Shroud lay on the frozen ground, his body stiff and trembling under the effects of paralysis. His mouth twitched as if trying to speak, but no sound came out. These Holy Knight Federation players were downright ruthless—killing some outright while leaving the rest as captives, each one afflicted with a paralysis debuff, completely unable to resist.
To make matters worse…
The live stream was still running.
What a humiliation. Shroud could only give a helpless, bitter smile.
"Two more enemy squads heard the noise and are heading this way," someone reported. "Should we intercept them?"
"Combined, that's around four thousand players," another replied. "We're outnumbered. If we fight head-on, they'll grind us down in a war of attrition."
"And don't forget the Fork Guild—they retreated earlier, but plenty of them were watching Shroud's stream. Once they see we've fallen, they'll come running back to join the fight."
Xiao Ran A. nodded, tossing a drone into the air. The small device whirred briefly, then shot off toward the city—carrying a message to the players still defending within the walls. They weren't alone in this fight.
Shroud managed to tilt his head slightly, his eyes widening in shock. What… what is that thing? He'd never seen such tech before.
Wait. Something clicked in his memory—he'd read about it once on Reddit. A player had posted a guide about joining the faction Tomorrow's Development and had strongly recommended everyone build good relations with them. That thread had over 100K upvotes.
He hadn't paid much attention at the time. After all, his old team—Cloud Esports—was already affiliated with Tomorrow's Development. But since he was an Infected, he couldn't register in Lungmen like the others and officially join the faction.
But these players… their gear looked too new, too advanced, too sci-fi. Those sleek, modern designs—seriously, were they playing a post-apocalyptic game or something?
Could it be… they had all joined Tomorrow's Development? Otherwise, how could they possibly have that kind of equipment and drone support?
Shroud knew how stingy most NPC factions were. You could grind for weeks to earn loyalty, only to get mediocre rewards in return. That was exactly why so many Western players had defected to Tomorrow's Development—it was one of the few factions that actually rewarded hard work.
So aside from the possibility that every one of these players had joined Tomorrow's Development, there was no other logical explanation. Had they all gone to Lungmen?
Or…
A wild thought crossed his mind. He remembered a post from an American player on X mentioning that Tomorrow's Development's leader—the Pioneer—often traveled around the world on "business."
No way… could it be…?
Shroud's body tensed with frustration. Damn it, he wanted to join Tomorrow's Development too!
Xiao Ran A. crouched down beside him, his expression twisting into a smug grin.
"I've always wanted to see that look on your face—the look of pure jealousy. Hahaha!"
After savoring the moment, he brushed the snow off his uniform and stood up. Facing the stunned players around him, he cleared his throat.
"I've been saving that line for a long time," he admitted with a wry smile. "Finally got the perfect chance to use it."
Around them, the aftermath of the battle was a chaotic mess. Out of three trebuchets, two were destroyed; the remaining one had been seized by the Holy Knight Federation. The ground was littered with players—some American players had just respawned, only to be "sent back" again for being in the way. They'd be locked out of the game for hours.
The surviving captives were all paralyzed, lying helplessly in a designated zone. The Federation players didn't bother stripping them of gear or weapons—they simply posted guards around them and began setting up camp.
Five minutes later, the drone returned. Xiao Ran A. checked the attached note and stood.
"Mr. Han is leading the remaining brothers this way," he announced. "Once they arrive, we'll finish off the Mighty Rat Guild here and now."
A cheer rose from the soldiers.
After a twenty-minute rest and some quick equipment repairs, the tides of battle shifted completely.
According to Shroud's original plan, he had expected the Holy Knight Federation to grow impatient and sally out of their city to fight in the open. At that point, his army would crush them with a pincer attack—the center pushing forward while the flanks closed in from both sides, trapping them like cheese between bread.
Ironically, the very terrain he had chosen—a high, defensible position perfect for holding against attackers—was now in enemy hands. And as the defenders, the Federation had the advantage of ease and comfort.
Snipers and Casters were redeployed to the front. Within minutes, the drones detected the incoming enemy.
The snipers took aim.
And then—
They opened fire.
The players of the Mighty Rat Guild were being utterly crushed.
"Wait—how the hell are those arrows reaching us from that distance?! Are they hacking?!" someone shouted in disbelief.
