Chapter 194: Anti-Corrupted Drake Tactics
Since there was no private chat in the Game Forum, conversations were naturally visible for other Players. As such, Joe and the others could see Gou Dan’s text and attachment even as they were fleeing.
Therefore, Joe couldn’t help exclaiming unhappily, “Why are we here getting chased by that Drake, while Gou Dan completes a quest just by running ahead? Isn’t this a little unfair?”
But right after his spoke, everyone in Edward’s group who was still running received a notification from their System—they had received the exact same quest as Gou Dan albeit with more rewards and EXP.
Joe was silent and nervous in response. Could the G.o.d of Games have heard his complaining?
Eleena, however, put insult to injury with horrific timing. “…The G.o.d of Games must have heard Joe’s complaint and gave the quest to make up to us, right?”
“You only make up for mistakes. And does the G.o.d of Games make mistakes?” Edward retorted with disappointment. “No! That’s why this is called a delay!”
“…”
Still, despite everyone sensing that something wasn’t quite right, now wasn’t the time for fussing over that.
“Either way, this quest the G.o.d of Games had given us gave us clear directions.” Jessica continued the conversation after it was left hanging and made Edward look awkward. She dragged it back to the main point even as she panted from the marathon of an escape and seriously said, “There’s no chance of winning if we fight it head-on, but there must be a way to kill that Drake.”
The others responded with looks of understanding—while the G.o.d of Games did not mention the way explicitly, there was no question what they should be doing given present circ.u.mstances.
Joe: Everyone else grab its attention, and I’ll slip behind to bludgeon it!
Edward: We could only try borrowing the wood elves’ greatest treasure.
Jessica: The girl is the key. No doubt about it.
Eleena: Sefarim.
Joe: …
Joe: Everyone else grab its attention, and I’ll borrow Sefarim the wood elves’ greatest treasure, and slip behind to bludgeon it!
Everyone turned towards Joe who was completely confident in himself.
No, it’s too late to correct yourself.
While they never had any expectations in Joe’s brains, his reaction was still… surprising.
Nonetheless, Edward ignored his antics and turned towards Brom Daystar, the elves’ leader.
“No one’s getting away if this continues, so I have a suggestion…”
“Have you never heard of running separately?” The elf glared at Edward, clearly finding that their intentions to fight the Drake was an overestimation of their own powers as well as finding trouble and their own demise.
Edward certainly knew that, just as he was positive that half of everyone here would survive if they did split and run.
As a matter of fact, he intended to so even before accepting the quest.
Be that as it may, he was31 not running away with his tail between his legs after getting a share of Gou Dan’s quest.
Since he was a Player, he naturally had a Player’s pride, and he would definitely take the path that the G.o.d of Games had shown him—many Players had nicknamed Edward the Quest Demon, but that wasn’t all there is to it. To him, completing a quest a.s.signed by his G.o.d was not only his pride, but his expression of unconditional trust in the G.o.d of Games as a believer.
From a certain perspective, Edward had ascended as a zealot at some unknown point in time, even becoming the most competent of believers.
“There’s no use running now. That Drake has gone into a frenzy, and although it is only pursuing us now, have you not thought about what would happen if it loses us?” Edward said, resorting to listing the pros and cons of their plans. After all, he knew that most measures were never going to convince the elves to lend them their greatest treasure to accomplish their quest.
“Maybe hunt other creatures and slowly leave Trinia.” Brom Daystar replied.
“That would be the best-case scenario, but have you not considered the worst?” Edward said grimly. “If we all vanished from its sight, it just might rush at your settlement and destroy the elven tribe of the Trinia Forest!”
In truth, Edward was being an alarmist with that scenario—Trinia was exceedingly vast and the elven settlement is known to be protected by bounded fields. Even the Corrupted Drake would have a hard time finding them, let alone destroy it.
However, it still didn’t
That was why Edward was betting on whether Brom Daystar would risk the elves he was leading!
“No. Sefarim is still our kind’s greatest treasure. We can’t lend her to you!” Brom shook his head after a moment of silence.
Somehow, he didn’t care much about Edward and the others forcefully putting him in a bondage, and then have his subordinates watch him in that state for what felt like most of the day. After all, most adult elves rushed headlong into things and were old, rigid antiques that only adopt changes after suffering—just like how they only understood that their tribes’ stealth was ineffective against the Players after Edward and Joe wiped the floor with half of them.
“And it’s not like it mattered even if we agreed,” Brom added then. “Sefarim herself wouldn’t agree…”
“May I interrupt?”
That was when the girl—the elves’ greatest treasure who was being carried by one of the elves on his back suddenly asked Edward. “Is that person who could turn into a bear your friend?”
“Oh, you’re talking about Gou—I mean, Doug. Yes, he is our trusted teammate.” Edward replied, stopping short of revealing Gou Dan’s true name. “Did you need him for something?”
The girl nodded. “Yes. He was reckless: not only did he fail to save me, he got trampled by a horde of weird beasts and was then chased raged by the Drake…”
Then, just as Edward thought that the girl had a grudge to settle with Gou Dan, her tone shifted. “However, it is my principle to acknowledge grace and repay kindness. Since that one really had intended to save me, I shall award your band the honor of using me!”