Chapter 529: Squad Theory

“What can we do with the squads? Are we going in with mere AIs?” Xiong Da asked, and Jin shook his head.

“Nope, they will fight based on your orders. Right now, you have access to basic commands like charge, unite, fall back as this is still in progress. When the new experimental instances come out, there will be more advanced commands for you to use. You can tell them how you want to attack or even join another squad temporarily to boost their members.” Jin answered as if Xiong Da would be able to have control a fully sentient squad of AI.

“So how we use it efficiently totally depends on us?” Luo Bo asked, and Jin nodded.

“Yeah, that is assuming you want to have full control of the squad. Actually, on second thought, go ahead and try those individual commands. However, if the squad does not respond in your favour, my servers will still record what’s happening, and I will take a look to rectify them in the future.” Jin replied since they were here to do some debugging for the new NPCs.

“But if those squads do not work as intended, do not blame them if you lose the special challenge.” Jin chuckled as he looked at the two of them who inadvertently agreed to those conditions.

Aside from orders, Jin told them they had currently three squad personnel under them. As they levelled up their squads, the cultivators had the chance to increase the number of personnel under them, and that was why Jin had previously mentioned that they could eventually hold a battalion(s) when their squad levels were high enough.

The Pandawans were excited over this particular new feature as they believed Jin could possibly prepare instances like inter cultivator war games and allow them to mimic grand battles. Instead of just being a small little part like in those Goblin Raid instances, they would be the grand generals leading them to victory.

“While you cannot customise how the squad member’s faces look like, we will offer themes for the masks like Tribal Masks, Cyberpunk masks, and maybe limited theme masks though that would be for the future.” Jin started to explain the features of the squads.

“As of right now, you can buy weapons, or even give them your existing array of weapons and armour but you have to understand that the Squad is a very complex kind of feature that I am going for because it is realistic.”

“Basically equipping a squad is similar to equipping a group of people in real life?” Xiong Da leaned forward and queried.

“Yes! So while your squad levels limits how many squad members, you can command, your squad personnel themselves have their very own Grades, and according to the way you use them they can even develop basic personalities.” Jin revealed more about the squads, shocking his listeners.

“For example, if you keep using Squad Personnel 3 for scouting purposes, they will eventually get more agile than say the one you kept behind for sniping reasons, with the latter developing higher accuracy stats.”

“So, if it eventually grows into a battalion, you are saying we will be managing a group of 100 odd people?” Shi Zuo felt overwhelmed all of a sudden at the thought of it.

“If you wish to micromanage them all, yes. But because it’s still in development, things can change. For example, the battalion stats will be dependent on platoons. And each of those platoons will be based on the highest level squad personnel leading it.”

“Currenlty, what I envision platoons are based on the main type of weapons they are using and the stats of the highest level squad personnel. If it’s is a sword platoon, their entire group stats will lean towards melee strength and higher defence.”

“The Squad Personnel leading the platoon will then further enhance the platoon’s stats as well. By then, you should be macro managing platoons and the amount of experience earnt would be spread evenly throughout the platoon.” Jin said, and the Pandawans had a rough idea.

“Of course, it will also depend on my servers if such a theory could be transposed into a practical setting, else I need to set a limit. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves first. If the prototype turns out bad, that means there’s no platoons or battalions in the near future.” Jin put a damper on their mood, and they laughed at him to console him.

“Knowing you Boss, you will get it to work. I look forward to those war games. Even if there are no platoons or battalions, having a squad will be decent enough if I do not have Shi Zuo or Luo Bo to play with.” Xiong Da stated, and Luo Bo gave a ‘pfft’ sound out.

“Don’t think that some sweet words will earn you mercy points. I intend to give it my all for a customised plushie!” Luo Bo replied in a challenge and Jin bitterly laughed at this.

“Will I have a squad too?” Yang Ling asked as she was standing upright at the side of the room.

“Yes, you will.” Jin nodded his head, and the rest except for Xiong Da was a bit curious why the daughter of the Tiger Head who had been in a wheelchair just moments ago was suddenly able to stand.

“She should be wearing a support aid that helps with walking. A friend of mine bought something similar from the Tigers. It had helped her tremendously and seeing how the Tiger Princess can walk with it too, confirms that the 3rd daughter of the Tiger Lord was trying to keep a low profile.” Xiong Da explained to them with his current insights.

“That is correct. Thus I hope all of you will keep quiet about this particular situation. In return, I am prepared to offer you a token of appreciation by sponsoring your squads with the weapons and armours needed.” Yang Ling offered as she asked Jin to transfer their expenses to her account.

“That is fine by me. Do you wish for us to swear an oath of the Heavenly Five Elements Tribulation?” Shi Zuo asked, and Luo Bo smacked his head for offering something so severe as a pledge of silence.

“I do not require something so severe and archaic. Just a promise will be fine.” Yang Ling smiled coldly, and they nodded their heads slowly.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s buy stuff! Oh, wait. Boss Jin. My privilege rights are still valid for this store correct?” Xiong Da bragged indirectly, and Jin nodded his head quietly.

“While, I might have given you the impression that it’s for life, it’s actually only until you have reached three times your donation, after that, I will need to charge you. To other people, it should most likely suffice for life…but probably not for you.” Jin shrugged his shoulders.

“How much did he donate exactly?” Luo Bo asked, and Shi Zuo directed her to the Pandamonium App’s donation audit report, which was all pristine clear how much was donated. “HOLY FUCK! Shit?! You had that kind of money?! You thieving hippo of a lawyer! If I do not defeat you in this special challenge, I cannot be called Luo Bo!”

“Hehe! Try me, little rabbit.” Xiong Da scoffed at her as he ran out of the conference room and into the weapons and armoury instance where Luo Bo relentlessly chased after him. (Not before Shi Zuo tried to hold and calm her down.)

“I guess…I will just buy the weapons and armour on my phone…” The Egret cultivator told Shi Zuo, who was already dead beat from entertaining his energetic girlfriend.

“Doing the same as well.” Yang Ling stood at the corner of the conference room which left Shi Zuo sighing before he went after his girlfriend to stop Luo Bo from causing more of a ruckus.

Jin smiled as he looked at his phone. “Ah, it appears Grandma Yuan is looking for me.”

“You’re not planning to join the special challenge?” Yang Ling asked, and Jin shook his head.

“You should know that Grandma Yuan does not like waiting for others, but I might join you later. Yun will be overseeing the whole thing in the meantime.” Jin answered though Yang Ling felt it was a poor excuse.

A little disappointed, she waved him goodbye, and when he vanished from sight, she uttered.

“Idiot Jin…”