Chapter 23: The Battle of the Moon God River (Ten Thousand Word Chapter)

As the massive rebel army mobilized and marched toward the royal capital, the Sun King convened a meeting within his palace. Decree after decree was issued, casting a shadow of dark clouds over the night sky of the Kingdom of Nora, while many young reservists were drafted into service.

In the operations command room, Mo Xuanyu gazed at the strategic map before him. Both the Sun King and Peter had independently chosen the same site for the decisive battle: the Moon God River region. As the mother river of the Nora people, the Moon God River had been a contested territory for millennia. Its terrain was flat and open—easy to attack, but difficult to defend. This region held immense symbolic significance; if the Royal Army were to lose the Moon God River, the Sun King’s prestige would undoubtedly plummet.

"For the Battle of the Moon God River, Carmen will serve as the commander-in-chief, with Mora as deputy commander. Victory is the only option; failure will not be tolerated. Is that understood?" The Sun King drew his sword and slammed it into the table with a resounding thud. "This is a battle for the kingdom's glory!"

"Yes!" the officers present shouted, rising in unison to salute the Sun King. Commander-in-chief Carmen immediately signed a military pledge, vowing that should the battle be lost, he would resign from all duties and pay with his life.

Mo Xuanyu stood to the side with his hands behind his back, observing the scene quietly. He showed no expression, unlike the other officers who were flushed with excitement. His aloof demeanor drew the ire of some, and as the meeting adjourned, two officers whispered near the administrative plaza, "Why did His Majesty appoint him as deputy commander? How long has he even been in the capital?"

"Exactly. He is already a commander of the Knights, why would the Sun King hand him command of the army as well?"

"He looks so young—does he even know how to wage war?"

Although Mo Xuanyu had already silenced opposition within the Knights through sheer strength, these generals of the Royal Army remained unconvinced. To them, having someone from an extraordinary organization seize power in their regular army was like a layman instructing an expert. Of course, these generals were not fools; they were aware of Mo Xuanyu's power. Their only doubt lay in his command capabilities, as they believed warfare required more than just individual prowess—it required a lifetime of accumulated experience.

As Mo Xuanyu passed them, he cast a faint glance their way. The two officers immediately fell silent, not daring to truly provoke him. Mo Xuanyu boarded his carriage and returned to the Knights' barracks, where he announced that the order was on high alert and ordered immediate mobilization for the Moon God River region. The "Chosen Ones" in the barracks were quicker than rabbits at the news of a mission; presumably, the situation was similar at the Free Commune. If nothing went wrong, the first conflict between the Chosen Ones of both sides would erupt in the Moon God River region.

At the first light of dawn, Mo Xuanyu led three hundred extraordinary cavalrymen on a forced march toward the Moon God River. The region, backed by the river, housed the Fifth Main City, which was garrisoned by approximately fifty thousand Royal Army soldiers and over one hundred members of the Knights. However, as noted before, the terrain was flat and difficult to defend, meaning that despite the high number of soldiers, they held little control over the towns and villages surrounding the city.

Before Mo Xuanyu had even departed, fighting had already broken out in the Moon God River region. It was not the regular armies clashing, but the Chosen Ones. The Free Commune and Eric’s faction had joined forces to deal with the Royal faction, led by two major guilds.

The first was the Iron Curtain Guild, representing the Free Commune. The second was the Black Snake Guild, representing Eric’s faction. While the former was well-known, the Black Snake Guild was worthy of note. It was a mid-sized guild on par with the Iron Curtain, spanning tiers one through four. They had fewer members and kept a low profile within the "Sacred Geometry," yet their strength was formidable. This was evident in their choice to bet on the weakest faction, Eric, during the three-way power struggle. The Eric faction offered high risk and high difficulty, but promised even higher rewards. There could be only one winner in this war, and the Black Snake Guild was confident they would emerge victorious. It was rumored that their formation was closely linked to certain ancient god cults, which allowed them to stand out and grow silently among the myriad of guilds.

The leaders of the two guilds negotiated in the Moon God River region and reached an agreement to jointly attack and occupy the main city. The Chosen Ones inside the city panicked upon hearing the news, as they lacked a powerful guild organization, consisting mostly of solo players and small squads. Just as they were at a loss, Chi Ming of the Red Lotus Guild spoke up in the chat channel: "I am the leader of the Red Lotus Guild. If you don't mind, listen to me. Those willing to cooperate, please come to the city library to discuss how to defend against the coalition’s attack."

