Chapter 180 Meeting
The meeting unfolded in the grand garrison hall, its stone walls echoing with hushed conversations and the shuffling of feet as Alan made his way inside. The room was already bustling with activity, with approximately 50 individuals gathered within its spacious confines. These were not just any players; they comprised the upper echelons of leadership, officers, and battle-hardened veterans from the four servers.
As Alan took in the scene, he noticed that a formidable wooden table dominated the center of the hall. Its polished surface gleamed under the soft ambient light. However, despite its immense size, only eight wooden chairs had been strategically arranged around the table.
This seating arrangement had been chosen with a purpose in mind – to convey a clear message to everyone in the room. It was a visual representation of the hierarchy among the servers, highlighting the leader and their closest advisor to occupy the chairs. The rest of the attendees stood in clusters, awaiting the commencement of the crucial meeting.
In the section designated for the Paris server, Axel, the French noble, occupied one of the chairs, alongside Captain Thierry, the highest-ranking French military officer. Although the captain was a seasoned veteran player, it didn't take long for those present to realize that Axel was the one calling the shots, his noble background evidently affording him a significant influence over the server's affairs.
In contrast, on the Bangkok server's side, General Danupol, a player in his late forties, took a seat in one of the chairs. By his side was Chatri, a well-known activist and veteran player with a reputation for being outspoken and committed to various causes.
Among the representatives of the Cairo server, there was Youssef, the son of a high-ranking minister, who had been paired with the impressive two-time veteran, Captain Amon. Captain Amon, having not only survived the game once but twice, commanded immense respect in the room. In his forties, with distinctive tattoos beneath his eyes, he had been the one bravely holding the massive shield against the Abyss knight during the recent battle. His level stood at an impressive 65, a testament to his experience and skill.
Upon his arrival, Alan noticed that out of the eight seats prepared for the meeting, one remained unoccupied—a seat next to Captain Carter. To the surprise of everyone in the room, Captain Carter invited Alan to sit beside her.
This unexpected gesture left all the players taken aback, witnessing a seemingly ordinary man with only one arm being called to take a seat at the table. Captain Farrell, in particular, was left fuming silently, resenting Alan for what he perceived as him taking his place.
Alan, however, was well aware that Captain Carter needed a non-military representative at the table. Despite not seeking authority for himself, he recognized the importance of his role in making a real impact on the survival of their group in the game, and so he willingly took his seat.
Shortly after taking his seat, Axel turned to Alan stating, "I didn't realize you hold an important role in the New York server, for that I would like to offer my apology for my past actions."
Axel's cunning nature was evident, as he had no qualms about temporarily setting aside his ego to achieve his objectives. This diplomatic gesture effectively prevented Alan from openly confronting him during the meeting. In response, Alan replied diplomatically, saying, "I am sure you did it for a good reason."
With all eight leaders now seated, Axel was ready to commence the meeting. However, before he could proceed, young Youseff interrupted, seeking clarification about last night's events "Can someone explain what happened last night?… it was such chaos!! why the hell did we lose so many players?!"
The sentiment of frustration was echoed by the Bangkok server players, with a bespectacled individual named Chatri remarking, "Maybe if the Americans had arrived earlier, things wouldn't be this bad."
In response to these comments, Captain Carter maintained her composure and offered a calm but firm explanation. She clarified that their group had arrived as promptly as they could upon receiving the message, and she directed her attention to Axel, urging him to reconsider the strategy that had led to such dire consequences.
"Why are you so confident in killing the human NPC when we should have focused on survival?" Her pointed question resonated not only with the gathered leaders but also with all 50 players in the room, addressing the pressing issue that demanded clarification.
Axel maintained his composure as he began to explain his perspective. "Please listen... I sincerely believe we will never win this game by being on the defensive," he started. "Each of those NPCs alive means one NPC stealing our potential XP and points to bring into the next round. Killing them all now not only gains extra XP but also thins out potential hordes for the rest of the round"
Alan observed heads nodding in agreement as Axel laid out his reasoning.
In truth, in his previous life, Alan knew that among the 100 servers, 23 had adopted a similar high-risk strategy of farming NPCs for points. These servers took the gamble of prioritizing offense over defense. In contrast, the majority of the 62 servers played it safe with a full defensive strategy, where players and NPCs defended together. There was also a minority of 15 servers that managed to cooperate effectively and engage in coordinated warfare.
Alan understood the rationale behind Axel's approach and could even agree with the high-risk plan to some extent. However, based on his past experiences, he knew that of the 23 servers that had taken risks to farm NPCs, all of them had failed to defend their walls adequately, resulting in garrisons being overrun and suffering the most devastating casualties.
Alan fixed Axel with a sharp gaze and questioned, "But can you be confident that the current number will be enough? What is your calculation based on?"
Axel, expecting this question, calmly retrieved an item from his possessions and placed it on the table—an intricately detailed map of Britannia. He began positioning wooden figures on the map, each one representing troops and resources at their disposal. Axel was well aware of the 2000 legionaries and 500 cavalry units they had, as well as the strategic locations of the six Roman garrisons.
As Axel placed the wooden figures on the map, he continued to elaborate on his strategy, providing details about their available resources and the positioning of their forces across the Britannian landscape. His explanation was thorough, covering various aspects of their plan.
Axel also highlighted the importance of having control over the player characters without Artorius as their commander. This way, they could strategically position these players wherever needed, without the risk of them being led by NPCs into the heart of the war. He emphasized that this was the primary reason for plotting the assassination of Artorius, a decision that had sparked controversy among the players.
He continued his strategic explanation by placing more figurines on the map. These figures represented the population of Britannia. He highlighted the sheer number of civilians living within the northern region.
He stated, "There are 10,000 scattered barbarians and 50,000 civilians living beyond the north wall." Axel paused for a moment, his tone confident, and added, "Considering last night's battle and the strength of the undead, I believe that even if all 60,000 of them were to be converted into the undead, we still have enough people to defend the walls effectively."
Axel's assessment was based on his careful calculations and understanding of the game's mechanics. He was confident in their ability to withstand the undead hordes while pursuing a strategy that involved eliminating as many human NPCs as possible to maximize their gains.
Alan recognized Axel's brilliance in gathering information and formulating a strategic argument on such short notice. His reasoning appeared solid, and he had presented a compelling case. However, Alan couldn't ignore the crucial piece of information he possessed—there were more undead armies than Axel had accounted for. Unfortunately, he lacked concrete evidence to support his claim.
Captain Carter, noticing the dilemma, encouraged Alan to speak up. Without hesitation, he voiced his concerns.
"From our analysis," Alan began, "with the current difficulty of the game, there will be more than 60,000 undead to face before the end of the round, I believe at least five times the number you've calculated."
His statement elicited a range of reactions from the assembled players, with disbelief being a prevalent sentiment. In response, Axel chuckled and remarked, "If it's truly as many as you say, then there's nothing that can save us."
The room fell into a contemplative silence as the gravity of the situation sank in. The leaders and veterans of the four servers now faced a daunting challenge.
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