I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 547 Chris's Reaction
Chris was swearing.

He was never a spoilsport, even though Chris didn't quite like the starting point of the second phase of the Revenge Fleet, or the vanilla elf players on board.

However, overall, Chris did not create any obstacles to the formation of the second phase of the revenge fleet. His refusal to allow them to purchase battleships was not out of personal motives but out of official business. In addition, they could not gather enough reputation points and military merits, so who could be blamed for this?
Chris was on-site when the second phase of the Revenge Fleet was about to engage in a major battle with the Elf Fleet. He was watching the development of the battle in real time through the players' live stream, third-person perspective, and map function.

Like Elune, Chris also believed that the second revenge fleet had a very low chance of winning tonight, but the reasons for their differed.

Chris knew the players well, and he was certain that they would fight to the death in tonight's naval battle. Even if the ship sank, as long as the men were still alive, they would swim to nearby friendly ships or even swim over to try to board the enemy ship.

Winning or losing does not matter.

Players' frantic desire for battle will quickly disrupt their original steady, tit-for-tat tactics once the battle begins, turning them into a chaotic, uncoordinated frenzy.

Once their formation is disrupted, the elves will have many opportunities. When the next day arrives, the elves will pay a bloody price, but they will undoubtedly win as long as they are willing to suffer some casualties.

However, an anomaly changed everything.

When the sky lit up with an unusual red light, Chris, far away on the Greek mainland, also sensed something amiss, not through sight, but through some deeper, more direct perception.

It felt as if someone had used cold fingernails to scrape the most sensitive part of his soul.

Chris was lying comfortably on his bed, watching a player's live stream, when suddenly a sharp, tearing pain swept through his consciousness without warning.

The feeling did not come from physical harm, but from the resonance produced when something grander and more fundamental was forcibly destroyed.

Ominous, crimson lines, like ruptured blood vessels, began to flicker at the edges of his vision.

Countless tiny, chaotic, and malicious whispers filled his ears, as if millions of insects were hissing inside his skull.

He couldn't understand the specific meaning of these whispers, but the pure chaos and destructive desires they contained filled him with a sense of disgust from the depths of his soul.

Even stronger is that sense of "fragmentation".

It's as if some invisible yet omnipresent "barrier" or "foundation" has been forcibly pierced by an extremely ruthless force. Cold, foul "external" winds are pouring in through that hole, eroding the warm and orderly interior of this world.

He instinctively covered his ears, but the action was meaningless; the sound and sensation originated from the world itself, not from the vibrations of the air.

The scene before his eyes began to distort; the magnificent ceiling seemed to ripple slightly, and the large bed beneath him trembled with an extremely subtle yet continuous vibration, like a dying giant convulsing in agony.

"Uh……"

He let out a suppressed groan, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

This feeling... is the world's lament, the wailing of the fundamental laws that constitute this reality being violently invaded and defiled.

Chris suddenly looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of space, and turned eastward, towards the location of the player fleet, which was also the direction where the red light was most intense.

There, he "saw" a huge, pus-filled "wound" that was continuously injecting "toxins" that did not belong to this world into the body of reality.

"The crystal wall... has been breached..."

He muttered to himself.

At that moment, Chris almost immediately realized that he had encountered an old acquaintance he had dealt with many times, someone he knew intimately, and he also knew what their intentions were.

It is the World Tree of the Blue Flame Islands. At the same time, there is another World Tree to the west of the Greek mainland, which was also attacked by demons.

How to do?
With no other option, Chris immediately issued a main quest to all players in the second phase of the Revenge Fleet, instructing them to first support the elves in the east and protect the World Tree.

As for the World Tree in the west, Chris could only helplessly spread his hands... it was simply beyond his reach.

The intense headache and the profound discomfort on a spiritual level slowly receded like the tide, but the "broken" feeling of the world being torn apart still lingered like background noise.

Chris sat up abruptly in bed, the initial comfort and languor instantly replaced by a chilling sense of urgency.

"Secretary!"

He gave a low shout towards the door.

The door was quickly pushed open, and the clerk who had been waiting in the outer room strode in.

