Re: Apocalypse Game

In Alan's previous life, he and the players from the New York server had been the ones embedded with the Roman soldiers, while the players from the Paris Server had taken on the roles of the Saxon barbarians. Those French players had proven to be quite troublesome, relentlessly targeting and slaying Roman soldiers during that time. Now, being a Roman prisoner in the midst of a Roman faction could only be more problematic.

Of all the Paris Server players, one individual stood out as particularly vexing – a man named Zancher 'DS' Laurent. The two initials' nickname was derived from a rather male genitalia activity. Laurent had earned the ire of players from various servers for his perceived lack of loyalty and integrity.

To Alan's dismay, Laurent now stood next to the Roman commander, Artorius, weaving a web of deceit with his words.

"These people are not to be trusted," Laurent proclaimed boldly. "For all we know, they were the ones who instigated this chaos."

Artorius turned his penetrating gaze upon Alan and the other prisoners, his question heavy with suspicion, "Is it true? Were you responsible for this dark and heinous magic?"

Alan, determined to set the record straight, responded earnestly, "No, my lord, it is not true. In fact, we are here to assist in the battle against this abomination. Please, allow us to help you." His plea carried the weight of truth and desperation, hoping to gain the commander's trust in this dire situation.

Despite Alan's desperate attempt to communicate the dire situation, the game's mechanics seemed stacked against him. The French player, Zancher Laurent, who had ingratiated himself with the Roman NPC, enjoyed bonus points in his relationship with them. In contrast, Alan and the captured Saxons had their relations negatively affected by their capture, further complicating their predicament.

The Roman commander, Artorius, seemed unmoved by the urgency of the situation. His decision was swift and lacked any hint of sympathy.

"I don't have time for this. Put them all in jail," Artorius commanded.

As Alan and the other prisoners were forcibly escorted away, he strained to convey a critical message in the limited time he had.

"My Lord, The undead will come every night, and they grow more dangerous with each passing day. You must let the people in the north seek refuge, and collaborate with the barbarians, or they will inevitably join the ranks of the undead."

Alan's urgent words briefly halted Artorius's movements, but the Roman commander quickly resumed his pace, leaving with his knights to prepare for the impending battle, leaving Alan and the others to their fate in the Roman prison.

The Roman soldiers forced Alan and the group of thirty captives into the stark, imposing Roman dungeon, where they were unceremoniously thrown into one of the many steel-barred cells. The metallic clang of the cell door closing reverberated through the confined space, marking the beginning of their incarceration.

In the midst of this oppressive atmosphere, a notification appeared on Alan's [gamelink], introducing a new quest:

[You Have Received an F Level Quest: Escape the Prison]

As the gravity of their situation sank in, Singdal turned to Alan and inquired urgently, "Alan, do you have any means to break out of this cell?"

Alan contemplated their options and finally responded with a heavy sigh, "We should not attempt an escape just yet."

Although Alan possessed the skills and spells that could potentially enable him to break out of the Roman dungeon, he understood that this approach carried significant risks. Escaping and engaging in combat with the Roman soldiers wouldn't ensure the safety of everyone, and it would only exacerbate the already tense relationship between the Romans and Saxons. Diplomacy was a more desirable path, and a violent escape would effectively close the door on that option.

On the other hand, there was one factor that made such diplomacy difficult. Unlike Alan and his New York server player, all other players had an additional mission assigned to them.

[D Level Quest: Kill Romans]

These missions were prominently displayed and confirmed through information shared by the Thailand player. Moreover, being someone who had played as a Roman in the past, Alan knew that the game provided the Roman faction with a parallel quest:

[D Level Quest: Kill Barbarian Invaders]

These quests would undoubtedly provoke both sides to clash in a bid to secure rewards and points. Though there was no reward for killing players from the opposing faction, Alan knew from experience that such situations often resulted in player casualties.

Bill, looking worried, asked, "So, what should we do now?"

Alan could only respond, "For the time being, we wait. Let's give it some time."

He could only hope that, after assessing the situation at the walls, Artorius would make a decision similar to the one he made in the previous game and come to an agreement with Alan's proposal of working together.

With no immediate actions to take, Alan decided to rest, ensuring he would be in peak condition when the time came for action.

While lying on the prison floor, one thought continued to occupy Alan's mind: the absence of any quest for him and his group. Alan deduced that the alien had likely made this choice intentionally, knowing that his group had a similar number compared to the other servers in this round.

By considering the number of players on each server, Alan arrived at a likely explanation: the Cairo server was likely assigned the Angles faction, while the Bangkok server, with fewer players, had been designated as the stronger Saxon faction. Combined, these two factions would provide a balanced challenge against the French faction, which had been granted the larger NPC forces in the form of the Romans.

Alan's deduction weighed heavily on his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the game had set even greater challenges for his group. With a resigned sigh, he prepared himself for the arduous quests that lay ahead.

With no other options at his disposal, Alan decided to close his eyes and attempt to sleep, knowing that he would need all the strength he could muster in the days to come.

Hours passed without any word from Artorius, and anxiety began to gnaw at Alan. Night fell, and with it, a foreboding notification:

[The source of darkness has arrived in Britannia Land]

[Warning: Danger will arrive in 1 minute]

Though they were safely within the well-protected Roman citadel, the realization struck Alan that their opportunity to farm quests and points on the second day had vanished. The same sense of urgency pervaded the group, and the discussion about escape resurfaced.

"Please, give me time until morning," Alan implored. "If Artorius doesn't appear by then, we'll escape together."

Alan and the group couldn't help but clench their jaws as they witnessed the dwindling numbers of players:

[You have passed the second night]

[5 more nights to survive]

[Updating current players]

[New York Server: 2,869]

[Paris Server: 1,322]

[Cairo Server: 1005]

[Bangkok Server: 882]

Over 500 players from all four servers had perished that night, and Alan could only hope that none of his friends were among the casualties.

As the morning light filtered through a small window, signaling the arrival of a new day, Alan prepared to fulfill his promise. However, his expectations were dashed when a figure entered the dungeon. Disappointingly, it wasn't the long-awaited Roman commander but once again the French player Zancher Laurent.

With a smug grin, the young blonde man said, "My leader wishes to speak."