Chapter 1828 –

Advanced Manager

System: Congratulations! You have completed the Epic Trade Route Quest “Ore King’s Ambitions.” Rewarding Star-Moon Kingdom Reputation +100, +50% EXP of current level, and one Star-Moon Kingdom Airport Building Order.

Ore Empire Region System Announcement: Congratulations to Zero Wing’s Silverwing Town for becoming the first town in the Ore Empire to set up a trade route. Rewarding 10,000 Popularity Points to Silverwing Town and one Transportation Firm Design.

The system announcement echoed three times in the ears of every player within the Ore Empire.

“Set up a trade route? What’s that?”

“It should be something that can lure in more NPC merchants.”

“If that’s true, doesn’t that mean we can obtain even more rare items from the NPCs of Silverwing Town now?”

“Zero Wing is really amazing. Silverwing Town got promoted into an Intermediate Town just recently. Now, Zero Wing has even managed to set up a trade route for it. The Ore Empire will definitely fall under Zero Wing’s dominion in the future.”

“That’s for sure. Previously, the Evil Beast army was already helpless against Zero Wing. With how rapidly Silverwing Town is developing right now, I believe it will surpa.s.s Ancient Rock City before long.”

“It would be great if that’s the case. If Silverwing Town really does surpa.s.s Ancient Rock City, we won’t have to worry about getting ambushed by Dark Players when grinding in the Ore Empire’s outer area.”

The players grinding in the Ore Empire promptly started a discussion about Zero Wing. They all held an optimistic view of Zero Wing’s future. At the same time, they also hoped that Silverwing Town could develop quickly.

For some reason, Ancient Rock City had actually become a mecca for the dark forces. A large number of Dark Players was currently gathered there.

Since Ancient Rock City was located in the Ore Empire’s inner area, the Dark Players’ main sphere of activity encompa.s.sed the Ore Empire’s inner area and the boundary between the inner and outer areas.

As a result, the independent players trying to grind and do quests in these areas frequently came under attack from Dark Players.

As for Silverwing Town, which was the town closest to Ancient Rock City, while it could be considered a mecca for normal players like themselves, as the town could accommodate only a very limited number of people, not that many players gathered around the town. Hence, the number of normal players operating within the vicinity of Silverwing Town was relatively low~far from enough to contend against the Dark Players operating around Ancient Rock City.

However, if Silverwing Town were developed further, the number of players gathering at the town would also increase. The influx of normal players would naturally pose a deterrent to the Dark Players. At the very least, they would refrain from boldly launching attacks in large numbers.

Although the news of Silverwing Town setting up a trade route brought joy to the independent players operating within the Ore Empire, somber expressions appeared on the faces of the various major powers’ upper echelons when they received this piece of news.

At this point in time, the number of players willing to operate within the Ore Empire had already peaked. In other words, the player population within the Ore Empire would no longer increase significantly like before. Meanwhile, the various major powers that had captured a town within the Ore Empire all needed to lure more players to their towns to develop their towns.

However, if most of the players operating within the empire were heading to Silverwing Town, how were these major powers supposed to develop their own Guild Towns?

“Wind, with this recent development, the Ancient Rock City you’re managing is in for a tough time,” Falling Fire, who held a crystalline crimson staff, said when he heard the latest system announcement. A grin appeared on his face as he turned to look at the Level 55, Tier 2 Berserker standing beside him.

“To begin with, we only joined hands with the Dark Players to use their strength to whittle down Zero Wing. This change will bring no loss to the Evil G.o.d’s Temple,” Wind Hunter said indifferently. “Moreover, no matter how Zero Wing develops Silverwing Town, it is already too late. Don’t you agree?”

“Indeed. While Zero Wing’s Black Flame is indeed very scary, unfortunately for him, a Guild can’t become strong just by relying on one person. At the end of the day, a war between Guilds is decided by the financial strength and foundations both sides possess,” Falling Fire said as he looked at the Crimson Flame Fortress, whose defensive magic array had already been shattered. “We’ll let Zero Wing maintain its arrogance for now. As long as we capture the Crimson Flame Fortress, Zero Wing’s existence will be over.”

