Chapter 186: Flag Snatch
Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Addis
Apple said, “If you’re talking about satisfaction, then of course it’s satisfying…”
He continued, “But what kind of satisfaction are we talking about?”
Others also wanted to ask and looked toward the summoner next to the sand table.
If the goal of the faction war’s skirmishes was to capture points, then the resource war was about securing as many resources as possible over two days of confrontation.
Once the faction war started, resource points would refresh across all outdoor maps in Celestial Horizon. These resource points refreshed their locations every three hours, with four resource points appearing each time. Both factions’ players needed to reach these points and transport the resources they produced back to their own faction’s base to acquire more resources for their side.
During this period, battles between the factions would also convert combat data into resource contributions.
In simple terms, for example, if the Abyss faction had captured the Spring and Winter bases last week, they would have two delivery routes. This meant that their delivery routes were from four resource points to either the Spring or Winter bases to be considered successful.
The reason Eclipse faction gained such a significant advantage in the last resource war was because they controlled three bases, giving them three buffs and three routes. This put the Abyss faction’s players at a disadvantage in the confrontations, with their single delivery route becoming a target for the Eclipse faction.
There were two methods for securing resources. One was individual unit deliveries of small amounts of resources. Players could accept tasks at resource points and deliver the corresponding resources to the target locations to accumulate resources for their faction. This method had a limited number of attempts.
The other method was large-scale resource delivery. Resource points would produce resource vehicles representing large amounts of resources, usually transported by guilds or alliances.
Both types of resources could be intercepted by the enemy faction during transportation. Simply put, if a player was killed while transporting resources, the resources would fall into the hands of the enemy players. The enemy players could then take over the delivery and transport the resources to their own base to acquire them.
“Just block the routes,” Su Mo said.
Strawberry did not understand, “The map is too large. Their goal is to return to their base. Once they have picked up the resources, they leave immediately. If you organize a meat shield team with poor mobility, we can’t guarantee that we can block the resources.”
“You have to understand, there aren’t many summoner players. Even within our current Alliance, the number of summoners we can organize is limited,” Haitang said. “If you mean to use Black Tortoise to improve mobility as a way to counter the issue, it will significantly weaken our combat power.”
Individual players who accepted resource tasks or large guild players who seized the resource vehicles would have their movement restricted, relying solely on running to transport the resources.
With the meat shield team’s slow movement speed, if others picked up the resources and ran away immediately, who would waste time fighting in place? That would be foolish.
Su Mo responded, “Regardless of their route, their starting point is fixed, right?”
“How do you know we can’t block them?”
***
The faction war was scheduled from 9 AM on Saturday to 7 PM on Sunday for resource battles, and from 7 PM to midnight on Sunday for the capture battles.
On Saturday morning, the faction war started on time. The first four resource points appeared on the map. All players who had signed up for the faction war had the opportunity to go to the resource points and transport resources.
[faction][Ren Xiaoyao] Spicy Dried Fish: Warriors and healers for resource vehicle tasks, please join my team.
ScarletFruit saw early in the morning that the team had already been formed, and the faction channel was very lively. “Aren’t the resource vehicles not yet refreshed? Why are we already starting to gather people so early in the morning?”
With fewer people in the morning and the resource vehicles not yet refreshed, players from both factions were each looking for resource points to take on resource tasks and run resources. To ensure successful transportation, most of the time the task was done in groups within the faction, helping each other with transportation and protection, and also choosing resource points closer to their own base.
“It started very early,” ZenSlasher said. “First, we’ll deliver the personal resources to the large guild, and then we’ll go for the resource capture.”
Small-scale resource deliveries were based on individual player performance. Each player could only complete one resource delivery per day. After completing their deliveries, to acquire more resources, they would have to intercept other players’ resources or go after resource vehicles.
“Did you say anything at the meeting last night?” ClearWind asked.
“I discussed the resource war strategies. It’s confidential for now,” Su Mo replied. “Let’s first handle our personal resource tasks.”
At the start of the faction war, the large resource vehicles had not yet refreshed.
