Chapter 219 : A New Height for Strange Three Kingdoms! The Hunt for Demon Jia Xu Begins!
Chapter 219: A New Height for Strange Three Kingdoms! The Hunt for Demon Jia Xu Begins!
Not long afterward.
On the official forum.
Various battle details were gradually revealed.
《War Rekindled! Another Alien Race Invades the Territory! The Identity of the Star Demon Mastermind Revealed!》
《Detailed Analysis of the Battle of Shansang City! I Declare General Wen the Strongest Shield in the Territory!》
《Thrilling! Full Exposure of the Alien Race’s Strategy! The Battles at Huangmei Township and Shansang City Were Just Decoys! Fortunately, Our Great Feather God Saw Through Their Scheme!》
《Skeleton Huang Zu! Skeleton Gan Ning! A Tragic Fate for Famous Generals Transformed into Aliens!》
《Our General Wen Pin Fought Five Enemies Alone! Divine Physician Zhang and the Eight Dragon Guards Blocked Skeleton Gan Ning! This Campaign Fully Displayed the Territory’s Profound Strength!》
“...”
Most of these posts discussed and analyzed the identity, abilities, and strength of the invading Star alien race, or broke down the battles involving Wen Pin defending Shansang and Gan Ning attacking the main city.
After this battle,
Wen Pin’s popularity rose considerably.
Everyone witnessed his incredible defensive capabilities.
Had the Lord not shown foresight and transferred Wen Pin to Shansang in time,
the city might not have survived with only two thousand weak local troops and a little over one thousand Calamity Army reinforcements.
Wen Pin’s performance was outstanding.
Not only did he block Huang Zu and four other enemy generals,
he single-handedly elevated the entire defensive capability of Shansang City by a level.
The city was successfully defended against the Undead Bone Army.
Furthermore,
casualties among the local defenders were extremely low.
The battle caused almost no real losses to the territory,
while successfully eliminating fifteen hundred Tier-Two and Tier-Three skeletons.
This brought large quantities of Magic Crystals and loot into the territory.
This was Wen Pin’s first major appearance since joining the territory,
allowing everyone to witness his value and capabilities.
With him present,
the territory gained an indestructible shield.
He gave everyone a powerful sense of security.
As expected,
for a territory,
talent was the most important thing.
One top-tier talent was worth more than ten thousand soldiers.
At the same time,
news spread regarding the expansion of the territory’s NPC military forces.
《Latest News: The Lord Is Expanding the Territory Guard Forces! Their Future Scale May Exceed Current Numbers by More Than Ten Times!》
《Following the Azure Dragon Guard, the Territory Is Establishing the Black Tiger Guard and Iron Eagle Guard!》
《On the Creation, Necessity, and Significance of the Second and Third Guard Forces!》
《...》
Although Hang Yu’s decision to create two new territorial defense forces technically had nothing to do with the Calamity Army players,
because all three guard forces consisted entirely of so-called NPCs,
players remained highly interested.
After all,
the primary responsibility of the three guard forces was protecting the territory.
Only with a sufficiently powerful territorial defense force could the various Calamity Army legions freely expand and conquer new lands.
Wouldn't all future territories also require NPC guards to defend them?
That was why the announcement of the Black Tiger Guard and Iron Eagle Guard immediately attracted extensive discussion both online and offline.
Meanwhile,
inside the luxury hotel hosting the offline event in Magic City,
the participating Calamity Army players had gradually logged out.
They returned to their rooms to rest and prepare themselves for future operations.
The official offline event had originally been scheduled to last one day and two nights.
However,
more than half that time had ultimately been spent inside the game,
forcing the cancellation of many planned meetings and activities.
Zhou Zhengming expressed understanding.
The safety of the territory was the highest priority.
As for the carefully arranged programs and events prepared by the Special Investigation Bureau,
their cancellation was not a great loss.
After all,
the required data had already been collected,
the necessary samples obtained,
and the intended message from the authorities had been successfully conveyed.
Most of the event’s objectives had already been achieved.
At this point,
less than half a day remained before the event officially concluded.
The Special Investigation Bureau canceled all remaining activities.
Instead,
they decided to use the remaining time to hold a closed-door meeting.
Because the meeting involved confidential matters,
all journalists and media were prohibited.
Participants could not bring electronic devices,
and the venue was subjected to extensive security shielding measures.
