My Players Are So Fierce

Chapter 466: Undead: Your Method of Burning is Inhumane!

To be honest!

It would be impossible to destroy Plague Town’s swamp defense line with just over 200 homemade incendiary bombs, even if they were all concentrated on bombing a single defense line.

The swamp battlefield was vast, and with skeleton armies everywhere, such bombing tactics weren’t actually very effective.

But as luck would have it, Murphy’s side had the continent’s best vampire nightwalkers providing advance ground reconnaissance for them. The Thorn Nightwalkers who had arrived in Transia with Count Andrei were just short of sneaking into Plague Town to assassinate Flesh Render.

With such luxurious level of reconnaissance support, all bombing positions in this wave were carefully selected.

Nodes!

As the initiator of the bombing operation, Joy Stick’s initial bombing tactical objective was to destroy the skeleton army’s command nodes.

His preset bombing targets for tonight were all places where Corpse Mages and Netherworld Knights clustered together. Any location with fewer than three commanders together wasn’t worth wasting a precious incendiary or white phosphorus bomb.

Of course, considering that the “superweapons” carried by the vampires at this time also had special attacks against undead creatures, after the first wave of “precision elimination” was over, the second wave was “flowers blooming everywhere.”

Any stronghold on the second and third defense lines with over 1,000 skeleton troops stationed received a LeMay Joy Bomb dropped from the sky. When the leaping flames exploded in the swamp, the resurrected dead once again received merciful eternal peace.

The bombing effect tonight was surprisingly good. It should be said that the Gnoll mages were completely unprepared for the extreme tactics adopted by the vampires.

After all, no sane person would have the mind or interest to think about how to counter a scene where a group of abnormal crazy vampires carrying bombs launched concentrated attacks from high altitude.

Such a scene shouldn’t have appeared in this era on this continent!

But precisely because it defied common sense, it appeared all the more horrifying when it actually happened.

In fact, not only did the attacked skeleton armies suffer heavy casualties, even the “friendly units” watching this scene tonight felt it was outrageous.

“The swamp is wailing. The punishment of fierce flames has once again severely wounded this land that has already endured too much death. The impact these burning fires have caused to this place will probably take a long time to recover.”

In the sky far from the bombing zone, Grandma Marianne, riding on a wind griffin, made a religious sign in front of her. This former Master Witch Hunter who had transformed into a church sister sighed and withdrew her gaze from what appeared to be the ignited night sky ahead. She said to the silent Natalie and Amber beside her:

“Look at these rising flames. In past eras, those who created such tragedy in natural lands needed to be severely punished. However, in this current scene, I cannot make any criticism of the vampires’ actions, and even have to cheer and applaud their merciless arson.

Alas, times have truly changed, and I really feel I’ve grown old.”

“Master Marianne, you’ve become much more sentimental since becoming a nun.”

Amber complained quietly:

“Compared to fierce flames, the undead are the true enemies of nature!

I think Lord Murphy’s famous saying is quite right, even between evils there are distinctions of high and low. What I’m most grateful for now is that when we attacked Transia back then, they didn’t have such terrifying weapons in their hands, otherwise those undead burned to ashes would have been our fate.

How did they manage to create such malicious flames that can attach to and burn skeleton shells?

And those weapons that are like fireworks.

Though so beautiful, yet the results after landing are so terrible.

I cannot imagine what it would be like if it fell on humans, first burning through flesh then scorching bones, and what’s more terrifying is that the arrival of this death isn’t instantaneous.

Those victims would witness the entire process of their flesh being incinerated before dying in agony.

Goodness

Lord Murphy’s weapons are becoming more and more deadly, Natalie, what do you think?”

“I watch with a smile.”

Guildmaster Natalie, who had too much contact with players and occasionally burst out with a few frivolous words, maintained her “cold-blooded witch hunter” persona with an expressionless face. She answered solemnly:

“In my eyes, the threat of the Gnolls and Black Plague is currently the most acute contradiction that urgently needs to be resolved. In the face of such conflict, our moral standards can be appropriately lowered.

