Late at night, only a handful of operators were still moving about the camp. The rest took every chance they could to rest, while sporadic sounds of distant fighting served as a reminder that this night was anything but peaceful.
The same tension gripped the residents of Lungmen's mid-city and upper districts. Through the news, they had learned of the city's current crisis. Shops chose to close early, suspending business altogether, while citizens stayed huddled in their homes, hoping the chaos would end as soon as possible.
When was the last time Lungmen had fallen into such disorder? No one could remember clearly, and it was only natural that the citizens felt uneasy.
Perhaps the only source of reassurance came from the LGD guards who held their posts day and night, and the Tomorrow's Development operators who rushed back and forth across the city without pause.
In the heart of Lungmen, inside Tomorrow's Development's residential complex, the nights used to be brightly lit. Now, only a few lights remained on. Most players were still active on the front lines. The rewards for these missions were simply too generous, and city defense battles like this were rare. How could the players not be excited?
Yui stood by the window, gazing at the faint glow of fire flickering along the edge of the lower districts. She let out a quiet sigh. As a medic urgently needed on the front lines, she had logged in almost immediately after dinner, fully prepared to stay in the game until morning.
"Yui, you're online?"
"Qiu Muyu-sis!"
Yui's voice brimmed with joy. After getting lucky and drawing her own housing unit, she had moved out of her rented place and invited Qiu Muyu to live with her. As for their other roommate, Magic ZX, he seemed to have taken up long-term residence in Kazimierz after getting to know Młynar.
In fact, Yui herself returned to this apartment less and less frequently. It wasn't that she played Arknights any less. Rather, she spent most of her time aboard the Venus, making these visits increasingly rare.
Qiu Muyu's profession as a Mechanist had become highly sought-after in the early days of version 3.0. Thanks to the abundance of Mechanist-related books in Tomorrow's Development's library, Mechanists received a significant boost in both skills and levels. As mechanical components improved, professional teams began to recognize the Mechanist's importance in large-scale battles.
They could provide Art shields, rapidly deploy defensive structures, and exert strong battlefield presence in team fights. Even in solo engagements, they were capable of fighting multiple opponents at once. It was an exceptionally versatile class, albeit one that relied heavily on equipment.
Back in version 2.0, Qiu Muyu had spent most of her time forging. Her high proficiency led to steadily improving equipment quality, and during that period she specialized in crafting custom mechanical accessories for clients, saving up a respectable amount of resources. Toward the end of version 3.0, after the world tournament concluded, the Ice Rose team, which lacked strength in group battles, extended an invitation to her.
Kumori understood that even with strong individual results, their team needed someone capable of providing comprehensive support in group fights. Coincidentally, Ice Rose's members had previously purchased equipment from Qiu Muyu, and Kumori also knew that she had triggered Felix's personal storyline as early as version 1.0. After observing her personality and combat ability, she invited her to join Ice Rose.
She accepted. After joining Ice Rose, her strength grew even further, and with the team's resource allocation, her Mechanist level soared. Even so, she still enjoyed casually crafting small gadgets and toys to give to her teammates or affiliated guild members, almost like a family mom. Almost.
"Qiu Muyu, is the front line in trouble again?" Yui asked.
"No… it's worse than that."
As soon as Qiu Muyu stepped out of her room, she began checking her equipment. "The strategy group has confirmed reliable information. Reunion players are planning an assassination operation in the lower districts tonight."
"What…?"
"Yui, do you want to come with me?" Qiu Muyu's gaze was firm. "There will definitely be casualties on the front lines. Having a reliable medic there could make a huge difference."
"Okay!"
Yui felt happy accepting the invitation, but the weight of responsibility settled heavily on her shoulders almost immediately.
On the shuttle heading toward the lower districts, Yui saw many familiar faces. They were people who had once fought alongside her, or still did. Some came from Lungmen, others from the Venus, but when something happened, they would always move together toward the battlefield.
The players on guard duty checked the large group and allowed them to pass. Only a few minutes after entering the lower districts, a thunderous explosion erupted from the distant slums, flames surging skyward.
It was as if their arrival had been anticipated. This blatant show of force darkened the expressions of the players.
Mahayu glanced at the information provided by her terminal and shouted commands, directing the players to advance in their preassigned squads. Meanwhile, Qiu Muyu took Yui with her and rushed straight toward the heart of the explosion.
Faintly, desperate cries drifted in from the slums. Waves of heat rolled through the air one after another, giving Yui the surreal feeling that winter no longer existed.
She soon spotted Kumori, captain of Team Ice Rose, along with the rest of its members. All of them had taken considerable injuries and were resting under the care of medics. Seeing this, Yui immediately drew the staff from her back and joined the medical team to help with treatment.
Kumori glanced at Yui, then turned to Qiu Muyu. "It was Laughing Coffin, along with some yellow-name players. They launched a night raid on the players' camp. This should only be the first probing attack."
She pointed at the electronic map. "We can't waste time. We need to move to the medical camp immediately."
"This is confirmed intelligence obtained from Reunion spies. Team Dynasty and Team Yanyu Pavilion have already headed there. We can't fall behind."
After the treatment was finished, the professional players who had dominated the battlefield expressed their thanks, which left Yui feeling a little embarrassed. Seeing her shy reaction, those rough-and-tumble veterans flushed slightly themselves. Under Kumori's calm gaze, their awkwardness quickly faded.
"Yui, was it?" Kumori said. "As a member of Tomorrow's Development, are you willing to head to the front lines with us?"
"Ah…"
As she listened to her, Yui caught Qiu Muyu winking at her from the corner of her eye and quickly replied, "I'm willing."
"Then let's move."
