Leaving the range of the array, Xiao Jie and Chen Tianwen didn’t speak.
They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a long while, Xiao Jie finally couldn’t hold back a sigh: "This battle is not going to be easy."
Indeed, it’s not easy. We originally thought we could defeat these three World Bosses one by one. No matter how strong you are, we have four experts on our side, plus a bunch of players hitching a fight, we should win somehow.
But unexpectedly, hearing Wang Xie and Long Wushang’s meaning, these two World Bosses plan to team up to defend their home, what the heck is this?
Even more trouble is that another World Boss—the Beihai Demon Dragon hasn’t appeared. Xiao Jie had previously speculated that the Beihai Demon Dragon might be some sort of summoning beast, mount, or guardian divine beast related to Long Wushang. In other words, if a fight breaks out, there’s a good chance these three World Bosses will appear together.
This is just impossible to fight!
Though the Nine Provinces Alliance Army has the Four Great Masters, Xiao Jie previously witnessed their strength. Compared to World Bosses of the same level, they’re still significantly weaker. They struggled when facing those two World Bosses barely over level fifty with a four-on-one battle. Now with a four-on-three, and against three top-tier World Bosses, it’s like serving themselves up on a plate.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jie had already decided that if the Alliance Army insisted on a beheading tactic again, he would absolutely not participate.
However—the reconnaissance this time revealed many doubts to him, those demon talisman writings, why did they appear in the array? Moreover, they seemed to be part of the array. It’s obvious Wang Xie has some further scheme.
And previously, Wang Xie clearly said he would overturn the chessboard and smash the pieces. Could it be that breaking the enemy with Long Wushang is supposedly that move? It doesn’t seem that simple.
Xiao Jie felt that there was still some plot behind Wang Xie, but with too little information, it was hard to determine.
Hearing Xiao Jie’s sigh, Chen Tianwen chuckled, "Heh, what’s so hard about it? I actually think there’s much worth doing in this battle." Chen Tianwen’s unexpectedly relaxed tone made Xiao Jie intuitively feel that Chen Tianwen seemed to know something he didn’t.
"I say, Master Chen, so confident? Did you spot some flaw?"
"There is indeed a flaw. Let’s talk about it when we return."
Half an hour later, the two returned to the Alliance Camp.
Now the forces of the Three States had already reached the borders of each state, gathering at the junction of the Three States. There wasn’t just the main armies of the Three States but also troops from the Ritian Kingdom, Dragon Soaring Country, and envoys from other states. A new Qiankun Shift Array was constructed at the rear of the camp, ready to transport reinforcements from other states when the battle starts, to launch a combined attack.
Players were naturally not in short supply. At each camp’s NPC officer locations, players were continuously picking up and turning in missions – reconnoitering enemy information, assassinating enemy generals, eliminating enemy spies, collecting materials, crafting military equipment... There were innumerable tasks.
Both combat players and life-focused players could participate.
Not only were the mission rewards generous, but each mission also granted Nine States reputation, which was shared across all Nine States; in other words, increasing your reputation in one was applicable to all, making it very worthwhile.
Xiao Jie was the Prime Minister of Dragon Soaring Country (a newly appointed position), and Wentian Wuji was the strategist for this Alliance Army. Naturally, they had free passage and entered the Alliance Camp. At this moment, the Three States’ Governors, Six Army Generals, state envoys, along with the high-ranking officials from Ritian Kingdom and Dragon Soaring Country, were having a meeting here.
This meeting just continued for days. As long as the grand battle hadn’t started yet, it would keep going.
Occasionally, players came to submit reports from reconnoitering enemy information tasks.
Reconnoitering the enemy’s main array was considered one of the highest difficulty tasks; getting just a bit of information could exchange for military merit rewards, so only experts took them.
When the two of them walked in, they saw a few members of the Wind Hunting Group lamenting to the Dragon Soaring General of Flowing Fire State.
"Wuuu, we brothers risked our lives to complete the reconnaissance mission, General, you can’t betray us now."
"Brave warriors, no need for grief. Our Alliance Army shall not shortchange men of merit. The Returning Villager who died heroically will be enshrined in the Heroic Martyrs Temple and receive incense from future generations, while your brave feats will also be rewarded accordingly. Based on your performances during the mission, you will receive the following rewards..."
Upon hearing this, they immediately stopped lamenting. The Wind Hunting Group was different from other major guilds formed offline; it consisted entirely of solo players. Although they got along pretty well usually, they weren’t that bonded, so if a teammate died, they just died. Rewards are what truly matter.
The reason for their weeping was also to secure more rewards—in cases where a teammate dies during a mission, they could earn an additional 20% in reputation and money rewards.
Xiao Jie was speechless seeing their performance. He looked around but didn’t see Flipped Cake, and a sense of unease suddenly rose in his heart.
Wait a minute, the unlucky soul who got shot by an arrow couldn’t have been—
Xiao Jie instinctively sent a private message to Flipped Cake.
[System prompt: The person you messaged does not exist.]
Damn, it really was him.
Xiao Jie couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Although their relationship was ordinary, they had formed teams before, so they were acquaintances. Flipped Cake had said earlier that he found a guaranteed winning strategy and an undying trick, yet not even two days passed before he met his end.