According to the previous logic, Blue Gum Town and the last Black Locust Town should each be divided into 100 people, so that all 500 players would have their own temporary territory. However, the problem is that their plan is too idealistic.
Because some of the 500 Soul Returner belong to the "foreign legion," they don't work during the day and are instead placed on carriages to cosplay as the dead.
But if we kick these players out of the team, firstly, it will affect team unity, and secondly... there will be no one to keep watch at night.
During the operation after entering the city today, [ Zhongde ] already felt that more than a hundred people were not enough. If another hundred people were left here, then there would be no need for the rest to go to the next town.
[ Zhongde ] believed that if he were the bishop of the last town, Black Locust Town, he wouldn't even show his face, let alone open the gates, upon seeing such a procession.
After all, the reinforcements numbered less than a hundred men. To put it bluntly, they were just there to freeload. Antiya Lisi was essentially trying to fob them off!
Therefore, some disagreements arose among the players regarding how to proceed with the next steps.
Some people want to achieve complete success, while others tend to be more conservative.
Ultimately, the pressure fell on the commander-in-chief [ Zhongde ], the deputy commander [ Gill's Cuisine ], and the nominal advisor, Jerry.
Just when the three were at their wits' end, [ Zhongde ] suddenly received a message from a friend.
[ Dark Archmage ]: "[Coordinates], I've been captured here by a group of Tree Worship Church."
[ Zhongde ]: "... Hang in there, I'll find a few people to see if we can save them. By the way, how many of them are there?"
"A full-strength knight order, five hundred men."
"I hope you bought insurance. [Hands clasped in prayer]"
"... So cold-blooded?"
"I only have a little over a hundred players left. Even if we all sell us out, we still can't defeat a Grand Knight Commander. Besides, you must have other things to do, right? You're not the type to ask for help."
"Yes, I've managed to fool their leader, a Grand Knight Commander from the Holy City."
"You mean, we're going to rewrite the script again?"
"Right."
What new settings have been added this time?
"In the new setting, we are a rebel group who raised the banner of rebellion because they were dissatisfied with Antiya Lisi's treatment of their people. Our ranks also include rescued experimental subjects and ordinary civilians..."
[ Zhongde ] read the sentence over and over again, and replied with a puzzled expression:
"Although it's been simplified a lot, this still seems to be the official version. Where is your historical factual basis?"
"... Two places. First: our main base is now in Blue Gum Town; second: our leader is named Duolin."
"... If I understand correctly..."
"Yes, get ready, the scene from ' Motley's Security Check' is going to be encore."
After closing the chat window, [ Zhongde ] took a liking to [ Gill's Cuisine ] nearby:
"Dude, we've got a job."
What kind of work?
"Same as last time, cosplaying Duolin and his tax collector Aoda."
"Not again?!"
The Dark Archmage's thoughts were simple: although these people claimed to be from the Holy City and the Tree God's most devout followers, and didn't seem as corrupt as ordinary Stained Ones, he still had to be wary.
If I were to directly exchange secret signals here, I would only be testing the character of the person in front of me, and there's a high chance I'd be silenced.
However, taking it to White Wax Town might lead to conflict and unnecessary trouble.
After much deliberation, she finally chose Blue Gum Town.
Earlier, the fake Holy Crusaders posted a lengthy victory report on the forum, which could be summarized in one sentence: Blue Gum Town has been captured.
Upon learning this news, the [ Dark Archmage ] decided to do everything in his power to bring this Holy Crusaders to Blue Gum Town. This wasn't out of any sense of self-sacrifice; it was simply that the battle to cleanse the Stained Ones there was probably not completely over yet, and if these people were reliable, they could be put to good use.
After all, judging from the previous behavior of the Pure Ones such as Duolin and Jerry, the Pure Ones naturally harbor a sense of hatred towards the Stained Ones, so there is no need to worry about them not putting in their best effort or making things worse.
If the other party doesn't believe me, that doesn't matter. But if they do believe me, I'll first take them through a security check in Blue Gum Town to see if they're Stained Ones, and then show them the ugly things that happened in the church's basement. Most Pure Ones will have already completely turned against me.
The logic of this plan is actually incomplete, but the [ Dark Archmage ] simply wanted to manipulate it. Since these Holy Crusaders were just sitting around doing nothing anyway, he might as well take them for a spin and rack up some steps.
Moreover, the [ Dark Archmage ] actually hoped that the Grand Knight Commander in front of her was not Stained Ones. After all, the last Grand Knight Commander was said to have turned into a drooling 3D printer. She still hoped that a strong person would appear who stood on the side of the Second Holy See.
After listening to the [ Dark Archmage's ] narration, Grand Knight Commander Nuolun, who was leaning against the table, nodded in understanding. Just as the player opposite him was about to ask something, the Grand Knight Commander suddenly straightened up:
"The Q&A session is over. I need to verify what you said."
"What?"
Even the composed [ Dark Archmage ] was somewhat flustered at this moment:
"Aren't we supposed to ask each other questions? Now it's my turn."
"Yes, that's right, but... the Q&A session is over."
The Grand Knight shrugged, turned, and walked out of the tent.
The Dark Archmage then realized that he seemed to have never been able to completely control his opponent from beginning to end.
After being escorted into the tent, the Grand Knight Commander had a grim face as if he wanted to kill someone. Later, after he had used his cheat code to gain a slight advantage, he showed some signs of miscalculation and seemed a bit immature. And now, after squeezing all the information out of him, the other party actually turned around and left!
Fortunately, I never intended to tell the truth and didn't reveal any real information to the other party. But I had so many questions I wanted to ask, and in the end, all I got out of them was that their name was Nuolun!
Isn't this AI a little too smart?
Realizing they had been thwarted, the player opened the feedback function in the panel and began angrily writing long posts in the work order regarding the NPC's intelligence.
Behind her, the Grand Knight Commander emerged from the tent, and the Holy Crusaders on either side bowed in turn. Several squad leaders stepped forward and asked:
"Sir, is there any valuable information?"
Nuolun thought for a moment and said:
"The person is right, the place is wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Just as the Cardinal told me, it was done by that young bishop named Duolin, but not in White Wax Town but in Blue Gum Town. She said she was attacked by the Fallen Holy Crusaders under Antiya Lisi and had to hide from the Fallen One and Blood Corpse throughout the entire Aduolin Province, eventually settling in Blue Gum Town."