Most importantly, if Murphy’s armament factory can continue to mass-produce such weapons, it means we have one more hope of survival when facing the Gnolls’ tide of destruction.

I think, even if our god were present here, they would not stop Murphy from using these things.”

“Natalie!”

Grandma Marianne scolded with great displeasure:

“As a religious leader, you cannot use our god for such joke-like analogies. You’ve had too much contact with that faithless foreigner who always tries to tempt us!”

“But even you have to admit that Raven’s explanation of the relationship between gods and believers is refreshingly new, even Old Eugene couldn’t refute it.”

Natalie said softly:

“In the past, we always thought that gods need not get anything from believers, however the entire papal system derived from this unequal relationship was tilted from the beginning.

A house built on unstable foundations becomes more likely to collapse the higher it’s built. I think this theory can also be used to explain the fall of the Avalon Church.

We always give without limit, we pray for responses that our gods cannot possibly make.

Just like that classic sophistry that once stumped me, can our Avalon create a stone so heavy that even He cannot lift it? This sophistry made me realize the core problem our church is facing now.

Should we continue to promote the all-knowing and almighty greatness of the Avalon god? Or should we obtain new theological viewpoints from the Spirit Mages’ more neutral analysis and understanding of the gods?

That our god is neither all-knowing nor almighty.

Like other gods, it is a great life born in the Astral Realm. We offer faith and loyalty to our god and receive His protection, this itself is an exchange.

It is born of fairness, its majesty maintained by doctrine, sufficient to ensure harmony at both ends of the scale.

This will undoubtedly weaken our god’s majesty, but it will also make its image clearer in the hearts of our believers. After all, a god that observes rules and is constrained is more easily accepted by people than a capricious formless madman.

I guess this kind of change isn’t a bad thing for our god, otherwise Old Eugene would have been divinely punished the moment he started modifying the doctrine.

Grandma Marianne, perhaps you should chat more with Raven.

Trust me, it won’t do you any harm.”

“Heresy!”

Marianne said sternly:

“Don’t say such things anymore. I’m really afraid that next moment you’ll also say those outrageous words like Lady Tris’s ‘the face of god is determined by humans’! You are denying our god’s divinity, and you are currently the leader of the Avalon Church!

Goodness!

The Pope leading rebellion?

This is an insane scene that hasn’t appeared even in my most arrogant dreams.”

“But Sister, you have to admit that Lady Tris’s set of arguments is logically consistent.”

Amber also joined the discussion, saying quietly:

“And compared to our traditional and conservative doctrine, the ‘Eternal Purification War with Nurgle’ mythology compiled by the foreigners for our god is clearly more accepted by believers.

Even those who have no interest in our preaching are willing to spend some time in taverns listening to how the Avalon god broke into Nurgle’s plague garden and burned that evil god’s filthy throne. They would even cheer for this divine deed.

We should reform!

The old system has proven to breed terrible corruption. We didn’t go through rebirth by fire just to repeat the same mistakes.

Since it’s a religious reform, different voices should be allowed to emerge. I think Lord Raven’s existence isn’t a bad thing, and his reanalysis of the relationship between gods and believers is also refreshingly new.

Look, even Old Eugene was convinced.”

“You… Alas, people’s hearts aren’t what they used to be.”

Grandma Marianne couldn’t refute.

She just felt that young people had all been led astray. This was all because of that damned Ten-Year War that destroyed the ancient heritage, otherwise they wouldn’t say such terrible things.

“Let’s not discuss this issue anymore. If we continue, I’m afraid Sister will pull out her gun and eliminate us two heretics.”

Natalie waved her hand and said:

“Let’s focus on this war itself. The vampires’ bombing is about to end, and we should take advantage of the skeleton army’s destruction to push forward to Plague Town’s flank in one go.

This is a unique opportunity!

