Sword Among Us c1-1268
Page 454
When he said those words, the fourteen people from Class One Hall held their breaths and were rendered speechless.
Eastern Heretic Junior smiled and said, "This time, Mu Clan mobilized tens of thousands of people for the attack. Right now, aside from Xuancheng, all the other branches Class One Hall has at the frontlines have already been heavily injured. This means that it's not that we want to wage war, but our higher ups have already waged war."
Silence.
The female player who had been calm and composed also put on a shocked and disbelieving expression. She could not help but blurt out. "Are you saying that the ambush you launched in the north is not just to create a chance for your main forces to break out of our encirclement, but was actually part of a scheme you made a long time ago?"
"Correct." Eastern Heretic Junior grinned.
The Mu Clan members beside him also put on similar grins.
"Class One Hall should be finished by now…
"Alright, it's time for us to send them on their way."
All nine Mu Clan members spread out in the shape of a fan and pounced on Class One Hall.
A fight broke out.
*****
All fourteen people who died in Hundred Flowers Palace were soon revived. Their faces were pale while they toddled out of Guanlin Temple.
There was a black mass of people on the empty ground outside Guanlin Temple. They were packed densely together, and they all sat down on the ground with their knees crossed to meditate as well as to recover their strength.
Curses in all sorts of tones continuously entered the players' ears.
"Those bastards from Mu Clan… they actually ambushed me while I was training!"
"What are the people outside doing? Don't they know to send messenger pigeons to give us a warning even after they died?"
"Damn it! I just recovered, you know?! And I died again!"
Some people said nothing.
When they saw that there were plenty of people who were in the same situation as them, their hearts completely sank.
Of course, there were quite a number of people in the crowd who calmly sent messenger pigeons nonstop. There were also people who swallowed medicinal pills while they left Guanlin Temple and went to the city gate.
These people were mostly Mu Clan members.
There was a group of people trailing behind those Mu Clan members. They staggered forward, and their gazes were incredibly fierce.
"Bastard! If you have the guts, go outside the city and fight me!"
"That's right! We'll fight one on one!"
The Mu Clan members did not agree to their provocation, but they did not refuse the challenge either. They just continued moving outside the city without slowing down.
When they saw this, the Class One Hall members felt indignant, but also incredibly pleased. They thought that Mu Clan had really agreed to their challenge, and they formed quite a long trail behind them.
When they arrived at the city gate, the Mu Clan members walked out, unperturbed.
Then, they saw that the Class One Hall members did not want to walk forward because they were hesitant. They turned their heads around and smiled coldly.
"Weren't you making a ruckus just now? Come on! Come out! I'm here right now! Come outside the city, and if you're really skilled, make me die again."
Silence.
"We'll fight one against one, and I'll fight against whoever comes out."
Silence.
The Mu Clan members shouted a few times, but no one among the Class One Hall members in the city responded.
In the end, the group of people angrily looked at the area outside the city and spat out gracelessly.
"Bastard."
"Stop pretending to be cool, you'll get struck by lightning if you do."
"Only idiots will go out of the city!"
Indeed, if Class One Hall went out of the city right now, they will truly be idiots.
Because standing behind those injured Mu Clan members were more than two thousand Mu Clan elites, and they stood there in a neat line.
They moved about on the boundless open field. Many small parties were also gathering nonstop at the entrance.
They can only watch these Mu Clan members swagger off to Mu Clan's ranks, and this group of Class One Hall members looked as if they had toads stuck in their throats, and they were filled with discomfort all over their bodies.
An even larger number of people watched Mu Clan's massive group of people outside Mu Clan with pale faces. They can vaguely understand what was about to happen.
The entire Xuancheng was already enveloped in the calm before a storm!
*****
Mu Clan's branch masters met with the people in charge of the operation this time from Chivalry Sect in Mu Clan's camp.
"Brother Heretic, you do live up to your name as Eastern Heretic Junior. In just a while, you defeated all the Class One Hall branches in the south. I'm filled with admiration toward you."
"Haha, Brother Martial, you're too polite. Chivalry Sect's members are pretty good as well. At the very least, you managed to kill thousands of people, right?"
"Eh, our results are lackl.u.s.ter. We weren't as cool as you were. You managed to defeat all of them with just two thousand or so people—"
"Two thousand people is not enough to mow down Class One Hall."
"Huh?" Branch Master Martial was stunned. "Mow down?"
Eastern Heretic Junior looked surprised when he heard his gasp of surprise. "Hmm? Brother Martial, didn't you know about it? This time, our leaders have already waged war against Class One Hall in their territory during our cooperation this time. We already mobilized our forces, and if it's not to mow down Class One Hall, what else could it be for?"
"Ah, I am truly regretful. I really didn't receive this news…"
"I reckon you usually don't pay much attention to anything else aside from training, right?' Eastern Heretic Junior smiled cordially.
