Strategy game? Then I'll have to control you properly.

"What is that thing!?"

"Monster! It's a monster!!"

The villagers, whose daily routines were synchronized with the sun, were alerted by their discovery, and an alarm sounded in the village at dawn.

In the distance, a monster, even larger than their tent, appeared on the grassland, writhing around.

Its overall shape resembles a stag beetle covered in a jet-black shell, but the parasitic tentacles extending from its head, abdomen, and carapace are terrifying and nauseating.

"Father!"

"Lillie, don't go over there, it doesn't seem to be planning to attack us yet."

Attila, who hadn't even had time to put on his armor, stopped Lillie as she rushed towards him. Just as he had said, the giant monster had no interest in the villagers.

It seemed to be pursuing some specific goal, constantly launching tentacles into the air and struggling.

To the unsuspecting villagers, the posture looked as if it were trying to break free from the place.

"...No, Father, I must stop it!"

At that moment, Lillie instinctively realized that if she did not eliminate the monster immediately, it would lead to disaster, after all, she had been attacked by similar monsters twice.

Faulty entities and corrupted entities are no ordinary monsters or enemies. Unlike creatures that hunt out of hunger or plunder out of desire, their actions reveal only a mechanical inevitability.

She sensed something was amiss there and was convinced that those things must not be allowed to run rampant.

"Damn it! Everyone, arm yourselves and mount up!"

Seeing his daughter rush out shirtless with only a sword in her hand, Attila was terrified and quickly grabbed his weapon and jumped onto his horse.

The residents, hastily armed, did the same. Each grabbed their stockpiled bows, arrows, spears, and iron swords, and together they spurred their horses and charged across the grassland toward the giant worm.

"That guy's going to attack!"

At this point, even the corrosive entities could no longer ignore them.

The eroded creature swayed its massive, hard jaws as it turned its head, displaying hostility towards the dozens of residents who had surrounded it on horseback.

The first to be attacked by the eroding tentacles was Lillie, who arrived with superhuman speed.

She leaped off the ground, dodging a tentacle thicker than her own fist.

Why isn't that person coming to help us anymore?

Lillie gritted her teeth as she glanced at the tentacle attack that accompanied the shockwave that shattered the ground.

When a crisis occurs, there is always that unknown force that notifies them earlier than anyone else, that force that lifts them up without any resistance.

Now, that force is not calling them.

Based on this, Lillie deduced that the monster performing incomprehensible actions in the void was influencing that power.

Therefore, this battle is not just for the tribe; Lillie firmly believes that she must assist that unknown force this time.

[Heavy Strike]

Using the agility she honed through her experiences in Dark Souls, she swiftly unleashed her skills to close in on the house-sized insectoid monster.

In the instant the golden light exploded, the insect monster's legs and tentacles, as thick as tree trunks, burst open one after another.

The insect monster, in pain, let out a strange shriek, its huge jaws aimed straight at Lillie's waist, as if it were about to bite her slender waist in two on the spot.

"You bastard, where are you going to bite!"

At the critical moment, Attila's furious roar triggered his internal properties.

This is the [Mage] trait obtained by defeating a necromancer in the game world, which now resonates with magic and transforms into a power that interferes with reality.

The stone pillar that burst from the ground shielded Lillie from a fatal bite, and she took the opportunity to dodge and create distance.

"Shoot the arrows quickly! Be careful to avoid the whiskers!"

"The base of the tentacles looks like a weak point! Aim there and attack!"

It wasn't just Lillie and Attila fighting; the villagers on horseback used their horses to maneuver around the insect monsters and shoot at them.

Although it is not imbued with special powers, the attack is not ineffective.

Arrows and spears pierced the parts not covered by the carapace and thick hide, causing the giant worm to scream in agony.

Even Lillie, a warrior, had never fought such a ferocious monster, but the residents who had spent their lives struggling in this desolate land still thrust their weapons out with a death wish.

"Whoa!?"

Casualties continued to occur during the process, and whip-like whiskers lashed at those who fell from their horses and were injured, seemingly about to deliver a fatal blow.

"No!"

Suddenly someone rushed forward and stood in front of their companion.

If flesh and blood were to take the blow head-on, they would probably be instantly pulverized. But the person was holding several small cubes in her hand. When she smashed the objects onto the ground, the stone pillars that instantly formed took the brunt of the tentacles' attack and shattered with a crash.

"It's...it's a success..."

The porter, Maureen, collapsed to the ground. Although she had instantly built a tall and heavy stone wall, the exhaustion from it had left her feeling completely drained.

The inhabitants, drawing upon all their strength, including the mysterious abilities they acquired after settling in this enigmatic grassland, gradually drove the monster to its doom.

"Quickly finish this! Hurry!"

But if the delay continues, the casualties will only continue to increase.

Attila, who had barely awakened his mage traits under extreme circumstances, shouted to Lillie while the other residents were distracting the corrupted creature with their bodies dripping with black blood: "Use this move to finish it off."

