Chapter 331: Tali Town
Besides two teams, there are also three-star instance teams, along with players from the friend channel.
Purple Butt Can Do It goes to the three-star instance to be the team commander. He may not be great at fighting, but commanding is truly his strength.
Don’t abandon and Aftershock have decent combat power. They went to a three-star instance before and followed the team through the parallel road. This time they’re also joining Cleaver Brother’s team.
As long as the team size doesn’t exceed 15 people, they can sign up. This kind of instance is suitable for leading a team to challenge and improve overall strength.
Level 5 healer, Desert Eagle Uncle in the top 30 of the combat power ranking, Han Jiang Gu Ying, But a Little Frost in the top 50, and Good Times Big Sister at rank 96.
Cleaver Brother leading the team to clear the instance is no problem, but it’s not a configuration for getting the first kill.
Yu Jiang’s side isn’t either. Even if Heartless Water loses, they won’t let her get the first kill. It’s hard to wipe out her team, but delaying progress is much easier.
As long as there are instances later, there will always be opportunities for first kills. Deal with the enemies first.
The final sign-up for the Tali Town team: Yu Jiang, Kuang Kuang Kuang, Strawberry Candy, Pure Love Cockroach Spicy Spicy, Yao Yao Qie Ke Nao, Lightning Mage King, Shi Xu, a total of 7 people.
Shi Xu and Lightning Mage King teamed up using an instance location card.
Seeing the mission acceptance success prompt, Yu Jiang sent a message to Aladdin Nerve.
Special Grade Healing Potion only has 10 portions of medicinal herbs, can’t replenish them. Some planting players from the merchant caravan haven’t reached the level yet and can’t grow them.
Yu Jiang has some stock herself, but not much. Scraping together just a few portions, she didn’t dare to refine them all.
The current success rate is too low. After a lot of effort, one portion of medicinal herbs can refine into 2-3 healing potions. 10 portions of medicinal herbs only produced 4 healing potions.
Refining difficulty is high, but the effect is undeniable.
Immediately restores 80 health points upon use, continuously restores 10 health points for 5 minutes, equivalent to an extra life.
Yu Jiang sent one each to Wholesale King Defa and Shi Xu. This was the reward from the Super Fertilizer Card back then.
The remaining one is sent to the team-leading Cleaver Brother, and one for herself.
No shortage of other medicines. Team members buy shares at friendly prices for normal use. They won’t wander around in the instance; it’s enough.
Excess quantities will be purchased at regular prices by everyone.
The news that Special Grade Healing Potions have been refined is known only to the team members and Wholesale King Defa, focusing on information gap.
A Thousand Lamps Exhaust Snow’s healing skill advantage has been pulled back a lot.
“How many people do you think they’ll bring?” Shi Xu spoke in the newly adjusted team.
“Two full small teams.” Yu Jiang replied without hesitation. “According to Sister Fugui’s intel, he probably can’t command the other high-combat team in his group.”
Guan Lan is nominally Heartless Water’s team’s second-in-command, but their team allocates resources based on combat power and closeness. Guan Lan is the captain of the second team, not a member of Heartless Water’s team.
The battlefield has Matchstick Man items and ranking rewards. It’s normal for Heartless Water to find Electric Net Kid. But instances have no resurrection opportunities.
If not their own people, who would risk their life for it.
“If I were Guan Lan, I’d seize the chance to compete for first kill. No way I’d follow Heartless Water.” Yu Jiang continued. “So he might contact others.”
Clue-clearing instances don’t rely on numbers.
Can the outsiders Heartless Water finds fully follow his arrangements?
“Everyone rest early today.” Yu Jiang turned off the lights and went upstairs in slippers.
The next day, at 2 PM, mission tracking activated.
The team converges on the parallel road, 80 km from the instance entrance, quite far.
Their vehicle speed is relatively fast to enter the parking plaza early. The air there should have no radioactive material, and they can deploy photovoltaic panels for power.
At 3:40 PM, the team passes the culvert and arrives at the parking plaza.
There’s nothing here, barren without a blade of grass, just neatly arranged parking spots. Yu Jiang puts away her crowbar, losing the desire to get out.
Nothing to pick up, why get out in this hot weather.
Heartless Water probably won’t come this early. Even if they do, they won’t get out, letting her see the team situation.