Anyone attending was also required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
This naturally aroused curiosity.
“Why is this so mysterious?”
“Isn't it just a game?”
“Strange Three Kingdoms isn't an ordinary game. The black technology involved could attract attention from outside forces. Being cautious isn't a bad thing.”
“Then why gather us here? Are they planning to reveal some things that aren't supposed to be revealed?”
“Interesting! Interesting! At least this trip wasn't wasted!”
“...”
The players all chose to attend.
Not long after everyone arrived,
Zhou Zhengming entered the conference room together with Feng Ying, Academician Xia, and other important members of the Special Investigation Bureau.
“Hey, isn't that Academician Xia?”
“What? Academician Xia? No way!”
“He's a national treasure-level scientist known throughout the country! Not only the top authority in life sciences domestically, but also one of the most respected figures in the world!”
“Amazing! Someone of his stature joining the project only further proves the importance of Strange Three Kingdoms!”
The players became extremely excited.
Zhou Zhengming said,
“First, thank you all for supporting our work and attending this closed-door meeting.”
Ye Meng asked,
“This meeting wasn't listed in the schedule. What exactly is today's topic?”
“There isn't a specific topic.”
Zhou Zhengming replied,
“We organized this meeting mainly to answer some questions that can currently be addressed, while also sharing certain insider information that cannot yet be publicly disclosed.”
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Dawn immediately spoke.
“The importance of Strange Three Kingdoms seems far beyond what most people imagine. There still isn't a clear explanation regarding its future prospects and social significance. Within permitted limits, could you reveal a little?”
“Yeah!”
“I want to know too whether this game is truly worth investing everything into.”
“How high is its ceiling?”
“Many people have poured all their energy and even all their savings into it. For some, it has practically become their entire career and life.”
“...”
Clearly,
although Strange Three Kingdoms had displayed all sorts of miraculous qualities,
it was still, on the surface, a game.
Some people still harbored doubts,
wondering whether problems might eventually arise.
Zhou Zhengming nodded.
“Although many bloggers, media outlets, and experts from various fields have analyzed Strange Three Kingdoms, from our perspective, all of those analyses are incomplete.”
Zhao Rui asked,
“Why do you say that?”
Zhou Zhengming explained,
“Although Strange Three Kingdoms has already created a tremendous sensation in the gaming industry and across the internet, even becoming a cultural phenomenon, this still doesn't represent even one ten-thousandth of its true value.”
“Many people here have now accumulated over seventy days of playtime.”
“After such a long experience, you should have noticed that this world is nearly perfect. There are almost no flaws and practically no possibility of bugs.”
“Every day this world changes and develops.”
“Its scale continues expanding.”
“Theoretically speaking, one day it could accommodate nearly ten billion people simultaneously.”
“It will not merely become the greatest game in history.”
“It will become humanity's Second World.”
“...”
Zhou Zhengming’s words shocked everyone present.
There had always been debates regarding the game's ultimate player capacity.
The prevailing opinion was that unlimited access was impossible.
What kind of server could support tens of billions of simultaneous users?
Known technology simply could not accomplish such a feat.
Yet as an official representative,
Zhou Zhengming had just declared that the game could accommodate ten billion people.
How could that not be shocking?
It was utterly unbelievable.
Zhou Zhengming continued,
“Even an ordinary product or ordinary individual can create unimaginable value if it directly connects with hundreds of millions of people.”
“Now imagine a world where people can live however they wish, fulfill all needs that reality can satisfy, and even realize desires that reality itself cannot fulfill.”
“Let me provide a simple example.”
“The global sports industry generates trillions in economic output every year.”
“Football alone creates approximately five hundred billion dollars annually.”
“That is an enormous commercial market.”
“But with the arrival of a perfect virtual reality game like Strange Three Kingdoms, the distinction between traditional sports and esports has already been completely shattered.”
“From the perspectives of entertainment and feasibility, this perfect virtual world allows us to create ten times more competitions and sporting events than reality.”
“That alone could easily generate industries worth trillions.”
“And that is merely the tip of the iceberg.”
“There are at least dozens of similar examples and industries.”
“I can responsibly tell everyone that the birth of Strange Three Kingdoms involved a tremendous amount of chance.”
“This achievement is most likely impossible to replicate.”
“It is truly unique and irreplaceable.”
“Global economic growth has stagnated.”
