Faction selection

[Frost City has issued the emergency quest "Frost Watch"]

[The ancient mechanical deity "Eternal Krossa" has awakened from oblivion and seeks to overthrow the legitimate rule of the Sakas Empire. Please protect Frost City and ensure its survival under "Eternal Krossa's" onslaught]

[Quest rewards: based on contribution]

[Frost City's resource repository is open to all Frost City units]

[The Frost Codex is open to all Frost City units]

[Please be sure to defend Frost City]

As the imperial announcement ended, every player and NPC in Frost City received the emergency quest.

Everyone looked back at the blood raining from the sky in horror. The ancient mechanical deity "Eternal Krossa" was nowhere to be seen. In its place stood enormous metal gates.

They stood due east, west, south, and north of Frost City, approximately 100 kilometers away.

They were 30 meters tall, reflecting an icy metallic sheen under the late-night moonlight.

Every player held their breath and stared fixedly at the towering, 30-meter metal gates. Even Zhou Heng was no exception.

It seemed as though something was about to emerge from within.

Soon, a gigantic mechanical life-form, 30 meters tall, stepped out of each metal gate to the east, west, south, and north.

Vast Imperial Guard (Axeman) (boss)

Level: 70

Attack: 20,000-40,000

Magic: 0-0

Durability: 10,000,000/10,000,000

Mana: 0/0

Armor: 3,200

Attack speed: 5.0/s

Movement speed: 15 m/s

Skills: Imperial Guard Steel Seal, Regenerative Shell, Plasma Thirty-Six Axe Style

This was a level-70 mechanical boss.

Holding a gigantic steel axe over 100 meters long, the Vast Imperial Guard (Axeman) raised its arm and cried out.

"The old dynasty is dead! A new dynasty shall rise!"

"Why do you humans still serve Sakas?"

"Longevity runs rampant, all things are thrown into chaos, the people cannot sustain their livelihoods, and all living beings suffer. Renounce your Sakas citizenship and join us. Ascension to mechanical godhood or the path to Legendary-the choice is yours!"

[You have triggered the faction selection for Chapter Nine, "Longevity, Go to Your Death," of "The Ancient Years" expansion]

[Faction choice one: renounce your Sakas Empire citizenship and join the Vast Star Nation led by "Eternal Krossa," becoming a ninth-class citizen of the Vast Star Nation]

[Faction choice two: retain your Sakas Empire citizenship and face "Eternal Krossa" as a citizen of the Sakas Empire]

"What? Boundless Endless has faction wars too?"

"I've been sick of the Longevity Family for ages. This time, I'm siding with Eternal Krossa."

"The Vast Star Nation? A nation among the stars or something?"

"Should we change factions or not?"

Boundless Endless World was rather different from other online games. It was an incomparably vast world, and issues such as entrenched social classes and the distribution of benefits meant ordinary players no longer had nearly unlimited opportunities to revive.

As such, they had to seriously consider a faction war between nations like this, where the slightest mistake could cost them their lives.

Zhou Heng lowered his eyes slightly, considering whether to join the "Vast Star Nation" led by "Eternal Krossa."

For some reason, Zhou Heng kept feeling that there was some deeper significance to this "Vast Star Nation."

Just then, Fate Hint sounded.

[Fate always appears when people must make a choice. It extends into countless paths along those choices, and the slightest misstep can lead to eternal damnation]

[Fate offers you hints]

[Fate Hint one: renounce your Sakas Empire citizenship and join the "Vast Star Nation" led by "Eternal Krossa." This is a more glorious and expansive system. However, joining it at this moment is not a wise choice. A crisis is approaching]

[Fate Hint two: retain your Sakas Empire citizenship and, with the assistance of the Longevity Family arriving soon, successfully repel the "Vast Star Nation's" attack. By choosing this path, you may reap some worthwhile rewards]

Zhou Heng's gaze flickered a few times, and he decided to retain his Sakas Empire citizenship.

Rewards that Fate Hint described as "worthwhile" were bound to be more than ordinary.

Together with the information provided by Fate Hint one, Zhou Heng had no reason whatsoever to choose the first option.

[You have retained your Sakas Empire citizenship]

[Please prepare to withstand the approaching mechanical onslaught]

The Vast Imperial Guard (Axeman) waited a long time. Seeing that not a single human had broken away from the Sakas Empire's system to resist the Longevity Family's tyranny, its mechanical voice carried a trace of mockery.

"It seems you have made your choice!"

"The old dynasty is dead! A new dynasty shall rise!"

"Imperial Guard of the Vast Star Nation, charge!"

"Take Frost City today, seize the Frost Domain tomorrow, and conquer the imperial capital the day after!"

With a furious roar from the Vast Imperial Guard (Axeman), countless Vast Imperial Guards poured out of the gigantic mechanical gates and launched an attack on Frost City.

"All players and NPCs below Third Class Advancement, fall back! All players at Third Class Advancement and above, charge with me to hold off the Vast Star Nation's attack."

Yu Ming, president of the Bright Association's branch stationed in Frost City, raised his arm and shouted.

This was a perfect opportunity-an opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty to the Longevity Family.

As long as he kept the situation under control and waited for the Longevity Family's truly high-end players to arrive with reinforcements, he would surely receive generous rewards.

He was not the only one. Polok, head of the Caesar Divine Court's branch also stationed in Frost City, used his authority to gather players and NPCs. While resisting the Vast Imperial Guard's offensive, he also began requesting Revival Coins from Frost City.

In a city defense battle of this scale, without Revival Coins, the enemies would keep coming endlessly, while every death on their side would truly leave them with one fewer person. He had to secure those Revival Coins.

As for how they would be distributed once obtained, that would be up to him as the branch head.

Following the tide of first-advancement players, Zhou Heng was herded toward Frost City's city lord's residence.

An obese young man with lotus petals between his brows stood on a raised platform, looking down as he scrutinized the first-advancement players and those who had yet to complete their first advancement, Zhou Heng included.

"I never thought trash at your level would actually be of some use."

"Starting with those at the front, come over and deliver the resources in Frost City's resource repository to the front lines."

"Listen carefully, all of you. If anyone dares pocket even a single portion of resources, I'll make their life worse than death."

As the obese young man spoke, he kicked the female NPC at the very front in the backside and cursed loudly.

"What are you standing there for? Get in there and move those supplies!"

Everyone seethed but dared not speak, because he was one of the Longevity Family Players.

Zhou Heng rested his hand on the Sakast Imperial Sword (Holy Sword), considering whether to cut down this Longevity Family player right here.

With the Sakast Imperial Sword's (Holy Sword) execution effect, the fat pig before him was certain to die. But what he needed to consider was not the Longevity Family's retaliation after he killed one of their players, but whether doing so would continue to strengthen Karenna within the Sakast Imperial Sword (Holy Sword).

Fate Hint had given him a warning. Zhou Heng had always remained wary of Karenna, who was hidden within the Sakast Imperial Sword (Holy Sword).