【 THE GODDESS’ TRUE INTENTIONS 】

What happened in the Redsand Tribe was merely a minor episode in the grand scheme of things.

However, the more observant players began to notice that subtle changes were starting to take place on the battlefield.

In particular, Amway Company, which had been affiliated with Heart of Nature, had altered its previous strategy. No longer only purchasing strong and able-bodied orc captives, they now accepted anyone and everyone—even the old, weak, women, and children.

As long as they renounced their faith, they wanted them all.

Naturally, this unexpected development stirred up curiosity and speculation among many players.

At the same time, the private conversation between Demacia and Moon Jasmine began to quietly spread within the player community, gradually gaining traction and attention.

Especially after Demacia organized his thoughts and published his views in a lengthy forum post.

What should be done with their enemies from other races captured in war?

What direction should their faction’s future strategy take?

And most importantly—who exactly was the true enemy of the Goddess and the Elves?

Questions like these soon ignited widespread debate among the players, setting off waves of discussion across the forum.

Some mocked Demacia for overthinking and having nothing better to do.

Some accused him of taking the game far too seriously.

While others simply regarded their enemies as nothing more than data following lines of code, meant to be killed and discarded.

And yet, there were also many who agreed with Demacia’s point of view.

In fact, there were quite a lot of them as well.

Interestingly, the player base began to divide into two clearly distinct camps, with the overwhelming majority of older beta test veterans, from the first up to the third beta players, openly supporting Demacia’s views.

This included many famous veteran players like Li Mu, Little Salty Cat, HootyBird, and Meng Zhihan.

They believed that for those enemies who surrendered— especially those who had abandoned their faith—there was no need to annihilate them completely. Instead, efforts should be made to convert and utilize them.

Even the purely combat-focused First Legion guild which never had a particularly harmonious relationship with Heart of Nature and its guildmaster, Stir-Fried Tomato, subtly expressed agreement with Demacia’s views.

In contrast, many newer public-beta players were indifferent to the idea, with some even feeling that Demacia was making a mountain out of a molehill.

“It’s just a game, just kill our enemies and move on!”

Many of those who had indulged in brutal acts against the orcs during the Desert war campaign also turned out to be these fresh-faced newcomers.

Thus, this debate began to rage among the ElvKing community to the extent that it even caught Eve’s attention. What started as a minor discussion soon evolved into a full-blown argument, spilling across various sites and chat rooms. Heated debates emerged, with players from all backgrounds weighing in, each bringing their own perspective to the issue.

Fully aware of the entire situation, Evé naturally understood the reasons behind this phenomenon.

“As time passes, the veteran players have gradually begun to see themselves as true inhabitants of this world. When they think about problems now, they’re no longer just considering things from a ‘player’ perspective.”

“But the newer players haven’t been summoned for long. Hence, many of them still approach everything with a purely game-centric mindset, which is why such debates arise.”

“Of course, there are also those who simply believe the enemy deserves no mercy…”

“Well, having this kind of discussion is good, more or less.”

Eve was quite pleased.

Not because of the newer players per se, but because of the choices made by the majority of the older, veteran players.

The emergence of such debates within the community proved that Eve’s long-held goal had already begun to take root and manifest subtly.

This goal was the true unification and integration of the players and the native elves.

The gift of immortality and fearlessness gave the players endless courage and combat prowess, turning them into a force as terrifying as a natural disaster. However, their love for Elven Kingdom and their integration with the native elves also compelled them to think more calmly and rationally when faced with such complex problems.

This was the endpoint Evé had always envisioned to mold the players into!

“It seems that accepting new players in batches was indeed the right decision. Rather than fully opening the game to everyone, slowly introducing new players to the veteran players’ perspective and allowing them to gradually see themselves as part of this world is the only way to preserve the atmosphere I desire…”

Evé mused quietly to herself, satisfied with the progress so far, but recognizing that it was now time to take a more active role. The debate among the players had reached a critical point, and she knew that allowing it to continue unchecked could lead to division, something she could not afford.

Just as the discussions grew more heated and divided, a sudden divine oracle from the Goddess appeared, cutting through the tension like a blade. Through this oracle, she publicly endorsed Demacia’s viewpoint, ending the debate once and for all.

As the leading authoritative figure among the elves, she laid down a firm and undeniable direction for their faction’s future development.

War is a brutal affair, and only the victor shall gain the right to decide the fate of the vanquished.

On the battlefield, there is no place for mercy, nor is there a need to show leniency when facing the enemy. However, for those who truly wish to repent and return to the right path, there is no need to wipe them out completely.

They should be given a chance…

A chance to embrace the correct faith and become vassals of the Elves.

This was her divine mandate, and once it was released to the public, opposition among the new players quickly vanished.

After all, at the end of the day, it was still a game and the rules were set by the game developers.

For players, as long as the rules were established by the game itself, then those were the rules to follow.

At most, they might grumble about certain things they found disagreeable, but ultimately, as long as the game remained fun and entertaining, that was enough to quell their complaints.

Moreover, after Evé began conducting “psychological counseling” for players once they went offline, the ever-increasing bloodlust within them also began to subside.

