Chapter 155: City Breached? (8K)

Ugh ah ah ah, you bunch of dinner!

The scene of such a crowd of shining stars instantly spiked Bai Yesheng's blood pressure; as the only arms dealer in the dungeon, she emphasized safety one by one when "gift‑giving" powder canisters.

Look at the mess you made, I'm going to snatch your mothers' mouths!

She gritted her teeth and lunged to hit people, but after only three steps she was stopped by Ji Ming.

Don't pull me, damn it, I'm going to kill them all... Wuwuwu!

Ji Ming quickly covered her mouth, speaking gently and reasonably in a low voice.

"Xiao Liao, you kill whatever, you talk as if you could beat them!"

Then, after exerting all his strength, he dragged her back to the dark corner they had been in before.

—Normal players certainly aren't allowed to perform such strange actions, but who can blame Ji Ming since he's the game developer?

However, Bai Yesheng kept swearing and cursing, as if she wanted to choke those idiots to death.

Ji Ming, meanwhile, rubbed his stomach with a look of grievance, constantly inhaling the cold air.

Although she was persuaded back, the brat struggled especially fiercely.

And for some reason, she kept elbowing herself, each time harder, as if slamming a door.

…Wait a moment.

"You, it was on purpose, right!?"

"Uh…"

Bai Yesheng stammered, then her expression suddenly turned fierce.

"Who just said they'd stab brothers in the ribs?"

"I can't beat them, can't you… fight for me?"

Saying that, she swung a punch at Ji Ming's chest.

"If you keep being non‑aggressive, I'll really have to attack you!"

"You!"

Ji Ming slowly drew a hand shovel, patting the smooth back of it.

"Fine, you attack me, then I'll attack Ning!"

And below the city, though nobody knew what was happening, Feng Wang was already grinning from ear to ear.

About one‑third of the wall's structure was shattered by the massive explosion, brick and stone fragments scattering in the air, while scorching flames devoured everything around.

He, who had been watching from the shadows, finally seized a suitable moment, climbed high, stood on a four‑wheeled cart and let out a resonant roar.

This is an inherent skill of a leader unit, used to forcibly steady morale with authority when needed.

The little goblin leading the assault team ahead also took a deep breath, letting out a matching shrill howl.

Thus the fervent emotion spread like a plague; soon all the goblins joined this grotesque yet terrifying chorus.

"Gua! Hala!"

"Hala! Hala!"

While the humans on the wall were still hesitating, the goblins that had regained rhythm launched a final charge against the broken city wall.

The sudden accidental blast also left Fu Le frantic, repeatedly posting reminders on the public screen.

【Stay alert, stop them!】

【The wall hasn't fallen, there's still a chance!】

If it really came to a fight, Bai Yesheng couldn't possibly beat Ji Ming.

Seeing this string of messages, she instantly displayed the basic skill of a net‑performance artist—face‑changing.

"War's on, let's go, follow me to grind monsters!"

She blocked Ji Ming's shovel with the dialogue box in time, and without a word dragged him back to the front battlefield.

The situation was urgent, Ji Ming couldn't say much else, only kept his voice low.

"This isn't over, awo."

"Never ending..."

After fighting together for so many days, the players had, to some extent, developed a rapport.

Led by a few core players, they quickly reorganized the defense, beginning to hurl stones and arrows toward the city below.

Everyone knows that troops are valuable when swift; Feng Wang and the little goblins also feared the human camp would regain momentum, constantly urging the vanguard to advance.

Although such haste would inevitably cause casualties, the sheer number of goblins was overwhelming.

After paying a certain price, they broke through the last trap zone outside the city wall at top speed.

However, when the little goblin finally reached the steep slope beneath the wall, it discovered a very strange phenomenon.

—For some reason, there were no traps laid here.

But time was tight, it had no time to think; after all, only the final threshold remained before the wall assault.

The steep slope could effectively hinder a mass of troops, yet it wasn't unsolvable; Feng Wang had just taught it the answer.

Thus, under the little goblin's command, the big goblins lifted their shields, forming a rough canopy.

Meanwhile, under cover, ordinary goblins brandished shovels and charged, beginning the simplest yet most effective solution

—digging earth to fill the slope.

