I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 556 The Difficulties of Being the Player Leader

On the beachhead in the dead of night, the sea breeze carried the salty smell and lingering gunpowder odor. The Shanghai Pirate King rubbed his throbbing temples and emerged wearily from the military tent that served as his temporary command post.

The meeting just now was practically a denunciation session. Several squad leaders who had suffered heavy losses surrounded him and launched into a tirade, blaming the Shanghai Pirate King for the day's command errors, friendly fire incidents, and chaotic logistical supply, and demanding compensation.

The Shanghai Pirate King was very angry and aggrieved because he felt that the above orders were at most a command error and had a direct relationship with him, while the latter two were only indirectly related to him.

However, the Shanghai Pirate King was powerless to refute the accusations of others... That's what it's like to be a boss; you have the power and you also bear the responsibility. He admitted to commanding mistakes, after all, it was he who ordered the charge and he was the one who decided to use the ship's cannons to cover the retreat.

But the blame for friendly fire and logistical chaos was also firmly placed on his head, making him feel suffocated, as if he had swallowed a fly whole.

He sighed and subconsciously looked toward the still-roaring Mechanicus church in the center of the camp, wondering if those guys resurrected with demon flesh and blood had caused any trouble.

Just then, a wilder and more excited commotion, unlike any other, came from a gap in the defensive wall near the woodland.

Interspersed among the sounds were the scraping noises of heavy objects being dragged along and the players' distinctive, grating laughter.

The Shanghai Pirate King frowned and strode over.

After passing through the partially repaired breach in the defensive wall, the sight on the beach before him stunned him instantly, sweeping away his sleepiness and fatigue.

Dozens of players were gathered together, dragging several enormous demon corpses onto the open ground as if displaying spoils of war.

That's not just the common lesser demons or berserkers.

An exceptionally tall, muscular berserker corpse was placed in the most conspicuous position. It had a huge dent in its chest, seemingly caused by pure brute force, and one of its horns was broken off. Its death was gruesome.

Beside it was a demonic creature dressed in tattered robes, resembling a dried-up corpse, its twisted face still frozen with the shock of its spell being interrupted.

Further away, there were even several Shivar Hunters and... a Floromon that looked like a hybrid of a large vulture and a humanoid creature?

And that's not all.

Amid the players' excited pointing and whispering, the Pirate King's gaze was drawn to something half-covered by a waterproof cloth in the corner.

The outline appeared even larger and more bizarre.

He pushed through the crowd and walked forward. A player saw him and excitedly lifted a corner of the waterproof cloth.

"Boss Thief, look, we got our hands on a collector's edition. Want to try it out? We can give you a discount!"

Beneath the waterproof tarpaulin lay the corpse of a demon, a sight too tangible to describe.

It largely retains a humanoid form, but its skin is a dark, bluish-gray color, like cooled lava, and is covered with eerie rune markings.

It has curved horns on both sides of its head, fangs protruding from its mouth, and most terrifyingly... it has four muscular arms, although two of them have been wrecked by some kind of explosive.

Even in death, its broken body still exuded a suffocating sense of oppression, far greater than that of an ordinary berserker.

"What...what is this thing?"

The Shanghai Pirate King found it very strange; he had never seen a demon in this form since the start of the war.

"I don't know, we stumbled upon it deep in the woods, it was fucking ferocious! It took us seven or eight brothers to kill it... We used muskets, siege spears, and grenades!"

"I can't believe it," a player with fresh claw marks on his body explained excitedly.

"Look at those four arms, look at those muscles, if these were used as resurrection material... tsk tsk tsk..."

The other players around them echoed, their eyes filled with a thirst for unknown power and an almost frantic desire to explore.

Looking at the group of players who were excited about the successful night raid and the acquisition of "rare materials," and then at the strange four-armed demon corpse on the ground, Shanghai Pirate King was at a loss for words.

anger?
What if these guys acted on their own and attracted a night attack from the demon army?
Frightened? They actually managed to kill this elite monster that looked so formidable?
Or is it... a faint glimmer of expectation?

If those crazy guys from the Cult of Mechanics can actually make something out of this thing...

He took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent thoughts, and finally spoke in a low voice to the players around him.

"Move all these things to the church and hand them over to the Scarecrow Bishop. Those who participated in tonight's operation will have their merits recorded, and the fallen brothers... will be resurrected with the best materials first."

