Chapter 82
The pastors did not expect that the blows they suffered would continue.
When they heard the dragon's roar and saw the changes on the snowfield, they realized that something was wrong.
"What's that noise?"
"It feels like a monster is making this noise. Judging from the sound, this monster should be very large and very close to us..."
As he spoke, the senior executive looked around but couldn't find the target nearby. He muttered, "Strange."
The other person thought more. Looking at the peaceful hotel, he felt a chill in his heart. "Could it be that this hotel is hiding a mysterious monster?"
If there is, it must have never been seen.
What level of monster is it that can scare all the high-level monsters and even the elite bosses into "stupor" with just a roar?
The levels of the people present were enough to surpass most of the players in the world, and they considered themselves to be well-informed, but when faced with this question, they were a little afraid to imagine it.
After ten years of gaming, the part that humans have explored is still only a small part of the vast gaming continent. The higher the level, the more players understand that there are many monsters in this world that they have never encountered.
They are hidden in the areas covered by thick fog on the map, quietly waiting for players' challenges.
People have heard similar legends more than once, such as someone was looking at the top of an unexplored snow-capped mountain in the distance and accidentally discovered a huge figure standing on the top of the mountain. Or in extreme weather with extremely low visibility, you may discover footprints left by unknown beasts, extending all the way to dangerous areas that no one dares to enter. Or, when the troops were marching in a snow-covered valley, a mysterious black shadow flashed across their heads, tore through the clouds, and suddenly disappeared... and so on, all of which were reported vividly.
No one doubts that there are monsters higher than S-level in this world, but their specific appearance and features are still in the imagination of players.
Even if someone had seen them, information about them had not spread widely.
Not to mention the sound of a dragon's roar and the dragon's innate abilities.
——In the entire game, I’m afraid Shu Mo is the only one who knows this “top secret information”.
For other players, S-level elite monsters like the Beast Mimic and the Necromancer are already enough to give them a headache.
These are the key points they are focusing on at this stage.
But the dragon roar that just came from the inn completely overturned everyone's imagination.
The priest team was talking among themselves, "What on earth is that?"
At this moment, a voice interrupted from the side, "That's the boss's other summoned beast."
Everyone suddenly stopped talking and looked aside.
Jiang Qing and Fu Yiming stood there, with the team they led behind them, including Xu Ruixi.
The person who just spoke was Jiang Qing.
Unlike their usual casual attire when on vacation in the hotel, they were now fully armed, with their armor shining brightly, and it was obvious at a glance that it was very expensive.
These two people almost represent the top combat forces in the town. Naturally, the top leaders of the association recognize them, but they have no intention of greeting them at this moment. Their minds are full of Jiang Qing’s words just now.
——Could it be that Shu Mo has a summoned beast that is more powerful than the Mimic Beast?
As soon as this guess came up, they were immediately shocked.
But if you think about it carefully, it makes sense.
The fact that Shu Mo was able to release the mimic beast openly but never let the monster show up from beginning to end is very telling.
The most frustrating thing is that everyone can guess how powerful it is, and also guess that Shu Mo has a hidden trump card, but they can do nothing about it.
Because they can't afford to offend.
The Mimic is already the most powerful monster known, and this new summoned beast is even more powerful than it, so what level is it...?
When several elite players thought of this, their faces changed and some even shuddered.
They exchanged glances, and one of them said decisively: "I quit. I won't take this job anymore."
If he can't afford to offend, can't he just hide away?
One person starts, and the others follow immediately.
"I'm quitting too."
"Before, I only said that I was dealing with a young girl, but I didn't say that this young girl was so powerful."
"I felt something was wrong ever since the appearance of the mimic beast..."
The situation changed instantly, and the priests were abandoned before they could react.
Without the help of hired players, how should they, a group of priests alone, find fault?
The vice president was shocked and angry. "You promised to help, and the money has already been transferred. Now you want to break the contract?"
"You're hiding key information, and you think you're right?" The player refused to give in. "We've already shown our faces to her just now. If she holds a grudge against us in the future, I'll have to trouble you again!"
"you……!!"
The two groups almost came to blows, but Jiang Qing and his group, who started the fight, quietly stepped aside. Stepping out of the barrier, Xu Ruixi sighed, "They really want to cause trouble for the boss."
