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Chapter 280: Guardians and Colonizers
🕑 Added 2024-10-02 08:06:57 +0000 UTC"No!"
Rhett suddenly opened his eyes, his face full of shock.
He hadn’t expected that this simulation would contain such a wealth of information. As he suspected, the presence of the Blood God Patriarch couldn’t be overlooked at the Coldstream Front!
The mysterious disappearances of corpses, and the subsequent appearance of those who controlled blood energy, though lacking direct evidence, were undoubtedly connected to the Blood God Patriarch.
Even more importantly, the information he learned from King Milan significantly broadened his perspective.
According to King Milan, several millennia ago, this world was inhabited only by humans, magical beasts, and other species native to the world itself. The world’s power structure was primarily centered around various elemental forces and battle energy.
However, at some unknown point in time, for some unknown reason, foreign species—like orcs, mermen, elves, and others—began to appear in this world in strange ways.
To this day, no one in the Sanctuary has been able to fully understand how these life forms invaded. They seemed to have appeared out of thin air, taking root and growing rapidly. Of course, weaker species may have been wiped out by the tides of history, and King Milan only knew about those with a significant impact.
Initially, the Sanctuaries were divided on how to treat these foreign species. Some believed that the arrival of unknown beings was a bad omen and an invasion that should be quickly eradicated. Others believed it enriched the world’s biodiversity and was a rare opportunity for the world. Still, others remained neutral, choosing to observe from the sidelines.
But over time, through the records and summaries of generation after generation of Sanctuary powerhouses, a terrifying truth was gradually revealed.
The invasion of foreign species would first suppress the growth of the native world, most directly reflected in the slowing growth and decreasing numbers of native transcendents.
King Milan offered an analogy: if this world were like a clear spring, the spring would continuously produce fresh water, representing the native transcendent beings (including humans and magical beasts). The foreign species were like various impurities and pollutants. Their influx not only sullied the water but also occupied the already limited space of the spring, compressing the living space of the native transcendent forces.
These foreign species, with their mixed abilities, would, over time, take root and germinate in this world, affecting the operation of the original laws. It was like silt accumulating in the spring over a long period, eventually clogging the spring and greatly reducing its ability to produce fresh water.
Rhett now understood that the world’s capacity was limited. Each invasion by foreign entities represented a loss for the native transcendents.
For example, ten thousand years ago, the world could boast of hundreds of Sanctuary powerhouses. Now, having even a few dozen was impressive. It wasn’t that there were fewer geniuses; rather, the world’s transcendent system had been disrupted. Both the speed of growth and the difficulty of comprehending the arcane had been affected.
"No wonder, ten thousand years ago, there were people who could almost perfect their mastery of the arcane, but now, a figure like the Blood God Patriarch, who controls three types of arcane, is considered a top powerhouse..." Rhett muttered to himself as he recalled King Milan's words. His heart sank as he grasped the dire situation: the world’s native power system was on a downward trajectory, and this trend wasn’t abating—in fact, it was accelerating!
Moreover, King Milan mentioned that according to data from the past century, the appearance of elves had become increasingly frequent, and among the orcs, powerful individuals were emerging at an alarming rate. The Orc King had even become one of the strongest beings of the current era—a notion that would have been considered a fantasy ten thousand years ago!
As for why the orcs weren’t wiped out in the beginning, Rhett also inquired during the simulation. The reasons were mainly twofold: first, the Sanctuaries were initially divided in their opinions; second, the orcs that first invaded were incredibly powerful, unfazed by the native Sanctuary powerhouses, and only through the struggles of their predecessors did they manage to carve out a bloody path for the orcs.
Master Neru had also told Rhett that there had once been orc-like creatures, but even stronger—perhaps the first-generation orcs were just like that.
If the orcs’ establishment was inevitable, the disappearance of the Merman King was an equally puzzling event that even King Milan couldn’t fully explain. But to Rhett, the departure of the Merman King was undoubtedly a good thing; otherwise, the pollution of the native world would have only worsened.
Finally, there were the elves. According to King Milan, they were a species that could be either beneficial or detrimental. Encountering elves compatible with the native world might aid in the development of native transcendent power, but encountering those vastly different could disrupt and damage the original powers.
This was something Rhett easily understood. He had simulated many times and knew that some elves indeed contained arcane powers. However, he originally believed that the elves’ power came from the native world; now, he realized that wasn’t the case at all. It was actually a form of external invasion.
With this understanding, Rhett’s mind suddenly became clear, as if layers of fog had been lifted.
The world’s true nature seemed to unfold before his eyes!
He now realized that the current situation was essentially a war between the native inhabitants of this world and the colonizers!
For their own survival, humans and orcs were bound to clash. The ultimate outcome would either be the expulsion of the colonizers, successfully defending their homeland, or the world falling to the orcs.
As for the elves, Rhett saw them as weaker allied or neutral nations—sometimes good, sometimes bad, and not something to be uniformly rejected.
However, a new variable had emerged: the Blood God Patriarch!
In the simulation, after Rhett reported the information, King Milan analyzed that the Blood God Patriarch’s power was extremely strange. In the past year’s investigations, they had found some clues indicating that the blood energy the Patriarch controlled was entirely outside the world’s power system—neither belonging to battle energy nor magic.
It was very likely that this power also originated from an external world invasion, though the exact means by which the Patriarch acquired it was still unclear. King Milan speculated, based on the analyses of several Sanctuary powerhouses, that the Blood God Patriarch either obtained some mysterious substance from a higher world or it came from the elves.
They didn’t know that the Blood God Patriarch’s blood elf had evolved over a thousand years, but Rhett had learned about this in previous simulations. It was likely that the Blood God Patriarch, combined with his pre-existing Sanctuary-level power, had harnessed an even more extraordinary power.
