Translator: 549690339
General Shuhe leads the fleet with his three warships, closely followed by the players’ three large commercial ships. Several smaller trade ships trail behind.
The fleet rides the waves and continues forward smoothly. The crew obediently carries out their duties; everything is as calm as can be.
Aboard the foremost warship, Su Yu feels invigorated by the wind blasting against her face. Sipping tea brought by a maid, she feels a sense of tranquility.
“Ding! You drank the [Panda Green Tea], you gained 200 experience points.
(Only effective the first time)”
“Oh? It’s a specialty of the Pandamen?” Su Yu scrutinizes the porcelain cup in her hand.
In the game’s setting, the Pandamen Empire is an ancient utopia, reputed for its strength and mystery, as one of the three great empires along with the Goldfinch.
Tea, silk, porcelain, peppercorns, and other products of the Pandamen are considered top-tier luxury items. It’s no surprise that their tea would be a staple beverage for a princess.
“Once ‘A Thousand Cups Unintoxicated’ goes to the Pandamen Empire, we might be able to establish a trade route through his trial. This new trade route is safer and can save half of the time than the old one. If we successfully establish it, we will be earning spiritual energy coins by the handful!” Su Yu’s thoughts drift.
But the princess’s words bring Su Yu back to the present: “Nemesis, if I become the Empress one day, what reward would you like?”
“If possible, I would like to serve as your Trade Minister, protecting the overseas trade of the Empire!” replies Su Yu.
The Trade Minister is one of the most profitable positions in the empire, but it’s difficult for a player to ascend to that rank.
“I see…” The princess seems slightly disappointed.
She had initially thought that Nemesis would demand a rank equal to or higher than a count and control over vast territories. She hasn’t expected Nemesis to settle for something as low as a trade minister.
“Never mind, we’ll see how he performs in the future! If he does well, in addition to the trade minister, I can even get him ennobled as a count.”
The princess no longer looks at Su Yu, instead she turns to the view outside the window.
Aboard the large commercial ship trailing behind.
Many players, touring the ship out of curiosity, are setting foot in this old-style sailing boat for the first time.
And many are wielding their weapons, shouting intensely:
“This is it, the sea where a man’s romance lives!”
“I will become the King of Pirates!”
“I will be the Pirate King!”
“You three are idiots! This is a river, not a sea!”
Snow Leopard stands near the aft window on the second deck.
He encroaches upon the window, a crease furrowing his forehead, unlike the other players who are brimming with curiosity.
Eventually, he murmurs, “Something’s not right.”
“Mr. Zhong, what’s the matter?” Truth of Range looks towards him.
“Take a look at those small ships trailing us. There’s something strange about them.”
Snow Leopard points to the various small ships outside the window.
Truth of Range sighs, “There’s nothing wrong with those ships. They’re just ordinary trading vessels. ”
“Before we embarked, Mr. Tang and I inspected the vessels. They’re all manned by ordinary NPC merchants. These NPC merchants wanted to deliver goods to a location not far downstream. By following us, they can fend off attacks from water bandits.”
Unbreakable Alliance, standing nearby, also nodded, “That’s right. Both Mr. Yellow and I had boarded the ships before we set off. Other than the merchants and sailors, there are only some large wooden boxes filled with goods on board. There shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Large wooden boxes?” Snow Leopard piques interest, “What’s inside the boxes?”
“We didn’t check, but they should be goods. Mr. Zhong, surely you don’t suspect…”
As he’s about to finish his sentence, Truth of Range abruptly stops speaking.
Through the aft window, he clearly sees water ghosts, dressed in black diving suits, suddenly appearing atop the small trade ships following them before diving into the water with a splash.
“Under attack! Brace yourselves!”
Snow Leopard’s voice echoes over the wide river.
All laughter and noise from the players abruptly ceases.
Through messages broadcasted in the chatroom, they’re informed that the impending threat isn’t coming from ahead, but from behind!
The players hurriedly prepare for battle.
And then Su Yu announces her branching task:
“Player Nemesis offers you the task[Protect the Merchant Ships], do you accept?”
“Ding! Congratulations, you’ve triggered the side task of the Scenario, Battle Campaign[Protect the Merchant Ships].”
“Task requirements: Ensure that the damage to the three merchant ships doesn’t exceed 40%. Current damage: 0%.”
“Task rewards: 750 experience points, 5 spiritual energy coins.”
“Player Nemesis offers you the task[Slay the Water Ghosts]…”
“Ding! Congratulations, you’ve triggered the side task of the Scenario, Battle Campaign[Slay the Water Ghosts].”
“Task requirements: Repel the water ghosts attacking the merchant ships.”
“Task rewards: 750 experience points, 5 spiritual energy coins.”
“Player Nemesis offers you the task[Counterattack: Occupation]…”
“Ding! Congratulations, you’ve triggered the side task of the Scenario, Battle
Campaign[Counterattack: Occupation].”
“Task requirements: Capture 10 of the ships carrying water ghosts from behind. Progress: (0/10).”
“Task rewards: 900 experience points, 6 spiritual energy coins.”
With a wave of her hand, Su Yu issues the three tasks.
The players are overjoyed; their blood boiled.
2400 experience points!
They’re receiving 2400 experience points right as the task commences. The rewards for this task are far too generous!
Excited and eager for the upcoming battle against the water ghosts, the players flex their knuckles in preparation.
Snow Leopard immediately broadcasts the command in all chatrooms.
Soon after the command was issued, the three player-controlled merchant ships began to slow down, gradually turning around.
Under Su Yu’s request, the three system-controlled warships up front also began to slow down, turning around to prepare for a face-off with the water ghosts.
Archers and mages walk to the side of the ships, indiscriminately firing towards the water beneath or casting [Ice Arrows]
Even though arrows and the [Ice Arrows] will lose their power after entering the water, the players have an advantage—their numbers!
Under the dense cover of arrows and magic, blood soon began to rise to the surface of the water.
It’s clear that some of the water ghosts lurking beneath had been wounded.
The water ghosts realize their plan to sink the ships won’t work.
Because they’re underwater and can’t leverage their strength, it will take a considerable amount of time to make holes in the ships. Given that the player’s attacks are so concentrated, they might turn into “frozen hedgehogs” before they can even breach the ship.
Thus, the water ghosts abandon their plan to sink the ships and begin to engage directly.
The water surface explodes in succession, and shadowy figures burst from the water, landing elegantly and lightly on the deck and the sides of the ship like nimble birds.
The archers and mages standing on the side of the ship are taken by surprise, turning into beams of white light under the water ghosts’ longswords.
But, the melee players on the ship react quickly, rushing headlong into the water ghosts.
With six ships serving as the battlefield, a brutal fight gradually begins..