Chapter 172: Abandon the Mission? Find a Way

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Abandon the Mission? Find a Way

The arrival of the three Night Behemoths was like seeing three mountains on the move.

Their presence was more than just a visual shock—it was soul-crushing.

The fierce battle raging upon the Wall came to a standstill for a moment. Everyone was stunned by the sudden appearance of the Night Behemoths, which were far larger than they had expected.

Their colossal bodies made the ground shake with every step, and their crude Stone Axes, giant clubs, and Stone Blades reflected an unnerving, cold glint in the searchlights.

No one doubted that if the three behemoths reached the Shelter, not even the sturdiest alloy Walls and gates could withstand their mountain-shattering Monster Power for long.

"We have to stop them! We can’t let them get near the Wall!"

Drake Hayes’s eyes widened in fury, and he forced the words through his clenched teeth.

He knew better than anyone the destructive power of these "Siege Beasts"—it would be catastrophic.

Over in the Players’ camp, the expressions on Dustin Sullivan’s and Julian Shaw’s faces were also incredibly grim.

’I knew the next stage of this main quest wouldn’t be easy.’

Julian Shaw clicked his tongue, his one eye fixed on the three colossal figures in the distance.

’A reward that upgrades a Talent. The temptation is huge, but the difficulty is just as insane.’

Beside him, Trevor Tanner watched the behemoths draw closer, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His first instinct was to retreat.

"B-Boss... we... we don’t have to go all out, do we? It’s not like failing the quest will get us killed outright. Even if the Shelter is destroyed, we can just find a way to escape at the first opportunity. We can at least save our own necks, right?"

Trevor Tanner was already mentally plotting an escape route.

However, he had barely finished speaking when his words were met with a derisive snort from Dustin Sullivan.

"Julian Shaw,"

Dustin Sullivan began coldly, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Can you tell this lackey of yours to use his brain more often? He shouldn’t be all brawn and no brains."

"Dustin Sullivan! What’s that supposed to mean?!" Trevor Tanner bristled like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.

"What do I mean?" Dustin Sullivan asked, his voice cold as he swung his sword to cut down a Night Worm trying to scale the Wall.

"The system quest doesn’t explicitly say you’ll be obliterated for failing, but open your eyes and look around! Look at this endless tide of monsters, at this all-consuming darkness!

The Fireseed Shelter is the only stronghold we know of that has a complete defensive system and a large number of survivors.

Once it’s destroyed, we lose this barrier. Even though we’re Players with some Special Abilities, do you really think a few of us can survive in this seemingly endless tide of monsters?

When that time comes, there will be monsters in every direction. Where will you run? How long do you think your stamina and your Talent will sustain you in a fight?"

Dustin Sullivan’s words were like a splash of ice water, snapping some of the wishful-thinking Players, including Trevor Tanner, back to reality.

Indeed. Without the Shelter, their relatively safe "fortress" and "supply point," they would be nothing more than a lone boat in the vast ocean, adrift in this desperate, dark wasteland. Annihilation would only be a matter of time.

The penalty for failing the quest, it seemed, was to be thrown into a hopeless situation—isolated, without support, and eventually worn down to death.

Seraphina Sullivan listened to their argument with one ear as she expertly wielded her Poisonous Python Black Whip, precisely clearing away any flying monsters that got too close.

She knew in her heart that Dustin Sullivan’s analysis was spot on. For the vast majority of Players, the survival of the Shelter was directly tied to their own.

Of course, that "vast majority" didn’t include her and Sean Chandler.

She still had one final trump card: the [Scavenger’s Farm].

It was an independent, portable Space she could enter.

If the worst really came to pass, if the quest failed and the Shelter fell, Seraphina could take Sean Chandler and hide in the farm Space, simply waiting out the main quest’s seven-day survival timer.

But that was an absolute last resort.

She would never reveal her greatest life-saving trump card unless she was in a truly desperate situation.

Besides, Seraphina desperately wanted the quest reward—the chance to upgrade her Talent.

Her [Worker] Talent was the very foundation of her survival and continued growth in this cruel Doomsday Game.

A single upgrade to her Talent meant unlocking more powerful Abilities, obtaining more scarce resources, and drastically increasing her chances of survival in future forays into the Doomsday Game.

She was not about to let an opportunity like this slip by.

Therefore, this quest had to be completed!

And to complete the quest, the Fireseed Shelter absolutely could not fall!

Right now, to protect the Shelter, the three Night Behemoths ahead—veritable walking natural disasters—were the obstacles that had to be overcome.

’Looks like I have no choice but to go all in,’

Seraphina Sullivan thought. Her gaze sharpened as she looked at the three behemoths, her eyes filled with new resolve.

Her mind quickly scanned over the Profession she had awakened after entering this dark instance.

[Musician].

This Profession had currently granted her two Abilities: [Sound Manipulation] and [Singing].

[Sound Manipulation] allowed her to precisely imitate various sounds and even amplify the volume to create sonic blasts to attack her enemies. It was a decent support and Control Skill.

But against the massive, thick-hided Night Behemoths, a sonic blast like that wouldn’t even tickle them. It was useless right now.

However, the [Singing] Skill was completely different!

The songs she sang were imbued with a unique Spirit Power.

Against enemies, it could disrupt their minds, create Illusions, and weaken their will to fight.

For allies, it could bolster their spirits, relieve fatigue, and even amplify their Willpower and focus to a certain degree.

It was a classic area-of-effect support Skill, capable of producing unexpected Effects in large-scale group battles.

’Looks like... it’s time to put on a show!’

Seraphina took a deep breath. Even for someone as calm and composed as her, the thought of "breaking into song" in public on a battlefield slick with blood and gore was a little embarrassing.

But this was a matter of life and death. It was no time to be worrying about her image or feeling embarrassed!

Any measure that could increase their odds of victory was worth a try!

Meanwhile, at the command post on the Wall, Drake Hayes was frantically trying to organize a counter-strategy.

He stared intently at the three advancing behemoths.

He shouted in a hoarse voice, "All ranged Genetic Warriors, on my command! Concentrate your fire! Prioritize the behemoth on the far left with the Stone Axe! Aim for its eyes, joints, and other weak points!"

After issuing the order, he immediately turned to Dustin Sullivan and Julian Shaw, his tone carrying an unprecedented gravity, even a note of pleading. "I know your Power is extraordinary, far beyond that of a typical Genetic Warrior. The Shelter is at a critical juncture, a moment of life or death. I implore you, help us fight these Dark Behemoths together! Their threat is simply too great!"