Chapter 227 - 141: December: Month of Chaos (3)
"Don’t worry. Just because you don’t have any doesn’t mean others don’t. I brought a Space Detector. As long as a Space Stone Vein exists on this continent, it will create a spatial distortion field that this device can detect. Then, all you have to do is lead these people to go and seize it."
As he spoke, Bess reached a hand into his mouth and pulled a detector out from his stomach. He casually flicked the fluid off the device and switched it on.
"BEEP... BEEP... BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP..."
The device searched for only a few minutes before it began to sound.
"Haha, you see? You may not have one, but there’s always someone who does. It seems this batch from the Human Race is somewhat capable after all. To think one of their lords has already secured a Space Stone Vein. A pity they’re a selfish fool who doesn’t know how to share with other lords."
"If they were as cooperative as we Eye Demons, perhaps they would have already started invading the other competing lords, just like us."
Bess held the detector, speaking with delight as he checked the bearing of the Space Stone Vein.
"Alright, I’ve got it. It’s to the northeast. Let’s attack in that direction. We can snatch some Space Stones along the way. The higher-ups are planning something big and are in desperate need of them."
Having received his orders, Mei Yuan immediately bellowed the command.
"All units, prepare to advance! We march northeast!"
"If anyone dares to stand in our way, flatten them!!!"
The lords on the outskirts were about to remind Mei Yuan that the nearest territory was to the west, but after hearing his last statement, they said nothing more.
After all, the question of who was "obstructing" them was wide open to interpretation.
The great army set out, and the lords’ soldiers began forming ranks and marching northeast.
More than 250 lords were present. Since most had limited strength and small forces, they each brought an average of 20,000 soldiers, amounting to a grand total of five million troops.
Fortunately, this world had many peculiar forms of Magic for storing food. Moreover, every lord possessed a personal spatial storage, allowing them to carry vast quantities of supplies.
Otherwise, just feeding this five-million-strong army would have been enough to clear out all nearby vegetation and eat Mei Yuan into bankruptcy.
On a small hill to the west, Xiong Liang huddled on his city wall, watching in terror as the army below began to move out.
’He was already starting to regret not joining Mei Yuan’s grand plan. Setting aside the potential spoils of war, he was just too close to Mei Yuan. And he had offended him before. If Mei Yuan wanted revenge, all he’d need to do was dispatch a small part of that army to flatten his territory.’
’He had spent the entire past month on pins and needles!’
’At first, he had taken back 20,000 points and, relying on his Excellent-grade hero, managed to grab a lot of treasure chests.’
’But as time passed, the nearby lords all acquired numerous Excellent-grade heroes of their own.’
’His advantage was wiped out in an instant. While his territory was a bit stronger than the others—which was why he had been the one to negotiate with Mei Yuan in the first place—he couldn’t possibly stand against all of them united.’
’Since most of the lords had joined Mei Yuan’s plan, they couldn’t very well attack each other, so they came after him instead.’
’There was nothing to be done. He couldn’t win a fight and didn’t dare flee too far, so his only choice was to hole up in his territory. He hardly even dared to make a sound when other lords came to pillage his lands.’
’Later, for some unknown reason, those lords stopped coming out to search for treasure chests as often. Even so, he still didn’t dare leave his territory to find any.’
’The main reason was that the army at the foot of the hill kept growing, looking as if it wouldn’t be satisfied until the entire basin was filled.’
’There were just so many of them! He was terrified! If he went out looking for chests and attracted the attention of the army below, there would be nowhere to turn for recourse after they beat him to a pulp.’
’For the past month, he hadn’t even let his people outside the city walls. He had barely managed to survive for a month on his stored rations, yet the army at the foot of the hill had only grown larger.’
He knew about Mei Yuan’s plan. At first, he had scoffed at it, but he never expected Mei Yuan to be so capable as to rally so many lords to his cause.
’An army of millions, with thousands of Excellent-grade heroes... It was simply impossible for a lone lord to contend with.’
’This terrified him even more. He was deathly afraid that Mei Yuan would make an example of him to rally the troops. Now, he didn’t even dare to light a lamp at night, keeping his entire territory shrouded in darkness, pretending it was deserted.’
Mobilizing an army of five million was time-consuming. Furthermore, since the troops belonged to different lords, they lacked coordination and appeared somewhat chaotic.
By the time the entire army had disappeared from the foot of the hill, dawn had broken. Only when he was certain that Mei Yuan and his allies’ forces were long gone did Xiong Liang finally let out a long sigh of relief.