Yu Jiang checks her carried supplies and half-reclines in the front passenger seat.
Once in the parking plaza, friend chat can’t be opened. Public screen can only be viewed, not spoken in.
This seems like a space independent of the instance and road, to ensure monsters in the instance aren’t brought out by players?
The instance officially opens at 6 PM. At 5:40, people start arriving one after another.
Don’t recognize them, look like ordinary SUVs and vans. Not sure if they’re from district 002.
There are already 25 people in the parking plaza. At 55 minutes, the last team arrives.
Can’t tell by the vehicles if it’s Heartless Water. Yu Jiang has camouflage car cover items, no harm in using them. Everyone is disguising.
The van driver of medium height and slim build is quite curious about the players in this instance and wants to probe for info, but no one pays him attention.
Yu Jiang knows Heartless Water’s main members, hasn’t seen the others. Who knows if there are props to disguise appearances.
She’s wearing Poison Master exclusive short boots, still sturdy and dirt-resistant work pants that are easy to move in, and sun-protective long sleeves with +5 general defense.
Profession-exclusive top and hood are in the space grid, too conspicuous.
Damage reduction 70% T-shirt, Yu Jiang lent to Kuang Kuang Kuang. She has the lowest defense in the team and is an easily targeted archer.
Preparations are done, just waiting for the instance to start.
Yu Jiang just finished eating a small crispy meat rolled pancake in the vehicle when the system light screen pops up.
[Beep—Heading to Tali Town soon. All survivors, please prepare!
After entering the instance, teams won’t disband, but for certain reasons, survivors will be randomly dropped into the town and unable to view teammates’ locations.
Tip: Lit places are safe, but lights will go out. Absolutely do not let them discover you, and do not touch them.]
Teams of up to five at sign-up, can merge into a team after entering. The system doesn’t restrict cooperation between different teams’ players.
Yao Yao Qie Ke Nao, Kuang Kuang Kuang, Strawberry Candy, Lightning Mage King in one team.
Yu Jiang, Shi Xu, Pure Love Cockroach Spicy Spicy in the second team.
Allocated by professions: healer and squishy high-output long-range attacker Kuang Kuang Kuang, defender Strawberry Candy, area damage Lightning Mage King in one team for easier healing.
But didn’t expect it to be random drop like the battlefield.
Last battlefield was solo mode, couldn’t team up. This time it’s not system restriction, it’s things inside the instance.
No time for more communication, 30-second countdown ends.
Opening her eyes again, Yu Jiang is already standing in the middle of a desolate, ruined town road.
Wind from some direction blows the plastic and paper on the ground.
The sky is a dull gray, all buildings ahead seem shrouded in shadow.
The light screen doesn’t show temperature, but it feels much cooler here than on the road.
Ground and corners have water stains, like from leaking pipes.
Yu Jiang has seen all kinds of doomsday buildings along the way. Uninhabited places always feel eerie. Looking into dark windows psychologically feels like there’s a pair of eyes watching you.
She’s looted so many abandoned houses without fear, but this time is different. Looking at the dilapidated buildings and faded tent cloth fragments nearby, a strong unease surges in her heart.
Seeing everyone say the female lead suffered a loss in front of Life is Like a Play in a group fight, how to put it—the female lead’s goal is supplies. Who takes down Nightmare Angel makes no difference to her, but a big difference to Life is Like a Play.
As mentioned before, top 50 in combat power ranking is numerical and instance comprehensive ranking gap. High numbers don’t guarantee win in actual combat. At that time, both sides’ combat power wasn’t one crushing the other, but same level.
Female lead’s team had just fought a robber team of similar strength and used skills. Life is Like a Play didn’t dare hard engage either. Both had concerns. Life is Like a Play proposed taking out the weakest-stated robber team first, a step back, not deadlocking with female lead’s team. Female lead wants supplies, she wants the mission.
Then nemesis setup, my understanding is that nemeses need to be evenly matched.
First meeting, female lead snatched the then valuable weapon. Second time, female lead took first in go-kart instance.
Female lead’s profession is like that, numbers lower than Life is Like a Play, but 1v1 resulted in neither gaining upper hand. Third meeting, both realize they can’t take each other down. Can’t deadlock or get picked off by others present, so decide to each get what they need while mutually guarding.
