Chapter 1 Speculation

Nie Yan guessed that even if Warblade Bloodthirst had ironclad siege catapults, they wouldn't have many, probably just a few. The material and labor costs for each ironclad siege catapult were extremely high.

With only two or three ironclad siege catapults, although they could blast open the fortress's walls, they wouldn't pose a significant threat.

Ironclad siege catapults needed to be deployed in large numbers to be truly powerful. A single dense volley could instantly wipe out swathes of players. The flaming iron projectiles could basically one-shot any player they hit unless they were over level 100 and wearing a full set of divine equipment. Only then could players withstand a few hits from the iron projectiles.

If the Abak Tribe's goblin magic cannons were successfully manufactured, they might be able to use their range to destroy the ironclad siege catapults. However, for the time being, the goblin magic cannons were still in the process of being made.

This was only the initial stage of the fortress war, and the advanced weapons of the various guilds were already starting to show their strength.

In addition to developing advanced weapons, the Abak Tribe also needed to start improving the fortress's defenses. Having provoked Warblade Bloodthirst, the Mage Alliance, Sacred Guardians, and Angel Corps, the Abak Tribe's path of conquest was destined to be fraught with difficulties.

With a major enemy approaching, Nie Yan understood the importance of funds to the Abak Tribe at this time.

"Hold on for two days," Nie Yan said. When he returned, the Abak Tribe would have a large influx of funds. This time, he could get at least one million gold coins, which could be used to do many things.

"Two days shouldn't be a problem. I'll send people from the five sub-guilds under me to harass them, even if they don't kill many, to delay them," Guo Huai said. It would take Warblade Bloodthirst at least a whole day to capture a fortress, and traveling would also take time. In two days, Warblade Bloodthirst could only capture Blackrock Fortress at most. If it really couldn't be defended, they would have to abandon Blackrock Fortress and make plans later. After all, Blackrock Fortress would always be there. If Warblade Bloodthirst's campaign was unsuccessful and they withdrew from Calore City, Blackrock Fortress would still belong to the Abak Tribe, even if the early investments in Blackrock Fortress were lost.

There was no problem for the Abak Tribe to delay the final battle until two days later. Nie Yan could return to the surface world after two days.

Nie Yan discussed the specific matters of dealing with Warblade Bloodthirst with Guo Huai. At the same time, he told Guo Huai to start focusing on cultivating some mechanics, alchemists, blacksmiths, and miners. If they waited until after the war to take action, it might be too late. Warblade Bloodthirst had already developed ironclad siege catapults, and the Abak Tribe needed to speed up its pace to keep up; otherwise, if they were left far behind in terms of technology, the consequences would be very serious. The Abak Tribe had no shortage of pharmacists. Starry Night Pharmacies were everywhere. Currently, the number of pharmacists in the Starry Night Pharmacies had reached more than six hundred, including thirteen advanced pharmacists. This enormous team of pharmacists was very rare and could completely meet the Abak Tribe's needs for potions. Apart from pharmacists, the number of other production occupations was too small.

Guo Huai made arrangements to set aside at least tens of thousands of gold coins to develop these professions. Mechanics and alchemists were more difficult to find, but Nie Yan had already given him a list, and he could just look for them according to the list. As for miners, it would be slightly easier. He could easily gather a team of five or six hundred miners, but it was a pity that the war was approaching, and there was no way to organize mining activities.

Generally, to mine, they had to clear the entire map first, clear all the monsters, and then build a mining site there before they could arrange for miners to mine.

Doing everything required money, and dealing with war also required money. Nie Yan needed to make full use of the Dark Portal.

"Come back as soon as you're done. Also, I've found the gemstone craftsman you asked me to find," Guo Huai said.

"Okay," Nie Yan nodded. He had asked Guo Huai to help him find a master gemstone craftsman because he had five lustrous gems in his backpack that he could use to upgrade the special items in his hand.

The two chatted for a while and then disconnected the call. One of the benefits of the game pod was that it allowed for communication between the outside world and the game. Every time Guo Huai wanted to contact him, he would first exit the game and then contact Nie Yan, thus avoiding the awkwardness of not being able to contact each other between the Righteous Order and Chaotic Order maps. Nie Yan could use this to remotely control the Abak Tribe.

Nie Yan came back to his senses and refocused his attention on the group of Flame Lava Monsters in front of him. He began to study the Flame Lava Monsters' movement patterns, trying to find a trace of regularity in their complex movements.

He studied for a long time but made no progress. Did he have to clear all the Flame Lava Monsters here before he could reach the distant rocky platform?

