Chapter 25

Chapter 25: If I see the Eagle Lord again, I’ll tackle him with a slide tackle

The first test match of “Cain Continent” has been open for five days. Except for being inexplicably beaten up by a game boss on the first day, players have been doing well. 

They have completely occupied Dawn Town, transforming it into a novice village, and have been exploring the surrounding areas with Dawn Town as the center.

During this period, with the help of magic, manpower, and new policies, Dawn Town has undergone significant changes. 

The most noticeable change is the newly built red brick houses, each with its own style. These new structures contrast with the original buildings of Dawn Town, creating a unique and diverse landscape.

These are the places where players live. They have shown great enthusiasm for building their own houses. 

Many people don’t even have time to level up because they are so focused on constructing their own homes.

Additionally, public toilets have been established on various streets. In response to strong demand from the demi-humans, the Demi-Human Saintess announced the first new rule of Dawn Town: all town residents, including humans, must use designated public toilets and cannot dispose of waste indiscriminately, or they will face severe punishment.

Although the original townspeople were puzzled by this rule, Dawn Town had become a town ruled by demi-humans, so they obediently followed this seemingly unnecessary directive. 

In less than three days, the streets of Dawn Town became clean and tidy, free of dirty yellow soil and excrement.

Players were not surprised by this change. With increasing contact with demi-humans, they gradually came to understand their characteristics. 

Despite their relatively weak strength, demi-humans are a race that loves life immensely.

Despite limited resources, demi-humans do their utmost to keep themselves and their living environment clean and comfortable, becoming extremely particular in some respects. 

This trait is somewhat similar to elves, but unlike the often arrogant elves, demi-humans are gentle and friendly. 

They meticulously trim their nails and arrange their hair, ears, and tails daily. Although they do not have body odor, they compulsively maintain absolute cleanliness, tidiness, and a pleasant fragrance. 

Even male demi-humans use a plant similar to mugwort, extracting its juice to apply on their bodies as a mosquito repellent.

Since the bath-house was built in Dawn Town, players often face long waits just to take a bath. This situation seems absurd!

With the demi-humans no longer needing to hide, they now walk openly in the streets of Dawn Town, their faces once again filled with hope and vitality. 

Players who have formed good relationships with demi-humans generally reach level ten, meeting the standard for advancement. 

However, to advance, they must complete a quest: independently killing a first-order Demonic Beast. 

This quest appears simple, but mindlessly using skills won’t suffice. Players must master their skills, ensuring their actions are precise and coherent, faithfully reproducing the skill descriptions.

As a result, many players are still stuck, unable to advance. However, as time passes, their understanding of skills will improve, and their proficiency in executing skill-triggering actions will increase. 

Eventually, they will be able to independently kill a first-order Demonic Beast and meet the advancement conditions.

…

On the newly built city wall of Dawn Town, a group of players sat on the ground by the wall, playing with their Gwent cards. 

[E/N: “Gwent” is a popular card game in various fantasy settings, it involves players collecting cards with different characters and abilities, then strategically using them to compete against each other.]

These players had received the alert quest, which required them to patrol and stand guard on the city wall. When their shift ended, they could visit the Saintess to receive their rewards. It was a very leisurely AFK quest, one that sparked their excitement every morning.

[E/N: “AFK” stands for “Away From Keyboard.” An “AFK quest” in gaming refers to a quest or task that allows players to progress or earn rewards in the game without actively playing, such as waiting, standing guard, etc.]

Of course, players were not inclined to diligently guard and patrol the city wall, which didn’t suit their chaotic neutral nature. Despite the expansive pastures, towering mountains, and rolling clouds in the distance, staring at them for too long could lead to aesthetic fatigue. Most of the bored players on the city wall spent their time chatting and playing cards.

Sun Piercing Steel Plate was one of the lucky ones to get the alert quest. He had once boasted during the expansion pack release, “If this game becomes popular, I’ll eat five pounds of shit”, now, had become a loyal fan of “Cain Continent.”

Indeed, everything in the world is subject to the law of truth and allure. He now wished he could stay in the game 24 hours a day, even if he was called the “shit-eating brother” every day.

On the city wall, a player playing cards noticed [Sun Piercing Steel Plate] approaching and jokingly asked, “Shit-eating brother, are you here to guard the city today?”

[Sun Piercing Steel Plate] didn’t respond. Instead, he took out his Gwent cards from his system backpack, threw them on the ground, and loudly asked the other players, “Who wants to play a few rounds together?

The player teased again, “Are you going to steal shit today?”

