Chapter 216 - 177: Logistics Players, Freeloaded Rewards

「Karte Continent.」

At this moment, a battalion from the Third Legion’s Players was garrisoned in a captured Giant Demon City.

In this northern city, the number of captured Giant Demon prisoners had already exceeded ten thousand.

And the number of human slaves was approaching two hundred thousand.

A mere group of a thousand Players, supplemented by over five hundred Demon Beasts, was tasked with managing so many people.

It was truly driving the Players to their wits’ end.

The logistics mission promised by the Chief was, indeed, a logistics mission.

It was undeniably safe, but compared to this kind of logistics work, many Players felt they would rather be fighting on the front lines.

The food, drink, and sanitation for over two hundred thousand people.

Even potential conflicts—all of it had to be managed.

It was an absolute headache.

In the beginning, to sort out the food situation, all the Players even had to personally transport and search for food around the city.

But fortunately, all the Players had at least gone through compulsory education.

So, after a somewhat chaotic initial phase, they quickly transitioned to a relatively stable period.

Food?

They just had to arrange for the hardworking human slave NPCs to harvest the crops previously planted in the fields by the various Giant Demon Cities.

As for the captive Giant Demons, if any dared to cause trouble, the Players from the second map wouldn’t mind gaining some extra EXP and items out of thin air.

Thus, under this extremely powerful deterrent.

The Giant Demon prisoners in the city soon didn’t dare to act up anymore.

And the human slaves were wonderfully diligent and uncomplaining.

The Players even appointed some of the bolder human slave NPCs to oversee the unarmed Giant Demon prisoners.

As humans.

Even if these humans from the native world of Karte had been thoroughly subjugated by the Giant Demons.

One should never underestimate the evil in human nature.

Once the human slaves were given a chance to turn the tables, many among them were more than happy to vent all their past years of dissatisfaction and repressed hatred on the Giant Demons.

So, when the Players granted some human slaves the power of life and death.

The Giant Demon prisoners, who weren’t Extraordinary and were even shackled by their hands and feet, truly experienced the terror of constantly living on the brink of death.

"This shitty logistics mission."

"The Chief really knows how to mess with us. He said he’d give us a chance to conquer towns, but our legion ended up as pure errand boys."

"See? After taking over this city, forget about conquering small towns and villages. It’s been months, and we haven’t moved an inch."

"How much of a reward can we even get from a logistics mission like this?"

"If I’d known it would be like this, I’d rather have tried my luck on the front lines. You only die once, so what’s the big deal? Opportunities to farm EXP like that don’t come often."

At that moment, several Players stood on the walls of the Giant Demon City, looking out at everything within.

The Giant Demon City was currently undergoing reconstruction with bustling enthusiasm, following the plans laid out by a few infrastructure-focused Players within the legion.

The workforce for the reconstruction included Giant Demon prisoners and, naturally, a great many human slaves.

According to this Player battalion’s commander.

Since they had received the mission to garrison the city, they absolutely could not let the human slaves and Giant Demon prisoners remain idle.

After all, idleness could very well lead to trouble.

Therefore, regardless of whether rebuilding the city was meaningful or could potentially improve their game evaluation, the battalion of this Player legion went ahead and did it anyway.

"Come on. Given what we saw of the battle for this city, are you sure you could’ve farmed any EXP?"

"I’m not saying it’s a hundred percent, but if Players like us participated in that kind of war, at least ninety percent of us would have been cannon fodder. And that’s *after* the High Tier Magical Beasts had already cleared out the High Tier and even most of the Middle Tier Giant Demons in the city."

"Seriously. Those High Tier beings... if they were in the real world, every single one of them would be a walking mini-nuke!"

"Who would dare get close when they’re fighting?"

"Forget High Tier, even the Middle Tier Transcendents... damn, each of them probably has the Power to flip a tank with their bare hands... no, to flip a small naval vessel!"

"I’m so jealous. When will we ever get that kind of Power?"

"But in the end, as long as we can stay alive in the game, we’ll get our chance sooner or later!"

"That’s why taking risks is a bad idea. Do you really think this is some ordinary Game World? You think there’s some wonderful perk like Player characters having infinite revives?"

The Players gathered in small groups, chatting idly.

Meanwhile, atop a tall Mage Tower on the city wall.

The battalion commander and ten squad leaders of this Player legion were gathered, observing the changes throughout the city while also discussing their next steps.

"I’m sure you’ve all seen the message from our temporary Legion Commander in the legion chat."

"Our next task is simple. We will rebuild the city while guiding the human slaves of this world to reshape their values correctly."

"We need to make these humans fully realize that they are the masters of this world, and ensure that they can be of genuine use to the Chief from now on."

"The Legion Commander doesn’t know if this will improve our Inference Day evaluation, but at the very least, we can get on the Chief’s good side. In the future, for similar good opportunities—not necessarily large-scale campaigns like this one—"

"but across both worlds, our chances of receiving the protection and help of the Chief’s faction will be greatly increased."

