......

    As the event progressed further, another rumor spread across the Plague Lands, making everyone somewhat uneasy.

    For the side of the Plague Race Players, felt immensely threatened due to them being the main targets of the subject of the said rumors.

    It was said that any Plague Player, who managed to become a high-ranking official, had become the target of assassination. It was not exactly new since they had always been the target of many as killing or capturing them would earn the opposing side great merits and event points.

    They were not that bothered about it, especially when such players had an army of Plague Players and Monsters under their command.

    But it was only until they learned the identities of the individuals hunting them.

    There was only a pair of ’hunters’, but the reputation of those two was more than enough to make anyone fall in despair.

    Battle God Sickarius and Gentle Goddess Arielle – these were the identities of the two people hunting the Plague Players.

    One was one of the rising stars of the game and said to have reached the pinnacle of combat while the other was a legendary supporter, who was also recognized as the number one healer of the game.

    The majority of the Plague Players were terrified when they learned that they had become a target of those two monstrous players.

    Even if they were also considered Apex Players when compared to the majority of the virtual community, they were still far from being a match for those two, especially when they were working together.

    Moreover, some had also seen those two purifying the land where most of the Plague Monsters were gathered. This could only mean that those two were currently doing a special quest, which was different from everyone.

    Such news also affected the players participating in the event, who were siding with the Righteous Churches.

    The competition between the top forces and highly skilled independent players was already at its highest and most competitive stage, so adding these two monstrous individuals would further propel the competition into a more intense state.

    This caused multiple ripples that affected the whole state of the event.

    Everyone seemed to have found a common enemy that they wanted to take down first before proceeding to the final stages of the event.

    The Plague Players wanted to remove this pair of huge thorns on their side while those on the side of the Righteous Churches wanted to hinder the progress of the two so that they would not earn that many points during their hunt.

    This situation resulted in Shin and Cloe being in constant battle against the two sides.

    Little did these people know that they had been led on as there was a small group of elites who managed to sneak into the depths of the Plague Lands while everyone was busy chasing those two.

    ...

    "Tsk! Tsk! They have really done it. That guy sure is crazy!" commented Exheart as he shook his head after hearing the reports of the battle from one of his in-game friends.

    "Hella, can you and Jason be on the lookout for a moment and guard her?"

    "Bryan, use that useless nose of yours to scout the path ahead. Let Howling Blade and Silent Kill accompany you."

    "Hellban, lead the other magic classes to set up the illusion and isolation barriers. We will be camping here for a while."

    "Paladins and Priest, recharge the blessings of our talismans."

    "Those who are free and have a high lifestyle profession, help the others with their equipment maintenance and replenish our supplies."

    ...

    ...

    ...

    When he was done, he quickly found a secluded spot, planning to contact Shin about their progress.

    They had reached quite deep into the Plague Lands, but they were still far from reaching their destination, so he had to inform Shin about their situation so that they could adjust their timing.

    ...

    Shin had just ended a call before turning to Cloe in a certain part of the Plague Lands, which was quite hidden from most of the players.

    "They have infiltrated quite deep into their camp, but it seems like they can’t penetrate deep enough at the moment because of the sudden increase in security," he said, informing her about the update that Exheart had reported. "I think we have to continue what we are doing for quite a while before proceeding to our main goal."

    He paused for a moment before commentating. "It seems like something has happened in the Tomb, making those people wary."

    His sharp instincts told him that something big must have happened in that place, giving him a sudden sense of urgency. "But I also feel that we have to make a little haste because I am getting a bad feeling about this."

    "Are we going to change our strategy?" asked Cloe as she hopped down from the boulder she was sitting on.

    Shin thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Not really. Just a minor adjustment should be enough."

    "Are you sure?" asked Cloe as she looked at him with full suspicion.

    Shin chuckled when he saw her inquiring look before reassuring her. "It is fine. We just have to move a little closer to the ’fire’ to create an even stronger ’blaze’. I feel like what we are doing is not intense enough."

    Understanding the hidden implications behind his words, she could not help but ask. "Which side are we heading then?"

    Shin turned in a certain direction as he grinned. "Let’s pick this way then. I feel like pocking the nest of our old ’acquaintances’."

    ...