According to the basic route distance calculation, the entire map would refresh four resource points, with one resource point near each of the four faction bases: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
For safety reasons, players from both factions would choose to transport resources near their own bases. Many people worked together on resource deliveries, which also reduced the risk of having their resources intercepted. However, this peaceful surface relationship would be disrupted as soon as the first large resource vehicle refreshed.
Personal resource deliveries could be completed throughout the entire time frame of the resource war, but the large resource vehicles refreshed on the hour. Starting at 10 AM on Saturday, the first vehicle would refresh, and each resource point would have one vehicle, meaning there would be four vehicles competing for resources within an hour at the four bases.
“Today’s group is moving pretty fast,” ScarletFruit remarked. “It seems like everyone’s really pushing for the double rewards.”
Su Mo and the others quickly delivered their personal resources to the nearest points. By this time, Abyss faction had already assembled many large teams, and the 10 AM resource vehicle refresh was a critical moment, signaling that both factions would start competing for resources.
Yu Zhen said, “Join a team first. Which one do you want to join?”
ZenSlasher hesitated, “Can we even choose?”
Just as Su Mo was about to explain, a new reminder suddenly popped up.
[ (faction) BrokenOracle has invited you to join the faction war command channel. Do you accept? ]
“Sure,” Su Mo replied with a smile. “We discussed it last night. We have three types of teams.”
ScarletFruit asked, “Oh?”
***
Within the Eclipse faction, discussions were ongoing and intense.
“I heard Abyss faction started organizing people early this morning?”
“Why haven’t they given up yet? Let them come; it’ll be good for us to get some combat data and exchange it for better rewards.”
“Be careful with personal resource deliveries in the wild. It’s better to organize a large team from the Alliance and then make the deliveries.”
“The resource vehicles should be refreshing soon, right? Once we finish with the two resource vehicles at our points, I’ll go after the wild resources.”
When ChatMasterWu completed the personal resource delivery task and returned to the resource point, Veiled Cloud Sanctuary already had teams guarding their resource points. The larger vehicles at the nearby points were naturally targeted, and early in the morning, three elite teams were stationed at the base, waiting to grab the large vehicles when they refreshed.
Last night, it was heard that Abyss faction had held an emergency meeting, prompting CloudTraveller and Midnight Bell to also have urgent discussions. They planned to secure the two resource points near their base and then find a way to intercept Abyss faction’s resource vehicles. So, early this morning, the B resource point near the Summer base already had three large teams stationed, with Veiled Cloud Sanctuary’s Alliance overseeing the B resource point and Midnight Bell’s team watching the A resource point.
The remaining C and D resource points were left unattended for now, as they were near the Spring and Winter bases, which were Abyss faction’s strongholds.
After the resource vehicles refreshed, they would stay at the resource points. Players needed to go to the resource vehicle’s vicinity to take the large flag representing the vehicle. The vehicle would follow the flag, so the player team only needed to carry the resource flag to guide the vehicle to their own base.
“Three teams?” ChatMasterWu observed from the side. “You guard the vehicles. I’ll take half a team to raid wild resources. They still have many people running around in the wild.”
“It’s better to be cautious,” Global’s first kawaii said. “Ayun mentioned that their commanders seemed to have changed their strategy. With the rewards doubled this week, they might start interfering in the resource war. We need to hold onto our two points.”
[Why am I seeing Abyss people at the teleport point?] [Are there many?] [A bit, they’re using light skills to get over!]
As the time approached 10 o’clock, ChatMasterWu didn’t think much of it. He was still slowly organizing teams to raid resources in the wild when he suddenly saw discussions in the faction channel and then heard Global’s first kawaii shouting in the command channel.
“Kawaii, pay attention. Abyss might be coming to intercept our resource vehicles.”
“They’re so impulsive, coming to our base right at the start and organizing people so early?” Sleep said. “Well, they’re coming right to our doorstep.”
CloudTraveller, “Report on their numbers.”
Others reported, “Quite a few, around three teams.”
CloudTraveller said, “ChatMasterWu, how is your team coming along? Stay here for now, and let Sleep take people to check out their base situation.”
“Our base has some people coming as well,” Night’s Bell sneered. “BrokenOracle is quite bold today, trying to sneak in at the start?”
