Chapter Summaries

Zhang Song and Yang Di explained why the defeated Green Leaf Group had to avoid escalating its conflict with Dhirim and seek a way to preserve itself. As they retreated through the weakened undead, Yang Di revealed that the Wood Elf Plane had tacitly abandoned them.

• Zhang Song rejected the Green Leaf Group's calls for revenge, warning that Shen Mu could destroy their Wood Elf Village if they killed Dhirim's Human Mages.
• Zhang Song argued that Dhirim had suffered little damage, leaving room for peace talks, and Yang Di arrived to support his decision.
• Yang Di ordered everyone to return to the Wood Elf Village and plan carefully, and the group withdrew from the Apartment Building through an area where only weak undead remained.
• Zhang Song hoped the undead assault on Dhirim might weaken both sides, but Yang Di said the Wood Elf Plane had ignored their pleas and chosen to abandon them.
• Zhang Song asked whether the Wood Elf Plane still wanted Dhirim's Magic Plant, but Yang Di said he did not know and doubted the Wood Elves had ever valued Blue Star Humans.

Shen Mu held Dhirim’s East City Wall against the Undead Legion while discussing peace talks with Zhang Bo and Jeremus after Green Leaf Group’s failed sneak attack. The Stage 8 vanguard commander finally emerged from the Black Mist and began attacking the wall.

• Shen Mu watched Dhirim’s troops repel the Bone Skeletons as the enemy’s archers ran out of arrows, while the hidden vanguard commander still had not appeared.
• Jeremus reported that the Wood Elves had left the twenty Edengard Pious Ones alive and confirmed that Green Leaf Group had retreated through its Teleportation Gate.
• Shen Mu told Jeremus he would offer Green Leaf Group peace talks, deliberately letting Zhang Bo hear that he would spare them rather than destroy their village.
• Zhang Bo said his prophetic instincts made him feel that peace talks would bring improvement, hoping Shen Mu would leave Green Leaf Group a chance to survive.
• A crash sounded at the East City Wall, where the Stage 8 vanguard commander of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty appeared in the thickening Black Mist and attacked.

Ludwig attacked the East City Wall through a Cyclops Bone Skeleton, hoping to seize the Fragment of Natural Will and escape the Necromantic Rules. The defenders unleashed Holy Light-infused arrows and ballistae, devastating the giant and leaving Ludwig pinned and fearing his hope was lost.

• Ludwig used the Cyclops Bone Skeleton to hurl a bone sword through the East City Wall, knocking soldiers from the rampart and cracking the wall.
• Ludwig reflected on his former Wood Elf soldiers, now reduced to Skeleton Archers, and resolved to claim the Fragment of Natural Will to regain his freedom.
• As Ludwig charged toward the wall to retrieve his sword, the defenders struck the Cyclops Bone Skeleton with arrows and bolts glowing with Holy Light.
• The wall and Castle Area's ballistae shattered much of the giant's body and knocked it to the ground, while more Holy Light projectiles pinned it in place.
• Ludwig realized the defenders were aiming ballistae at the giant's skull and despaired that he might never obtain the Fragment of Natural Will.

Shen Mu used the Holy Light Enchantment Scroll to strengthen his soldiers and their attacks, allowing them to defeat the Skeleton Giant outside Dhirim’s wall. But he found no notice that the mission’s eighth stage was complete, so he realized the Vanguard Commander of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty was still alive.

• Shen Mu activated the Holy Light Enchantment Scroll, restoring his soldiers and empowering their weapons with Holy Light that destroyed Bone Skeletons.
• The Skeleton Giant struck Dhirim’s wall and sent soldiers tumbling inside, where Edengard Pious Ones treated their injuries.
• Light Ballistae and other ranged attacks pinned down the Skeleton Giant and shattered it, while Holy Light burned its bones to ash.
• The Vaegir Archers, Sacred Tree Knights, and Mount & Blade soldiers cheered over the victory, but Shen Mu saw no notice that stage eight of the mission was complete.
• Shen Mu ordered everyone to keep fighting after concluding that the Vanguard Commander of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty had not died.