“Many regions remain plagued by war.”
“We desperately need an entirely new economic engine.”
“This game may become the greatest driver of economic growth over the coming decades.”
“It will inevitably reshape the global order.”
“Its influence will surpass every technological revolution in history.”
“To put it bluntly—”
“The game you are playing right now possesses such enormous potential value that, theoretically speaking, it may influence global development trends and even the fate of nations!”
The entire audience was stunned.
Ye Meng and the others had long realized Strange Three Kingdoms possessed limitless potential.
Some had even invested their entire fortunes into it.
Yet none of them had imagined it could reach such a level.
It was absurdly exaggerated.
They were just playing a game.
How had it suddenly become linked to world peace, economic development, and national destiny?
At the same time,
everyone noticed something unusual in Zhou Zhengming’s words.
The appearance of Strange Three Kingdoms was accidental.
It was unique and impossible to replicate.
Why?
Someone raised the question.
However,
it apparently involved highly sensitive secrets.
Zhou Zhengming offered no direct answer.
Still,
one thing was clear.
This game was extraordinarily special.
It possessed qualities that could neither be replaced nor duplicated.
That realization was incredibly exciting.
Its value seemed to rise several levels higher yet again.
The reason Zhou Zhengming revealed these explosive insider details was simple.
He wanted everyone to take Strange Three Kingdoms even more seriously.
The authorities would also fully support their expansion and development within the territory.
Whether funding,
intelligence,
or talent,
the government would provide assistance without reservation.
Many players felt tempted.
Although the Calamity Army had already formed several major factions,
the game remained in its earliest stages.
Every player who obtained access stood atop an immense opportunity.
There were opportunities everywhere.
Changing one's fate was easier than ever.
If someone founded a legion or organization now,
investment would be easy to secure.
Even if they performed poorly in the future,
their early advantage would still guarantee them a place.
Yet legion leaders like Ye Meng and Zhao Rui frowned.
Although Director Zhou’s speech was inspiring,
it would undoubtedly awaken ambition in many people.
Numerous members might leave their organizations to start independent ventures.
The opportunity was simply too enormous.
The future too bright.
Who could resist such temptation?
That only meant they had to work even harder and seize the opportunity more aggressively.
The closed-door meeting itself was not long.
It lasted only about ninety minutes.
Zhou Zhengming answered several questions,
helping the players better understand both their value and their opportunities.
“Finally, there is one more thing.”
Zhou Zhengming said,
“I believe that after spending some time as members of the Calamity Army, many of you have noticed changes in your bodies.”
“Although I cannot currently reveal the exact principles or details, I can confirm that these effects are beneficial and long-term.”
“Your health will not suffer from extended gameplay.”
“In fact, you will experience increasing physical benefits.”
“At some point in the future...”
“Certain unexpected changes may even occur.”
“No matter what unusual situations arise, do not panic.”
“Remain calm and contact us immediately.”
“We also hope you will cooperate with our follow-up examinations.”
“We will provide the most professional and authoritative support possible.”
“The authorities will stand behind your healthy gaming experience and your future campaigns!”
“...”
This special meeting ended.
Although Zhou Zhengming never directly revealed the truth about the game,
and consistently spoke under the banner of official authority,
he had planted a seed in the minds of these players.
More and more of them began suspecting that a far greater secret existed behind the game.
When the “Moment of Awakening” eventually arrived,
they would at least possess some psychological preparation.
In addition,
the Special Investigation Bureau had now established direct contact with this group of veteran players.
Through investment, recruitment, and other methods,
they could directly or indirectly influence more Calamity Army factions in the future.
In reality,
the Bureau had previously considered a different approach.
Why not simply control all the players?
Wouldn't that allow complete control over the situation?
Yet the risks were too great.
No one could guess the intentions of the game's creator.
If such actions violated the hidden rules established by the mastermind,
or provoked them in some other way,
the resulting punishment might carry consequences no organization could bear.
For that reason,
a game should remain a game.
Its value and significance could continue increasing.
But there was no need to distort its fundamental nature.
Thus concluded the first offline exchange conference for Strange Three Kingdoms.
Because several originally planned events never took place,
many veteran beta players received very little screen time.
Unlike expectations,
they failed to generate many major discussion topics.
This disappointed many Cloud Players on the forums.
However,
while the veteran players themselves had not appeared often,
the event's significance still increased dramatically.
