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

As Lin Miao and Li Sushang were walking home after meeting, Attila, who had been preparing all day, stood up with a solemn expression.

"As expected, that great one didn't summon us; He already knew we planned to go there at dusk. Let's set off directly for the monsters' lair."

The same was true of their companions. They had neither scouted nor hunted in the game world; they had been conserving their energy for this very moment.

Soon they were fully armed and headed towards the eastern forest where the insect swarms lived.

"..."

Lillie, who had changed out of her ordinary iron armor and into her newly acquired armor, was no exception.

Although she was still getting used to the armor and seemed clumsy, her companions, seeing her in this outfit for the first time, were so captivated that they forgot their nervousness.

The same applies to Roche, who gained recognition for his abilities and was thus able to join the group.

Roselle, who had always admired Lillie, grinned and said to Mista, who, like her, couldn't take her eyes off Lillie, "You think she's cool too, right?"

"Ah, no, I didn't see anything." Mista hurriedly shook her head, staring blankly at the hem of her armor fluttering in the wind.

Lillie, clad in mysterious and beautiful armor, is undeniably stunning, but she is also the chieftain's daughter, a powerful warrior, and a strong contender to inherit the entire tribe.

Mista, who had just joined the team, couldn't help but be extra cautious.

"Everyone, cheer up, we're almost there!"

Fortunately, Attila changed the subject before Lillie, who was walking ahead, could hear their commotion.

The forest they unknowingly entered exuded an atmosphere completely different from the grassland where their village was located. Rather than a warm and refreshing feeling, it had more of a dark and damp aura.

The source of this aura is naturally the monster's lair slumbering in this forest.

If they don't deal with this nest, they won't be able to use or traverse this forest that has been off-limits for several days.

"Today will be different, monster."

Having already made up their minds, the group stepped into the rift without hesitation. Lillie, who led the charge, gritted her teeth, recalling her past defeats.

The reason for fighting terrifying monsters in the game world is ultimately to eliminate these guys.

The moment this elite force stepped into the Zerg hive.

Lin Miao, who had already returned home, was watching this scene unfold.

There are very few things you can do inside the faulty nest. Mouse operation is out of the question, and even the recently activated desktop destruction function is ineffective against the faulty entity.

"It's those guys!"

Just like when Lillie was scouting, what initially came in were a large number of malfunctioning entities waving their tentacles.

Lillie, who was at the front of the group, immediately rushed forward, drew her longsword, and activated her skill with bursting blue magic. The malfunctioning creatures were hit by the slash and immediately began to scatter and break apart, spraying bodily fluids.

"So that's the warrior who received the blessing!"

Mista, who was running nearby, was stunned by the overwhelming scene.

Although I had heard of her, this was the first time I had ever witnessed Lillie in battle.

Among the skills she used, Mista saw a level that only exceptionally gifted and skilled warriors could master, and she trembled at the fact that these abilities could be acquired in an instant.

"Wow, that's amazing! I wish we could receive that kind of blessing too!"

Mista's companions also cheered excitedly.

Not only Lillie, but even the young Roselle unleashed her skills and showed off her prowess, a sight that would get anyone's blood pumping.

Mista looked at his companions and smiled bitterly.

Opportunity doesn't favor everyone; it's only granted to those who overcome trials. This is the will they've deciphered, the will that has long watched over their existence.

"It's here! It's a spider!"

At that very moment, as they, strengthened by skill and repeated training, swept through the malfunctioning entities with unstoppable momentum, that creature finally revealed itself.

The entire passageway was blocked by spiders the size of trucks.

Lillie, adjusting her breathing, stared at the suddenly appearing spider. If she had truly grown, she had to prove it at the most crucial moment in actual combat.

She has no intention of backing down today.

Seeing the spider suddenly open its mouth, Lillie shouted, "Watch out for the poison mist!"

Having learned his lesson the hard way about poison spraying once, sure enough, the next second the spider's mouth spewed out poisonous mist that quickly filled the tunnel.

Lillie, who had covered her face with her arms, frowned as she took the poisonous fog head-on.

The poisonous mist that had been eroding her entire body was now nothing more than choking smoke compared to before, thanks to the magic emanating from her armor that purified the toxins.

The others also quickly escaped from the poisonous fog.

"Phew, as expected of Attila."

Attila, now a Druid, brandished his staff with a tense expression, summoning a strong wind that dispelled the poisonous fog.

This is not ordinary wind, but a buff skill that can provide a power boost to allies.

Thanks to this power, they felt their bodies become lighter and charged forward in unison.

Are you panicking?

Lillie noticed that the corrosive entity was wavering.

In fact, the giant spider staggered back a step.

In battles between predators, retreating and giving up the offensive is tantamount to admitting defeat.

Even as the poisonous fog attacked, Lillie did not retreat. She swung her longsword and cleanly severed the forelegs of the spider that lunged at her.