As he was thinking, Nie Yan suddenly noticed that there were some water currents flowing beneath the thick layer of rock on the ground. A thick layer of rock covered the surface, but below was an underground lake area, which was quite magical. The landscape design in Faith was always surprising. He slowly climbed down from a crack and immersed his hand in the water, finding that the water temperature was not high. He dived in and swam forward, and beams of light projected down from above, creating a dreamlike and blurry scene.

Nie Yan swam forward and could clearly see the Flame Lava Monsters walking above through some cracks. He swam about one hundred and fifty yards into the distance, passed through a crack, and slowly approached the rocky platform in the center.

Climbing out of the rock crevice, he found several Flame Lava Monsters moving around. He quickly used the Vanish skill, using the stealth effect to reach the side of the rocky platform. Using the skill on the Creeper Ring, he began to climb towards the top of the rocky platform.

After a while, Nie Yan finally reached the top of the rocky platform. A stone cylinder, about one yard high, was placed here. A single eye floated quietly on top of the cylinder. It was indeed an eye, like an emerald gemstone. The pupils above still radiated a dazzling light, and occasionally they would turn, as if they were still alive.

This was the Spider Queen Finaas' Eye!

Nie Yan's quest item, the second one already. Just as he was about to reach out to take it, he thought for a moment, placed the Detoxification Bead in the accessory slot, and then reached out to take Finaas' Eye. Its pupils suddenly turned, locking onto Nie Yan. Nie Yan felt as if he had been electrocuted, struck by a strange force, and his skin turned a pale blue.

This was the effect of advanced poison!

Nie Yan immediately felt his body stiff and paralyzed, making it very difficult to even move his hand. A series of three to four hundred points of poison damage floated above his head. He quickly used the skill on the Detoxification Bead on himself.

A gentle force entered his body, and the effects of the poison slowly receded.

Nie Yan's body was finally able to move again. While the effect of the Detoxification Bead was still active, he reached out and grabbed Finaas' Eye, which trembled violently as if trying to break free from Nie Yan's hand. After struggling for a while, the light on it gradually dimmed, and it turned into an ordinary circular bead.

Nie Yan looked at the attributes of Finaas' Eye.

Finaas' Eye: Quest item, spirit item. When it hits an opponent, it poisons them, reducing their movement speed by -30%.

Another spirit item. The poison effect of Finaas' Eye was quite good. Nie Yan looked at the quest status.

Quest Progress: Find Finaas' Poison Sac, Spirit Items 2/3.

This quest had only one last step left. It was hard to say what kind of rewards he would get after completing the quest, whether the quest would end here or continue.

Nie Yan put away Finaas' Eye. It seemed that the quest had ended here, but Bennet's soul still didn't stop and floated into the distance.

Nie Yan looked around. There was a crack at the bottom of the high platform. He jumped high and plunged into the water in the crack, swimming forward, with Bennet's soul floating in front, guiding him.

Looking down, the deep water area was bottomless. At the deepest point was a fiery red magma, with a large number of bubbles constantly rising, blurring his vision.

Following Bennet's soul, Nie Yan reached the edge of a rock wall. After searching on the rock wall for a long time, he actually found a cave inside.

He should have enough time to breathe underwater. He drilled into the cave and followed it, finding that there were actually some traces of artificial excavation in the cave. Did someone live here?

With these questions in mind, Nie Yan continued to walk inside. The rock walls on the side were covered with strange runes. These runes were written in black ink, forming strange lines that led to the depths of the cave.

Nie Yan searched all the way inside and found a stone chamber, with a faint figure flickering. If monsters or NPCs appeared here, they would be at least level 80 or above.

He had to be careful!

Nie Yan entered stealth mode and slowly approached. The stone chamber was about 50 by 50 yards in size and empty. In the center of the stone chamber, an NPC was standing. The clothes on this NPC were very tattered and incomplete. He was sitting in the center of the stone chamber, and runes formed black lines that radiated out from where he was standing, like ropes.

These runes were the seal that trapped him!

Nie Yan looked at his face and saw a snow-white skull with a pair of red flames dancing in his eye sockets.

It was an undead NPC!

Nie Yan was shocked. At this moment, the undead NPC raised his head and looked in the direction where Nie Yan was. Under his gaze, Nie Yan had nowhere to hide.

"Human, why have you come here?" The undead NPC spoke with a stiff, hoarse voice, using the ancient common language of humans.

The current Greenland Empire no longer used the ancient common language, but the current common language. This undead NPC was at least an old fellow from the co-rule era!