Chapter 172-3: Simple Computer, Extreme Brutality (3) |
With the front unable to break through, God King issued new orders again.
The assassin-build players in the warband activated the Duskhaze trait and stealthed toward the rear of the Black Tide.
At this moment the Earthmind Evil Spirit also detected the swiftly moving black shadows. Information provided by the Evil Eye surfaced in its mind.
But its perception view turned toward the rear of the player legion.
It discovered the spellcasters were rapidly generating Flowing Shadow clones and attaching the item the players called Annihilation Bombs, which made the Earthmind Evil Spirit furrow its brow.
Various possible tactics flashed through its mind.
The Evil Eye provided data support and listed out the possibilities.
It included the ‘Star Shift’ trait just displayed, and the answer was at hand.
Stealth entry, rule-based position swap, backline explosion.
“Evil Eye, can the reserve energy generate void-series units?”
“Yes, but void-series units exceed the controllable Black Tide intensity. Control will be very taxing after generation.”
“Ten Void Blink. Can we do it?”
“We can.”
“Good.”
Receiving the Evil Eye’s clear answer, the Earthmind Evil Spirit entered the unit library.
It selected the void-series unit from the Tenth Palace, Void Blink. The Black Tide rapidly contracted, energy continuously compressed and refined to adapt to the gestation of the void-series unit.
Because the Black Tide’s energy intensity could not fully adapt, this gestation was slow.
As the assassin-series players closed in, the ten Void Blinks were also condensing their bodies.
A chilling dim light flared in the black mist as the Void Blinks took the field.
Each was shaped like an irregular floating energy mass. Its core was a sphere emitting deep violet light. Four energy tendrils like arms extended from it. The surface was covered with a layer of flowing black radiance like liquid metal, within which faintly floated complex spatial runes.
After appearing, the Void Blinks did not act.
Not until several of the fastest assassin-build players edged close to the death-catastrophe-series units.
The Earthmind Evil Spirit activated the Void Blinks at that moment.
The probabilities provided by the Evil Eye were not necessarily the answer, but it trusted its own intuitive judgment.
God King also issued an order at this time:
“Assassin build, Star Shift.”
The assassin-build players, in Duskhaze form, immediately turned and triggered Star Shift on the spellcasters’ clones.
The Flowing Shadow clones loaded with the latest Arms Dealers tech, the Annihilation Bombs, were instantly swapped to the sides of the Black Tide death-catastrophe-series units.
A smile appeared on God King’s face.
Just then, the Void Blinks in the Black Tide moved. With a flicker they vanished into the air. Reappearing, four tendrils touched the Flowing Shadow clones, then vanished again.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The explosions did not sound in the rear of the Black Tide, but detonated above the heads of the spellcasters at the rear of the player legion.
A large number of spellcasters had their screens go black on the spot and entered the small dark room.
Crap.
Seeing this, God King completely lost his composure.
Just a moment ago he had been marveling that the Earthmind bully had not blocked the assassins’ stealth backline flank, only for the very next second the Earthmind bully gifted him a surprise.
It sent the clones back through spatial jump.
Seeing this, the Earthmind Evil Spirit felt waves of dizziness, and a smile tugged at the corner of its mouth.
“Earthmind, controlling ten Void Blinks is still too strenuous. I do not recommend generating more. It will seriously affect your grasp of the battle rhythm.” The Evil Eye’s voice sounded in its mind.
The Earthmind Evil Spirit nodded upon hearing this.
“I understand. Doing so is to deter the players so they do not dare to easily use displacement-type self-destruction tactics.”
As the words fell, the Earthmind Evil Spirit saw that the remaining assassin-build players were no longer swapping positions. The deterrence had taken effect.
Yet the Earthmind Evil Spirit was in no hurry to kill the assassin-build players. It began a new round of reverse devouring, melting all poorly conditioned Black Tide units back into the Black Tide for remolding.
The threat posed by the assassin-build players was limited. Its main threat came from the main battle line.
As long as the main battle line held, assassin-build players alone could not stir up a storm in the rear.
With natural-catastrophe-series guardian units protecting the rear, the assassin-build players’ kill efficiency could not rise at all.
As time passed, the player legion collapsed in a one-sided rout.
Whether in combat strength or in numbers, the players were on the weaker side.
Add to that the Earthmind bully’s extreme micromanagement, and the players were beaten completely senseless.
This Evil Moon domain was not their first time here. Every previous visit had been an enjoyable farm.
But this time the Earthmind bully clearly decided not to play human. It ran full-time micro-control. Any low-health units that could be recovered were never wasted, giving not a sliver of opportunity.
Even though revived players kept joining the battlefield, they still could not withstand the Earthmind bully’s full-force offensive.
To the players it felt like the Earthmind bully had previously been on ‘simple bot’ mode, fishing in muddy waters the whole time, with Evil Entity units even actively feeding to let players kill them.
But this time the Earthmind bully had switched on ‘extreme brutality’ mode.
The combat gap felt far too large. The Earthmind bully’s crushing battlefield dominance truly tormented the players.
What angered the players even more was that the Earthmind bully had gotten stronger yet again.
Command ability, battlefield analysis, unit analysis… it was as if it had battlefield wallhacks, able to accurately judge the player legion’s next move.
The war quickly entered its final stage, and players were cleared from the Evil Moon domain in swathes.
Arms folded across its chest, the Earthmind bully hovered in the air, coldly watching the rout of the player legion, with the Evil Eye’s tendrils dancing in the air behind it.
“It is over.” With that, the Earthmind bully landed on the platform.
“Earthmind, you are amazing.”