"How could we underestimate that fighting stance?"

Their fighting spirit even pierced through the screen, shocking onlookers.

Although I was just watching from the sidelines, it felt like watching a movie on a giant screen in a theater; the fighting spirit was transmitted to me without diminishing.

This is quite different from their initial battle, where their mistake triggered the rampage of the corrosive entities.

Unlike when the newly hatched, weakened Corrosives were caught in a chaotic battle with the villagers, they were now honed through countless days and nights. Facing the LV2 Corrosives, they finally dismembered the rampaging giant spider's body piece by piece and won the victory.

The giant spider, emitting strange noises and struggling, sprayed out bodily fluids and slowly collapsed.

The residents who personally participated in the fierce battle, as well as Lin Miao who was watching nervously on the other side of the screen, all those who had a premonition of victory stared at this scene.

The fallen malfunctioning body quickly turned into murky ashes and dissipated, leaving only a few remnants such as poisonous fangs on the ground.

While everyone else was cheering and jumping for joy, Lillie, the biggest contributor, stared solemnly at her sword, seemingly unsatisfied with the battle.

She was acutely aware that while the skills she had learned in the game were powerful, they were only effective against raiders or malfunctions of similar size, and had limitations when facing the giant monsters that were corrupted.

"But is this really the end?"

One of the warriors, Gul-Mista's companions, scratched his head and pointed to the unseen depths at the end of the dim passage.

Although the leader was killed, the chill that permeated the gloomy cave did not diminish in the slightest.

"You'll know once you go and see for yourself."

Attila, having agreed to the proposal, regained his composure and urged his companions on.

Tensions were high again, and the group picked up their weapons and began to venture deeper into the cave.

"There are still residues."

Lillie, who was walking at the front, was the first to sense the presence of multiple entities.

As they had anticipated, the battle against the monsters that sought to devour the world was far from over.

"This...this is their lair! Their den!"

"The larvae are coming!"

The scene unfolding before them startled them, and they hastily formed a battle formation.

At the end of the passage was a huge, open void. Under the faint glow of the fluorescent stones, one could see countless tiny spiders and insect eggs scattered everywhere.

【Erosion Entity LV0】

The immature larvae are also malfunctioning organisms.

Upon discovering the intruders, the larvae immediately identified them as enemies and pounced on them menacingly.

The startled villagers and the enraged swarm of spiderlings clashed in an instant.

◆◆◆

Though they were young spiders, they were monsters comparable in size to large dogs or wolves. The moment these dark brown creatures collided with the panicked residents...

Lin Miao, who had been watching the game intently and hoping for their victory, hurriedly grabbed the mouse to switch the screen.

Although these spiderlings are erosion creatures, they are only LV0, so they don't appear very strong. At best, they are only equivalent to the recently emerging LV2 malfunction creatures, or even weaker.

Seeing Lillie unleash her sword skill and instantly shred several monsters into pieces, Lin Miao realized that any villager with combat experience and who was armed should be able to handle these enemies.

So Lin Miao quickly used the mouse to pick up the villagers who were working in the village and threw them in front of the insect nest entrance.

Although they were worried that the villagers might not understand their intentions and were nervously thinking about how to convey them, fortunately, after a heated discussion, the villagers quickly took action under the leadership of a few brave individuals.

They hastily grabbed anything within reach that could be used as a weapon, and if they couldn't find any weapons, they simply broke off tree branches to use as sticks, and rushed straight into the underground city. Although it was dangerous, they didn't need to engage in direct confrontation.

Simply throwing stones from behind can provide support to the vanguard.

"Pushing through the main storyline is exhausting."

Seeing the villagers joining the soldiers in their fight, Lin Miao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

As expected, the villagers' help was invaluable, allowing the soldiers, who had been struggling due to the numerical disadvantage, to regain their footing.

Lin Miao and the others, who come from different worlds, have only one purpose in being drawn into this massive system: to stop the monsters known as the Erosion Bodies.

Although villagers from nomadic tribes on the grasslands face numerous enemies such as wild beasts and rival tribes, the core of this system is ultimately the battle against the corrosive entities.

Everything operates in order to combat the corrosive entity. Whether it's defeating enemies and acquiring loot in the game or conquering rival forces and expanding territory in reality, these are merely stepping stones to this end. This whole game was designed from the very beginning.

[Hive Annihilation]

All the efforts of everyone so far have finally led to the breakthrough of one of the main storylines.

The villagers completed their sweeping task—not by eliminating the monsters that attacked indiscriminately, but by destroying their breeding grounds within their lair.

[Achievement Completed: Nest Strategy (1)]

[Achievement Completed: Evolution Ladder (1)]

As the mountain of spider corpses gradually dissipated and the crowd cheered, several messages praising Lin Miao's achievements appeared on her screen.

