Chapter 25 Going Against the Current

"Going... going against the current..." Yun Xiang was, after all, a newbie and not suited to Gu Fei's dramatic, unconventional way of thinking. Although the tale of Qianli Yizui single-handedly defeating Dui Jiu Dang Ge had spread throughout Cloud City, Yun Xiang wasn't the type to blindly idolize celebrities. After learning the truth and analyzing the situation, he understood that while Dui Jiu Dang Ge had been somewhat discomfited, there were many contributing factors, and such a victory was unlikely to be replicated.

So, when he heard that Gu Fei was going to challenge Dui Jiu Dang Ge again, and wanted to drag them along, he was understandably surprised. In Yun Xiang's mind, this was an impossible mission. Was it even worth trying?

"Going against the current? How did it become going against the current again?" Gui Tong knew a little about Gu Fei's mission to assassinate Wu Shi Zhi Jian and that it hadn't been completed. How had it become Wu Shi Zhi Jian?

"I failed. I just logged on today and got instantly killed by someone in the resurrection point. I don't know who it was, and the mission failed," Gu Fei said gloomily.

"Hahaha, you finally got yours. Which hero was it? I'll give them a reward!" Xi Yao Wu said gleefully.

Gu Fei's face darkened, and he steered the topic back on course: "Then I went to pick up a new one, but I couldn't get Wu Shi Zhi Jian anymore, so I had to take Going Against the Current."

"We... are going to deal with Dui Jiu Dang Ge?" Yun Xiang wanted to confirm.

"Not Dui Jiu Dang Ge, the target is Ni Liu Er Shang (Going Against the Current)," Gu Fei said.

"Isn't that the same thing..." Yun Xiang said.

"This mission is too easy!" Xi Yao Wu's words were shocking, and even Gu Fei was surprised.

"He doesn't know that I've become part of the defending side, right? Would anyone suspect me if I went to him? I could just kill him directly and run. Who could catch me?" Xi Yao Wu said.

"Genius, the mission is mine. What's the point of you killing him?" Gu Fei said.

"Can't we share it?" Xi Yao Wu asked.

"Uh, you can all accept the mission and then we can team up. Whoever kills him, it counts as a completion," Gu Fei said.

"In that case, which guild gets the final points?" Gui Tong asked.

"As long as the mission is completed, who cares which guild gets the points?" Gu Fei didn't care at all.

The place to accept the mission was nearby, in the guild building, at the original top 100 guild list. Yun Xiang's heart was still racing as he accepted the mission. Can this work? Can this work? Can this work? he asked himself repeatedly.

"Okay, next, let's team up and eliminate Ni Liu Er Shang," Gu Fei announced.

"Our team has no warriors, no knights, no priests..." Yun Xiang reminded him.

Gu Fei looked back. He, Yun Xiang, and Gui Tong were mages, Xi Xiao Tian was an archer, Xi Yao Wu was a thief, Yan Xiao Zhu was an assassin, and Lie Lie was a fighter. "Hey, Yu Ge's cousin, what class are you?" Gu Fei asked.

"Archer," Xiu Xiu Lian said softly, still afraid to look Gu Fei in the eye.

"So, really no warriors, knights, or priests," Gu Fei nodded.

Yun Xiang waited for him to say something more, but Gu Fei just waved his hand: "Let's go."

How could they leave just like that? Yun Xiang was confused and puzzled. Didn't he realize what the absence of those three classes meant? It meant this was a pure DPS, glass-cannon team with no protection or healing. When their strength completely overwhelmed the opponent, such a team would be like a reaper, but the problem was that their opponent numbered in the thousands, and they had assembled a pure DPS team. What was that all about?

"I'm sure everyone knows how to sneak in and out of the battlefield, so we'll split up and go our separate ways to reduce the chances of being noticed. We'll regroup outside the city. If we happen to see Ni Liu Er Shang on the battlefield, be sure to let me know!" As they reached the city gate, Gu Fei gave a few instructions, and everyone scattered and mingled into the battlefield. Everyone was feeling apprehensive.

On the other side, Jian Gui and Yu Ge led the seven-member group. Old friends, they chatted about how the guild would be run in the future. At the city gate, they dispersed and blended in, just like Gu Fei's group.