All this appeared to the players like a death‑cursing spell, driving them to launch a full counterattack.

However, although the previous sacrificial blast didn't wipe out all supplies, the consumable powder canisters were still finite.

Even if they began risking collateral damage to the wall by hurling explosives at the goblins.

But the damage inflicted was limited, only hindering, never halting their assault.

Moreover, with both sides' positions so close, the goblins finally showcased their newly developed ranged firepower.

Who knows where they got those catapults; with sheer numbers they needn't say a word, and when swung the damage isn't low.

After three days of battle, the players tasted for the first time the feeling of being suppressed by ranged weapons.

Protection requires protection, manpower requires manpower; the little green‑skinned workers below the city, in charge of engineering, swing their shovels so fast they leave afterimages.

In just a few minutes, they completed the task of delaying the ramp ahead of schedule.

At that moment, a heavy, bulky siege hammer, forged from a single whole log as its core, was also brought up by the following troops.

Several goblin warriors, their bodies wrapped in thick cloth, roared and hoisted it with their stout, powerful arms.

Braving the rain of arrows raining down from the citadel, they stepped back a few paces and then charged fiercely at the wall.

The beasts howled wildly, earth and stone cracked, a muffled boom rumbled, the ground beneath trembled—an utterly soul‑shaking feeling.

But this is only the beginning.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes…

With each heavy blow, the wall's trembling widens its cracks.

Even with Ji Ming's cover, Bai Yesheng managed to pierce a goblin warrior's knee, but it was a drop in the bucket.

Finally, after countless collisions, a section of wall crashed down, and the Dog Village's wall was smashed open with a huge gap.

The earth and stone tumbled down in a clatter; the goblins below the city were dust‑covered, yet the red glint in their eyes grew brighter.

All obstacles have vanished; now the only thing standing between them and the humans is air!

And somehow, even as the smoke thins, a hazy thin mist has risen over the battlefield.

Goo‑ah, ha‑la!

Amid the increasingly chaotic, shrill screams, the long‑seething goblins surged forward in a final all‑out assault.

Prepare for melee, block the breach with all force!

As the player side's strongest combatant, spear‑man Zhao Jun was already burning with impatience, brandishing his long spear and leaping down first.

While still airborne he executed a jumping slash; the slender spear shaft whistled down like a whip.

Landing agilely, Zhao Jun not only negated fall damage and recoil, but also smashed three goblins' skulls outright.

Nothing more to say, brother, I'm in!

Qiangzi may be a scrappy character, but he moves bricks on a construction site by day, does social streams in the evening, and still grinds monsters at high intensity in the game at night.

With such intense training, his strength, stamina, and agility are all top‑notch,

Brandishing the iconic two‑handed greatsword, Qiangzi let out a howl and rushed to the spear‑man's side; a swing sent two green‑skinned heads spraying blood.

These past days we've been under your care; now let everyone see whether our Zhang family's ancestral external fist is just show!

Materials from the other world differ from reality; though they appear steel‑forged, a pair of gauntlets actually enhances damage rather than hindering movement.

Zhang Tu stepped forward, widened his stance, and unleashed two heavy punches that forced back a goblin warrior trying to squeeze in.

Three days, three hard fights; the players had long prepared for melee.

So the remaining players hesitated not; though not overly fierce, they still descended the wall one after another,

Impossible, impossible, no one would be a coward in the game!

The wild goblin's killing is feeble; I've long wanted to spar with them… just a couple of moves!

【Code: Sun Moon】 closed‑beta players, level 8 and above, line up!

So Ji Ming took another elbow strike,

I told you!

You…

If I act, won't the Mad King run away?

However, seeing even the female streamer and the music crew rush to the front line, not acting now would indeed be inappropriate.

Then that guy should show a couple of moves today.

Watching Ji Ming's wrist twitch, a long‑handled shovel appeared in his palm.

Damn, what the heck are you holding?

Low‑key.

Although he himself wasn't streaming, the players clustered together, inevitably appearing on others' cameras.

So his completely different style made him the coolest guy in the crowd.