[Sun Piercing Steel Plate] widened his eyes and retorted, “Why are you tarnishing my innocence like this?”

“Innocence? I saw you picking up two buckets of dung with my own eyes when I went to the toilet this morning.”

Sun Piercing Steel Plate’s face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead as he argued, “Picking up dung doesn’t count as stealing… stealing shit! Doing quests, can that also be called stealing?” 

Then he added some incomprehensible words like “watering the vegetable field also gives experience” and “what labor is the most glorious,” which made the surrounding players burst into laughter; the atmosphere inside and outside the city wall was filled with joy.

Suddenly, a gentle male voice sounded behind the players. “Are you guys playing cards on the city wall? Isn’t that neglecting your duty?”

At that moment, the players were engrossed in their game, not bothering to lift their heads. They all started to speak in unison, one after another:

“Duty is impossible to fulfill, impossible in this lifetime. We can’t advance, can’t get equipment, so we just hide on the city wall, play cards, chat, and barely scrape by.”

“The brothers on the city wall are all talented.”

“They’re good-looking and skilled at cards.”

“They speak well and are great at chatting.”

“We love it here.”

“And Dawn Town offers no benefits at all. Who wants to defend it?”

“Even if someone comes, we’re not afraid. We ourselves will be the Fourth Disaster for them!”

“Days have passed, and the Eagle Lord has only come once. After that, it’s just a few demi-humans who were rescued and merchants who bring nothing here.”

The male voice asked again, “What if Eagle Lord comes again?”

[Sun Piercing Steel Plate] spun around, nearly choking in fear. 

The Eagle Lord stood atop the not-so-wide city wall, his sword held upright, with a disciplined army standing behind him. 

Adding to the dread, ten enormous and fierce-looking Tauren loomed menacingly outside the city walls.

“Oh no! The Eagle Lord is attacking the city!”

“Damn it, run! It took me forever to reach level ten; I can’t afford to die and start over.”

“That bull’s head is massive… Wow!”

…

After the initial shock, players scattered like frightened birds, scrambling down the city wall and flooding the public chat with urgent messages.

“!!! The Eagle Lord is back!!!”

“He’s brought an army with him!”

“And Tauren too…”

“I’m just a warrior of love, but I could go for some beef right about now!”

“Let’s get out of here, Dawn Town is going to be wiped out!”

“Why run? Let’s fight! I could use some beef too!!”

…

Word quickly spread among all the players. They gathered at Dawn Town’s entrance, ready to defend their Resurrection point.

The novice village was their last bastion of pride. As players, abandoning it and fleeing wasn’t an option. 

Among them was Ye Hao, who dedicated himself to rigorous training every day, fervently completing quests and gaining experience to seek revenge against the Eagle Lord.

Now at level 20, a remarkable increase of nine levels, Ye Hao calculated that with his upcoming “Breakthrough,” he would skyrocket to level 54—a formidable Sky Knight. Today, the Eagle Lord would meet his end.

“Damn you, Eagle Lord! If I don’t come for you, you come for me?” Ye Hao seethed. “Today, you’ll learn that crossing me, Ye Hao, means the grass on your grave will grow meters high!”

“Attack—!”

Ye Hao’s eyes blazed with determination, his face contorted in fury, resembling a frenzied beast. He couldn’t wait to activate his “Breakthrough” skill, imagining his stats soaring. But when he checked his status panel…

[Name: Ye Hao] [Identity: Mayor of Dawn Town, Chosen One] [Strength: Earth Knight Level 47 (Temporary)] […]

“Huh? Level 54 was supposed to be… Why only two levels increased?”

⊙w⊙?

Ye Hao was puzzled. He glanced at his conspicuous special effects, then nervously surveyed the Eagle Lord standing coldly at the city gate, surrounded by his formidable soldiers. Ye Hao swallowed hard and silently retreated among the other players.

“This isn’t cowardice; it’s a strategic retreat”, he tried to silently console himself.

“A small act of kindness can disrupt a grand plan. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—enduring humiliation and nursing grievances, three thousand warriors can swallow Wu…”

“But my ‘Breakthrough’ skill usage… wuwuwu…”

While Ye Hao wrestled with his disappointment, the other players also puzzled over the situation. Eagle Lord and his army showed no visible Health Bars—indicating a neutral status. As long as they didn’t provoke them, the Eagle Lord wouldn’t initiate an attack.

“What’s happening? Wasn’t the Eagle Lord here to reclaim Dawn Town?”

The players exchanged confused glances, trying to make sense of the unexpected turn of events.

---

Please support us on Patreon. You can read a bunch of extra chapters!

---

---