Meow King was holding a bloody pitchfork, standing in the ruins of Mond Vige, staring dumbfounded at the fierce huntress lying on the ground after being attacked by Precipitation Niuniu and his own NPC.


    Although this wasn’t his first time participating in a test, and he wasn’t a neer to the world, Meow King’s heart was still pounding rapidly.


    There were two voices arguing in his mind.


    The rational one told him that this was just a game, so he needed to stay calm! But the more excited voice was grasping at his brain, roaring.


    Look at everything in front of you!


    The bloody sunset, the copsed ruins, hisrades standing with him after the bloody battle, and finally, the defeated powerful enemy. The scent of war was wildly provoking the most primitive wildness deep within this man’s heart!


    He could feel his heart skip a few beats when that dangerous figure fell to the ground.


    It’s true!


    He had just fought a battle with these extremely vicious enemies!And he won!


    So screw rationality.


    “We won, we won!”


    Meow King raised his pitchfork and shouted excitedly, almost cracking his voice. The surrounding yers snapped out of their daze and joined in the cheers. Even the tough sister Lumina with her broken leg raised her dwarven hunter’s rifle with Miriam’s support.


    This scene was like a team celebrating their first clear of a raid, but the immense sense of aplishment and satisfaction they got here could never be obtained in those paper games.


    The cheers from behind made Precipitation Niuniu, who had just delivered the “final blow,” feel unreal.


    He looked at the captive huntress squad leader he had knocked down and the heavy, strange steam-powered mechanical weapon that had fallen to the ground. It felt like the adrenaline was wearing off, leaving him dizzy and panting as he plopped down on the ground.


    That surprise attack was too intense, what was the difference between that and rushing a tower under AK fire?


    He didn’t expect himself to run that fast. He was clueless when he first logged in, but in the blink of an eye, he became the hero.


    This game is really amazing!


    Little brother Precipitation Niuniu looked at his hands in the game, exactly the same as his real ones. Then a shadow fell in front of him, and he looked up to see the handsome NPC reaching out his hand.


    “Is this the first time you’ve experienced this feeling?”


    Murphy, standing with his sword against the backdrop of sunset and dusk, asked softly. His crimson cloak swayed behind him, as if trying to block out thest ray of light.


    The athlete was stunned for a moment.


    Damn, this real-time rendered CG animation is too impressive!


    “Ah?”


    Precipitation Niuniu replied dumbly.


    He didn’t quite understand what this NPC was saying, but he epted Murphy’s help and was pulled up from the ground.


    Then he heard Murphy say:


    “What I mean is, the feeling of savoring the sweet taste of victory, the desire to indulge in it, the feeling of staying alive. My warrior, look, yourrades are hailing you as a hero!


    Just as I see you as a heaven-sent miracle soldier.”


    “Heh heh.”


    Precipitation Niuniu instinctively turned to look at the yers who were still standing behind him. Led by Meow King, the guys were whistling and making strange noises at him.


    This scene made him feel like when he had broken a record at the school sportspetition and stood on the winners’ podium. He felt a bit embarrassed but also proud as he gave a thumbs up and wiped his dusty nose.


    “This feeling is really great, Murphy… uh, Lord Murphy!”


    He replied, then watched as Murphy bent down and pulled an exquisite hunting knife from the huntress’s waist, presenting it to him with both hands in a respectful manner.


    “Today, you are also a hero of this destroyed Mond Vige. The dead will thank you for your grace. Take it, it is your deserved reward.”


    “Uh, thank you.”


    Precipitation Niuniu immediately took the weapon with both hands.


    He felt like he was receiving a trophy. Although this was just a virtual reality game, well, the atmosphere had built up to this point, right?


    “Lord Murphy! The four lousy hunters at the vige entrance escaped!”


    Spicy Gugu Chicken came running over, dragging his sword, and excitedly reported to Murphy with an awkward salute:


    “Should we chase them?”


    “Can any of you ride horses, brave warriors?”


    Murphy raised his voice to ask. The yers who had just been cheering immediately fell silent, looking at each other. Finally, Meow King said with an odd expression:


    “Dump Truck is quite fond of that stuff, he should know how to ride.”


    “Where is that brave warrior now?”


    Murphy followed up, and Meow King shrugged, pointing to the copsed “sniper tower”.


    “Probably been sted into a sieve.”


    “Well then, forget about it.”