The rewards are mostly points. Indeed, as long as you take the initiative, you don't need to worry about running out of points.

[Bond Enhancement Ticket]

"What is this thing?"

However, there was something incomprehensible mixed in with the rewards, so Lin Miao naturally clicked on the details to find out what it was.

[An achievement reward awarded when a deep bond is formed between the user and the guardian]

The explanation is simple. The so-called Bond Enhancement Ticket, a reward for achievements in the development stage, is, as the name suggests, an item that strengthens the bonds between yourself and the residents to achieve the current development results through concerted efforts.

But how exactly do you use it?

[Document program activation]

Just as Lin Miao was hesitating because she didn't understand why, a program suddenly started running automatically in front of her.

It's the software we usually use to process documents.

The blinking cursor on the blank page dazzled him. What was he supposed to do with it now?

[Enter the names of the guardians here]

Seeing Lin Miao staring at him in silence, the system kindly demonstrated how to use it.

"name?"

But after hearing the explanation, Lin Miao's hands were still unable to move, as the name to be entered was by no means simply their real name.

This is the significance of naming the faction collectively.

What should we name it?

Lin Miao, stunned, forced a bitter smile, as countless words flashed through her mind in an instant.

◆◆◆

When the cleanup of the insect hive was finished, Attila, having rested fully, got up with his cane and gave the residents the order to return home.

"Everyone, let's get ready to go back. Have you packed everything up?"

"Everything is ready, Chieftain."

"Let's go then. Nobody wants to stay here any longer."

Although the others were also visibly exhausted, they had won after all and all smiled.

The first warriors to enter the battle, along with other residents who quickly came to support them, began to evacuate the nest in a line.

Lillie stroked Roschel's head, who had fought alongside her, and praised, "You've worked hard today."

Rose replied, "This...this is what I should do."

She was born with exceptional talent and was the only warrior in the village. She was pampered from the beginning, and all resources were concentrated on her. Now she is undoubtedly the strongest.

Although Rosie awakened late, she unleashed her true talent and is now stronger than ordinary warriors.

"...So I guess I'm still the one who wasn't chosen?"

Someone is silently watching this vineyard.

Mista's younger brother, Bruno, was captured while working in the village and fought alongside the others.

But the strength of an ordinary teenager is at most enough to fight alongside an adult and barely manage to kill a small spider.

Compared to Rosie, a girl her age who used her former assassin skills to navigate alone through swarms of spiders and cleave enemies attacking from all sides with her sword, she paled in comparison.

For a passionate young man who dreams of becoming a warrior, this scene is simply impossible to ignore.

"Don't be too discouraged, Bruno, you can definitely awaken your magic too."

"But what if you don't get the magic in the end?"

Even so, that lord will still bestow favors upon you; you still have a chance.

Mista, sensing her brother's mood, patted him on the back with a wry smile.

Mista, an arrogant warrior, was also greatly shocked after witnessing Lillie and Roche's strength firsthand today, and his feelings were actually no different from Bruno's.

"Of course I want to be chosen by that person. I want to become as strong as Lillie. But it's already a rare opportunity to have this chance."

Mista, emerging from his lair, looked up at the darkening sky and smiled bitterly; he still hadn't received any substantial help.

But Mista believed that being able to merge into the Attila tribe, who were protected by the mysterious gods of this land, without bloodshed was an opportunity in itself.

In the past, someone who couldn't even concentrate on cultivation wouldn't have dared to imagine the possibility of further growth.

"Huh? What's that?"

Just then, Mista, who was staring blankly at the sky, suddenly widened his eyes—a strange object had appeared in the sky.

And it wasn't just Mista who saw it; Bruno and the other residents beside him also looked up in unison, stirring up a commotion as they discussed what it was.

"Clan...Clan Chief?"

Attila stared in astonishment at the words gradually becoming clearer in the sky.

He intuitively felt that this was not a natural phenomenon, but a revelation from the gods who protected them.

"Get back to the village quickly! Hurry!"

Attila urged the villagers to run frantically toward the village.

Normally, Lin Miao would have already used the mouse to carry them back, but at this moment he was busy operating the document program and had no time to pay attention to anything else. The villagers, who were unaware of this, were afraid that something might happen, so they ran with extra effort.

"Chief, what is that? We really didn't do anything!"

"This is the will of that great one."

When they arrived, the village was already in chaos, with all the villagers coming out to look up at the sky and whisper among themselves.

The words flashing on the dim sky, whether a punishment or a blessing, left everyone bewildered and uneasy.

"What on earth happened... Ugh?!"

When Attila, under the watchful eyes of others, also stared blankly at the sky, cold sweat pouring down his face,

He suddenly felt something invisible touch him, a familiar sensation—like being lifted up by a mouse pointer.

"This, this is..."

At the same time, his eyes widened. As some information flowed into his mind, the geometric patterns in the sky began to gradually become decipherable.