A different world game? A different world game!

Chapter 1123 The Battle of Bestar

Bestar Continent, North Coastline.

"Defense shoreline" fortress node.

The icy sea breeze, carrying a salty smell and a faint hint of sulfur, lashed against the towering alloy battlements of the "shoreline" fortress.

This colossal node fortress, expanded from an abandoned port, is like a steel fang rooted on the northern shore of the continent of Bestar, facing the ever-deepening Sunset Sea that has swallowed up the continent of Taliel.

With the complete destruction of the continent of Taliel, the continent of Bestar, located in the far east of the world, will have to face the tide of the void.

The same continent as him is the Tete Continent; both will be invaded by the void at the same time.

Therefore, they were on high alert and had been preparing for this for a long time.

In the sky, a miniature iron flower structure floats silently.

Its root-like cascading metallic sheen is closely connected to the main body of the fortress, radiating an orderly glow that stabilizes the space, constructing a precious sanctuary against spiritual pollution on this front line that is about to be hit by a wave of destruction.

The production of iron flower structures is extremely limited.

There are more than thirty existing islands in the entire world of Aegira, twenty of which guard the heart of Lebia, while the rest are scattered at various key locations.

After all, Lebia is the last bastion of the world, even though this continent is one of the front lines to encounter the void.

But this doesn't matter, since Kana's earthly kingdom was built there, which is also the place most severely affected by datafication.

It can resist the invasion of the void in every aspect.

The fall of the continent of Taril has already come at the cost of losing two of these precious creations.

That is, the effect of the self-destruction when the continent was finally invaded.

Those were really expensive fireworks.

On the walls of the fortress, soldiers of the World Alliance stood ready for battle.

Unlike the continent of Taril, where dwarf warriors make up a relatively large proportion, the main force of the garrison here is the native force of the continent of Bestar—orcs.

More than half of the soldiers had distinct animal features.

The lion-man's thick mane trembled in the wind, but the lion-men were few in number, after all, they were royalty. But at least there had to be a lion-man at every point, we needed to be at the forefront.

The werewolf's sharp gaze swept across the horizon; as the backbone of the orcs, their figures were everywhere.

The bear-man warriors silently polished their heavy battle axes, clad in heavy armor; they were the strongest line of defense.

Agile cat-people or fox-people soldiers moved between ballistae and observation posts.

There were also some dwarves mixed in, but their numbers were far less concentrated than in Taril.

Perhaps over the past few centuries, there have been many dwarves on the continent of Bestar.

But more than a decade ago, many elite dwarves ventured deep into Tarriel with an expedition, where they reclaimed their former homeland and their ancestral lands.

Therefore, when the continent of Taril faced the invasion of the Void, they naturally stood on the front line.

They have now retreated to the sea or the rear with the fleet.

Some went to the rear, after all, they were soldiers on the front lines and needed to be sent to the rear for a long period of rest.

The fortress's supreme commander, the Night's Watch tactical master Groom Stonehorn, stood on the edge of the command tower on the main wall.

He belongs to the unicorn race, a small group of orcs known for their strength and resilience.

His burly body was covered in heavy enchanted plate armor, and the spiraling, metallic horn above his nose was the most distinctive mark of his race.

At this moment, it is slightly lowered, as if feeling the pulse of the earth beneath its feet and the ominous tremors coming from the depths of the distant ocean.

From Kana's perspective, they are somewhat like rhinoceroses, but with slight differences; their prototype comes from a certain native creature of this world.

Their strength is comparable to that of the elephant race, whose lions are the royal family of the orcs.

However, their numbers were indeed small, consisting of only one tribe, and the tribe, including all its members, young and old, numbered only a little over a thousand.

He gripped a massive tower shield, commensurate with his size, its edges gleaming with reinforced runes. It was both a weapon and an extension of his commanding will.

His adjutant, a male rabbit-man warrior with long ears and sharp eyes, strode over, his leather armor covered in dust.

"Commander, all large settlements and civilians within a 300-kilometer radius of the coastline have been evacuated as planned."

The rabbit-man adjutant's voice was clear and fast.

“Basically?” Groom turned his head, his deep voice carrying a barely perceptible gritty quality.

A hint of helplessness flashed across the rabbit-man adjutant's face: "Yes, Commander, 'basically.' We've been evacuating for months, but there are always some...stubborn ones."

