Volume 3, Chapter 91 – Great Clans

From the players’ point of view, the Stronghold held an overwhelming advantage.

However, only those inside really knew their own situation. Aside from Xingyu Muxi, who had buried those backup moves, only the upper management of the Stronghold truly understood the awkward position they were in right now.

The war was still ongoing.

On the frontal battlefield, the slaughter between the Stronghold and Eden had yet to come to an end. Under the command of Knight Princess Fisiel, Eden’s army stubbornly resisted the Stronghold’s offensive.

To be sure, in the first few days Fisiel’s command methods were still slightly inferior to the old Beastmen King’s, and the situation on the front line had once brought Eden’s army into a disadvantage.

But the Knight Princess was indeed worthy of being the youngest Legendary. She was born with a talent for command that surpassed ordinary people, and after a few days of tempering, her way of directing the army had unknowingly grown more and more mature.

And as they watched the state of the battlefield over these days, the more observant players also noticed that on the battlefield, the Stronghold’s troops seemed somewhat constrained.

Clearly, there were moments when parts of Eden’s defensive line were on the verge of collapse. They only needed to send all the beastmen troops to launch a concentrated attack, and they could have directly shattered the enemy. Yet at such critical times, that Beastmen King hesitated.

By the time he came back to himself, that part of the line had already been promptly shored up by Knight Princess Fisiel.

Of course, if it had just happened once, people would only have thought that the old Beastmen King had simply failed to spot the opportunity in time.

But in reality, there had been far too many chances like that. Every single time, the old Beastmen King would hesitate for that one moment, and it was precisely because of that one moment of hesitation that a war which could have ended already was forcibly dragged out for many days.

“What the heck… what is that old Beastmen King so worried about? If he just went all out, wouldn’t he win already?”

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The players really could not understand the old Beastmen King’s way of commanding. In the end, they could only chalk it up to the setting that he was simply too old.

But come to think of it, did NPCs even have such a thing as getting old?

Naturally, the players never thought about that part.

At the rear of the battlefield, Tianyin and the others were also constantly observing how things were unfolding.

As she watched the repeated, brutal clashes of blood and fire on the battlefield, as an NPC herself Tianyin could not help feeling that kind of “when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves” sorrow.

She was an NPC too. If… if one day she was killed… would she also disappear like that?

Just imagining that she might end up the same way in the future made Tianyin feel scared.

Caught in that inexplicable tangle of complicated thoughts, Tianyin could not help letting out a sigh.

“Hey, Sister Xiaomu… how much longer is this kind of war going to keep going?”

War was always cruel.

Whether in the game world or the real world, that was the one thing that never changed.

Whether it was for justice or profit, whether it was for selfish desire or for some so-called beautiful ideal.

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As long as it was war, there would definitely be lives fading away. Whether it was wrong or right, the moment it caused slaughter, that so-called war no longer had any truly good side left.

“I don’t know. But Xiaoyin, the longer this drags on, the better our chances become.”

“Eh?”

Tianyin tilted her little face in confusion.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because when a person starts to hesitate, can’t make up their mind, and ends up not even knowing what they should do anymore, that person is already destined to lose.”

The elven girl spoke words Tianyin half understood and half did not, smiling as she reached out and gently stroked Tianyin’s small face.

“But, if Xiaoyin wants to end the war a bit earlier, it is not impossible. It depends on that Sister Yeluo of yours though~”

“Sister Yeluo? Right, I really have not seen Sister Yeluo these past few days. Sister Xiaomu, did Sister Yeluo go off to carry out some secret mission?”

Only now, at this point, did the slow on the uptake Tianyin realize that Yeluo had been absent these last few days.

“Well, in all sorts of senses~ Xiaoyin, do you want to know what Yeluo went to do?”

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“I do.”

“Mm, but when Yeluo comes back, Xiaoyin will know then. For now, Xiaoyin should just wait for Yeluo to return first~”

“Eh… O-Okay…”

Tianyin was a bit discouraged, but since Xingyu Muxi had put it that way, there definitely had to be some reason she did not want to talk about it.

“Hey, Xiaoyin, after this war with the Stronghold ends, you also need to at least act a bit more like a leader.”

While Tianyin was still feeling a little unwilling, Xingyu Muxi suddenly spoke softly.

“Mm? Why?”

“Well, Xiaoyin, you still don’t get it? Eden is no longer a force hiding in the shadows. After all, we are already openly fighting the Stronghold. Our Eden has basically been exposed, and you, as Eden’s leader, and at the same time the leader of the Ninth Faction’s Dawn, will definitely appear in outsiders’ eyes. So from now on, when you are in front of outsiders, you cannot keep showing up in that mascot-like form anymore~”

“Wha…?! W-Who… Who are you calling a mascot? I am really strong, okay? Sister Xiaomu, beating up Legendaries and such is as easy as eating or drinking for me!”

“I know. But no matter how strong you are, Xiaoyin, you are still not a qualified leader yet. That slacker mascot state of yours alone is already not up to standard~”

“Being a bit of a slacker is pretty nice, is it not?”

Tianyin answered with her face reddened, but with full confidence.

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“Well, slacker Xiaoyin is indeed very cute… but, anyway, from now on you will be representing our Ninth Faction’s Dawn. If you are too much of a slacker, would that not hurt the face of our Ninth Faction?”

“Wuu… T-This, I know that too… but, but… isn’t Sister Xiaomu still here? If Sister Xiaomu just declares to the outside that you are the leader of the Ninth Faction, would that not solve it?”

Tianyin was puzzled.

After all, Xingyu Muxi’s abilities were obvious to everyone. Even if Xingyu Muxi personally served as Dawn’s leader, Tianyin would not have any objections.

However, in response to Tianyin’s suggestion, Xingyu Muxi only smiled and shook her head.

“That won’t do, Xiaoyin. In the real world, I am the eldest daughter of the number one Great Clan, and this game world is not simple either. If my clan finds out that I am the leader of Dawn… then when that time comes, whether Dawn will still be our Dawn… no one can say for sure anymore…”

“Eh? But, but… even if it is your world’s clan, they would not have any way to reach their hand into our side, right?”

“Xiaoyin, because you are not from our world, you don’t know what kind of power the Great Clans hold… and although I am the heir they raised with endless resources, I can still be cast aside at any time, without hesitation, for the sake of some other interest. So… This gamble is not one I want to take.”

Watching Xingyu Muxi show a slightly helpless expression for the first time, Tianyin had no choice but to give up on the idea of having Xingyu Muxi become Dawn’s leader.

“Mm… I-I get it now…”