Chapter 51: The Icy Plain

Summoning Crows

Level 8: Can summon up to 5 crows; Health 80; Has a chance to flee when attacked.

The attributes were not surprising, after all, this isn't a game where flying in the air makes you invincible. However, the chance to flee when attacked is quite frustrating...

I found an open area, patrolled the surroundings, and only after confirming that there were no monsters within a kilometer did I feel at ease to cast the Summon Crows spell.

A green light flashed, and since crows are relatively weak, it only took about 2 seconds to summon them, compared to the 10 seconds it took to summon the Venomous Flower Vine for the first time.

"Caw caw..."

Sure enough, as soon as this damn crow appeared, it started circling above me and cawing loudly. This isn't a skill for killing enemies; it's more like a taunt skill in some games that attracts monster hate.

I tried to control the crow, and fortunately, since it's an animal, its intelligence is higher than that of plant-type creatures like the Venomous Flower Vine. With the experience from the Venomous Flower Vine, I easily connected with it.

Following my command, it finally stopped its annoying cawing and landed on my shoulder, preening its feathers proudly.

"Phew..." I sighed in relief. Controlling it wasn't easy. With my current strength, controlling five at once is clearly impossible. I need to train more in this area.

However, I didn't plan to use the crows as primary attackers. Thinking that way is too game-like. I believe the true value of crows lies in harassment and reconnaissance.

Harassment is self-explanatory, and for reconnaissance, the crows need to be able to relay the information they gather in a way I can understand. This is a big project that requires a lot of默契 (mutual understanding) to achieve.

So, with the Venomous Flower Vine slithering on my left and a black crow perched on my right shoulder, if I were to transform into a werewolf, it would be a world of animals.

The Icy Plain, with "icy" in its name, clearly indicates the temperature. I followed Akara's instructions and headed west. On the third day after leaving the Rogue Encampment, I noticed the terrain was gradually rising. I don't know if the Blood Moor is a basin or if the Icy Plain is a plateau, but in this world, there's no map, let alone one with altitude markings. At least, I haven't seen one.

However, based on my world's explanation, I guess the Icy Plain should be called the Icy Plateau. The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature, which is common sense!

By the fifth day, I could feel the temperature getting noticeably colder. The grass on the ground was still surviving, but every morning, it was covered with a thin layer of frost. The fog was also very thick, not dispersing until the sun was high in the sky, which slowed my journey even more.

By the ninth day, when I was about to level up to level 7, I knew I had entered the Icy Plain.

Why? Because I was ambushed by a few Dark Hunters. I was ashamed. I thought I had become somewhat proficient in the "creepy" style, but compared to these Dark Hunters, I was still far behind.

That day, after using the creepy tactics passed down by my seniors to lure out and kill a few Hardshell Rats in a small forest, I was about to clean up the battlefield when they suddenly jumped down from the trees. The Venomous Flower Vine couldn't warn me in time, and the damn crow on my shoulder was looking around, leaving me unprepared. They ambushed me just like the Ceiling Spiders in the Evil Caves.

These Dark Hunters, though not as terrifying as the Ceiling Spiders, were much stronger. Their abilities were similar to those of the Corpse, but their speed was like that of the Fallen. Combining the strengths of both, they were very difficult to deal with.

I protested, strongly protested. Why are even low-level monsters so cunning? Isn't it said that when you enter a different world, the monsters' intelligence drops? Can't I have a moment of wish fulfillment? God, are you dead? If not, say something! Either raise my IQ to 200 or lower the monsters' IQ to 10, you choose, or I'll go on strike...

I grumbled a bit, but there was no response. There was no divine wrath, no flashing lightning, no divine intervention, no white light bath, no divine blessing.

Fortunately, these Dark Hunters were not numerous, usually appearing in groups of 5 to 10. Their white and red tight leather clothes and iron bull helmets were more for show than for protection. The only things to worry about were their shields and military knives. As long as my attacks weren't blocked by their shields, they were quite satisfying to hit.

What did I have? A blue short sword. Although its attributes were a bit weak, it was still blue, right? It's the only "high-level" equipment I have.

Now, I have almost all my gear, except for a ring, a necklace, and a pair of shoes. My defense has reached 44, so even if I get hit by these Dark Hunters, I only lose a few health points, and I can easily handle a bit more.

Speaking of which, where is Flavie? She is the border guardian of the Blood Moor. How come I haven't seen her? Games are all lies, and Blizzard is even less trustworthy.

The temperature on the Icy Plain is very low, and the monsters are much stronger. Not only are there cunning Dark Hunters, but the large beasts I saw alone in the depths of the Evil Caves also appear in groups of four or five here. There's also a new type of monster, the Ice Worm. Although their damage is low and their movements are slow, they are the opposite of the Dark Hunters, combining the weaknesses of the Fallen and the Corpse. However, their attacks have a freezing effect, which slows you down and is very annoying. However, these melee-type Ice Worms, like the Corpse, are loved by ranged attackers. My Firestorm burns them quickly, and they give a lot of experience, 15 points per kill, which becomes 60 points with my bug amulet. Brother Corpse, you have successors.

Although the monsters on the Icy Plain are much stronger than those in the Blood Moor, I feel that it's easier to survive here.

Because, so far, I haven't encountered any large groups of Fallen camps, which I fear the most. Perhaps because of the cold weather, the Fallen Mages are not willing to stay here. This weather even reduces the damage of their Fireball spells, so they prefer to return to the Blood Moor or the Stony Field.

However, this doesn't mean I can relax. Although there are fewer Fallen, they are stronger in every aspect compared to those in the Blood Moor. However, they still turn to ashes in my Firestorm.

Speaking of the Icy Plain, I must mention its ruler, the small boss-level monster, Bishibosh. According to Akara, Bishibosh is not as strong as elite-level monsters in most aspects, but it has two particularly annoying attributes.

The first is that fire attacks are ineffective. This means my Firestorm does zero damage to it. Wizards who specialize in fire magic should be especially cautious and stay far away. Equipment is valuable, but life is more precious. Even if you know the highest-level fire skill, the Nine-Headed Fire Snake, it won't do anything to Bishibosh.

The second attribute is even more frustrating. Bishibosh can resurrect Fallen Mages. Imagine a dozen Fallen Mages gathered around it, plus hundreds of Fallen. It's like the saying in the story of Yu Gong Moves a Mountain, "I have sons, and my sons will have grandsons." If you don't kill Bishibosh first, it's endless. Even Andariel would be troubled. In the entire Rogue Encampment, the most frustrating monster for players is not the blacksmith or Andariel, but Bishibosh. Before players have absolute power, Bishibosh's endless sea of Fallen is unbeatable. In the midst of the monsters, ranged attackers can't aim at it, and melee attackers are even worse. They die as soon as they charge in. Even if you can't kill it, it will overwhelm you. Only organized large-scale actions by players or a dozen high-level group attack wizards can clear the small monsters, otherwise, it's like a mouse trying to drag a turtle, impossible to handle.

However, I have an idea. After all, the strong ones are the Fallen army, and Bishibosh itself is at most a slightly tougher elite-level monster. This is its biggest weakness.