I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 384 Catching a Shark While Fishing (Part Two)

"What?! The Varangian Legion wants to hog all the food?!"

Before the explosion of the siege spears, they stealthily advanced under the cover of night, managing to evade the Varangians of the Miniese, but they could not escape the sight of the other players.

There are many players lurking within a ten-kilometer radius of White Rock City, at least more than the Varangian Warband and the Minisians imagined, numbering at least a thousand.

The reason why so many players are gathered here is quite simple... coincidence.

Monokuma's ability to traverse over 200 kilometers of enemy territory alone and reach the mission area within ten days is actually a very efficient feat.

Besides him, there aren't many other players who can do this.

Many players were delayed either because they set off late, encountered obstacles along the way, were involved in side quests, or got lost on the road...

In short, a large number of players were on their way, and just when Monokuma asked for help, they were near Baiyan City. They then rushed towards Baiyan City at full speed, disregarding everything else.

The players were very active, even more so than Monokuma had anticipated, because they were extremely enthusiastic about capturing White Rock Castle.
Whether it's solo players or members of small guilds, this is the case. On the contrary, players from large guilds continue to run towards the quest area, showing little interest in White Rock City outside the quest area.

The reason for this situation is simple... because of Tavitzky.

Because of the main storyline, players who participated in the siege of this city back then all have a share in it. Recently, the hottest topic on player forums has been the development of Tavitsky.

Any player with a discerning eye can see that as long as the game doesn't shut down, Tavisky's prosperity is inevitable as the story unfolds. Players who own city shares and shops don't need to do anything; they can become rich simply by being landlords in the game.

This kind of thing makes other players quite envious.

Although he's just a landlord in the game, the number of players during the game's open beta is steadily increasing, causing the price of in-game currency to rise as well. This has made Tavitzky's landlord status more valuable.

Now another opportunity to be a "landlord" has arisen, how can this not make other players who can seize the opportunity eager to try?

The players in the large battle groups don't care because they have their own battle group's base, and the fixed salary of the battle group is no less than that of a landlord. Therefore, they can disregard White Rock City.

Conversely, solo players and small groups value White Rock City highly.

Therefore, when someone discovers that the Valangi Legion is advancing stealthily, intending to take it all for themselves, and the players who discover them spread the news, those online immediately band together and call on offline players to come online quickly, or relinquish command of their AFK characters.

The extremely distinct explosions of the siege spears spurred them to speed up even further.

"Quickly! Quickly! It's the siege spears exploding!"

"That damn Varangian wanted to eat it all by himself..."

"Don't even think about it, brothers, follow me!!!"

……

The oak gates of White Rock were reduced to dust in the flames and smoke. The warriors of the Varangian Legion roared and surged into the gate like a black torrent bursting its banks, carrying the stench of blood and gunpowder.

Behind the city gate, a group of Minisian soldiers were in a panic. They could barely hold off the Varangians for a minute before they were overwhelmed and killed.

Olaf charged through the burning debris and the ravaged corpses, leading his chapter members forward.

"Charge! Don't get separated, stick together and charge into the city center!"

Olaf knew that his side only had two hundred men. Although they were capable of fighting, once they were scattered, no matter how strong they were, they would be diluted like ink falling into a lake.

The two hundred or so people ignored the shouts and arrows from the city wall and stepped onto the wide avenue leading to the city center square inside White Rock City.

At this moment, in the deepest darkness before dawn, the place appears exceptionally empty and desolate, with houses and shops on both sides with their doors and windows tightly closed. Only a few scattered lights flicker in the distance, as if the entire city is asleep.

"Charge! Capture the buildings in the city center first, and break through this city!"

Olaf led the charge, his massive battle axe pointed at the city center, his face revealing undisguised bloodlust and excitement.

More than two hundred Varangian warriors followed closely behind, their heavy footsteps echoing on the empty stone-paved street like the drumbeats of death.

However, just as they emerged from the shadow of the city gate and stepped onto the wide avenue a mere two or three hundred meters away... a horn suddenly shot into the sky, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

As soon as he heard that sound, Olaf knew he was in trouble.

Sure enough, almost the next second, dozens of torches suddenly lit up without warning on the rooftops, alleyways, and even the second-floor windows of some houses on both sides of the main road.

Dozens of torches illuminated the entire street, revealing the Varangian warriors on the avenue.