Multiple high-ranking government departments attended,
along with an elite scientific team led by top-tier researchers.
The game’s prestige and commercial value rose once again.
For a time,
discussion exploded.
Major media outlets all began covering the story.
Millions of ordinary people who had previously paid no attention to gaming learned about Strange Three Kingdoms for the first time.
This would inevitably attract more curious researchers and potential players,
representing another major step in expanding the game's influence.
“Brothers and sisters!”
“It was great meeting everyone offline!”
“See you in-game!”
“Long live the Calamity Army!”
“...”
The players bid each other farewell.
The first offline gathering of the veteran players officially concluded.
Naturally,
although the event ended,
each group had its own plans.
For Ye Meng,
the gathering had been especially meaningful.
Not only had he established connections with numerous official project personnel,
he had also become even more determined to invest everything he had into the game.
Moreover,
he successfully persuaded important figures from the War God Hall Legion, such as Lone Boat and Old Wang the Mad Blade,
to relocate to the War God Hall headquarters.
They joined as partners under generous terms,
laying a stronger foundation for future development.
Nor was Ye Meng the only one.
Black Pupil Sharp Brother’s Wings of Freedom, Little Bell’s Divine Feather Palace, and other Calamity Army factions were all establishing offline headquarters of their own.
They were gathering online players into real-world organizations,
recruiting administrators and strategists,
and gradually transitioning into professionally managed groups.
Every Calamity Army faction now required both an online headquarters and an offline headquarters.
Their organizational structures and operational models were becoming increasingly formalized.
“Old Ye!”
While Ye Meng celebrated with members of the War God Hall,
his wife and assistant, Li Wen, suddenly approached with important news.
Wang Tie (Old Wang the Mad Blade) asked,
“What happened?”
Ye Meng immediately replied,
“About five minutes ago, the territory released a brand-new mission.”
“It’s extremely important for the territory.”
“We've got work to do again!”
“Really?”
“That's great!”
“Let me see the mission details!”
The players immediately stopped celebrating and checked the information.
Because it was another large-scale public mission,
the details were easy to find.
————
【Mission Name: Save Jia Xu!】
【Mission Description: The Lord has discovered that Jia Xu of Wan City has been contaminated by the Abyss and is on the verge of losing control. A drastic method of destruction followed by rebirth will be used to save him. His body will first be completely demonized, then thoroughly purified through the power of the Stars, and finally revived. The process is extremely dangerous and requires the efforts of the Calamity Army.】
【Mission Objective: Kill Demonized Jia Xu!】
【Participation Requirement: Level 9 or above!】
【Registration Deadline: Register at Xinye City before 7:00 AM tomorrow!】
【Mission Rewards:】
【1. If successful, Jia Xu will officially join the territory.】
【2. All participants will receive between 5,000 and 100,000 Essence, 5,000 to 100,000 Contribution Points, and have a chance to obtain various random rewards!】
————
The moment the mission appeared,
players both online and offline exploded with excitement.
“Holy crap!”
“Jia Xu is really joining the territory?”
“No way! That's an absolute heavyweight character!”
“We have to complete this mission no matter what!”
“Our territory is already strong. If we recruit someone like Jia Xu too, won't we take off completely?”
“That's good news for every single one of us!”
“...”
As the news spread,
every player became energized and eager for battle.
Especially veteran players such as Ye Meng, Black Pupil Sharp Brother, and Little Bell,
who had just finished attending the meeting.
After learning the immense value and significance of Strange Three Kingdoms,
they felt as though ten injections of adrenaline had been pumped into them.
Their enthusiasm and ambition were at an all-time high.
Although they did not understand the exact principles behind the game,
one thing was clear.
The entire game was built upon the territory’s development.
Without the territory and its Lord,
the whole game would collapse.
Anything that strengthened the territory and expanded the pie
benefited everyone collectively.
Who was Jia Xu?
The Poison Scholar of a Thousand Years.
He was the mastermind responsible for the death of Cao Cao’s eldest son, Cao Ang.
Yet instead of executing him,
Cao Cao later consulted him regarding the selection of his heir.
Jia Xu eventually rose to become one of the Three Excellencies of Cao Wei.
His methods and understanding of human nature were extraordinary.
If such a figure became a territory NPC,
he would contribute enormously to the territory.
Naturally,
players would benefit as well.
They had to secure him at all costs.