Moments later, waves of elemental attacks rained down—a blizzard and a storm of fireballs conjured by the Federation's Casters. Yet the Mighty Rat Guild stood firm, their heavy-armored units bracing at the front, tanking the onslaught head-on as their Medics desperately poured out recovery Arts from the rear.
Still, rage bubbled within the Rat players. Their pride was being trampled in front of thousands of viewers. If they didn't take revenge for this humiliation, they'd lose all face.
Then—melee combat erupted.
The Federation's snipers and Casters withdrew, making room for their vanguards and defenders to step forward. Steel clashed against steel as both sides collided in a brutal close-range brawl.
Within seconds, the Rat Guild players realized something horrifying—their weapons were shattering. One clash, and swords splintered. Shields cracked clean in two.
"What the hell?! Are these guys using admin weapons?!"
Frustration turned to despair. Faces flushed red, they wanted nothing more than to log off, take a shower, and forget this ever happened. Why the hell did we come here? Should've just gone to bully those Russian battle-maniacs instead!
The medics at the back were buckling under the pressure, their concentration fully devoted to keeping the frontline alive—but no matter how hard they tried, their healing output simply couldn't keep up.
"What kind of gear are these guys using?!" one medic shouted in disbelief.
Before anyone could answer, several medics suddenly cried out and fell—struck by arrows from behind.
"Wait—behind us?!"
The rear players spun around, only to see thousands of white-clad Holy Knight Federation members silently emerging from the snow behind them. The one leading them—Xiao Ran A.—burst into a hearty laugh upon seeing the shock on their faces.
"Capture them all! We'll sell them for a fortune!"
"Roger!" someone yelled back.
"W-wait! You can't do that, it violates the Geneva Convention!"
Ignoring his words, the Federation players surged forward like a tidal wave. Though most of them were only mid-level, the difference in gear and coordination made it a slaughter. A medic facing a guard five levels lower stood no chance—it was over before it began.
The rear ranks—medics, supports, snipers, and Casters—were all rounded up in moments. The frontline Rat Guild players, deprived of healing, turned to look back—only to be met with a savage shield bash that sent them sprawling into the snow.
Mr. Han's forces finally linked up with Xiao Ran A's unit. Together, they crushed the remaining Trolls forces. The few survivors fled or surrendered outright.
In war, the defeated rarely keep fighting. Realizing resistance was pointless, many Trolls players dropped their weapons. Continuing would only mean more deaths, more lost levels, and broken equipment. Grinding in Ursus's harsh northern regions was hard enough already—only a fool would keep fighting now.
Even Shroud had surrendered. Following his lead, the rest of the Mighty Rat Guild gave up as well, accepting defeat with surprising calm.
Still, a handful of players slipped away to relay the news to the Fork Guild and to the Troll's headquarters—where the infamous streamer XQC (known in-game as "Hard-to-Endure Man") awaited updates.
XQC received word of the defeat almost instantly—and to put it bluntly, he was fuming. The Mighty Rat Guild wasn't weak; how could they have been wiped out by the Holy Knight Federation?
The Fork Guild, upon hearing the news, couldn't hide their schadenfreude. They took a short rest, patched up their ranks, and prepared to march forward—eager to show everyone what a real top guild looked like.
Unfortunately for them, their ambitious march ended abruptly when they ran into the War God's Bloodline—the Russian powerhouse guild allied with the Federation—and got absolutely steamrolled.
Raph, standing over a group of surrendered Fork's players, stroked his beard thoughtfully. With Tomorrow's Development equipment now in their hands, even the Trolls couldn't keep up anymore.
This battle marked a decisive victory for the Holy Knight Federation. From this moment on, the balance of power in the Ursus North would be rewritten.
With the Federation and War God's Bloodline allied—and both under the banner of Tomorrow's Development—the American-led Trolls had become the weakest faction of all.
"Beautifully done," murmured Felix, closing the war recap thread on his monitor.
Those players being chaotic and bloodthirsty was nothing new, but watching experts lead ordinary players into seven furious charges through the Mighty Rat Guild's lines—it was exhilarating.
As he browsed the forum, Felix was also working on something else—adjusting Yelena's equipment. With her permission, he was reinforcing the snow-camouflage coats of her Yeti Squad with protective plates. She was set to depart on a long-term combat mission, one that could last several weeks to a month.
