I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 557 The Devil's Plan

Shanghai Pirate King can't really make any big decisions right now, and of course, it can't convince players to give up using demon flesh and blood to revive and gain the abilities of mutated characters.

Subsequently, the Shanghai Pirate King convened a meeting to inform the player captains and gang leaders of the Elf's warning, but the latter all disregarded the warning.

"Give me a break. Where were the so-called mage aids when we were getting beaten up?"

Some people complained like this.

“I’ve also checked the other side of the cliff. Although the path there isn’t suitable for large groups and heavy equipment, it can be used by small groups of lightly armed troops. If the elves are willing, their elven mages can come over from there.”

The results of it?
When we were being beaten in the woods, bombarded by artillery fire, and dying all over the mountains, we didn't see a single long-eared creature!

Now that we've figured out how to upgrade ourselves, you're coming here to spread alarmist rumors?

Isn't this a typical stray cat rescue progress update? Zero progress when nothing's happening, then they come out claiming it's their cat once it's near death or someone wants to adopt it—it's all a scam!

This analogy drew a chorus of applause and cheers from inside the tent.

With the players resisting, the elves' warnings were like a passing breeze, blown away and ignored by everyone.

So the elves, led by Lorseline, quickly withdrew, leaving only Eluneor behind.

Even so, Eluneo became taciturn, no longer commenting on the players' affairs or offering advice to the Pirate King. Clearly, he also felt great concern about what he had witnessed.

The Shanghai Pirate King could only watch helplessly as things became irreversible, and the player community's reputation with the Elf faction slowly declined.

In the end, he gave up and gave up... whatever, I don't care anymore.

Without someone to lead and organize, the players on the beach no longer have the possibility of launching a large-scale attack.

However, the lack of large-scale attacks does not mean that players will be idle.

The beachhead, now devoid of unified command, exhibited a strange, chaotic vitality, with small, spontaneously organized hunting teams springing up like mushrooms after rain.

Their goal was clear: to venture deep into Crystal Song Forest, hunt down more powerful demons, and obtain rarer, more potent mutated materials.

The entire player community seemed to have degenerated overnight from an army into individual "adventure groups" or "demon hunter gangs" focused on pursuing power and personal experience.

The gap in the defensive wall became the liveliest spot, with all sorts of strange and unusual players coming and going.

"The Berserker's Might Hunting Group is missing a brother with high perception to scout ahead, preferably someone who has used Dreadfiend materials and can detect traps and spells in advance. The spoils will be distributed according to contribution!"

"The Flying Team is recruiting. The target is the Winged Demon's lair on the high ground in the woods. We already have three brothers with wings, and we need two more for ground fire support. We're prioritizing strong men with Berserker Demon flesh and blood!"

"Let's go, let's go check out the place where we found the four-armed monster yesterday. Maybe there are other ones like it. The material from those arms is definitely top-quality!"

Shouts and calls to form teams filled the air.

Players spontaneously formed teams based on their acquired mutation abilities and needs. Although there was a lack of unified command, these teams, which were based on market demand and class combinations, were even more flexible and targeted than the previous large-scale troop advances.

Even the players' combat methods have become bizarre and unscrupulous.

A player whose fleshy wings on his back could support short-distance flight, along with several companions who also had winged demon characteristics, disguised themselves as winged demons using demon flesh and blood materials and mingled among the winged demon hordes. They would launch surprise attacks from the air, specifically targeting lone demons or those that used spellcasting.

A ferocious team, mainly composed of players with volatile tempers and incredible strength who use the flesh and blood of Berserkers and Floos, disdains using complex tactics and simply charges in headfirst, tearing apart any demons they encounter with pure violence. The battle scenes are extremely bloody and savage.

Some teams are mixed with various mutations. Some can breathe weak fireballs of fel energy, some can become invisible for a short time, and some can release weak mental interference. Although each ability is not very strong, when combined, they can often produce unexpected effects, making it difficult for demons who are used to traditional combat modes to defend against them.

The demon lord Grossag quickly noticed this change.

It discovered that the Bagnians were no longer advancing in orderly formations, but rather breaking into smaller groups, like countless tiny, fanged insects, infiltrating its woodland from all directions.

They have clear goals, use bizarre methods, are fearless, and... seem to be getting stronger and stronger, more and more adapted to this corrupt land.

The low-level patrols and outer outposts suffered heavy losses, and even some lone mid-level demons were surrounded and killed by these frenzied hunting squads.

Control over the woodlands is being eroded little by little by this pervasive infiltration tactic.

"These damned, incomprehensible locusts!"

Grossag roared angrily in its lair.

It had originally planned to use corrupted terrain and attrition warfare to wear down its two opponents, but now it discovered that one of its enemies was using the land and its people in a way it had never seen before.

It had to devote more energy to dealing with these elusive squads, and was even forced to redeploy some of the forces originally used to guard the corrupt altars within the city to strengthen patrols and clearing in the woodlands, which inadvertently relieved the pressure on the elven garrison inside Mooncrown City.

The demons were in a bind. In fact, on the beachhead, the Pirate King of Shanghai was extremely conflicted as he looked at the chaotic scene before him.