The others didn't respond. They just looked at the Pirate King with an expression of utter disbelief for a while before shaking their heads and carrying the corpses away.

You're crazy. The corpses will definitely be moved to the respawn point, but these corpses are their prey. You're just some superfluous thing pointing fingers and acting all high and mighty. Are you trying to take their spoils for yourself?
Dream on! No way!

The Shanghai Pirate King received several eye rolls, and he once again realized that the so-called fleet leader was nothing special.

……

Because of the daytime defeat, the reputation of the Shanghai Pirate King in the second player fleet plummeted.

The daytime battle caused too many losses for the players; in just one day, more than two thousand people were wiped out by the demons and their own artillery.

Although the respawn point has been established, the large number of deaths at once has resulted in too many people queuing to respawn, and has also depleted the fleet's meat reserves.

Besides the loss of meat, the loss of equipment is even more painful for players.

You should know that today was a crushing defeat. Most of the fallen players' bodies and equipment were left in the woods and there was no chance to bring them back.

The demons of the post-war era destroyed all of these things; such losses are heartbreaking.

If the second revenge fleet was sponsored by the Shanghai Pirate King himself, then such a loss would at most cause other players to have some complaints about him, but it wouldn't lead to a rebellion.

However, the second phase of the Revenge Fleet is a crowdfunding project. The Shanghai Pirate King is the major shareholder, but the other players are also shareholders. Although they have fewer shares, they also contributed money and manpower to obtain them. Everyone's status is equal.

Secondly, the Shanghai Pirate King lacked prestige and did not have a group of loyal brothers and partners who unconditionally supported him, so when the next day arrived...

The next morning, when the Pirate King of Shanghai, sporting even darker dark circles under his eyes, stepped out of his tent and attempted to sound the rallying horn once more, he was met with an unprecedented cold reception.

On the beach, the players were still busy, but they were no longer in a state of full readiness for battle.

A group of people gathered at the entrance of the Mechanicus church, excitedly discussing the haul from last night's hunt and the upcoming "new version" resurrection experience.

Others were busy reinforcing the defensive walls or counting their ammunition. Many others gathered in small groups, whispering about yesterday's crushing defeat, their eyes filled with distrust and resentment as they looked at the Shanghai Pirate King.

"Brothers, we gave the demons a good beating yesterday. The elves of Mooncrown City are clearing the altars in the city, which has attracted the attention of the Abyss Dragon. Now is a good opportunity to attack again and break through the woodland in one fell swoop!"

The Shanghai Pirate King stood on a wooden crate, trying his best to make his voice sound powerful and confident.

His response was met with scattered echoes, but mostly silence and indifferent gazes.

"Charge again? Thief King, I'm not saying this to be rude, but your command yesterday... made the brothers unsure of ourselves."

A player who looked very mature and composed crossed his arms and said without any politeness.

"Exactly, my helmet and breastplate are gone, what am I supposed to use to charge? Run headfirst into the berserker's axe?"

"You go if you want, I'll wait until my new wings grow out." "Isn't it better to stay put? Can't we push through together once the elves have cleaned up the city?"

Questions, complaints, and even ridicule arose one after another.

Few people are willing to gamble their gaming experience and valuable equipment on the Shanghai Pirate King's attack order, which has proven to be extremely risky.

The Shanghai Pirate King stood on the wooden crate, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

He waved his arms, trying to explain and incite, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the players' chatter. Once again, he felt so clearly how fragile the so-called authority of a leader was in this group of players.

When victory and gains are substantial, people naturally support each other; but once a heavy loss is suffered, this support crumbles instantly.

After losing the trust of most of the shareholders, he, the fleet commander, was practically left with no one to command.

"you……"

The Shanghai Pirate King was so angry that his chest tightened, but he was powerless to refute. Looking at the faces below him, some indifferent, some mocking, and some simply unwilling to obey orders anymore, a deep sense of powerlessness gripped him.

In the end, he could only jump down from the wooden crate in frustration. The planned large-scale attack was completely ruined, and the beachhead fell into an eerie calm. The players acted independently, losing unified command and clear objectives.

The flames of revenge did not seem to have been extinguished; they had simply changed from a concentrated blaze to scattered, smoldering embers, each seeking its own outlet.

The Shanghai Pirate King stood alone in the bustling camp, feeling like an outsider.