    Murphy swallowed his urge to make a sarcastic remark, as an NPC should beposed. He shook his head and said:


    “It seems we cannot pursue them. The Witch Hunters’ warhorses are specially bred for speed and endurance. At this hour before nightfall, I cannot catch up with them either.


    But this is still a victory worthmemorating. You have once again proven your courage and potential.”


    His gaze swept over the surviving yers. Of the original 12, 9 remained. This made Murphy feel some regret.


    Although he had adjusted his tactics, the gap between the novice yers and the Witch Hunters was still a bit toorge. Losing three yers had already reached the failure threshold for this fourth Newbie Guide Quest.


    But it didn’t matter.


    If a bunch of rookies could do this well, with a little more practice against another Witch Hunter squad after nightfall, they might just pass.


    At that moment, Ah Yuen’s voice suddenly came from behind:


    “Quick, someonee over! Leading Pigeon is still alive, though just barely.”


    Upon hearing this, the mobile yers immediately ran over to help. Like an earthquake rescue effort, after a few minutes of scrambling with their hands and feet, they pulled the blood-soaked Leading Pigeon out from the copsed second floor.


    His injuries made everyone who saw him gasp in horror.


    It was too gruesome!


    He was a mess of blood and flesh, like he had been dragged out of a coal kiln.


    “Damn! The pain feels too real!”


    The bloody Leading Pigeon was shouting and looking around frantically:


    “Why doesn’t this game have a button to turn off pain perception? I’m gonna die from the pain.”


    “The pain has already been reduced, noob.”


    Meow King, leaning on his pitchfork, nced at Leading Pigeon and said:


    “In reality, with injuries like that, you’d be dead or at least unconscious. The fact that you can still hop around screaming is proof enough of that. But you should have been disconnected for protection with wounds this severe. How are you still alive?”


    “Ow, there were a few times I felt like I was going to pass out and disconnect.”


    Leading Pigeon said honestly:


    “But then I thought about having to wait three days to revive and didn’t want to be mocked as a noob, so I just gritted my teeth and endured it, hoping you guys could rescue me.”


    “Damn, did you have to go that hardcore? My poor Leading Pigeon.”


    Ah Yuen half-knelt beside him, patting Leading Pigeon’s head half-jokingly:


    “You were really brave to avoid being called a noob. Dad is impressed, my son has grown up. Dad will treat you to lunch! Whatever you want.”


    “Ow, then let’s have chicken for lunch, at least a whole big roasted chicken.”


    “…Sheesh!”


    Murphy, standing outside the group, was stunned by the tenacity of his silly little yers.


    But this was certainly a good thing. When Leading Pigeon was brought back, a questpletion prompt popped up in front of Murphy:


    【Newbie Guide Quest (4/6): Advanced Combat Test (Completed)


    Evaluation: 2 casualties, questpletion rating is Excellent.


    Reward: +5 test invitation codes, item identification function unlocked.


    Bonus for excellentpletion: Experience and leveling function unlocked early.


    Developer’s Note: Although you have good vision and no ability to predict, I still think you would be well-suited for the RTS yer profession. Have you considered a career change?】


    Murphy showed a satisfied smile.


    He turned to look at his little yers. The experienced Meow King and Leading Pigeon saw his expression and knew this round of testing was about to end. Meow King stepped forward earnestly and said:


    “Lord Murphy, I know this request is somewhat excessive, but we hope to linger in this world a little longer to better adapt to it.”


    “Yes, Lord Murphy, this vige is too tragic,” Gugu Chicken and Ah Yuen chimed in pleadingly.


    “We can stay and help scavenge…uh, I mean, help that poor redhead girl bury her rtives and friends. It’s the least we can do for this vige.


    As for Leading Pigeon, just let him go back, he’s been through too much.”


    “Well…”


    Murphy didn’t need to look closely to know what the little yers wanted to do. They just felt that since the open beta hadn’t started yet, every chance to log in was precious, so they wanted to stay a bit longer. This was understandable.


    So he pretended to hesitate, and after “difficult deliberation,” told the yers looking at him expectantly:


    “Then you can linger a while longer. But I must leave here at nightfall to regroup with myrades. By then, you’ll have to return to your world. The grand n cannot be revealed yet!


    Before we have our own forces, I must act with caution, to protect myself and you.


    I hope you understand.”


    Hearing the NPC allow them to stay longer, the little yers immediately cheered in delight, especially the few who were logging in for the first time, they found everything novel.