“It’s fine. We’ll sneak around and steal from them too,” CloudTraveller had anticipated this. Initially, both factions had been peacefully transporting resources from points near themselves, with minimal interference in wild resource raids. However, as they began to actively manage the resource wars and organize teams for vehicle transport and resource raids, the other side’s commanders weren’t foolish. Since their defeat last week, they had also started organizing teams to interfere with the resource wars.
The loss of the spring base last week had been unexpected, especially since the opponent had forcefully seized the spring base despite being at a resource and numerical disadvantage. This week, CloudTraveller was particularly attentive to both factions’ strategic deployments and noticed that their actions differed somewhat from BrokenOracle’s usual habits. From intel gathered, it was heard that a new commander had joined Zenith Expanse, an assassin known as Little Yellow Fish, and it seemed that the assault actions by two groups of assassins were led by this Little Yellow Fish.
Therefore, CloudTraveller considered that Abyss faction might be planning significant moves starting this week.
Since the opponent was sending large teams to raid their resource vehicles, their Vicinity resource vehicle defenses would likely be weaker. Seeing the gathering at the teleportation point, CloudTraveller immediately instructed the other faction leaders to send 8 elite teams to the nearest C resource point and allocated 3 teams to the D resource point.
“They are coming to steal our vehicles, so we should steal theirs as well,” CloudTraveller said. “Secure points A and B. The main teams, come with me; we’ll capture point C first.”
The team organization within Eclipse faction was very swift. Following CloudTraveller’s advance arrangements, the 8 elite teams quickly teleported to the Vicinity teleportation point at C.
Once there, they regrouped and waited for everyone to assemble. After all the teams had arrived, CloudTraveller quickly marked a location on the map. “Use light steps to get to this Vicinity. Once assembled, we’ll directly move to the resource spawn point. Find a warrior with high resistance to carry the flag.”
At 10 o’clock, the resource vehicle would spawn, accompanied by the flag that led the vehicle.
To capture the large flag, players needed to channel for 10 seconds, so during this time, other players needed to buy time and protect the flag carrier. Choosing a high-resistance warrior was a more reliable option, as high resistance could withstand control skills, and there was a higher chance of evading attacks, increasing the success rate of capturing the flag.
“Are there many of them?” CloudTraveller asked.
The scout player replied, “Their numbers are about the same as ours. They know we’re coming.”
CloudTraveller said, “Then don’t waste time. Once we gather, we’ll push in immediately.”
“On our way.”
“Hurry up, don’t waste time.”
“We’re coming, almost there.”
CloudTraveller led the main team swiftly to the marked location. Just as they were about to push forward, the scout player in the team suddenly shouted, “No! Commander, they’ve brought in a few more teams!”
At the same time, arrows rained down from above. As CloudTraveller’s team moved forward, a few enemy teams had actually followed behind and were coming around from the back. Seeing this, CloudTraveller ordered, “Get into position immediately. Warriors, lead the way. We need to capture the flag!”
This was unusual. It was still morning, and the number of players both factions could mobilize was essentially the number of elite teams plus additional casual players from other guilds.
The players who were truly effective were only a few. He had some understanding of the Abyss faction, and in a way, their strengths should have been roughly equal. With so many people here, if BrokenOracle had intended to ambush the AB resource points, he shouldn’t have left so many here…
“They’re controlled!”
“Damn, why are their control professions so numerous!?”
“How can they output so violently when they don’t have attack buffs!?”
“Focus on killing the healers.”
CloudTraveller glanced at the surrounding players and muttered, “No… the numbers are right, but the professions are off.”
The front line consisted of physical swordsmen, the middle row was high-damage ranged professions, and the back line was filled with healers. C point had gathered a significant number of Abyss faction’s main output players. His gaze suddenly froze, and he quickly asked the team stationed at the AB points, “Report the situation at AB. What’s happening over there?”
Eclipse faction was quietly making arrangements. Not long after, the people who had originally been at the Vicinity of the teleport point suddenly arrived. In the wild, if players were not transporting resources or not in combat, they were allowed to use lightness skills to fly. The Eclipse faction’s defenders at the B resource point had anticipated this, so when those players arrived, they immediately became alert, and the few team leaders stationed at B resource point quickly shouted out.