"The Chief is already playing a different game from us ordinary Players. The submission of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, the allegiance of nearly all the Dragon Species on the continent... soon, even the entire Oakland Continent will move according to the Chief’s will."

"Under these circumstances, it’s no exaggeration to say that this game has become the Chief’s personal playground."

"Therefore, regardless of one’s considerations—whether you’re with the Human Alliance, Bright Moon Building, or even an independent Player—anything concerning the Chief must be taken seriously."

The battalion commander, Player ’Sweet Little Cookie,’ adopted a business-like attitude, showing no hint of joking.

The other squad leader Players all nodded in agreement.

"The battalion commander is right."

"True Game is not a fake game, after all. Although we are so-called Players, we can’t treat everything in the game as if it’s just a game."

"We have to approach this game with the same mindset we use in reality."

"How do we deal with leaders? With the powerful and influential? I don’t think I need to emphasize this point. Based on his power and status, we must be cautious when dealing with the Chief. After all, our own vital interests are at stake."

A Tier Three squad leader Player spoke up in agreement.

"That may be true, but you’ve all seen the Chief’s momentum."

"What do we Players even matter to the Chief?"

"Can the Chief even remember us?"

"To put it bluntly, I think the Chief is almost no longer human. I mean in terms of status, of course, not species."

"I feel like the Chief must be close to Ascension to Divinity."

"A Deity... and one who can appear in the real world, no less. Just thinking about it is kind of terrifying. I mean, you’ve all seen the Chief’s terrifying Body Type."

"If the Chief wanted to make a move in the real world, I doubt anyone could stop him at this stage, right?"

"If you ask me, we should all just secretly pledge our allegiance to the Chief."

"After all, we’re nobodies in the game, but in the real world, the Chief will eventually need people to run errands and staff his organizations, right?"

"Who knows, when the time is right, we might even earn some ’Dragon’s Merit’ or something."

It had to be said, the Player who spoke up just now was not being subtle at all.

He had practically voiced what most Players were thinking but were unwilling to say out loud.

So, when the Player finished speaking, all the squad leaders present fell silent.

However, ’Sweet Little Cookie,’ the battalion commander, seemed unconcerned by the Player’s words and instead gave a strange smile.

"Dragon’s Merit... that’s a really old-fashioned term."

"But it is quite fitting."

"So, I’m guessing many of you already want to secretly go over to the Chief’s side, right?"

As soon as Sweet Little Cookie said this, the surrounding squad leaders remained silent, but the looks on many of their faces said it all.

However, Sweet Little Cookie just laughed it off easily.

"Go ahead, pledge your allegiance by all means."

"However, I think some people’s wishes are destined to be unfulfilled."

"You have no idea what the Chief is thinking, nor do you understand the sheer scale of his vision."

"But, in the end, pledging allegiance to the Chief is a good thing. It’s better than being a running dog for some corporation or a fence-sitting opportunist."

When Sweet Little Cookie said this, it was the ten squad leader Players’ turn to look bewildered.

"Uh? Battalion Commander? You don’t... know the Chief, do you?"

Sweet Little Cookie smiled but said nothing.

"What’s the Battalion Commander’s status? Even though she has repeatedly stressed that she isn’t a member of the Countermeasures Bureau, many people have seen her relationship with the First Legion’s Commander, ’Insomnia and Rain’."

"So, isn’t it natural that the Battalion Commander knows the Chief?"

"But, that’s not right. What’s your status, Battalion Commander? If you really knew the Chief, shouldn’t you at least be a Legion Commander? Or a Vice Commander?"

"So what’s the deal with you being just a battalion commander?"

Several squad leaders felt that something was off again.

In response, Sweet Little Cookie was tempted to tease the Players before her a little more.

But in the next moment, a sudden server-wide announcement from True Game interrupted their idle chat.

Including Little Sweetie, the other ten squad leader Players were stunned for a moment, then became ecstatic.

"HOLY SHIT!!!"

"What the hell did the Chief do?!"

"He won already? And he reclaimed a world ahead of schedule?"

"A 50% Growth Level reward!!! I should be able to reach Tier Four now!!! HAHAHA, and this isn’t even the final reward from Inference Day! Maybe I can look forward to reaching Tier Five after the next time I log in!"

"The Chief is so generous! Sticking with the Chief is definitely the right move!"

"No, wait. Were the Giant Demons that weak? Weren’t a whole bunch of Deities supposed to intervene?"

"How did they chicken out so fast? How on earth did the Chief manage it? It’s incomprehensible."

"Is that even a question? The Chief hasn’t logged off since he first started playing this game..."

At that moment, every Player on the server erupted in cheers.

One could only imagine how these Players would sing the praises of Lince, the Chief, after logging off.

And that was indeed the case. When the mandatory version update began half an hour later,

the moment the Players’ consciousness returned to reality, the entire internet on Blue Star was already buzzing with excitement.

And this buzz wasn’t just limited to the Players’ own boasting; it came more from the effect of the Inference Day video released by True Game.