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

According to the game's lore, the orthodox way to fight against Phantoms is to craft anti-debuff potions and wear high-level equipment.

But Lin Miao couldn't help but ask herself: Is following this orthodox approach really efficient? No, in the end, it's impossible.

After all, although this is a game, it is not a real game.

For the residents, the debuff from the Phantom Wings is not a rigid numerical value, but a curse that can erode their spirit.

Even if they manage to create an antidote, whether they can drink it in time amidst the chaos of battle is a huge variable.

If Lillie were here, she wouldn't have lost to a monster like Phantom Wing. Her skills ignore all mental debuffs; she could definitely kill Phantom Wing in one strike, after all, it's a power she gained from other games.

Now, not only Lin Miao, but also the residents are gradually becoming familiar with the power they gained from the game and are constantly growing stronger.

It seems it's time to make good use of these abilities from different games.

This was something that even someone like him, who could navigate through game guides like reading palm lines, found difficult to grasp accurately and required a slow, groping process, like digging with his bare hands.

Lin Miao looked at the characters whose health was still dropping in the status bar, and suddenly a thought flashed through her mind: The reward for clearing Chapter 2 was a Sacred Amulet, wasn't it?

Lin Miao had just sent the injured residents of the underground city back to their village when she came up with this idea and decided to put it into practice immediately.

The reward for Lillie's upcoming completion of Chapter 2 of Dark Souls is a sacred charm that can ward off demonic mental attacks.

Although it is an essential and useful item in the game, Lillie already has higher-level buff skills, so this item is not very useful to her.

Therefore, Lin Miao plans to bring these talismans to the village in reality and distribute them to the few people who failed to defeat the Phantom Wing today.

If my prediction is correct, these amulets should be able to perfectly resist the debuffs from the Phantom Wing.

Lin Miao muttered to herself, "It was something that had to be done sooner or later anyway."

He immediately started Dark Souls and, in order to save time, summoned Lillie into the game world earlier than planned.

The world in the game remained exactly as it was when they left yesterday; although it was daytime, it was as dark as night, and the gruesome corpses of the enemies on the ground were untouched.

Lillie gazed in the direction of the village, as if she understood why Lin Miao had suddenly summoned her, and nodded resolutely in the direction of the screen.

Although Lin Miao couldn't explain the situation in detail, she seemed to have already realized that being summoned here at this moment was related to Luo Xie, who had just been sent back to the village and was seriously injured.

Lin Miao controlled his character to lead the way towards the underground of the temple, towards the location of the final BOSS. He thought to himself: Now that I have two special skills, how difficult can it be?

When he cleared the first chapter, he was filled with unease, but now it was completely different. His unease had long since subsided, and his trust in Lillie had only grown stronger day by day.

They soon encountered the chapter's boss, a seemingly kind but actually corrupt bishop who had long since colluded with the devil.

Lin Miao couldn't help but complain in her heart: It's a bit annoying that I can't skip the conversation.

Once the game is activated through the system, the story dialogue cannot be skipped, so no matter how much nonsense the enemy talks, you can only grit your teeth and listen to it.

The bishop glared at Lillie, his face contorted in a grotesque roar: "Shut up! God only deceives us, taming everyone with meager hopes. What do you know about God, woman?!"

To Lin Miao's surprise, Lillie actually engaged in a heated debate with the bishop.

In the game's setting, the bishop, who was supposed to be gentle, gradually became disappointed and angry with the god he believed in due to being repeatedly asked to overcome suffering. In the end, he completely betrayed the god and naturally became full of denial and resentment towards the god and all related doctrines.

The bishop continued his furious roar: "You say God is always watching over us, with us, and helping us?! Is it appropriate to say such things now?!"

Seeing the bishop's furious yet incessant rant, Lillie didn't back down; instead, she retorted without backing down.

Lin Miao was both surprised and delighted. He never expected that Lillie would find a rebuttal, let alone that she would be so angry.

The fact that an old bishop, troubled by his faith and the struggle for self-justification, and a young warrior from the grasslands could engage in a debate of equal strength demonstrates that Lillie already possessed an unwavering conviction within her heart.

Watching her figure, Lin Miao sighed inwardly: She's gotten stronger. This moment also proved that what she gained through countless trials was not just dazzling combat skills.

Taking advantage of the stalemate between the two, Lin Miao raised her staff and unleashed a blazing fireball, launching the first attack.

