Chapter 41: Choice
Translated by: Chua
Edited by: TN and Elka.s.sar
Sheyan gazed down after hearing Mogensha’s question.
“Hmmm, seems like there’s 3 contestants while every storyline character the mission entails is still alive. 7 people, but we only have 5 slots. No choice, we have to give up on two storyline characters.”
He then glanced towards Baiise who was covered in blood stains (The conversation with Mogensha previously was with the nightmare imprint), feeling regretful he offered.
“Baiise, I’m very sorry I wasn’t able to take care of your two brothers……. Two darned rare elite hydralisk suddenly burrowed out of the ground!”
Baiise nodded his head, gently replied.
“I’ve already heard everything through the communication device within our helmets, they were both good lads. This isn’t your fault lieutenant, I am grateful you avenged them.”
Sheyan didn’t say anything more, he directed his focus outside……Under the scorching heat of the sun, in the vast and furtive desolated plain, a tiny Overlord was shockingly speeding towards a zergling sea at least 10 kilometres in radius. Accompanying it was an injured mutalisk. These two mere creatures against the backdrop of the immeasurable boundless zergling sea, advanced courageously as they faced their giants!
The zergling sea was currently swiftly overlapping each other. One of the desperately fleeing ‘ants’ reflexively glanced backwards before yelling out loudly….. Probably due to the fact that the black Overlord and black mutalisk were completely inharmonious with the zergling backdrop, they were extremely distinct. Within their hearts was originally devoid of hope, full blown despair. But now, a sliver of hope had arose, restoring their motivation. Yet undoubtedly, being distracted by this extra hope of pondering, may not be a good thing!
Not even 10 seconds later, Sheyan and Mogensha frowned simultaneously. The situation now was extremely clear. At most, 1 minute later the zergling sea would catch up to the fleeing humans, but the Overlord would need an additional 10 seconds to reach. Within the 10 seconds duration…..it was more than enough for these berserking wild zerglings to ravage their preys! Sheyan obviously was able to withstand through 10 seconds, but those exhausted storyline characters and contestants would definitely not be able to! If such a scenario were to occur, ultimately the arachnids will get the last laugh!
Sheyan pondered for a moment, and ordered Mogensha to hand over his battle armour to him. He also started organizing his ‘Prometheus III Flamethrower’, and drank a mouth of spirited vodka to regain his health. Mogensha took a deep breath, as he continued to observe the ridiculously insane zergling sea.
“Boss, you’re really jumping? Think carefully first, you know you can’t use that electromagnetic cloud bomb here. Those storyline characters may not be able to withstand that explosion. But more importantly, only a burrowed arachnid can escape from the effects, it will surely implicate our Overlord! If it gets stunned for 10 seconds while flying, then we’ll definitely end up even more pathetic than those Redliner mutalisks that you set up previously!”
Sheyan composedly acknowledged.
“I know.”
Mogensha frowned.
“Then don’t go!”
The sun rays shone against Sheyan’s decomposed and tattered left cheek, resulting in a sinisterly horrifying look. Yet it contained a peaceful and resolute majesty, the likes of unmoving ‘towering mountains and precipitous ridges’!
“A man must know what he can, and cannot do! To me, a thousand zerglings or 16 zerglings isn’t much of a difference. No matter what, those surviving contestants were people shared life and death with us alongside the battlefield before. If I can redeem a saving grace for them while still maintaining my chances, then I’ll never give up!”
Mogensha lowered his head, sighing as he kept silent. At this moment, a huge twist of events was currently unfolding. A skinny and frail figure suddenly fumbled at this critical moment, and tumbled to the ground! The battle armour had masked a huge portion of her figure, Mogensha and Sheyan were still able to recognize with one look.
Tulip.
That woman that has been constantly maintaining a sense of mystery of hiddenness!
That same vicious and venomous woman that wanted to drag others down to the abyss with her!
In a flash, she was completely abandoned by her group. The tidal waves of zerglings were flooding in wildly from all sides.
But at this very moment, a figure suddenly segregated from the group and hurried backwards to rescue her. This figure was tall, st.u.r.dy and covered in blood; indeed it was Reef! Bloodied mutilated wounds crisscrossed his chest, a huge chunk of flesh was torn even ripped out, exposing his sorrowful white ribs. Even with such severe injuries, yet he still dragged Tulip along as they continued advancing forward. His eyes were sternly resolute, roaring out loudly.
