As he spoke, Jia Shuai glanced up at the sun's position, estimating the time. He turned to the other Player Captains, his voice low and urgent. "At least the Simulation System isn't completely ruthless—it gave us this morning to prepare. That time gap might be our only edge…"
"What kind of edge?" Even as seasoned veterans of multiple Simulations, the Captains couldn't fathom Jia's strategy. Their faces tightened with skepticism.
"We engineer an encounter with the Target Subject," Jia replied, his gaze sweeping over them. A cryptic smile played on his lips. "But I'll need some of your people."
While Jia and his group strategized, Luo Jie caught Chieftain's eye. A subtle signal passed between them. Using the crowd as cover, they slipped away, melting into the shadowed corner of a nearby building.
"Luo? What's happening?" Chieftain pressed, the others close behind. Luo's abrupt exit baffled them.
"I've got a strong hunch what their leader's planning." It wasn't deep knowledge of Jia Shuai himself, but Luo's hard-won experience from past lives. In this deadlock, viable strategies were scarce. Eliminate the impossible with current resources, and Jia's move became obvious.
Seeing only confusion on Chieftain's face, Luo Jie didn't explain. Instead, he retrieved a sleek, quad-rotor drone from his storage space. Its matte grey finish absorbed the light.
[USS Micro Unmanned Scout Drone]
Type: Tactical Equipment
Tier: F (Blue)
Level: LV.1
Description: Umbrella Security Service (USS) tactical recon drone. Operates without satellite uplink. Max remote range: 10km. Equipped with thermal imaging and night vision capabilities. Features auto-tracking for designated targets.
Most of his points had gone into gear upgrades, leaving this Blue-tier drone at its base level. Still, a 10km range was more than enough for now.
Chieftain, Dancer, and Gunner exchanged stunned glances. Drones weren't rare, but the market overflowed with cheap White-tier toys – useless for recon, good only as distractions or crude messengers. This machine, with its military-grade lines and visible sensor pods, was a prize. In the right hands, it was a dedicated scout – invaluable for early warnings and tactical planning.
He wasn't bluffing about being useful, Dancer thought, nudging Chieftain. Any squad would kill for this kind of overwatch.
The drone's rotors whirred softly as it lifted off, its grey form quickly vanishing against the vast blue sky.
"Too exposed here," Luo stated, nodding towards a small izakaya – a Japanese pub – down the street. "We need a perch."
Japanese salarymen often drowned workday stress in these after-hours haunts, a cultural quirk spawning countless such holes-in-the-wall. While dawn wasn't peak hours, street vendors rarely turned away paying customers.
Luo ordered four plates of the owner's proudly proclaimed "signature seafood yakisoba" and led them to a corner booth.
Dancer leaned in, voice a hushed whisper, eyeing the bustling owner. "Luo… we don't have local currency. You're not planning a dine-and-dash, are you?" Beyond initial Simulations, only system-certified items could be brought in. Even their civilian clothes were cheap White-tier gear bought with points.
Luo's response was a sly grin. He flicked his wrist, producing crisp, new Benjamins – hundred-dollar bills. Certifying currency cost points – roughly 1 point per dollar. Expensive, but Luo had pulled stacks of these bills from his surprise crates. Nearly $10,000 worth. Never underestimate cash, Luo knew. In a Simulation, just like the real world, money greased wheels and opened doors. Used right, it could be as potent as any high-level skill.
"Got them."
Luo didn't wait for questions. He shared the drone's encrypted feed, projecting the live feed directly into their visual HUDs.
The screen showed Jia Shuai and a small, borrowed strike team. They were concealed near a sharp bend on the winding mountain road leading to the exclusive Fujimi Academy. One player crouched in roadside brush, binoculars trained downhill, clearly waiting.
"What's their play?" Dancer murmured, frowning at the tactical setup.
"They're staging an encounter," Luo explained calmly. He knew he wouldn't stay with the Ivory Mountain Squad forever. Sharing hard-earned tricks was smart. "Standard tactic when you lack identity but need access to a Target. People drop their guard faster around someone they've 'accidentally' met before."
Suddenly, Chieftain stiffened. "Huh? Wasn't that… Miyamoto Rei? The main heroine? Why didn't they move?" The image had shown a striking girl with chestnut hair and distinctive antenna-like ahoge passing the ambush point untouched.
"Because they're waiting for Hirano Kota," Luo answered flatly.
The drone panned down. At the base of the serpentine road, a figure labored up the steep steps. He was short, overweight, sweating profusely behind thick, unfashionable glasses. His long, unkempt hair and timid posture made him a stark, almost pathetic contrast to the confident, athletic students flowing past him. A textbook background character.
Only someone who knew the script, Luo thought, would recognize this unassuming otaku as a critical piece on the board – the military geek, Hirano Kota.