The bishop's eyes widened, clearly not expecting a surprise attack. Lillie also turned to look at the character controlled by Lin Miao in surprise, but Lin Miao didn't want to listen to the Fallen One's sophistry anymore and unleashed a series of attack skills.

Lin Miao thought to herself: It's starting.

As the BOSS's health bar appeared on the screen, the battle officially began.

The enraged bishop unfurled his demonic spellbook, summoning demonic power, while Lillie gritted her teeth and swung her sword. This was a battle completely different from anything described in the strategy guide.

The bishop roared madly as he summoned his tentacles: "Then prove it to me! I bet your high and mighty god won't come to your rescue even if you're dead."

The bishop summoned enormous, grotesque tentacles that smashed through walls, floors, and ceilings before lunging madly at the two men.

Lin Miao hurriedly manipulated his character to roll and dodge the tentacles. To be honest, just watching these tentacles pour down erratically and maneuvering his character to dodge them had already exhausted him.

Lin Miao thought to herself: As expected...

But Lillie was completely different. No matter how chaotic the attacks were, she could dodge and cut them with excellent agility, while continuing to advance towards the panicked bishop.

Just as the bishop said, she had proven herself in the last battle, and the holy golden light emanating from her body transformed into a blade of judgment, severing the summoned demonic power in two.

The bishop stared at her in disbelief, unable to finish his sentence: "How is this possible..."

Lillie didn't retreat a single step. Instead, she leaped forward, cleaving all the incoming tentacles with a golden slash. Then, she twisted her body in mid-air, splitting the bishop's body in two.

[Chapter 2 Completed]

A completion message popped up on the game interface at the same time.

Compared to the arduous journey Lin Miao and Lillie went through to clear Chapter 1, this battle was incredibly easy.

[Phase 2 Hunting Grounds Now Open]

[Deployable personnel: 3/6]

[Achievement Completed: Initial Faith (3)]

Proving yourself earns you a reward; that's the rule of the game.

Lin Miao quietly gazed at Lillie, who was looking down at the bishop's corpse on the screen, while quickly checking the reward list that popped up on the screen.

As the stench of blood still lingered on the battlefield and gruesome corpses lay scattered everywhere, the boiling fighting spirit gradually subsided.

A sense of unease crept into Lillie's heart as she wondered to herself: Could there be some who have slipped through the net?

She strode toward the lone figure, her nerves still on edge even though she knew the battle was over. She gripped her longsword tightly, keeping watch on her surroundings, and silently followed behind Lin Miao.

The moment Lin Miao stopped, Lillie looked at the unfamiliar stone chamber before her and asked somewhat blankly, "Where is this...?"

Lin Miao stopped at the underground warehouse of the temple where the religious relics were stored. His ultimate goal for this trip was to collect his reward for passing the test.

As the two approached, the heavy stone door opened slowly and automatically. Lin Miao stepped inside and walked into the depths of the warehouse without hesitation, as if he knew the layout of the place like the back of his hand.

Lillie looked at the solemn and dignified furnishings around her, her expression tightening slightly. She was well aware of the special significance of this place.

Through her interactions with the people of this world, her understanding of this dark blood realm is gradually deepening. The fallen bishop she had just fought had roared during the battle, accusing them of coveting the treasures of this place.

"god……"

Lillie swallowed hard, silently repeating the word in her mind.

Although her life was not long, she did not never think about the meaning of the existence of gods.

The grassland tribes also have their own founding myths and folk beliefs passed down through generations. They also used to worship ancestral gods. But recently, this concept, which was no different from that of other tribes, has undergone a dramatic change because she has encountered real gods.

Since truly realizing the divinity of Attila through her father, she has been strongly inspired by the gods in this Dark Soul, a world centered on the opposition between heaven and hell.

Even just now, when she was truly enraged by the bishop who had fallen into despair and was the final boss of this chapter, it was a direct result of this faith.

When Lin Miao stopped in front of a carved wooden box, Lillie quickly pointed to it and awkwardly asked, "Y-you mean this?"

Lin Miao expressed his approval by quickly and repeatedly squatting and standing up, a gesture he was known for.

Upon seeing this, Lillie hurriedly opened the box, which contained treasures far surpassing any other valuable items that could not be picked up: platinum rings and bracelets, among other things. Just by sitting there quietly, one could feel the rich, sacred power contained within them.

Lin Miao didn't put these items into her own inventory, but instead gestured for Lillie to pick them all up. Only in this way could these items be successfully taken out of the game instance.

