Chapter 932 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 932: Shocked All Around "Brother, this fish soup is really delicious." In the alley of Blackwater. Near the northern part of the city, in a makeshift shack, a thin young man stood around a mud-colored pot, watching his older brother ladle a milky white fish soup into a bowl. His mouth watered at the sight. The elder brother grinned and lifted an eyebrow with pride. "Smells good, doesn’t it? I learned it from a guy over at Silver Moon Bay." As for who the guy from Silver Moon Bay learned from, he wasn't sure himself. It was said to be from the River Valley province. The man's name was Saiyi, and his younger brother was named Saide. Both were from Shezhou, living to the west near the Gray Wolf Army's camp. A few months ago, they heard from traveling merchants passing through their village that the Southern Legion was fiercely battling the great leader Absek in the north. With ammunition in short supply at the front, working for the Villante at Eternal Night Harbor could earn one a fortune in gold coins, prompting him to bring his younger brother here to make a living. He didn't feel much guilt about working for the Villante, only worried that his Boruo identity might be discovered, leading to a beating. Upon arrival, he realized his worries were unwarranted. A good number of Boruo people were unloading cannonballs for the Villante at Eternal Night Harbor, and some even traded with them. Those big-nosed folks didn’t care if they were Boruo or some other desert tribe, equally discriminating against all who were not like themselves. Except for the "Blue Groundhog" they couldn't defeat for the moment. Of course, during these tense times, rarely anyone from the Alliance came over. He handed the bowl to his brother, who eagerly tasted the creamy soup, his face immediately displaying an ecstatic expression as he drained it in one go. "This flavor is incredible!" Seeing his brother's exaggerated reaction, Saiyi laughed and lightly scolded, "Such a lack of experience," before tasting the soup himself, his eyes involuntarily lighting up. The moment the soup flowed into his stomach, a warm current surged from his abdomen to his head, enveloping his entire body in cozy warmth, indescribably pleasant and soothing! "Incredible" was no exaggeration! Isn’t the essence of life to savor a taste like this? He savored it slowly, mulling it over. Meanwhile, still unsatisfied, Saide helped himself to another bowl, slurping it down between mouthfuls while questioning nonstop. "Brother, where did you get this fish? Never seen you fetch this before." Saiyi chuckled. "Remember the guy from the family association across the street? He took us to pick it up by the shore." Saide widened his eyes. "Picked, picked up? Brother, is it okay to eat dead fish?" Though his words were fearful, he never stopped sipping the soup, finishing half a bowl in no time. Annoyed by his ominous talk, Saiyi playfully smacked the back of his brother's head. "What nonsense are you spouting about dead fish! They were fine when I found them! And I wasn’t the only one picking them, lots of people did!" His brother looked aggrieved as he rubbed his head and scooted to the side of their shack. "But... why would perfectly good fish wash ashore for no reason?" Saiyi rolled his eyes at him. "Who knows, but free fish soup and you still can't stop talking! Why bother about such things?" Besides, the family association guys also ate it. They wouldn’t deceive their own kin, would they? They were like brothers! The two brothers stopped chit-chatting, taking turns drinking from the pot until they finished it, one a bit anxious, the other content. Once done, they tidied up the dishes, then lounged lazily under the shack. The day had been intense, the Alliance forcing the legion back into the northern concrete buildings. Seeing the big noses suffer a loss, prisoners from the Katernod Prison fled home, and the entire port was in chaos. He didn't care who won; it was all the same to him. He just wanted to start working and earning again soon. Dreaming of a prosperous return home, Saiyi couldn’t help but grin as if he was already living in a massive mansion, with beautiful wives by his side. The villagers looked at him with envy, the village chief praising him for his success, and Old Zayed kindly inviting him to take a prestigious position, respectfully seeking advice on wealth from him. Saiyi shyly smiled but couldn't resist the admiring gazes and eventually chose to show off, reaching into his chest. The coins the Villante gave him seemed to possess some magical power. As he slapped them onto the ground, a skyscraper rose at