The northeast camp was ahead. Everyone prepared themselves, and Jian Gui kept a wary eye on their surroundings. Han Jia Gongzi had already guessed their intentions and knew that Jian Nan You and the others had joined up. It would be easy to fool others, but encountering Han Jia Gongzi would be a big problem.

"The defenses are indeed much tighter..." Yu Ge had already begun observing the northeast camp. Since the north camp had been abandoned, the guilds stationed there had moved. Everyone liked to be near the camp because if something happened, they could quickly return to the battle after being resurrected. For example, if the battle between Dui Jiu Dang Ge and Gu Fei had taken place near a camp, then the thousand people would have been virtually inexhaustible, and the outcome might have been different.

These players had also realized that the northeast camp was likely to be attacked. It was a conclusion that didn't require much thought, so no one needed to organize them. Everyone acted in their own self-interest and moved to the northeast camp. As a result, the northeast camp, with only four NPC guards, had the largest concentration of players from the remaining six camps. Jian Gui and the nine others didn't dare to approach. They walked around at a distance, shaking their heads.

"I think this is too difficult," Jian Nan You said.

"Too many people."

"Even if we manage to lure a few hundred out, that's being generous. They still have tens of thousands left. There's no way to fight them!"

"In this situation, twenty people or one person makes no difference."

"If only we had two hundred thousand people."

The discussion continued, and Jian Gui was troubled. The guild had just been established, and he wanted to win a beautiful, challenging victory, both to earn a lot of points and to fill everyone with confidence in the guild. How could he not know how difficult it would be to destroy the northeast camp? But only by achieving such a mythical victory would it be truly meaningful, right?

"I think we need to wait," Jian Gui said. "These people can't just stay by the camp forever. They'll need to do quests and attack cities. Just sitting here won't earn them any points. I think this is just a temporary situation. When the city battles start, there won't be so many people, and we might have a chance when they're coming and going after being resurrected."

"What about sneaking in? Is that possible?" Hei Shui asked.

"Stealth can't be used when there are no guards. And when there are guards, stealth is pointless. After all, we have to find a way to kill the guards," Jian Gui said.

"This is a real headache! I'll take a look around and see what guilds are here!" Yu Ge said, and went to count the flags. The guilds had raised their flags again, and with so many people, a flag made it easier for their own members to find them. Meanwhile, Jian Gui and the others frowned and racked their brains for a solution.

Gu Fei and the others also successfully blended into the battlefield. As long as Gu Fei didn't wear his black robe, there wouldn't be many people paying attention to him. And his face hadn't become a trademark yet. Most people didn't recognize him, so he didn't arouse any suspicion. After regrouping, Gu Fei looked out over the vast plains and said with emotion: "Okay, next, we need to find Ni Liu Er Shang. Let's go find him!"

"Wait a minute," Xi Xiao Tian couldn't help but interrupt.

"What?"

"Is that supposed to be commanding us?" Xi Xiao Tian asked.

Gu Fei paused slightly. He was just saying whatever came to mind. Was that commanding? Gu Fei didn't have any experience with that. He had always been more of a loner. After a slight pause, he said uncertainly, "I guess so?"

"Then what if we find Ni Liu Er Shang? What's the plan?" Xi Xiao Tian asked.

"A plan? Just go for it!" Gu Fei said, turning to Gui Tong: "By the way, can I borrow those rings again?"

Everyone broke out in a cold sweat, especially Yun Xiang. Gu Fei's confident demeanor had infected him. Although he felt uneasy, he had decided to follow Gu Fei to the end. But now, the phrase "A plan? Just go for it!" had completely defeated him. He knew he was going to die. With just a few of them, no plan, no strategy, just a head-on confrontation? What was that if not suicide?

Even Gui Tong refused to give Gu Fei the rings: "You're being ridiculous, aren't you? You can't just charge in without a plan!"

"A plan? Didn't we already talk about the plan? Xi sneaking in and killing Ni Liu Er Shang," Gu Fei said.

Everyone was taken aback: "Then what are we going up there for?"

"To provide cover! You really think she's Superman and can fly out of a thousand-man encirclement?" Gu Fei said.

So there was a plan? Everyone thought, but they still didn't feel confident. Was this guy just making things up as he went along? Everyone looked at Gu Fei with distrust.