"I am here, Your Majesty."

Chris didn't waste any words and gave the instructions directly, speaking quickly and clearly:
"Record this order, highest priority, and immediately send it to the First Fleet Commander on Casarina Island via special channels."

First, leave one-third of the Marines, along with a small number of patrol ships, to continue clearing out the remaining murlocs on the island. The primary task is to repair and ensure the basic operational function of the Casarina Island port as soon as possible, serving as a possible transit point for future support.

Second, the First Fleet's main force, including all battleships, cruisers, and most auxiliary vessels, was ordered to immediately cease its current combat sequence and undergo emergency resupply via the logistics transport fleet.

After resupplying, without waiting for further instructions, they will proceed at full speed towards the Blue Flame Islands, following the route previously explored and recorded by the second phase of the Revenge Fleet.

The clerk's pen recorded every word on the document.

"All recorded. Are there any other commands?"

"No, execute it immediately."

"Understood. I will now repeat the command to confirm that it is correct..."

The clerk quickly finished recording the order, repeated it, and after confirming that it was correct, bowed and turned to leave.

Watching the clerk's departing figure, Chris took a deep breath, trying to calm his still somewhat chaotic emotions.

He got up, walked to the window, and looked at the eastern sky, which was pitch black in reality but still appeared crimson in his perception.

"Hopefully... it's not too late."

He whispered to himself.

After what happened, Chris can't sleep tonight, and he's unable to get any rest.

"Secretary!"

"I am here, Your Majesty."

The second clerk, whose face was slightly different but whose expression was equally cold and whose clothing was equally simple, walked in from outside the door.

"Record my orders." Chris's voice was firm and unwavering. He turned to face the new clerk, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"The Kingdom of Bagnia is now entering a state of total war..."

Chris spoke for half an hour straight about the orders for the entire country to switch to a wartime system, the army to assemble and prepare for war, the economy to be militarized, materials to be centrally managed and distributed, and public opinion to be strictly controlled.

After he finished speaking, he paused slightly, and Chris stared at the clerk.

“Repeat it.”

The clerk, expressionless and in a completely flat tone, clearly and accurately repeated what Chris had said, and even refined it to make it easier to read and clearer in meaning.

"Correct."

Chris nodded.

"Immediately issue this order to all ministries, provinces, and corps, and tell everyone that from this moment on, every silver dollar, every pound of iron, and every person's strength in Bagnia must serve two things... production and war."

Anyone who delays, shirks responsibility, or disobeys orders, regardless of rank, will be subject to military law.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The second clerk bowed expressionlessly to accept the order and quickly left, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

After giving the orders to the NPCs, Chris immediately opened his own system and began compiling the announcements and quest system for the players to see.

Players also need to be mobilized, and given the situation, Chris needs to open up more public beta slots to allow more players to enter the game and serve as cannon fodder on the battlefield.

However, this cannot be done now; it depends on the situation. Since Bagnia and the veteran players have not yet been mobilized, adding more new players now will not create combat power but will only cause trouble.

……

The Blue Flame Kingdom's fleet is returning at full speed, but even so, it will take them two days and two nights to sail back to Mooncrown Island, where Mooncrown City is located.

During this period, for the defenders and survivors of Mooncrown City, these two days felt like centuries of struggle on the edge of an abyss.

On the outskirts of the inner city of Mooncrown City, there is a street known as Silverleaf Path, which was once famous for the exquisite silverware and moonshine velvet products displayed in the shop windows on both sides.

Today, it has become a dangerous artery connecting the front lines and the core defense line, and a key area for demonic infiltration.

The Silver Radiance Squad, belonging to the Seventh Battalion of the Mooncrown City Guard, is responsible for guarding this place.

Two days ago, they were a full-strength elite force of twenty-two men, including one mage and twenty-one experienced warriors. Now, including the lightly wounded, they have only ten men left.

In a side alley, a squad of berserkers leaped out from behind a broken wall and, howling, headed straight for the Silvershine Squad's position.

"Hold on, for the Tears of the Sky!"