Their team just returned to the hot spring to rest, but unexpectedly found this group of people acting suspiciously and looking a little strange, so they approached to see what was going on. As I got closer, I recognized the iconic cross ornament and spotted a few familiar elite players. I immediately guessed the purpose of their visit.
Jiang Qing was thinking about how to help his boss solve the problem when he heard them talking about the anthropomorphism, so he casually interrupted them with a remark.
Unexpectedly, the effect is excellent.
On the day she and Fu Yiming first arrived at the inn, Haohao and Fu Yiming were almost attacked by a flock of jackdaws. The roar that drove away the flock of jackdaws was exactly the same as the roar that shocked the army of monsters just now.
And Shu Mo said at that time that it was her other summoned beast.
"They probably didn't expect that when they came here to cause trouble, they would hit a wall." Jiang Qing said sarcastically.
"But the boss is really a very secretive person." Fu Yiming was still frightened.
No matter how many jackdaw groups there are, they are just a group of C-level monsters. However, the monster army attacking the inn outside is composed of high-level monsters, and their strength is equivalent to that of countless jackdaw groups.
But the mysterious monster can still scare people with just a roar, without even showing its face.
Thinking of this, even Fu Yiming felt a little scared.
"Fortunately, we established a good relationship with the boss in advance." He whispered.
Although it's just a pure money relationship...
Xu Ruixi blurted out: "You and I have no destiny, it's all because of me spending money..."
Fu Yiming: "..."
…
On the other side, the dispute ended in a moment.
The group of elite players walked away cursing, and the abandoned priest team stood where they were, feeling angry and dazed at the same time.
Nearby, players were still going in and out of the barrier.
After a few hours, they have gradually formed a good rhythm of "getting buffs in the hot spring - fighting monsters - coming back to rest - going out to fight monsters again", and everyone coming and going has a happy look on their face.
During this period of monster tide, their income is comparable to that of the past few weeks. How can they not be happy?
The players were so busy that the members of the association who were standing aside doing nothing seemed out of place.
"Hey, are you also a high-level player? Are you interested in joining us and fighting monsters together?"
A few people passed by and saw them standing there blankly, so they came over and said hello.
Such scenes were everywhere in the hot springs at this time. After all, not every player came here with a whole team - many high-level players came here on vacation alone, without teammates around them, and were unwilling to miss this good opportunity to harvest points, so they simply formed a team on the spot.
These players obviously had the same intention and took a few steps towards them. When they saw the priest robes, they paused.
"Ah, you are pastors..."
The leader touched his nose awkwardly and said, "Forget about the pastor. We don't need him for now. Sorry for bothering you."
Vice President: “…”
He was still immersed in the blow just now and didn't have time to refuse in time. Unexpectedly, he was rejected by the other party.
Looking at the equipment on the player who was speaking, he was probably just an ordinary high-level player - why should he reject them? !
The vice president was furious: "I am a level 76 priest!" Normally, you have to pay to ask him to do something!
"Sorry, we really don't need it." The young man who rejected him was quite sincere. "We already have a level 58 priest, who can restore health enough. As for some special states, they can be removed directly by eating hot springs. It's really not cost-effective to find an elite priest. It's better to free up a place in the team and add an attacking profession, which will be more efficient in killing monsters."
After he finished speaking, he clenched his fist in encouragement, "It's not easy for pastors to find a team these days, but there must be a team willing to lead you. Come on!"
The last sentence “Come on!” was like a blow to the head, and the vice president almost fainted from anger.
They, the elite priests of the association, have become worthless?
The vice president didn't say anything for a long time, and the team behind him was silent. The young man didn't notice anything unusual, and after saying goodbye, he hurried off to look for other players. As if that wasn't heartbreaking enough, he shouted along the way, "Are there any players who want to team up? High-burst professions are preferred, not tanks or priests!"
The elite pastors of the association: “………………”
In the past, when waves of monsters broke out, it was the most glorious moment for the priests. After all, at the critical moment of life and death, the advantages of healing professions can be most evident. At such times, the association's registered priests would even be in short supply.
But now, having benefited from the "bonus" of the monster tide, Nuannuan Hot Spring has doubled its income. And these elite pastors became ignored overnight.