Lillie saw the earthen pillars that Attila had created before her eyes. She pushed off the ground with all her might and leaped into the air, flying over the top of the eroded body.

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the pitch-black erosion creature, as if it foresaw its own demise.

The tentacles that pierced through its right brain shot out, but Lillie had already swung her sword and slashed them down the moment she activated her skill.

The familiar slashing sensation, the tremor of the blade cutting through hard objects, and the tangible feeling of an enemy's life ending under the sword.

As the erosion's head, along with its tentacles, was split in two, bodily fluids splattered out, and Lillie fell to the ground, curling up in pain.

Despite the excruciating pain coursing through her body, Lillie still managed a faint smile of victory as she watched Attila rush towards her.

◆◆◆

"W-What's going on...?"

In the messy room where she was attacked without knowing why, Lin Miao coughed and struggled to get up.

The monster that leaped out of the monitor, attempting to strangle him, suddenly let go for some reason and vanished back into the depths of the screen.

If you were a normal person, you would have screamed and rushed out to call the police by now.

Despite her mental instability, Lin Miao fearlessly turned on the computer with trembling hands.

[Death of the Eroded Body]

Recommended Firewall Programs

[Dedicated firewall program for invading entities: 60000P]

"It's so expensive, why don't they just rob us!"

The system window pops up as soon as the screen lights up, and they still have the audacity to push GG at a time like this.

Moreover, it was no small amount; it was marked with a five-digit number that Lin Miao had never handled before.

But it's not just the system that appears on the screen.

In the scene, the residents are holding weapons and genuinely cheering, and Lillie, with her hair disheveled, is also cheering.

Among them lay the corpse of a giant monster. The black tentacles extending from the monster were clearly those that had attacked Lin Miao.

Those terrifying tentacles, either severed or torn, now hang limply.

"...Did they kill the monster and save me?"

Lin Miao muttered to herself, slumped into the chair that was thankfully intact, and tugged at her hair, letting out a hollow laugh.

If it weren't for the ornaments around her neck, one could probably guess what had happened.

Occasionally, unidentified glitch monsters appear in the desktop world, and as these glitch monsters grow, they transform into the ultimate monster, the Erosion Entity.

Thanks to the villagers' concerted efforts in eliminating the monster, he managed to escape with his life from the monster that was trying to crawl into reality.

"What exactly is going on? Why am I experiencing this?"

Now that things have come to this, a strong sense of doubt and resistance arises spontaneously.

So far, the anomalies have been nothing more than interesting events happening in the computer, so Lin Miao has let them go unnoticed and even enjoyed them.

The mysterious visitors to his computer, the experience of growing up with them through games and fighting enemies... it was indeed the rarest and most enjoyable experience in Lin Miao's life.

But if what happens inside begins to affect reality, the situation is completely different, especially since that effect is not good, but a life-threatening disaster.

I am neither a game character who can die without consequence, nor a superhuman like Lillie; I am just an ordinary mortal who lacks exercise.

"We have no choice but to get rid of it."

Lin Miao finally made up her mind.

If it refuses to shut down obediently, you'll have to throw the computer away along with it.

After all, there are still more than two years left on the lease that can't be canceled, so if I have to throw anything away, I can only throw away the computer. If all else fails, I'm willing to empty the room of everything.

[First kill of the Corrupted Entity: 1000P]

[Optional reward for defeating the Corrosive Entity]

[Recommended User Manual]

As if seeing through Lin Miao's thoughts, the system kept popping up a series of windows.

What kind of reward is this? These achievement points are barely enough to fill a tooth gap.

What infuriated Lin Miao the most, yet also piqued her interest, was the program called the User Manual.

It's a basic program that can be found in countless files on a computer, but since it exists, shouldn't it be the first thing to recommend?

"This is really the last time, really."

Lin Miao resisted the urge to smash the computer and moved the mouse to open the instruction manual, and there was a reason for that.

The images of those wounded but still fighting to the death, and Lillie laughing in celebration of victory, kept flashing before his eyes.

At least now Lin Miao wants to know why, what exactly happened, and what she and those people did wrong to get involved in this.

The people Lin Miao saw with her own eyes were just ordinary people struggling to survive.

[World Invaders Control System Report]

【Overview】

【the purpose】

【status quo】

[Forum (Locked)]

Soon a new window opened, displaying content far exceeding Lin Miao's expectations.

【Overview】

Feeling inexplicably nervous, Lin Miao clicked on the overview at the top, needing to understand the general situation first.

World invaders are substances that exist solely to devour the world.

When erosion was discovered, the power of a single world was insufficient to counter it, so a countermeasure was developed that utilized the difference in world elevation.

The program's management system will assist users in working with guardians to perform tasks to defend against invaders.

1. Invaders: They have no fixed form, but they mimic the characteristics of the creatures in this world. Each type has some fixed features.

2. Use...

"……What?"

Lin Miao read it repeatedly, at least five times.

Even though it was written in Chinese, he couldn't understand it immediately, or rather, he refused to understand it.

This lengthy text is almost like a setting book from a sequel, making it difficult to digest.