The Crimson Flame Fortress was one of the most important fortresses within the Ore Empire’s inner area. It was also one of the relatively safe transport hubs in the empire. Capturing the Crimson Flame Fortress would be equivalent to taking control of the majority of the players heading to the Regional Dungeon Ore Capital City. The amount of Coins and resources they could earn from the fortress would easily surpa.s.s that from Ancient Rock City at its peak.

At the same time, their control of the Crimson Flame Fortress would essentially allow them to bar Zero Wing from entering the Ore Capital City. This would render all of Zero Wing’s efforts in the Ore Empire useless.

In the long run, their alliance would grow increasingly stronger in the Ore Empire, whereas Zero Wing would weaken. After acc.u.mulating sufficient strength, they could then capture Silverwing Town and destroy Zero Wing, permanently relegating the Guild to history.

Elsewhere, due to s.h.i.+ Feng completing the expulsion magic array, the Ore army trying to kill him was subjected to a powerful pressure from the magic array. Even the Ore General’s reactions turned sluggish under the pressure, allowing the Swordsman to evade the Ore General’s attacks, albeit barely.

Just as s.h.i.+ Feng was trying to think of a way to escape…

A series of war cries suddenly came from outside the fortress.

In the next moment, an army of NPCs suddenly appeared roughly a thousand yards away from the fortress and charged toward it. Although there were only 1,000 NPCs in this army, they were all very high-leveled, at least Level 100.

In G.o.d’s Domain, Level 50 was a major turning point. Likewise, Level 100 was also a very important turning point. A Level 100, Tier 2 NPC would make short work of a Level 95 Great Lord. Meanwhile, among the NPCs galloping over, the weakest one was a Level 100, Tier 2 NPC. Claude, the NPC leading the charge, was even a Level 120, Tier 3 Knight Captain.

Although Claude was only Tier 3, he was not in the same league as ordinary Tier 3 NPCs—because Claude was fully equipped in Epic Equipment. The silver spear he wielded was even a Fragmented Legendary Weapon. His combat power was no doubt at the peak of Tier 3. He could even go toe-to-toe with ordinary Tier 4 Mythic monsters.

Shortly after these NPCs appeared, they quickly engaged the Ore army in battle. Riding atop a one-horned beast, Claude swung his spear at the Ore Warriors that were trying to force their way through the entrance.

Claude’s spear transformed into a silver streak of light, tearing a hole through s.p.a.ce as it swept at the Ore Warriors.

Two Level 80 Grand Lord ranked Ore Warriors went flying. Meanwhile, the Lord ranked Ores, which were caught in the crossfire, were killed on the spot.

In the blink of an eye, Claude cut open a path in the Ore army and charged straight into the fortress.

Reinforcements? s.h.i.+ Feng was both joyful and confused at Claude’s appearance. He had never thought that the system would provide such a service after he completed his quest.

In the eyes of a Level 120, Tier 3 NPC, the Level 80 Mythic ranked Ore General was no different from a Common monster with a lot of HP. Claude sent the Ore General flying with every one of his attacks. As Claude and the Ore General clashed, the Ore General’s HP continuously decreased.

When the Ore General’s HP fell to 50%, the Mythic Ore let loose a frustrated and indignant roar. In the next moment, the battling Ore army started retreating. As for the Ore General, it, too, backed up to the top of a fortress wall, then jumped off and escaped.

After the Ore army fled, Claude approached s.h.i.+ Feng.

“Lord Protector, thanks to your efforts, we were able to set up this important trade route. From now onward, Star-Moon Kingdom’s army will be managing this place to a.s.sure the trade route’s security. Meanwhile, as you are the pioneer of this trade route, are you willing to pay 60,000 Gold to repair this Secret Stone Fortress and become its Advanced Manager?”