560 Chapter 560 - Dumbfounded (1/2)
”Glue, leave this to us. Just keep an eye on Thousand Miles Drunk. Whether he's really leaving or merely faking it, just report his every movement to us. We'll make our move immediately once the opportunity rises. The target is Vast Lushness; so don't get caught up in a fight.” Southern Lone Blade clearly laid out the tactical plan.
”Got it!” During crucial moments, no one would question Southern Lone Blade's command; that was the quality that a professional and matured team would have.
”Change out your equipment, everyone. Get close but remember to uncover yourselves first.” Southern Lone Blade instructed the others. Both parties did not recognize each other, so keeping their faces covered would put them on guard, instead. The opposing party clearly wanted them to appear, so Southern Lone Blade was not looking to ambush them out of nowhere. Getting in closer to their target was only just so that they would be able to quickly engage with the enemy. At the end of the day, no matter what Gu Fei's true intention for leaving was, the man would be able to turn back and lend a hand the moment he got a message about the attack. Southern Lone Blade had no wish to allow these five players to stall and give Gu Fei the time and space to make it back.
”In position!”
”In position!”
”In position!”
…
A series of messages filled the party channel, as the five players responsible for this attempt finished getting themselves into position. By dividing themselves based on their job class and experience, they were now in positions that would not draw the other party's attention while it would allow them to quickly spring their assault.
Southern Lone Blade changed into his most common Warrior cuirass and slowed his pace as he walked on that street, making himself seem like just a normal passerby as he surreptitiously glanced at the others.
The Knight Unrivalled Lucky Star and Priest Paddy Scent Pastures were positioned no more than ten meters away from Vast Lushness like they were waiting for someone. The two men conscientiously looked down the street, not even looking at the five players behind them. Flame Singed Clothes could attack from range, so there was no need for him to be too close. He was currently squatting right in front of a player's small stall, earnestly haggling with the owner over the price of an item.
”Blackwater… your position,” Southern Lone Blade took a quick look around yet saw no track of the Thief Blackwater.
”I want to try and get a little closer,” Blackwater replied quickly. ”I'll take a risk! Let's see if any of them have anything that detects Stealth.”
”If you get discovered, take note of the direction you will then retreat in,” Southern Lone Blade said.
”I got it.”
”Try and coordinate it with our speed of approach.”
”Of course.”
Southern Lone Blade continued to maintain his composure as he slowly walked forward. Vast Lushness and the other four were now formed in a circle, taking in everything happening around them with their eyes. Southern Lone Blade, Unrivalled Lucky Star, Paddy Scented Pastures, and Flame Singed Clothes were all in their field of vision, but it was not apparent if they had any intention to attack, so none of the five was overly vigilant to their presence. Nevertheless, now that Southern Lone Blade was slowly heading in the direction of Vast Lushness and the others, more and more of them began to shift their gazes over to the advancing Warrior.
”I'm about to get within 2 meters,” Blackwater somewhat nervously reported over the party channel. From what they knew of Stealth detection equipment or skill, two meters was the danger zone, as most of them would be effective within a 2-meter radius.
”I'm in; there's no movement!” In the blink of an eye, Blackwater sent this message over to the channel.
”Everything is proceeding as planned. Hopefully, we can end this battle in ten seconds. Glue, Where's Thousand Miles Drunk?” Southern Lone Blade asked.
”There's no way he can make it back in 10 seconds,” Glue replied.
”Get ready!” Southern Lone Blade gave the order as his footsteps quickened. Vast Lushness and the others were already staring at Southern Lone Blade, who had swiftly changed out his equipment and pulled out his sword, as they came to the realization that the interlopers they had been waiting for were finally there.
The five of them did not react any slower since they were already prepared for an assault. The arrow that Sakurazaka Moony had nocked all this while was immediately directed toward Southern Lone Blade; meanwhile, Fireball and Blue Ease cast their respective spells at him.
A fiery bombardment crashed from the sky as a sea of flames engulfed the ground. The arrow streaked through the air like a meteor.
Those three attacks looked like it had been coordinated seamless as they were all seemingly unleashed at the same time. Still, their target was a Warrior, and none of them was certain if they could insta-kill Southern Lone Blade with this combined attack alone, so they were already preparing their next wave of attacks.
However, Southern Lone Blade was not about to sit still and take this without a fight. At the same time that the three of them struck, he also buried his head low and activated his Charge in their direction. Trampling through the intense fire beneath his feet, Sakurazaka Moony's Snipe got blocked by his sword and shield placed before him, while Blue Ease's Thunderbolt barely brushed past Southern Lone Blade as it struck the ground just behind him.
”All right, you rascal! It's my turn!” Svelte Dancer darted out, ready to activate her Fleetfoot and circle around Southern Lone Blade when she felt that something was amiss behind her, even as Vast Lushness yelled, ”Behind you!” Only a Thief would be able to creep up behind without anyone realizing his or her presence. Most players they could not help being a little flustered when they heard such a prompt, but Svelte Dancer had no such problems because she only needed to guard herself with a single method.
The average player would be afraid of being a victim of a Bludgeon when a Thief made it behind them, or that they would be insta-killed with a Backstab. A Bludgeon would go for the head, while most Backstabs land somewhere on the back; Either attack targeted a different region of the body, so anyone who hesitated when making the choice would end up getting themselves hit in the end. Svelte Dancer never had such apprehension, for she had never been worried about being insta-killed. She would never attempt to avoid the attack if she knew it was a Backstab, so all she needed to do was defend herself from a Bludgeon.
Thus, Svelte Dancer had already formulated the thought to avoid the Bludgeon the moment she sensed that something was off behind her, so she did not even waste half a second and reacted accordingly. As Vast Lushness cried out ”Behind you!” Svelte Dancer had twisted her body and was already dropping down to the ground.
Sure enough, Blackwater was holding a club in his hand; with how famous Svelte Dancer had been, they were more than aware just how powerful this lady was, and with the fact that Thousand Miles Drunk could turn back at any moment, they knew they would waste plenty of time if they ended up exchanging blows with Svelte Dancer. Blackwater took a risk and Stealthed himself right up to them, all for the sake of applying his Bludgeon onto Svelte Dancer, allowing them to complete their assignment in the few seconds it took while this woman was in a dazed state.
Blackwater, a man born for larceny, had honed his Bludgeon nearly to the point of perfection. No matter how his targets could dodge or duck their heads, or distance themselves from the blow, Blackwater had confidence that his club would still strike true. But this was the first time Blackwater had seen someone fling their entire being down to the ground so fearlessly like what Svelte Dancer had done. Blackwater was stunned; this action went beyond the scope of what he thought a player could evade, but he was still confident in that club he got in his hand. Even though Svelte Dancer's head was rather far away, he still strove to chase after the back of her head like what he had planned.
In the end, the club hit no one, as Blackwater suddenly felt a solid blow connect with his calf. He looked down and saw that Svelte Dancer's two legs had swept his own in the process of her fall.
This attack did not cause too much damage onto Blackwater, but it did rob him of his balance. He could feel his legs leave the ground as his body tipped over, causing the man to directly fall right on top of Svelte Dancer.
No matter how well-honed Blackwater's Bludgeon was, that train of thought had already left the station at this point. All he saw before him was the beautiful lady lying right under him, smiling with delight as she gazed up at him. Blackwater's mind momentarily went blank.
What's going on? Did this babe just intentionally let me take advantage of her? Blackwater had no doubt that the trajectory of his fall would cause him to land on top of Svelte Dancer. Although he was nowhere as dirty as those men from Forever in Flowers, even he could not help but have such a thought at this time.