Players Invade Cyberpunk

150 people formed three player groups to guard two mountain pass entrances, facing an assault of over a thousand from noon to dusk, any normal person would've collapsed by now.

"Don't say useless stuff, even if you die, make sure you do it on the mountain."

The Wildman, temporarily assuming command, didn't bother with pleasantries with the Sword Saint. For players, dying once only costs one to three days, which isn't too steep a price.

The key is not to let the Chaotic Blade Association pass through the valley. The water plant is built on a rare coastal plain in Big Sur, a low terrain area. Once the enemy passes through the valley and occupies the high ground, they could easily slaughter the players pinned down below.

"Brother Ni, have you found their artillery position yet?"

From the first round of bombardment, Wildman sent Brother Ni's team to circle the mountainside to find the artillery position, but by dusk, there was still no news.

Brother Ni's task was tough. They followed the trajectory of the shells in the sky, searching in the opposite direction for a good twenty to thirty kilometers, but with no luck.

He and a dozen players were lying prone in a low-lying area, peeking at the passing patrol convoys. Once the enemy got close, he immediately withdrew to avoid being spotted.

"I've got a general idea, but the path is blocked. It's all patrol convoys along the way. I estimate there are at least one or two hundred people surrounding those few cannons, and any disturbance would bring the surrounding troops rushing in. Even if we find it, we won't be able to fight them."

Brother Ni feared his bad luck might flare up, so they were cautious every step of the way, afraid that any accident might expose them all at once.

"Then keep looking. If you can't find the artillery position, Mongolian Toplaner can't strike back. They've been waiting all afternoon for your news."

The players do have cannons. Last time, they captured two 105 howitzers that hadn't fired a shot. Though not as large-caliber as Chaotic Blade Association's, they were still cannons, and the mortars could cover a certain range.

Under the effect of smart-programmable shells, as long as the artillery position wasn't too off, the hit rate would absolutely not be low.

But Wildman hadn't fired a single shot, saving them for a surprise attack, aiming for results beyond expectations.

If used frontally, they would only kill some cannon fodder and change nothing about the battle situation.

"You've heard it. Before Brother Ni finds the artillery position, Sword Saint, you must hold on to the mountain. Red Barrel is still digging holes there. If you really can't hold on, retreat into the holes Red Barrel is digging. I'll send people up to support you soon. In short, until the last person dies on the mountain, these two high grounds cannot be lost."

After speaking, Wildman exited the channel and refocused on the map.

In addition to the 150 people firmly nailed to the mountain, over 400 players had arrived at the frontline one after another, with some rookies and mostly veteran players. Brother Ni took eighteen proficient stealth players, and there were 80 artillery players, with another 300 under his command, mostly rookies handling logistics. Barely 200 were combat-ready, mostly veterans assisting the newbies.

A master, breaking the norm this time, didn't go to the frontline but sat on a stool in the command room, watching Wildman direct.

"Who would you send for support? A Hell Diver unit?"

"....."

Wildman furrowed his brow, and after a long silence, he spoke in the channel.

"Chao Lao, take a medical team, a logistics group, and bring along twenty level-10 rookies to back them up. Make sure to bring supplies."

Chao Lao was part of Prel Radio, considered a war correspondent, though Brother Dao's station didn't have an armed department.

"Just twenty level-10 rookies?"

The master was a bit surprised, as this group might not be more effective than the previous two logistics teams.

"Not that few."

Wildman explained:

"At level 10, they typically have at least one level-6 basic combat skill, so they're considered combat-ready. Maybe lacking in gear and bodies, but in defense battles, it's often not about who has a stronger combat force, but who can hold out longer."

"Good resources should be used where they're needed most. The Super Earth's war department has the most people and the bravest to charge. Using them for defense battles would be a waste. They should be used in key places."

"Hmm."

The master nodded slightly, realizing he had neglected the direct correlation between players' combat power and level, naturally associating newbies with recruits.

He himself didn't pay much attention to levels. In fact, many players who joined later than him were now higher-ranked.

The master looked at the map in awe.

"It's my first time seeing a battle fought like this. You're pretty bold, and the idea is quite novel."

The strategy laid out by Wildman was simple and brutally so.

Sword Saint's main objective in mounting a hard defense at the frontline, not letting Chaotic Blade pass, was simply to buy time.

It's to buy time for hundreds of players in the rear to dig trenches together, and also to buy resurrection time for deceased players.

The Salinas River Valley has large swaths of hills with different elevations. The longer the delay, the more extensive the trenches players dig out. By then, every hill and elevation on Chaotic Blade's path could turn into a player's fortification.

Whether it's a 50-person group or a few scattered foxholes, Chaotic Blade must dispatch troops to remove them. Otherwise, these garrisons would be like nails embedded in their flesh, festering and turning into sores.