Shen Mu realized the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty's vanguard commander was still alive and worried about the Holy Light Enchantment expiring before it could attack. He approved Fatis and the other commanders' plan to strike the Undead Legion, and the Swadian Heavy Cavalry began charging the enemy outside the East City Gate.

• Shen Mu concluded the Skeleton Giant was not the missing vanguard commander and ordered his soldiers to stay vigilant.
• Fatis, Lezalit, Manid, and Bestur told Shen Mu they wanted to use the Holy Light Enchantment's remaining time to attack the Undead Legion, and Shen Mu approved.
• Fatis assigned Manid to defend the walls, Lezalit to lead the Swadian cavalry, and Bestur to lead the Khergit Horse Archers and Steppe Bandits.
• Lezalit led the Swadian Knights and Swadian Heavy Cavalry out through the West City Gate and around toward the East City Gate, while Bestur and then Fatis followed with their troops.
• The Swadian Heavy Cavalry formed a clustered charge and rode toward the Undead Legion as Bone Skeleton archers' arrows clattered harmlessly against their armor.

After the Cyclops Bone Skeleton was destroyed by the town’s overwhelming Holy Light, Ludwig decided to retreat and preserve himself. As Swadian cavalry attacked from both sides, he found his escape blocked and watched the heavy cavalry charge into the black mist.

• Ludwig saw the Cyclops Bone Skeleton reduced to ash and realized the human town wielded far more Holy Light than he had expected.
• Ludwig chose to flee, hoping to survive, recover his strength, and later seek the Fragment of Natural Will.
• Ludwig turned translucent and tried to escape through the black mist, but heavy cavalry bearing Holy Light charged toward him from the north.
• Ludwig spotted Holy Light-wielding horse archers attacking from the south, whose arrows instantly killed Bone Skeletons in the mist.
• A young knight led the heavy cavalry into the black mist, where they smashed the skeletons as they charged.

Fatis led the Swadian Heavy Cavalry Cluster into the Black Mist, smashing through the Undead Legion and forcing it to retreat from Dhirim’s East City Wall. Ludwig tried to escape, but Human Horse Archers reached his position and threatened to cut off his flight.

• Fatis charged with the Swadian Knights and Swadian Heavy Cavalry, crushing Bone Skeletons and Skeleton Pikemen with their armored horses and holy-flame spears.
• Shen Mu watched the cavalry tear through the Black Mist as the East City Wall’s ranged shooters continued firing.
• The Undead Legion retreated from the East City Wall and formed defensive ranks under Ludwig’s direction to delay the human cavalry.
• Ludwig fled east through the Black Mist after realizing the human cavalry had forced him away from the wall.
• Ludwig hid behind Bone Skeletons, but holy-flame arrows pierced the shield wall and burned them to ash.
• Human Horse Archers attacked near Ludwig with arrows and flaming Nomad Scimitars, leaving him increasingly alarmed.

Ludwig fled from the Khergit Nomads, but their arrows and white Holy Light flames overwhelmed his necromantic power. After the soldiers killed him, Shen Mu received a notification that the battle was won and rewards were available.

• Ludwig sensed danger and tried to escape through the black mist, but the Khergit Nomads spotted him and pursued.
• Seven or eight Khergit Veteran Horse Archers shot Ludwig with Bodkin Arrows, bringing him down and burning him with white sacred flames.
• Ludwig failed to extinguish the flames with his Negative Energy and gave up resisting as the cavalry gathered around him.
• A Khergit Horse Archer thrust a lance through Ludwig's skull, and the white flames destroyed his Soul Fire.
• Shen Mu received a notification that his soldiers had killed the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty's vanguard commander, won the battle, and earned rewards.