    The environment was just too realistic!


    If they couldn’t log out normally, it would truly feel like they had entered another realm, making them linger and forget to leave, even though it was just an ordinary little vige. It would be enough for these innocent little yers to spend a long time here.


    Murphy stood by the mud wall, watching these naive and lovely little yers surround thenguage-barriered Miriam, trying tomunicate with gestures. He felt a rare sense of rxation since he had crossed over.


    But this rxation didn’tst more than a few seconds before a new prompt appeared before his eyes:


    【Newbie Guide Quest (5/6): Comprehensive Assessment – Lead your current manpower, from nning to preparation to final execution, toplete aplexbat operation!


    Specific requirements are as follows:


    1.Alpha must strategize with the lovely little yers in-game and formte a n.


    2.The mainbat operation must be carried out solely by Alpha and the yer forces.


    3.Alpha or the yers must personally kill the leader chosen as thebat target, and ensure at least one-fifth of the current manpower survives by the end.


    Reward: +10 test invitation codes, new functions unlocked, additional rewards based onpletion.


    Developer’s Note: Keep it up, there are only six stages to the Newbie Guide Quests. Once youplete them all, it means you are a qualified test admin capable of handling most contingencies.


    Although, that also only means the true beginning of your long service life.】


    Murphy fell into contemtion looking at this quest.


    Although he didn’t know which idiot had designed this system and imnted it in his body, he could basically confirm that person was a moron.


    Is this really a quest a ten-year corporate ve like himself couldplete?


    Damn, and this is just the beginner’s quest, but the difficulty level is already so insane. If I be a formal test adminter, what the hell are you going to make me do? I dread to think about it.


    Tch!


    The good mood is gone.


    ——


    “We cannot leave!”


    On the road away from Mond Vige, the burned Witch Hunter on the saddle grit his teeth and shouted to the veteran soldier Norman ahead:


    “Norman! We have to rescue little Natalie! We cannot abandon that child, her life is far more precious than ours.”


    The veteran Norman did not respond, only spurring his warhorse forward with his spurs. In the increasingly gloomy night falling around them, he said in a hoarse voice:


    “Calm down, Monde. This was a trap from the start, that vampire yed uspletely. Stay calm, and trust Natalie! Nothing will happen to her.


    Have you forgotten the prophecy Elder mo made about her at her birth?


    This child will be a true leader under Avalon’s protection, she will aplish feats beyond ordinary reach. She absolutely will not die here!


    Avalon protects her.”


    These words silenced the hunters around him.


    They could not refute Norman’s reasoning, for almost all of Elder mo’s prophecies over these hundreds of years hade true, including the rebellion ten years ago that turned the Avalon Church into the Old Faith.


    In this world where gods existed, prophecies were not vague and unsubstantial.


    Moreover, in their current state, any attempt to return and rescue Natalie would only increase casualties. They had to leave first, gather forces, and then kill their way back.


    “The mission to intercept the messenger has failed.”


    The veteran grabbed the reins and said solemnly:


    “We must immediately regroup with the battalionmander to determine our next n of action. Buck up,ds, our hunt is not over yet!”


    “No, it’s over!”


    A chilling voice, like encroaching shadows, suddenly appeared beside the four escaping Witch Hunters, causing their warhorses to whinny uneasily and stop in their tracks.


    The lead veteran Norman looked up to see a pair of massive blood-red wings unfurl before him.


    Those enormous blood-red bat wings bore a petite silhouette hanging like a specter in midair. Behind her stood four Blood Vulture Midnight Hunters wielding spears, swords, and ded whips.


    And higher above, a crimson firework was bursting in the sky.


    The light points converged into the spread-winged emblem of the Sacred Blood Vulture, the signal of the Blood Vulture n, indicating the roaming Midnight Hunters would all gather here tonight.


    “Shua!”


    Old Norman drew the sword from his waist.


    The three Witch Hunters behind him made the same motion. Facing the elite Midnight Hunters of the Blood Vultures, whose power was generally in the upper ck Iron realm, they knew they could not win.


    But that was no reason to abandon the fight, much less surrender.


    “37th Witch Hunter Squad of the White Oak Battalion!”


    The veteran thrust his de forward, pulling his reins to calm his restless mount. Facing the mocking gazes of the Midnight Hunters appearing in the darkness one by one, he shouted expressionlessly:


    “Charge!”