Demon Jia Xu himself was also a tremendous attraction.
Aside from Corrupted Dian Wei,
he was likely the most anticipated powerful opponent encountered so far.
For players who loved challenges,
the opportunity to hunt such an enemy was an unprecedented feast.
…………
Luoshui City.
Main City Lord Fortress, Core Hall.
Hang Yu selected Xinye as the location for the mission.
He had already reclaimed Xinye
and was planning to station troops there,
as well as relocate several thousand residents.
This would reactivate the town and unlock additional population capacity for the territory.
There were several reasons for choosing Xinye.
First,
the mission needed to harvest players as efficiently as possible.
Therefore,
it required a resurrection point.
Only town-level Blessing Points could establish Calamity Army resurrection points,
allowing players to continuously respawn.
Second,
after Jia Xu’s demonization,
his strength would undoubtedly become terrifying.
He would be far stronger than Zhang Xiu.
Such danger required a location far from population centers,
preventing accidents or loss of control.
Third,
both Luoshui and White Tiger Mountain were too close to Wolong Mountain.
Wolong Mountain was currently an active war zone.
Hang Yu could not be certain whether enemy Lords had already infiltrated those regions through spies.
To avoid outside interference during the operation,
the Wan City region was the safest choice.
Xinye was the perfect location.
Players had already received the mission announcement.
As expected,
everyone showed tremendous interest.
The forums were overflowing with analysis and discussion.
Judging from their enthusiasm,
they would participate eagerly even without rewards.
Of course,
for Hang Yu,
allowing Jia Xu’s body to completely fall into corruption while his soul remained sealed,
and then purifying him through Star powers,
was only the first step of the plan.
To truly revive Jia Xu,
he still required a method capable of reconstructing and resurrecting a physical body.
Although there was no immediate urgency,
since Jia Xu could temporarily exist as a spirit form and continue operating within the territory,
Hang Yu still wanted to prepare in advance.
Only a restored Jia Xu could display his full capabilities.
And only a resurrected Jia Xu could formally sign a territory contract.
Unfortunately,
resurrection-type items were extraordinarily rare.
They would not be easy to acquire.
Since there was still some time before the next return to the Stars,
Hang Yu considered the matter briefly before opening the marketplace.
He contacted an old acquaintance,
the veteran Lord known by the designation 3244.
“Senior, are you there?”
Lord 3244 responded almost instantly.
“What is it?”
Hang Yu asked,
“I'd like to purchase an item capable of restoring a physical body. Do you have any connections?”
Lord 3244 replied,
“Resurrection-type items? Even if the soul remains intact and only the body requires reconstruction, such items are still incredibly rare and expensive.”
“After all, who doesn't have a few important subordinates they'd like to revive?”
“Even I don't currently possess such an item.”
Hang Yu frowned slightly.
This Lord 3244 was one of the oldest and strongest human Lords in the trading hall.
He controlled at least nine map regions.
Among human Lords,
he was unquestionably outstanding.
If even he lacked such an item,
other human Lords probably wouldn't have one either.
Then Lord 3244 suddenly added,
“Although I don't have one personally, my territory has access to many markets and special channels.”
“I can make inquiries.”
“With my connections, I should be able to find one.”
“That would be excellent.”
“What quality are you looking for?”
“A Tier-Three Blue-quality resurrection item.”
“What?”
“Are you trying to revive a Tier-Three Overlord Unit?”
“So you've already obtained such a powerful subordinate?”
“Can you get it?”
Hang Yu neither confirmed nor denied the implication.
The other party wisely chose not to ask further.
“It'll be difficult, but I think it's possible.”
“The price may be somewhat high.”
“Give me two days.”
“Deal.”
Hang Yu offered neither thanks nor additional compensation.
There was no need.
The man certainly wouldn't work for free.
As a middleman,
he would naturally earn a commission.
As long as the markup remained reasonable,
Hang Yu could accept it.
After closing the chat window,
he felt satisfied.
The territory could afford such an item.
Sure enough,
being a Lord was not something one should always do alone.
Sometimes,
having more friends and more connections opened more paths.
Early the next morning,
after making all necessary defensive arrangements,
Hang Yu personally transported Jia Xu and the coffin to Xinye.
Thousands of players also arrived one after another.
Once all preparations were complete,
this unique and extraordinary Boss battle was finally about to begin!