A different world game? A different world game!

The world order has been dramatically reshaped in the nearly two decades since the rise of the Night's Watch.

Over the past two decades, the world's five continents have been like five ores thrown into the furnace of time.

In the fiery clash of order and chaos, change and conservatism, starkly different situations emerge.

Leviathan continent.

This northwestern land, once ravaged by rat plagues, has now become the Night's Watch's strongest fortress and testing ground.

The city, built around the "Tower of Trials," and the inter-racial alliance centered around the Night Watchers, operate efficiently.

After everything was destroyed by the rat plague, the new order established by the Night's Watch and its allies brought unprecedented stability and prosperity to the continent.

It is not heaven, but it is the place where the concept of order is most deeply rooted in people's hearts and most thoroughly practiced.

It continuously supplies fresh blood and resources to the Night's Watch, making it a well-deserved "cradle".

It was precisely because of their success on this continent that the Night's Watch became convinced that their choice was correct, which was almost the source of their confidence.

The continent of Tet.

The central continent, ruled by the elves, remains the hub of the world.

The shipping routes are busy, wealth is flowing in, and the surface prosperity remains unchanged.

However, beneath the ancient body of the elves, the seeds of change slowly sprouted under the stimulation of millennia of accumulated problems and the remnants of evil gods.

However, the scale of "elf time" is very different from that of the outside world, and their "changes" appear almost stagnant in the eyes of humans or dwarves.

Ancient nobles, emerging reformers, and long-standing grudges silently vie for power beneath the lush World Tree.

The mainland is rife with undercurrents and constant conflicts, appearing sluggish and out of place compared to the rapidly turning gears of the rest of the world.

They remain arrogant, with only a portion truly accepting the world—under the devastation of the Void invasion.

The continent of Taril.

The harsh, northern lands of the world are now a vibrant frontier of exploration.

The expedition launched by the Night's Watch and the remaining forces of the dwarves was like a boulder thrown into a stagnant pool, stirring up a stormy sea.

Adventurers, mercenaries, and pioneers from all over the world, driven by dreams of wealth or a desire for redemption, flocked to this vast land polluted by the abyss and with an extremely harsh environment.

Large-scale strongholds have sprung up, the cleanup operation continues day and night, and resource exploration ventures deep into dangerous areas.

This place is a gathering place for the wildest courage, the most insatiable desires, and the most tenacious perseverance in the world, attracting the attention of the entire world. It is truly a "frontier where hope and risk intertwine".

It brought vitality to the whole world.

Anvien Continent.

Humanity's home ground, the cradle of the Night's Watch.

The Eastern Wilds, serving as the Night's Watch's "rear base," is well-ordered and thriving.

However, the attitudes of the human kingdoms that make up the majority of the continent—such as the kingdoms of Korn and Ktyr, and their noble lords—to the Night's Watch have become increasingly complex.

They benefited from the relatively safe environment brought about by the Night's Watch's purging of the evil gods, enjoyed the cheap resources provided by the Night's Watch, though not by their own volition, and also from the spillover effects of technology.

However, the Night's Watch's ideology of "fighting for the world," its inclination towards commoners, and its high prestige among the people deeply stung the nerves of the traditional aristocracy.

Blocking information, restricting activities, covertly suppressing, and supporting local forces to counter the Night's Watch's influence...

On this continent, the Night's Watch faces the most subtle yet stubborn "soft encirclement," forming a pattern of "silent confrontation beneath a facade of peace."

However, the Night's Watch clearly still held the upper hand, because they were unable to compete with each other in terms of either soft or hard power.

It's just barely clinging to life.

The continent of Bestar.

The orcish empire in the southeast is a land where multiple races coexist.

Because of its geographical proximity to Tahrir and its fierce local customs, it became an important springboard and source of manpower for the expeditionary force to Tahrir.

The Orcish Empire, which integrates many races with beast-like characteristics, is powerful and has complex internal relationships. Its attitude towards the Night Watch is somewhere between using them and being wary of them.

Although the internal turmoil on the mainland has eased somewhat due to the opportunity presented by Tahrir's expedition, it remains the place with the densest intelligence network and the most delicate situation.