Not true, everyone has swords, spears, bows, crossbows; the worst is a German greatsword—how can anyone go into battle with a shovel?

Don't be awkward, this is Sky‑Lifter; in a moment one shovel will smash four away.

WTF, really smashed four away!

That little goblin was stunned, haha—how can you be so strong using only a shovel?

Maybe he just came free from the Yuri Mine, a solid brother with strength!

Although the wall was smashed, the gaps aren't large; three players on our side can seal them completely.

Yet this isn't good, because the goblins' small frames now become their greatest advantage.

They have no notion of humiliation; with two goblin warriors rushing in above, countless goblins below can keep pouring in, a tide like a sea of corpses.

On the player side, although the three experts are eager to kill the enemy,

Qiangzi knows no martial arts, relying purely on brute force.

The long spear is also ill‑suited for narrow spaces; Zhao Jun cannot employ many of his powerful techniques.

Zhang Tu's hereditary fist style emphasizes big openings and closures; in this situation it becomes restrictive and stifling.

Thus the goblins' second advantage—numbers—also came into play.

Heaven's cycle is kind; the wheel‑turning tactic that once toyed with them was now turned against the players.

The goblins are weak, but even a mere shake that distracts the players counts as success; it's not hard at all.

But the players must constantly watch every enemy before them and guard against attacks from any direction; this drains both physical stamina and mental energy terribly.

For a moment the players were locked in a bitter fight, but Dog Village lay behind them, leaving them no retreat.

Although he holds a civil position, forging still requires personal strength, and Fu Le has not given up on leveling up.

But a single swift arrow, once fired, can only leave a slight mark on the warrior's massive shield and then falls weakly.

He looked at the densely packed goblins still surging forward beneath the city, then glanced at the panting Qiangzi, who had been supplanted by a fire meteor.

He raised his bow behind his back and sighed.

"Brother, I'm afraid we have to carry out the contingency plan."

Although his age is clearly younger than Fu Le's, both being middle‑aged, Qiu Yi's face looks much older than his.

He flicked the thin blade in his hand, his eyes showing neither sorrow nor joy.

"Are you sure? The Mad King is still out there; if we really do this, the city walls will probably fall for real."

"Moving is better than waiting for death; since everything is bad either way, what's there to fear?"

He casually shot another arrow, taking down a goblin that had inadvertently exposed its body, and Fu Le continued.

"We tried our best; even if we end up unlucky, at least we destroyed our own lives ourselves—no regret!"

Qiu Yi lowered his head and smiled.

"Why do I feel, brother, that you're hinting at something?"

Fu Le also laughed.

"No, it's just that I'm used to being a shabby leader, accustomed to giving advice to youngsters."

He fell silent for a moment.

"Alright, then I'll entrust the matters here to you."

He answered softly, and Qiu Yi walked toward the city wall.

Just as he was about to leap, he felt his coat collar being pulled.

Turning around, he saw Ao Li Gei, who was a hair's breadth away from courting death, yet still a talent.

He licked his somewhat dry lips and spoke in a low voice.

"Death God, that Mad King fears you; it'd be a pity if you were to die here so hastily."

"So this time, what am I supposed to do?"

Qiu Yi was about to speak, but the other party hurriedly said.

"Give me a chance; I don't want to stay there and be laughed at for a lifetime!"

…

"Alright, you may go."

After receiving the item Qiu Yi handed over, Ao Li Gei bounced in place twice.

He took a deep breath.

"Ao Li Gei, let's go, brothers!"

After sprinting a few steps, he vaulted off the city wall, blending into the darkness and thin mist, and charged toward the still‑clamoring goblins.

—This is why there are no traps beneath the city, because this is the pathway needed to unleash the trump card!

The fierce battle is hard to balance; the goblins all think the enemy is ahead and no one cares about movements from other directions.

Normally, Ao Li Gei would reach any desired spot without obstruction.

But once bitten by a snake, one fears wells for ten years; the Mad King has been constantly wary of the Death God's presence.

Although it's unclear who it is, the one who sneaks down the wall and slips forward certainly isn't any kind of good bird!

"Again, again, it's coming again!"