As Rhett pondered this, his brow furrowed. If he remembered correctly, that blood elf could even grant the Patriarch a kind of avatar-like ability. Back in the White Rat Mountains, the laboratory seemed to have just made some progress with this experiment. He wondered how far the Patriarch had come and whether he had chosen another suitable blood avatar.
Rhett wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Having just absorbed so much critical information, the light-hearted feeling he had before the simulation vanished completely.
It seemed that even if he reached the Sanctuary level, he wouldn’t be able to rest easy. This world still had many problems that needed to be resolved—orc invaders, the Blood God Patriarch, elves incompatible with the world, and further unknown invasions from higher worlds...
Rhett’s expression grew more solemn. It wasn’t that he felt a strong sense of duty to be the world’s savior; rather, these issues were directly tied to his own survival and that of future generations.
The old saying "plant trees for future generations to enjoy the shade" held true. If he couldn’t solve these problems, the world might face its downfall in a few hundred or thousand years, like a frog being slowly boiled in water, only realizing the danger when it’s too late to escape.
"The Orc King and the Blood God Patriarch are formidable foes for me at present. So the next step is clear: I must become a Sanctuary-level powerhouse. Only by reaching that level will I have the qualifications to start on the path of saving the world..." Rhett thought to himself, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated his future.
Not long after, Vides arrived at the administrative office in Deep Rock Village, where he met Rhett on the second floor.
Rhett had been resting with his eyes closed, thinking about his next moves. When he saw his old comrade arrive, he put his thoughts aside and opened his eyes, speaking in an exasperated tone, "Vides, what are you doing here? I told you there’s no need for you to get involved this time. You can help me just as much by staying in Dark Hawk City!"
"Dark Hawk City doesn’t need me."
"And I don’t need you either, so you’d better head back," Rhett said as he stood up. "Come on, I’ll see you off."
As Rhett walked past Vides, he patted him on the back, but Vides didn’t budge, standing firm as he replied, "I’m not leaving. This might be our last time fighting side by side. After this, our paths will only diverge further!"
These words struck a chord with Rhett. Looking into Vides’ earnest eyes, he felt a tremor in his heart. After a long silence, Rhett gave his friend a complex look and said, "You really are a stubborn one."
Hearing this, Vides felt a slight relief, knowing he had secured his place on the Coldstream Front. But then he heard Rhett say, "Before we go, I need you to do something for me."
"What is it?" Vides asked curiously.
"Go fetch Mr. White Hat and bring Dick here as well."
"You’re bringing Dick along? Don’t you realize how dangerous the battlefield is? And if Mr. White Hat goes too, won’t Dark Hawk City be left too vulnerable? I can’t believe this is your decision!" Vides exclaimed in disbelief.
"No matter how hard it is to understand my decisions, if you’re going to follow me, you need to start obeying orders from this moment on. Besides, I won’t be taking White Hat and Dick to the battlefield."
"Alright, then. I’ll go now, Commander Rhett," Vides sighed, shaking his head as he left.
Three days later.
The forces of the southwestern frontier that had responded to the summons were gathered on the plains beside the Yak Forest, numbering nearly a thousand. Although relatively small compared to the Coldstream Front, this was the largest force the southwestern frontier could muster.
At this moment, Rhett, riding his firebird, hovered three meters above the ground, his gaze sweeping over every face below.
He looked at them, and they looked at him. As the southwestern frontier’s first marquis and a sixth-level mage, Rhett was their leader as they headed to the Coldstream Front. For many, he had become a spiritual pillar—a lifeline in a vast ocean, something they all depended on to survive.
"Now that everyone is here, I’ll go over some important things to remember during the war."
Rhett’s calm demeanor and gentle voice spread through the crowd, carrying a natural authority.
In the dead silence, Rhett continued, "First of all, the place we’re going is no ordinary battlefield. The Coldstream Front is where the kingdom and the orcs fight most fiercely. Although I’ve never been there myself, I served for twenty years and should have more experience dealing with orcs than most of you here."
"The booklets you’ve just received summarize my personal battlefield experiences. They include analyses of orcs, the strengths and weaknesses of various orc species, and strategies for large-scale combat. During this march, everyone must read these carefully and keep them in mind."
"Secondly, before reaching the Coldstream Front, I’ll be taking everyone to the Thunder Bear Range for some training to adapt to combat in high-risk environments and to enhance our ability to work together."
Rhett paused for a moment, then waved his hand, "Now, on my command, first-level knights, from front to back, left to right, sound off!"
"1, 2, 3..."
"Second-level knights, sound off!"
"1, 2, 3..."
"Third-level knights, sound off!"
"1, 2, 3..."
"First-level mages, sound off!"
One after another, the counts continued, giving Rhett a deeper understanding of the distribution of power in his forces. Then he began to organize the troops into squads, assigning each third-level knight to lead a small team that included first- and second-level knights and mages.
With Rhett’s commands, the troops moved into position, and soon the formation was set.
Each square formation consisted of multiple ranks, with the third-level knight leading at the front, followed by progressively weaker members.
Satisfied, Rhett nodded, bringing his firebird closer to the ground. He then personally asked each third-level knight for their names. These individuals were the squad leaders, and in the course of battle, Rhett would need to issue orders by squad rather than to individual soldiers.
After completing these tasks, many of the transcendents who had been pessimistic before began to feel a shift in their mindset, their morale rising. Rhett’s confident and authoritative tone, along with his meticulous organization, had a galvanizing effect.
This is part of being a leader—directing change, even if the impact is minimal, can boost the morale of the troops. And in this case, Rhett’s actions were indeed making a positive difference.
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