Umbrella Plan

Nicholas confronted Bai Xiaowen Bai Xiaowen allay her concerns and obtain more details.

Now that Bai Xiaowen no longer needed to conceal his identity as a visitor from another world, he was indeed able to reveal more details.

The two talked for a long time.

Finally, Nicholas said:

"I agree in principle to your 'protective umbrella' plan. However, now is not the time to activate it..."

Bai Xiaowen nodded in understanding. For example, Archbishop Arlo was someone even Nicholas had to treat with deference. His firm opposition would definitely garner a large number of people on his side.

Nicholas also needs to consider his own future and cannot act unilaterally.

However, Nicholas gave Bai Xiaowen the freedom to act as he saw fit, and at Bai Xiaowen's request, he even issued a special warrant.

"All activities undertaken by the holder of this decree are related to the survival of humankind. Therefore, he is permitted to act freely in any situation, and no one may interfere or provide him with the best possible assistance. Nicholas Kane, November 29, 1021."

Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi said goodbye and left.

Upon reaching the main gate of the Blackrock City Lord's Manor, Bai Xiaowen discovered that a group of people were already waiting there.

"Dio, how is it going? What is His Highness's attitude?" Cecilia did not attend this high-level military meeting, but she had heard from others that "Baron Dio" had proposed a crazy plan, and even the usually kind Archbishop Arlo had unusually expressed his strong opposition.

"As discussed at the meeting, it will be temporarily shelved," Bai Xiaowen said.

"So, what exactly is the plan?" Cecilia's eyes sparkled with curiosity. Even the usually aloof White Rose couldn't hide her feminine nature in front of her lover.

Bai Xiaowen looked around; many people were eagerly waiting.

"This is not the place to talk."

Bai Xiaowen led Cecilia and Li Shuyi back to their residence amidst the murmurs of the crowd, and then handed the folded parchment plan to Cecilia for her to look at.

While Cecilia was reviewing the project proposal, Bai Xiaowen had already recalled Kitz and then summoned him back before her eyes.

With a thud, Kitz appeared in the room, disheveled and wearing only a pair of shorts, revealing his muscular chest...

"What happened?" Kitz looked around blankly. One second he was enjoying the afterglow of pleasure in bed, the next he was locked in a dark room, and the third second he appeared in front of the lord. This left Kitz a little confused.

"I'm the one who summoned you back," Bai Xiaowen explained briefly.

"... Boss, could you use a gentler approach next time?" Kitz asked with a pained expression.

"I don't have the patience to run through every brothel and brothel in Blackrock City, openly or secretly..." Bai Xiaowen waved his hand and said, "Kitz, I'm giving you a mission. Take this secret order and set off tonight for Redleaf Fief ..."

Kitz was Prominent Zombie Doctor, and he wasn't annoyed at being interrupted from his sleep. After Bai Xiaowen explained the details of the task, he patted his chest and promised to complete it before going to catch up on his sleep.

It's daytime now, and under sunlight, Kitz, as Vampire, suffers a 20% reduction in all attributes. Moreover, although Blackrock City isn't under siege, there should be enemy scouts nearby. It would be safer to leave at night; the night is Vampire 'Kitz domain.

Meanwhile, Cecilia had finished reading the plan. Her usually calm and rarely surprised face was filled with shock.

"Dio, you... is everything written here true?"

"This is just the general outline of the plan. Cecilia, remember to keep it a secret," Bai Xiaowen said.

"... But is there no other way?" Cecilia asked.

"Cecilia, remember this: I will not initiate this damned plan even if there is only a sliver of hope left." Bai Xiaowen could only reiterate.

"Although this is a very extreme plan, I am willing to trust you, Dio." Cecilia understood how much resistance there was to the plan in Blackrock City, but she made her stance clear.

The Affection Level Infatuation Level a truly remarkable effect.

"Cecilia, if I weren't a lord, or even a person from this continent or this plane of existence, how would you see me?"

Bai Xiaowen thought about his identity. Since Prince Nicholas could see through it, it was probably only a matter of time before others found out that he was a visitor from another dimension.

In Bai Xiaowen's plan, it was only a matter of time before he told Cecilia the truth.