Although they still fought bravely in battle, under the influence of her divine power soothing their emotions, the players gradually learned to control their feelings, ensuring they would not become mindless machines lost in the brutal act of wanton killing.

With her timely aid, those players who exhibited PTSD akin to soldiers of war managed to recover before their condition further worsened.

As a result, the following battles progressed even more smoothly, with the players’ combat strength not only failing to decline but also reaching new heights.

Faced with such formidable opponents, the scattered orc tribes in the northern region of the Desert were no longer any match for them.

Not to mention, those orc tribes had already withdrawn and consolidated their forces, leaving behind only the old, weak, and sick.

In the days that followed, the player army launched an overwhelming and rapid offensive, pushing forward with an unstoppable momentum.

Eve’s original plan had been for the players to reach the gates of Sandstorm City within seven days.

However, by the fifth day of the second offensive, the most advanced reconnaissance teams, far ahead of the main force, had already caught sight of the towering spire in the distance, which was Sandstorm City’s iconic landmark.

Though the main army had not yet arrived, it was clear that their approach was imminent, and the city was within reach.

Of course, that wasn’t to say their march had been without its challenges.

Just like in their first offensive, some players inevitably lagged behind after the five days of relentless travel.

Moreover, with their forces divided and the need to establish garrisons along the way, the player army had suffered a fair amount of attrition.

Even so, compared to their first offensive, during which over 40,000 players had lagged behind in just a single day, the players’ performance during this second offensive had improved dramatically.

By the time of their final assembly, nearly 130,000 of their original 150,000-strong army remained.

Such cohesion was unprecedented in the history of online gaming and, quite frankly, also felt rather terrifying.

In addition, those players who had fallen behind continued to trickle in one after another, swelling the size of the player army, which was now steadily growing.

However, after advancing deeper into the Desert of Death, long-range teleportation magic once again became unusable, meaning they could only travel on foot, costing them valuable time.

Eventually, the player army stopped roughly twenty kilometers north of Sandstorm City.

It wasn’t because they were unwilling to advance further but rather, it was because they had finally discovered the Orc’s main army.

༺⟐༻

In the player army’s camp, twenty kilometers north of Sandstorm City…

Inside the central command tent, proudly sponsored by Moe Moe Committee, the leaders of each guild and the Church of Life were engaged in intense strategic discussions.

This time, the guildmasters of all the major guilds participating in the war had gathered.

On the NPCs’ side, Zero, their supreme commander, was also present, alongside powerful NPCs like Meryer and Tiberia as well as the Spider Queen, Rose.

“Lady Zero, Sandstorm City lies just ahead of us. According to the intel we gathered from some orcs we captured, the Royal Orc Court has assembled a force of over 300,000 troops,” Li Mu reported solemnly.

As he spoke, he gestured with a wooden pointer at the geographical sand model of the surrounding area, crafted with earth magic, on the table at the center of the tent.

“Sandstorm City’s walls are sturdy, built in a style similar to the ones the dark dwarves use in the Underground. The walls rise nearly fifteen meters high, likely the work of dwarves from long ago.”

“Based on our intel, the orcs have stationed 100,000 troops within the city itself. The remaining 200,000 are divided into four camps surrounding the city, forming a defensive perimeter designed to protect Sandstorm City in every direction.”

“If we attack from any direction, we’ll face their immediate counterattack.”

“This is their home turf. We still don’t know how many high-ranking experts the orcs have, but there likely aren’t any Legendary-rank individuals among them.”

“The only known Gold-ranked experts among their ranks include the current Orc King, Bazaan, their Chief Shaman, and several other elite warriors from the various orc tribes, whom I estimate to number no more than ten in total.”

“In addition, we are unable to use teleportation array in this area. So we risk being surrounded by the orc army if we attempt a frontal assault.”

“Furthermore, the orcs have the backing of the Sauron Group and we have yet to see any reinforcements from their side…”

“However, through some of our contacts in the Underground, we suspect that Sauron has hired mercenaries to support the orcs. Their numbers are likely not large, but their strength may be considerable.”

Evé nodded slightly in response.

Everything Li Mu said was true.

To outsiders, this whole situation might seem utterly absurd…

An army of merely 150,000 planning to attack a city defended by 300,000 troops?

And their target wasn’t just any city either, but the most fortified stronghold in the entire Desert of Death?

If word of this got out…

Many would think the elves had gone completely mad.

But to the players themselves, this was perfectly normal.

After countless battles, their will to win had become unshakable. Even though the next battle seemed to be perilous, they firmly believed that victory would ultimately belong to them.

This was the pride of being the “Fourth Cataclysm.” ¹

Not to mention, when had the devs ever issued a quest that was truly impossible for players to complete?

If they failed then it could only mean that they hadn’t done well enough.

In their minds, a difficult quest only meant greater challenge!

Naturally, the players weren’t without confidence.

Their average strength was superior to that of their opponents.

As the orc tribes fell one after another, the player army gradually acquired more and more intelligence on the enemy.

