The Captain would never—never—imagine that ChickenWaterBubble could "private-message" people from long-range.
Much less that…
he was streaming this entire hostage march live.
So the moment ChickenWaterBubble's viewers heard what happened,
the news that Fatui were marching toward the player base spread like wildfire.
Within minutes, every player knew:
"ChickenWaterBubble is kiting mobs home!"
Preparations began instantly.
At the outer perimeter of the Smoke-Mist Tribe's player base,
out of roughly a thousand online players,
nine hundred were out there setting up traps specifically to deal with the incoming Fatui.
The remaining hundred?
Pure life-skill players.
They had zero interest in combat.
At this moment, Liang Chuan was still inside the Smoke-Mist shop, helping Settlali with the rush.
At this hour, she simply couldn't manage alone.
Watching the flood of players buying supplies, Liang Chuan couldn't help but sigh:
"Here I was trying to choose a location for the third base…
and these idiots go and trigger a Fatui siege event.
Now I have to babysit them."
Settlali frowned as she handed over vials of Minor Vitality Potion.
"Strange… why are so many Federal members buying healing potions today?
It's several times the usual amount!
Are they all planning to go out hunting?"
"You don't know?" Liang Chuan blinked.
"They didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"The Fatui are already on their way.
They're coming to attack this base.
I figured the players must've warned you already."
"WHAT?!
The Fatui are coming HERE?!"
Settlali froze in shock.
"Why didn't ANYONE notify me?!"
Liang Chuan internally sighed.
Probably because they think you're just a cute shop NPC…
and completely useless in a fight.
Only a few players have the Exploration skill.
Most players simply saw her as a pink-haired beauty NPC—not someone who would defend the base.
"I need to warn the tribe immediately!
Preferably drag Mariveka here too!"
She hopped onto Izzpapapa, ready to take off—
Liang Chuan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down.
"Relax.
It's only a small Fatui squad.
About twenty people.
No Cicin Mages, no Mirror Maidens, no elites.
The players can handle that much."
Liang Chuan thought privately:
If nine hundred players can't beat twenty standard Fatui troopers…
I'll make the system mass-ban them myself.
Swap in players from another Earth—
these clowns clearly aren't qualified.
"But what if the Captain suddenly shows up again—
like last time?"
Settlali worried.
"Don't worry about him.
He's still recovering.
Last time he got absolutely folded by Mariveka."
Liang Chuan waved his hand.
"Speaking of—how's Mariveka?
Hurting the Captain that badly must've cost her a lot too."
"Not sure…" Settlali shook her head.
"She returned to the Sacred Fire Arena early,
but no one knows what state she's in.
Once this is over, I'll go check on her."
"Bring me along."
Liang Chuan raised his hand.
If he wanted to build player outposts across all of Natlan,
he'd need Mariveka's permission eventually.
"For now, close your shop.
Those Fatui are less than five hundred meters away."
He tapped her arm and motioned for her to follow.
Settlali also called her grandson:
"Oloron! Stop fussing with your cabbages!
Come with us!"
If anything happened,
Oloron's combat strength would be invaluable.
The three reached a hilltop vantage point.
Liang Chuan pulled three high-precision binoculars from his inventory
and handed one to each.
"Binoculars?
Fontaine merchants have sold these before.
But… why are yours double-barreled?
And adjustable?
And so clear?!
Ah—right. Another 'otherworld' tool."
Settlali answered her own question halfway through.
Liang Chuan gave her a thumbs-up.
These were player-crafted binoculars—
Fontaine's level couldn't compare.
"They're here!
The Fatui!!!" Settlali suddenly exclaimed.
Through the high-zoom lenses,
they could see every speck of dust clinging to the soldiers' uniforms.
"They only need two hundred more meters," Liang Chuan narrated,
"then they'll enter the players' trap zone.
The exact moment it triggers,
the ranged classes on the ridge will unleash their first volley.
After the first barrage,
the flanking units will cut off their retreat.
Then the second wave of ranged fire.
As long as they keep pressure from a distance,
the Fatui won't break through.
And if they try—
all melee players will swarm in and wrap them like dumplings."
"That's their defensive plan?" Settlali asked.
"Yup.
I heard it personally."
Liang Chuan chuckled.
"They originally wanted to try tower defense, tunnel warfare—
even lure the Fatui into the base and take them out in waves.
But that risked damaging already-built facilities.
Not worth it."
"Hold on…
what about the Federal member guiding the Fatui?"
She pointed at ChickenWaterBubble.
"Oh, him?
He's just going to die."
Liang Chuan shrugged.
"Don't forget—we can resurrect."
"Resurrection doesn't come with a price?"
"Oh, it does."
His eyes swept over the Fatui soldiers' gear.
"But what players are about to gain…
will FAR exceed the cost of reviving."
"BOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!"
A massive explosion erupted in the distance!
The Fatui squad had finally stepped into the players' minefield.
Over a hundred homemade bombs went off simultaneously—
a miniature mushroom cloud rising from the impact.
A message appeared on World Chat:
[All ranged classes—OPEN FIRE!]
—ArrowHeart
"SWISH!!! SWISH!!! SWISH!!!"
Arrows tore through the air—
and the sky over the Fatui instantly turned into a rainstorm of arrows.
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