After two consecutive setbacks, these association leaders, standing among the bustling crowd, seemed like an isolated island.
For the first time, they felt helpless and at a loss.
After many years, they suddenly remembered... this is a team game.
Until then, the clergy of the Senior Clergy Association had almost forgotten this.
They thought that the priest was the most indispensable profession in this game, but they forgot that a priest without the company of other professions was just like any other profession alone and could not cause any waves at all.
The vice president raised his head.
The light of the barrier was still covering his head, but at this moment, he found that he didn't even have the courage to step out of this safe zone.
……how so?
*
As night fell, the players finally returned to the hot spring after a day of hard work.
On the way back, everyone was still reluctant to leave.
If it weren't for the obstruction of darkness and the fact that fighting monsters at night was really disadvantageous, they felt that they could even fight all night long and would not want to go back to rest at all.
The reason is simple - I have gained so much in these few hours!
In addition to the benefits that the hot springs actively provided, such as buffs and protection from summoned beasts, they also discovered some other invisible benefits throughout the day.
In the past, in high-level areas, if players encountered a wave of monsters, they could either run for their lives or lie down and wait for death, waiting for a miracle to happen. There was no other way. Because the advanced area was only opened up in recent years, there are very few players who can come here, and there are simply not enough to organize an effective resistance.
But now, with hot springs bringing players together, different teams are very close to each other when fighting monsters, and they can get rescued quickly when encountering danger, which adds an extra layer of protection to their life safety.
Knowing that they could get help, they were no longer timid when fighting, and when they gave it their all, many of them even displayed strength far beyond their usual level.
After a day of killing, the players' experience points skyrocketed, and many of them broke through their original levels. Some people even leveled up twice in one day with the help of the sauna room.
Most of the items in the hot spring are short-term point-adding props, and their effectiveness is maximized in "limited-time events" such as Monster Tide.
In addition, because the monster tide attracted many special monsters, some people obtained the materials they had been looking for for a long time. After returning to the hot spring, they held the materials and smiled foolishly, feeling an unreal pie in the sky.
Even for players who do not have scarce materials for the time being, their backpacks are now much fuller, and they will definitely be able to sell them for a good price when they return to town.
After all, not every high-level player happens to come to the hot spring on this day. After returning, these materials are still very marketable among other players.
While they were calculating today's harvest, they were also secretly rejoicing.
…
Today is a day of disaster for most people in this world.
But in the hot spring, there was a joyous and celebratory atmosphere.
…
"You can rest here tonight. It's safe here. Don't worry."
In the staff dormitory, Shu Mo placed some elderly people and children trapped in the hot spring in empty rooms and patiently reminded them, "The rooms are free and there is hot water. You can stay there without worry and take the Arctic Fox bus back to town after the disaster is over."
"Thank you, boss!" everyone said gratefully.
Shu Mo smiled and nodded, left the dormitory and went out for a walk.
Because the players moved their tents into the barrier, the population density in the hot spring has increased dramatically, especially on the flat road and the open space in front of the main building. The tents are almost next to each other, making it particularly lively.
Under the lighting of street lamps, players sat on the ground. Some spread a piece of cloth in front of them and placed the materials they had obtained today on it. They started trading by shouting on the spot, and soon attracted some people to ask for the price.
Some people also took out playing cards and called a few friends to play cards. The winner was arrogant, while the loser had notes all over his face and was so angry that his face turned red under the pointing of the players who stopped and watched behind him.
Some people even bought drinks from the hot springs, paired them with marinated melon seeds, and chatted with friends about gossip, occasionally bursting into laughter...
No one wanted to go to bed and no one wanted the day to end so soon.
Shu Mo walked through it, and was infected by the lively and vibrant atmosphere, and his steps became lighter.
"Ah, Boss!"
I don't know who was the first to notice her, but everyone looked at her, with similar gratitude and awe on their faces that they had never seen before.
Many people learned for the first time today that their boss was such a great summoner. For a moment, the way they looked at Shu Mo was different.
In the past, they only had a vague impression of Shu Mo's strength. After the hot spring expanded in scale, more and more customers came. The rumors about Shu Mo that circulated among the customers at the beginning were mixed, some true and some false. Many later customers had never even heard of him.
