MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 295: Strategic Setbacks

Back in the real world, Xin released the clasp of his headgear with a sigh of relief.

The weight of the problem lingered in his mind as he pondered the challenges awaiting on the final day of the Castle of Doom.

Doubt crept in, questioning whether the leaders would simply allow the remaining players to pack up and call it quits now that most of their comrades lay defeated.

Eclipse and Fighting Bunny still stood among the survivors, hinting that the expedition might not conclude so easily even with just ten members remaining.

The Castle of Doom’s final day was right within their reach, and there was no way that the guild leaders would just order everyone to quit and leave, even if it meant facing the most treacherous challenges yet.

After a refreshing shower and a change into fresh clothes, Xin hurried to the kitchen for a quick bite.

Just outside the living room, he spotted Xiaxia and Seraphina on the couch. It felt like an eternity since he last saw the two, even though it had only been a matter of hours.

Guildbane had a peculiar way of playing with their sense of time.

"Xin, have you had dinner yet? We’ve brought food for you in the kitchen," Xiaxia said, her eyes fixed on the TV.

"Thanks," Xin replied, glancing briefly at Seraphina, who beamed at him. He quickly averted his gaze and headed to the kitchen.

There, he grabbed a quick bite of everything on the table, mindful of the time. He only had a 30-minute in real time before the next day in the game.

Fortunately, there were no plans for the night, given the uncertainty surrounding the last day. No one knew what to expect, leaving little room for discussion beyond the usual attempts to boost morale.

However, with Ragnarok Reaper gone and the depressive Eclipse remaining, there was a palpable sense that delivering an uplifting speech like Ragnarok Reaper used to do might prove challenging. In fact, it could have the opposite effect.

Adding to the challenge was the fact that the players weren’t in the mood for any motivational speeches at the moment.

Eclipse and Fighting Bunny, the remaining leaders, recognized this and wisely opted for a collective break, understanding that a moment of respite was what everyone needed.

Following a quick meal, Xin hurried back to his room, dismissing Xiaxia’s persistent inquiries.

"Hoi, Xin. Why are you isolating yourself in your room all day? Are you playing Guildbane? Hey! I’m talking to you, you know."

Xin seemed oblivious to Xiaxia’s inquiries until a faint tune interrupted the air, causing him to pause.

"Xin."

He halted and looked at Seraphina. "Yeah?"

"I’ll be in a meeting this Monday night, so I’m afraid I won’t be present at that time for our art session."

Xin nodded and replied shortly, "It’s fine. Let’s postpone it to the next day."

He then entered his room, leaving Xiaxia with her mouth wide open.

"What? You replied to Seraphina but not to your sister?"

Xiaxia slumped on the sofa, arms crossed. "What’s with him?"

Seraphina sipped her tea and chuckled. "Don’t think too much about it. I’m sure it’s one of those brother and sister things of ignoring each other."

Xiaxia frowned and pouted. "I suppose." Her demeanor then changed, and she asked Seraphina, "By the way . . . where are you going this Monday night? Work?"

Seraphina’s smile faltered for a moment before she offered her answer, "You can say it that way."

"It must be hard working and studying at the same time," Xiaxia commented absentmindedly, her gaze shifting back to the e-sports news.

Seraphina offered a small smile. "I guess so . . ."

"Whoa!" Xiaxia suddenly exclaimed in surprise. "Look, Seraphina, Ragnarok Reaper and Doom Harbinger are on the news! But there’s no notification of the Castle of Doom being conquered. Does that mean they failed?"

Seraphina’s eyes flicked to the news, where two men with serious and handsome faces were displayed — one with violet hair and the other with black hair.

She recognized them from her time playing Guildbane. There wasn’t a single player who didn’t know the leaders of the top five guilds.

"What’s going on?" Xiaxia muttered. "Did they win or not?"

"We have reached the sixth day of the Castle of Doom," Ragnarok Reaper began. "But unfortunately, the boss was so hard that only a few of our members have survived the sixth day."

"Does that mean that you cleared the sixth day?" the reporter asked.

Ragnarok Reaper nodded, and everyone, including Xiaxia, gaped in astonishment.

"Whoa. I can’t believe that they finally made it!" Xiaxia exclaimed. "That would make it the farthest level a guild could achieve in the Castle of Doom. That itself is already impressive!"

Seraphina set her tea down and commented with a calm voice, "Not really. Their lineup is composed of members from the top guilds. Though not all core members were present, they could be considered the strongest force right now in the game. If they can’t achieve to clear the sixth day, then that would be an embarrassment."

Xiaxia wryly smiled. "You . . . you’re not easily impressed, huh?"

"However, we cleared the sixth day, and our remaining members will advance to the final day," Doom Harbinger said.

"Will this few be enough to defeat the final day and claim victory?" the reporter asked.

"Frankly, we’re not that hopeful that they would survive since the Castle of Doom is a whole new level of danger," Ragnarok Reaper answered. "But we will not give up. We’ll gather information on this final boss as much as we can, and we will come back stronger and more prepared than ever."

Xiaxia sighed and leaned on the backrest. "What’s this? Looks like they have already given up? What’s the point of this interview then?"

"With few members, they couldn’t exactly do much, considering that each day was harder than the last in the Castle of Doom," Seraphina said, taking a quick sip. "They gathered the press early to prepare the audience and their fans for what was about to come. It’s their strategy to lower expectations and thus, minimize the disappointment of everyone."

"I-is . . . is that so?"

Seraphina nodded. "It’s the right move for them. Rather than surprising everyone with the notification of failure to conquer the Castle of Doom, they announced it first to the media to minimize the impact of their failure. Smart move but pathetic nevertheless."

"Guk . . . y-you . . . you’re very hard to please, you know that?"