once, large enough to house thousands. At that moment, all the admiring eyes looked upon him as if he were a living god, filling him with unspeakable joy and contentment. Isn't life about achieving both fame and fortune? As the saying goes, master one's skills and offer them to the king's court. Being able to evoke that earnest look in Old Zayed’s eyes made his life worthwhile! He didn't care much about the welfare of the villagers, but that "earnest" gaze struck a chord in him. In his delight, Saiyi scattered more “golden coins,” filling the ground with thousands of grand mansions and roads. Everyone wore a beaming smile, including Old Zayed. The harmonious scene was a win-win all around. Though the gold quickly ran out, Saiyi didn’t fret, merely bowing to Old Zayed. “No rush, sir. Villante's coins are easy to come by. I have strength and will gather more for you.” Saying so, he slapped his knee, stood up, and staggered onto the street, seemingly transported back to the distant Eternal Night Harbor. He remembered the Villante were somewhere in the north and headed in that direction. However, he didn’t notice that there were many others like him. One stumbling figure after another left their homes as if on cue, like puppets on strings, all headed in the same direction. Night had already fallen on the streets, yet the fighting in the settlement continued. The Garrison Commander, Stanford, was still ranting about a decisive battle with the Alliance and the Enterprise, committing to live and die with the legion. Certainly, the Alliance wasn’t going to let him go. The Jungle Legion and Villante First Expeditionary Division were attacking the northern district head-on, while the Enterprise's 100th Mountain Division cut off the link between the northern district and Blackwater Alley, preventing the Southern Legion's remnants from escaping. The crackling gunfire resembled fireworks, yet Saiyi, walking towards it step by step, seemed not to hear it. Only when he crossed through the combat zone, standing at the center of a street where the Enterprise and the legion were fighting, did either side notice this unexpected influx. Seeing civilians suddenly appearing on the street, Tang Feng, lying behind cover, was shocked, urgently shouting at the staggering figures. "Hey! Go back! This is the front line! Are you guys out of your minds?" Yet, the man seemed not to hear, merely turning stiffly, asking in the direction of the voice. "Villante?" Tang Feng was momentarily confused, not understanding his meaning, but still shouted. "Yes! Villante! They’re right across from us, and those curs haven’t given up yet!" "Across..." The dull eyes gradually gleamed with light. As if finding a target, Saiyi suddenly quickened his pace, staggeringly jogging towards the continuous gunfire on the opposite side. He ran while shouting in a fervent voice. "Hey! Do you need people? I have strength, I can help you carry ammunition!" Not only did he start running, but everyone who had wandered from Blackwater Alley accelerated, fearlessly charging forward, afraid they’d miss their turn. The swell of heads numbered over a thousand, packing the quiet street within breaths. Not just Tang Feng and the rest of his squad were stunned, even the Villante soldiers behind their cover were taken aback. "Get out! Damn it! Can’t this bunch of animals understand human speech?" The Villante gunner was dripping sweat, finger brushing the trigger, yelling at the surge of people, trying to scare them away. If there were just one or two eye-sores, he wouldn't hesitate, but facing thousands, he couldn’t bring himself to act. Though a bit of conscience lingered in him, his superior had none. The red-eyed centurion pulled his gun on him, roaring viciously. "Fire!!" "But—" "I told you to fire!!" No one could guarantee whether this was a ploy orchestrated by the Alliance. What if there were Alliance members hidden among them? He couldn’t take that risk! Saying so, the centurion raised his rifle and fired a shot into the crowd rushing towards him like zombies. One unlucky soul was hit and silently fell to the ground. "Argh!!!" Witnessing the bloody battlefield, the young Villante soldier manning the machine gun roared in red-eyed fury, finally driving away the cowardice in his chest as he squeezed the trigger. With a burst of gunfire echoing "rat-a-tat-tat," the street was instantly mowed down like wheat, leaving behind a mire of blood and flesh. Both sides had bloodshot eyes. Tang Feng threw caution to the wind about discipline and led his squad out of cover, charging at the enemy lines under the protection of a drone. Though the Enterprise soldiers clearly had a far superior arsenal, the