Beyond the well-known elites, the average strength of the orc army was no longer a mystery…

Despite their overwhelming numbers, most of the orc warriors were only at the low to intermediate Iron-rank.

On average, their combat capability wasn’t even at the peak Iron-rank threshold.

In comparison, even the weakest among the players were now at the Upper Iron-rank.

Not to mention the fact that, after several days of continuous battles, the average player level was already approaching level 35, with the number of players reaching the max level cap of 40 skyrocketing past ten thousand.

Honestly speaking, the orcs simply couldn’t match this level of quality.

At the end of the day, the orcs were still just a race with Iron Lineage.

Before the resurgence of mana in Seigües, they had once held the advantage. But as the realm’s mana recovered and the players continued to rapidly advance, the gap between them had long since widened to a considerable degree.

Thus… although the orcs far outnumbered the players, in terms of individual strength, the players held a clear upper hand.

As for the Sauron Group…

They had already provided the Orcs with an abundance of resources. Even if they sent troops to join the battle, their contribution would likely be limited.

However…

“The Orcs will surely have a Legendary-rank expert among their side.”

Evé said calmly.

A Legendary-rank Expert…

The atmosphere within the command tent instantly grew heavier upon hearing this news.

By this point, none of the players present at this meeting were clueless rookies anymore.

They had long since developed a clear understanding of the overwhelming power gap between different ranks in the game.

Hence, they knew well enough that, to a Legendary-rank expert, facing ordinary mortal armies was little more than a joke.

HootyBird’s expression shifted slightly as she spoke.

“One of Uller’s Totem Guardian?”

Evé glanced at her and nodded approvingly.

“That’s right. A Totem Guardian.”

“This war is of great importance to the Orcs. Their god will surely send down a Totem Guardian. And if a Legendary-rank expert is guaranteed to descend, there’s even an eighty percent chance that a Demigod might show up as well.”

“Of course, such enemies are far beyond your ability to handle. As such, Rose and I will deal with them.”

Evé swept a calm glance toward the silent Spider Queen.

Although Rose said nothing, she gave a slight nod in agreement.

Seeing Eve’s composed and confident demeanor, the players collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

That’s our Big Sister for you!

Legendary-rank characters really are on a different level.

Moreover, with her being a Godwarden as well, she wasn’t afraid of facing a Demigod!

Wait…

Something’s not right.

“Lady Zero… You can fight against a Demigod too?” Little Salty Cat asked curiously.

Evé smiled faintly.

“Of course. But I’m referring to our side’s Demigod.”

The players were stunned.

…Wait.

Our side have a Demigod too?!

Almost every NPC in their faction had a profile page on the official website.

Among them, the strongest had always been Zero, the Godwarden.

But wasn’t she just Golden-rank?

Even if she could invoke divine descent, that would only temporarily grant her Legendary-rank strength.

So where did this unknown NPC Demigod come from?

Or maybe, Did Big Sister advance in rank again?

Or… was this NPC Demigod, a newly introduced game character?

The surrounding players exchanged looks of confusion.

However, Li Mu’s expression changed slightly as though he had realized something.

Evé did not elaborate further.

Instead, she continued calmly:

“Battles involving higher-ranks are not something you Chosen Ones can handle, nor do you need to.”

“Your task is simply to lay siege to Sandstorm City.”

“That being said, I can share some insider information with you. It would be ideal if you could capture the city, but even if you can’t, it doesn’t really matter because our true objective isn’t the so-called ‘World Tree’s Divine Kingdom’ in Sandstorm City, as that Divine Kingdom is a fake.”

The World Tree’s Divine Kingdom… is fake?

Upon hearing this, the players displayed mixed reactions.

But most of them wore knowing expressions as if this confirmed what they had already suspected.

A fake Divine Kingdom…

Many players had already speculated about this.

It’s just that there had never been any official confirmation until now.

“So this ‘Divine Kingdom’ in Sandstorm City… is actually a trap set by the Orcs for Her Grace, the Goddess.”

“Of course, the great Goddess has already seen through their scheme. This entire operation is a counter-ploy orchestrated by Her Grace.”

“And our ultimate goal is actually to create a diversion—to locate the real Divine Kingdom while concealing the Goddess’s true identity.”

Locate the real Divine Kingdom?

The players were momentarily stunned.

Then, almost simultaneously, they recalled all the recent rumors coming from the Elven Forest…

According to players who hadn’t joined the war campaign, over the past few days, the entire population of natives in the Elven Forest, as well as those living in the Demirealm of Ouros, had been mobilized. Altars were being rapidly constructed both within the demirealm and in Florence…

Everyone had already suspected that something big was in the works.

So that’s what it was…

Realization dawned upon many of them.

“So… what you all need to do is hold out for time. Put on a convincing act of fighting to the death and divert the Orcs’ attention.”

“And as for how much damage you can inflict on them while doing so…that will depend entirely on you.”

Evé concluded softly.

¹ To reiterate, the term ‘Fouth Crisis/Cataclysm’ originated from a game called Stellaris in which during the later stages of the game, a galaxy-wide crisis event occurs, known as Crisis. It was mostly referred to the players.

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