However, Cecilia seemed to have been prepared all along. After a slight moment of surprise, she smiled and said, "Dio, I love you as you are now, regardless of your background or identity."

Cecilia wrapped her arms around Bai Xiaowen's neck and pressed her cool lips against Bai Xiaowen's lips.

Actually, Cecilia had sensed something was off when she danced with Bai Xiaowen. Bai Xiaowen knew almost nothing about dancing, which seemed quite different from the rumored image of Baron Dio, the lord of White Stone Town, as a playboy...

"Ahem!" Li Shuyi coughed.

Bai Xiaowen snapped out of his daze, quickly releasing his grip on Cecilia's waist, and gave an awkward laugh, "We don't know when the Remnants's next attack will begin. This plan of mine still has some parts that need improvement. Cecilia, I need your help."

"Speak up," Cecilia said.

After the great war, the Human Allied Army attempted to send troops out to repair the arrow towers.

The Remnants army spent a considerable amount of money to destroy all the outer arrow towers, and of course they couldn't just stand by and watch the Human Allied Army repair them.

Over the next two days, although no large-scale sieges broke out, small-scale battles were quite frequent. Ultimately, due to interference from the Remnant Allied Army, the Human Allied Army only managed to repair a few arrow towers near the city gates, and their plan to rebuild the defensive system failed.

The seventh day of the defense of Blackrock Fortress.

At dawn, the alarm bell on the city wall rang urgently, waking people from their sleep.

"They... they're here!"

"They are the dead! Countless dead!"

Upon reaching the top of the city wall, a group of high-ranking humans gazed into the distance, all of them stunned.

Before witnessing the Plague Undead army firsthand, it's difficult to grasp what tens of thousands of undead look like through mere imagination.

Thousands filled the city, tens of thousands filled the fields.

These movements were somewhat slow, and the expressionless army of Plague Undead filled the entire plain.

"Waaaaah..."

As the bugle sounded, behind the Plague Undead army, squads of elite Remnants, Fully Armed, prepared to attack the city.

"The enemy is within firing range! Attack!" Count Danton shouted.

The catapults on the city wall roared, launching stone projectiles one after another. Squads of archers stood on the city wall, raining down arrows.

But these rain of stones were like pebbles in the face of the boundless sea of undead, unable to make a ripple. Kill one, or ten Plague Undead, and the next moment more Plague Undead would fill their vacancies.

"Archbishop Arlo! Could you please cast the divine spell one more time...?" Many nobles were in despair and cast pleading glances at Arlo.

Archbishop Arlo's face was somewhat pale, and he slowly shook his head.

No matter how powerful Archbishop Arlo's forbidden spell was, it couldn't possibly cover a battlefield several kilometers in diameter. According to Bai Xiaowen's understanding, a high-level spellcaster Boss Tier like him could play a crucial role in a localized battle, just like on the first day.

Now, the Plague Undead army has surrounded Blackrock Fortress on all sides, filling the entire Pingyuan, and Archbishop Arlo is powerless to reverse the situation.

"This is only the first batch," Bai Xiaowen said to Nicholas. "If we wait until Blackrock City is breached before making a decision, it will be too late."

Nicholas's face was stiff, and his expression was unreadable.

Li Shuyi tugged at Bai Xiaowen's sleeve, pulled him aside, and whispered, "What if Nicholas still doesn't agree in the end?"

Bai Xiaowen replied softly, "I will begin before the city falls."

Bai Xiaowen wouldn't place all his hopes on the native inhabitants of the Spirit Realm. For him, the main quest "The Flames of Blackrock" was a must-complete task, as it was the prerequisite for all the benefits in the second phase.

The reason why Nicholas's consent was so important was simple: Bai Xiaowen wanted Nicholas to take the blame for him—the blame was too big, and Bai Xiaowen's head was too small.

Braving a dense hail of arrows, the Plague Undead army charged to the foot of the city walls.

The way they attacked the city walls was quite reckless. The Plague Undead at the forefront would lie down directly at the base of the wall... and those who followed would follow, using their bodies to build up a Hill of the Dead!

On the city wall, Archbishop Arlo and his men were not unprepared; they poured diluted holy water instead of boiling oil downwards. Bai Xiaowen's eyes twitched in disbelief—this was all pure Merit Points!