He screamed hysterically, covering his mouth and nose, and rushed straight forward.

Fearing he wouldn't be in time, he casually picked up a stone and threw it.

His aim was excellent; the stone truly struck Ao Li Gei's side.

Moreover, to increase speed, Ao Li Gei wore no armor; the sharp edges carved a deep wound on his body, and the lateral force nearly knocked him down.

But.

【Charging】!

【Sweeping】!

【Barbaric Charge】!

Ao Li Gei drank and sprayed, ignoring whatever the label claimed, and forced himself to consume an entire bottle of Rejuvenation III.

The surging adrenaline made him ignore all obstacles, like a swimming fish that plunged into the goblin sea before the Mad King could catch him.

A plain powder keg might lack damage, but what if I add some extra ingredients?

In his backpack were ten special powder kegs modified by giant mushrooms, their black bodies etched with patterns and each compartment embedded with sharp spikes.

Clenching his teeth, he rolled and crawled recklessly into the center, and amid the chaos pulled out a fire device.

"Beast! How dare you!"

The Mad King's eyes were about to burst, yet it couldn't stop Ao Li Gei from igniting the fuse that was barely there.

"Although it's not my line, but…"

"Come on, Ao Li Gei!"

In an instant: gunpowder, toxin, elixir, fragments, cold light.

Perhaps it lacks the finesse and grandeur of a Bed Crossbow, but it is undoubtedly the strongest killing weapon in the players' hands right now!

Ao Li Gei's body was torn apart instantly, almost painlessly returning to the urinal.

And with him at the center, the goblins crowded like a sand pile into which a child had inserted a firecracker.

When the explosion occurred, the blast wave pushed everything in all directions, rolling around like a torn sack of cloth.

Moreover, the other areas hadn't been "cleared of mines," and the chaotic assortment of traps caused secondary damage.

When the aftershocks faded, a miserable huge crater had already formed in the middle of the goblins.

And to guard against the ranged fire from the castle walls, the large goblins held their shields overhead, leaving their sides and backs completely undefended.

Under such an explosion, the nearest few were blown to pieces, including two valuable goblin warriors.

A massive black skull emitting green smoke fell precisely at the Mad King's feet, colliding with his leg.

"Ha……"

The Mad King didn't see the figure clearly and instinctively thought the suicide bomber was Qiu Yi.

He wanted to shout his anger to the heavens, but suddenly realized he didn't even know who the other person was.

My God!

In an instant, he burst into a furious laugh, covering his forehead and trembling as he muttered.

"Ha ha, damn, damn, damn……"

Then he abruptly pulled out a half‑rotted staff and, disregarding everything, began channeling magical energy into it.

The staff was like a bottomless pit, barely usable after it sucked up most of the Mad King's mana.

His weakened body shook twice, and he activated the formation recorded on the staff.

Mana flowed, and the gem embedded at the tip gradually lit up, emitting a large amount of life energy.

The bodies of two goblin warriors were shrouded, rose on their own, and were pieced together by green vines like building blocks.

【My lord, the Mad King has activated the resurrection staff he found in the ruined castle's basement, releasing an incomplete revival technique!】

Ji Ming was still in the infantry line waiting for the second wave, quickly sneaking a glance at the screen, and was so frightened he almost dropped his shovel.

Holy cow, that's a hateful charred corpse summoning technique, really makes me lose San.

The completely mad Mad King didn't care, driving two subordinates who no longer feared life or death to charge straight ahead.

The earlier explosion dealt another heavy blow to the wall, and under the self‑sacrificial collision of two zombies, the collapse began an unstoppable spread.

Thus the originally narrow breach widened, and among the rising dust and ash, many unlucky goblins and players were crushed to death.

But this cruelty didn't register in the Mad King's eyes; he only roared.

"Attack, attack, kill them all to the last!"

Under the group buff, the goblins completely forgot fear and launched another strong assault, cleared by the zombies.

Even though the enemy numbers had been halved, the players on this side also suffered heavy casualties.

Dog Village is a simple settlement, with buildings spreading outward from the small central plaza.

Aside from the newly built outer wall, there are no other defensive structures.

At this moment, unarmed villagers crowded the plaza, waiting for the battle to end.