As Dhirim’s forces finished defeating the Green Leaf Group’s attack, Shen Mu proposed peace talks instead of retaliation. He invited Zhang Bo to join the negotiations, unaware that Zhang Bo was a Green Leaf Group spy who had helped the defense through his warnings and now offered to detect lies.

• Fatis’s Swadian Heavy Cavalry and Bestur’s Khergit Horse Archers swept away the Black Mist and routed the Undead Legion.
• Jeremus urged Shen Mu to punish the Green Leaf Group, but Shen Mu chose negotiations and said he wanted to learn why they had launched a sneak attack.
• Shen Mu praised Zhang Bo’s warnings and invited him to take part in the peace talks, presenting their shared battle experience as a pledge of trust.
• Zhang Bo inwardly regretted that his warnings had helped Shen Mu defeat the attack, but he accepted the invitation and offered to identify lies by touching the negotiators’ heads.

Shen Mu appointed Zhang Bo to negotiate with the Green Leaf Group while secretly planning to use the negotiations to eliminate them. After ordering Dhirim’s troops to prepare an attack, Shen Mu received the Phase 9 mission to destroy the Green Leaf Group.

• Shen Mu appointed Zhang Bo as the negotiation leader and sent him back to the Town Area to investigate the Diesel Company Remnants with Zhang Caidong and Sun Zhiru.
• After Zhang Bo left, Jeremus revealed his distrust of him, and Shen Mu explained that the Edengard Pious Ones’ survival had created an opportunity for peace talks and Holy Light guidance.
• Shen Mu considered the possible benefits of turning his Tier 4 soldiers into Edengard Pious Ones and noted their potential to advance into stronger units.
• Shen Mu ordered Jeremus to gather Dhirim’s troops around two or three in the afternoon and prepare to attack the Green Leaf Group during negotiations.
• A system message announced that the Phase 9 mission to destroy the Green Leaf Group had begun.

After Green Leaf Group’s failed attack on Dhirim, Zhang Bo planned to use peace negotiations to preserve Wood Elf Village and Green Leaf Group while secretly rebuilding his influence. He left the Castle Area and began blaming the dead Middle-Level Managers for the attack, while deciding he had to coordinate his story with Zhou Mo’s High-Level Managers.

• Zhang Bo blamed Green Leaf Group’s defeat on its weakness and imagined negotiating its submission to Dhirim to preserve it and rebuild his forces.
• At the Castle Area gate, Lake Rats Destroyers reminded Zhang Bo that he could only spend six hours in the Torch Tower library, and he accepted the restriction.
• Sun Zhiru and several Middle-Level Managers asked Zhang Bo why the Castle Area and Town Area had been in chaos, and Zhang Bo said Diesel Company Remnants had joined Green Leaf Group’s surprise attack while Undead Monsters attacked the city.
• Zhang Bo reassured Sun Zhiru that he and his companions were cleared of ties to the Diesel Company and Green Leaf Group, while framing the dead Middle-Level Managers as the culprits.
• Zhang Bo decided he had to speak with Zhou Mo and secure the High-Level Managers’ cooperation, though he resented having to work with them.

After the Undead Legion was nearly wiped out outside Dhirim, Fatis returned toward the city with the Sacred Tree Knights and Cavalry. Manid spotted a possible use for the bones left by the battle, proposing they could make emergency walls or obstacles against cavalry.

• Lezalit’s Swadian Heavy Cavalry and Bestur’s Khergit Horse Archers crushed the Undead Legion while Fatis held the Sacred Tree Knights back.
• Fatis praised the Khergit Horse Archers’ skill and left for the East City Gate to report to Shen Mu.
• A Sacred Tree Rider impaled a dozen Bone Skeleton soldiers on his spear as Fatis’s knights laughed and praised him.
• Manid tested the solid bone slope and suggested using bones to repair city walls or create barriers that could hinder cavalry charges.

