asking for control over a single base, the thirteenth. Why would this NPC reject someone of his caliber? Didn't he realize how adept Yi Zinan was?

Not only did the NPC reject him, but his request to join the others in eradicating the surface zombies — although he knew his strengths lay elsewhere than in zombie clearance — a mission that could potentially earn him some points, was also denied.

He hadn't expected this request to be turned down as well.

Tao Youyuan even less anticipated that this man could be so thick-skinned, or perhaps, so "confident," assuming that a few gentle words would suffice to get him included, despite being a liability.

In the base, Yi Zinan had a good relationship only with Tao Youyuan. Disdainful of both the NPCs and other players, he found himself, in the end, without a squad willing to accept him.

Qi Chanyang, being kind-hearted, offered him a task — assisting the ordinary individuals with no special abilities in the underground in organizing supplies, preparing for the reconstruction of the base.

What use was such a task? Could it earn him points?

Without giving it a thought, Yi Zinan rejected the offer outright.

Consequently, while everyone else had duties to attend to, he was assigned the task of cleaning up the zombie corpses on the surface.

This task was filthy and exhausting. Just as Yi Zedifficult was about to refuse, the NPC assigned to distribute tasks simply gave him a serene glance.

"The team leader said, the base doesn't tolerate idlers. If Mr. Yi maintains this attitude, we might consider sending you to the frontline," the NPC mentioned casually.

Yi Zedifficult remained silent.

He did wish to "slay" zombies, but he envisioned himself orchestrating from a secure distance while Tao Youyuan and other veteran players engaged in the actual combat, enabling him to safely accrue points.

In the end, Yi Zedifficult had no choice but to undertake the very task he despised — cleaning up the corpses of the zombies.

After three days, his complexion deteriorated and the anger he had bottled up exploded at once, taking advantage of the absence of Jie Fangcheng and two others.

"Do you actually envy the lives of these NPCs? Living underground like moles, devoid of sunlight... Yes, in this instance, they can experience sunlight. Under the guidance of Commander Li and Warrior Jie, you all plan to rescue these pitiable moles, offering them a twelve-day sunlight experience card. But what's the point? I've wanted to say this for a while—"

"This is a game instance! Do you all understand what that means? What's the use of all these efforts? Once we leave and the instance resets, these people will start their routines all over again. Yes, you might find satisfaction in playing saviors within this instance, but does it truly matter? From their perspective, all these efforts are futile!"

"Exerting so much effort just to satisfy your own savior complex. What will these NPCs remember afterward? The instance reset erases their memories, rendering all efforts pointless..."

Suddenly, his neck was fiercely gripped from behind.

"Useless?" Nie Shuangshuang had returned at some point, just in time to hear his self-righteous rant.

Having experienced the trials of the previous instance, the echoes of the cries and the flames beside the lake were still deeply embedded in her heart.

Nie Shuangshuang might have a straightforward mindset, but simplicity has its virtues.

She lifted him up by his neck, causing him to struggle for air, his face rapidly turning a liverish red as he fought desperately to break free.

Only when he was on the verge of passing out did Nie Shuangshuang release her grip.

Yi Zedifficult stumbled to the ground, clutching his throat and coughing violently.

"What... what are you trying to do?"

"Nothing much, since you didn't die in the end, the process doesn't matter much, right?" Nie Shuangshuang said with a cold demeanor. "No matter how many times the instance resets, even if these NPCs forget, I remember. As a human being, showing empathy and saving one's kind is a basic human decency. If you lack it, that's your issue, but I don't want to hear such words from you again."

Nie Shuangshuang drew her large cleaver, slashing it towards Yi Zedifficult.

Yi Zedifficult dodged swiftly; had he not, he would have been cleaved in half by now.

Although he managed to escape, the stool he had been sitting on was split into two.

Nie Shuangshuang glared at him: "I should have cleaved you in two with a single stroke!"

With that, she snorted disdainfully, hoisted the cleaver onto her shoulder, and left.

