DSMC Chapter 64.2

But this time, he didn’t approach Tang Shi and Liang Yu. Instead, he hid in a corner and ordered Tang Shi to lead the team to Xiaoyun Street to pick up Qiu Xi and Gu Wenzhu.

Before leaving the abandoned building, Liang Yu was still thinking about Oreo’s former owner and wondered where the black cat had gone. But considering the cat wasn’t stupid, he decided not to look for him.

He was currently wanted by Chen Gang for stealing the stone. He didn’t dare wander around. After Tang Shi left, Liang Yu stayed in the abandoned building, planning not to move for now.

Yan Jiyun felt Liang Yu wouldn’t be able to stay long. The outside players would surely report to Chen Gang.

On the second floor, he found a good hidden corner in the shadows. He showered Miss Diamond and Mr. Keys with gifts. Now their bond values rose even faster than Tang Shi’s and Liang Yu’s. Then he ordered Tang Shi to take them and escort Qiu Xi and Gu Wenzhu.

It would take about fifteen minutes to walk from Xiaoyun Street to Yunxiao Hotel. Round-trip would be just right. Hopefully Qiu Xi and Gu Wenzhu hadn’t wandered too far.

Yan Jiyun continued hiding.

After reviving the two, the total number of active players became exactly ten.

The game had a little over 4 hours left.

In half an hour, there would be another forced PK round.

The other eight players were split among different teams, each with a limited number of NPCs at hand. In comparison, he still had absolute advantage.

If he needed more, he could always exchange more.

Before long, Yan Jiyun heard the voices of Qiu Xi and Gu Wenzhu from the second-floor wooden balcony. Tang Shi had brought them into the abandoned building.

Yan Jiyun: “…”

Wasn’t this basically announcing to the other players, “If you want to attack Team F, just come straight to the abandoned building”?

There were few players left now. After No. 29 eliminated six players here in one go, the remaining players didn’t dare risk approaching. Wouldn’t that be delivering themselves as free food to Team F?

No. 29 had even raised two NPCs into “fat, fully fed beasts.” They couldn’t possibly win!

And now, even more outrageous. He had exchanged for two more new NPCs because their team had high points.

Team F still had six revival stones left. How were they supposed to fight them?

While the remaining seven players were agonizing, Chen Gang and his men, who was still searching for Liang Yu, appeared on Yunxiao Hotel Street.

“Anyone seen Liang Yu? Whoever finds him gets a hefty reward!”

Team C Player No. 6, who hadn’t been eliminated yet, reacted instantly. Wasn’t Liang Yu No. 29’s NPC?

This is a perfect chance!

With instance NPCs helping, wouldn’t they be able to take down Team F’s NPCs?

Without Liang Yu and the others, what could No. 29 possibly rely on to act tough?

The remaining players stopped fighting each other. As long as No. 29’s number tag wasn’t taken, none of them could win. Fighting among themselves only made No. 29 smug without bringing them any real benefit.

Now they had to cooperate. Not just with each other, but even with instance NPCs. All to take down No. 29’s NPC, Liang Yu.

Team C Player No. 6 shouted at Chen Gang, “I know where Liang Yu is! He’s in the building right in front of you! They’re all inside!”

On the second floor, crouching, Yan Jiyun frowned deeply. Chen Gang had too many men. They occupied almost the entire street in front of the abandoned building.

Their goal was to retrieve the stolen Revival Stone from Liang Yu. Even if Liang Yu obediently handed it over, they might still kill him.

Yan Jiyun noticed a gun tucked at Chen Gang’s waist. Several of the strong men behind him also had knives. Not a single one of them looked merciful.

Was this the instance side effect of having powerful NPCs?

They had to deal with Chen Gang first. He was a huge problem.

In about ten minutes, the next forced PK round would begin. They only had ten players; half would be drawn in each round. Who knew who would get pulled in?

They’d be gone for five minutes and, when they returned, the instance situation might be completely different.

What to do?

Yan Jiyun fell deep into thought.

Players couldn’t intervene in Chen Gang’s business; only Liang Yu could resolve it. If the summoned NPCs’ range of activity followed the player, then after the area shrank, Liang Yu could only operate within Yunxiao Hotel Street. He had no escape.

From the looks of it, Liang Yu wasn’t planning on running at all. He was sitting calmly inside, waiting to settle the old score with Chen Gang.

Tang Shi asked Liang Yu why he wasn’t fleeing. Liang Yu said they arrived at the perfect time. It was time to settle the matter from the castle years ago.

Was this really the right time?

No one could be sure, but at the very least, the truth could be laid bare.

But Yan Jiyun didn’t want his NPCs getting critically-hit by other NPCs and left with slivers of HP. He needed his NPCs to fight players, not get dragged into instance plot conflicts.

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“I’m laughing to death! Kitty Baby still looks completely confused, he has no idea that in a pure PvP combat mode, none of these ‘extra’ add-ons are supposed to exist.”

“This really increases the difficulty for Mimi. In the original instance, Liang Yu was hard to deal with, but that was inside the castle. Now they changed the scene and nerfed Liang Yu’s strength. One against many… there’s no way he can win. The game is clearly targeting Mimi, trying to get rid of Liang Yu to re-balance everything.”

“If it were me, I’d target him too. Originally, each team could get one or two Revival Stones. But Kitty Baby alone has eight. He used two, and still has six left. That’s basically six players in his pocket. Add him and his two teammates, and that’s nine people. Two more than the opposition.”

“How can you calculate it like that? If his teammates get eliminated again, they can only revive in place. They’ll definitely be spawn-camped by players.”