His envisioned large-scale revenge operation fell through completely, replaced by a chaotic and dangerous nationwide demon-hunting campaign that he had no control over.

The casualty rate among players remains high, with many dying in the woods every day due to failed hunts. However, those who survive, as well as those who constantly try new "recipes" to revive, are indeed becoming more and more unlike normal humans at a visible rate.

The battlefield was filled with all sorts of strange roars, hisses, and the explosions of experimental capabilities.

Players are no longer discussing tactics and formations, but rather which part of which demon is most effective with the fewest side effects, or how to combine them to create cool synergy effects.

Elunor watched from afar, remaining silent, but the worry in her eyes was almost overflowing.

He could sense that the atmosphere on this beach was getting closer and closer to the Crystal Song Forest across the way, a place where the boundaries between chaos and order were blurred.

……

The player's frequent small-scale attacks, like endless mosquito bites, greatly annoyed and disgusted the demon.

What annoyed the demons even more was that, in a series of small-scale skirmishes, they discovered that the enemy was getting stronger as the number and intensity of the battles increased.

Although the enemy is also becoming less human, its aura and appearance are more like those of a demon.

At first, the demons thought it was a good thing, because the enemy was corrupting. However, as time went on, even when they discovered that a small portion of the enemy had become no different from the demons, and that they were still attacking their own side, the demons realized that something was wrong.

The corruption of the abyss seems to have no effect on these humans.

This annoyed the demon.

Instead of succumbing to corruption and becoming chaotic slaves, those Bagnians wielded the power of the abyss like a tool, dismantling, reassembling, and turning it into a deadly weapon against themselves.

This completely violates the fundamental laws of the abyss!
What sent chills down the spines of some of the more intelligent demon officers was that they discovered some incomprehensible signs in the wreckage of some destroyed hunting squads.

Before being completely annihilated, a patrol of berserker demons let out a final, soul-piercing scream. In the blurry images that followed, one of the attackers was exceptionally tall, with skin that was a lava-like bluish-gray, wielding... four arms, tearing their captain to shreds.

Its form closely resembled some of the powerful mutants in their army, but its targets were completely different.

Several spy demons on surveillance reported that they had seen some "winged demons" suddenly attack their companions in flight, their movements swift and clean. After succeeding, they quickly descended to join the other "demons" on the ground, and then...

They began skillfully dismembering corpses and collecting materials? A true demon would never do that!
"They...they are imitating us, no, not just imitating, they are...optimizing, they are learning!"

A Hill Demon Strategist reported to Grossag in a shrill voice, its body, made of pure fel energy, trembling slightly, revealing its inner turmoil.

"They've infiltrated our ranks by exploiting our form, used our strength against us, and even... started exhibiting characteristics of some of the more powerful individuals among us. This, this is simply..."

It could not find the right words to describe this bizarre phenomenon.

assimilation?

No, the other party maintained its independent will.

evolution?

But the direction is completely wrong!
Grossag stared intently at the chaotic and active figures within the crystal ball, remaining silent for a long time.

It already knew that these were a very troublesome and fearless swarm of locusts, but now it discovered that they were even more troublesome than expected. At least in other worlds, it had never discovered that these guys could absorb demonic traits and constantly modify and strengthen themselves.

"This can't go on like this."

Grossag's voice was deep and filled with murderous intent.

"These enemies must be completely purged, along with their blasphemous resurrection point and that polluted beach!"

It realized that dispersing its forces to wipe out these small groups was futile; it would only allow the enemy to bleed it dry, learn from its mistakes, and grow stronger. It had to concentrate its forces and launch a decisive strike to fundamentally destroy their foundations… that damned church that keeps spewing “mutated monsters”!

"Send the order!"

Grossag suddenly stood up, his massive body casting a terrifying shadow.

"Cease all unnecessary patrols and small-scale skirmishes. Concentrate all available forces on the eastern edge of Crystal Forest!"

It pointed to the brightly lit beachhead in the crystal ball, especially the church in the center that emitted ominous steam.

"At dawn tomorrow, when the first rays of light illuminate that blasphemous land, we will launch our final assault!"

"Destroy everything, no matter the cost! I'll leave that beach nothing but scorched earth and ashes!"

The demon lord finally abandoned his illusions and prepared to unleash his true power, crushing the poisonous thorn stuck in his throat, along with the cradle it had nurtured, with overwhelming force.

Meanwhile, on the beachhead, the players were completely unaware of the impending storm, still immersed in the frenzied cycle of "fighting monsters, leveling up, and changing bodies."

The hunting party was excitedly showing off their haul, while players waiting in line for the "new version resurrection" were enthusiastically discussing their preferred enhancement directions. Some of the bolder ones even started experimenting with mixing materials from different demons in hopes of obtaining a more powerful fusion mutation.

Now a lone commander, the Shanghai Pirate King sat in his vehicle, looking at the camp that was even more chaotic than the Devil's Grove, and a strong sense of unease suddenly gripped him.

The demon's unusual quietness over the past few days was making him uneasy.

"It's too quiet...something's not right."

He muttered to himself.

