"What's going on?? Is the streamer faking this for views?"
"If this is fake, he's got a huge budget for it. If I had this much gear, I wouldn't need to chase views…"
"So this really is the Cloud Soar Guild base?!"
"How could this happen? Didn't Cloud Soar just kill HIM? Why's their base gone?"
"You nailed it... Didn't you read the streamer's title?"
"I knew it!! No way HIM was that easy to kill!!"
"No wonder none of my messages to Cloud Soar members got replies—they were too busy eating humble pie?!"
"I said it before! They uploaded that video to stir up hype, but they vanished afterward! Turns out they got wiped out!!"
Many players who clicked on Ah Long's stream were there to jeer.
But when they saw the ruins of the Cloud Soar Guild's base, the insults caught in their throats.
Anyone with half a brain could tell this stream wasn't faked.
The sheer amount of gear scattered across the ground, and the guild banners bearing the Cloud Soar insignia, were too much for any staged event.
Adding to this was the forum chatter, with countless users complaining about Cloud Soar's radio silence.
Only then did the viewers realize: HIM's "death" was nothing but a ruse!
Meanwhile, within the Cloud Soar Guild's chat channel, usually bustling with activity, there was nothing but dead silence.
The guild members were scattered far and wide, and even though more than half an hour had passed since the massacre, none had recovered their composure.
"HIM… wasn't he dead?!"
"And those Withers… weren't they the Vice Guild Leader's summons?! Why are they following HIM?!"
"Heh… remember when this happened to the Triumph Guild? Those wolves were supposed to be tamed by players too…"
"Weren't we told we'd have countless chances, while he had only one?!"
The members of the Cloud Soar Guild were like lost souls.
They couldn't understand why, after Yun Li had supposedly slain HIM, the monster reappeared in their midst just as they celebrated at the base.
They also couldn't comprehend why the ten Withers, supposedly under Yun Li's control, suddenly obeyed HIM.
Although they didn't know all the details, one thing was clear—they would never forget the smile HIM gave before their deaths.
It wasn't the first time they'd seen that smile. The same smile appeared when HIM led monsters to slaughter the Triumph Guild and patted a wolf cub's head.
Even if they didn't understand the full story, they could grasp one thing from that smile.
"He's been playing with us all along…"
"So it's just like what happened with the Triumph Guild?! It was all a setup?!"
"Why?! The Vice Leader saw his body disintegrate! How?!"
"Yeah, we had countless chances, but we stupidly assumed he only had one…"
"From all the games I've played, I've always respected the Vice Leader the most for his meticulous planning… I can't believe he fell into HIM's trap…"
The Cloud Soar Guild members couldn't pinpoint every detail, but they were certain: this was HIM's grand scheme.
And that was what shook them to their core.
If HIM had outsmarted their leader or any other guild master, they might have accepted it. But for HIM to deceive Yun Li—a person known for his razor-sharp mind—was a bitter pill to swallow.
They vividly recalled Yun Li's expression when HIM appeared in the guild. Fear, shock, disbelief.
Those who had followed Yun Li for years had never seen him like that.
Yun Li was the brains behind Cloud Soar. He and Cloud Soar had built the guild from scratch, without any backing from major corporations, and made it one of the top ten guilds within five years.
The guild's rapid ascent was mostly due to Yun Li's cunning strategies. Their inability to surpass higher-ranked guilds was purely a matter of resources, as they couldn't compete with corporate-backed groups.
With such a track record, Yun Li's defeat by HIM struck terror into the hearts of all who witnessed it.
To be outmaneuvered and realize it only at the moment of death...
Yun Li stared blankly at the guild chat, replaying every step of his plan in his mind, searching for the flaw.
From the strategy's conception to its execution, he had seen no missteps. Every step had been thoroughly vetted, triple-checked. To him, it had been a flawless plan.
This was what terrified him. He didn't even know when HIM's scheme had begun. Unnoticed, he had walked straight into a trap.
After all his years in gaming, it was the first time he'd tasted such bitter defeat. And it was a monster who'd delivered it.
The frustration and humiliation were too much for Yun Li. As long as HIM was around, he'd always remember that condescending gaze.
HIM had completely crushed him—in strength, strategy, and wit.
Prideful as Yun Li was, he couldn't bear it. Especially when his foe wasn't even human, but a monster!
Since the massacre, messages had poured in from other players.
"Hey, wasn't HIM dead? Why's your guild gone?"
"That backfired pretty fast, huh? Hurts much?"
"Seriously, why'd you mess with HIM? Haven't you seen enough examples?"
Yun Li, who valued his reputation, felt thoroughly humiliated. Even if he stayed in the game, he'd never lift his head again.
With clenched teeth, Yun Li made a choice.
"Big Bro, I'm done with this game."
He messaged Yun Feng, then quit the guild and logged out.
Yun Feng wasn't surprised. He knew Yun Li's pride wouldn't let him stay. Trying to convince him otherwise would be pointless.
Shortly after Yun Li's departure, Yun Feng made an announcement in the guild chat.
"Brothers, I'm sorry. Until we meet again."
With that, he disbanded the guild.
Without Yun Li, there was no reason to keep going. Their hard-earned gear and supplies were gone in an instant. Their reputation was in tatters, and morale had hit rock bottom.
Many old guild members followed Yun Li out of the game. Those who stayed scattered, looking for fresh starts elsewhere.
After logging out, Yun Li, still fuming, went straight to the game's official website to vent to customer support.
"What kind of garbage game is this? What's with that monster? It completely breaks game balance!"
"You better investigate what HIM really is, or this game's going down!!!"
Prompted by Yun Li, Yun Feng and the guild's leadership sent similar complaints to the game's developers, attaching HIM's image and videos of the attack. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
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