"How about this? Xi and I will be responsible for getting close to Ni Liu Er Shang, and you guys will be responsible for providing cover... Actually, is cover even necessary? It's good to go back to the city if we die," Xi Xiao Tian said.

"If there's no cover, then I'll have nothing to do?" Gu Fei said.

"Who told you to make such a scene? You can't even hide it. Because of you, so many mages wearing black robes have been accidentally injured these days," Xi Xiao Tian said.

"..."

"What's your plan?" Gui Tong asked Xi Xiao Tian.

"The plan is that one, but there are still some details to consider, right? Like what's a good reason to approach Ni Liu Er Shang," Xi Xiao Tian said.

"What are you going to do?"

"A quest. Now that the city war is at a stalemate, what all the guilds want most is a large-scale quest. We can pretend to be a small guild and say that we received a very large quest, but we can't complete it, so we want to ask a large guild like Dui Jiu Dang Ge to cooperate and help us," Xi Xiao Tian said.

"Cooperate and help? How does that work?" Gui Tong asked.

"We don't need to operate anything, we just need to see him. Xi, are you confident that you can kill Ni Liu Er Shang instantly?" Xi Xiao Tian asked.

"Do you have his equipment and defense information?" Xi Yao Wu asked.

"I have some equipment information here." Xi Xiao Tian took out the information, and Xi Yao Wu analyzed it with her. Gui Tong, Yun Xiang, and others were professional mages and offered suggestions. Yan Xiao Zhu and Lie Lie also helped Xi Yao Wu calculate from the attacker's perspective. Gu Fei looked around, and all that was left was Xiu Xiu Lian, who would panic and look away whenever he looked at her. He felt so lonely.

"Ahem, is there anything I can help with?" Gu Fei proactively moved closer.

"Cover." That was the only response he got.

Gu Fei was in tears. He didn't want to provide cover, he wanted to kill people. But he also knew that he couldn't do that job. Would there be anyone in Cloud City who didn't recognize him? Changing equipment was useless, he'd have to cover his face. But covered faces were common for thieves, and mages had hooded robes that could cover their heads. A mage covering his face was either trying to be cool or had something to hide. In the current situation in Cloud City, a mage covering his face was definitely Qianli Yizui, and he would be killed on sight.

The others studied Ni Liu Er Shang's equipment and possible data, and their faces turned grim. As expected, Ni Liu Er Shang, one of the Five Little Strongs, was not just high level.

"Instant kill is impossible. If he doesn't die in one hit, he'll activate Ice Shield and Mana Support. These two skills greatly increase his survivability. Even if you stand there and let him be killed, it would be enough to stall for a while, so this is a bit difficult," Gui Tong said, shaking his head.

"This guy has a lot of good stuff, he's stacked so many skills," Xi Yao Wu said with emotion.

"If we can't succeed within a few moves, we'll definitely fail in the end," Gui Tong said.

Xi Yao Wu shook her head repeatedly. She had no choice. If it was just a one-on-one fight, then of course she could slowly deal with him. The problem was that they would be surrounded by Dui Jiu Dang Ge. If they revealed their killing intent, the other side would definitely respond. If they couldn't kill Ni Liu Er Shang within a few seconds, then all their efforts would be wasted.

"We haven't even considered the possibility of him having a priest by his side. Considering a priest, it would have to be an instant kill. If it's not an instant kill, a bunch of priests will step in, and his health will be instantly restored," Gui Tong said.

"With his health and equipment, even Qianli wouldn't be able to kill him instantly, right? I'm talking to you, come and take a look!" Xi Yao Wu shouted.

Gu Fei had wanted to come over and take a look earlier, but he was chased away. He was feeling bored, so now that he was being called over, he reluctantly went over. Everyone was looking at a notebook in Xi Xiao Tian's hand, which contained some information about Ni Liu Er Shang's equipment. During the earlier discussion, Ni Liu Er Shang's data had been basically calculated, and even with a little margin for error, it was about right. Gu Fei stepped forward and glanced at it dismissively: "How can he not be killed instantly? Two Twin Flame Flashes and a Palm Thunder, and he'll be reduced to ashes."

"There's no time for you to cast so many skills!" Xi Yao Wu said.

Without saying much, Gu Fei demonstrated on the spot. He twisted his body, drew his sword, and chanted. His right hand swung his sword, creating two swirls of fire, and his left hand's Palm Thunder struck out in mid-air during the first swirl. The whole process took less than two seconds.

