Chapter 125: The Army Approaches the Village Outskirts

Li Ren rode Maomao as they soared through the sky, with Lania closely following behind. During the time Li Ren had Maomao, both Shadow and Lania had each secured their own mounts.

Lania’s mount was a magical beast resembling an eagle—something Li Ren had never seen before and couldn’t quite identify. Judging by its speed alone, however, it was incredibly fast; the path it left behind was a faint gray streak. Following closely behind Maomao was effortless, and faintly, it seemed to even hold a slight advantage in speed.

Li Ren found himself somewhat intrigued by Lania’s mount, but at such a high altitude, conversation was clearly impractical, so he set the thought aside.

The vampire legion trailed behind the two, and their massive formation caused quite a commotion wherever they passed. Their imposing presence turned heads everywhere.

As they drew closer to player territories, the number of players increased noticeably. For those who wisely stepped aside without conflict, the legion’s passage meant little, but for the reckless few who blocked the path, consequences were severe.

The vampire legion made no distinction between players or monsters—any obstacle that emitted even the slightest sign of aggression was judged as hostile, prompting immediate slaughter. It seemed that in these player-controlled lands, none of the legion’s enemies had any intention of defending themselves against this formidable force averaging around level 90.

Thus, any who dared block their way—be they monsters or players—were mercilessly wiped out. The legion’s speed was truly unmatched; streaks of blood-red shadows tore across the land, leaving no trace on the ground.

As the destination neared, Li Ren slowed his pace, and Lania naturally followed suit. The two hovered in the sky, awaiting the arrival of the vampire legion behind them.

They did not have to wait long before the legion caught up. The brief pause tested Li Ren’s patience; in the current situation, it was bearable, but if they faced an equally matched enemy, the blatant approach would give the opposition ample time to fully prepare.

If only there were a way to swiftly transport these forces directly into battle—then their strategy would be flawless. Li Ren mused on this, though he knew such a thing was nearly impossible.

If it were possible, the significance of castles in this game would vanish completely. Any group could employ a form of teleportation to instantly send a horde of vampire soldiers into enemy cities to wreak havoc and complete objectives effortlessly.

Such an obvious exploit would never be allowed by the system—it would be swiftly patched out.

So, a little delay was acceptable. Even if players knew they were coming to stir trouble, few could mount a defense strong enough to stop them. Moreover, their immediate goal was not just to slaughter these foolish players but to draw out Solon. The fools were merely a distraction—a fuse to light the real fire.

Li Ren gazed at the rapidly approaching vampire legion with satisfaction.

Without teleportation or other speed-enhancing means, these creatures had traversed an immense distance on foot, lagging by only about an hour behind their airborne mounts—an impressive feat beyond the reach of ordinary players.

Even with their own ground mounts, most players would struggle to achieve such a march speed unless they possessed exceptionally rare and powerful steeds.

Ahead stretched a vast plain, with the guild strongholds of the Frenzied Frontline and the Wild Lions at opposite ends. The situation demanded a choice.

Li Ren, observing the formidable vampire legion behind him, pondered briefly before steering the entire force eastward.

That was the more distant player stronghold, farther from other player territories. If any unexpected events arose, retreat would be simpler from there.

Facing only one front also minimized the risk of being encircled by players.

Should those players be bold enough to gather a large force and attempt to surround Li Ren’s group—combined with the strong guards stationed in the village—the situation could become troublesome indeed.

Choosing the more remote stronghold was a prudent decision.

With Li Ren’s change of course, their target was now clear to the players awaiting them.

The Wild Lions, a rising player guild, were backed by considerable influence. Their guild leader was a notable figure in the real world, at least locally.

His family business was a regional powerhouse, firmly controlling the local economic lifeline.

Though society outwardly promoted anti-monopoly rhetoric, seemingly fostering competition among many companies, in reality, the major players within the industry all traced back to the same core interests.

This was an open secret.

Upon receiving reports from his subordinates, the Wild Lions’ leader, Lion King Lilan, darkened visibly.

He had already begun defensive preparations after hearing of activity in Falling Cloud City—not because of prescience, but because recent events left him no choice.

Recalling his private observations of the strange level rankings placing Solon far ahead of other players by nearly double, and the information Solon had casually shared during their talks, a fierce fire ignited in his eyes.

“If what that man says is true, then losing this base wouldn’t be such a disaster. But until then, we must defend it as best we can—no action is too small; every bit counts,” Lion King Lilan murmured to himself, gazing into the distance from a watchtower.

“Hmm? What did you say? Falling Cloud City is attacking the Wild Lions?” Nearby, the Frenzied Frontline had received the same intelligence.

Their guild leader was similar in stature to Lilan in the real world, and after a brief moment of consideration, he contacted Lion King Lilan.

Soon, a squad of well-equipped players burst forth from the Frenzied Frontline’s stronghold, racing straight toward the Wild Lions’ position.

Farther off, in Watchtower City, more players arrived via teleportation, gathering rapidly at the point closest to the Wild Lions.

With various intentions, the players began converging swiftly toward that direction.