Zhang Daoan really treated her well, while everyone else was resting that night, she was assigned a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity.

Nie Shuangshuang thought gleefully that she had almost worn out her shoes running around in this instance, and this excursion would surely earn her a hefty reward in points.

Nie Shuangshuang arrived and departed swiftly. After she left, the players exchanged glances once more.

Wei Yuan was the first to rise.

"I've decided. She's right, even if the NPCs won't remember, I will. I need to get busy now. Goodbye."

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

"Well... I'll be off too, I'll go upstairs to see if any help is needed."

"Hey, I'll come with you."

"Is anyone hungry? How about we grab a meal together before getting back to work?"

Soon, one after another, everyone dispersed, leaving only Yi Zedifficult with a disconcerted expression.

These players, really... he couldn't fathom what was going through their minds.

He rubbed his sore neck, picking himself up from the ground.

After all, this instance had to come to an end eventually. Once he acquired powerful skills and items, he vowed to retaliate for today's humiliation!

As for now...

"Yi Zedifficult! Hurry over, there are still bodies left to be cleaned up!" An NPC shouted from a distance.

These NPCs treated Jie Fangcheng and the others as heroes, but when it came to him, they were nothing but disdainful.

Such an unbearable bunch...

Grinding his teeth, Yi Zedifficult took a deep breath.

"What's the rush? I'm coming!"

Meanwhile, at Ground Zero Base, Zhang Daoan was deep in thought in the makeshift command room.

The pace was too slow.

Thirteen human bases were situated to the east, occupying a not-so-vast area.

With their current pace, it would take at least twenty days to eliminate all the Level 5 and Level 4 zombies.

This instance was set to conclude in twelve days.

Just as he was contemplating ways to accelerate their progress, there was a knock at the door.

The person knocking displayed a hint of politeness, though not much, as they opened the door after just two knocks.

Jie Fangcheng popped his head in: "Have you eaten yet?"

Zhang Daoan smiled, "Not yet. Shall we dine together?"

"Agreed."

The meal for the two came in the form of boxed lunches, a gesture of significant respect from the base. With three dishes and a soup, it was quite a lavish spread.

As they ate, one shared the current situation with Zhang Daoan, detailing the intricacies and nuances.

"Twenty days? That indeed is a tight schedule."

"Therefore, I am contemplating whether to distribute some items to the NPCs."

Jie Fangcheng cleared his throat, a curiosity brewing in him, "Are you planning to swindle... I mean, are you planning to... um... acquire items from whom exactly?"

Zhang Daoan, having finished his meal, wiped his mouth nonchalantly, not attempting to conceal his intentions.

"You."

"?? Me?" Jie Fangcheng seemed momentarily lost, "What items do I have? All I have is the stick given by Nie Shuangshuang, her magical robe, and her knife... This knife won't do; it's clearly her favorite weapon. I just borrowed it to have a little fun, I'll return it to her soon. Eh?"

Only when Jie Fangcheng checked his backpack did he realize that it contained a variety of miscellaneous items.

It then dawned on him that Zhang Daoan had previously managed to acquire items from another player.

Without another word, Jie Fangcheng laid out all the items onto the table.

"Take them, take them, they're of no use to me."

Zhang Daoan meticulously inspected each item before selecting two and handing them back.

"Keep these two; you don't need the rest."

Jie Fangcheng examined them as he took them back.

[Item: Silent Film]

[Description: Would you enjoy a silent film devoid of subtitles?]

[Hint: Remember, even if perfectly captured, a silent film remains soundless!]

[Function: Can record a silent video clip lasting up to five minutes.]

[Item: Mermaid's Tears]

[Description: Legend has it that mermaid tears turn into pearls, precious pearls that serve as beautiful ornaments and heartfelt gifts!]

[Hint: Although the tears of a mermaid are beautiful, she cannot cry endlessly. Give the mermaid maiden some respite.]

[Function: Isn't beauty sufficient? What more do you seek?]

