Re: Apocalypse Game

The meeting concluded, but Alan still couldn't shake off the looming threat posed by Axel. Unable to contact the real world until the round was over, he found himself in a frustrating and powerless situation. He knew that he would have to address Axel's threat eventually, but for now, he had to make the most of the limited time he had left within the game.

Alan's mind raced as he set new priorities to navigate the challenges of the round. He decided to begin by gathering information about the quest he had undertaken. With his [Trusted] relationship status with the NPCs and the right questions, he turned to Merlin the chief of the fey. Through their conversation, Alan managed to extract valuable information regarding the quest, specifically the location of the Lich King Tomb.

Having both quests active allowed Alan to glean additional details. He learned that the Lich King Tomb could only be accessed at dusk, precisely one hour before nightfall. 

Taking into account the location of the Lich King Tomb, which lay 20 miles north of a wall, Alan estimated it would be an hour's ride on horseback or a three-hour journey on foot. This meant he had some extra time to spare, and he decided to keep the information about the quest from the Frenchman Axel for as long as possible, not revealing his hand prematurely.

Alan's next destination was the crafting team, where he intended to assist in preparing for the impending battle. One piece of excellent news was that Shamus, the skilled blacksmith, had successfully upgraded his [Smithing] skill to the [Master] level. This advancement granted him the ability to craft [uncommon] items using parts of [common items], a skill that mirrored Alan's own [Science] ability but was focused solely on metalwork. Achieving this upgrade had cost Shamus 10,000 of his hard-earned survival points, as well as all of his combined rank rewards, showcasing his unwavering dedication to his craft.

With Shamus's new capabilities, Alan delegated the task of crafting an [Uncommon] long metal spear to be provided for defending the wall. 

While most of the support team was occupied with the metalwork, Alan gathered some of them to assist in crafting additional [Medical Bandage] and [Dynamite], ensuring that they had a stockpile of essential items for the challenges ahead.

Afterward, Alan paid a visit to the special unit and surprised them with his request to take the prototype items they had developed for his upcoming quest. Dylan, speaking on behalf of their team, agreed to his request but cautioned,

"Yes, You can have them, but keep in mind that they're still prototypes. There's a chance they might not function properly." Alan nodded in understanding and received a brief explanation of how to use the items effectively.

Before departing from the workshop, Alan reminded Bill about the importance of setting up a dedicated team responsible for collecting loot during the final day of the round. With the impending end of the round, it was crucial to ensure that all valuable items were safely stored in the [spatial ring] before time ran out.

Continuing down his checklist, Alan proceeded to the rendezvous point to conduct the trade with the Britannia Knights. Zencher, the annoying representative from the French side, proved to be difficult during negotiations. His initial offer was unreasonable, but Alan didn't require too many knights for his plan. After some haggling, they settled on a trade of 30 dynamites in exchange for 100 Brittania cavalry units.

Accompanying the cavalry unit was their captain, a unit leader responsible for a hundred men. Upon their official assignment to Alan's command, the captain's relationship status immediately shifted to [Elated].

Alan then led them to one of the designated New York server barracks. He sought out the New York server's most formidable player, Lieutenant Summer.

As a veteran and the leader of the special forces team, he was the best choice to take charge of the newly acquired cavalry unit. Alan handed over command to Lieutenant Summer and provided him with detailed instructions on how to effectively utilize the cavalry.

"I trust they are in capable hands, Lieutenant," Alan affirmed, fully intending to leave the unit under the lieutenant's command to compensate for his absence during the impending battle.

Shortly after leaving the barracks, Alan received an irritating notification: [Sleep deprivation]. Time was a precious commodity, and he couldn't afford a full night's rest. Instead, he retrieved a [Sleeping bag] and a special food item, a [Blueberry pie], from Luis. These items allowed him to alleviate the sleep deprivation penalty with just two and a half hours of rest. Alan settled down, determined to maximize his limited time.

Upon waking, Alan found himself on schedule for the pre-arranged meeting. He wasted no time in preparing for the upcoming quest and headed toward the designated meeting point. To his surprise, he was intercepted by two figures: Vicky and Rose. The two girls had made their preparations and were resolute in their decision to join him on this crucial quest.

"We have more than 20,000 survival points to spare, so don't worry about our safety and let us come with you," Vicky asserted, trying to reassure Alan of their capabilities and resources.

Alan couldn't help but feel touched by their concern for his well-being. However, he had a different plan in mind for them. He met Rose's gaze and explained, "The location is an underground tomb, and your sniper skills won't be as useful there." Then he turned to Vicky before she could argue her case and continued, "As for you, your defense skills are needed here, especially against the undead general. They require your abilities."

Vicky was somewhat irritated by Alan's decision but agreed to stay with one condition – Alan would accept back the two items he had given her: the [Shield of the White Knight] and [Strength Gauntlet]. Alan accepted the items and looked at both of them, saying,

"Stay safe," before departing for the quest.