“Roar… Roar, roar…”

“Awooo! Awooo, awooo!”

“Grr… Grr…”

“…”

After some strange exchanges and playful banter, Little Bug reluctantly said his goodbyes to 007. Once they parted ways, Little Bug made his way back to the base.

Shortly after Little Bug disappeared into the forest, dozens of red, glowing eyes emerged from the shadows and surrounded 007. The crowd of monsters numbered between three and four hundred.

Among them were zombies, spiders, creepers, skeletons, Little White (small skeletons), and even tiny zombies. Most of these monsters who could wear gear were decked out in iron equipment.

“Grr…”

“Grr, grr!”

Seeing the monsters approach, 007 seemed to be issuing orders. In response, the monsters let out a medley of bizarre sounds, acknowledging his commands. It was like watching a well-disciplined army.

The players from Eternal Guild watching from afar felt a chill run down their spines.

“What were they scheming just now?!”

“Let me translate for you. ‘How should we cook tomorrow’s group of players?’ ‘Braised sounds good.’ ‘I think steamed is better.’ ‘Nah, let’s keep their original flavor.’…”

“This is insane! Never in my life have I seen a monster meeting in a game!”

“So, those earlier casualties—they were wiped out by these guys… Makes sense now. Especially with that diamond-armored zombie leading them…”

“No wonder. Being HIM’s top disciple explains everything.”

“Alright… We better report this back…”

“…”

Seeing was believing. Had they not witnessed it themselves, the players of Eternal Guild would never have believed that monsters were capable of intelligence and strategy.

But now, as they watched it unfold, they were shaken to the core.

This was all happening while they were hidden and the monsters were in the open. It was impossible not to imagine what it must have been like for the players from Triumph Guild during their encounter.

Realizing everything was HIM’s orchestration—how horrifying would that be?

That thought alone sent shivers through the Eternal Guild members.

“Let’s just hope HIM isn’t behind this…”

———

The group of Eternal Guild players tailing Little Bug wasted no time. They rushed back to their base and reported everything to Tian Heng in great detail.

“That’s how it went down…”

“That diamond-armored zombie—we saw it clearly. It’s the same one that appeared beside HIM during the last siege…”

“…”

Hearing this, the guild’s top brass tensed up.

“Boss, are you certain HIM is near the Cloud Soar Guild base?…”

“This fits HIM’s style way too well… Could it be a trap?”

“From what we heard, this diamond-armored zombie seems to have a mind of its own. That complicates things…”

“…”

Tian Heng, after reconfirming with his spies near the Cloud Soar Guild that HIM had indeed been sighted in the area, finally spoke.

“This doesn’t feel like HIM’s doing…”

“If it were HIM, he would’ve already pinpointed our base using those wolf scouts and used his old tricks to wipe us out. There’d be no need for this slow approach.”

Steve’s stream had explained it well: HIM staged a spectacle with Triumph Guild to lure more players to that field. But Eternal Guild wasn’t like Triumph Guild; they didn’t randomly recruit players.

HIM would have known that by now if he’d sent his wolf scouts. There’d be no need for theatrics. He’d attack directly.

Tian Heng pondered this and then analyzed, “I think the recent monster activity is solely the work of that diamond-armored zombie.”

“Having served under HIM, it likely developed its own intelligence, making its actions mimic HIM’s.”

The leadership nodded in agreement.

“So if it’s not HIM, we should be able to handle it, right?”

“At least now we know. While he controls monsters, it’s nowhere near HIM’s scale. Just three to four hundred, tops.”

“We were caught off guard last time. Now that we know, we can plan a counterattack.”

“Yes… His gear is top-tier, but he’s just one tough underling. We can take him down.”

“…”

As strategies were being discussed, one senior guild member seemed lost in thought. When the discussion heated up, he finally spoke up.

“Are we really going to attack him?”

“As the saying goes, even a dog has its master. And this ‘dog’s’ master is HIM…”

His words cast a heavy silence over the previously lively room. The guild’s leadership realized they’d overlooked a critical point.

It wasn’t about whether they could kill the diamond-armored zombie.

The real question was whether they should.

Everyone knew the zombie was one of HIM’s trusted subordinates. HIM had given it diamond armor, clearly valuing it highly.

If Eternal Guild killed the zombie, it would be a declaration of war against HIM.

And when that happened, HIM would find them, no matter what.

They were confident they could handle the diamond-armored zombie. But against HIM? Not a chance.

Tian Heng pinched the bridge of his nose. This was a serious predicament.

Eternal Guild’s players were strong, but HIM was beyond their league.

Moreover, there was pressure from above—the Eternal Glorious leadership. Major decisions weren’t solely Tian Heng’s to make. If he acted against the zombie and HIM retaliated, it could mean the guild’s destruction.

Tian Heng’s position as guild leader would be at stake, too.

If this escalated to Eternal Glorious, Tian Heng might not just lose his title—he could lose everything.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Tian Heng felt a splitting headache coming on.

If they left the diamond-armored zombie unchecked, it would continue to wreak havoc, hindering their growth.

But taking it out would mean provoking HIM, potentially dooming the entire guild.

The only middle ground was somehow driving the zombie away.

But that was wishful thinking. A sentient creature like that wouldn’t just leave on command.

“Dammit… I can’t believe a game is making us dance to a monster’s tune…”

“What a miserable joke…”

For someone as seasoned as Tian Heng, this was a first. He’d never been at a monster’s mercy.

The guild’s leaders, equally frustrated, voiced their grievances.

“So, what do we do? Letting it be means endless losses.”

“But what can we do? If HIM comes after us, we lose everything…”

“To think we’re being pushed around by a monster…”

“…”

The arguing continued, leading nowhere.

Finally, Tian Heng sighed deeply.

“Our only option is to abandon the forest for now. We’ll set up elsewhere.”

“Fortify the base. I suspect the zombie can’t lead a full-scale assault, which is why it resorts to sneak attacks.”

“Send players to patrol the forest daily, but without gear. Treat it as tribute to keep it placated…”

The leaders stared, wide-eyed. They never imagined proud Tian Heng would bend to a monster.

But, in hindsight, it was the best option.

Killing the zombie would anger HIM. Containing it was their only play.

The guild needed time to regroup elsewhere.

Whether they’d challenge the zombie later or not, Tian Heng had to consult with Eternal Glorious.

This wasn’t his burden to bear alone.

For now, placating the monster was the safest course.

Though they understood, the leaders felt a bitter sting.

“Damn… We’re serving a monster like royalty.”

“This diamond-armored zombie has it all… A personal buffet.”

“Well, no gear means no real loss…”

“Maybe I should switch sides and join HIM. What a cushy gig!”

“Small sacrifices for the greater good… What a bitter pill to swallow…”

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