Villante across were no pushovers. Being a derivative of the Holistic Lifeform project, warfare seemed ingrained in their veins, certified by the technology of the Prosperous Era. Thus began the firefight between the two sides across a line of civilians. Reluctant to cause civilian casualties, Tang Feng’s squad fell into a momentary disadvantage, with two comrades getting shot and dragged away. The Villante also cursed the Enterprise and Alliance for unscrupulously pushing civilians to the front lines as cannon fodder. The battle raged for a full half-hour, leaving only a few survivors clinging to life on the street, gasping on the ground. Like Saiyi. Lying on the ground, Saiyi awoke from his dream fully, feeling a chill seeing the thick pools of blood around him. Where was he? He wanted to cry, but no sound came out, his mouth stuffed with invisible cotton. Only now did he realize a gaping hole in his chest through which his intestines had spilled out. Gunfire roared like echoes behind walls, fighter jets screamed past overhead, yet these sounds faded from his hearing. With what little consciousness remained, he witnessed what seemed to be a victory for the Enterprise, as the big-nosed men raised white flags, abandoning their weapons. Broadcasts on the street seemed to announce the capture of the City Defense Commander Stanford and his guards by the Alliance’s Jungle Legion. It was clear not all Villante wished to live or die with the Southern Legion. Tiel? Who was that? Their loyalty had always been solely to Marshal Yurius... Slowly, Saiyi heard nothing anymore. At that moment, an armored vehicle arrived from the direction of the port, and from it stepped two high-ranking officers. One was a division commander, the other a staff officer. Gazing at the bodies lining Glorious Street, the resolute-faced division commander was visibly moved, and the staff officer beside him couldn't help but remark. "This is too tragic..." The entire street was stained red with blood and entrails, making it impossible to find a place to step. The commander, expressionless, walked up to Tang Feng, sternly questioning the dirt-covered young man. "What happened here! You were ordered to hold your position! Who authorized the attack?" "I..." Faced with such an accusatory barrage, Tang Feng was at a loss for words, unable to articulate an explanation. The situation was so bizarre that he struggled to recount the sequence of events. A crowd suddenly rushed forward, prompting the Villante to open fire, forcing them to fight back. Just as they were about to capture the enemy's position, allies on the other side successfully wiped out the command post, leading the remaining Villante to surrender on their own. As for the unfortunate dead... The heated rescue attempt they launched didn't save anyone. "...I'll await your report." Casting an eye over the nearby prisoners and injured soldiers on stretchers, the commander glared darkly at Tang Feng before returning to the vehicle. With the engine roaring, the vehicle pulled away, leaving only a few soldiers from the Villante Expeditionary Force behind. They had rushed over upon learning of the situation here. Kuruan, carrying an LD-47 rifle, stepped forward, squatting down to frown at the mass of bodies, dipping a finger in blood to sniff. An Enterprise soldier glanced at him. "Smell anything?" Kuruan stood up, shook his head. "No." His nose wasn't a microscope; if he could smell something, that would indeed be strange. Still, from the heap of bodies, he did sense a whiff of conspiracy. Suddenly, something flashed in his mind. Could it be... Snake Oil?! Seeing this fellow put on a show only to come up with nothing, the Enterprise soldier scoffed and looked away. What a waste of such a large nose. Nearby, two soldiers watching the prisoners smoked casually, idly chatting away. "Damn, what a mess. We couldn't stop them, and now our captain got blamed." "Why didn't they just fight for that Absek guy if they were so fearless?" "Who knows, why don't you wake one up and ask?" "Screw you." The soldier, bantering yet subdued, cast a glance at the corpses strewn nearby, falling into silent contemplation. He couldn't fathom why they would act this way. More lives lost, seemingly in vain... ... Norton City. In the solemn, imposing castle, the candles placed before the statue of Marshal Yurius had extinguished, leaving only golden candlesticks. By the traditions of the Villante, when the final candle at a funeral goes out, it signifies the departed's spirit has crossed to another world. However, the longing for the deceased and the pain of loss do not simply vanish with their departure. Like Salem now, sitting before