However, even though the Pirate King knew something was wrong, he couldn't warn the other players, because they had already ignored his presence.

On the Steel Justice, looking at those faces that were slightly grotesque due to mutation, yet filled with excitement, he could only suppress his unease.

As night deepened, deep within Crystal Song Forest, the power of demons surged like a volcano gathering strength.

The Shanghai Pirate King did not participate; he was simply waiting... waiting for the arrival of Bagnia's main force.

"Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon."

On the night that the Pirate King was alone on the ship, estimating when reinforcements from Bagnia would arrive, a much grander and more intense commotion, completely different from the direction of Crystal Forest, suddenly came from the west.

At first, there was a faint rumbling, like countless war drums beating at the same time. Then, the sky in the direction of Mooncrown City was suddenly dyed with an ominous halo of crimson and eerie green.

"Look, over there in Mooncrown City!"

On the beachhead, a player pointed west and exclaimed in surprise.

In the distance, under the night sky, the magnificent outline of Mooncrown City seemed to be burning.

A massive fireball of fel energy streaked across the sky like a meteor, crashing into the elven city's shimmering magical shield and exploding into dazzling ripples of energy.

The arcane radiance unleashed by the elven mages rose from the city like a reverse meteor shower, colliding violently with the pervasive fel energy clouds and unleashing deafening roars.

The distance of about an hour allowed players to feel a slight tremor in the ground beneath their feet.

Shouts of battle, explosions, the shrill whistling of magic tearing through the air... all the sounds blended together, converging into a massive wave of sound, clearly indicating that a fierce battle far exceeding any fight on the Eastern Front was unfolding in Mooncrown City.

"Holy crap, the elves' home base got destroyed?"

"This commotion...the main force of the demons is attacking the city?!"

"No wonder the woods have been much quieter these past few days; they've all gone to hunt long-eared animals!"

Players put down what they were doing and gathered in higher places, or climbed the masts of the stranded ships, to gaze at the earth-shattering battle in the west.

Many people wore expressions of schadenfreude or anticipation.

"Serves them right. They stood by and watched someone die. Now they know what pain is, don't they?"

"Good fight! It would be best if both sides were severely injured, then we could pick up the spoils!"

"Maybe there's a hidden quest? Like infiltrating Mooncrown City amidst the chaos or something?"

Almost no one thought of offering assistance.

The elves' previous warnings and the "stray cat theory" still influence the attitudes of most players, who are more inclined to stand by and watch, or even look forward to the demons and elves wearing each other down.

However, a few players, such as some relatively rational captains, or those who think further ahead like the Shanghai Pirate King, had serious expressions.

The Shanghai Pirate King, gripping the ship's railing, gazed at the towering flames of Mooncrown City, his brow furrowed.

His unease did not lessen because of the demon's attack on the elf; on the contrary, it intensified.

"What exactly is the demon trying to do?"

He muttered to himself.

"Concentrate all their forces on a fierce attack on Mooncrown City? Aren't they afraid we'll take the opportunity to destroy their stronghold, or launch a pincer attack from behind?"

He simply couldn't believe that the demonic group, which had previously acted so strategically, would make such a basic mistake.

The only explanation is that the demons are absolutely confident that they can breach Mooncrown City in a short time, or... they have a deeper purpose.

"Founding in the east and attacking in the west?"

A thought flashed through the mind of the Pirate King, but he immediately shook his head.

There is no doubt that the main force of the demons is indeed launching a fierce attack on Mooncrown City. The earth-shattering momentum and scale cannot be faked.

"Does the demon think that once they conquer Mooncrown City, we players are no threat and can be easily crushed?"

This possibility seems more likely.

However, once Mooncrown City falls, without the elves' restraint and the support of the Tears of the Sky, players will face the full pressure of the demons alone.

Whether this beachhead can be held will be a huge question mark.

Looking at the players around him who were still excitedly discussing and even debating whether to take advantage of the chaos, a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart again.

If he tries to persuade players to support the elves now, he'll probably just be seen as a fool.

"Boss Thief, what do we do?"

A player squad leader who was somewhat familiar with the player came over and asked, with a hint of doubt on his face.

The Shanghai Pirate King remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed.

"Notify all hunting teams to return as soon as possible to reinforce the positions."

Also, send people to scout as close to Mooncrown City as possible, but avoid getting involved in the battle. We need to know the specific situation there.

This is all he can do.

Until the situation becomes clearer, preserving strength and remaining vigilant against potential dangers from any direction is the only option.

On the beachhead, the players' noise gradually subsided, replaced by an atmosphere of observation and waiting.

Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to the western sky, which was reddened by the flames of war, each with their own thoughts.

Elune arrived beside the Pirate King at some point. He gazed in the direction of Mooncrown Castle, his fingers gripping the railing so tightly they turned white, his face filled with worry. Yet he remained silent, making no request to the player.

The demons' all-out attack was like a boulder thrown into water, the ripples spreading rapidly and affecting every force on the battlefield.

Will the players be the key to breaking the deadlock, or will they be the first to be swallowed up in this storm? The answer may lie in the approaching dawn.

(End of this chapter)