I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 561 This is the Regular Army
The Steel Justice, the flagship of the second phase of the Vengeance Fleet, has been destroyed by the demons.

So, on the southeast side of the beachhead, in a makeshift command post hastily built from several sections of burning ship wreckage and sandbags, the Shanghai Pirate King was sitting inside, eating large mouthfuls of freshly opened canned meat.

The Shanghai Pirate King had been fighting all day, so he was starving.

A few minutes earlier, he led his remaining forces, including the wounded demonized players, to repel a small group of berserkers who had infiltrated from the flank.

Beside him, Elunor was kneeling on the ground, using her hands, which emitted a faint moon-white light, to give emergency treatment to a player warrior whose abdomen had been slashed open.

Just then, a more synchronized volley of flintlock musket fire, different from what they had heard before, and the distinctive and effective whistling of anti-aircraft fireworks came from the direction of the main beachhead.

The Shanghai Pirate King suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound. Elune also stopped the healing spell in her hand and raised her eyes in surprise.

The two rushed out and saw the newly landed troops clad in unique blue-gray armor, as well as the blue figure who charged ahead like a war god into the demonic tide.

"Which branch of the family is this?"

The Shanghai Pirate King narrowed his eyes, looking at the small but well-organized group, a look of surprise on his face.

"Even without mutation, he could take down a whole group of demons one-on-one!"

He witnessed firsthand how those extreme warriors used firearms far more powerful than ordinary flintlock pistols to accurately kill demons, how their grenades effectively contained the demons' dense charges, and how their seamless teamwork in close combat, in groups of three, far surpassed the efficiency of his individual demon players, who, though brave, lacked coordination.

However, what truly made his pupils shrink and almost made him bite his tongue was Lin Ruoyu's next action.

When Lin Ruoyu deliberately broke away from the formation and charged into the enemy ranks alone with his sword, the Shanghai Pirate King couldn't help but gasp.

"He's gone mad, rushing in all by himself?!"

But what happened next made him and Elunor next to him hold their breath.

They saw Lin Ruoyu's decapitation sword tear through the demon's body like a hot knife through butter; they saw him sever the berserker's arm and head with a single stroke; they saw him withstand magic, pull down the fear demon with his bare hands, and pin it to the ground.

"Is this even human?!" The Shanghai Pirate King was completely unaware that the can of meat in his hand had fallen to the ground; his mouth was agape.

"That strength, that armor's defense, it's fucking cheating!"

"Boss, they are Ultra Warriors."

"Damn, that veteran guild that's been around since the game launched?"

"Yes."

"yes,"

A player next to him, whose face was covered in scratches but whose eyes were still bright, said confidently.

"It's that group that was formed not long after the server opened, and its core members are said to be hardcore military enthusiasts and old-timers."

"Look at their armor. The weave of their scale armor is different from what we usually see; it's thicker, and the joints are more flexible. And their guns—the caliber is noticeably larger than the standard ones; they must have modified them themselves."

The Shanghai Pirate King picked up the can that had fallen to the ground, blew the sand off it with a pained expression, took a big bite, and mumbled a curse.

"Damn it, it's infuriating to compare ourselves to others. We're risking our lives here, barely holding on by using our demonic powers, while they're all dressed in fine armor, wielding powerful guns, cutting through everything like it's nothing... Isn't that leader their battle group commander, Lin Ruoyu?"

This fighting power is simply monstrous!

He watched Lin Ruoyu maneuvering among the demons with a complex expression, a mixture of envy and a barely perceptible hint of jealousy.

How can there be such a big difference between players? Is it just a difference in equipment and training?
"Among them, there should be quite a few veterans from the Protectorate General's Office."

Ailunor watched the fierce battlefield, especially the occasional glow of the divine amulet on Lin Ruoyu's body that resisted evil energy.

He thought for a moment and said.

"They possess a protective mechanism that can effectively resist low-level fel magic."

As an elf, he is particularly sensitive to energy fluctuations.

The Shanghai Pirate King curled his lip, swallowed the last bite of the can, and casually tossed the empty can aside.

"It was a divine power amulet, a good thing. It's a pity I couldn't get it. The military merits required were too much. I only hesitated for a second, and it was all gone when I turned around..."

“I remember you said before that your regular army had arrived, so they are…”

Elunor inquired, feeling that this was a very important question, as it concerned the Blue Flame Kingdom's diplomatic policy towards the magic-free land of Bagnia.

"more or less."

The Shanghai Pirate King plopped down on the ground again, leaning against the sandbag to rest.

"Their combat strength is the strongest. They are the warband that Chris trusts the most. They have their own recruitment city and arsenal, as well as affiliated units of their warband. They are incredibly powerful and completely different from the second-generation Revenge Fleet."

We are a hastily assembled motley crew, but they are the core force that Chris truly relies on..."

The Shanghai Pirate King grew increasingly agitated, so he simply closed his eyes to rest and stopped saying anything.