the statue of Marshal Yurius, his expression stern. The golden armor worn for the funeral had been swapped for silken ceremonial robes; the aching in his shoulders eased, yet the weight on his heart grew only heavier. Now Emperor and Chancellor of the Eastern Empire, he wielded supreme power, as millions hung on his every word—a fulfillment of his desires... Yet, for some reason, the joy and exhilaration in his heart vanished within a single day, leaving only blandness and emptiness. He had obtained what he sought long ago; the only change was swapping the Marshal's title for Emperor, no longer overshadowed by a god on his deathbed. Beyond that, there was no real difference. Conversely, his considerations had more than doubled. People wouldn't transfer their loyalty to Marshal Yurius onto him after his passing. Not even he would. No longer could he defer everything to loyalty; he now had to ponder the path ahead on his own. Every step henceforth ventured uncharted territory, without a chance to turn back. Only now did he comprehend what exactly esteemed Marshal Yurius had shielded them from. "…I had thought I would feel joy a little longer, yet it lasted but a single day. Now I doubt the sincerity of those cheers, the loyalty of those professing allegiance to me." "Perhaps my advisors are right; the Empire and Emperor may not be the best choice, choosing yesterday means leaving today's problems for tomorrow… Am I right, esteemed Marshal Yurius?" Burying his face in his hands, he inhaled deeply, murmuring like a prayer. "When we march forth, seeking to forge history, oblivious to finding ourselves entangled in its currents, becoming the inevitable before the inevitable… only you could have understood my troubles." Sadly, he could only confide his inner thoughts to Marshal Yurius alone. His sigh echoed through the grand hall, like the tolling bell at dusk. He never harbored grand ambitions or dreams, only wishing to be a steward monarch. And so did nearly all the military nobility of the Eastern Legion. The solemn, majestic statue of Yurius continued to gaze intently, its bravery and wisdom no longer shared, unable to guide the people through future fogs. That was history now. As Salem was lost in his memories, the sound of footsteps echoed through the great hall's entrance. A centurion stepped forward and stood in front of him, saluting respectfully. "Your Majesty, Evernight Harbor has fallen." Salem, who was sitting before the statue, rose to his feet, casting an inquisitive glance at the officer. "When did this happen?" "It was today at noon," the officer said gravely, "I heard the Alliance landed in the morning and drove 20,000 city defenders to the northern district in just two hours." Salem nodded, then asked another question. "What about their fleet?" With a heavy expression, the officer continued, "According to Alliance newspapers... it seems to have been completely annihilated near Seric Island by the Southern Sea Alliance fleet." Salem didn't know where Seric Island was, but hearing that the Southern Legion's fleet was entirely wiped out left him momentarily stunned. Seeing the Emperor deep in thought, the officer anxiously asked, "Are we just going to watch them lose like this?" He wasn't a proponent of eastern expansion and didn't think direct conflict with the Alliance was wise, but Evernight Harbor was nonetheless Villante land. However, he didn’t realize that the initial eastern expansionists didn't propose capturing the Great Rift in such an aggressive stance; they merely advocated for expanding the legion’s territory slightly eastward. Eventually, they became an unstoppable force, only to crash and burn themselves in the end. Salem gave him a meaningful look before shifting his gaze away. "They brought this upon themselves. You'd best not pity them too much... Still, it pains the heart to watch them squander the family fortune. Perhaps we should act." The officer was taken aback. "You mean..." Salem slowly began, "I recall there's a port at the southwestern tip of the Loxia Province, at the end of the Zobar Mountains, directly south of the Falcon Kingdom." The officer nodded, hesitating, "There is a port, but it has no resources, and the Falcon Kingdom hasn't developed it much." The place mainly served as a logistics transit point. Later, they promised the Alliance not to supply military goods to West Sails Port to avoid influencing the Boruo Province situation, and the port was subsequently abandoned. Then someone engineered the West Sails Port incident—no need to mention who—and the port became even more irrelevant. Seeing his subordinate's puzzled expression, Salem smiled faintly and continued in a leisurely