Branch Master Martial nodded with his face flushed red.
"I thought so. I already heard that aside from mobilizing forces from the cities serving as the defense line, Chivalry Sect also mobilized no fewer than eighty thousand people from Jiangnan and the coastal area later on. They're currently heading north on the government-made road. Mu Clan has also mobilized at least fifty thousand to sixty thousand people. Hmm… we've also mobilized more than ten thousand people from West Region. Along with the people in the north, we should have an army of nearly two hundred thousand."
Branch Master Martial was instantly stunned when he heard this astonishing number. He quickly lowered his voice. "Do our higher ups really intend to kill Class One Hall as soon as possible?"
"Based on their attitude, I don't think it's fake. The people they mobilized is enough to overturn the entire north. The only thing that puzzles me is why Wind Assault Tower as well as Wind and Rain Alliance didn't join this," Eastern Heretic Junior mumbled under his breath.
As for Branch Master Martial, he listened to Eastern Heretic Junior as if he just received a lecture.
While they made small talk, some people occasionally came back to tell them that certain executive officers or chiefs had completed their missions and returned.
After some time, the people on the open field gradually scattered. Then, Eastern Heretic Junior saw that it was almost time.
"Class One Hall's members should be finished by now. Let's start."
"Alright!" Branch Master Martial was in high spirits.
*****
Most of the people from Class One Hall in Xuancheng had already retreated to the branch.
However, since Chivalry Sect and Mu Clan attacked at the same time, they got rid of too many Class One Hall members with their lightning fast attack. There were originally five thousand people in Xuancheng, and now, half of them were injured and could not fight. They can only stay in the city to watch how the situation unfolded.
Only around two thousand normal elites were around to protect
the headquarters. They were in a perilous situation when they had to face Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect's elites.
"Branch master!"
A group of people surrounded their branch master in the branch, and their faces were filled with anxiety.
"Hurry up and think of a way. Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect sent too many people in their operation this time, and they're all elites. We won't be able to defend our branch with just this number of people."
"Darn it… Mu Clan is prepared to play big this time…"
"Isn't he worried that he won't have an easy time wrapping things up later?"
"Don't speak so much. Just think about how we can get through this, that's the main thing we have to do right now, or else, once Mu Clan occupies our area, what should we do?"
The branch master was also in a terrible fix, and he felt as if there was a stone pressing down against his heart. He said angrily, "Do you think that I haven't actually thought about anything at all?! Don't worry! Our reinforcements are already on their way."
It was only then that the group felt at ease.
But they did not know that soon after the messenger pigeons flew to the branches in the cities near Xuancheng, the branch master in Xuancheng received his replies, but those were not responses to his letters. Instead, they were letters from the other branches urgently asking for reinforcements. Many of the nearby branches had been attacked swiftly and suddenly by Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect at the same time. Right now, their enemy forces had also arrived right under their cities.
Only one branch responded saying that they can provide reinforcements, but they only had a few people they can send.
If they fought this war, he did not even know whether he can protect Xuancheng's branch from being raided, but he knew with certainty that the remaining two thousand people will definitely all die.
But the orders from the headquarters was to fight to their last person to defend the branch, and he can only say what he said.
Boom!
All of Xuancheng went into an uproar.
Under countless players' gazes, thousands of Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect members rode in with a mighty momentum, and they officially stepped into the city for the first time since they entered the game.
Chapter 911 - Entire Situation
When the entire area to the north of Changjiang received the news of Class One Hall's defense line being destroyed by Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect, then losing the control over ten cities within a short period of time as well as losing tens of thousands of their fighting people, all the people there instantly descended into shock! Almost every organization in the north and the players chose to return to the cities and watched the great purge of the Chinese server from different battlefields.
The series of actions Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect took deep into the territory of the north were really nothing, because this time, they showed their true and ambitious d.e.s.i.r.e in completely swallowing Class One Hall as well as Class One Hall's entire territory in the north.
This was the purge of the greatest faction of power in the north.
It involved some of the other sects in the north as well, and they inevitably received notices from Class One Hall to provide them with support.
All the sects and allied factions who worked together with Class One Hall received messenger pigeons from Class One Hall.
Within the letter was a request for them to immediately mobilize forces to fight against Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect.
*****
The leaders of a few large sects gathered together in a city near Xuancheng.
"This Class One Hall, when we divided resource spots, they gave us very few resources, but when they're in danger, they want us to give our lives for them?"
"Working together to fight against the enemy, my foot. Class One Hall's territory is currently in a mess, and there's no way they can place all their attention on the frontlines. There's no need for me to even say anything, right? They want us to become cannon fodder for them and block Mu Clan as well as Chivalry Sect so that we can buy time for them?"
"What are your thoughts regarding the situation, everyone?"
Someone among them asked.