“Shut up, idiotic Evil Eye.” The aloof Earthmind bully instantly lost its composure, turning to glare viciously at the Evil Eye.
—
Primordial Altar.
Qi Sheng watched the war in the Evil Moon domain from start to finish.
Seeing the Earthmind bully go all out, he had already guessed this outcome.
Though God King’s command ability was strong, it was vastly inferior to that of the Earthmind Evil Spirit.
In perception ability, the Earthmind Evil Spirit had the Evil Eye’s blessing and was a cut above. In tactical use, the Earthmind Evil Spirit was born for war.
It could even be said that every Evil Spirit warrior was a super commander born for war.
In every aspect it crushed the players who had only been in the Monster World for a short time.
In this war, among God King’s warband and the free players, it was actually the free players who performed better.
This ‘best’ did not refer to kill counts alone. In terms of sheer kills, the fifty thousand under God King far outstripped the hundred thousand or so free players. It referred instead to the ratio of comprehensive strength to kills.
Players in warband mode were completely seen through by the Earthmind Evil Spirit. Every step of God King’s tactical layout was countered.
But the chaotic play of the free players made it hard for the Earthmind Evil Spirit to establish effective targeted tactics.
Against other forces, even the Battle Swarm, Ascension race, or Ancient God race, the warband mode could perform very well.
Yet when facing the Black Tide with its super command system, it became a shortcoming.
Facts proved that the Black Tide must be countered with free-form play. The more systematized the confrontation, the easier it was to find targeted counters.
In this battle, even Guide gave the Earthmind Evil Spirit a ‘not bad’ evaluation, which showed the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s growth rate.
The resource-gifting phase was over, and the Earthmind Evil Spirit had gotten serious.
But the war was not over yet. The resources in the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s hands were about to be exhausted. It could not withstand several more waves of player offensives.
Qi Sheng was already beginning to look forward to the containment of the new rule.
—
Player forum.
Countless players were broken by the Earthmind bully and posted en masse to flame the Earthmind bully for not acting human, though it was not human to begin with.
In the meantime, players also organized the next collective charge.
They knew the Earthmind bully was already a spent force. As long as they kept fighting, they could wear it down to death.
God King also posted at this time to explain his command errors and sincerely admit fault.
As for God King’s repentance, both veteran players and newbies posted to say it was no big deal.
But God King still said that the next assault would adopt Free War mode. He felt his ideas had already been seen through by the Earthmind bully and that he needed to settle down and learn new tactics to deal with the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s growth.
—
2 a.m.
The player legion returned to the Evil Moon domain.
The Earthmind Evil Spirit rose into the air at this time as well. After docking with the Evil Eye, it entered war mode.
But what depressed the Earthmind Evil Spirit was that the players in chaotic mode had come again.
No organization, no discipline, no pattern, yet they hard-countered it with rule abilities.
“Disgusting.” The Earthmind Evil Spirit could not help but curse in its heart.
“Earthmind, players in Free War mode cannot be effectively targeted, but this mode can also train your micromanagement and improve your control over the battlefield.”
“I understand.” The Earthmind Evil Spirit nodded in a deep voice, switching its view to the battlefield.
A new round of great war began.
This time the players split into small groups to fight the Earthmind Evil Spirit, giving it no chance to showcase its abilities at all.
The frustration from the previous charge led players to actively start a taunt tactic.
“Earthmind, you are a warrior. Why are you treating the battlefield like a viewing platform? What a pity. True leaders lead from the front, not like you, hiding in the Evil Eye’s arms for cuddles and hugs. Disgusting.”
“Earthmind bully, do you still remember your domineering presence when you fought the God of Wealth back then? The stronger you get, the more wretched you are. I respected you as a man back then. As for you now, tsk tsk, it is just like that.”
“Earthmind, come out and duel. Do not be a turtle hiding in its shell. You do not even dare to duel, do you?”
“What a pity. I really miss the domineering Earthmind. The cold posture with Murderous Intent Rising as you stood on the God of Wealth’s chest was so handsome. Perhaps you have hidden in the shell for too long to even dare face the wind and sand of the battlefield. The stronger and more cowardly you are, the more hopeless you become.”
Listening to the players’ taunts, the warrior’s blood still burning in its heart, the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s vitality surged.
“Earthmind, do not be tricked. I know you still have lingering combat desire from your campaigns in the small worlds, but you are a commander now, no longer that warrior charging at the front. Do not be ruled by emotion.”
“I know.” The Earthmind Evil Spirit gnashed its teeth.
With that said, the Earthmind Evil Spirit decisively pulled up an enormous taunt-phrase library and began its counterattack.
All sorts of extraordinary lines targeting player behavior spewed from Evil Entities’ mouths, and under the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s control the Evil Entities swept across the battlefield.
But during the counterattack, the observing Evil Eye could not help but frown.
“Earthmind, why are you repeatedly making targeted operations? These operations are meaningless in my view.”
“Those with the especially foul mouths, kill them all. Leave not one.”
Evil Eye: …
“You just promised me you would not act on impulse in war.”
“I am not acting on impulse. My brain tells me they are using taunts to affect my judgment. To reduce the impact, I must specifically butcher every one of them, kill them hard, and smash their skulls.”
As it spoke, the Earthmind Evil Spirit’s fists clenched tight and its breathing quickened.
Sensing the surging vitality within the Earthmind Evil Spirit as it spoke, the Evil Eye fell silent.
It knew that if it tried to advise further now, it would only get cursed out again.
After thinking for a moment, it still felt it should support Earthmind’s idea, so it shouted.
“Kill.”
“Kill.” The Earthmind Evil Spirit, eyes blood-red, shouted in response.