After Manid proposed adapting battlefield magic for sieges, Shen Mu revealed he had received the Condensed Ramp spell as an eighth-stage reward. He then outlined a plan to deceive the Green Leaf Group during negotiations while secretly preparing a surprise attack, and his commanders began refining the strategy.

• Manid told Shen Mu and Jeremus that the Spirit Realm’s bone ramp suggested battlefield magic could help Mount & Blade forces besiege cities, but Jeremus said their current magic could not reproduce it.
• Shen Mu revealed that his eighth-stage reward was Condensed Ramp, a battlefield spell that used nearby materials and Supernatural Power to create and strengthen a ramp.
• Fatis celebrated the spell’s potential to help the army breach the Green Leaf Group’s and Wood Elf Village’s defenses.
• Shen Mu told the Generals he planned to send Zhang Bo to negotiate with the Green Leaf Group while secretly mobilizing troops for a surprise attack.
• Lezalit and Bestur returned from the battlefield, and Shen Mu’s commanders worked together to develop the plan.

Shen Mu ordered his generals to prepare a peace-talk ambush against Green Leaf Group, while Zhang Bo and Zhou Mo worked to conceal their role in the failed attack and hunt for spies in Dhirim. The chapter left Shen Mu considering his rewards as the coming operation took shape and Green Leaf Group’s leaders tried to contain the fallout.

• Shen Mu explained that his supposed peace talks with Green Leaf Group would be a retaliatory Sneak Attack, and Fatis defended the plan as necessary against evil enemies.
• Shen Mu sent his generals to prepare for the operation, assigned Bunduk to command the infantry, and kept Alayen at Vaegir Castle.
• Zhang Bo watched ten squads of human cavalry leave Dhirim and reassured Zhou Mo that he accepted the claim that the dead managers were Diesel Company Remnants.
• Zhang Bo urged Zhou Mo to search Dhirim for Diesel Company Remnants and Green Leaf Group spies, and Zhou Mo told the managers that finding them was now their task.

After the Green Leaf Group’s disastrous defeat, Yang Di accepted that the Wood Elf Village had lost the Wood Elf Plane’s support and urged Zhang Song to survive and rebuild. Zhang Song blamed his cousin Zhang Bo for the failed plan and vowed to confront him, but an urgent letter from Dhirim arrived before they could act.

• Yang Di told Zhang Song that the Wood Elf Plane had cut off support and advised him and the others to leave the failing Green Leaf Group if necessary.
• Zhang Song suspected Zhang Bo had betrayed them by leaking information that let Dhirim ambush their forces, and he vowed to make him answer for it.
• Yang Di urged Zhang Song not to judge Zhang Bo without proof and proposed arranging a meeting while watching the safe house for signs of betrayal.
• Yang Di asked Zhang Song to survive, avenge the Green Leaf Group if possible, and rebuild it if he could; Zhang Song promised to do so.
• A Wood Elf hurried in with an urgent letter from Dhirim.

Shen Mu learned that Zhang Bo's goblins were delivering messages to the Green Leaf Group and used Halflings to watch them while he prepared to secretly gather troops in New Uxkhal. He rode there with Fatis and twenty Sacred Tree Knights, arriving near nightfall at the former vampire-occupied Large Supermarket and finding no sign of Isabelle.

• Elder Polo reported that Zhang Bo had sent goblins to deliver messages, and Shen Mu ordered the Halflings to keep watching them while giving them extra food and mead.
• Shen Mu reasoned that Zhang Bo was coordinating peace-talk terms with the Green Leaf Group and planned to use the negotiations as cover while gathering forces to destroy it at minimal cost.
• Fatis told Shen Mu that Manid, Lezalit, and Bestur had been alerted to maintain Dhirim's defenses, and Shen Mu set out for New Uxkhal with Fatis and twenty Sacred Tree Knights.
• As night approached, Shen Mu and his party reached the Large Supermarket where vampires had once stayed, and Shen Mu realized that Isabelle had already left.