Team Ice Rose did not linger. They immediately set off toward the medical camp. That place held not only operators injured during operations, but also residents of the slums who had suffered for no reason at all. More importantly, it housed many children who had fled from Chernobog and Kursk. Could it be that these children were the true targets of the red-name players?
"I see them!"
Kumori let out a sharp shout. With her high investment in reconnaissance skills, she could spot clusters of red and yellow tags from far away. Almost the moment he spoke, the professional players from Team Dynasty and Yanyu Pavilion also noticed the red-name and yellow-name players blending into the darkness of the night.
The battle erupted in the next instant. Red-name players hurled Originium bombs one after another. They had no intention of facing professional players head-on. Only a fool would do that. Their real goal was to throw contaminated Originium explosives, hoping to infect the pros and Tomorrow's Development operators present.
Amid the professionals' cold laughter, terminals surged forward in unison, blinking like scattered stars in the dim night. As energy shields and Art barriers overlapped and deployed together, the shockwaves from the explosions were completely blocked by the solid walls of light.
However, once this round of explosions ended, the terminals were temporarily unable to generate another set of shields.
Seizing the opening, Huangtian Houtu swung his greatsword. "Kill them all!"
"Oooh!"
Kumori blocked the red-name players' retreat route with a cold expression. Behind her, the Ice Rose members were poised to strike. Watching the red-name players charge forward without regard for their own lives, Kumori frowned slightly.
She could see the malice and madness in their eyes. Everyone had the right to choose how they played the game. Some found a second self in this world, others enjoyed a second life. And then there were those who turned the darkness they dared not express in reality into something tangible here.
Everyone had their own way of playing. What Kumori could do was use strength to demonstrate her resolve.
Bang!
The red-name players watched in horror as the leader charging at the front had his chest completely punched through. He did not even manage to say a word before collapsing to the ground, his life signs gone as the countdown began.
A one-hit kill. There was nothing more to say.
"Arrest them all. Send them to prison!"
"Yeah!"
Team Dynasty surged forward. Uzi's face flushed red as he unleashed rapid fire from his heavy crossbow. Meanwhile, members of Yanyu Pavilion lying in ambush on the rooftops drew sniper crossbows and longbows, pouring down suppressive fire.
Why not use firearms? Because firearms were prohibited within Lungmen. Even crossbows required permits from the LGD. Fortunately, as Tomorrow's Development operators, obtaining such permits was not difficult for them.
Under the slaughter by the professional players, red-name players fell one after another. Most yellow-name players were also neutralized. In the end, only two yellow-name players managed to break through the encirclement, fleeing in disgrace.
Four professional players gave chase. It was only a matter of time before they were captured.
"Don't bother thinking about it. His end will be the same as yours."
Kumori said calmly. As for the other professional players, after confiscating the equipment of the red-named and yellow-named players, they escorted them into the holding cells. There was no shortage of verbal abuse along the way, but these pros were hardly saints. Trading insults was nothing new. Who couldn't do that?
The curses gradually faded into the distance. Kumori turned her gaze to the four professional players who had been pursuing earlier. They nodded.
"We were intercepted by an Reunion Movement caster squad. He has already escaped safely and gained their trust."
Surely no one really believed a player could just luck their way out of a professional encirclement, right? Surely not.
Clearly, the player who had "successfully escaped" was not merely a yellow-named player, but one of the many spies the raid group had planted within the Reunion Movement. They had rushed here precisely because of the intelligence he provided, only to run head-on into the red-named players launching the attack.
As for the other one who was let go, that was simply a lucky break. After all, letting only one person escape would have looked a bit too suspicious.
Kumori glanced at the Terra people in the camp who had already woken up, as well as the children hiding inside houses with only their heads peeking out.
"There shouldn't be any more Reunion Movement members attacking this place for now. We should move on to the next location."
"I've received information that there may be Reunion Movement players near the granaries, and also south of the slums."
"The granaries are guarded by the American professional guild," Huangtian Houtu replied. "South of the slums… if I remember correctly, that's European teams and several CIS squads."
Resting her chin on her hand, Kumori said, "Let's split up. I'll take my team south of the slums."
Huangtian Houtu nodded slightly. "We'll head to the granaries."
Yanfei spoke up. "I'll go to the command center to help with its defenses."
Kumori and Huangtian Houtu both looked at her. Yanfei continued, "The Reunion Movement players all know that the leader of Tomorrow's Development is in the lower districts of Lungmen. Given Laughing Coffin's brand of madness, they might attempt to assault the command center and assassinate His Highness."
The group exchanged glances. What Yanfei said made sense. With Laughing Coffin's lawless nature, an assassination attempt on the King of Dawn was entirely possible.
But did they really have the ability?
Every professional player present had witnessed the earth-shaking battle at Chernobog. To be honest, they had once thought they might at least close the gap a little with the King of Dawn. Instead, the distance had only grown wider. This was no longer a fight on the same level.
Could players cleave apart a catastrophe itself? That was the question.
"But surely… Laughing Coffin's people aren't stupid enough to have not seen that video, right?"
Huangtian Houtu hesitated. Were those lunatics really all fools, eager to challenge the hardest boss head-on?
"There are even more children from Chernobog and Kursk there," Yanfei added. "I believe their primary targets are the wounded, and only then the children."
Kumori nodded. "Then go to the command center. Be careful."
"Understood."
The three professional teams split up and departed. Players who arrived later began guarding the area. Although a wave of red-named players had just been repelled, no one knew when the next attack would come. High-end combat power like the professional players was truly in constant demand, rushing from place to place to provide support.
At some point, rain began to fall.
It was a cold that seeped deep into the bones.