Chapter 327: The Pure-hearted Ones
It seemed she sensed something; Yuliya looked to the east.
She noticed that a horde of monsters was approaching from that direction.
Her awareness, expanding like ripples from the Golden City, reached farther and sharper.
Glancing at the time, she realized there were still less than seven hours left in the countdown for the Golden City’s defense.
“Three hours have passed, and only now do the monsters show up within thirty kilometers?”
Yuliya was a bit surprised.
This outcome far exceeded her expectations.
After thinking it over, she decided to go take a look.
As Yuliya approached, she saw a massive crowd marching majestically out of the city gates—roughly tens of thousands of them.
Someone spotted her and excitedly tugged on the person next to them, gesturing.
Yuliya thought for a moment, then smiled and waved.
More people turned around, greeting Yuliya.
The initially heavy atmosphere suddenly brightened.
Everyone knew this was just another ordinary day in the countless battles to come.
Even if they dealt with the monsters time and again, there would always be more and stronger ones rushing in from behind.
This was going to be a grand showdown, a battle that would last ten solid hours.
In a conflict of this magnitude, everyone was just a small pebble, and the foes they vanquished were merely grains of sand in an endless desert.
Like mayflies in the grand scheme of things, it was just a drop in the ocean.
Everyone felt small, powerless, and somewhat dispensable.
But now, something felt a little different.
They left under the gaze of the Princess and hoped for a triumphant return through her watchful eyes.
Yuliya waved goodbye to the huge crowd.
Suddenly, she felt that this experience wasn’t too shabby after all.
She climbed up the city tower and reached the ramparts.
The players were already informed via the public channel that she would be coming, and they quickly made way.
At this moment, nobody was feeling particularly relaxed, nor in the mood for shenanigans.
Yuliya nodded slightly. “You guys have worked hard. I’m just here to take a look. No need to mind me, just do your thing.”
The others nodded in agreement, but how could they not mind?
Yuliya scanned the group and noticed many of them appeared a bit off.
Some players were still at level 24.
That’s a bit harsh…
“Are you all… doing okay?”
“Yep! Feeling pretty great!”
“Right now, I feel like I could punch a monster into next week!”
“Check out my new gear; it’s way better than before.”
Yuliya chuckled lightly but decided to let it slide.
Once the dust settled, she would offer them generous rewards.
She then looked beyond the Golden City’s walls.
Her vision was much sharper than those of others, and with her expanded perception, she could see much farther.
Fighting had already erupted in the distance, and battles were ongoing all over the place.
She could see flashes of light and lightning, arrows, and flying sand. She could even hear the shouts and roars.
Yuliya suddenly thought back to the time when the demons invaded the Five Great Nations. Wasn’t it a scene much like this?
Players could respawn if they died, but those from the past might enter the Hero’s Tower.
Now and then, it felt strikingly similar.
“Everyone, hang in there.”
She murmured softly.
But it was heard by many.
“YES! We will definitely complete the mission!”
Suddenly, shouts filled the wall, echoing off into the distance.
Yuliya smiled faintly.
She strolled along the city wall, rounded the corners, and made a circuit of the entire Golden City.
A simple greeting or two about their hard work would spark another round of cheers.
Yuliya looked at these people, suddenly thinking they could really hold the city well.
Outsiders, or adventurers, compared to natives or regular troops, usually lacked that burning fighting spirit and morale.
They didn’t have that impulsive motivation to devote themselves entirely to the cause.
But when they genuinely fought for something, risking it all without looking back, the fighting power they could unleash would be unmatched by the natives.
Because they could throw themselves into battle once, twice, three times, or even countless times.
The command center wasn’t on the city wall, but they had also heard about the Princess’s rounds.
“Fiery Conflict Across the Sky” chuckled. “It’s definitely the Princess. Just making a round has boosted morale way more than our orders ever could.”
Of course, their words mattered too, but they felt more like, “We ought to follow orders,” rather than “I want to do this.”
“Actually, everyone has fantasized about fighting for the Princess, for the sake of protecting something beautiful. Sometimes, people can be really pure,” said “Can’t Sleep.”
“Looks like we need to let the Princess come comfort you bunch of guys,” Kailona giggled, covering her mouth.
“Let’s not,” “Fiery Conflict Across the Sky” shook his head. “We’re the least pure of the bunch.”
“No,” Little Moon chimed in suddenly, “maybe we’re the purest.”
They knew more and bore more responsibilities.
“Haha, back to work, everyone,” “Fiery Conflict Across the Sky” said, mocking himself, “we can’t waste the opportunity the Princess created.”
Although the boosted morale gave everyone a bit of a power-up, it still couldn’t stop the relentless advance of the monsters.
It was predetermined, inevitable.
All they could do was delay, however long or short that delay might be.
With the countdown showing just over four hours left, after more than five hours, a bunch of monsters finally pushed themselves to within ten kilometers of the Golden City.
It was a swarm—a massive one, like giant mosquitoes with bird wings.
Flying monsters were rare in the desert, but there were a few.
They moved fast and hovered in the air, causing a lot of trouble for the players.
In previous encounters with flying monsters, they had struck with overwhelming numbers to wipe them out.
Now, with most players occupied dealing with ground monsters, it left a gap for the flyers to break through.
“Attention! Flying monsters approaching, nine kilometers out!”
After some deliberation, the command center ordered, “Let them come. Attack once they’re close!”
They’d have a much easier time from the city wall.
Now was the perfect time to make use of the city’s protective barriers, which had held strong till now.
Finally, at about three hundred meters away, the players on the walls launched their attack.
A volley of magic erupted, bringing down monsters one after another, crushing, annihilating them.
Likewise, the monsters retaliated.
Some spewed acid, others released feathers, while a few charged straight in.
And thus, the first close-quarters battle commenced!