She hesitated, wondering if she should invite Felix to join her. If it were a normal Yeti Squad mission, she knew he'd agree without question…
But now that the Yeti Squad was officially part of Reunion, would bringing him along really be appropriate?
Sure, Felix's combat ability would be a tremendous asset—but his relationship with the Reunion soldiers… was complicated, to say the least.
After much thought, Yelena ultimately chose not to ask Felix to come along.
She knew very well that once she left for her mission, Felix would also go his own way — after all, he no longer had a reason to stay.
"Felix," Yelena asked softly, "when do you think we'll meet again?"
"Maybe in a few years," Felix replied with a faint smile. "Of course, if you ever miss me, you can come find me in Lungmen."
"Hehe, that's impossible. The Reunion Movement is still growing — how could I just walk away now?"
Yelena chuckled gently. "I know there are still many flaws within Reunion, but that's exactly why I must go. I want to help change things… I want the Infected to one day live proudly and freely on this land."
Faced with her conviction, Felix could only smile and offer his blessing.
"No matter how many times we meet," he said warmly, "I'll keep inviting you to join Tomorrow's Development."
Yelena sighed with a helpless smile. "You really are persistent, aren't you?"
She stood up from the sofa and gave him a light embrace. "Sometimes, I still find it strange… Why would someone like you get so entangled with a backcountry Infected girl like me?"
"You're not some 'backcountry girl,'" Felix replied gently. "You're a warrior of the Yeti Squad — the leader known as FrostNova, aren't you?"
Yelena smiled faintly. "You're right."
She let out a soft, wistful sigh. "I'll take the medicine you left for me… It's time for me to go."
"Alright. I'll walk you out."
Felix accompanied Yelena to the door. As she opened it, they were both startled to see Big Bear, Greg, and Petrova huddled right outside, clearly caught eavesdropping. When the door suddenly swung open, the three froze — and then tumbled straight into the room with a loud thud.
Yelena's fists clenched, her expression darkening. Worse yet, those embarrassing, almost affectionate words she had just said… had all been overheard. Her face flushed a delicate shade of pink.
"Ah—Big Sis, we didn't hear anything! Nothing at all! Right, guys?" Petrova blurted out hastily.
"Y-Yes! Absolutely nothing!"
"Not a word!"
Big Bear and Greg nodded frantically.
Yelena gave them a cold, piercing glare before stepping past them toward her fully equipped Yeti Squad, who were preparing to depart.
Just before leaving, Yelena turned back. She gave Felix a soft, fleeting smile, her lips moving silently — but Felix understood.
She was saying: "Until next time."
Did she really believe they would meet again?
Felix sighed quietly. Perhaps it was time for him to move on as well.
Talulah led the main force of the Reunion troops forward, with FrostNova's Yeti Squad marching at their side. Only a small number of soldiers and Patriot's Shieldguards remained behind to guard the camp.
Among the crowd of those sending them off, Felix spotted Alina. She stood smiling warmly, waving gently at each departing fighter.
When she noticed Felix approaching, her smile softened further, tinged with a quiet tenderness.
"Mr. Felix…"
"Alina," he said softly, "I'll be leaving too."
"…I see."
Alina's smile turned a little sad. "How lonely it'll be without you here. I wonder when I'll see you again, Mr. Felix."
Years later, during the Chernobog Incident, Felix would not recall ever encountering anyone by that name. A teacher with no combat ability shouldn't have been anywhere near the frontlines… yet there was no record of an 'Alina' in the new Reunion either.
Could something have happened to her during those years?
The thought weighed heavily on him. Then, from inside his coat, Felix drew a small handgun.
"M-Mr. Felix, what is this…?" Alina stammered in surprise as he pressed the cool metal into her hands.
"I hope this gun can protect you, Alina," he said gently. "Those children need your teaching and your guidance to grow strong. The Infected's future depends on you. When we meet again someday… I hope you'll still be safe and happy."
Alina blinked, then smiled faintly. "You really do know how to trouble people with your kindness… Alright, I'll accept it."
She took the handgun carefully — though she wasn't familiar with such weapons, perhaps she could ask Miss FrostNova for some guidance later.
"Take care of yourself, Alina," Felix said.
"And you as well, Mr. Felix."