"Was it really necessary to come all this way?"
"This game is a little too hardcore, isn't it?"
"The worst part is getting roasted by an NPC for being cowardly and lying. We're giving the Undying a bad name, sigh."
"Our information sources are a little shady, and there's no way to explain it. We can't exactly tell the NPC we saw it on a forum post."
The first two were still complaining, but considering they had activated a quest chain, and it might unlock the first dungeon, they suppressed their internal grumbling.
Lightning Cutlass, quick as a hare, offered his suggestion: "I think we should play this game like normal people, not using game mechanics."
Seeing that the first two, as well as the white-stocking enthusiast playing "cameraman" beside him, were all looking at him, he cleared his throat. "Think about it. This game is so realistic in every way except you can't go to the bathroom. The AI is also really advanced, so it must simulate human thought processes. The methods that worked in other games, skipping the puzzle and going straight to the answer, probably won't work here. We have to treat them like real people."
"They're just NPCs, how are we supposed to pretend? Trying to communicate with them using our human intellect will probably give us a stroke."
"Good point."
"I think," the white-stocking enthusiast cleared his throat, "It's still just game code. It looks like Linde is unhappy with our half-assed attitude, but in reality, the devs knew our player tendencies all along, and they planted these lines here, waiting for us to take the bait."
"If you put it that way, I get it."
The four resident players at Star Dragon Outpost, after receiving the task of investigating the Ghoul Eater nest from Linde, tried to skip the "puzzle-solving" process and give the answer directly. Not only did they not receive the lord's reward, they were actually scolded.
"How precious is a white lotus that rises from the mud without being stained! How admirable is a warrior who fears not the lion's roar! You Undying ones..."
All kinds of high-sounding words, even the insults were delivered with class.
Crap, we're being looked down on by an NPC!
Saying we players are cowardly and liars.
So, the four decided to actually go and take a look, seriously investigate the Ghoul Eater nest, and before they left, they privately contacted @UnderstandingForAll, hoping to get more information about the Ghoul Eater nest from him.
Of course, he was extremely excited. If the Ghoul Eater nest dungeon didn't seem like it had potential for loot, he would have deleted his character and started over long ago.
They passed through rocky terrain and walked along a barren path.
Looking back, Star Dragon Outpost was getting smaller and smaller, covered in a haze that was difficult to see with the naked eye in the broken moonlight.
"Found an item," Dragon Scale Sword suddenly said, holding up a piece of dried rat meat.
"Keep it. The territory's food isn't for sale to outsiders right now."
Players also need to eat; eating helps restore health.
They prefer to tank damage or simply commit suicide on the spot when they lose health, and then come back later to pick up the dropped equipment and experience.
It's tough in the early game, no money and no food source.
With the first person picking up meat, the rest subconsciously looked down as they walked, afraid of missing something.
"Realistically, the four of us taking on the entire Ghoul Eater nest is unlikely."
"Mm."
"There should be some pre-quest stuff, right? Or after we beat the boss, Linde leading the soldiers shows up in a cutscene, and we just clap on the sidelines."
"Don't even say it, that's exactly the kind of thing that would happen."
The four didn't stop talking, but as they got closer to the small hill to the north, they all drew their weapons.
The terrain around Star Dragon Outpost was strange. To the west and north were withered forests, and further west and north were mountains, like towering walls surrounding the area.
To the north-northeast were patches of small hills, their current destination.
The jagged, wolf-tooth-shaped hills stirred up the four's anxiety.
The countless "wolf teeth" were like the wide-open mouth of a calamitous monster with hundreds or thousands of teeth, and they were walking step by step towards that open mouth.
A chill ran through the four players' hearts, and at the same time, they couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature.
It was so real, so real that you could forget it was a game.
The night was silent, but it felt like danger lurked in every corner.
Looking back, the Undying, who don't get "fatigued," could no longer see Star Dragon Outpost behind them. The rolling terrain completely cut off their line of sight.
They turned their gaze forward again.
"I think kiting them is a good option," Kirin Sword said. "Take them out one by one, so they can't call for backup." (Referring to a Chinese folktale of the Grandpa and the Scorpion, where the Scorpion is captured and his offspring try to save him one by one.)
Investigate = Assassinate = Annihilate!
As soon as he said it, the other three immediately understood.
It was exactly the same approach as when they investigated the wanderers before.
Said it was an investigation, but ended up just attacking.
That's how we players roll.
"Can we make it work?"
"I don't think it's a question of whether we can make it work. Look at that."
The white-stocking enthusiast pointed ahead.
The veil of night wasn't thick enough to completely hide everything. A swaying figure had emerged from the darkest shadows, walking along the uneven, barren path towards them.
It was the first time the players had truly seen what a "Calamity Monster" looked like.
Dry, shriveled skin, a hunched-over figure, like a walking corpse.
But the monster's claws and feet were disproportionately large and grotesque. It was this disharmony that forced the dried-up corpse to bend forward as it walked.
It had a deflated sack hanging from its stomach.
No, not a sack, but its skin.
Ever seen someone go from 300 pounds to 140? It was kind of like that.
Just hanging there.
"Should we engage?"
"Aren't we here to investigate? Someone tell me what counts as completing the mission."
"I have no clue."
"We don't get to choose; it's spotted us."
"Damn, its nose is sharper than a bloodhound."
If they saw a Ghoul Eater in real life, they would scream their heads off, the kind of thing that would scare you if you saw it on the side of the road on Halloween.
But in the game? Ha! What's there to be afraid of?
Let's get 'em!
"1v1? I'll take it! I can parry!"
The white-stocking enthusiast took the lead, stepping forward, raising his sword, gathering his strength, and getting into position in one smooth motion.
His proactive step forward seemed like a challenge signal to the Ghoul Eater.
"AwwWOOOO!" The Ghoul Eater didn't attack; instead, it tilted its head back and let out a pathetic howl.
"You've gotta be kidding me, it's calling for backup again!"
The four players were exasperated. This game wasn't fair. Why did the enemy always call for reinforcements right when they were about to fight?
How are we players supposed to show off when you all team up like this?
Run, or...fight?
"Let's go!"
Players don't really have the concept of backing down. It doesn't even hurt, after all.
"You guys back off for a sec," the white-stocking enthusiast said. "I'll aggro it first. If I can't handle it, the three of you give it a taste of the Three-Dog God-Slaying Formation."
"I'm gonna...!"
The Ghoul Eater, dragging its empty, sack-like stomach, finished its wretched howl, then pushed off the ground with both legs and headed straight for the closest target: the white-stocking enthusiast.
Its bloodlust wouldn't let the Ghoul Eater pass up an opportunity to fill its belly.
The claws, raised high, drew an arc as it jumped, stabbing down at the apex.
The white-stocking enthusiast, who had been so confident just a moment ago, instinctively swung his sword.
His "parry" was too early!
"Crap! It's using variable timing attacks!" (referring to changing the speed of attack to throw off the opponent's timing.)
His body instinctively rolled forward to dodge.
Because the white-stocking enthusiast dodged forward, the Ghoul Eater naturally fell into the trio's "Three-Dog God-Slaying Formation" – that is, three people attacking from three directions.
Clang!
A claw struck the shield, and Tortoise Shield, along with his shield, was knocked flat on his face.
"I'm okay!" Tortoise Shield gritted his teeth.
Almost broke through my defense.
Dragon Scale Sword and Lightning Cutlass quickly followed up with two slashes, their weapons leaving two gruesome wounds on the Ghoul Eater without resistance.
"It's okay; it has high attack, low defense!"
No one was afraid. On the contrary, their enthusiasm was high.
"Now this feels like fighting a boss!"