Chapter 875 - 827: Stealth Master Little Ming
For regular players, fancy tech like ground listeners or Blood Eagles isn’t needed for anti-sub efforts. Just direct your troops to do a sweep line search. Like when that Korean player was searching for Da Fei during the competition.
Da Fei’s got an air force. With the best speed and search range, plus a large number of units, sweeping searches are a breeze. Even if the enemy could climb trees, they’d have a hard time hiding from Da Fei’s air force. But using such a basic brute-force method wouldn’t show off his skills. It might even make people think, "Eh, Da Fei’s not all that." It wouldn’t have that show-off effect.
If you’re not showing off, how’s life any different from being a salted fish? If the conditions allow, show off. If not, make the conditions to show off! Play so well that your opponent has to admire you.
So Da Fei returned to the valley construction site, stationed all his troops there, and snuck into the forest with just Avril and Nerxia, his two Contract Angels, doing a Phantom March.
That’s right, stealth versus stealth. The sneaky guy trying to catch another sneaky guy, making it so he has no choice but to respect you! As for taking two Contract Angels, they’re there for protection in case things go haywire. Even if it does go haywire, it doesn’t matter. Da Fei’s troops are stationed and ready. Worst case, he dies and respawns back to the town to start over.
Now, Da Fei’s Shadow stops every three steps and stands still every five, with all sorts of blips rapidly flashing on his radar, messing with his judgment. Blood Eagles swoop onto every red blip: maybe a deer, maybe a rabbit.
This is coordinated anti-sub: ground sonar plus air overwatch. Even if the US Army claims it can counter alien tech, it’s nothing more than this.
Finally, another red blip flashes on the radar. Blood Eagle tracks it immediately. This time, no rabbit, no deer. Could it really be him?
Excited, Da Fei focuses on surveillance. Soon, another red blip flashes on the screen, and in the Blood Eagle’s view, a blurry, small figure appears, seemingly digging around the tree roots!
Da Fei chuckles. Finally, there he is! Who would’ve thought there’d be such a stealth expert among the dwarf players? Fine, let’s spook him a bit like a ghost.
As Da Fei creeps closer, the small figure vanishes from the Blood Eagle’s sight, and the radar detects no footsteps.
Da Fei’s eyebrows twitch. He vanished in front of the Blood Eagles! Maybe it’s because of the treetops, but to achieve this, his Reconnaissance Skill is likely Master-level or he has secondary professions like sentinels boosting him!
Where is he now? Same spot? Moving? If he’s moving, why isn’t the ground listener picking it up? Or is he climbing a tree?
Suddenly, a red blip flashes on the ground listener’s radar. He’s appeared under another tree not far away! Blood Eagle follows, and under its long gaze, the figure becomes visible again, seemingly digging under the tree!
Da Fei is stunned! So, the ground listener detects him not by footsteps but by his digging! Damn, he’s quite the stealth expert! In normal conditions, Da Fei might not be able to outplay him!
Just then, Da Fei notices he’s not just small, but lacks the sturdy look of a dwarf. More like a... Hobbit? No! Big head, chunky hands, not those lean Hobbits. A gnome? A hidden race?!
Whoa! Da Fei has really met an expert! His competitive spirit flares up!
The guy continues to another tree, unaware of Da Fei’s approach, and without the skill gap, he wouldn’t be able to vanish, staying blurred under Da Fei’s watch.
Da Fei confirms he’s here for the golden pine cones, but probably without Treasure Appraisal Skill, so he’s digging through each one.
In short, Da Fei has gauged his strength—four words: talent is rare! Da Fei’s keen on recruiting.
Da Fei gathers a ball of snow, forms a snowball, but won’t throw it directly at him to avoid being seen as an Attack and revealing his Stealth.
—Smack! A snowball falls beside the gnome digging in the snow.
The gnome is startled, looking up quickly, then cautiously glancing around. No one.
In that instant, an ice mist erupts, and the gnome disappears!
Da Fei’s eyes twitch. No way! This guy’s a ninja? Actually has a disappearing trick, let’s see what’s up.
After a silent moment, the gnome’s red dot shows up on the radar again. Da Fei chuckles. Yeah, unless you stop moving, I’ll find you eventually.
Another snowball falls from the sky.
Surprised, the gnome looks around again! Da Fei chuckles—this was the effect he wanted! Okay, enough. If he really freezes up hugging a tree, Da Fei would be at a loss.
Da Fei laughs out loud, "Interesting. Wanna have a chat?"
The gnome shakes his head, his figure appearing, "How did you find me?"
At this moment, Da Fei gets a good look. Big-eared, round-nosed, he is indeed a comically small gnome! His name is "Little Ming Get Out."
Da Fei laughs, then says, "What if I said you stepped on a paint can back at the valley construction site, and I followed the paint trail to find you, would you believe me?"
The gnome Little Ming looks down in surprise, then says, "There’s no paint!"
Da Fei snaps, "You think there’s none? Who’s the expert here, you or me?"
Little Ming sighs, "I’ve always believed I’m an expert, especially in stealth, nobody’s better. I have a racial talent bonus."
Yeah, a gnome’s nimble size screams natural stealth! But compared to Cave People, it’s hard to say.
Da Fei chuckles, "Nobody better? Do you know me?"
Little Ming sighs, "Yeah, Da Fei, the biggest jerk in the China Region, scam artist, thug, swindler of women and children!"
Da Fei explodes with anger, "Bullshit! How could I possibly assault women and children in a game!"
Little Ming grins, "Doesn’t it rhyme well and make it easy to remember?"
Da Fei grumbles, "Rhyme my ass!" Then sighs, "But what can you do, some people just love to badmouth me, but now I’m donating a million US Dollars to charity, let’s see those jerks talk bad about me then!"
Little Ming jokes, "Brother Fei, instead of giving all your spare cash to others, why not toss a few thousand my way? I’m a dropout from a single-parent family, gaming to support my family, who has it worse than me?"
Oh, crying poor, huh? You’re skillful and shameless, I like it! Da Fei snaps his fingers, "Sure, join my Guild and I’ll look after you!"
—System Prompt: You invited "Little Ming Get Out" to join the Guild!
Little Ming beams, "Brother Fei really is something, charity for a few grand?"
Oh? Asking for cash, breaking my bottom line now?
Da Fei eyes him, "Even if you’re a kid, as long as you’re not a useless idiot, you gotta earn your keep. You’re with me; no need for handouts."
Little Ming laughs, "Brother Fei has so many enemies. What if they PK me after I join your Guild? Will you cover my back?"
Da Fei chuckles coldly, "Don’t worry. I’m too busy to even pick up a nickel off the ground, you think I got time for your PK issues? Handle it yourself!"
He throws the golden pine cone and walks away. Under Blood Eagle’s watch, Little Ming eagerly picks it up, his expression complex!
Ha, I even guessed your intentions, what now? I don’t care who you are or if you’re a single-parent child. As long as you’re not brain-dead, after watching me clear the field, you’ll know what to do!
Finally, when Da Fei gets back to the site:
—Guild Info: A warm welcome to! "Little Ming Get Out" joins the Guild...
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