Shen Mu and the Sacred Tree Knights raced toward New Uxkhal before nightfall, then fought through the darkness after the Necromantic Rules took over. They discovered the night’s Evil Power and Undead Monsters were unusually weak, and reached the edge of a clear, protected area around New Uxkhal.

• Shen Mu chose not to inspect the Large Supermarket and urged Fatis and the Sacred Tree Knights onward toward New Uxkhal.
• As the sun set, Shen Mu warned his group to avoid getting entangled with enemies and to charge straight for the city.
• When night fell, Fatis arranged the Sacred Tree Knights into a protective formation around Shen Mu and led them through the darkness.
• The Sacred Tree Knights easily killed the few Undead Monsters they encountered, and Shen Mu and Fatis noticed that the Gray Fog and Evil Power were unusually weak.
• A Sacred Tree Knight spotted New Uxkhal, where Bunduk was, and Shen Mu saw a clear, barrier-like area at the base of its Earth Mound Platform.

Shen Mu arrived at New Uxkhal, inspected its defenses, and discussed the Wood Elf Green Leaf Group’s attack on Dhirim with Bunduk and Fatis. Bunduk accepted Shen Mu’s plan to strike under cover of peace negotiations, leaving Shen Mu ready to proceed with the deception.

• Shen Mu and Fatis reached New Uxkhal, where the patrol reported that the area had remained peaceful aside from nightly Undead Monster attacks.
• Bunduk welcomed Shen Mu and Fatis into the castle, where soldiers cheered and Bunduk reported no unusual activity from the Green Leaf Group.
• Bunduk expressed anger and shame over the Wood Elves’ sneak attack on Dhirim and resolved to destroy their village.
• Shen Mu explained that he intended to use peace negotiations as cover for a sneak attack, and Bunduk agreed that the Green Leaf Group deserved no mercy.

Shen Mu inspected New Uxkhal’s defenses with Bunduk and Fatis, then planned reconnaissance and preparations for negotiations with Green Leaf Group. He left the troop movements to be disguised as support for peace talks while warning his commanders not to underestimate Wood Elf Village.

• Bunduk showed Shen Mu New Uxkhal’s layered defenses and said its nearly thousand defenders could withstand a siege for one to three months.
• Shen Mu asked Bunduk and Fatis to help plan an attack on Green Leaf Group, and they recommended reconnaissance before committing troops.
• Shen Mu assigned Zhang Bo to lead a Negotiation Team with ten Blue Star Humans and twenty Khergit Horse Archers as bodyguards.
• Bunduk proposed presenting the troop concentration as support for peace talks intended to make Wood Elf Village a vassal, rather than hiding it from spies.
• Fatis promised to have the Khergit Nomads investigate Wood Elf Village, while Shen Mu cautioned him that the Wood Elves’ melee strength and rumored defenses remained unknown.

Shen Mu returned to New Uxkhal, arranged troop deployments with Bunduk and Fatis, then went back to Dhirim to organize negotiations with Green Leaf Group while concealing plans for a surprise assault. The chapter left Zhang Bo, Zhang Caidong, and Sun Zhiru about to report to Shen Mu.

• Shen Mu spent the night at New Uxkhal and shared breakfast with Bunduk and Fatis, then ordered Bunduk to arrange the infantry garrison and Fatis to command the cavalry.
• Shen Mu, Bunduk, and Fatis planned to move troops to New Uxkhal and prepare negotiations with Green Leaf Group while scouting the Wood Elf Village's defenses.
• Fatis proposed that Lezalit and Bestur lead the surprise assault, with Bunduk commanding the infantry and Fatis overseeing the battle, and Shen Mu approved.
• Shen Mu rode back to Dhirim with twenty Sacred Tree Knights and summoned Zhang Bo, Zhang Caidong, and Sun Zhiru to discuss the negotiation team.
• Zhang Bo, Zhang Caidong, and Sun Zhiru arrived at the Noble's Mansion, where the Swadian Sergeant warned them to behave before they entered to meet Shen Mu.