Chapter 1139: Resolving Tension Between Brothers (1/2)
”Mona…”
I did some quick thinking while standing at the entrance of the camp. ”I was just bringing my friends over to Sky City. I wasn’t expecting to see you here. You were going to report your success to Princess Karinshan, right? How did you come to be in the Purple Grape City domain?”
Mona replied with a giggle, ”Let me explain. After I filed a report, Princess Karinshan put me in General Stark’s army, and General Stark gave me command over the Black Cavalry’s 5000-strong scout battalion. So, I brought them to this desert. Princess Karinshan had ordered me to rebuild this place and set up a small fortress just in case we need to defend against certain crises.”
”Certain crises?”
I immediately thought of Sophie’s army. Sophie was ultimately an undead, so even if they were on the same side, Karinshan could never put her full trust in her. That was why Karinshan had dispatched 5000 troops to build a temporary camp to use as a forward base.
……
The camp behind Mona was… pretty shabby, to be honest. I saw a lot of swordsmen polishing their swords without anything to sit on. Instead of stables, the riders had to tend to their horses between the trees. In fact, the only notable structures in the camp were a couple of bonfires and tents that could be made from sticks and leaves. They couldn’t even protect them from the rain, and even with no rain in this desert, the tree leaves would rot and have to be replaced over time.
”Forgive me for saying this, but it looks like your camp is a long way from completion…” I said with a smile.
Mona turned a little red before sighing. ”I know, but this is all I can do right now. All seven of our armies are currently battling against the undead of Bloody Shield Domain at Vanished God City. You already know this, but Bloody Shield Domain is currently commanded by a cunning Purgatory Sovereign, Coldblade right now, so most of our supplies are dedicated to that battlefield. Princess Karinshan herself told me that we would have to be self-sufficient because the empire no longer had the resources to devote elsewhere.”
I shook my head. ”I see. So, how many people did you bring with you? Actually, scratch that. Do you have blacksmiths, potion sellers and item sellers in your midst?”
Mona pointed a finger behind her and said matter-of-factly, ”Of course! We are an army, you know. How can we fight without a complete assortment of merchants? I only wish that we didn’t need to pay these lazy bastards a ton of gold to follow us, and even then, the contract is only half a year long.”
That was good news. I said, ”So, Mona, as you can see behind me, the friends I brought with me are unaffiliated players. However, I promise you that they are all reliable fellows. Can you do me a favor and allow them to resupply at your camp?”
”Ah?!”
Mona opened her mouth with a slightly troubled look on her face, ”I’m a soldier of Sky City. You know I can’t associate myself with wandering soldiers too much, unless…”
”Unless?”
”Unless they will be of use to me!”
”And how exactly do you want them to help you?”
”For starters, they can help complete my camp…”
”No problem!”
I agreed immediately, ”Just tell us what to do, it will be done.”
”Okay.”
Mona nodded and pointed at a swordsman uncle behind her, ”This guy here is our materiel officer. Speak to him, and he’ll give you and your wandering soldiers various tasks that will help us rebuild these ruins. Every time you complete a task, you will receive a certain number of glory points exclusive to our Black Cavalry Scout Battalion. Once you’ve obtained 100 glory points, you will become a guest of the Black Cavalry Legion and obtain the right to resupply here and even our protection.”
Mona’s request could be boiled down to one thing: work for her, and she would grant us the right to enter her temporary camp. Grind enough amity, and she and the 5000 high-level fiend-rank NPCs would even offer us their protection. The players of Purple Grape City wouldn’t dare to attack us then.
……
So I turned around, faced Godkiller players and pointed at the materiel officer with my thumb. ”You heard her. Accept rebuild quests—preferably in hundred-man parties to speed things up—and grind glory points. Once you have 100 glory points, you’ll be able to resupply here.”
Warscar broke into a wide grin. ”Got it!”
Even Hickey was smiling. ”I didn’t think things would go this smoothly!”
I nodded in agreement. ”Yeah. Make it snappy though. We could all use some rest soon.”
”Yeah!”
He Yi walked up to me and asked me smilingly, ”Are you going to stay in Ice River Canton for the time being, Lu Chen?”
”Duh. Where else can I go?” I shrugged. ”I’m the child who’s been abandoned by his own people. Making a living for myself in these ruins is all I can do now…”
He Yi pursed her lips. ”Screw you! We haven’t abandoned you…”
I laughed. ”Anyway, thanks for everything you’ve done, but you shouldn’t let me keep you or the gang any longer, Eve. Don’t worry, now that Godkiller is back to a couple hundred thousand, God’s Domain and Era of Strife can’t just face-rush us anymore. We’ll be fine.”
However, He Yi insisted, ”I don’t want to. I want to stay here with you…”
Beiming Xue pulled my arm and said, ”C’mon, big brother. Sister Eve hasn’t seen you for a very long time. Let her keep you company just a bit longer…”
”Ah… yeah. Okay…”