So whether for money or friendship, the players have no room for street fighting.

This is the final line of defense; if it falls, three days of effort will be wasted.

In the crisis, even the commanding officer Fu Le and the rear guard Qiu Yi descended from the wall and joined the fight.

Moreover, from the start it was a life‑or‑death battle: no retreat, no circling, every strike must draw blood.

"Brothers and sisters, this time we truly went out of our lives!"

"Playing this game was really worth it; I've never been this excited in my life!"

"Enough talk—if we win this battle, whoever comes to the Northeast, I'll treat them to a meal, anything!"

"Guangfu is our home ground; that's that, Fu Ge really isn't afraid of friends tagging along!"

"Anyone without a nearby territory? I have plenty of camels to ride, and the meat is definitely enough!"

Under the pressure, the players began to utter the most flamboyant and bizarre last words.

But no matter how excited or fearless, the iron rule of a forty‑minute respawn time cannot be escaped.

As players fell one by one, the human defense became precariously unstable.

"Wuwu, never thought today the white‑haired would send the black‑haired; son, don't worry, if you die, mother will never survive."

Pushed forward by the crying Bai Yesheng, Ji Ming scolded while slapping a groundhog.

"Stop pushing, damn it, I'm about to start the attack and it's becoming a protruding defense!"

"Oh oh, why does it feel like the goblins are getting closer..."

Although sending a hundred qualifications was a spur‑of‑the‑moment thing, the online buzz is now so intense that if the promised ducks actually vanish, more trouble will arise.

So Ji Ming swept the nearby enemies aside, took a moment to post a message in the Production Team group, then edited and released an announcement.

The next second, a delighted hum came from behind.

Because a new notification popped up in the lower‑right corner of everyone's view.

【Closed‑beta players collectively achieved the hidden achievement: Guardian; three NPCs will soon join the battlefield as support.】

"Pioneers, hold on!"

"Disciple, the master has arrived!"

Amid the two shouts, two figures clad in golden halos rushed onto the battlefield.

One is the dashing dog‑knight Gou Zi Qimi Si, wearing a conical hat and a long sword at his waist; the other is the Orc Centurion Huo Ke, wielding a cleaver and clad in heavy armor.

As for the halos surrounding them…

【Damn, the power of courage and the magic of friendship do exist!】

【Buff effect: this NPC can resurrect after death, without affecting any quest calculations.】

If they were just newly launched, they'd be considered a combat force on this battlefield, but far from top‑tier.

Yet after several days of interaction with the players, their already decent talents improved rapidly, and their combat power changed dramatically.

Qimi Si's swordsmanship, developed in isolation, continually grew through tempering in battles with players and monsters.

Huo Ke even broke through level ten, instantly becoming an apprentice professional.

"Ugly thing, you're insulting the noble green skin!"

The massive cleaver was drawn, and Huo Ke actually used Qimi Si's 【Sheath Wind Sweep】.

"A loud voice doesn't mean skill; today this dog will teach you a lesson!"

His body surged forward, and Qimi Si's opening move was also Huo Ke's 【Barbarian Charge】.

Feng Wang was caught off guard; if not for his agile dodging, he would have bled upon first contact.

"What the heck?"

Gripping his battle axe, Feng Wang, relying on his high level, actually took on both opponents at once.

"Awesome, Master!"

After over ten days of gameplay, Fei Huo Liu Xing was no longer the short and scrawny it was at launch.

Although still slender, a single strike could now match the massive blade of a Goblin Warrior.

"WAAAGH!!!"

Even the instructors went into battle, and the other players were invigorated by the war cries.

He poured a dose of Revival II onto the wound, without even frowning, then immediately fought back.

"Sun thief, you don't really think I'm cowardly, do you?"

Bai Yesheng also finally grew a bit bolder, walking two steps toward Ji Ming's side with sword and shield.

He had secretly planned to snatch Ji Ming's head, but nearly got his head chopped off by an inadvertent back sweep from a Goblin Warrior.

He quickly retracted.

"Hmm, indeed."

And in the center of the battlefield, Feng Wang swung with all his might, temporarily pushing back the two beside him.