He felt that if he could not quickly rebuild his prestige or find a new way to reunite this group of scattered soldiers, then this expeditionary fleet would likely fall into endless infighting and stagnation on this beach outside Mooncrown City.

All of this was observed by Elunor, who was standing on the armed merchant ship, and he sighed softly.

Before Elunor's sigh had even faded, a cold voice came from behind the Pirate King, carrying an undisguised worry and seriousness.

"Your Excellency, the King of Shanghai Pirates."

The Shanghai Pirate King suddenly turned around and saw that Lorraine had arrived at the beachhead at some point, accompanied by an elven mage with a stern face and wearing a moon-white robe.

Both elves wore solemn expressions, and when their gazes swept over the mutated players with their strange behavior and unique physical characteristics, they made no attempt to hide their vigilance and... a hint of disgust.

"Ms. Roselle?"

The Shanghai Pirate King barely suppressed his frustration and greeted them.

"Let's make this short."

Locelyn's tone was more serious than ever before.

"We've observed that your subordinates... are collecting and using large quantities of demon flesh?"

The Shanghai Pirate King's heart skipped a beat. He knew he couldn't hide it anymore and had no choice but to admit it.

"Indeed, we need the flesh and blood of demons for emergency measures because of certain things."

"Emergency measures?"

The elven mage beside him couldn't help but speak up; his voice was as cold as ice.

You're playing with fire!

The flesh and blood of demons contain the purest chaotic and corrupting energy; even their corpses are far more defiled than you can imagine!

Rosalind raised her hand to stop her companion from speaking even more vehemently, but her eyes were equally sharp.

"Your Majesty, I understand the predicament you face, but you must understand that this behavior is extremely dangerous. The abyssal aura carried by the demon's flesh is corrupting the souls of your warriors."

She pointed to a player who was experimenting with his own shrinking fleshy wings.

“Look at him. Perhaps he has only gained some unusual abilities now, but the whispers of the devil will quietly erode his will as his flesh and blood merge. Anger, rage, bloodlust, deceit... these negative emotions will be amplified infinitely.”

Ultimately, they may no longer be your warriors, but rather degenerate into true demons, possessing your knowledge and fighting skills—a catastrophe far more terrible than a demonic army!

The elven mage then spoke.

"The Mooncrown City Mage Order originally planned to send a group of elven mages to support you, but your current actions are not only self-destructive, but also tear a dangerous hole in our joint defense against demons..."

Rosalind finally uttered the most crucial warning.

"Therefore, on behalf of the Blue Flame Kingdom, I formally request that you immediately cease the practice of consuming demonic flesh and blood, and that those warriors who have shown obvious mutations be placed under quarantine for observation, and if necessary, even purified."

She paused, her tone heavy and resolute.

"If you continue to go your own way and refuse to abandon this...blasphemous path, Mooncrown City will have to reassess its relationship with the Bagnia fleet."

We cannot fight alongside allies who could easily degenerate into demons, or even undermine our defenses from within. In that case, all support and cooperation may come to an end.

These words were like ice water poured over his head, instantly sobering up the Shanghai Pirate King.

He had only considered the immediate replenishment of troops and the players' gaming experience, but underestimated the serious consequences this action might have in the plot and the reaction of the NPC forces.

The elf's warning was not unfounded. The Pirate King turned to look at the players who were excitedly testing their new abilities, and he knew about their unusual behavior and temper after their resurrection.

But should he immediately issue an order to prohibit it?
It's easier said than done!

Regardless of whether players will listen, the reality of the shortage of resurrection materials alone cannot be solved.

The Shanghai Pirate King's face turned extremely ugly; he was caught in an unprecedented dilemma.

“Ms. Rosalind, I have received your warning…”

He spoke with difficulty.

"But this matter is of great importance, and I need time to discuss it with my subordinates. Please give us some time..."

Locelyn gave him a deep look, as if trying to discern from his face whether it was an excuse or the truth.

Finally, she nodded.

"We hope to see your actions and determination as soon as possible. The threat of the demons has not yet been eliminated, and the hidden dangers within us must be eliminated first. May the moon goddess guide you to make the right choice."

After saying that, she and the elven mage turned and left, leaving the Pirate King alone, standing in the cold morning wind, feeling an unprecedented weight on his shoulders.

With demons in front and warnings from elves behind, plus internal disarray... he was truly at his most frustrated as the fleet commander.

what to do! ?

(End of this chapter)