“Wait until they land before taking action.”
“They have defense and healing buffs, so focus on taking out their DPS first…”
ChatMasterWu, who was invisible and guarding the resource vehicle refresh point Vicinity, heard CloudTraveller anxiously asking, “They haven’t pushed through yet. What about their professions? Let me check.”
He switched targets, locked one, and then another.
“Wait, why are there so many warriors and healers up there!?” ChatMasterWu exclaimed, “Did they bring a warrior group over!?”
In the command channel, when asked for the situation, ChatMasterWu kept switching targets, and the ones he locked were all warriors and healers…
Before he could report the situation to the command channel, an array master suddenly descended from the sky.
At the crucial time of 10 o’clock, array master UnchainedWanderer made a strong entrance, immediately controlling the Eclipse faction players at the resource vehicle refresh point Vicinity.
At the same time as his actions, the Abyss faction team that had arrived via lightness skills charged straight into their formation, disregarding any semblance of organization. Almost everyone scattered, with teammates and enemy players intermingling, causing ChatMasterWu’s vision to be filled with a chaotic mix of red and green names.
“Damn it! Where’s the vehicle!?”
“Clear the area quickly!”
“Damn, why are there only warriors? Are there no more fragile professions!?”
“We can’t break through!”
“No, why are there so many healers!?”
“Damn, there’s also an array master.”
“They’re all bunched together. Go for the flag first!”
Determining player professions required locking onto their characters and checking their personal information. They had initially received reports of a large number of people gathering at the teleportation point, and expected them to arrive quickly. The enemy’s assembly and teleportation speeds were fast, and they hadn’t paid much attention to the professions, focusing instead on calculating their numbers and deploying more support. Now that the enemy had arrived at their doorstep, they only just realized the situation.
Among the many people who had arrived, the vast majority were warriors and healers, with only a few array master summoners and other output professions scattered around. The visible majority were warriors and healers. Although the numbers might not have been as high as anticipated, the presence of so many strong warriors was especially difficult for their assassins and other output professions to handle.
ChatMasterWu said, “Quickly clear the Vicinity of the resource point! Warriors, go for the flag.”
In the chaos, everyone rushed towards the crucial resource vehicle point. However, the number of people flooding in was overwhelming. Their attack skills targeted the resource point Vicinity, but the damage they inflicted was quickly healed by the green healing effects. Warriors’ shields, healers’ healing, the array master’s shield, and faintly visible bears from two summoners were all crowding around the resource point.
“Can we crush them!?”
“We can’t kill them. Damn, why are there so many healers!?”
“Did all the Abyss faction’s healers come!”
Kawaii quickly said, “What about the warriors? Go for the flag first.”
“Can’t grab it…” Some of the warriors responsible for grabbing the flag said, “The array master’s controls are all here, and the physical swordsmen are pushing us back… all this taunting!”
The array master’s pinpoint control and the physical swordsmen’s knockbacks were already problematic.
The real issue was the continuous taunting from so many warriors and the relentless healing from the healers. They couldn’t kill any of the fragile professions protected by so many defensive skills, and even the health of the large group couldn’t be reduced. Every time they tried to unleash their burst damage, countless healers and clerics on the other side immediately restored their health, as if it were an endless pit—constantly absorbing their damage without ever dying.
The chaos made B resource point nearly a complete mess.
The surrounding warriors were almost all trying to grab the flag, and with so many high-defense warriors involved in the flag grab and protection, both sides were continuously controlling each other. After several minutes of stalemate, neither side managed to capture the resource vehicle flag.
CloudTraveller calmly commanded, “Interrupt their flag carriers, don’t let them finish the channeling.”
In the melee for the resource vehicle flag, ChatMasterWu’s blade had no opportunity to strike. He vaguely saw a late-arriving warrior squeeze into the fray amidst the flashing blades. With the protection of others and his impressive build and high resistance, he began channeling to grab the flag right in front of the Eclipse faction members.
“…Brothers.” ChatMasterWu looked at the controlling skills falling and the dodging notifications appearing, “How the hell do we fight this!?”
