Duma's summons swept through the entire Second Holy See like a plague.
It was as if they had returned to the last attack on Fir City, and the Soul Returner who had long since "retired to their hometowns" was rekindled.
Faced with a battle of this scale, the previous attacks on those towns seemed like child's play.
Although they don't have command authority, some players simply enjoy the feeling of participating in grand battles.
And so, in the cultivated fields, at the fishing spots along the rivers, and in the woods where the sound of axes clashing echoed, countless Soul Returner seemed to have found meaning in life as they ended their work.
Not only them, but also a large number of new players are very interested in large-scale battles. Some people have just finished the newbie quests and received the standard weapons from the NPCs before heading south.
At this moment, both "veterans" and "new recruits" put down all their affairs and headed straight for Black Pine City in the south.
One day later...
On the outskirts of Laurel Town, Duma stared in astonishment at the sea of people before him, his four eyes wide with disbelief.
He looked at a very professional Soul Returner beside him and asked:
How many people are here?
The Soul Returner, standing ramrod straight, tapped a few times in the void (to check the panel) and then reported:
"A total of more than 22,000 people."
"... How many people have registered in our Soul Returner Legion?"
The deputy tapped the air a few more times, then said somewhat awkwardly:
"Ten thousand people..."
"So..."
Duma reached out and scratched the top of his head:
Why are so many here?
"Perhaps it's because your manifesto was written with such fervor and passion."
"Yeah?"
Duma recalled his one-sentence manifesto and couldn't help but fall into self-doubt.
Throughout history, armies have only ever dwindled in number as they retreated; he had never seen a situation where 10,000 were registered but actually more than 20,000.
However, such things are no longer important now. Duma felt that the overall plan could still proceed as usual, but it would be hard on Duolin, who had already set off with the advance troops.
Meanwhile, a hundred miles away...
Duolin led a small squad of about 100 men, a mix of natives and Soul Returner, to the northern outskirts of Black Pine City.
Although Luorui'er remained entrenched in the city, she still sent out numerous scouts to gather intelligence on the enemy.
They had already taken care of two squads on their way here, and at this rate, the city would soon find out what was happening outside.
so...
Duolin looked at the cleared land ahead, which had been cleared to open up a wider view:
"Now that they've prepared seats for us, let's begin!"
"Captain Duolin."
A Soul Returner suddenly asked:
"We only have so few men. What if the Holy Crusaders inside the city launch a surprise attack?"
Duolin smiled and said upon hearing this:
" Duma and I have already discussed this issue. Don't worry, they won't come out."
Seeing that everyone had no further questions, Duolin gave the order, and the team members behind him quickly began their operation.
The fully armed Soul Returner scattered, wary of any remaining enemy scouts.
Meanwhile, the civilians that Duolin had conscripted from other towns unpacked their backpacks, revealing saplings inside.
That's a sapling of the Teleportation Tree.
The civilians worked in groups of three: one dug a hole, one planted the tree, and one watered it with nutrient solution. Like an assembly line, they planted temporary Resurrection Tree and Teleportation Tree on the ground at the same intervals.
At this moment, the actions of the Holy Crusaders in the city in cutting down the forest seemed to have done the Second Holy See a great favor, as the large open spaces allowed these Aberration plants from the Second Holy See to grow more quickly.
As one Aberration plant after another was planted, new situations arose in Laurel Town.
On countless players' screens, a Blue Dragon clad in armor crawled out from the side of the screen. She feigned ferocity, cracking her front claws with a series of snapping sounds, before addressing the players:
" The Black Pine City Teleportation Tree is ready. Everyone can begin teleporting!"
Seeing the commotion in the crowd, Duma pointed to the nearly one thousand densely packed Teleportation Tree on the open ground outside Laurel Town and shouted:
"The logistics troops should be deployed first!"
Sending the logistics troops to the front wasn't Duma being abstract; it was simply because there were just too many Soul Returner.
While the Teleportation Tree prepared outside Laurel Town are sufficient, the exits prepared in Black Pine City will be quite congested. If players rush in all at once, queues will inevitably form at the exits.
Those Soul Returner of the logistics force will not only carry more medical supplies, but also a more special item: a Teleportation Tree sapling.
In other words, Duma needs to use the Teleportation Tree to teleport the Teleportation Tree, thereby enhancing the teleportation capabilities of the Teleportation Tree.
Under the commander's orders, the first group of players, carrying shovels and saplings, entered the forest formed by temporary Teleportation Tree.
With a gurgling sound, their figures disappeared from Laurel Town and were quickly reunited on the outskirts of Black Pine City.
With the arrival of logistical reinforcements, more and more Teleportation Tree were planted in the open spaces, and the Holy Crusaders on the city walls had long been attracted by the commotion and discovered traces of the enemy's activities.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
The urgent military intelligence had already been relayed from the city wall, which quickly attracted a Grand Knight Commander to come up and investigate.
Looking down at the small force of no more than a hundred men, the Grand Knight Commander's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Grand Knight Commander, the enemy outnumbers us, and we have Hoofed Beast. Why don't we open the city gates and charge them?"
One of the adjutants suggested this.
The Grand Knight Commander then smacked him hard on the head with his backhand:
Are you teaching me how to do things?
"Beyond the open space outside the city lies a dense forest. If these hundred men are merely bait to lure us in, and a large ambush is hidden within the forest, wouldn't we No Return here?"
"I really don't know how you even graduated from Holy City."
The adjutant, who had just received a severe scolding, thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.
"That's right, sir. I was too hasty and forgot the common sense I learned at the academy."
Seeing the adjutant's sincere admission of wrongdoing, the Grand Knight sighed and did not forget to lecture him:
"Don't forget that our current mission is to defend Black Pine City. You think that going out to launch a counterattack will bring you merit? The Archbishop will only think that's gambling."
"Remember, you must remain calm; in times like these, avoiding mistakes is the greatest achievement."
"I understand, sir."
The adjutant's receptive attitude pleased the Grand Knight Commander, but looking at the enemy constantly busy in the distance, the Grand Knight Commander was momentarily puzzled:
"Are they... planting trees?"