Play The Game (2)

Pushing ahead was a habit. Years of gaming experience might not have given Dawei flashy skills or gear, but it taught him one thing: momentum matters. Push the quest. Press the NPC. Trigger the chain.

And hey—he'd even managed to squeeze another point of favorability from the Great Sage while doing it.

This sour taste of progress? Delicious.

He smirked inwardly. Score one for veteran instincts.

Between initiating the topic, expressing open hostility toward the Vampire Count, and having a solid resume in the form of "Yeah, I killed your werewolf slave boss," it was no surprise that Dioise's expression shifted toward something almost resembling admiration.

Dawei leaned in."So… what should we do next?"

Push forward to move forward. That was Dawei's philosophy.

He wasn't arrogant enough to think he could solo a godlike vampire overlord. Not yet. And pretending to strategize in front of an S-class NPC would only make him look like a clown.

In this world, following the NPC's lead was often the smartest move.

Dioise nodded, that sage-like smile returning to his face.

"Hindlow, the Vampire Count, has lived for millennia. His power is vast—perhaps divine. Against such a being, a direct confrontation would be suicidal."

He folded his hands behind his back.

"But we need not face him directly—not yet. We can weaken him. Slowly. Strategically."

Dawei squinted."Other ways?" he echoed, voice skeptical.

System Prompt:Do you accept the side quest: [Eradicate the Count's Minions]?

Now that was the kind of exposition Dawei liked. Skip the chatter, drop the mission.

He opened the quest window:

[Eradicate the Count's Minions]Objective: Weaken the Vampire Count Hindlow by eliminating his network of loyal subordinates. Each slain servant chips away at his influence and siphons his strength.

Dawei chuckled.

Classic monster-clearing prelude.

Hit the pawns before the king. Weaken the network before you charge the core. He'd played this loop a hundred times before in MMOs. Nothing new here.

Except… he had no stats. No skills. No weapons.

Just one terrifying passive ability, a reputation score, and a werewolf curse he didn't fully understand.

"This is just the warm-up grind," he muttered. "The cursed forest wasn't meant for a newbie. It's the late-game content meant to prep elite players. I'm just a tourist who accidentally wandered in and set a boss on fire."

In terms of power, he was still nothing. No matter how many mobs he took down, his strength wouldn't change until the system granted him actual attribute data.

It was a strange, almost satirical situation.

"Kill all the minions you want, bro," he told himself."You're still gonna be a whiteboard with a curse."

Still, he took the quest.

Grinding the Count's minions might not boost his numbers, but it could build favorability, trigger loot events, or even unlock hidden milestones. In this game, everything was layered—even failure could be a flag.

He sighed. "Alright, let's do this."

But out loud, he said:

"Honestly, I don't think picking off underlings will make a difference. It's Hindlow pulling the strings. The real threat is him."

Dioise didn't flinch. Instead, he offered a tired smile and replied with that tone all wise NPCs reserve for know-it-all players:

"That's because of your ignorance, my child."

System Prompt:Player has obtained new Lore: [Profile – Vampire Count Hindlow]

Dawei blinked."…Wait. That triggered system info?"

He opened the new entry.

[Hindlow – The Crimson Count]A former deity, stripped of his divine right and exiled into the world of mortals. Still retaining a fragment of godhood, Hindlow creates blood-bound subordinates who draw directly from his essence. Destroying them weakens him. Sparing them… strengthens him.

Dawei sat up straighter.

That… changed things.

He'd assumed minions were just cannon fodder. But if they were connected to the Count through magical blood-binding, then each one was like a living battery. Killing them didn't just thin the army. It drained the source.

And if he left them alone?

The Count would grow stronger.

He exhaled slowly.

"Okay. I take it back. This isn't grind-for-grind's sake."

Dioise nodded solemnly.

"The Count's power waxes with each unbroken bond. Only by breaking them can we dim his shadow enough to act."

"Alright then…" Dawei stood up and rolled his shoulders. "Tell me where to start. It's time to kill some bloodsuckers."