Focus your attention on that place, the place where the Night's Watch originated.

Located in the southwestern part of the continent of Anvien, the capital of the Kingdom of Ktyr.

Night fell like a thick black velvet blanket, covering the ancient and somewhat conservative city.

The towering noble buildings shimmered with the faint glow of magical lights, while the commoners' quarters fell silent early on, broken only occasionally by the heavy clatter of the night patrol soldiers' boots.

At the end of a dirty alley deep in the working-class district.

Behind an inconspicuous, greasy wooden door lies a damp and cold basement.

The air was filled with a dull odor, a mixture of cheap tobacco, old dust, and human sweat.

The only light source was a slightly pulsating "light magic" sphere held in the palm of the preacher on a simple wooden platform in the center of the room.

A halo of light illuminated the large city map nailed to a wooden board behind him.

It was covered with dense symbols marked with charcoal and red paint.

Royal palaces, garrison camps, granaries, armories, mansions of the wealthy, slums...

And arrows and several conspicuous red crosses.

This is not a battle map, but more like a blueprint for breaking the existing order.

"...They sit on velvet cushions, eating delicacies we could never taste in our entire lives with golden forks, tightening the chains of law and taxation around our necks!"

The speaker's voice was not loud, but it was like a quenched steel cone, with a cold penetrating power, piercing into the ears of the dozens of listeners sitting around.

Most of them wore faded coarse cloth clothes, their faces etched with deep lines by the burdens of life, their eyes filled with weariness, numbness, and sparks ignited by their words.

"They sent our sons to the battlefield as cannon fodder and our daughters to the textile workshops as slaves!"
They told us this was 'order,' 'tradition'!
"If you ask me, that's bullshit!"
"This is slavery! These are bloodsucking leeches stuck to our bones!"

He slammed his hand on the wooden board, shaking off a cloud of dust.

"Now we have power! The Night's Watch has given us knowledge, taught us unity, and shown us that we are not born to be trampled underfoot!"

“Those noble lords are afraid! They’re blocking the news and restricting the Night’s Watch because they’re afraid we’ll figure it out! They’re afraid we’ll take back everything that’s rightfully ours!”

A suppressed commotion arose among the audience; some gripped the handle of the short knife hidden under their tattered clothes, while others nervously rubbed their rough fingers.

A middle-aged man with a scar on his face, sitting in the corner, looked up, his voice filled with deep doubt and caution.

"Boss, are we... really ready?"

"Make a move in three days? Those old men are like frightened birds now, the slightest disturbance can drive them crazy."

“Once we start moving, there’s no turning back. If we fail…”

His words were like a bucket of cold water, causing the newly ignited sparks to flicker.

Everyone present knew what failure meant—the gallows, or even worse, a torture chamber, with their families in tow. The speaker on the stage was a man named "Old Stonemason" Carlo.

He did not immediately refute.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping across every worried, nervous, and expectant face, finally settling on the questioner's face.

He didn't raise his voice; instead, he spoke in a tone that was almost calm, yet contained an unwavering conviction:

"Bell, you're right, there's no turning back. But we have no way to retreat either!"

“Look outside, look at our children. Do you want them to be oppressed like us forever?”
"You eat the food we offer, and then you spit on us?"

He paused, took a deep breath, and raised the ball of light in his palm slightly, allowing the light to illuminate more corners.

"As for failure? We will not fail! Because we stand on the side of justice! Because we represent millions of ordinary people! And even more so because—"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable firmness, as if he were reciting an ironclad law:

"The Night's Watch is on our side!"

These words were like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the basement!

"Yes! The Night's Watch is on our side!"

"The Night's Watch won't stand by and watch the men bully us!"

“The Church of Holy Light won’t just stand by and watch.”

"Let's do it! In three days! We'll take down those damn noble lords!"

"To have enough to eat! To avoid being treated like livestock!"

Suppressed roars and vows echoed in the narrow space, dispelling previous doubts.

Carlo's words struck at the very core of their beliefs.

The actions of the Night's Watch over the past two decades have been evident to all.