"Most of them are elderly people, or those who are injured or ill and unable to travel far. They refuse to leave, claiming that they will live and die with the land of their ancestors."

There are actually quite a few people like this.

Groom's thick, calloused eyelids drooped slightly, then snapped open again, a decisive glint in his brownish-yellow pupils: "Assign him to the logistics reserve or auxiliary engineering unit."

"Under data-driven rules, even the weakest life can contribute. Since they have chosen to stay, let them fight as warriors and shed their last drop of blood to defend their homeland."

"In extraordinary times, we can't worry about being dignified."

His voice was resolute, carrying the pragmatism and ruthlessness unique to orcs on the battlefield.

In fact, most of the young and capable members of the tribe who were unwilling to leave also became soldiers.

However, those who remained were indeed unable to become soldiers.

It gives people a feeling of abuse, which will inevitably damage morale.

But if they still don't want to leave, then there's nothing we can do but assign them to the logistics team.

The rabbit-man adjutant solemnly accepted the order: "Yes!" He turned and quickly left to relay the instructions.

Groom's gaze returned to the seemingly calm, yet turbulent, dark blue horizon.

At least for now, no purple light has been seen spreading, which means that the arrival of the void is still some time away.

The distance of the ocean is vast, far exceeding the distance of the continent.

Not to mention their forces are also conducting interception and elimination operations at sea.

They still have some time to rest and prepare themselves mentally.

Beside him, a human combat master, clad in the Night's Watch's signature iron-grey light armor and carrying two swords, was carefully wiping the blades with a velvet cloth.

This combat master named Raine was a high-ranking officer sent by the Night Watch headquarters to strengthen the node's defenses. He had been tempered for a week in the "millstone" on the continent of Tauriel.

Of course, this was originally the defensive line he was to guard, and he only went to the continent of Taliel because he was a combat master and needed to maintain his sharpness.

So when the Void arrives, he needs to go to the front lines to experience it firsthand before returning to his own defensive line. "Nervous, Groom?" Renn sheathed his longsword, his voice carrying a hint of composure honed by the trials of blood and fire.

Groom did not deny it, his massive hand unconsciously stroking the cold edge of the tower shield: "There are some. This is Bestar, our home."

"Unlike you, I have already witnessed the true face of that purple wave in Tahrir."

"I can only imagine it through the battle reports and data streams of the command link... but there is still a layer between us."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Moreover, this time it's a direct landing on the ocean, unlike the ice field defenses of Tahrir."

That's how war is; all sorts of situations have to be taken into account.

Even if the Void forces simply overwhelm them with sheer numbers, they still need to consider many other factors.

He was the commander, the Night's Watch's tactical mastermind.

This is an essential quality he possesses.

Raine patted the hilt of his sword, trying to lighten the mood with a relaxed tone: "Believe me, there's not much difference in essence. It's still those twisted purple-skinned scum, only this time they have to swim over first."

"The numbers are indeed terrifying, but our 'net' has been cast. The brothers of Taril have proven the effectiveness of this 'node mesh defense' with their blood and flesh. Divide, attract, annihilate, we just do it."

As a commander, he had faced void creatures before, including the void vanguard and those who initially opened the rifts. He had been responsible for defending against them.

Therefore, it cannot be said that he has no experience in dealing with the void; it's just that he hasn't yet dealt with the all-encompassing, wave-like onslaught of void creatures like he is now.

“I hope so,” Groom’s voice remained heavy.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke again, his voice much lower, "Tahrir... has completely fallen. Have the casualty figures... been tallied?"

He asked this question to another adjutant who had just walked up the tower, a fox-woman staff officer with a capable demeanor and sharp eyes.

The fox clan strategist quickly pulled up the data panel, his voice calm yet carrying a barely perceptible hint of pity: "Preliminary statistics are complete, Commander. In the defensive campaign on the Taliel continent, the World Alliance has deployed a total of approximately 2.1 million troops."

"Considering the rotation and rest mechanism, the actual number of 'soldiers' participating in combat far exceeds this number."

She paused for a moment, then clearly stated the cold numbers: "Approximately 160,000 people have been confirmed to be seriously wounded, permanently removed from the front lines due to severe spiritual pollution or irreversible physical erosion. 210,000 people have been confirmed to have died in action."