The others had varying expressions. Some of them smiled coldly, some were nonchalant, and some did not reveal their thoughts on their faces.
"I'm not going to fight this war. We've only enjoyed a few days of peace, and they want us to fight against Mu Clan? Class One Hall is a big organization with a huge business, they'll be fine, but we only have so many people in our sect. All of us are going to die if we fight against Mu Clan."
"You don't say."
"Wooden Heights, Dart Tip, both of you were brought to power by relying on Class One Hall, and you're different from us. This is the time for you to show your sincerity toward them," someone said.
Right when they finished speaking, two sect masters spread their arms in dejectedness and resignation.
"We're willing to, but our subordinates are not willing to."
"That's right. I only have a handful of powerful players in my hand, but Mu Clan brought an entire army of elites with them this time. If we fight against them, we'll have nothing left. Even if we fight against them three against one, we might not win."
"Fight against Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect? I'm not mad, you know?"
"Happy is still in Mount Song right now. If he sees my people stand against Mu Clan's forces, I might end up with my headquarters gone."
In the end, only around ten sects living in the north under Class One Hall chose to send their forces to provide reinforcements. The others were all bark and no bite. In fact, some of them even chose to log off to avoid the war.
The ones who agreed to provide reinforcements were all near Beijing, and they could not immediately provide aid to the frontlines.
In less than half a day, Class One Hall's forces lost and were forced to retreat thirty-one miles to the north. More than thirty cities swiftly fell into Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect's hands.
*****
"Those ungrateful louts!"
When Dream Clouds returned to Beijing, at least one hundred thousand people were trapped in the areas Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect took down at the frontlines.
What caused her even greater exasperation was that the south just sent her information stating that there was an even larger group of Mu Clan members, Chivalry Sect members, and the sects who worked together with these two major powers who were entering the resource points and cities of the fallen areas in an endless stream to help Mu Clan's forces in blocking Class One Hall's members from entering and leaving those areas.
At the same time, Dream Clouds finally felt a wave of helplessness where a strong person would feel when he or she lost their power and was bullied by all sides. She also felt incredibly resigned.
She originally thought that Happy's goal was to break out of her encirclement and that he wanted to use Dragon Saber to intimidate Class One Hall once more.
The situation was slipping from her grasp!
The one hundred thousand people at the frontlines were destroyed and monitored within a short amount of time, and they cannot continue to fight.
Tens of hundreds of people in the territory were still search for the hiding spots for Mu Clan, Chivalry Sect, and the other groups. If she mobilized all of them for the war at that moment, these bombs hidden in the darkness will definitely not hesitate in delivering the most fatal strike behind her back. In fact, they might even press close to Beijing under Happy's lead.
"Happy…" Dream Clouds gritted her teeth, and she was incredibly hesitant and anxious in Beijing's headquarters.
"Hall master!"
"What is it?" Dream Clouds' voice clearly became much colder and sharper.
Evil Wolf froze a little when he entered through the girl.
"The Prophet sent news and said that he has already located the others. One is Little North, one is Red Dust, and the other is Lin Xiao. The three groups are located in…"
Once he s
tated the trio's locations, not a hint of delight can be detected on Dream Clouds' face. Instead, she s.u.c.k.e.d in a deep breath and sighed in great anguish. "Happy is much more cunning than I thought."
"What should we do now? We've found them, but we can't take any action, and the situation at the frontlines is becoming more and more urgent."
"Leave behind a group of our members to block them, and the rest…" Dream Clouds originally wanted to have everyone return and make preparations to reorganize themselves so that they can head to the frontlines, but when the words reached her mouth, she froze once more and suddenly remembered how Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect's members had been divided into dozens of groups, not just the few groups they found.
There was an even larger group of people who still remained outside her field of vision.
Unless she was able to monitor everyone and send forces twice their number to control them, her tens of thousands of people cannot leave the northern territory, because if they did, they will lose the power to intimidate Mu Clan and Chivalry Sect in their territory.
It was only at that moment that Dream Clouds understood just how powerful Happy's move was. He broke his entire army into different parts, and he can turn them into a whole army at any moment he wanted. Once he successfully created a great battle success with these parts, he managed to hold back a large number of Class One Hall's forces, causing Dream Clouds to only have a handful of people she can actually use.
The northern area was huge, and at that moment, they had already mobilized quite a lot of people from their branches to handle the multiple battlefields.
What caused Dream Clouds greater unease was that ever since Happy left Mount Song, he started advancing to Beijing, and his goal was as clear as day.
Dream Clouds felt as if her limbs were tied together, and at the same time, she also felt as if she cannot breathe, as if she was suffocating.
Happy first split his forces to launch ambushes, then had all these different forces stay in different parts in the north to wait quietly. Then, he appeared personally to set up his might on Mount Song before he started heading to Beijing to drive Class One Hall out of the north. Now, he commanded his entire army to head north.