The function of the first item was somewhat understandable, holding potential for unforeseen effects in certain situations... Nonetheless, Jie Fangcheng doubted he would encounter such situations, having a stronger belief in the efficacy of brute force.

What use could the second item possibly have?

Jie Fangcheng pondered and then vocalized his thoughts.

"How is the second item utilized?"

Saying so, Jie Fangcheng proceeded to use it directly.

In his hand, what initially appeared to be a transparent item akin to a teardrop dispensed a pearl into his palm, subsequently initiating a twenty-four-hour countdown.

A pearl forms every twenty-four hours, it seems.

Jie Fangcheng held the pearl up to his eye for inspection, with the system displaying [A Beautiful Pearl].

It indeed looks beautiful, but what purpose does it serve him?

Zhang Daoan smiled faintly and remarked, "I can tell, Miss Nie truly has a close bond with you, entrusting you with her treasured possessions. Don't you plan to reciprocate in some way, Manager Jie?"

"Eh? Offer her what?" Jie Fangcheng pondered, "Return a pearl to her? What use is a pearl?"

"It's pleasing to the eye, she might appreciate it."

Jie Fangcheng paused for a moment before nonchalantly handing the pearl to him, a wry smile on his face, "This thing can't be exchanged for points, who would fancy it? Do you?"

Zhang Daoan simply observed him.

Realization dawned on Jie Fangcheng belatedly, and he exclaimed, "Oh! I get it now!"

He had been feeling that Zhang Daoan had been acting somewhat unusual these past few days.

Jie Fangcheng clapped him on the shoulder, "I apologize, brother. I genuinely didn't anticipate venturing into this broken instance suddenly, keeping you waiting in the dining hall for so long. Rest assured, I have a plan. Next time, we will enter and exit together, saving us the hassle of using these items. Once we're out, I'll treat... I'll have Nie Shuangshuang treat us to a meal. Ah!"

Zhang Daoan retrieved the pearl into the system backpack, nodding in agreement, "Alright."

Jie Fangcheng beamed, "A true brother, holding up the virtues of friendship!"

Good documentation, of great importance!

Zhang Daoan gave a light smile.

Nonetheless, Jie Fangcheng remained quite curious, "To be honest, I've been wanting to ask since the last instance - you seem to be quite considerate towards the NPCs, aren't you?"

Zhang Daoan paused momentarily, then nodded, "Yes."

Jie Fangcheng earnestly shared, "Some public information: these NPCs possess fragmented souls, and it's highly likely that they won't retain memories of their time as NPCs once they return to the underworld."

"Hmm."

Jie Fangcheng appeared somewhat astounded, "You seem to have been aware of this already?"

"I suspected as much."

"I can't believe you guessed that," Jie Fangcheng muttered.

Zhang Daoan continued, "But even if the memories are lost, they exist in this moment, right?"

Jie Fangcheng gave him another hearty pat on the shoulder, greatly pleased, "Your philosophical insight is really something. It would be a pity not to utilize it in the underworld."

Zhang Daoan simply smiled.

Seeing him, Jie Fangcheng felt more and more that this young man was pleasing to the eye, sharing a surprising amount of common ground in their ways of thinking.

"Alright, I'm done eating, I need to carry on." Jie Fangcheng placed his lunch box on the table, dusted off his hands, and took out the walkie-talkie to inquire if Nie Shuangshuang had any updates.

Before leaving, he stopped at the doorway as if recalling something, and turned around.

"Oh, take this," he said.

As he spoke, Jie Fangcheng pulled out the [Mermaid's Tear] from his system backpack and tossed it to Zhang Daoan.

"I have no use for this, but if you like, you can generate a pearl daily with it."

Having said this, he exited and closed the door behind him.

Zhang Daoan looked at the item in his hand, then burst into laughter after a while, placing the [Mermaid's Tear] back into his system backpack.

Meanwhile, Jie Fangcheng quickly connected with Nie Shuangshuang.