“Don’t give up! Don’t give up! Our hope is right ahead!”
After being pulled up by Reef, Tulip’s originally pale and despairing expression suddenly transformed into a radiant smile. A blank scroll flipped out from her hand as she snarled at Reef.
“Yes, captain Reef. Our only hope, lies in you!”
Reef was suddenly stunned, a wave of chill swept up his feet, the icy-cold penetrating every inch of his bones! His sprinting speed suddenly plunged gravely, but it wasn’t because Reef had ran out of stamina. But around the surface of his body, there was suddenly a layer of greyish white stone covering!!! The vigor of his limbs declined excessively, in a flash slowed down like a c.u.mbersome rock!
Indeed, under the party rules of this world, there was no way to attack an ally! But this vicious and wicked woman actually managed to use a buff ability on Reef –
Stoneskin art!
This technique art can raise the target’s defensive capability by 30% – 60%, but the price to pay was his speed would decrease by 50%, and this attack speed would drop by 30%!!!
Naturally, Tulip was extremely clear on the eventual conclusion, she knew that they wouldn’t be able to last till help arrived. Moreover, she had completely no idea that Sheyan was a monstrous freak that could survive within the zergling sea. Thus, her calculations brought her to one conclusion – to sacrifice one person! This would no doubt win them some time against the flood of the zerglings. Moreover, this person had to be able to withstand the longest amidst the ferocious ravaging of the zerglings. He had to last for at least 10 seconds.
Obviously, Reef was the most suitable candidate for that role. Thus…… his only flaw of character had been utterly exploited!!!
This woman Tulip, her schemes were root-deep, her intentions cunning and vicious, and had the ability exploit other’s emotional side! Even the cold-hearted Mogensha, felt a deep restraining fear in his heart.
At this moment, the gap between both parties had been considerably closed up. While she fled, Tulip released a message to the temporary party through her nightmare imprint.
“Under the current situation, this is our best choice…… in order to protect all our storyline characters! You must know, the mission asks for Lieutenant Jonny Rico, Sergeant Dizzy Flores, Sergeant Levy and commander Rasczak to be alive. Rescue us, and you can acquire all the rewards!”
“Woah? You’ve even calculated so far?” Sheyan lightly replied.
Tulip sighed loudly, panting heavily as she forced out a compensatory smile.
“I’m really too foolish. To be able…to be able to cause the golden AK Mogensha, such a strong combatant to follow him unconditionally and without honor, how would he just be a mediocre medicine maker? Bo…boss, please hurry up a little, our storyline characters aren’t able to keep up for long, and I’m also an extremely useful person to have.”
At present, the arachnid sea was able to completely envelop them within 5 seconds. The fleeing party was segregated into two groups. One was the abandoned and stony skinned Reef, still rooted desperately to the ground; allowing the savage zerglings to tear him apart without resistance. He no longer struggled, his lonely desolate silhouette stood heroically, emitting an aura of majestic sorrow.
20 metres away from him, Tulip and the other storyline characters still had a distance between them and the arachnid sea. Their front route had already been cut off. They were like on an isolated island, as the threatening tsunami waves swept in from all sides. Within seconds, they would definitely be drowned into oblivion!
Currently to Sheyan, he could only make one decision out of the two.
A: Reef
B: Tulip + the rest of the surviving storyline characters.
Saving Reef who had overlapping abilities with him, isn’t merely forsaking the benefits of this mission like what Tulip explained. It was also creating a compet.i.tion for himself within the party as one who had a similar defensive innate ability. It was also completely giving up on the main mission, and incurring the terrifying penalty of 3 points of the highest basic attribute!
Saving Tulip, aside from her disloyal personality, at least she was still an exceptionally capable woman. If not, she wouldn’t have survived till now. She definitely still had some hidden abilities stored within her, and will certainly be an important aspect for this temporary party.
More importantly, saving her would mean saving the main character of this mission, Lieutenant Johnny Rico; and even Sergeant Dizzy Flores, Sergeant Levy and commander Rasczak, the other 3 crucial characters. No doubt, the additional rewards would be hefty, and the mission completion rate may even be over 90%!