Chapter 439 Hope in the ruins
"Is this...the rat man's tail?"
It was dark at night, in the south of Maitian Village, close to the entrance of an abandoned village in the Wanren Mountains. The undead rat with a dagger on his waist squatted on the ground and muttered.
The skeleton mage carrying the staff walked behind the undead rat and glanced around. The soul fire burning in the skull swayed with a hint of caution.
He communicated in a low voice with a creaking voice.
"Perhaps yes."
The two undead are not lonely ghosts wandering in the twilight forest, but players who have organized under the Demon King's command.
Two weeks ago, they received a mission in the square of the necropolis, and came to the devastated Twilight Province through the Demon King's teleportation array to support the salvation plan of "Saint Karen" and the Salvation Army who followed her.
Although when they accepted the mission, they also suspected that the dog planner was too drunk when writing the script and got the devil and the saint together, but for hardcore players, the plot has never been the focus, the focus is on mission rewards and achievements.
As the T0 echelon high-level players in the necropolis, the first task they received was to clear obstacles for the Salvation Army’s spring plowing plan and investigate the abandoned villages near Wheatfield Village.
Honestly, this mission is not interesting. It sounds like it is for the demon king's minions, which is not in line with their noble status as "devil generals".
Especially because the villages they passed through were all deserted, and the collapsed houses inside were even cleaner than their faces, with no scraps left.
On the contrary, there are several powerful monsters in the forest near the village, which makes their mission process not too boring.
Ichiba Zhiqiu estimates that the planning team is testing map bugs and has not yet set up corresponding plots in these villages.
Hence, they didn’t think too much, and based on the principle of quick victory, they quickly checked in the villages marked on the mission log.
However, just when their mission was about to be completed, an anomaly was discovered in the last village in the mission log.
There are traces of rat men here! ?
As the natural enemies of dwarves and goblins, the rebellion engraved in the bones of the ratmen destined them to never surrender to anyone but to be loyal to their own gods.
However, it is interesting to note that the three gods worshiped by the Rat People are highly similar to the three gods among the Four Gods of Chaos.
For example, "Rat of Trick" Svelt and "Mist of Trick" Novel, such as "Rat of Gluttony" Gerlo and "Hungry Claw" Urgos.
As for the "Rat of Abundance" Rifinda, he who preaches reproduction and indulgence may seem inconsistent with the teachings of the Four Chaos Gods, but the clans that believe in Rifinda often fall into endless civil wars and cannibalism because of their excess "rat mouths".
They reproduce while killing, and this process is often accompanied by continuous destruction and plunder - this behavior pleases Kalmandes, the "Flame of Destruction".
It is precisely because of this that many rat people themselves are not clear about what their beliefs are.
After all, betrayal is a normal state for them. Under the banner of "Rat of Plenty" but actually holding the horrific ritual of "Flames of Destruction", it is just a common occurrence for them.
As long as it brings strength!
【One Leaf Knows Autumn】turned his gaze to the village not far away. Instead of blocking his sight, the curtain of night made his vision extremely clear.
Since breaking through the Silver level, his skeleton body has undergone obvious changes. Not only has his spell casting been smoother, but his intuition for the breath of living creatures has also become much sharper.
In the village not far away, flickering red dots were seen feasting on the cold corpses. The lively scene didn't look like a famine, but more like a party.
Those guys obviously can't be human.
Hungry people eating people in order to survive is not a rare anecdote, but even a guy who is starving and fainting will not take the risk of eating a rotten corpse.
But the Rat People do not have this problem. There are no organisms in this world that they cannot digest.
“I said that all the corpses I saw along the way were eaten clean. I also thought that the human appetite in Dusk Province was too good...” [Tauren Warrior] put the dagger on his shoulder and stood behind [One Leaf Zhiqiu] and whispered.
[Pig-Headed Knight] did not speak, but held the ax in his hand excitedly and licked his lips eagerly.
His ax is thirsty!
Not long ago, these two living treasures also broke through the Silver level, and changed their races to the Ankylosaurus lizard people.
Although the night combat ability is not as good as that of the undead, the melee combat ability is quite impressive.