Captain Ella Leon, a veteran of a thousand years of military service, had a hoarse voice, yet it still carried an undeniable firmness. Holding his sword and shield, he stood at the forefront, taking the lead in meeting the largest berserker demon. The blade and axe clashed, sending sparks flying.

Berserkers are mid-level demons who start at two meters tall, have massive muscles and natural horned helmets, love to use heavy weapons such as axes and flails, and have an extremely volatile temper.

Faced with such an enemy, Elarion managed to hold his own, but in the back-and-forth clashes of sword and axe, he was forced to retreat repeatedly. The injuries he sustained yesterday prevented him from fully utilizing the skills he had honed over his long lifespan, and he was completely unable to withstand the demon's fierce onslaught.

Seeing her captain in danger, the female elven mage Lilandra, who was at the rear, gritted her teeth and conjured three more arcane missiles, which accurately hit the three berserker demons charging at the front.

The missile exploded, sending them staggering backward, their skin torn and bleeding, but not instantly fatal. They shook their heads and charged forward even more furiously, as if the pain was merely a stimulus.

"left!"

A wounded half-elf swordsman cried out.

Using the impact of its companions as cover, a berserker demon broke in from the flank, its flail slamming into the captain. Two swordsmen and shieldmen stepped forward, the younger of whom, an elf, barely managed to raise his shield to block, but was thrown back by the immense force, crashing into the wall behind him with a muffled groan and a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Another swordsman seized the opportunity, quickly stepped forward, and thrust his sword into the berserker's waist, breaking through its defenses and drawing blood. At the same time, he decisively slid back, timely dodging the demon's frenzied swinging blows.

Although someone was injured, the two half-elf swordsmen, through their excellent teamwork, managed to hold off a berserker.

However, the squad of berserkers consisted of five. The captain blocked the strongest one, two swordsmen and shieldmen held off another, and the remaining three berserkers were unstoppable. They charged at the female elven mage from the front.

The other half-elf swordsmen were no match for the three towering demons' onslaught. In just one exchange, two already wounded swordsmen were brutally killed by the demons' heavy weapons.

This forced Lilandra, whose magic and mental energy were almost depleted, to cast a spell once more, firing a series of magical missiles, barely managing to kill one of the three berserker demons and wound the other two.

Even though the Silver Radiance Squad had fought desperately, the defensive line was still teetering on the brink of collapse.

The elves and half-elf swordsmen moved slower and slower, and their reactions became sluggish.

Captain Ella Leon was forced to turn around and block another berserker, finding himself caught in a pincer attack by two berserkers. Under these circumstances, he quickly exposed an opening and was struck in the ribs by an axe from one of the berserkers.

Although he pierced the demon's eye socket with a backhand strike, he also knelt on one knee, using the sword to support his body so as not to fall.

The remaining three berserker demons smelled the scent of victory and blood, and their attacks became even more frenzied. They even began to tear at the corpses of their fallen comrades to briefly regain their strength, creating a bloody and chaotic scene.

Just at this critical moment, a blazing arrow of fire shot from the side of the roof, blasting the head off a berserker that was about to pounce on Elarion.

It was a few scattered elven mages who had retreated from other defensive lines who happened to pass by and provided some support with their spells, giving the Silverlight Squad a chance to catch their breath.

Taking advantage of this brief respite, Ella Lyon forced herself to stand up and roared.

"Retreat, cover each other, retreat to the second barricade!"

The elves and half-elves did not hesitate; this was experience gained at the cost of countless lives… preserving their strength in the face of overwhelming odds.

Supporting each other, they fought and retreated, leading the crazed demons to a pre-planned, more fortified defensive position.

Watching the elves "flee," the remaining two demons let out triumphant howls and eagerly gave chase, completely disregarding the potential traps.

Their fanaticism is both a powerful fighting force and a fatal weakness.

Silverlight Path changed hands again, leaving behind only a few corpses of elves and demons, and the lingering smell of blood and sulfur, bearing witness to yet another desperate war of attrition that ended in the exhaustion and retreat of the elves.

(End of this chapter)