"Ah, could it be—"

Suddenly, Lillie's mind flashed back to Rosie, who had rushed back injured, and she also recalled Mista's testimony about the Phantom Wings. Instantly realizing that Lin Miao intended to use these items to resolve the Phantom Wings' threat, she swiftly and efficiently stored all the sacred items into her pocket.

Just as the two were fleeing the utterly destroyed cult, the belated paladin reinforcements finally arrived. Their captain roared, "This is it! How dare the intruders… This is impossible!"

Another paladin, staring at the chaotic scene, exclaimed in shock, "Ah, those are the marks of a demon! Could that have been His Excellency the Bishop?!"

What came into their view were the remaining traces of demonic corruption everywhere, and the Demon Lord's spellbook that had completely merged with the bishop's arm.

This is precisely why it is impossible to verify who committed such a crime, and instead it has become the catalyst for the rumors of the devil corrupting the bishop of the cult to spread throughout the city.

Just as the two left the cult and moved to the outskirts of the city where unrest was brewing, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them.

The man pulling the carriage greeted her with a smile, "Long time no see. I've just finished some business in this city. Need a ride?"

Lillie was startled by the friendly greeting. The seemingly ordinary coachman and carriage in front of her actually possessed the amazing ability to teleport, making them no ordinary beings.

Lillie glanced at Lin Miao beside her, then nodded and replied, "I'll sit."

At this moment, the two understood each other implicitly. The coachman, Gabriel, chuckled and stepped aside to give up his seat in the carriage.

Lin Miao, who planned to quit the game after entering the third chapter, boarded the carriage first, and Lillie followed closely behind.

For Lin Miao, it was just a momentary loading screen transition in the game, but the carriage had truly begun to move forward.

Gabriel, sitting in the coachman's seat, turned to Lillie and said, "I heard there was quite a commotion in the city last night. There are rumors that a demon corrupted the bishop of the Order."

Lillie nodded slightly and replied softly, "...Yes."

Gabriel clicked his tongue and sighed, "Alas, the messengers of God, who should have been the last bastion against the invaders, have fallen first. What a sign of the end times!"

Gabriel kept talking to Lillie, making her inexplicably nervous, but Gabriel showed no sign of stopping and continued, "However, the gods have already prepared a solution—it is you, with unwavering faith and power, to save the world."

Lillie flinched at Gabriel's gaze and instinctively denied it, "You...you seem to have misunderstood something..."

She knew perfectly well that Lin Miao on the other side of the screen was staring at the loading screen with her arms crossed, and couldn't hear the conversation at all, but Gabriel had no intention of hiding his insight.

Lillie composed herself and said seriously, "I don't know what you think, but the god I worship is not the same being you worship."

Gabriel looked at the flustered Lillie and suddenly laughed: "Of course I know. But little lamb, it's not important which god you believe in. Just hold fast to your faith as you are now, and the tolerant great men have already seen through everything."

Just as Lily Ain was stunned by Lily's words, "Don't overthink it, just believe in your God," the carriage, enveloped in dazzling light, suddenly stopped, having arrived in a completely different space.

As Lillie stepped down from Gabriel's carriage, she let out a long sigh, looked around at the familiar scenery, and felt that familiar pulling sensation as she stood in the center of the tribal town.

It was Lin Miao, who had quit the game, who sent her back to her tribe in reality.

Attila, who was running errands in town, spotted her and immediately walked over, smiling as he asked, "You're back so early today! Have you finished your mission?"

Upon hearing this, Lillie took out a sacred artifact that she always carried with her from her bosom.

Just like consumables such as potions, the items she owns in the game can be brought to her real-world tribe.

Attila looked at the talismans and ornaments in her hands, which shimmered with a sacred light, and couldn't help but ask, "What are these? They look very precious."

Lillie smiled faintly and replied softly, "It's a gift from that lord." She knew very well that using these talismans would protect her companions from the debuff magic of powerful enemies.

Upon hearing her words, Attila immediately pointed to the house where the wounded Rosie was and said in a deep voice, "...If it is truly as that lord wishes, there is no time to lose. Send him there quickly. Fortunately, Rosie has fully recovered. Tell him that this is a gift bestowed upon him by that lord, and convey our gratitude."

Attila watched Lillie walk away quickly, then looked up at the sky and fell into deep thought: So many things are indeed happening in places we don't know about.