voice. "People are a resource, people are wealth… Didn’t someone already demonstrate that for us?" Whether it was Pioneer City or Bist Town, the Alliance placed these outposts at their doorstep intending to subtly transform perceptions of labor and creativity through 'corruption.' He wasn’t blind; he'd seen all the changes in those settlements. All in all, the fall of Evernight Harbor wasn't entirely a bad thing for the nascent Eastern Empire. Not even the 2.7 million square kilometers of colonies controlled by the Southern Legion. If the Alliance truly liberated those areas, the Villante living there would need a new destination. These immigrants wouldn't only bring wealth but also knowledge, technology, and methods and ideas. The nation ZB philosophy might be outdated for the Alliance, but it was perfectly fitting for the Eastern Empire, where economic control lay in the hands of estate lords and military aristocrats. He had a keen interest in how the 'southerners' managed contract labor and was eager to learn in this instance. After a pause, Salem added, "With the fall of Evernight Harbor as a logistics hub, the collapse of the Boruo province front lines is just a matter of time." "I remember McClellan is at West Sails Port. Have him prepare to receive our fellow countrymen and their assets when changes occur." "In the future, the coastal land west of the Zobar Mountains will be our special zone and our outlet to the Eastern world's seas." "Let it be named... New West Sails Port." ... In less than a day, the news of Evernight Harbor's fall spread quickly across the wasteland. Shocked far beyond the Eastern Empire, it reached even the Bugla Free State to the north of the Alliance. At the Firestone Group Tower. Looking through a report handed to him, Sigma's face behind the desk was as ominous as a winter lake. Initially, he hadn't seen the Alliance as a threat, merely a new avenue for profit, like his fellow shareholders. Yet, upon realizing it, the once babbling infant had grown into a terrifying giant. Their possession surpassed mere military might; their pervasive ideology was equally unsettling. In attempting to corrupt the Alliance's bastion with crime, they found themselves simultaneously eroded by the Alliance's egalitarian ideas. Once the Alliance weathered their corrupt efforts, closing legal loopholes, leaving Bugla's shrewd merchants no options but to do honest business, the Alliance's promotion of equality became an unstoppable jinx. More Free State residents were starting to see where the real issues lay. While the Great Rift occasionally produced absurdities, it was never their direct oppressor. The real source was unfettered power monopolizing everything. That was the root of it all! Conversely, equality seeped into every nook of the Free State like poison. Should the masses buy into the Alliance's rhetoric, the Free State was truly doomed. If they had capitalized on the fall of Boulder City to eliminate these interlopers with the old nobles rather than grabbing a quick profit... Moreover, he never even secured that weapon! Sigma regretted his momentary greed many times over, yet by now, such musings were too late. Even if Firestone Group wanted to aid the Southern Legion, nothing they did now could change the outcome. Influencing Boruo's political landscape was also unlikely... At that moment, a knock sounded at the office door. Switching off the holographic screen, Sigma twisted his office chair slightly, calling towards the door, "Come in." The door opened from the outside, and in walked a neatly dressed, slightly nervous man. It was none other than Mayor Aldo of the Free State. Seeing Sigma seated behind the desk, Aldo took a deep breath and spoke with tense urgency. "The Alliance has formally submitted a diplomatic request, demanding we hand over Kandra, claiming involvement in the nuclear explosion incident in the Sea Cliff Province—" Sigma, uninterested in the rest, responded nonchalantly. "Then just hand him over." Aldo hesitated, "But... he knows about our cooperation with the Jawbone Tribe and Torch Church, I’m worried he might expose us." "Are you stupid? How can you ask such a foolish question? Do you think I'd let him leave alive?" Sigma scolded impatiently. Hearing this, Aldo twitched his mouth but felt a flood of relief, his tense expression easing slightly. Even though it was the trouble of his predecessor, it was ultimately their mess to clean. "By the way, the Great Rift has invited me to a meeting next month… What's your opinion?" Sigma replied calmly. "Arrange it yourself. I'll contact you if there's anything else." Aldo nodded slightly, humble as a servant. "Understood." To be continued.