Perhaps we can take down that source of pollution in the swamp in one swift action. I think when Avalon’s banner flies over Plague Town, even our god will smile at this and overlook this path of ashes that’s taking shape.

This might be the true meaning of our existence.

Our god has their own plans for this world, and divine plans need humans to complete them! This completes the perfect collaboration between god and humans, our mutual creation with our god will be a new world full of peace and beauty.

Isn’t this clearer and more purposeful than the old way of promoting our god’s majesty?”

The Adventurer Guild’s Guildmaster smiled, and in the humming of the sacred blade behind her, she looked down.

In the swamp behind, an “army of nature” composed of over 3,000 treants was marching magnificently through the muddy water from the Avalon Church’s vanguard camp towards Plague Town, led by “Tree Shepherd” Bursting Belly.

This was the grandest nature summoning ritual performed by the followers of the nature god on this continent since the fall of the Avalon Church.

And its purpose of creation was to destroy the Gnoll mages who were poisoning the environment, and to continue existing in the swamp to shape this place after the war, eventually making it Avalon’s paradise on earth!

What a wonderful new story!

Believers will surely love the detailed description of this “War of Nature,” and when they enthusiastically discuss Avalon’s power descending upon the swamp, the god’s majesty will naturally be promoted.

“Amber, you’ve done well here.”

Natalie said softly:

“It seems I don’t need to personally take action here, but could you explain that obviously otherworldly style ring on your finger? Have you progressed so quickly?”

“Hey, Natalie, we’re at war now, don’t discuss factors unrelated to the battle! Look, there’s a Corpse Mage escaping from the fire over there, I must now slay it in Avalon’s name! Ladies, please wait here for my good news.”

————————

Meanwhile, on a highland deep in the swamp battle line, Count of White Mountain’s loyal servant Vesta lowered the spirit telescope in his hand.

His fair face was filled with shock as he said to a descendant beside him:

“The Transians have mastered the power of heaven’s fire, it’s truly shocking. They really set the swamp ablaze!”

“Perhaps we should try to learn how to make these weapons.”

One of Vesta’s descendants narrowed his eyes and suggested quietly:

“We know these burning things are made in Transia’s armament factory. Perhaps we could steal the manufacturing formula, infiltrating that place would be child’s play for nightwalkers.

I think His Highness Andrei and Her Majesty the Wolf Queen would need this art of war.”

“Or perhaps, we could try to accomplish this in a more peaceful way.”

Vesta glared at his descendant, and watching the distant flames continuing to burn under the night sky illuminating the firmament, he said:

“His Highness hopes to maintain good relations with the Blood Vulture Clan, so we cannot actively destroy it. Fortunately, the Black Plague is coming. As long as Lord Murphy continues to use these weapons, we’ll always have chances to get close to them.

And I hope you remember!

Her Majesty the Wolf Queen’s majesty is one aspect.

Count Andrei’s will is another aspect. Our prince is like a young wolf gathering courage to leave its den, he will begin his growth and story in the dangerous wilderness.

We serve His Highness!

After he makes up his mind, we also need to cut ties with the old times. When the court’s orders come again later, do you know what to do?”

“Yes, I know, please rest assured, elder.”

The descendant nodded solemnly and said:

“His Highness’s will is our direction forward! However, those 100 court guards won’t be easy to deal with, they are absolutely loyal to the Wolf Queen.”

“Hmph, let’s see if they can survive the Black Plague first.”

Vesta waved his hand, pulled up his mask, and said:

“Now continue the operation! Take advantage of the chaos to assassinate those Corpse Mages and Netherworld Knights who escaped the sea of fire. Lord Murphy’s warriors will advance to Plague Town, and all this is supported by intelligence from the White Mountain faction.

Our lord is also shining and contributing in his own way!

Transia’s victory will also become White Mountain faction’s victory. This time, we won’t give up so easily.”

————————

The sharp sound of the incendiary bombs with buzzers accelerating through the air in their final moments of descent was irritating, and irritation under excessive pressure easily breeds fear.

