Chapter 100: The True Strategy

“Bush? Blue and gold armor? Weapons with sapphires?” A phrase instinctively sprang to Lanther’s mind: “Demacia!”

The young girl, engrossed in her food, bit into a piece of cake and looked puzzled at her owner, who was standing awkwardly with one foot on the sofa, shouting incomprehensibly. She shrugged and resumed eating.

“How did you know?” Maotang suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

“Is it really him?” Lanther hadn’t expected it to be true. He had only been joking around before, but it turned out to be the truth.

Maotang, embarrassed by his outburst, saw Lanther’s thoughtful expression and realized he had crossed a line—after all, he hadn’t been authorized to reveal the other’s identity.

Lanther wasn’t angry at Maotang’s reaction. He understood how high Maotang’s hopes were for this world. Gathering his words carefully, he said, “This man should be Garen, a general from a country called Demacia, known as the ‘Might of Demacia.’ Encountering him in the bushes usually means you’ll either be crippled or worse, though fortunately, he’s the only one…” Lanther was interrupted mid-sentence by Maotang.

“He’s not alone—” Maotang began, only to see Lanther suddenly slap his own face.

“Could it be the three of them?” Lanther felt as if he were losing his grip on reality. Encountering Garen alone in this world of swords and blades was already terrifying enough; now, with his two close comrades—Xin Zhao and Jarvan, the prince—it was almost too much.

“Which two?” Maotang asked, confused.

“Xin Zhao and Jarvan. They’re the man’s two closest brothers. Facing even one of them is daunting. If the other two really are those two, then I’m afraid no one could stop them there.” Lanther explained to Maotang Jingyan.

“Describe their characteristics.” With only vague images, they had just a faint impression—perhaps enough to find clues.

“One wields a long spear and wears armor similar to Garen’s but in a different color. He’s Xin Zhao, known as the Grand General of Demacia—single-handedly the most formidable fighter among the three. The other wears golden armor, carries their nation’s battle flag on his back, and holds a long sword. Unlike Xin Zhao, he may not excel in solo combat, but with the other two, he’s even more terrifying. He’s the prince of Demacia, said to have once slain a dragon and been steeped in dragon’s blood, possessing the power of the dragon.” Upon hearing Lanther’s description, Maotang had no vivid impression of Xin Zhao but was reminded of someone when Jarvan was mentioned.

“Siegfried!” Maotang uttered the name.

“Maybe Siegfried is a bit easier to deal with,” Lanther sighed after hearing Maotang’s words. “Siegfried is a true knight; I think communication is possible. But Jarvan was once captured, and since then, his personality has become somewhat extreme. He led a hundred men into the forest to train himself. Although he killed the dragon, only two of those hundred survived. Garen’s character is impeccable even among his enemies, and Xin Zhao is nothing to fear. The key concern is Jarvan.”

Without realizing it, Lanther had fallen into a strange loop. No one had confirmed the identities of the three, yet Lanther had accepted them as fact, nearly jeopardizing the entire operation.

Though Maotang wanted to ask why Xin Zhao, the strongest solo fighter, needed no worry, while the seemingly weakest among them, according to Lanther, was the one to be feared.

And would Lanther tell him that all spear-wielders were weaklings? Lanther had witnessed the tragic fate of those who used spears—utterly miserable deaths, mostly by betrayal. He had to admit that for heroic spirits, luck was more crucial than their legendary weapons.

“All right, don’t tell anyone else about this. I doubt anyone else can help; it would just be a death sentence.” Lanther had no intention of relying on Maotang or the players. If Maotang had a solution, would he seek him out? As for the players, while they might manage in battle within this game, even Kirito—the protagonist from another world—couldn’t guarantee his survival here. The only ones capable of killing the hero, aside from the heroine, were other world travelers.

“Why? Most frontline players in my bureau are quite strong; they should be able to help. I can’t control those three at all. If they break free, at least a third of the players on the first level…” Maotang, though driven mad by his dreams, was not a killer. Now, the program was slipping beyond his control. He could no longer manipulate any data related to these three, including terrain, traps, or wild monsters—none could reach that area.

If they escaped, it would be a desecration of the world he dreamed of. Death in adventure was noble in his eyes; innocent bloodshed was worthless. Random slaughter was the greatest sacrilege to this adventure-based world.

“It’s useless.” Lanther shook his head. “I believe the space there is distorted. Your data can’t reach it—that’s proof. Players’ foundations lie in their skills; without your support, how strong can they really be? Besides…” Lanther fixed Maotang with a steady gaze. At first, Maotang felt nothing unusual, but as moments passed, he sensed a chilling cold spreading through his limbs.

“What… what is… happening?” Maotang’s speech faltered.

“Though it’s not the murderous aura from novels, every warrior who has fought carries a presence ordinary people cannot match—so much so they cannot move. Remember—it’s true killing intent.” As Lanther shifted his gaze away, Maotang immediately felt better.

“Hah… it’s real after all. I didn’t expect such killing intent to exist.” Taking a deep breath, Maotang finally returned to normal but regarded Lanther with newfound caution. Such an aura could not come from a single skirmish; now, he was curious about Lanther’s experiences.

“All right, I won’t waste any more time. I’m going back to prepare how to deal with those three.” Lanther stood up.

“Nai Nai, can we take him?” Seeing Lanther ready to leave, Tianyi, with food stuffed in her mouth like a hamster, asked vaguely.

Noticing Lanther’s departure, Maotang relaxed the room’s strange atmosphere, which returned to its original office appearance. He needed to consider how to handle this matter. As a rational person, he couldn’t place all his hopes solely on Lanther.

Once the room was restored, Lanther pushed open the door and stepped out. He felt a bit disoriented but knew the crucial thing was the identity of those three. He intended to contact Lotus immediately because this matter was truly suspicious.

Sasa~ It’s over. Continuing with the Gal route~