**Chapter 94: Time to Get Tactical!**
The battle on the field was tense, with the skirmishes between players and bandits heating up.
After some trial and error, players wised up. Whenever they encountered bandits above level 20, they avoided direct combat. Tanks would draw these stronger foes in with [Taunt] and lead them over to the Queen's Guards, letting the soldiers handle the cleanup. For bandits below level 20, players charged in with everything they had, going toe-to-toe without hesitation.
As each bandit fell, a scatter of equipment, psionic coins, and potions dotted the ground. Yet, no one was scooping up the loot.
The players had a plan. Before the fight began, they'd all agreed to let Snow Leopard collect every dropped item after the battle. He would tally up the total market value and convert it into psionic coins, dividing them equally among everyone. This way, all focus remained on the fight, with each player giving their all.
Through a mix of teamwork, efficient commands from guild leaders, and sheer willpower, the players soon wrestled control back from the relentless wave of bandits, tipping the scales of victory in their favor.
Truthfully, this battle wasn't insurmountable. The guilds present were some of the best in the game, packed with elite players. The ranks even included top players like A Thousand Cups Not Drunk, and a seasoned battlefield tactician, Snow Leopard, who coordinated the whole fight. If this team couldn't clear this scenario, the game's difficulty would have to be seriously re-evaluated.
By the third minute, Su Yu surveyed the battlefield and saw victory was within reach.
At this pace, the Princess Team's losses might not even reach 5%—probably just 3% at most.
Confident smiles began to spread among the players. This battle was as good as won.
Since victory was secured, Su Yu decided to "add a little drama."
Winning too cleanly didn't align with his play style. So he sent a message in the chat room: "Listen up, everyone! Spread the word—players in the front line should start letting a few attacks slip through. Healers, take it easy with the heals. Mages, sit down and chug some potions like you're running out of mana. Archers, take a break; find something to do that looks like you're busy."
**True Red-Eyed Black Dragon:** "???"
**Snow Leopard:** "???"
**Enemy in the Clouds:** "???"
**Xia Mournful:** "???"
A line of question marks filled the chat.
The battle was practically over—what exactly was Su Yu planning?
Su Yu chuckled and explained: "The missions I'm getting for us are all from NPCs. If you make it look like we're losing ground, they'll give me higher-value quests. If we just win outright, why would they bother issuing high-reward missions?"
The guild leaders exchanged glances.
They didn't fully understand his strategy, but since it was coming from the Nemesis, they went with it.
**Guild Leaders:** "Got it. We'll follow your lead."
Under the leaders' instructions, the battlefield suddenly took a sharp downturn, as if someone had pulled the rug out from under a stable stock market.
Players started slacking off with apparent ease.
Tanks let advanced bandits get in solid hits without activating any damage-reduction skills. Assassins skipped using [Stealth] and dove into the enemy line, only to be swiftly cut down. Meanwhile, priests and mages linked arms and "took a break" to chug potions.
With the entire frontline letting up, the battle line crumbled in an instant.
The bandits seized the opportunity, charging forward until they were practically brushing against the Queen's convoy. One particularly fierce bandit made it to the back of the carriage, and the "Convoy Loss" indicator jumped from 0% to 2%.
---
Watching the chaos, Princess Elize's brow furrowed in concern.
Everything had seemed fine just moments ago. Why had the front line suddenly collapsed? Were the foreign adventurers simply not up to the task, or had the enemy shown unexpected strength?
Unaware of the players' "guild channels" or "chat rooms," she could never have guessed that the "falling line" was entirely intentional—engineered by Su Yu and fully backed by the players.
Seeing that the scene was set, Su Yu approached the princess with a solemn expression. "Your Highness, I'm sorry. We're doing our best, but my forces might not be able to hold these bandits at bay."
The nearby players let out resigned sighs, each playing their role with Oscar-worthy dedication.
The princess's face clouded. "What can we do?"
While Chenxing (probably the cat that was with the princess) could transform into a dragon and fly her to safety, her hundred guards were her most loyal protectors. Losing them would be a deep blow, one she couldn't simply brush aside. And abandoning the diplomatic mission with Duke Anzu Saifer would be equally damaging.
"I have one final suggestion." Su Yu's face took on a serious tone. "We have an old saying—'Offer great rewards, and you'll find brave men.' If we announce a substantial reward, we could rally the adventurers' spirits. I'll cover the cost, but I'd need your permission to offer it in your name."
The princess hesitated, surprised by his offer.
Nemesis was volunteering to spend his own resources to protect her and her guards. He seemed genuinely willing to help her through this crisis.
The only explanation that made sense to her was that Nemesis hoped to invest in her eventual ascension to the throne, expecting a return on his early support.
But his generosity warmed her heart. Here was someone willing to stand by her side, no strings attached. "Alright, let's do it," she agreed, her gaze softening.
"Ding! [Queen Elize]'s favorability rating towards you has increased by +5."
Su Yu immediately turned to the players and shouted, "Everyone, hang in there! Her Royal Highness is willing to offer 50 psionic coins to everyone here if we can drive these bandits back!"
At that moment, a system prompt popped up for every player on the battlefield:
"The player 'Nemesis' has issued the task [Drive the Bandits Out of the Sky]. Will you accept?"
Every player hit "Accept."
**Ding!** Congratulations! You have triggered the side quest in the scenario campaign: [Drive the Bandits Out of the Sky].
"Quest Objective: Push the battle line beyond the [Shadow Sky]."
"Quest Reward: Experience Points x1500, Psionic Coins x50."
The psionic coins for this quest were capped, so Su Yu couldn't adjust it further, but the cost was no concern. Spending 50,000 psionic coins for 15,000 experience points was a fantastic deal for him.
Plus, he'd gained five more favorability points with the princess. That kind of favorability wasn't something that even a goblin merchant could buy with ten million psionic coins.
With the new quest activated, the players dropped the act and brought their A-game!
Tanks activated all their defensive skills and surged forward. Mages, refreshed and ready, turned the field into a blazing storm of spells, while healers lit up the battlefield with a torrent of health-restoring light.
The bandits were thrown completely off guard. These adventurers had seemed like easy prey a moment ago; now, they fought like men possessed.
The bandits felt like they'd gone from handling frail chickens to being pitted against fierce geese!
They stumbled, cut down under the players' sudden, ferocious counterattack, and soon the frontline was pushed several meters back from the convoy.
With the players charged up by the quest and the bandits demoralized by the sudden shift, the battle once again turned in the players' favor.