Immediately afterwards, from the front, back, and both sides of the street leading to the main road, countless Miniese soldiers in bright armor surged out like a tide.

They were already on high alert, their shields forming a wall, their cold eyes carrying a hunter's mockery and killing intent.

The heavy footsteps, like muffled thunder, came from all directions, instantly blocking the Varangian Legion on the main road.

"No, there's an ambush!"

Someone in the group gasped in surprise.

"We've fallen for their trap..."

"Damn it, I knew the city gate would break down too easily!"

The fervor on the faces of the Varangian warriors froze instantly, replaced by shock and anger.

They finally realized that the laxity of the city gate guards, the reduction in patrols, and even the unrest in the refugee area could all be bait.

The Minisians had anticipated their possible night raid, and might even have deliberately let them off the hook, all to lure their two hundred elite troops into this carefully laid trap.

In the city center, on the roof of the general's mansion, General Hoffmann, clad in magnificent general's armor, gazes at the burning trap. His expression is not one of pleasure, but rather one of puzzled confusion.

"Bagnia has arrived?"

"Yes, General."

The adjutant behind the general gave an affirmative answer.

"It's confirmed, they are indeed Bagnians. Judging from their flags, it's a battle group called Varangi, and they have over two hundred heavy infantry."

Upon hearing this, General Hoffman's doubts deepened.

"Why are the Bagnians attacking White Rock City? The border between the two countries is 200 kilometers away. There's no point in taking this place."

Could it be that Elena really has Chris so infatuated that he is willing to send his elite troops to their deaths?

Or did Elena offer some conditions to bribe the Varangian Legion to rescue them?

The adjutant did not answer, because it was something he did not know.

……

Deafening battle cries erupted from all directions as the Minisian army, like a floodgate opened, launched a full-scale attack on the Varangi Legion, which was surrounded in the center.

Directly ahead, Miniscia's most elite cuirassiers were also surging forward. These fifty-odd cavalrymen, well-equipped and fully armored, were like a moving steel wall, their lances held high, charging with an aura of crushing everything in their path—the most terrifying assault force in urban warfare.

However, this did not frighten the players. After the initial shock, the Valanciunas warriors showed no fear in their eyes. Instead, their most primal ferocity was completely ignited.

trap?

ambush?

So what! The battle itself is the meaning of their existence.

"For Odin!"

Olaf's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a beast-like roar.

"Brothers, let's show these Minisian cowards what real warriors are like!"

Following the order, the Varangian Legion demonstrated their formidable combat skills and superior equipment as elite players.

In the center and on the flanks of the formation, two pre-loaded tiger-squat cannons were quickly moved to the front and placed on the ground. The gunners nimbly adjusted the angles and aimed them forward.

"put!"

The two tiger-squatting cannons fired simultaneously, and amidst the bursts of fire, two hundred rounds of shrapnel flew toward the charging cavalry column a hundred meters away.

The cavalrymen at the forefront, along with their horses, crashed into an invisible iron wall, and were instantly thrown to the ground.

As elite troops, these cuirassiers wore high-quality cuirassiers that could withstand small lead bullets at a distance of 100 meters. However, the cuirassiers only protected the chest and were ineffective against the cavalryman's head, neck, or horse.

A barrage of shrapnel rained down, men screamed, horses neighed, and the momentum of the charge came to a halt. The cavalry following behind, amidst the shouts of their comrades and the bombardment of cannons, reined in their horses in terror and gave way, and the formation instantly fell into chaos.

These cuirassiers may have undergone very rigorous training and could be considered elite, but judging from their current reactions, they are all new recruits who have never seen blood.

At the same time, more than a third of the soldiers in Varangi's group drew their flintlock pistols or infantry flintlock rifles from their backs or waists.

Varangi doesn't have musketeers, but in order to fight better, Olaf has equipped many people with a musket, so they can temporarily become heavy musketeers when needed.

"Fire!"

"Clap clap clap..."

Another burst of dense gunfire, like popping beans, rang out, aimed directly at the Minisian cavalry, who were thrown into disarray and halted by the Tiger Crouching Cannon bombardment, and the infantry following closely behind them.

Smoke filled the air, lead bullets flew everywhere, and Minisian soldiers fell like felled wheat in the volley of fire, screaming in agony.

The narrow streets became a slaughterhouse for firearms, and the Minisians' proud frontal charges were instantly stunned and crippled by this fierce firepower.

"Now's the time! Charge with me and tear open the right flank!"

