The members of the Mage Union had barely withdrawn from these cities when nearly 150,000 players from five branch guilds of the Bullman Tribe quickly occupied these strongholds, taking temporary responsibility for their defense. Soon, the main forces of the Bullman Tribe would arrive.
According to the agreement, the Mage Union was not allowed to attack these strongholds, but Sacred Defense was not bound by this restriction.
Serving as reinforcement, nearly 200,000 players from Sacred Defense were also heading toward Moonlight City to counter the Bullman Tribe.
Holy Flame understood the meaning of the phrase “when lips perish, teeth feel cold.” Although Sacred Flame and Crazy Mage appeared amicable on the surface, they were actually competing fiercely behind the scenes, each unwilling to yield to the other. However, Holy Flame understood that once the Mage Union fell, Sacred Defense would be left standing alone and not far from its own demise. Although he was reluctant to get involved in this endless war when Crazy Mage asked for help, Holy Flame still decided to send 200,000 troops to support the Mage Union.
With 200,000 players from Sacred Defense added to the Mage Union, which had maintained a presence in Moonlight City for a long time with over a dozen branch guilds and at least half a million players, the total number of troops reached nearly seven or eight hundred thousand.
With such a massive force, Moonlight City became as solid as a fortress, making it extremely difficult for Nie Yan to capture it. Although the Mage Union lacked as many top-tier players as the Bullman Tribe, its guild size was several times larger. Moreover, the Mage Union had the advantage of favorable timing, terrain, and popular support in Moonlight City, while the Bullman Tribe was an invading force from afar. Even with high prestige, they would face resistance from the local players.
As the saying goes, “Even a mighty dragon cannot overpower the local snakes.”
The Bullman Tribe’s only advantage was its dozen or so Frost Armored Catapults, while the Mage Union had only four or five Armored Catapults combined.
Previously, three Armored Catapults from the War Blade Berserkers had nearly destroyed the Bullman Tribe’s foundation. Now, with over a dozen Frost Armored Catapults, the Bullman Tribe’s power was unimaginable. In terms of military strength, the Bullman Tribe surpassed both the Mage Union and Sacred Defense.
The Bullman Tribe’s main forces continued advancing toward Moonlight City. After Nie Yan received control of the Mage Union’s five strongholds, he began deploying his grand strategy, relocating all the Bullman Tribe’s engineers, enchanters, and other production-class players to these five strongholds to work day and night on building Armored Catapults. Additionally, another powerful weapon was being constructed—the Ballistic Catapult, specifically designed for sieges.
The Ballistic Catapult had a maximum range of 1,500 yards, far exceeding that of the Armored Catapult, and it dealt extra damage to city walls, making it highly effective during sieges.
Besides the Bullman Tribe’s main forces, guilds such as the Holy Roman Empire, Garam Temple, and Light Holy Flame also sent large numbers of reinforcements. Nie Yan estimated that he could command roughly 300,000 troops from various guilds. These players generally had higher quality than those from the Mage Union and Sacred Defense. The Mage Union and Sacred Defense had much lower entry requirements compared to the Bullman Tribe’s guilds, which was why their forces were so large and bulky.
The Mage Union and Sacred Defense had attempted several times to intercept the Bullman Tribe’s forces along the way, but each time they were driven back by the Frost Armored Catapults.
The devastating power of the Frost Armored Catapults chilled the players of the Mage Union and Sacred Defense to the bone.
When a single iron projectile from a Frost Armored Catapult landed, everyone within a 50-yard radius was frozen. If their ice resistance was not high enough, they were instantly killed. Each Frost Armored Catapult could fire five projectiles at once, and after a single attack, the battlefield would be littered with corpses.
After several failed attempts to intercept, the Mage Union and Sacred Defense had no choice but to give up, watching helplessly as these Frost Armored Catapults gradually approached Moonlight City. They had already prepared for a difficult battle to defend the stronghold.
The Bullman Tribe’s momentum had completely overshadowed that of the Mage Union and Sacred Defense, and most forum users supported the Bullman Tribe.
In another two or three days, when the Frost Armored Catapults arrived at Moonlight City, it would mark the beginning of a nightmare for the Mage Union and Sacred Defense.
During this period, the Bullman Tribe had already sold about half of their gemstones, raising nearly 15 million gold coins. Of this, nearly five million had already been spent by Nie Yan on purchasing land for Hilton Stronghold and the expenses from the Death’s Domain battle. The remaining ten million gold coins were divided: five million allocated as war funds for the Bullman Tribe’s campaign against the Mage Union, and the other five million invested in various projects. The Bullman Tribe had sufficient financial resources to sustain a prolonged war of attrition.