Especially with the corpse awakening technique mastered by [Brother Yiye], after they die in battle, they can still rise again as undead with 80% of their attributes and enhanced physique!
It can be said that it is very easy to use!
[Hu Wan] stood up from the ground and cast a questioning look at [Yiye Zhiqiu].
"How to say?"
Looking at the soul fire that was also eager to try, [One Leaf Zhiqiu] had already guessed the decision of his companion.
He showed the staff in his hand, injected dark green power of the underworld into the gem at the tip of the staff, and smiled faintly.
…Since the task given to us by the Demon King is to ensure the progress of the spring plowing plan, we cannot let him down."
Let’s use the tails of these mice to conclude their mission!
A flaming arrow pierced the silent night sky and landed accurately in the center of the village.
The exploding sparks startled the ratmen around them. They subconsciously wanted to escape, but found that the ground beneath their feet was shaking, causing the tunnel they dug to collapse.
The entire set of spell-casting actions is completed in one go.
【One Leaf Zhiqiu】smoothly changed the posture of holding the staff, and then began to chant the third spell.
"Swift as the wind!"
The green air flow entangled the legs of the four players, especially the two lizardmen running in front, and their charging speed was much faster.
“Haha! Where are you looking? Your grandpa pig head is here!” The pig-headed knight screamed excitedly, swinging his battle ax and running forward with heavy steps, like a chariot that crashed into the pile of rats.
"
"No! No! These lizardmen seem to be different!"
The ratmen screamed and grabbed rusty daggers and slings, trying to stop this axe-wielding lizardman warrior.
However, before they could react effectively, another lizard man holding a sword and shield hit them from the flank, knocking countless rat men away.
A ratman priest raised the bone staff in his hand, pointed it at the lizard man who was waving his sword and shield, and screamed a spell.
"Lizard thing! Die! Die--ga!"
However, before he could finish reciting the spell, a black light silently passed through his neck, and the vicious curse instantly turned into a spurt of blood that spread all over the ground.
At the same time, a scorching fire dragon suddenly poured in from the direction of the village entrance, slamming into the center of the rat people, dividing the battlefield and completely destroying their morale.
loglogue The ratmen screamed , throwing down the daggers and slings in their hands , and running towards the forest with hands and feet on the ground .
Looking at the figures running away, [Pig Head Knight] couldn't help but curse.
"MMP! You scared all the monsters away, how can I harvest them!"
The mage of the Dog Day!
This is such a shameless grab for experience!
No wonder the upgrade is so fast!
Yiye Zhiqiu, who came from the darkness, touched the bridge of his nose that did not exist and said with a slight smile.
“I guess what you want to say is MVP.”
He deliberately scared these rat men away, and the purpose was naturally to find their lair.
Just now, he had cast the black iron level undead spell "Shadow Mark" to mark three ratmen.
Unless they can break the spell.
Otherwise, as long as they are still within five kilometers, he can find them no matter where they hide.
· Intuition tells Yiye Zhiqiu that the "main plot" of Dusk Province may be hidden in these mice that come from nowhere...
· ......
· Outside Quemu Castle, guards holding torches are patrolling, and candlelight is swaying quietly in the guest rooms deep in the tower.
Helen Moon Blade's figure was like the moonlight imprinted on the stone bricks of the city wall. She appeared quietly in front of Luo Yan, knelt down on one knee and reported respectfully.
"Master Demon King, the mission you ordered has been completed!"
Her voice was clear and efficient, and there was no trace of the fatigue accumulated from running around for days.
"After two weeks of non-stop spell casting by the Night Elf Mages, the one million acres of fields planned around Wheatfield Village have been basically repaired and fertilized."
Luo Yan turned over a page of the unfinished draft of the New Testament in his hand, nodded calmly, and affirmed and appreciated the work of the Gray Wind Tribe in a majestic voice.
"You have done a good job, and I will not forget your contribution. But this is just the beginning. The refugees from Quemu Castle will return to those abandoned villages one after another. Then you will have to work harder and help the human farmers."
However, after completing her recovery, she did not retreat immediately. Instead, after a moment of hesitation, she lowered her head and asked in a confused voice.
