SWNOVELS Chapter 105.1: Weisshem Defense Battle
Chapter 105.1: Weisshem Defense Battle
Rex was basically an open book to Ji Tang. Everything from how he became Weisshem's new lord to Lord Yang's peculiar dealings in Indahl was known to Ji Tang.
Just with his intuition, Ji Tang didn't even need the expert task force's analysis to know that Weisshem would face a batter sooner or later. A predatory ruling class in any world definitely wouldn't be benign. Lord Yang had forcibly stripped off a piece of juicy meat from Indahl's lord, and even if the latter had endured it at the time, he would likely seek revenge later.
As for why Lord Yang didn't seem worried about this matter, and didn't even consider establishing a border outpost for defense, Ji Tang could roughly understand.
If Indahl's lord, due to embarrassment and anger, sent men to Weisshem to plunder and kill, Lord Yang might enthusiastically watch on. Having the largest local feudal lord voluntarily pop up to be the antagonist to draw the hatred of the common folk just as he was worried about how to win the people's hearts would be like a free handout.
If Indahl's lord really did so, Ji Tang didn't doubt that Lord Yang would follow Liu Bei's example and bring Weisshem's population back to Exile Town. It would be a free windfall of over ten thousand people, and Lord Yang would be a fool not to take advantage of it. [TL note: reference to a story from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.]
The situation at present didn't appear like it would escalate too extremely. The mounted armored troops were just swaggering on the main road to the town in broad daylight. It was more likely that their purpose was military deterrence rather than armed conflict.
However… Ji Tang didn't think that the Indahl Lord would achieve his goal of military deterrence.
He was able to see the flashy armor of these soldiers and their handsome, high-headed horses even from such a distance away. From the logical viewpoint of any player… this just seemed like equipment-dropping human-shaped monsters were delivering themselves to the front door.
With a gaze full of immense sympathy (schadenfreude), Ji Tang pulled Rex away.
Rex, puzzled, asked, "Aren't we going back to report on this?"
"Um… No need. Let's continue with the village groundwork," Ji Tang said, glancing at the system announcement that just appeared on his player panel. It seemed that Lord Yang didn't let the natives see this information.
Thinking back to the Camore private thugs still slaving away as laborers in Desolate Outpost, Ji Tang effortlessly understood the intentions of Lord Yang, the alleged compatriot from China.contemporary romance
"What??" Rex's head was filled with question marks.
"Rex, just remember that we never saw this group of armed cavalry. These people have never come to Weisshem and we know nothing about it. No matter who asks, you must firmly deny it," Ji Tang said gravely.
Rex: "??"
"Alright, let's continue. If possible, let's try to visit a few more villages today…"
When Ji Tang had seen the armed cavalry, presumably from Indahl, all players online received a conspicuous yellow text prompt on their player panels:
[System Announcement] Weisshem Local Defense: Fifty-two illegal armed cavalry have invaded Weisshem territory from the main town road. Players, please hurry to the town hall to receive the defense quest.
"The heck?! Another monster attack in town?!" Qin Guan, who had PTSD from the weekend instance dungeon event, nearly jumped up when he saw the system announcement.
"Isn't it broad daylight in the game right now? Do monsters still spawn in the day?" Give Me Medicine looked around nervously.
Blossoming Strokes chuckled. "You two, calm down. Take a closer look at the announcement. This armed cavalry is humanoid monsters, not the weird creatures from Exile Town!"
Qin Guan's and Give Me Medicine's eyes immediately lit up.
On another street, Brother Lahong, who was supervising dozens of detainees in clearing the sewers, saw the announcement and shouted ecstatically, "Armed cavalry! Humanoid monsters! Brothers, let's go! Time to farm monsters!"
"Wait, wait, wait! Don't all leave! This quest isn't complete yet!" Guileless Gale grabbed Brother Lahong in a hurry. "We have to leave some of us here to watch this bunch. Failing the quest will result in a prestige deduction!"
Brother Lahong slapped his forehead, then quickly selected a few players who hadn't completed their job advancement or were poorly equipped to stay and watch over here. Then, he asked Study Obsessed to log out and call others.
While the blood alliances were excitedly calling for backup, unaffiliated players doing quests in Exile Town and Desolate Outpost weren't idle either. Even casual players like Teacher Yu Chi and Liu Meng were urgently rushing to the teleportation point.
In less than half an hour (OtherWorld time), more than 260 undead filled the spacious courtyard of the Weisshem town hall, which was even more than during the initial expedition quest…
Currently, it was only 11 a.m. in OtherWorld, though on Earth, it was only six in the morning on the weekend. So many players were simultaneously logging in at this odd timing, and the reason, of course, was… everyone was tired of not having equipment drops.
There were only two relatively stable ways to obtain equipment in the game. One was to buy novice equipment with copper coins from weapon/armor vendors, and the other was to exchange white-grade equipment at the Undead Merchant Association using prestige and materials.
Monsters didn't drop equipment when killed. Regardless of whether it was in Spider Cave, Poisonous Marshlands, or outside Desolate Outpost, no matter how many the players killed, only materials were dropped.