Diluted holy water is indeed effective against the undead, possessing a powerful Corrosion. Plague Undead suffer large patches of white skin ulceration, their Life Value plummet, and they die one after another.

However, under the control of the Plague Lord, the Plague Undead were all fearless and painless warriors. They were unmoved by whether boiling oil or holy water was poured on their heads, faithfully carrying out the Plague Lord's orders and using their own bodies to fill the height of the city wall.

"We can't let them charge any further! Charge!"

The gates of Blackrock Fortress opened, and Count Danton and other powerful figures led their troops in a charge, attempting to break through the Plague Undead's lines.

These Plague Undead are actually very weak in individual combat; they are basically all basic, Standard Template.

The Imperial Legions cavalry, led by Count Danton, fell like wheat Plague Undead wherever they went.

But this was of no use. For every Plague Undead that died, more Plague Undead rushed up to fill the spot. And any cavalryman under Count Danton who was not careful enough and was pulled off his horse was then surrounded and beaten, with no chance of survival.

Several charges, though killing hordes of Plague Undead, were meaningless in the overall battle.

The bodies of the Plague Undead, whether alive or dead, lay at the foot of the city walls, constantly raising the "Hill of the Dead."

Behind them, the Orcs wolf riders and the troll Raptor hunters were already in formation. Once the Hill of the Dead was level with the city walls, these elite troops, with their agility and speed, could ignore the walls and charge directly into Blackrock City!

"Your Highness, abandon the city!" the chief of staff and the magic advisor urged.

Nicholas glanced at Archbishop Arlo, who shook his head at him expressionlessly.

"... Dio! Umbrella Plan, activate now!" Nicholas's face suddenly turned grim and cold as he roared through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Bai Xiaowen had finally waited for this moment. He waved his hand. "City defense troops, retreat White Stone Army, unleash ' Ultimate Plague Bane '..."

The city guards who were shooting arrows and pouring oil on the city walls retreated to make way, with Prince Nicholas's permission. Meanwhile, the White Stone Army soldiers, who had been preparing for a long time, appeared one by one, carrying large wooden buckets on their backs and holding water pipes in their hands.

"The Ultimate Plague Bane?"

The human nobles were somewhat surprised. They had heard that the scholars under Bai Xiaowen's command had developed a series of Plague Bane drugs. Blackrock City was able to completely eradicate the Necrotic Plague virus thanks to the three types of drugs that Bai Xiaowen brought: the primary, advanced, and Super Plague Bane drugs.

However, I've never heard of Ultimate Plague Bane.

Could Bai Xiaowen's "Umbrella Plan" be about curing these Plague Undead? Aren't Plague Bane drugs only effective against humans who haven't yet transformed into undead?

With questions in mind, everyone watched as the White Stone Army soldiers sprayed streams of pale white solution from water pipes at the dense swarms of Plague Undead below.

These pale white solutions quickly seeped into the bodies of the Plague Undead.

"It seems... there's no particular effect." After observing carefully, someone cautiously offered their assessment.

"Roar!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a wild, beast-like roar came from below the city wall.

One by one, the fallen Plague Undead suddenly rose again! Even those Plague Undead that had died from depleted Life Value were no exception.

These seemingly meaningless roars of beasts emanated from the mouths of the resurrected dead.

Compared to before, their size hadn't Transformation much, but their movements had become much stiffer, and an unidentified liquid was dribbling from the corners of their mouths, making them even more disgusting.

A gasp rang out from the city wall. One of the undead, which had risen again, turned around and pounced on its former companion, biting down hard before the other could react!

The same action was also seen on the other undead who rose again.

"Prepare the catapults!" Bai Xiaowen waved his hand and gave the order. One by one, catapults were equipped with specially made wooden barrels instead of stone projectiles, and they hurled them into the distance, into the sea of Plague Undead.

"Now, I will explain the contents of the Umbrella Plan to you all. It is to spread a large number of ' Ultimate Plague Bane ' throughout the Northern Frontier! Plague Undead come into contact with the Ultimate Plague Bane, as well as ordinary infected people who have not yet become Plague Undead, will be forcibly transformed," Bai Xiaowen said, pointing to the undead that were standing up again near the base of the city wall. "Now, they have a new name, called... Zombie."