Although he had already made up his mind, Ian still clicked [Replace] under Main Mission 2, deciding to see all the available possibilities.
[Main Mission 2: The Wealthiest Party]
Mission Description: Hayek believed that money is the greatest tool of freedom invented by mankind. Only money will be open to the poor; power never will. You wish to prove that money itself is a form of power.
Mission Goal: Possess a total wealth exceeding 10,000 gold dragons.
Mission Reward: 20 Points, 6 Attribute Points, 3 Skill Points.
<[Accept]> <[Replace]>
"Ah, this one... Is it possible to accept all three main missions?" Ian mused. I already have over 3,000 gold dragons, counting the stolen goods I'll soon get from the 'Ghosts'. If I get the 5,000 dragons from the [Lord] mission reward, then earning another 2,000 to reach 10,000 and then buying a thousand slave-soldiers doesn't seem that difficult.
"No," Annie denied him ruthlessly.
"Alright," Ian scoffed. He hadn't held out much hope.
In the end, Ian switched Main Mission 2 back to [Lord] and clicked [Accept].
After swiping back and confirming that the bounty missions still had not been updated, the already sleepy Ian quickly fell asleep.
Over the next two days, the net Ian had cast at the Crossroads Inn brought him another harvest.
[Your subordinate has successfully killed a player. You gain 2 points. For a successful capture, you gain 1 point. You have gained an additional point of Strength.]
His updated data card became:
[Ian: Strength 27, Agility 24, Mental Strength 3]
[Skills: Basic Etiquette, Basic Reading and Writing (Common Tongue), Advanced Swordsmanship, Advanced Horsemanship, Intermediate Lance Skills]
[Attribute Points: 0]
[Skill Points: 0]
[Points: 22]
During this period, the 'Ghost' caravan never arrived, so Ian found an abandoned courtyard and continued his swordsmanship lessons with Rohr.
At midnight on the second day, the ten-day player settlement report was sent to Ian's system mailbox. He saw that the number of remaining players had dropped to 75.
The speed of elimination was consistent with his predictions. Unable to complete the main mission, many players had indeed chosen to escape the threat of the assassination ranking by hunting their own designated allies.
The time came on the third day after Ian and his men had taken the abandoned fishing village.
The scouts Sir Wylis had deployed near the Kingsroad spotted the eight-cart caravan early and rushed back to the village to report.
After receiving the news, Wylis immediately deployed all his cavalry behind a hill south of the village, letting them hide there for a flanking maneuver. The archers were positioned on the rooftops of the fishing village, while all the conscripted infantry hid inside the dilapidated buildings.
According to the confession of Sir Symond, the captured sentry inside the village would use hand signals to communicate with the approaching caravan. Wylis had used a combination of threats and inducements to bring the sentry, a man called 'Rice Weevil', into his camp.
Wylis's plan was to lure the enemy directly into the village. It was the perfect way to neutralize their cavalry advantage and trap them in brutal street-to-street fighting.
Even if that failed, as long as he could lead them into the surrounding wetlands, the temporary paths cut through the reeds and rushes would compress their space for maneuver.
Three hours after the scout's report, Sir Daeron Grafson's 'caravan' appeared in the sight of the ambushers.
Everything went according to Wylis's plan. A rider was sent from the caravan to communicate with the captured sentry, who had three arrows aimed at his back. Then, the entire company dismounted and set foot on the muddy path leading to the village.
Although Daeron's sudden vigilance at the village entrance was an unexpected wrinkle—prompting him to send three men ahead to scout—it was already too late.
The ambush was sudden and violent. First, dense volleys of arrows rained down from the fishing village, followed by a large number of spearmen charging out in a shield wall.
Though the defense of the 'Ghost' caravan was hastily organized, their superior combat skills and sophisticated equipment allowed them to barely halt the advance of the enemy's shield wall. They adapted quickly, either hiding amidst their own wagons to create choke points that limited the number of enemies they had to face, or dispersing into the nearby reeds to flank the shield wall.
In just a few minutes, the menacing infantry charge began to waver.
Seeing this, Sir Wylis himself charged into the caravan's defensive line. The raid was being led by him and his son, Sir Roger.
Although they outnumbered the enemy nearly two-to-one, and the caravan was trapped in the wetlands with its cavalry unable to charge, such a direct assault was still a dangerous operation. The conscripted levy behind them was not reliable; the slightest disadvantage in battle could cause them to rout. The commanders needed to lead from the front, demonstrating inspiring courage and strength.
As Sir Wylis burst forth from the shield wall, the enemy immediately spotted him. A knight, recognizing his leadership position, broke from the line and charged straight for him.
The knight lunged between two wagons, thrusting his sword toward Wylis's chest.
Wylis didn't dodge. He simply swung the spiked morning star in his hand, aiming directly for his opponent's head. The knight didn't dare trade a wound for his life and was forced to change direction, dodging to the side. Wylis seized the opportunity and slammed a kick into his chest.
The ground was muddy and slick. The kick sent the knight tumbling to the ground.
Wylis gave him no time to react, raising his morning star again and bringing it down with crushing force.
This time, the weapon found its mark, smashing into the knight's face. The steel visor on his helmet failed to save him. The spikes of the morning star punched through the helmet's eye slits, blasting out one of the knight's eyes.
Writhing in agony, the knight had no chance to fight back as Wylis drove a dagger into his throat.
The next moment, Ian, who was hiding on high ground behind the fishing village and secretly watching the battle, heard a prompt in his mind.
[Optional Mission 1: 'The Truth About Black Falcon's Death' Complete]
Mission Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Mission Reward: After you tell Dorian everything, you will gain his allegiance.
Additional Rewards: 3 Points, 3 Attribute Points.
So that must be Sir Lyonel Shett, Ian thought.
He did not immediately allocate the new points. Instead, his attention shifted to a patch of wetland thick with tall reeds.
That was the direction he was responsible for. His men were deployed there, ready to intercept any enemies who tried to escape through the wetlands.
---
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