The number of dead far exceeded the number of injured.

However, in the context of the war against the void, these wounded who could not continue to the front lines were no different from the dead.

Groom's breath hitched slightly, and his angular face tightened even more.

The fox clan strategist continued, "Of the fallen, approximately 190,000 died under 'normal circumstances.' Their souls and wills have been recovered by the Dragon of Life and Death, and the remains of some have been found. Perhaps after some time, they will be able to return to the battlefield."

"The remaining approximately 20,000 people... are considered 'absolutely dead'."

Her voice was even lower, "The soul was completely shattered in battle, the soul was corrupted, devoured and assimilated by the void, or it was not able to retreat in time after suffering heavy damage and was deeply invaded by the void, causing the soul to be annihilated... irreversible."

These are real deaths.

Even with data-driven approaches and various safeguards, it is something that cannot be salvaged.

This shows that they are brave and courageous.

"Two hundred and one thousand... sixteen thousand..."

Grumm muttered to himself, his huge fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The price paid by Taril was suffocatingly heavy; it was a battle so brutal that it could hardly be called a victory, where countless lives were sacrificed to buy time.

"A... painful delay."

It can't even be called a victory, at least not in a way he can describe it.

"The situation at sea is relatively optimistic, Commander."

The fox clan strategist timely changed the subject, pulling up nautical chart data, "The Sunset Sea Defense Fleet's use of the 'Attract Nodes' and 'Shoreline-Furnace' tactical cycle is extremely efficient."

"The vast sea makes it difficult for void creatures to form an impenetrable encirclement like they do on land. With its high mobility and devastating firepower, the fleet can continuously divide and annihilate the incoming void swarms as it moves, greatly slowing down the advance of the Devouring Line at sea."

"The casualty rate is much lower than on land; the main losses are in ship damage. However, thanks to the high productivity of the Lebyan core area, newly built ships are continuously replenishing the front lines. At present, maritime defense is our key advantage in buying time."

Upon hearing this, Groom's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

The Night Watch's terrifying production and logistical capabilities, demonstrated after integrating global resources, are one of the few glimmers of hope in this desperate war.

Seriously speaking, this integrated logistical capability has increased the Night's Watch's efficiency by more than ten times.

The Night's Watch's efficiency was already legendary, but now it has increased by more than ten times.

To be honest, they've come to understand it to some extent.

All they need to know is that logistical supplies are always plentiful; the only problem is transportation. Even if only one-tenth of the supplies are lost during transportation, they can still afford to provide them.

That's how luxurious it is.

Therefore, they didn't need to consider logistics at all when bombarding; they could just fight like madmen.

This is one of the reasons why they were able to hold out against the void.

Logistics is absolutely crucial.

The Night's Watch has taken this advantage to the extreme, making them an extraordinary force across the entire astral plane.

Now, the "millstone" at sea is functioning well, giving the land defenses of the Bestar continent more time to deploy and buffer.

Just then—

Waaah!

The warning conch shell atop the fortress suddenly emitted a deep, rapid whistle, instantly shattering the brief silence on the coastline!

Almost at the same instant, the iron flower structure floating above the fortress shone brightly, and the force field ripples that stabilized the space visibly spread out.

All the soldiers on the city wall, whether orcs, humans, or dwarves, tensed up instantly, the clanging of weapons being drawn echoing throughout the city.

Countless eyes turned to the distant horizon.

Where the water meets the sky, a breathtaking, viscous violet color, like thick ink dripped into clear water, is spreading at a visible speed, rapidly engulfing the azure sea.

The purple hue was not still, but churning and writhing, as if billions of living things were struggling and surging within it. The sky also darkened, shrouded in an ominous, pulsating purple canopy.

The sea breeze no longer brings just a simple salty smell, but a sweet and pungent stench mixed with the scents of sulfur, decay, and destruction.

"coming!"

Groom Stonehorn straightened up abruptly, and the massive tower shield slammed heavily onto the alloy deck with a dull thud.

His brownish-yellow beastly eyes were fixed on the spreading purple tide of death. All the tension, doubt, and grief were suppressed into his heart by his steely will, leaving only the purest fighting spirit to defend his homeland.

The war on the continent of Bestar has begun. (End of Chapter)