Everyone shook their heads in amazement. It was so fast that it felt unbelievable. This was just a game! The speed of actions was linked to attributes. How much agility would he need to be this fast?

"Impossible, how can your agility be so high?" Xi Yao Wu said.

"How many times have I said it? It's not speed, it's rhythm. Seamless attack connections, of course, will make it seem fast. If I didn't have to chant, it would be even faster," Gu Fei said.

"It's a pity that you can't sneak in," Gui Tong sighed.

"So it's all for nothing, alas, there's no way, I can't kill him instantly," Xi Yao Wu said regretfully.

"Jian Gui might be able to do it," Gu Fei said, looking at the data.

"Does Jian Gui have such high attack?" Xi Yao Wu was surprised. She accepted Gu Fei, but how could Jian Gui be better than her too?

"He has an over-leveled skill, the attack power is very strong," Gu Fei said.

"But Jian Gui would probably have a hard time sneaking in too. Although his exposure isn't as high as yours, he's still known throughout the city," Gui Tong said.

"In the current situation, we can't rely on just one person. We need several people to go together and coordinate their attacks to instantly kill Ni Liu Er Shang," Xi Xiao Tian said.

"That's the only way to do it," Gui Tong nodded.

So Gu Fei was out again, and the others started discussing again, leaving Gu Fei in loneliness.

The others repeatedly studied Ni Liu Er Shang's data. Although the general direction had been set, it still felt tricky. Xi Yao Wu had to go. But even Xi Yao Wu's freakish damage couldn't effectively threaten Ni Liu Er Shang, so it was clear that Ni Liu Er Shang's equipment was excellent. Plus, he was a mage himself, so his magic defense was outstanding. Gui Tong's equipment was also good, but he was somewhat restricted. Yan Xiao Zhu's level was high, but her equipment was average. Other than a blinding special skill, she didn't have any other highlights. Apart from these three, the others were even more ordinary. After some calculations, it was most reliable for five people to attack together to kill Ni Liu Er Shang in one go, and there couldn't be the slightest error. Because as soon as something happened, Ni Liu Er Shang would definitely activate two defensive skills, and the priests around him would also take action. So if there was even the slightest error, they would be wiped out.

"We need a place to practice," everyone agreed. So they left Gu Fei behind and went to find monsters to practice their coordination. But this time Gu Fei didn't feel lonely, because they needed their attacks to be synchronized. What they needed was the rhythm of the attacks. With different classes and different attack methods, how could they perfectly attack together? Could anyone be more knowledgeable about this rhythm than Gu Fei?

The expert came over to give guidance. At first, everyone didn't think much of it, but after Gu Fei corrected them several times, everyone finally realized that this guy wasn't just good at running around and hacking people. Under Gu Fei's guidance, everyone quickly mastered their respective rhythms. When a wave of attacks landed on the monsters, even Gu Fei's sharp eyes couldn't see any difference in timing.

The monsters were repeatedly used as Ni Liu Er Shang, and they finally mastered how to read the signals and how to start their attacks. And next, it was time to find Ni Liu Er Shang to put it into practice. The group was full of confidence. At this time, they ignored Gu Fei, the instructor, and ordered him to inquire about Ni Liu Er Shang's location. Gu Fei felt so depressed! Where was he supposed to inquire? He only had a few friends, so he sent a message to Jian Gui and the others: "Have you seen anyone from Dui Jiu Dang Ge?"

"Dui Jiu Dang Ge? They're in the northeast camp, what's up?"

"We want to kill Ni Liu Er Shang," Gu Fei said.

"Don't joke around, do you know how many people are here?" Jian Gui said.

"We have a plan." Gu Fei explained the plan.

After listening, Jian Gui said: "What if Ni Liu Er Shang is in the resurrection camp? As soon as you step inside, the system will notify him, and you'll be exposed."

"Ah... this..." Gu Fei was stunned. No one on their side had considered this issue. Jian Gui was indeed an old veteran, and he considered the details more reliably than these girls.

As a result, after Gu Fei relayed Jian Gui's meaning, Xi Xiao Tian smiled and said: "Who said we're going to actively look for him? We'll ask him to come out. Maybe fate will help us, and he'll have a lapse of judgment and act alone, wouldn't that be even easier?"