“There’s a three-minute protection period. Meowmeow can definitely protect them.”

“Try thinking positively. Maybe the Kitty Baby won’t need to use any more revival stones at all?”

“If our Kitty Baby and his teammates don’t use the remaining stones, then it’s fair for everyone… but doesn’t that make the stones useless?”

“Uh… so isn’t that making things difficult for the game?”

Right now, Yan Jiyun felt it was the game making things difficult for him, not the other way around!

Why did NPCs in other people’s instances never have this many problems, while Liang Yu and Tang Shi repeatedly stumbled into one danger after another, as if they were the protagonists of this instance?

Protagonists?

…Alright. That made sense.

By the universal rules of storytelling across all eras, Liang Yu was unmistakably the instance’s protagonist. He had a revenge arc, a quest for the MacGuffin (Revival Stone), the richest and most powerful girl in town wanting to date him, an all-knowing jack-of-all-trades Tang Shi as his partner. Every form of plot armor was tailor-made for him. If he wasn’t the protagonist, it would be absurd.

But now, his future father-in-law was blocking the door. Could Liang Yu and Tang Shi win against that? Surely they wouldn’t get caught and dragged home to become a live-in son-in-law, right?

How could NPCs fight over someone with a player?!

Yan Jiyun had just won a big fight, only to face wolves in front and tigers behind.

He stopped worrying about intervening. Liang Yu, Tang Shi, and the others were running upstairs. The staircase looked like it was about to collapse under their feet.

No. By the time Qiu Xi carried Gu Wenzhu up, the wooden staircase had already collapsed.

He looked up at the structure of the dilapidated building. It could collapse at any moment.

Dangerous buildings were never reliable.

Chen Gang stood downstairs and shouted, “Liang Yu, be smart and hand over the Revival Stone. I’ll let it go.”

Back when Chen Gang went searching at Tang Shi’s home, Liang Yu never showed his face. Now he stepped openly to the second floor and happened to see a black lump crouching in the corner. He almost laughed aloud. So Oreo was hiding here.

“What Revival Stone?”

“Don’t pretend. You broke into my house and stole my things. If you don’t hand it over, I’ll set a fire and burn all of you inside.”

The watching players: NPCs really think outside the box. What a brilliant idea!

This building is made of wood. Just add gasoline and fire, and it becomes ash instantly. Horror game NPCs really do have more tricks. The players hadn’t even considered this tactic. This might smoke No. 29 out of the building. If the NPCs wiped out all three in Team F, the game would instantly eliminate three players, and maybe drop six revival stones! Amazing!

Players from Teams A and C began egging him on. “Use fire and smoke them out. There’s no better way!”

Chen Gang was used to being flattered. Hearing agreement, he immediately ordered his men to prepare gasoline and lighters.

They hauled out gasoline from a nearby repair shop and waited for Chen Gang’s signal.

Chen Gang gave Liang Yu one last chance. “Liang Yu, if you don’t come out now, I’ll burn you and your companions. No one will survive!”

Liang Yu pointed to a spot on the second floor near the neighboring building. There was a point where they could cross over to the large balcony next door and leave without being dragged into this.

Then he pointed again at the cat crouching on the balcony. He told Tang Shi, “Take the cat with you.”

Tang Shi glanced at Liang Yu. “Then be careful.” He began sending everyone through the window to the neighboring balcony one by one.

The angle was perfectly shielded by the building. Those below couldn’t see.

Of course, Yan Jiyun wanted to stay and observe what happened next. Liang Yu couldn’t die; he was one of his key NPCs.

Tang Shi picked him up, but Yan Jiyun hooked his claws around the window frame, refusing to leave. Tang Shi didn’t force it, afraid of hurting him, and paused.

When Yan Jiyun turned his head, he caught a flicker of hesitation in Tang Shi’s eyes.

What was he hesitating about? Whether to stay and fight with Liang Yu or leave?

But Yan Jiyun didn’t think so. Liang Yu still didn’t know the last Revival Stone was on him. Tang Shi was still hiding that from Liang Yu.

What was the connection between Tang Shi and the Revival Stone?

Forget it. Not important now. First see how Liang Yu handled this.

Seeing Tang Shi still holding Oreo and standing there, Liang Yu waved urgently. “Go! You won’t be able to help with what’s next.”

Tang Shi wanted to say more, but Liang Yu already called down to Chen Gang. “I can give you the Revival Stone, but only if you come in. I don’t trust the people behind you.”

Chen Gang shook his head. “No way. Your lives are in my hands.”

Liang Yu changed tactics. “Fine. Then I’ll wait for you on the second floor.”

He urged Tang Shi again. When he didn’t move, Liang Yu pushed him toward the window. “Go!”

Yan Jiyun didn’t know what Liang Yu was planning, but it definitely wasn’t good.

He wanted to stay, but Tang Shi still carried him and climbed through the window onto the big balcony.

The moment they landed, Yan Jiyun smelled gasoline. Not from below, but from Liang Yu.

Holy Fuck! Liang Yu was going for a mutual destruction route! No wonder he insisted on driving them away.

Yan Jiyun broke free of Tang Shi’s arms and leapt back toward the window.

Tang Shi instantly hissed, “Oreo! Come back!”

As he approached the window, he too smelled the heavy gasoline.

There was no need to guess. He knew exactly what Liang Yu intended!

Tang Shi followed Yan Jiyun back into the unstable building.

At that moment, Chen Gang’s men had already set up a staircase to climb to the second floor.