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

[First Raid: 800P]

"Just how complicated does it have to be? No, was it complicated from the very beginning?"

Lin Miao temporarily released the mouse, scratched her hair, and gave a hollow, bitter laugh.

In the game Dark Souls that I'm currently playing with Lillie, all the bosses are incredibly powerful.

In that case, there must also be special powers that assist the protagonist.

The Vow of Gold is one such miracle; it is not a regular piece of equipment or a consumable potion, but a special blessing that provides a permanent bonus to the character.

Of course, this will not appear in the current generation; the relevant missions will only be available in the second generation.

After a quick search, I discovered that the Oath of the Golden Stone is defined in the game as: joining the oath of the Sun Warriors, a blessing that can only be obtained by those who overcome true fear for their own light, and the related quest storyline is naturally based on this theme.

As one of the essential buffs for navigating games, Lin Miao had seen many strategy videos that emphasized it. However, it's hard to say how much reference value such videos still hold today.

"Did Lillie's actions just now accidentally fulfill the conditions? How did this side quest snowball like this?"

Recalling the Abyss Skeleton's lines, which were completely absent from the original work and filled with terrifying rhetoric, Lin Miao manipulated her character to obtain one of the two blessings.

After exchanging a stunned glance with Lin Miao, Lillie also imitated Lin Miao's action and took the tiny orb of light into her hand.

The holy light was gradually being absorbed by her body. Lillie opened her eyes wide in surprise, touching her palm where the bead had disappeared, and looked up at Lin Miao.

"Now mental debuffs and attacks are basically ineffective, and what happened before won't happen again."

The effect of the Vow of Gold is to greatly increase resistance to various debuffs on enemies.

This is not a reward based on data, but rather a reward she deserves for actually enduring the skills and successfully overcoming them.

Let's call it a day.

Although she received a good reward, she still checked with screenshot software out of caution and found that her condition was not optimistic.

Upon seeing the damage Lillie had sustained in the previous unexpected battle, Lin Miao immediately quit the game.

Considering what happened this morning, it's definitely time to stop and get some rest today.

Unlike Lillie, who was about to return to the village to rest, Lin Miao opened another game window without stopping for a moment.

The inhabitants in Minecraft are busy at work. I've been focused on other games these past few days and haven't paid much attention to this place; it needs a little more supervision.

"He's basically a hardcore gamer who's useless."

What would people think if they saw someone who didn't do housework, didn't eat, and spent all their free time locked in their room playing video games?

He's the epitome of a gaming addict.

But what can you do? The monitor contains the real world!

◆◆◆

"Found it, it's over there!"

On the open plain, two people were cautiously approaching something, but even after finally finding what they wanted, they could only sigh immediately.

The moment they approached, the targets vanished in a flash. Attila, one of them, shook his head at the sight.

The runaway horses were originally horses in the game made up of sharp-edged blocks, but they turned into living wild horses the moment they got close.

They might be able to capture them if they came on horseback, but apart from those chosen, no outside creatures can enter this place.

"Why doesn't that magical spell that pulls stone pillars out of the ground work?"

"To be honest, I haven't mastered the technique yet, and it's too physically demanding, so I'm afraid I'll have a hard time using that dramatic technique."

Jun, a villager traveling with Attila, suggested that Attila try the spells he had used against the Zerg, but Attila looked troubled and said it was impossible.

They are looking for horses here to replenish the horses injured in the battle with the Zerg and to increase the number of livestock, but without the relevant traits, they can only capture the extremely wary wild horses by hand.

"There's no other way. We can think about the livestock later. Let's go back first. Hunting is easy, but capturing and taming them alive is a real challenge."

Attila ultimately abandoned his plan to capture horses that day.

While acquiring more livestock would be a good thing, it's not the most pressing issue.

"Huh!? Quick, look over there!"

Just then, Jun, who was about to turn around with Attila, suddenly noticed something.

Attila turned around in surprise and saw Lin Miao's figure appear out of nowhere in the place that had been empty.

"Long time no see."

Attila looked at Lin Miao, who was watching them, with a slightly nervous expression, and bowed his head in greeting.

The other person nodded his square face as if accepting a greeting, and waved his angular arms toward the wild horse herd visible in the distance.

Could it be?

Attila and Jun both had expectations because of his actions.

When faced with difficulties, this person, who always seems to possess magical powers, makes them hopeful that they might receive help again.

Sure enough, Lin Miao assembled several props and held them in her hands.

The game features feed that horses love, and reins made from animal hides. By using these items, players can truly tame livestock as mounts.

"It's beyond my imagination."

Lin Miao approached the wild horses with feed, and as if by magic, made them obediently follow him. Then he put reins on them, and in the blink of an eye, he turned the wild horses into rideable mounts.

When Lin Miao led the horses toward Attila and Allen, the two were speechless upon seeing the sight and could only scratch their heads.

From the very beginning, this world was a place beyond common sense, and what they saw before them was completely different from their understanding.

"Thank you, our guardian deity!"

After receiving the horses that had become docile, Attila expressed his gratitude to him.

It is unclear when, but Attila came to regard Lin Miao as a blessing and guardian deity who had descended to earth.

Although this was the first time he had said this idea in person, his stiff, square face didn't seem to understand the meaning of his words.

Although he was watching Lin Miao, his expressionless face made it impossible to guess his emotions.

However, it seemed that the gratitude was indeed conveyed, as Lin Miao repeated the action of sitting down and standing up as usual, conveying a sense of affirmation.

"You're back really early today. It's no wonder, considering what happened this morning."

Attila, returning to the village with the villagers he had worked with and the newly acquired horses, met Lillie, who had returned earlier.

