Most players deeply despise the stealth aspect of gaming, where one false move can expose them, igniting a fury that typically ends in a killing spree, leaving them with a strong sense of defeat even if they prevail.
Very few games manage to do stealth well; most just forcefully drag it into the plot and gameplay to prolong the experience.
Despite this, the group of four proceeded with great caution until they heard soft talking and sobbing up ahead.
"There's a sentinel over there."
"Red name, only a few dozen hit points—looks like they're the target Lord asked us to investigate."
"Should we go back or..." the Black Tortoise Shield inquired.
There was no need to finish the sentence, whether to go back to complete the quest or to charge forward and eliminate these people.
They were inclined to take action, but feared that acting rashly might mess up the quest.
"Since we're already here."
As the four slowly approached, they saw more and got an idea of the enemy force's overall strength.
More than a dozen men.
Their equipment seemed average at best, with tattered clothes, rusty swords, and so on.
With just the four of them, they probably were no match for the group, given the sheer difference in numbers.
But witnessing the children and women caged, the four players felt an unspoken anger rising within them.
Seeing it with their own eyes bore no comparison to viewing it on a computer screen; the scantily clad, pitiful women and children were like lambs waiting for slaughter.
And then a bald Han dragged a woman out of a cage with violent force, pinning her to the ground with ill intent.
"Fuck! Unbearable!" the Dragon Scale Sword whispered angrily, his veins bulging as if the game's realism even simulated his rage.
"With over a dozen men, even if we win against the odds, there will surely be sacrifices!" the Black Tortoise Shield clenched his teeth.
He too was furious, but after the anger, he had to consider the pros and cons. If they charged in, they'd likely be surrounded and killed.
Not only did they lack ranged weapons, but they didn't even have full armor sets. Just look at the Black Tortoise Shield, with only the top half of his plate armor and white silk boxers on his lower half, barefoot.
If they went back now to gather more people, having Lord bring well-equipped soldiers, they'd easily crush this group of monsters.
But there wasn't enough time, the bald guy was already taking off his pants!
There are few rational types among players; regardless of their real lives, inside the game, except for a few, most end up adopting the persona of a "heroic adventurer."
Rushing to the scene, righting wrongs, then leaving without a trace, becoming a legend.
If playing a game isn't enjoyable, then what's the point?
"What do you say, can we lure them away with distractions and take them out one by one?"
Zelda, Assassin's Creed, Hitman 47... There are so many. Almost every game has the mechanic of throwing objects to distract enemies and then stealthily eliminating them one by one until achieving a perfect stealth with only corpses left behind!
This is the basic logic of games.
Us players, we know stealth the best!
The action plan was unanimously approved.
Loves White Silk picked up a stone and took a few steps forward, aiming at a lookout man and flicking his wrist.
The stone flew in an arc, landing in the bushes not far from him.
It didn't make much noise, just enough to attract one person's attention.
"Hmm?" The man looked puzzled, then to the astonishment of the four players, he pointed in the direction the stone came from, right towards where Loves White Silk was hiding, and shouted, "Over here! Someone's here!"
Loves White Silk, like a rabbit hidden in the bushes, popped his head out: "Fuck!"
Why aren't these monsters following the script?
What do you do when stealth is compromised?
Kill everyone who saw you, and consider it a successful stealth!
That's why I say, players know stealth the best!
Loves White Silk charged out with a single-handed sword. As a master who had faced three jackals alone just two days prior, there was no need to worry about his micromanagement skills.
He rushed forward and then slashed at his opponent, but the other party's reaction was also swift, lifting his sword from below to parry the attack.
In this post-apocalyptic world, the instinct to counterattack had long been ingrained within him.
The clash of swords made it clear that Loves White Silk, who had leveled up and obviously had a better physique than the gaunt wanderer, emerged victorious with a single strike, causing the opponent to stagger.
The reverberating force of the impact also made him stiffen slightly.
However, upon seeing the wanderer stagger backward, Loves White Silk was overjoyed.
Did my strike just now cause him to be stunned?
"I've mastered the riposte!" he exclaimed joyfully.
He quickly followed up with another sword strike. Cutting down a person "for real" for the first time, Loves White Silk not only felt no discomfort, but his heart thrilled with delight.
It has to be said, this game... is divine!
It's just a shame that the opponent, after taking a hit, immediately broke free from the "stunned" state with a roll, dodging the attack.
Loves White Silk was stunned and his eyes widened.
This isn't just an ordinary monster? The monsters can even perform fancy maneuvers!
"Kill!"
The other three no longer bothered to hide.
Bloody hell, can't the four of us players take down a single Monster Stronghold?
Bring it on!
Pain sensation turned down, gore switched off, heads dropping like cabbages.
In this world, I am invincible!
"Disgrace your enemy, strip off their clothes!"
"Gaia!"
"Heyo! Your godmother-"
Shouts erupted everywhere.
And on the side of the "Monster Stronghold," whether it was the red-named hostile monsters preparing to gather or the women and children locked in cages, they all watched, dumbfounded, as the bizarrely dressed quartet of players yelled and charged over.
Though they seemed to be a mess, the four players, fearless of death, naturally had a sense of cooperation.
The most fearful thing in combat is the lack of teamwork, but the coordination between people cannot avoid the instinct of "fearing death."
If one can duck out of harm's way, they definitely will, even at the risk of their formation changing.
But the squad of four was completely different. Afraid of dying? Not in the slightest.
Pain? Sorry, I have pain sensation turned off.
If you're squeamish at the sight of blood, what spurts from wounds could be oil instead.
So, all that was left was to attack.
The Dragon Scale Sword even employed the "Third Middle School Alley Fighting Technique" during combat, kicking forward and flipping a "monster" over.
Just as he was about to finish the monster off...
"Damn it, they've got an archer!" Black Tortoise Shield spotted a figure in the distance with a headscarf and a crossbow in hand, sneakily aiming this way. He stepped forward to cover his teammates from the incoming arrows with his back.
A tank must have the consciousness to block damage.
On the other hand, the people from Wanderer's Camp were shocked by Black Tortoise Shield's selfless act.
They were just a group of wanderers who had come together temporarily due to mutual interests. Although their actions were driven by desire, it didn't mean they had no admiration for loyalty and righteousness. On the surface, people might mock someone who sacrifices themselves, but they would choose to befriend such a person because they could always be trusted not to betray.
The four warriors, seeming to come out of nowhere and disregarding their own lives, made the wanderers take them seriously.
The wanderers' encirclement slowly took shape, closing in from front, back, left, and right. No matter where these four odd individuals came from, they had already lost any chance of escape.