Chapter 923 - 425
Game Time AM09:39
Misha County
Under Motan’s guidance, the Princess’s Guard, which had not encountered a single enemy thus far, had been "wandering" in the central part of the Southern Territory for a while. They finally received instructions to move full speed southward. This caused Snow Mane and the others, who had just calmed down, to tense up their nerves once again. Everyone was clear that since Hei Fan had issued this command, it meant that besides the nearly twenty thousand mutants near the tributaries of the Jin Hui River, all the remaining monsters in the southern part of Misha County had set their sights on them, numbering at least five thousand.
No more hesitation, no more delays, no more accepting any form of interference—over five thousand mutants!
Despite the fact that their mobility couldn’t compare to the highly mobile Princess’s Guard, and that no one had seen even one mutant catch up to them, everyone present knew that a tide of corpses that could overwhelm the entire squad was rolling in, ready to engulf and consume them at any moment.
They no longer questioned Motan’s instructions, considering that not encountering any enemies for over an hour could no longer be explained by coincidence. Aside from that Black Vatican Priest managing things through unimaginable command and coordination on their behalf, there was no other possibility.
The gloomy clouds that lingered in the sky day and night seemed to darken a few shades, the biting cold wind silently became sharp and piercing, scraping everyone’s cheeks painfully. In their line of sight was nothing but desolation and shattering scenes. Although the monsters that originally lurked here had temporarily left, the rotten stench in the air did not diminish in the slightest, instead spreading more intensely, mixed with a spine-chilling dead silence, aiming to drive away these living beings at odds with death, silently wearing down their will.
"It has already begun to repel the living..."
Snow Mane murmured with a grave expression, the God’s Badge of Justice that was worn on her chest pulsing with a red light, enveloping Yu Chen in a majestic aura of Divine Power, "This is a sign of transformation into a Cursed Land; things seem to be a bit bad."
Yu Chen, who had just finished sending a message to Motan, gently nodded, her small face slightly pale, "Yes, let’s move a bit faster. Otherwise, those mutants on the east side will collide with us before merging with the enemies behind us, and that would be troublesome."
"Understood."
Snow Mane, who knew that Her Highness the Saintess could directly communicate with the Black Vatican Commander through special means, nodded without hesitation and shouted to her companions, "Speed up! Follow me!"
Having said that, she gently spurred her mount Windsor with legs almost as long as Yu Chen’s, surpassing the pincer and the other Elf Holy Knight to take the lead at the front of the team. She raised her war hammer high, silently praying to Black Helm, the god of justice and courage.
The next second, the God’s Badge depicting "The Balance of the War Hammer" appeared behind each person and swiftly infused into the bodies of their mounts. This infusion immediately lifted the spirits of the war horses and beasts of war that hadn’t rested for a single step since their departure and boosted their speed instantly by a notch.
[Expedition Aura]
Active Divine Art of the Justice Sect
Prerequisites: Believer of the God of Justice, profession ’Holy Knight,’ Physical Strength Value threshold > 2000
Consumption/Limitations: 300 Faith Value, 700 Physical Strength Value, at least two friendly units within a thirty-meter radius must be in a riding state.
Effect: Once activated, increases the movement speed of all friendly mounted units within a thirty-meter radius by 20% for a duration of 15 minutes. Ineffective against targets in front of the caster and targets in combat; provides an additional 10% movement speed bonus when there are visible enemy targets within sight that number less than 50% of the Aura-affected persons; provides an additional 15% movement speed bonus when there are enemy units behind the caster that number more than 50% of the Aura-affected persons; Cooldown time: None
[Remark: Old driver, take me with you!]
The Knights responded thunderously, kicking up billowing dust as they sped southward.
Ten minutes later
The various Mutant Groups that had been frantically running from all directions towards the Princess’s Guard also gradually converged, following the footsteps of the former towards the south...
With this, the second plan of the Requiem, the first and most difficult step, finally came to a close, leaving behind only two batches of mutants scattered across the Southern Territory: nearly twenty thousand mutants gathered in front of the two long bridges at Twin Cities and more than five thousand mutants closely following the Princess’s Guard, their hatred fully drawn by Yu Chen.
...
Game Time AM09:52
Motan issued another round of instructions, ordering the only remaining supply squad outside the engagement area and the majority of the personnel to withdraw back to the Hodir Pass and carried out the final adjustments for the Eagle Eye teams two through nine, which were already arranged to head towards the Twin Cities half an hour ago and were composed purely of players. Then, he collapsed back in his chair, closed his eyes in exhaustion, and said softly, "I’ll rest for five minutes."