At that moment, several screaming figures streaked across the sky.

Today, most residents of the tribe are used to seeing this sight, because they all know that it is one of the ways in which the guardian deity protects the tribe.

Just as Attila had predicted, Lin Miao was currently busy observing things they were unaware of, trying to find the best possible outcome for the tribe.

Roschel looked at the ring Lillie offered, and asked somewhat nervously, "If I wear this, will I really be spared that terrible attack?"

Lillie nodded and replied with certainty, "Of course."

This mysterious ring, which fits perfectly on the wearer's finger, contains a rich divine power, enough to ward off evil forces that invade the mind.

When Luo Xie heard that this item was made by that great man, her expression immediately became tense, and she solemnly accepted it with both hands.

Seeing that Rosie's complexion improved rapidly after she put on the ring, Lillie cautiously brought up the topic: "What kind of attack did that black phantom launch?"

It's unbelievable that Rosie, who had experienced the Monster Fear passive in Hunting Mode, was completely helpless against it.

Rose's body trembled slightly as she described the debuff she had been subjected to in a low voice: "It's not just simple intimidation; it plunged my vision into complete darkness and forcibly awakened the nightmare I least wanted to recall."

In the game, Phantom's skills are just ordinary debuffs that slow down and cause continuous damage. However, in reality, Phantom's curse is a destructive curse that will blind the victim and awaken their most terrifying memories.

Rose can fight monsters without hesitation; the source of her anger is her desire for revenge against the enemies who killed her parents. However, the power of the Phantom Wing forcibly awakens the root of that desire for revenge—the tragedy of her family's destruction that day—transforming it into an endless, recurring nightmare, a powerful curse capable of utterly destroying a person from the depths of their soul.

Rose's voice trembled uncontrollably as she whispered to Lillie, "Are you really sure you're okay? I... I don't have the confidence to stand before that monster again."

Under the curse of the phantom, even the strong fighting motivation of revenge began to waver, and most of the hostility that Rosie had previously harbored dissipated.

If she lost that fierce spirit, Luo Xie would just be an ordinary girl.

Lillie knew this all too well, and a pang of heartache shot through her. So she spoke up, pointing Roschel down another path: "...If you really can't shake your resolve, why not change your mind?"

Motivation can be created. The first image that came to Lillie's mind was that of the paladins who fought for the gods.

She looked at Rosie and continued firmly, "Don't show weakness. Fight for that person. Since you have received His grace, this is your duty. In this way, that person will continue to protect you as they do now."

Hearing the preaching about creating one's own fighting spirit and the words about duty, Rose let out a weary sigh.

As Lillie said, Roshcher, as one of the tribe's early members, did receive a lot of resources, and the strength he honed through this was among the best in the village.

To desert in this state would be a great disrespect to the gods. Even for the sake of trusting her comrades, she must fight on without hesitation.

Rose's expression suddenly changed. She stood up abruptly and said in a deep voice, "I must prove it to you." She was about to go find Huanyi and settle things once and for all.

Lillie quickly stepped forward to stop her, urgently advising, "Hey, wouldn't it be better if you rested today? You were seriously injured before!"

Rose pushed her hand away and said firmly, "If you don't want to go, then get out of the way. I have to fight."

Roche handed over the sacred items entrusted to her by Lillie to Bruno and Mista, brothers who were in the same party as her. The brothers had been included in the expedition team to cooperate with her plan.

Bruno was utterly shocked by Rosie's declaration to go and fight the Phantom Wings again, but her will remained exceptionally firm, leaving no room for wavering.

Realizing he couldn't dissuade her, Mista gave a wry smile and said, "I really can't do anything with you. Let's go then. Now that we've received that lord's favor, we shouldn't be at his mercy like last time."

At the same time, he secretly made up his mind: if he judged the situation to be critical, the adult who had risked his life to save him would definitely step in to stop it.

"That person is watching too." Sure enough, as soon as they stepped into the game world, Lin Miao's character stood quietly in place, watching them.

After confirming that everyone was in good condition, Lin Miao did not stop them at all. Instead, he picked up his pickaxe and took the lead into the depths of the underground city.

As Lin Miao easily cleared away all the stone obstacles in the passage with his pickaxe, the Phantom Wing, which had been wandering in the passage, finally spotted them and let out a mournful howl.

The three quickly assumed their fighting stances and gritted their teeth. Phantom Wing's death curse, along with this cry, instantly enveloped the entire area.