Olaf astutely seized the moment when the enemy's front was suppressed by fire and their formation was in disarray. He pointed his massive battle axe at a relatively narrow alleyway on the right, from which a large number of sword-and-shield infantrymen poured out.

"Varangi...for Odin! Kill!!!"

Olaf led the charge, charging like a human chariot towards the Minisian sword and shield formation on the right.

The Varangian warriors behind him roared even more fiercely. The Varangians, equipped with flintlock muskets, stayed behind to maintain suppressive fire, firing at the front and left flank, while the remaining two-thirds picked up axes and followed closely behind.

Although the Minisian swordsmen on the right were startled by the barrage of fire, seeing the enemy abandon their firearms and charge into melee only fueled their fighting spirit!
"Raise your shields and hold them off!"

An officer roared.

The swordsmen at the front quickly raised their shields and considered their options, soon forming a solid shield wall. At the same time, sharp spears fiercely pierced through the gaps in the shields, turning them into an iron hedgehog.

However, Varangi's charge was too powerful.

Olaf charged to the shield wall without dodging or evading, and his massive battle axe, carrying immense force, slammed into the foremost shield like a battering ram.

"Boom!!!"

With a dull, teeth-grinding thud, the shield, along with the soldier behind it, was slammed backward by this inhuman force. The shield dented, the soldier coughed up blood, his arm was broken, and he fell backward, creating a gap in the shield wall.

Olaf roared and continued to swing his battle axe, smashing back the soldiers who tried to fill the gap, shield and all. At the same time, his massive body turned and crashed into the gap, like a red-hot knife cutting into butter.

Although Olaf was stabbed several times by the two spears during the process, his composite triple-layered heavy armor played a crucial role. Although the stabs hurt, they were not fatal.

At this moment, the Varangian warriors following Olaf also roared and charged forward. They were clad in heavy armor and did not care about the spears thrusting at them. They wielded heavy battle axes, maces, and two-handed greatswords, frantically hacking and smashing at the shields and the soldiers behind them.

The battle instantly descended into the most bloody and brutal close-quarters combat.

The sounds of metal clashing, bones cracking, dying screams, and wild battle cries mingled together, creating a symphony of hell.

The narrow alleyway had become a bloodbath, with blood quickly staining the stone pavement and flowing through the cracks.

The Varangian warriors fought tooth and nail, risking their lives for their own. With their superior armor, fearless madness, and superhuman strength from their tall and muscular physiques, they managed to tear a widening gash in the seemingly impregnable shield wall.

The Minisian soldiers were horrified to discover that these "madmen" were not afraid of getting hurt at all. Some of them were even stabbed by spears, and as long as it was not a vital spot, they would pounce on the enemy even more frantically.

Every time their heavy weapons landed, they inevitably took a life or completely crippled a combatant.

Just as the Varangian Legion was locked in a bloody and bitter battle on Victory Avenue, fighting desperately with the Minisian army in the narrow alleyways, a clamor of excitement could be heard outside White Rock City.

"Kill them! Don't let Varangi take it all for himself!"

"Baiyan City belongs to everyone, charge in!"

"For the landlord, for... never mind, let's go..."

A tidal wave of battle cries erupted from all directions of White Rock City, as hundreds and thousands of players, like sharks that had smelled blood, surged out of the dark wilderness, forests, and even refugee camps.

Their equipment varied; some were scattered soldiers in leather armor, while others were members of loosely organized squads. They lacked unified command, yet their goal was strikingly consistent: to storm White Rock City and claim a share of the spoils!

The explosion at the city gate and the deafening shouts of battle within the city served as the best indication.

These players didn't care about traps or ambushes; all they saw was the city gate that had been blown open, a symbol of wealth and "shares."

"Quickly, the city gates are open! Charge in!"

"Ignore the soldiers on the road, head straight into the city!"

"Holy crap, it's got a really big fight going on in there! Guys, let's get in!"

Like a flood bursting its banks, they ignored the arrows shot down from the city walls and surged madly toward the open, still burning and smoking city gate.

Their overwhelming momentum made the Minisian officers on the city wall, who originally wanted to close the city gates, feel uneasy, and even the refugees outside the city were starting to get restless... They were starving outside the city, but there should be food inside.

What, you're saying you're afraid to take the risk?
At this point, with food right nearby, if you don't dare to go eat, you deserve to starve.

(End of this chapter)