They protected civilians from the cultists' knives, provided food at incredibly low prices during famines, and imparted knowledge and skills in the adventurers' home, giving countless "peasants" like themselves the possibility and courage to change their fate.

The Night's Watch's motto of "fighting for the world" has long been embodied in their hearts as "fighting for people like us."

The meeting ended in a mood that was a mixture of solemnity and excitement.

The crowd dispersed silently from different exits, disappearing into the night of the capital, like water droplets seeping into sand.

Carlo did not leave immediately.

He stayed behind last, carefully inspecting the basement to make sure there were no traces that could expose him.

Then wait quietly.

I don't know how much time passed, until everything outside became quiet.

An extremely faint, unnatural friction sound came from the entrance.

Years of underground work experience made Carlo instantly alert; he silently slid along the wall and disappeared into the shadows like a cheetah.

A figure sneaked in furtively; it was the man named Bell who had shown concern at the meeting.

Instead of heading towards the assembly area, he went straight to the wooden board marked with a map.

He took out a small piece of charcoal pencil and a crumpled piece of parchment, and by the dim light, he nervously and quickly traced the key marks on the map—especially the red crosses representing the attack assembly points.

Carlo's heart sank.

He didn't reveal himself immediately, but instead, like a true shadow, he silently circled around to Bell's back using the clutter and shadows in the basement.

“Bell…”

Carlo's deep voice broke the silence, startling Bell so much that he dropped his charcoal pencil.

He turned around in horror and saw Carlo standing in the shadows like a stone statue, his eyes cold.

"Boss... Boss? I... I left something behind..."

Bell was incoherent and his face was deathly pale.

Carlo emerged from the shadows step by step, the dim light of the kerosene lamp illuminating his weathered face, which was etched with deep disappointment and heartache.

"Did you leave something behind? Or did you leave behind your conscience?"

His gaze swept over the half-drawn map in Bell's hand.

Tell me, why?

Bell's body trembled violently; he knew that arguing was useless.

After the initial fear subsided, a twisted expression of despair appeared on his face.

He straightened up abruptly, and although his voice was still trembling, it carried a strange air of self-righteousness.

"Why? Ha! Carlo, you're asking me why?"
"Because I want to be a knight! I'm fed up with being a peasant!"

"My surname is von Eric!"
"My father was a knight!"
"Although I'm just a lowly fief knight, and although I'm the damned second son, things are different now!"

He waved his arms excitedly.

"I've reached level six! I have power now! As long as I go back... as long as I pledge allegiance to the Earl and prove my worth, I can reclaim the title I deserve!"
"A small territory, a few serfs, a respectable status! Instead of being crammed into a basement with these stinking lowlifes, plotting to get your heads!"

He was panting heavily, his eyes gleaming with a fervent longing for a "decent" life and a hint of madness.

"No noble lords? No officials? Who will collect taxes? Who will manage these troublemakers? Who will maintain order? You're the ones to rely on?"

"Rely on these illiterate peasants? Do you know how to govern? Do you know how to deal with other lords? Do you even know what etiquette is?"
"You overthrew the lords, and then what? Then everyone starves? Then everyone becomes a lawless mob?"
"Pah! I've had enough! I want to be a knight! I want to be a lord!"

Carlo listened quietly, the disappointment on his face gradually turning into a heavy sorrow.

Looking at his companion, who was blinded by the "knighthood" and "masterhood," he seemed to see the deep-rooted chains of the old world.

It was so easy to put the noose around the neck of someone who had just gained power and should have been able to see a wider world.

A lord's empty promise and a bit of illusory "respect" were enough to make him betray his comrades with whom he had sworn an oath to change their fate without hesitation.

He didn't even understand where his power came from.

Originating from the Adventurers' House.

He didn't even understand that these so-called powers were not lacking at all.

It is precisely because of this power that they no longer lack that they have the confidence to say no.

And this power comes from the selfless dedication of the Night's Watch.

Even a peasant, even a fool, should understand this.

And this thing in front of me is something even a fool wouldn't understand.

He's been completely misled and has lost his mind. (End of Chapter)