"Lord Demon King, I am not questioning your order, but...with all due respect, why do we spend so much magic power to help those humans who believe in Saint Sith? They are not worthy of your care at all. Their suffering now is just the reward for their fanatical folly thousands of years ago!"
When she said these words, Helen's mood was extremely complicated.
The epics of the night elves are different from those of humans. Although their history records things that actually happened, more of them focus on the foolishness of Saint Sith and the Dragon God in trying to eliminate death.
In fact, if Luo Yan were to evaluate them, they were not stupid at all. On the contrary, they successfully conquered the old world.
If a certain Zeta hadn't been frightened by the illusions deduced by the so-called "higher civilization" and logic after seeing Chaos, I am afraid that the lizard people of Janna continent would also be sitting at the winner's table right now.
However, Luo Yan has no obligation to honor his pet, nor is he interested in educating his subordinates about the truth hidden in the epic.
As the subordinates of the Demon King, they only need to look up at their tall and majestic back, and then follow them unswervingly.
...Although the people here still believe in Saint Sith in name, the teachings they actually follow have nothing to do with the Holy See in the Holy City."
In Helen's increasingly puzzled gaze, Luo Yan used an understatement and gave her the answer that shocked her.
"They are all my king's subjects now. Including their knights and even their saints, they are now my servants. Except that they have not sworn to join the necropolis, there is no difference from you in the necropolis."
"Servant, servant?!"
Helen Moonblade was shocked when he heard this. His open mouth could even fit an egg into his mouth, and he froze on the spot.
Obviously she didn't know that "Saint Karen" was just a village girl picked up by Luo Yan on the road. And in this night elf's distant memory, only the Holy See in the Holy City of Man can appoint a saint!
In just a few breaths, she had already made up tens of thousands of words of the plot in her mind, including the part in the maze dungeon——
Even the saint of the Vatican could be corrupted...
Helen's eyes instantly shone with incomparable awe and fanaticism, and her cheeks even had a faint blush.
That is the color of worship!
As expected of the Demon King——
It’s really unfathomable!
Just when Helen was excited by the power of the Demon King, an emotionless voice suddenly sounded beside her.
"Lord Demon King."
Helen was suddenly startled and turned her head in horror, only to realize that Sarah had appeared beside her at some point.
That indifferent expression was like a lifeless shadow, as if there was only one venerable person in this room worthy of her attention.
Helen was not surprised that Sarah would be here, but she didn’t expect that she, with her gold-level strength, would not even notice the slightest breath of her!
This guy...
Has he made another breakthrough? !
The shocked expression gradually turned into sour envy. Luo Yan knew without guessing what Helen had misunderstood, but she was too embarrassed to explain it if she didn't say it.
Along the way, his bodyguard, Comrade Sarah, also worked very hard... especially on the matter of hide-and-seek with Tuff.
Sarah didn't care about Helen's gaffe, she just bowed slightly and quietly reported to her Majesty the Demon King.
…While patrolling the south of Quemu Castle, the intelligence personnel of the Salvation Army discovered signs of non-human biological activities near an abandoned village."
"After in-depth investigation, they found traces of rat-men there!"
Necropolis' assistance to the Salvation Army is not only agriculture and infrastructure, but also includes the construction of the army, and intelligence work is the focus of it.
If you want to survive in this troubled world, it is not enough to rely on ideals and slogans. In the end, you have to rely on the sword in your hand.
· During this period, Sarah has been in charge of training the intelligence personnel of the Salvation Army, so she even knew about this matter before Saint Karen.
However, the Demon King sitting here obviously knew it before she did.
Looking at the expressionless Sarah and the solemn-looking Helen, Luo Yan nodded, his calm expression unchanged.
It was as if he had anticipated all this.
"I understand. Tell Karen for me, and keep observing... Helen, your people should be careful when moving outside."
The two of them took the order in unison.
“Yes, Lord Demon King.”
The claw marks of the ratmen undoubtedly added another fire to the already chaotic situation in Dusk Province. It is still unknown to what extent this fire will burn.
Perhaps these rats are just eyeing the land corroded by famine, or perhaps famine also breaks out in their hometown deep in the Wanren Mountains.
