chapter 74 desperation

The Desperation Plan – "If We Can't Fight, We Sneak!"

After countless failed attempts to fight the bandits head-on, the players finally accepted a harsh truth—brute force wasn't going to work. Every charge ended the same way: instant death, lost progress, and respawning back in the same town. The frustration was reaching its peak. If they couldn't defeat the bandits, then they had to find another way. That's when a new idea emerged—stealth.

1. The Meeting – "We Need a Plan!"

A large crowd of frustrated players gathered in the town square, their patience wearing thin. Murmurs of irritation filled the air as they debated their options. Some were still fuming over their previous deaths, while others were just exhausted from the repeated failures.

"Alright, let's stop dying like idiots and think," one player finally said, standing up and addressing the crowd. His words earned a few nods and some half-hearted grumbles, but at least people were listening.

"The bandits are only stationed on the main road, right?" another player chimed in. "What if we sneak through the forest instead?"

"Yeah!" someone else added. "Maybe there's a back route they haven't blocked off."

"If we can just get past them," a fourth player reasoned, "we'll be free to level up."

A wave of cautious optimism spread through the crowd. For the first time since the siege began, there was a spark of hope. However, not everyone was convinced.

"You really think they won't notice us?" a skeptical player asked.

"Do we have a better option?" another player shot back.

Silence followed. No one had an answer. Eventually, one of the skeptics sighed in resignation. "Fine. But we need to be smart about it."

And just like that, a plan started to take shape.

---

2. The Stealth Team – "We Move in Small Groups."

The days of blindly charging into death were over. This time, they would act carefully. Instead of one big push, they decided on a more strategic approach—stealth.

"Big groups are too obvious," the player leading the discussion said. "We move in small squads."

"Stick to the trees," another added. "No running, no noise."

"And if one group gets caught," a third warned, "don't stop. Just keep going."

The plan was simple: divide into small teams of five, each taking a different route to avoid detection. Some groups would head west toward the hills, where the forest was denser. Others would take the riverbank, wading through knee-deep water to avoid leaving tracks. A few would attempt to crawl through the tall grass, using it as cover to stay hidden.

"Alright, everyone ready?" one of the players asked.

A few nervous nods.

"Let's do this."

And with that, they moved out.

---

3. The First Success – "We're Actually Doing It!"

At first, it worked.

The West Team crept through the dense forest, moving carefully between trees, their bodies low to the ground. The thick foliage shielded them from sight, and they made steady progress.

The River Team waded through the cold water, barely making a sound. The river's natural current helped mask their movements, and as long as they stayed low, the bandits wouldn't spot them from the road.

The Grass Team crawled on their bellies through tall grass, each movement painstakingly slow but deliberate. From a distance, they were nearly invisible.

The bandits, stationed at the main entrance, remained focused on watching for another direct assault. They stood alert but didn't seem to notice the players moving in the distance.

"Holy crap," one of the sneaking players whispered. "They don't see us."

"Shhh! Just keep going!" another hissed.

One by one, the first three teams successfully passed the bandit blockade without being detected. For the first time, the players felt a rush of excitement. This was working!

"We're actually doing it!" one of them whispered excitedly.

Another let out a quiet chuckle. "HAHA! Screw you, bandits!"

But that moment of victory was short-lived.

---

4. The Disaster – "They're Not That Stupid."

It only took one idiot to ruin everything.

"Pfft, this is too easy," one player said, standing up from his crouched position.

"Dude, shut up!" another player hissed, panic in his voice.

"Nah, we're fine!" the overconfident player scoffed. "They're dumb NPCs, see?"

He waved his hands in the air, laughing.

A sharp whistle cut through the silence.

One of the bandit archers turned his head. His eyes narrowed as he spotted the moving figure in the grass. A smirk crossed his face.

"Heh. Gotcha."

THWIP!

An arrow shot through the air. The cocky player barely had time to react before it struck him dead center.

[Player 10 has died.]

The silence that followed was deafening.

Then, the bandits turned their heads.

"So, they think they're clever?" one of them muttered.

"Flush them out," another ordered.

And just like that, the alarm was raised.

---

5. The Massacre – "RUN!"

Chaos erupted.

The bandits spread out in all directions, cutting off escape routes.

"Check the river," one of them barked.

"They're in the grass!" another shouted.

Arrows rained down as swordsmen rushed into the trees.

"GO! GO! GO!" a panicked player screamed.

"THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!" someone else cried out.

"WE CAN STILL MAKE IT!" another shouted desperately.

Some of the more fortunate players managed to break through the ambush, sprinting as fast as they could away from the battlefield. But the majority?

Dead.

Their so-called stealth mission had turned into a bloodbath.

---

6. The Aftermath – "Back to Square One."

The respawn zone was packed with frustrated players, all of them respawning back in town, right where they started. The failure was undeniable.

"So much for that idea…" one player muttered, rubbing his temples.

"We almost made it, though!" another pointed out, trying to find a silver lining.

"Yeah, and then some idiot ruined everything!" a third snapped.

The town's NPCs, as usual, paid them no mind. The guards continued their patrols, unfazed by the adventurers' struggles. A merchant sweeping the ground let out a chuckle.

"Adventurers these days…" he mused. "More stupid than usual."

The blacksmith nearby let out a dry laugh. "Bet they won't last a week."

The players stared at the town gates, realizing the brutal truth.

They had no choice but to try again.

Because if they stayed in this town forever…

They'd never level up.