Chapter 324: Time to Act
Little Moon fell silent.
Everything was fine, but why did the difficulty suddenly skyrocket?
The last main quest was tough enough.
Those knight order members were no joke with their high skills.
Completing the mission successfully boiled down to those outrageous “box eggs.”
Without those things, the knight order would have swept through the players and headed straight for Emerald City.
“So… do you have any secret weapons this time? Like maybe an explosion or something?”
Xu Xiaoya shook her head. “The strongest weapon I can bring out right now is that one from last time. But against legendary-level opponents, its effectiveness has really diminished.”
That nuclear bomb was practically a legendary-level spell, and it was also limited by the user’s strength.
When faced with a legendary enemy, even if it hits solidly, it would just cause a little damage.
“I see… that’s indeed a problem,” Little Moon said, looking down.
But it seemed she had thought of something and suddenly lifted her head: “But what you said is just a possibility, right? Maybe the situation isn’t as bad as you think? Who knows, nothing might happen, and we can just enjoy a peaceful day guarding the city!”
Xu Xiaoya was taken aback, then let out a wry smile.
She had said the same thing to the people of Golden City, but deep down she knew exactly how she felt when she said it.
She picked up her cup and stared at the reflection in it. “Little Moon, actually, I have another ability. I can sense things that are about to happen to a certain degree.”
“You sense that this mission won’t go smoothly?”
“No, I can’t really tell how the mission will go; its process and outcome are all a haze, invisible. But I sense that I will lose something.”
Little Moon asked anxiously, “Lose what?”
“I don’t know.”
“…”
Both of them fell silent.
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoyue stood up, slapped her cheeks, then walked over to Xu Xiaoya and playfully slapped her cheeks too.
“Seriously, what are we doing? Why are we stuck in a dead end?”
Xu Xiaoya blinked in confusion. “What dead end?”
Little Moon pinched her cheek, forcing a strained smile, while her own smile became more genuine. “I mean, we’re making things too rigid.”
“You saying you sense you’ll lose something means you at least think you’ll be safe, right? If things go as bad as you say, we’re basically staring down the barrel of disaster.”
“Doesn’t that mean things won’t be all doom and gloom? Isn’t that good news?”
“Uh…” Yuliya stood there with her mouth slightly agape, caught off guard.
She started to think carefully about Little Moon’s words.
It seemed… there was some truth to it…
If she could still lose something, it meant things were not the worst case possible.
So as long as it wasn’t the worst, any outcomes would be acceptable news for her.
Not everything is just black and white; it’s not all good or all bad.
Xu Xiaoya had been stuck thinking about perfect endings versus tragic ones, but aside from those two, there could still be a third, fourth, or even more options.
Gains and losses go hand in hand; losing some while gaining others is the most common and objective rule of development in this world.
When Yuliya first decided to fix Golden City, she had already made her own judgment.
Back then, she was still somewhat rational, determining that the appearance of “dragons” was highly unlikely.
But now, as she approached the final step, she felt herself getting stuck deeper in the mud, unable to see the situation clearly.
“Indeed… I’ve hit a dead end. It’s not just a matter of moving forward or backward.”
Little Moon gave Xu Xiaoya another smile, this one feeling much more natural. “No worries, we’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah, thanks, Little Moon!”
Since they knew their opponent was strong and they were still weak, accepting that fact and letting go of the unrealistic perfect outcome would naturally open up more paths.
“Let’s head back; I’ve got a ton of things to do!”
Xu Xiaoya quickly tidied up the last bit of food before dragging Little Moon home.
Meanwhile, in the fiery chaos of the sky, Liu Haotian of Blue Star was summoned by his family elders.
“Grandpa, you called for me? Dad, Uncle.”
These three were the most powerful figures in their family.
“Mm, Haotian. Sit.” Elder Liu gestured for him to take a seat.
“I’ve heard that Golden City is about to face its final battle?”
They had occasionally asked Liu Haotian about Golden City’s situation before.
And they never referred to it as a game but “that place.”
“Final battle? I’m not sure if that’s accurate, but there was indeed a large-scale main quest. Why the sudden interest from you, Grandpa?”
Although his grandfather was retired, he still held considerable influence and reputation within the family, business, and even at the national level.
He often left home, making it difficult to see him.
The old man nodded. “So it’s true.”
Then his uncle smiled, saying, “Little Tian, you absolutely must be involved throughout this mission and aim to achieve remarkable results. Whatever support you need, our family will back you unconditionally.”
“Uh… I need the best people available. Besides me, there are other branches and some secret…”
“Of course, you can command them all.”
“And funding.”
His father chimed in, “Just go to Steward Zhao; we won’t interfere.”
“Yes!”
Liu Haotian’s face lit up with excitement, but inside, he felt a serious tension.
This seemed bigger than usual…
The last time he undertook a main quest, it was something monumental like the emperor’s ascension, and the family barely showed mild interest.
Meanwhile, far away in the Imperial Capital’s advanced military academy, Li Zhenqiang, known in-game as “Can’t Sleep,” also received the highest-level directives from his superiors.
At all costs, ensure the mission proceeds smoothly, with all necessary assistance and support made available unconditionally.
Besides them, the Huaxia Kingdom had numerous ancient and influential families mobilizing their efforts.
Not just Huaxia; even far-off in the Eagle Land was Erin Hilton, along with Gull Land and other major forces from different continents.
This time, the action was unlike past scattershot efforts; they were in sync with a clear target.
At all costs, ensure the mission runs smoothly while striving for outstanding performance.
Though their influence on Blue Star’s game was minimal, they had two things absolutely covered.
People and money.
Thus, in these three days, the number of people heading to Golden City far exceeded initial expectations, and their overall strength had visibly increased.
Most importantly, while large-scale events often attract a mix of different characters, this time felt different.