While the Red Lotus Guild was not particularly powerful, it was the best among a group of soloists. The Chosen Ones were not stupid; they knew that without a leader, they would certainly fall to the combined forces of the Iron Curtain and Black Snake guilds. Therefore, following the call, most of the Chosen Ones chose to join the assembly.

As night fell, a large number of Chosen Ones gathered in the tiered library, sitting in scattered groups. Clad in diverse attire, they watched each other with vigilance. Pressed by the threat of the two major guilds, those with past grievances temporarily set aside their hatred, as infighting would be foolish under the circumstances.

Once the library was full, the Red Lotus Guild opened the meeting. It did not last long, and the participants elected three representatives to streamline the process. Through negotiations between these representatives and the Red Lotus Guild, a tentative battle plan was drafted. A head-on confrontation was impossible due to their limited numbers, so they had to coordinate with the local Knights to delay the enemy Chosen Ones. The Royal Knights, led by Mo Xuanyu, were already on their way; they only needed to hold out for half a day.

With the plan set, the soloists formed squads to guard the strategic fortresses and towns surrounding the city. The main city entered a state of lockdown, with residents confined to their homes and food and water rationed daily. This was done to minimize civilian casualties, as the population of the Kingdom of Nora had plummeted after years of war. Every faction currently made an effort to keep civilians out of the conflict, strictly forbidding looting and other atrocities. The residents of the main city, long accustomed to being at the center of war, were used to the monthly change of temporary governments and continued their lives as usual.

At dawn, the Chosen Ones of the coalition launched their first wave of attacks. Their total numbers were double those of the Royal faction. The two sides quickly fell into a chaotic melee in the towns surrounding the city. Each town or fortress captured yielded a large amount of contribution points, which fueled the coalition forces. Within just two or three hours, the Royal faction had lost most of their positions and was forced to retreat into the main city for a final stand.

Some might wonder why the regular armies had not yet intervened, given that the city was garrisoned. The answer was that the 50,000 Royal troops stationed at the Fifth Main City were currently locked in a standoff with the coalition forces along the Moon God River defensive line. The coalition had brought 100,000 troops, but they were exhausted from a forced march and needed rest. The Royal Army, meanwhile, feared that the enemy was trying to lure them out of their defensive positions to be annihilated. Thus, both sides remained in a standoff, neither daring to make a move.

It was against this backdrop that the struggle for the main city became so critical. If the coalition could capture the main city before the major battle, they would boost their morale and sway public opinion, seizing the initiative in the war. If the Royal Army held the city, their logistical pressure would be greatly eased once the full-scale war began. Time—everyone was racing against time.

"We must take the city before dark, or we will lose our chance. The Knights led by Mo Xuanyu are on their way," said Mist Sickle, wearing a gas mask, in a tent at the Chosen Ones' camp. Sitting opposite him was a cold, handsome young man with long hair, dressed in a black priest's uniform with an inverted cross pendant. He was Ring Snake, leader of the Black Snake Guild’s Tier 1 division.

Their relationship was poor; they had clashed many times in previous world missions and were only cooperating now to secure the greatest benefits. They remained suspicious of one another, knowing that once the city fell, they would immediately turn on each other to vie for more contribution points for their respective sides. After all, there could only be one winner.

Ring Snake rested his temple on his hand, his gaze fixed on a small black snake coiled around his fingers. His voice was as cold and devoid of emotion as a reptile's. "Very well. Let’s stick to the plan for now. We shall cooperate until the city is taken."

Both sides reached a tentative agreement, yet upon returning to their respective guilds, they all instructed their members to keep a close watch on the other side and guard against backstabbing. And so, a siege fueled by mutual treachery began. To break the deadlock quickly, Mist Sickle and Ring Snake took to the field themselves. They carved a bloody path through the north and south gates respectively, with their followers surging in behind them.

The Red Lotus Guild, as the leader of the Royal faction, found itself surrounded by both Iron Curtain and Black Snake. Residents bolted their doors while magic flew across the streets. Guild clashed with guild, soloist with soloist, fighting for important facilities and strongholds within the city.

"It’s not working! The police station is about to fall!" cried the Chosen Ones stationed at the police station in the chat channel. There were only twenty of them, but they were facing over forty attackers!