Damn it, the difference between players is too great, it's infuriating!

Just as the Shanghai Pirate King closed his eyes to rest, muttering to himself about "different fates for different people," the battle on the main beachhead underwent a decisive shift, spearheaded by Lin Ruoyu and the Extreme Warrior. After charging in alone for a while and intimidating the surrounding demons, Lin Ruoyu did not linger. Taking advantage of the precious gap when the demons' offensive faltered and their formation became slightly disorganized, he quickly retreated and rejoined the stable arc-shaped formation.

That's enough fun, time to head back. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun if I died on the battlefield right after logging in.

"Reorganize formation! First rank, load ammunition; second rank, prepare to drop bombs!"

Lin Ruoyu's command was clear and concise.

The Ultramarines immediately carried out the order.

Having just engaged in close combat, their armor was stained with demonic blood, yet their movements remained swift and precise.

The first rank of soldiers quickly retreated and began to methodically clean the gun barrels, loading gunpowder and the specially made large lead bullets.

The soldiers in the second rank once again pulled out wooden-handled grenades.

At this moment, after a brief period of chaos, the demons, driven by several berserker demons and more inferior demons and horned demons, roared again, attempting to regroup and launch an offensive.

"Second row, throw!"

Following the command, another wave of grenades arced through the air and landed in the newly assembled horde of demons.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The explosions once again became the elegy for the demons' charge. Shrapnel raged, tearing the fragile lesser demons to shreds, and even the thick-skinned berserker was blasted back.

Before the smoke from the explosion had even cleared, Lin Ruoyu's order rang out again.

"First rank, free fire!"

The first rank of soldiers, having finished loading, quickly stepped forward and steadily pulled the trigger.

This time, their target was clearer: scorching lead bullets were fired at the massive berserkers who were trying to stabilize their lines.

The specially made large-caliber lead bullets exhibited a terrifying stopping power; even if they couldn't kill the berserkers immediately, they were enough to create large holes in their thick bone armor, causing them to roar and move in a distorted manner.

The Ultra Warriors fought steadily and efficiently, greatly encouraging other players who had just logged in or were already struggling on the beachhead.

Seeing how fierce these players were, the other players in the battle groups, who were originally scattered, spontaneously moved closer to them, or imitated their tactics on their own positions, carrying out more organized volleys and bombing.

The gunfire from the armed merchant ships and the remaining warships also resumed at the opportune moment. Although the accuracy was not as good as the previous saturation fire, the solid shot hit the edge of the woodland, and the exploding shells exploded among the demons' follow-up forces, effectively preventing the demons' fresh troops from entering the beachhead.

The already weakened demon offensive finally collapsed completely under these multiple blows.

The remaining demons ceased their advance and, under the relentless firepower and small-scale counterattacks of the players, began to retreat in organized formations.

They abandoned the corpses of their companions scattered on the ground, let out unintelligible howls, and scrambled back into the depths of Crystal Song Forest.

"Advance, clear the beachhead, push the battle line to the edge of the woodland!" Lin Ruoyu pointed forward, brandishing his sword.

The thin blue line began to move forward as a whole. They did not rush, but instead used steady steps to clear out any remaining demons along the way with volleys of gunfire and grenades.

The other players shouted excitedly, following in the footsteps of the extreme warrior, taking out lone enemies with bullets and bayonets.

On the beach, the demon's black tide finally receded completely, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield and the gradually fading sounds of gunfire.

The Shanghai Pirate King was awakened by the cheers and the sounds of the advance outside. When he opened his eyes, he saw the demons retreating and the human forces beginning to clean up the battlefield.

He clicked his tongue, then sighed and said to Elunor beside him.

"See? I told you so. Professionals are professionals."

Although I felt a little bittersweet, the demons were defeated and the landing site was secured, which is ultimately a good thing.

He struggled to his feet and began calling to the brothers under his command who were still able to move.

"Stop resting! Help clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and retrieve any usable equipment... Most importantly, quickly hide the Abyss Dragon! Damn it, this is our spoils of war, fought tooth and nail for it! Even the demons couldn't take it away, don't let other players snatch it!"

The battle for the beachhead, after the addition of the Ultramarines as a fresh force, finally ended in a Pyrrhic victory for the players.

However, everyone knew that this was just the beginning.

In the distance, the faint sound of cannons coming from the direction of Mooncrown City reminded them that the real test was still in that elven city.

The Shanghai Pirate King found a high place to look out over Mooncrown City, which was a few kilometers away. He turned his head to look at his elven friend beside him.

What's the current situation in Mooncrown City?

"I don't know, it's too far."

The elf sighed.

"But judging from the activity, our compatriots in the city are not doing well. I haven't been able to sense much magical fluctuation. I'm afraid many magic towers have fallen... Also, your main fleet's firepower is really fierce, almost as powerful as the Emerald Dream when it's firing at full power."

(End of this chapter)