As for the Mage Union and Sacred Defense, they likely received some funding from Century Financial Group. Additionally, they had earned some profits by following Nie Yan’s footsteps in purchasing gemstones. Sacred Defense could probably muster around two million gold coins, while the Mage Union was in a more dire situation. The losses from the Death’s Domain battle had cost them nearly three million gold coins, leaving their finances severely strained and dependent on Century Financial Group’s support.
During this time, more and more Bullman Tribe players were active within Moonlight City. They moved about like native citizens, bustling through the streets and shops. Outside the city, various training grounds occasionally saw conflicts erupt between Bullman Tribe players and those from the Mage Union and Sacred Defense, leading to one chaotic battle after another. The order of Moonlight City quickly deteriorated, pulling many ordinary players into the conflict. Although these players were deeply dissatisfied with the situation, they understood that the decisive battle between the two major powers was unavoidable.
Initially, Bullman Tribe players were often at a disadvantage due to their smaller numbers. However, as more Bullman Tribe players arrived in Moonlight City, they grew increasingly aggressive, often slaughtering hundreds or even thousands of Mage Union and Sacred Defense players.
The Mage Union and Sacred Defense were overwhelmed and forced to retreat, instructing their members to avoid conflicts with Bullman Tribe players as much as possible and adopt a defensive posture. Once this order was issued, the morale of the Mage Union and Sacred Defense weakened.
Nie Yan gathered intelligence from various sources, directing the overall strategy. To avoid any unexpected setbacks, he couldn’t leave his post and could only occasionally take a break to hunt monsters. He had just received news that the Sater Empire was unstable, leaving Angel Dominion unable to assist the Mage Union and Sacred Defense against the Bullman Tribe. This was good news for them.
Another matter troubled Nie Yan: Angel Dominion had explored the Griffon Grove ahead of other guilds and reaped significant rewards, including seven Wind Serpents, the lowest-level creatures in the Griffon Grove and prey for griffons, but highly valuable mounts outside the area.
According to intelligence from Guo Huai and others, Angel Dominion had already acquired at least twelve flying mounts, with the number still increasing. Although Nie Yan’s Dark Winged Dragon was powerful, it couldn’t handle multiple opponents at once. If Angel Dominion established air superiority, it would be a serious problem.
Nie Yan had to be prepared in case Angel Dominion sent flying mounts to reinforce the Mage Union.
Fortunately, Nie Yan had arranged for the acquisition of all Mist Dispersal Scrolls. Otherwise, Angel Dominion’s gains would have been even greater.
Nie Yan instructed Cui Can Daoguang and others to form a team of 3,000 players, the same group from the Death’s Domain battle, equipped with some Mist Dispersal Scrolls, to begin exploring the Griffon Grove. He hoped they would find some success, acquiring a few flying mounts so that the Bullman Tribe’s aerial forces wouldn’t fall too far behind Angel Dominion’s.
With the Mist Dispersal Scrolls, Cui Can Daoguang’s team would definitely be more efficient than Angel Dominion.
As the Bullman Tribe, Mage Union, and Sacred Defense actively prepared for war, a special guest arrived at the central Colifis Grand Cathedral in Moonlight City. He wore simple robes, was middle-aged, and had an unremarkable appearance that wouldn’t draw attention, except for the occasional display of an authoritative aura that caused ordinary players to glance curiously.
No one would have guessed that this was Cao Xu, the leader of Century Financial Group, who had made a name for himself in various virtual online games!
When the name Cao Xu was mentioned, people easily thought of words like “tycoon,” “puppeteer behind countless guilds,” and “dominator of virtual games.” His every word and action could influence the entire virtual gaming world. Such descriptions were not exaggerated.
Inside the meeting hall, there were about 300 people, creating a noisy atmosphere. However, as soon as Cao Xu entered, the entire hall fell silent. Wu Ya approached from the side, carefully observing Cao Xu’s expression, and repeated the message Nie Yan had asked him to deliver.
“Boss, Crazy Thief Nie Yan is challenging you directly,” Wu Ya fanned the flames.
Indeed, after hearing Wu Ya’s words, Cao Xu was visibly angered. “Crazy Thief Nie Yan truly lives up to his nickname; he’s too arrogant. Does he really think I can’t do anything about his little Bullman Tribe?”
When it came to leading a guild, Nie Yan might have the upper hand, but when it came to manipulating capital, Nie Yan was still too inexperienced. Even without resorting to violence, Century Financial Group could make the Bullman Tribe pay the price. Nie Yan would soon regret his words!
Cao Xu merely commented and did not express any other opinions, leaving Wu Ya and others temporarily unable to discern his true thoughts.
Seeing Cao Xu’s arrival, Kuang Fa and Sheng Yan also approached.
“Boss.”
“Boss.”
Kuang Fa and Sheng Yan both displayed great respect.
Cao Xu merely gave a slight nod upon seeing them.
Inside the hall, a meeting regarding the decisive battle between the Bullman Tribe and the Mage Union began.
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