Regardless of what the so-called "main line" is that the players are eagerly looking for, the refugees in Quemu Territory have recently found their own "main line" in life, and are gradually living their lives in a more enjoyable way.
The next day.
The early morning light fell on the land of Maitian Village. Old Hank rubbed his sun-chapped nose and sat up from the bed made of reeds.
As spring enters the second half, the rainy season has finally passed, and sunny days are gradually becoming more common.
And his old bones, which were almost broken due to fatigue, could finally take a break.
"Morning, Hank."
Seeing the young man coming towards him greet him, Old Hank also smiled and responded with a greeting.
"Morning, have you eaten?"
He didn't know the young man's name, he only remembered this simple face and sunny smile, which reminded him of himself when he was young.
The young man said with a smile.
"I've finished eating early, so go ahead. Those new guys are really good at eating. If it's later, they might just lick the bottom of the pot!"
"Haha, that's not it..."
Old Hank laughed, but felt anxious in his heart. He hurried to the Salvation Army's soup kitchen and was relieved when he saw that there was still a lot in the pot.
His worries are indeed unnecessary.
According to the oracle of Her Majesty the Holy Lady, the soldiers of the Salvation Army strictly abide by the creed of salvation and will not start eating until all the villagers have finished eating.
With gratitude and praise to Her Majesty the Holy Lady and the Son of God, Old Hank joined the queue, took a bowl of steaming wheat porridge from the hands of the soldiers, and squatted on the edge of the field to enjoy the first Holy Communion after getting up.
It seemed to be the same in the past.
Every day when the bell rings, the serfs in Wheatfield Village go to the lord's servants to get a bowl of porridge. After filling their stomachs, they go to work in the fields. They wait until noon to receive the last meal of the day, and then continue working in the afternoon.
As for what to eat, it depends on the harvest, the specific season, and the temper of the lord.
Old Hank vaguely remembered that the food of the serfs who worked on the priest's land would be better, because the church property of Wheatfield Village happened to have an apple orchard, and there were always many apples left that could not be sold, as well as raspberries that no one wanted.
Of course, it’s a different situation when you go to other villages.
In recent years, all villages have been experiencing extremely difficult times, so there is nothing to compare with. Not to mention the apple trees, all the bark has been chewed by them.
Fortunately, the days full of hope seem to be coming back little by little.
Although Old Hank didn't understand the difference between the Salvation Army and the original lords, he had no problem with it as long as the leader could keep him fed and clothed.
Whether the saint was sent by the Holy See or came by herself on the running river, the miracles she brought were indeed real.
And——
The oracle about a good harvest seems to be gradually fulfilled.
Looking at the green fields of wheat seedlings, Old Hank was in a trance for a while.
After a long time, he murmured something quietly to himself and finished the last mouthful of the bowl.
"I actually caught up..."
Two weeks have passed since the villagers of Maitian Village returned to their hometowns. Looking back on what happened in the past two weeks, he really felt like he was dreaming.
When they first set foot on this land, almost everyone did not expect that they would be able to catch up with the progress of spring plowing.
However, just when they fell into despair, a miracle happened!
First, a group of cloaked "river elves" used magic to clear the obstacles for spring plowing for them, and then a group of "holy spirits" who claimed to be their ancestors helped them work with hoes.
This is also the first time for Old Hank to see such a strange undead soul - oh no, the Holy Spirit!
These skeletons move in groups, commanded by a Holy Spirit, working tirelessly in the fields, as if they are never tired.
They don’t need rest.
Human farmers need to do heavy work with one day and half a day off. They can work from sunrise to sunset, and then from sunset to sunrise.
It’s more than outrageous!
These holy spirits can not only do simple tasks like plowing the ground, but also operate complex metal machines.
Under the command of a little guy who calls himself a "goblin", they drive a machine called a tractor and shuttle through the most stubborn land outside Maitian Village.
Thick black smoke spewed out from the mouths of those giant beasts, and they advanced with deafening roars. They seem to have endless strength. Every time they drive past, they will leave rows of deep and neat furrows behind them!
The plowshares made of steel easily tore through the hard soil that even magic could not break, and their workload in one day was equivalent to the hard work of a dozen farmers in a month!
With the help of these guys, the progress of the villagers in catching up with spring plowing can be described as wings.