Nie Shuangshuang exclaimed gleefully, "I feel like I can earn a million points in this instance!!"

Jie Fangcheng was also quite pleased, "That's impressive."

"Yes!"

Jie Fangcheng chuckled, "How fortunate, lend me some points when we get out."

"What do you need them for?"

Jie Fangcheng swiftly decapitated a zombie in front of him.

"I plan to buy a sword; this knife isn't very handy."

"?? Repeat that!"

Without another word, Jie Fangcheng leaped onto a plane after dealing with the nearby zombie, waved at Nie Shuangshuang, and ignored her angry shouts.

On the plane, Jie Fangcheng cleared his ears, contemplating, "I wonder if there are any self-cleaning swords, and if they are expensive?"

.

The Players' Lobby.

A flash of white light; Yue Chen, who had been diligently watching for someone in the lobby, instinctively turned to look, then paused in surprise for a moment.

The guild members by his side were the first to greet the individuals who came out.

"Vice president."

Although Ji Ge was persistently seeking to find Jie Fangcheng, after he had issued the mission, he led the guild members to start a new campaign.

At this moment, Ji Ge only nodded slightly, his expression indifferent: "Any news?"

While Yue Chen was hesitating, the players beside him had already started to share the intelligence they gathered.

"Yes! We contacted several players who had cleared levels with him before, and someone mentioned that Jie Fangcheng has been closely associating with Nie Shuangshuang."

"Nie Shuangshuang?" Ji Ge scoffed, "Is that worthless individual from the Ronghua Guild still alive?"

This remark was extremely derogatory, causing Yue Chen's brows to furrow: "Vice president."

Ji Ge sneered, "Oh, what is it? Team Leader Yue has a good relationship with people from Ronghua? Why not join them then? Perhaps with your assistance, Ronghua might revive its former glory?"

Yue Chen remained silent.

"Make way."

Ji Ge left with the players who had cleared levels with him.

After he left, the people around Yue Chen exchanged uneasy glances. Someone couldn't help but ask, "Team leader, should we not inform the vice president about the matter regarding Zhang Daoan?"

After finding the players who had previously cleared levels with Jie Fangcheng, Yue Chen learned this name from them.

Zhang Daoan.

Zhang Dawu.

This name resembled too much to the president of the Ronghua Guild, but according to the description of that player, this person's demeanor was quite different from Zhang Dawu's. It was probably just a coincidence.

The president of Ronghua was a rather upright individual. Back when he was around, he didn't have a good relationship with Ji Ge. This Zhang Daoan, regardless of whether he had any connection with the president of Ronghua, it wouldn't be good news if Ji Ge found out.

"Let's avoid unnecessary complications and involving innocent people."

Having said this, Yue Chen continued to stand guard in the lobby with the guild members.

Meanwhile, after leaving the lobby, Ji Ge hurriedly returned to the Chaoyang Guild.

He was quite thrilled, eager to add another piece to his collection swiftly.

Ji Ge opened the basement door, humming a tune as he approached the empty display cabinet.

With a "thud", a damaged skull submerged into the solution.

He admired it with satisfaction... before noticing something out of the corner of his eye.

Ji Ge slowly turned his head.

Beside him, an empty display cabinet materialized before his eyes.

【Serial Number: 26】

【Instance: Fù Lái Inn】

【Survival Rate: 32%】

【NPC: Duan Qingqing】

【Note: The woman appears to be quite attractive】

"Who... who!!" He looked at the empty display cabinet in fury, then his head tilted, as if realizing something.

Ji Ge immediately sent a message to Yue Chen.

"What other instances have you found that Jie Fangcheng cleared?"

After a short pause, the response finally came from the other side.

"There's one, the Fù Lái Inn."

"Him again!!" Ji Ge gritted his teeth, "Keep a close watch! Report to me immediately once he shows up! I want to kill him!!"

This time the response came quickly.

"Vice president, the target has appeared, he is currently in the player's lobby."