The so-called one-against-two, because that's all it could be.

Qimi Si's movement was very slippery, and Huo Ke, clad in fine steel armor, feared no attack.

Damn, where did this lunatic come from!

Feng Wang, stuck in the middle, felt utterly frustrated, unable to find a way out, only cursing incessantly in his heart.

If humans had such a powerful ally, why not summon it sooner? Have they all given up the Frenzy Magic Potion to endure this?

However, at the critical moment, his calm and reason once again gained the upper hand.

He quietly ascertained everyone's positions around him, then began to shift the battle zone toward where there were more humans, acting as if nothing were wrong.

If it were normal, someone would surely have noticed the abnormality here long ago.

But the battle was tense; the shaking camera left even the bullet‑screen viewers dazed, and the livestream focused on the big picture, so no one noticed Feng Wang's intention.

Thus, when Feng Wang laughed heartily, drew his waist‑worn battle blade, and flung it, everyone was caught off guard.

Sometimes repeating an old trick is the best ruse; the scroll on the hilt quickly glowed, triggering tonight's final explosion.

Flame Burst is a second‑ring spell; don't even mention gunpowder kegs—ordinary hand grenades in reality probably can't match its power.

Qimi Si was blown straight into the air, still thinking about how painful the landing would be, when in the next instant he found himself sitting inside a church.

Glass curtain walls, mural domes, patterned floors, carved beams and painted pillars.

He slowly moved his head, finally licked his lips, and showed a look of shock.

"Ah? Have I come to heaven?"

"No, you were simply judged as 'dead' and directly transferred to the Holy Hall."

"What? The statue is speaking?"

"Above."

"Uwaaaah! What a huge lizard!!"

???

Under Feng Wang's sneak attack, several players also entered the "Resurrection" state together with Qimi Si.

The scales of victory seemed to have been smeared with excess lubricant; the players lost the key strength to counter Feng Wang, the situation reversed again, shifting to the downwind.

Even if Huo Ke exerted all his strength to entangle Feng Wang, his reliance on purely physical means left him with a glaring weakness.

With his hand free, Feng Wang cast a grass spell, and a tenacious vine coiled around his ankle.

Moreover, Feng Wang pulled back, and a thorn shot through the gap in Huo Ke's leg armor, stabbing his calf.

Almost instantly, the wound became numb and uncontrollable, and the adverse condition spread rapidly.

"Ha, you still use poison?"

Faced with the Goblin Chieftain advancing while brandishing a blood‑stained battle axe, Huo Ke gave a light chuckle; his face behind the mask showed no fear whatsoever.

—Not that he was truly that brave, but he knew he could revive afterward.

"Feng Wang, for this battle only one in ten of your kin survives—is it all worth it?"

However, as a qualified leader, Feng Wang directly ignored his provocation.

"It doesn't matter; victory will ultimately be mine!"

Having said that, he swung his axe and severed the orc warrior's head.

The strong enemy fell, but Feng Wang felt no excitement, only a deep exhaustion.

Looking around, out of over a hundred humans only twenty or thirty remained; even his own subordinates could finish them off.

The situation was settled; after round after round of clashes and reversals, having come this far, he didn't believe the players still had any hidden cards.

Until.

Ah no, I remember the hint clearly said there were three NPC helpers?

Feng Wang furrowed his brow.

What N......?

Aooo!

Suddenly, an extremely piercing wolf howl rang out.

The dungeon was spacious, and the mournful cries drifted in the dark sky over Dogdog Village for a long time.

Feng Wang looked up, looked around, and only then realized that the thin mist before had become dense, visibility gradually dropping.

Moreover, unbeknownst when, his breathing grew coarse and heavy, his heart felt hollow, as if being hunted...

Amidst the bitter cold, a sturdy black shadow easily leapt onto the city wall that had held off goblins for hours.

Baring its teeth and sucking blood, eyes gleaming with killing intent, it was actually a demon wolf enormous to the point of eeriness.

I'm really sorry for the delay of over an hour; mainly, I still haven't made up the two thousand words I missed on the tenth, even though I had clearly promised to make them up by month's end, so I really dare not delay further.