But today's battle completely made Shu Mo famous.
For the past ten years, doomsday games have been a world where strength is paramount.
Everyone has a natural awe and respect for the strong, especially those so strong that it is difficult for others to even muster the desire to resist.
Not to mention, she saved everyone today.
The peace they had enjoyed until this moment was due to the protection of the shield above their heads.
Shu Mo didn't think so much about it. Rather, she had no idea about the complicated thoughts in everyone's mind.
After saying hello to a few players who came up to him, Shu Mo looked at the group of people camping in front of him and an idea came to him.
"Since no one wants to sleep, why don't we do something?"
The players didn't understand what was going on, but Shu Mo was already looking around the business mall with great interest.
Soon, she found her target and clicked to buy.
[Obtain: [Large Bonfire]*1]
[Put in backpack]
Shu Mo dragged the campfire out of his backpack and placed it in an open space surrounded by tents in front of the main building.
The moment it was placed, flames shot up into the sky, and everyone subconsciously took a step back and exclaimed.
After seeing what it was, the screams suddenly turned into cheers of joy.
Because there were so many people, Shu Mo deliberately chose a large bonfire. Even the firewood piled below was as tall as an adult. It burned fiercely, and the rising fire snake was several meters high, illuminating half of the night sky.
At the highest point of the flame, the sparks were blown away by the wind, like bright and beautiful fireworks.
Everyone stared in amazement.
They had seen many beautiful sights in the hot springs, the golden mountains in the evening, the magnificent cloud waterfalls, the clear lake water sparkling under the clear sky... Each one was impressive, but nothing was more moving than the bright fire in front of them.
It can make people want to cry.
What they have lost and longed for for a long time is now presented to them in the most direct and impactful way.
Even the guests and employees of the hotel ran out.
Everyone unconsciously formed a circle around the campfire, looking up at the rising, vital flames.
Many years later, everyone present still remembered this day and the fire that Shu Mo lit on that cold night.
At this moment, something seemed to have quietly changed in their hearts.
————————
"What did you say?"
A week later in the hot spring, Shu Mo was bewildered when he saw the official tour group leader suddenly coming to his house.
The team leader cleared his throat and said seriously, "In order to facilitate the people, the mayor has set up an official stop for Nuan Nuan Hot Spring at the entrance of the town. In the future, the Arctic Fox bus can stop directly there."
"In addition, a special area has been opened up on the bulletin board for hot spring promotion. You can directly post your advertisements and recruitment information there without paying any fees."
Shu Mo: “???”
"Oh, yes, there is one more thing." He thought for a moment, "There is an idle shop right across from the market, next to the Priests Association building. Are you interested in taking it over?"
Shu Mo finally came to his senses after hearing the last question, "Shop?"
She thought about it.
Yao Yonghui now has to be a driver and is responsible for reservations, and he is almost too busy to handle it all. It would be a lot more convenient if there was a fixed place in the town that specialized in room reservations and job segmentation.
Moreover, guests no longer have to queue up for the two hours that the Arctic Fox bus stops every day.
Otherwise, sometimes, when reservations for the new week have just been opened, there are too many customers queuing up and the line is too long, and the customers behind have not been served until it is time to depart, which can easily cause dissatisfaction among everyone.
Thinking of this, Shu Mo was suddenly a little moved and asked, "How much is the rent?"
"No rent required," said the team leader.
Shu Mo: “???”
ah?
She was confused, "Why?"
The team leader looked at the young girl in front of him, and he felt a little emotional. "Boss, you don't know that you have become famous in the town this time."
The monster tide receded on the second night after its arrival. After the disaster, Guangming Town began to organize personnel and count casualties as usual.
Then… they discovered something shocking.
Because of the existence of hot springs, the death rate in high-end areas has dropped significantly, and for the first time it is even lower than that in ordinary areas which are not so dangerous.
Even among the players guarding the city walls of Guangming Town, several people died unfortunately, but the high-level players who went to the hot springs and even some ordinary players who had no ability to protect themselves survived without exception.
Also, because there were almost no deaths in the most dangerous areas, the overall death toll in the town this time was reduced by almost half compared to previous years.