This frustrating setting had left players complaining endlessly…
Up until this day, players had only discovered one way of obtaining equipment outside the above two methods: looting humanoid monsters.
NPCs that wore equipment, could be attacked, and were deemed as hostile were moving equipment displays in the eyes of players.
Before, many players had wandered around the streets and alleys of Weisshem that were teeming with NPCs; they weren't just trying to trigger hidden quests, but many were actually hoping to encounter monsters they could rob…
When most of the players online had gathered, the doors of the town hall opened, and Yang Qiu, with the titles "Undead Race Resurrection Master" and "Lord of Taranthan, Yang," walked out, looking solemn.
"Enemies have invaded our territory. Fifty-two armed knights with malicious intent are approaching our town. Undead friends, I require your initiative to intercept the enemy and protect the people of this land."
With a few lines of dialogue to barely meet the plot requirements, Yang Qiu skillfully issued a quest to the players gathered at the town hall.
———
[Weisshem Defense Battle]
The evil Lord of Indahl is attempting to threaten Weisshem's tranquility, secretly mobilizing the city defense force that should be protecting the city, and deceiving these soldiers to point their long spears at the people.
Head east along the town road to confront the incoming enemy.
1. Successfully defeat the Indahl City Defense Force squad. Each participating player will receive 300 territory prestige.
2. For every successfully captured City Defense Force soldier, the capturer will receive 200 territory prestige.
3. For every City Defense Force soldier slain, 50 territory prestige will be deducted from the killer.
4. For every successfully captured war horse turned over to Weisshem Town Hall, the capturer will receive 100 points of territory prestige.
During the territory defense battle, death penalties are waived. Any player that died in the defense battle can be respawned instantly.
———
Players seeing the defense quest appear on their respective panels didn't care if Lord Yang was standing before them and unabashedly turned on furious complaint mode—
"F*ck this! Quests that deduct prestige?!"
"Seriously! What if the NPCs want to run?!"
"Didn't we turn in captured mounts during the last expedition quests?! Can't we keep them for ourselves?!"
"Keep the mounts! I strongly demand we be able to keep the mounts! Does releasing an undead horse once a month sound reasonable?! Our knights are not even considered real knights without mounts!"
Ignoring the tide of unhappy public opinion from players, Yang Qiu, like an emotionless NPC, waved his hand. "Set forth, undead warriors! For Weisshem! For Taranthan!"
Players moved off still grumbling and cursing…
Before, the undead teleporting to the town hall courtyard didn't attract too much attention from the townsfolk. This was mainly because there weren't many residential houses around the town hall, and the courtyard walls were high enough.
When this close to three hundred undead abruptly surged out of the town hall courtyard and flowed through the town, it had quite a significant impact—panicked screams rang on wherever the main force of players went.
"What kind of crappy plot is this? Aren't we here to defend the town? It's one thing if the NPCs don't line up to send us off. But treating us like a plague?" A player witnessing several instances of "real-time animation" of NPCs screaming and running off expressed dissatisfaction.
"Who cares? Lining up to send us off won't grant any extra prestige." There were also players that were unbothered.
"At least give us some positive encouragement. Even the NPCs in Swordsman 3 express their gratitude when I run errands. Is that too much to ask?"
As players bickered away like they were at a market, the cavalry squad from Indahl's city defense force was less than ten kilometers away, traveling in a straight line toward Weisshem.
The leader of this cavalry unit was Wagner Pitt, a knight in his forties.
Wagner Pitt wasn't originally a Rhine person. When he was young, he served as a squire to a city defense force knight. Due to the knight's unexpected death from an assassination and he was yet to produce an heir, Wagner, who was a foreigner, fortunately received a knight title from the Bartalis family.
However, this title was the pinnacle of Wagner Pitt's life. Despite living in Indahl for many years, marrying, and having children, he still failed to gain significant favor from the Bartalis family. Even in his old age, he remained the lowest-ranking officer in the city defense force, serving as a sergeant of the most basic squad.
Indahl, being a large city, had a retirement system for its regular forces. Those under fifty who couldn't reach a certain rank would be arranged to undergo retirement once they reached the age. Not only did this mean zero hope for career advancement, but it also meant that income would plummet significantly.
Wagner Pitt was well aware of why this assignment had been given to him. The regimental commander wasn't sure if the black magician supporting the new Weisshem lord was still in town, and rather than risking a more promising young person, he thought of using Wagner, whose retirement was impending.
No one would enjoy being treated as a discarded pawn. However, Wagner Pitt had no choice. If he dared to defy orders, the commander would forcefully retire him using that as a pretext.
When leaving the city, Wagner had even considered whether to take a risk and go to the City Lord's manor to report the commander, whom he disliked. Adra III's request was to demonstrate the strength of the city defense force and intimidate the bastard lord of Weisshem. The commander, however, hadn't seen it this way and had only sent his small squad out to probe.
But when he thought about the high regard Adra III had for the commander compared to himself, whose name likely wasn't even remembered, Wagner reluctantly abandoned the idea.
If he took the risk and tried to create a rift between Adra III and the commander, he would definitely have a bad ending himself.
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