After listening to her recount her ordeal, Attila remarked that it was understandable that she had returned early.

"The horses say that after I returned, that lord also appeared in the other world. So, are they the same being with different bodies after all?"

After listening to Attila's story, Lillie suddenly realized that the knight who was traveling with her might be the cube-shaped man who had helped Attila.

Although his guess was entirely correct, Attila cautiously shook his head: "Right now, that lord is showing us goodwill; his true identity isn't the most important thing. More important—Lick, is there some kind of emergency?"

"I'm afraid there is indeed an urgent matter, Chieftain."

Attila then turned his gaze to a villager who seemed to want to say something but hesitated. The man, known as Rick, hadn't even had time to take off his armor.

"You found something during the reconnaissance, didn't you?" Attila read something in Rick's eyes. This burly man, the strongest fighter besides Lillie, was the captain of the reconnaissance team.

Their daily routine involves patrolling the surrounding area on horseback to detect potential threats in advance.

What Rick would voluntarily report must be important intelligence he witnessed firsthand.

"Not far to the southwest, other troops are passing by."

"Others?"

"Judging by their attire... they look like raiders."

After Rick reported the reconnaissance team's findings, the word "plunderer" caused Attila and Lillie's pupils to dilate simultaneously.

The grassland raiders are the very enemies who destroyed their homes and loved ones.

"A large number of raiders on horseback were escorting a greater number of prisoners toward somewhere. Because many of them were being dragged barefoot, their progress must have been slow; it was estimated that it would take at least two more days for them to pass through this area."

"Even such a remote place has been affected by the imbalance...?"

Attila bit his lip.

The balance was broken just before their tribe was attacked. Originally, many tribes had kept to their proper place and maintained the balance of the grassland, until a certain tribe began to expand rapidly through aggressive plundering, and the entire grassland was turned into a bloody battlefield in the blink of an eye.

Now no one can stop it; inter-tribal wars are nothing more than a naked struggle for survival.

"Fortunately, they are focused on escorting the slaves and haven't noticed us at all. As long as we keep quiet, there won't be any problems."

Lick advocated for inaction. This made sense, but Attila hesitated to make a decision after hearing it.

"Father...do you want to save those people?"

Sensing her father's emotions, Lillie asked softly, and Attila ultimately did not deny it.

"This is not based on mere emotion or identification. You, Rick, and you, Lillie, both witnessed what happened this morning. Moreover, from the moment we stepped onto this grassland, we have encountered mysterious deities one after another. This is not something to be ignored."

Attila explained why he had such a dangerous idea, and as the leader of the group, he poured out his well-thought-out reasoning.

"The black behemoth is more powerful and terrifying than any monster we have ever seen; it is a great trial that has been placed upon us. But at the same time, we have also received a blessing, a blessing bestowed by the guardian deity of this grassland. The problem is that we are far too weak to withstand both the trial and the blessing at the same time."

Attila, with a wry smile, surveyed the village.

Although more refugees have joined, and the group has now grown to several dozen, the number of soldiers capable of fighting is far from large, excluding children and the elderly.

Attila, who had once led a tribe many times larger than this, still felt powerless after losing everything.

"To fight the black behemoth that may reappear at any time, to defend against enemies who covet this place, and to make good use of the blessings bestowed by the gods, we need more people. We should not be content with accumulating strength, but should use it to expand outwards. This is my idea."

"But……"

Others found it difficult to refute Attila's views because his words were indeed based on facts.

If there had been fewer soldiers and they hadn't been equipped with iron weapons beforehand, it would have been impossible to defeat that giant insect this morning.

"So, should we take the initiative to attack those raiders? But we don't even know which tribe they come from."

"According to you, the enemy's numbers are not invincible, but if we really go to war, we'll probably have to risk everything we have."

Although the idea was put forward, it was still a difficult decision for Attila to make to take the initiative to attack.

Although they now have more resources than their enemies, war is always unpredictable.

"...If we're going to fight, we can do it!"

Seeing Attila hesitate until the very end, Lillie stepped forward and advocated for war.

Her eyes were now as firm as a rock.

"Our numbers are roughly equal, and our equipment is far superior. Besides, we were able to defeat even that terrifying monster; there's no reason we should lose."

"That being said, what if the enemy has many elite warriors? I'm not familiar with this power yet, and you'll be under even more pressure."

Attila appeared flustered, after all, the tribe's only warrior was his own daughter.

"I can do it!"

But Lillie was resolute, and suddenly a dazzling golden light burst forth from her body—the divine blessing absorbed into her body was manifesting.

The sudden burst of intense power stunned everyone around.

"Father is right. Simply accumulating strength like this is not enough. We must become stronger faster and in greater numbers."

She had just fought a deep abyssal skeleton that was comparable to an incarnate. After overcoming the fear emanating from the abyssal skeleton and achieving victory, Lillie slightly reduced her self-doubt and became more resolute.

"And that person must also want us to become stronger."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Just go with my gut feeling."

In addition, she speculated that the god who helped them would crave their power.

Although it is difficult to provide clear evidence, at least the spiritual resonance that arose when fighting side by side in the second game and risking their lives against the enemy is what she believes to be the basis.

"So, that's the decision?"

Attila asked, "Lick, do you agree as well?"

"As a man, you can't keep hiding forever," Rick grinned, agreeing with Lillie's words.

Since everyone agreed, Attila had no reason to hesitate any longer.

They ultimately decided to launch the attack that night, before the target had left the area and rejoined the main force.

[The Tribal Chief's Dilemma: Taking the Initiative]

"What is this?"

This plan was also seen by Lin Miao in the last moment when he observed the villagers.