As soon as this data came out, it alarmed the town’s top leaders.
You know, high-level players with strong combat capabilities are the key to ensuring the survival of ordinary people in doomsday. Their number directly determines the strength of a small town.
In the past, every time a monster wave ended, the mayor would feel heartbroken for a long time looking at the death list, but this time, the list he got was much shorter, making him wonder if he had read it wrong.
After learning the reason, the mayor was stunned for a long time.
Due to his busy official duties, the mayor has never visited Nuannuan Hot Spring in person. Before that, what impressed him most were the delicious food and the three mineral veins.
This was the first time he realized the value of the hot spring itself.
When he realized what was happening, he immediately called the team leader, presented the three "gifts" he had just given, and asked him to deliver the message.
The apparent meaning is to express Guangming Town's gratitude to Nuannuan Hot Spring for helping fight the monster tide and protect the townspeople.
As for the actual situation...
The team leader thought to himself: Maybe it’s to win over the boss?
Don't try to guess what your boss is thinking.
Shu Mo was also thinking at the same time and did not directly reply to the leader.
What is this?
Show goodwill?
Whatever the mayor's purpose is, it should not be malicious. With a fixed boarding point, promotional booths and shops, it means that the hot spring has been officially recognized and certified by the town, and its fame in the town should rise again.
The hot spring is already very well-known, but it is undeniable that some players still dare not step out of the town due to their vigilance against the doomsday game or other considerations.
If there is official support from Guangming Town, the concerns of these people may be dispelled, which will be very helpful in expanding the customer base.
But the disadvantage is that with so many benefits, hot springs will inevitably be tied to Guangming Town to some extent in the future.
But the hot spring itself receives almost all players from Guangming Town, and almost all of its employees, except Yao Yonghui and Mo Bai, are from the small town... Regardless of whether there is this connection or not, they have long been tied together.
Now, it’s just a matter of bringing it to the surface.
If the other party really has bad intentions and has the barrier in place, I believe he can't do anything to her.
Shu Mo made up his mind, and after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to accept the mayor's kindness, "Thank you very much."
The team leader breathed a sigh of relief.
Before leaving, he thought of one more thing, "By the way, boss, has anyone come to trouble you recently?"
"Looking for trouble?" Shu Mo was stunned. "Why do you ask?"
"It's the Pastor Association." The leader waved his hand in annoyance. "Their president went to the mayor and said he wants to ban the Arctic Fox bus from stopping at the entrance of the town, and also ban the hot springs from using the bulletin board for advertising."
When the commotion came over, President Liu said firmly, "How can we allow an S-class monster of unknown origin to approach residential areas without permission? It's so dangerous! We must stop it!"
The association has always been a major taxpayer in the town, and President Liu has a lot of say in front of the mayor. In the past, he has used this method to suppress countless organizations and individuals who have tried to steal business or offended the Pastors Association.
He thought this time would be just as smooth, but he didn't expect that this time, he was politely rejected by the mayor. "The hot springs are very popular in the town now. Everyone relies on the hot springs to improve their lives. We can't do anything that goes against the wishes of the people."
The mayor's attitude remained good, and he even had a slightly apologetic smile on his face, but President Liu could clearly see that something was different.
…
"You didn't see the look on President Liu's face when he left that day," said the team leader.
He has his own team and priests. Although he is not as troubled by the association as other combat players, he has long been fed up with their style and feels that the Priest Association is a cancer in the town. When it comes to this, the team leader seems to be gloating.
"They're afraid they're going to get cold."
He even felt that the several benefits later proposed by the mayor were probably inspired by President Liu.
After bringing people to deliver ore several times, the team leader and Shu Mo became much more familiar with each other than before, and now the tone of their conversation was completely private.
But just a few words revealed the mayor's private favoritism towards the hot springs, which was another way of showing goodwill.
Shu Mo understood and smiled in response.
She recalled what the leader said, and it seemed that a group of people did come that day and greeted her... but for some reason, after the monster tide ended, they left without saying a word.
If this is considered looking for trouble, isn't that too weak?
Shu Mo had no idea what kind of critical blow the senior members of the Priests Association had suffered here.
She scratched her head and thought deeply.
It seems that there is nothing to be happy about after defeating such a weak opponent.
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