They only need to carry their backpacks and follow the machines, and then spread the seeds and something called "fertilizer".
After they completed these tasks, the elves riding elk and wearing cloaks returned to the entrance of their village.
As before, those pointed ears raised their wands without saying a word and cast a spell on the barren earth. Then those silent seeds sprouted at a speed visible to the naked eye, drilling through the soil above their heads!
Those elves did not continue to use magic to ripen them, and left immediately after completing these things.
Old Hank never thought in his life that the hard work of farming could be simplified like this.
There was even a hint of panic in his heart. If the lords all used this method to farm in the future, what would he do?
Oh, by the way...
Her Royal Highness the Saint seemed to have said that there will be no lord here in the future.
When he thought that the green land in front of him belonged to him, the sadness that had just surged in his heart disappeared, replaced by a simple and honest smile.
If all this wheat really belongs to you, how long will it take to eat it...
…
As April comes to an end, the time window for spring plowing gradually closes, and the focus of the villagers in Maitian Village has also shifted from the cultivation of staple grains to other tasks.
Such as cultivating vegetable gardens, repairing public pastures, helping villagers build houses, or finding a deserted place to create people...
These tasks are directly related to whether they can move from the dormitory to a warmer house before the cold winter comes, and sit with their families in front of the fireplace to share hot sauerkraut and pork knuckle soup.
Families with children or pregnant women will be given priority in being allocated independent wooden houses.
As for the work in the fields, they only need to pay attention to weeding and don't let those weeds that sneak in and steal the nutrients of the crops.
Although these tasks are far from easy, they are finally not as anxious as before.
While Old Hank was immersed in his work, a clanging sound could be heard from the village not far away.
The Holy Spirits who had helped the villagers cultivate the wheat fields a few days ago had just put down their hoes and turned around to help the Salvation Army soldiers build houses.
These ancestors really can't stop for a moment. Old Hank can't help but feel sorry for them. They still have to work after they die.
At the same time, he also silently prayed to Her Majesty the Holy Lady in his heart, hoping that he could feel more relaxed when he walked, but not to be pulled up to work again as soon as he closed his eyes.
It's a pity that the "ancestors" who were working didn't know what this guy was thinking, otherwise they would have laughed out loud on the spot.
Of course——
Maybe they will touch the NPC’s head and sigh that this game is too real.
Even the old farmer in the background has such rich inner drama and thoughts.
Of course their work is not in vain. The Demon King will give them coins as rewards based on the amount of work they have completed.
As for what is the use of ghost coins?
That is of great use!
· Due to Gou’s continuous efforts, “Calamity OL” has now become the dream of countless netizens to restart their second life in a different world.
Huge amounts of fresh and tender leeks are pouring in every day, so there will never be a buyer for Mingbi, but the exchange rate fluctuates greatly.
For the gangsters who "will do it to death as long as they can make money", it's not a big problem!
In order to cut the Demon King's leeks as soon as possible, many people have spent thousands of dollars in it!
Of course, there are also giants with profound backgrounds like Long Xing Wanli, who scatter real money like a demon king scattering coins, swallowing up mountains and rivers without caring at all.
In short, with the efforts of hard-working and brave young players, new hope is being given birth to in the ruins of Maitian Village.
The tractor that had finished plowing the land once again acted as an ox cart, pulling the lumber filled with the trailer from the direction of the river.
In the past two weeks, it was not only the farmers in Maitian Village who were busy, but also the craftsmen on the banks of the rushing river.
With the help of more than a dozen "mountain people", the locals not only repaired the water wheel and irrigation canal that had been abandoned for many years by the running river, but also set up a wood processing plant by the river.
Speaking of those "mountain people", they are also a bunch of strange guys. Although they don't speak well and don't look very smart, they are surprisingly dexterous at work.
Especially when operating machines!
Thanks to these kind-hearted people, the water from the rushing river finally filled the canals of Maitian Village again.
Looking at the village that is getting better little by little, every villager's face is full of hope.
As the returning teams pass through this prosperous village one after another, returning to their original hometown with tools and dry food, they will soon take their hope to further places.
Just like the dandelions that bloomed in the Twilight Province in May...