"Users are people who fight against the world's invaders through the system."

This is the part that I find most incomprehensible. The user is supposed to fight against monsters called the Invaders?

From the explanation and context, Lin Miao understood that she seemed to be the user controlling the system, but why was it herself?

The Guardians are allies who fight alongside the user against the Invaders. They exist in other worlds, but the spiritual bonds connecting people from different worlds provide the system with its driving force.

"What kind of nonsense is this? Even if it's a sequel, if the setting goes this far, it deserves to be criticized."

According to the description, the guardians mentioned here should refer to the residents that appear on your computer desktop. The claim that you can control the system by establishing contact with them is, of course, utterly absurd.

Once detected by the Corruptor, regardless of the circumstances, even if the user tries to escape, it will be prioritized for tracking and elimination. If the Corruptor manifests in the user's world and begins to multiply, it will be difficult to eliminate, and the user must work with the Guardians to stop its spread.

But when she saw the next sentence, Lin Miao's hand suddenly froze.

The erosion system will kill users; even if they try to escape, it will chase after them and kill them. No matter where they hide, it will definitely come looking for them and kill them.

"That doesn't seem right."

Lin Miao tried to deny the reality that she had unknowingly become deeply involved in this crazy event, and with trembling hands scrolled through the rest of the content on the screen.

But nowhere it says that all of this is fiction; after all, he really almost died just minutes before, so it can't be taken lightly.

If I ignore these warnings and just throw away my computer, will that really solve everything?

【status quo】

Lin Miao naturally moved her mouse to other options, since she already had a general idea of ​​what she wanted to achieve.

[Program running for 9 days. Currently, there is 1 user on Earth, no new awakened individuals, and no deaths.]

The status page displays the current status as its name suggests.

Sentences that are extremely short.

Lin Miao's gaze lingered on the number 1. Judging from the description of the newly awakened, the number might increase, but right now it meant that he was the only one.

"Why is this feature locked? Is it because I'm the only user?"

Lin Miao clicked the back button in a daze, then selected the last option: the locked forum function.

Thinking about it carefully, if there's only one person, it makes no difference whether this function is there or not.

[User's system level is insufficient to enable.]

"You scared me!"

After clicking repeatedly in frustration, something suddenly popped up on the screen. Text suddenly appeared on the previously empty, pure white interface.

There was even a blinking cursor, as if urging you to type.

Lin Miao, no longer surprised, swallowed and placed her hands on the keyboard.

"What are you?"

I am the instruction manual assistant. You can not only ask any questions, but also listen to the preset answers to frequently asked questions from previous users in other dimensions.

1. Do you know that you are an AI?

2. Is it too late to quit now?

3. That's not how it is in visual novels!

4.……

An automated response program. Disappointed, Lin Miao looked at the other users' frantic options and smiled bitterly. She had been hoping to perhaps encounter someone who understood the current situation and have a proper conversation.

"If there are instructions, shouldn't this be recommended first?"

[According to standard procedures, providing users with instruction manuals should be the priority. However, in most cases, the guardians are in critical situations and need to be recommended necessary procedures immediately, so this priority is postponed.]

Lin Miao deliberately chose the most annoying question to test him, but surprisingly, he answered it very seriously.

"Why me of all people?"

[These are the top ten most frequently asked question types by users; the answer is fate.]

Of course, not all answers are so serious.

For some reason, there were more angry responses, but after several rounds of questions and answers, Lin Miao felt her mood gradually calm down.

Perhaps they've vented everything they needed to, and now they really don't care anymore, or maybe they've just given up and resigned themselves to their fate.

"So what should I do now?"

Please don't feel pressured. As long as you can prevent the Corruption from occurring, your world and surrounding environment will be safe, and you can continue your daily life. Your current priority is to upgrade your system level; to achieve this, please complete as many achievements as possible and strengthen your Guardians.

The instruction manual only says to do things as usual, raise guardians, and then fight and build, but after what happened today, can this routine really be maintained easily?

But for Lin Miao, there seemed to be no other choice but to either ignore all the warnings and throw away the computer, or cooperate with this unusual event. She could only choose one of the two.

Lin Miao closed the instruction manual directly. Even under these circumstances, she mechanically changed her clothes and prepared to go to work, occasionally using 360 Security Guard to treat the injured residents on the screen and observe them.

Although a notification popped up indicating that I had received a reward and achievement, I couldn't confirm it right now because I had to rush to work.

Ultimately, all Lin Miao wanted to do at this moment was keep her distance.

"Lin Miao, you're here really early? There might be a lot of work today, but if you prepare in advance, you can go home earlier."

Arriving at the company like a refugee, Lin Miao was sitting there in a daze when his female boss patted him on the shoulder.

"Perhaps that wouldn't be bad either."

Lin Miao smiled wryly upon hearing this. Perhaps being busy and dizzy would actually help her clear her head, rather than letting her mind wander.

Although she looked at Lin Miao as if she were a madwoman, once she got into work, just as Lin Miao had hoped, she really didn't have time to think about anything else.