Even for the undead who claim to “never fear,” fear doesn’t just vanish into thin air.

It only transforms into more substantial effects in another way. For example, under excessive pressure, even proficient Corpse Mages can experience rapid spirit energy consumption.

And when they are in the midst of escaping and breaking through, such unexpected situations can easily lead to worse results.

“Boom”

Another bomb fell from the sky and crashed into the undead stronghold in the western direction. The flames that rose into the air devoured everything around it, looking like another fire flower igniting from an overlooking perspective.

The bombing operation had now entered its final stage. The battlefield extending outward from Plague Town’s core was dotted everywhere with such fire flowers, tearing apart the defense lines that the Gnoll mages had spent years setting up.

But the actual number of undead burned to death was insufficient, nowhere near enough to cause crippling damage. However, the precise bombing of command nodes had put the entire system into paralysis, and the coordinated advancement on three ground battle lines simultaneously brought tonight’s operation to a perfect conclusion.

A Corpse Mage rode on its luxuriously decorated skeleton horse.

It looked back at its outpost that had already been engulfed by flames with a mixture of helplessness and disbelief, this was completely different from the scene it had imagined of fighting to the death with the living in the swamp.

It instinctively felt that it had stepped into an unknown realm, but there wasn’t much time left for careful consideration.

As a former soldier, it knew that in this current situation it must retreat immediately to avoid being surrounded by the opponent’s infantry.

It entered the swamp with its carefully crafted skeleton servants, planning to quickly return to Plague Town’s final defense line from another direction, where there was defensive support from two mage towers that wouldn’t be so easily destroyed.

As long as they regrouped, within a few days, these defense lines could be recaptured!

They had plenty of undead at their disposal, while the opponent’s soldiers would be one less for each one that died.

Ha, the advantage is still mine!

But before this Corpse Mage could find the direction back to Plague Town, a sharp and strange, yet very rhythmic sound of some instrument rang out from the swamp shadows on the flank. Tonight’s fires and bombing everywhere severely interfered with the spirit energy flow in the swamp, making the Corpse Mage’s perception less keen than before.

It only had time to issue a defense order before several thrown grenades landed at the feet of its servants.

The Corpse Mage was unaffected by the violent explosion. It accurately captured the attacker’s position and rode across the gunpowder smoke-filled muddy ground, planning to end the battle with a vicious corrosion cloud after getting close.

However, after charging out of the hail of bullets, what it saw was a young person wearing a Kadman People’s Army uniform half-squatting on the rocks ahead, giving him a thumbs up.

And in front of that guy was a black metal tube being adjusted by others.

What is this thing?

This thought surged through the Corpse Mage’s mind, then following a low explosive sound, after a perfect parabola, a white phosphorus bomb plunged into the mud water behind the Corpse Mage and set off fireworks.

“Ha, Old Qin’s aiming technique is quite useful, I think I’ve mastered it proficiently now!”

Three Jin Sweet Potato Wine, who had just revived this evening and came to join the battle, pushed his helmet and satisfactorily watched the Corpse Mage struggling painfully in the “fireworks” before him, then took out his notebook and drew a mark.

This was his second memorable “prey” tonight.

“Sweet Potato Sweet Potato! Calling Sweet Potato! This is Tomato, bring your tube over to my side quickly, the forward outpost wasn’t completely burned, there’s still a group of Netherworld Knights and their servants stubbornly resisting inside.

We need your fire support!

Old Qin gives you 5 minutes to get here, or face military law.”

His teammate “One Can of Tomato Sauce” shouted in the squad communication, making Sweet Potato Wine purse his lips before shouldering his tube and rushing towards his teammate’s location.

He was still a newbie who had just entered the game.

Both his level and battle skills were terrible, but he was no longer afraid to fight these dangerous beings.

He was a warrior who inherited the excellent traditional martial virtue of art students!

Now all this burning before his eyes was also his war.