The Systemic Lands

Chapter 357: Day 775 – Invasion

Chapter 357: Day 775 – Invasion

They all froze and then quickly spread out to either side of the road. I kept an eye on them with my Sense stat. It was interesting because energy moving about was only slightly impacted by the trees and solid surfaces. It was like a distortion. Like viewing something through water. The real trick was learning to ignore your sight and focus just on the energy. It was headache inducing, one reason I didn’t keep the Sense stat going all the time and flipped it like a switch on and off.

Energy and the Sense stat were weird, since it was an extra-human sense and energy wasn’t from Earth. I needed to come up with terminology to describe things. Just being able to put a name to something was one of the first steps to understanding a phenomenon.

I kept one eye on the kid and the surroundings. Nothing, but I didn’t change my angled stance. “We are the Purgatory Expedition Unit,” a person called out. My people then.

“Champion Michael,” I replied back calmly. I could see whispering and shuffling about at this. I was glad I had gotten a change in armor from the Edgelord set which had been ruined to a new Champion set. It was funny in a way.

Back at the start of this place I had theorized that people that were dangerous would wear outfits. Then I made people color coordinated in my city and restricted symbols. Appearance was important, specifically the armor so people know who was from where.

It didn’t matter so much for low level people since they couldn’t travel without roads and there was no reason to do so. But with multiple nations, it was more important than ever.

I didn’t move, I wasn’t taking my eye off the kid in the forest for a second. “Approaching,” the same man called back and walked down the dark road towards me. I waited calmly. He was a short distance away when he came to a stop. I had removed my helmet and was waiting patiently, not caring if I looked a bit odd for standing at an angle and not looking directly at him.

“Champion Michael,” the soldier saluted. “I have to issue you a challenge phrase.” I nodded at that. One of the many things I had worked out with Clarissa ahead of time. Someone impersonating me could lead to a disaster and couldn’t be allowed to happen. The perfect example of this was the Divine Empress and her evil empire.

If something like that happened to my treasury through impersonation, I would be pissed. So I would suffer a small indignity of being challenged, rather than the utter humiliating shame of what I had done to her supreme evilness.

“Challenge phrase, the ducks are quacking,” the soldier said. The phrases were stupid, but far easier to remember than strings of letters and numbers that were the other option.

“Geese honk, they don’t quack,” I replied. “At ease.” The soldier dropped the salute.

“All clear! Form a close perimeter,” he called out.

“Please keep the noise down, my companions are sleeping, and they need the rest,” I replied.

“Of course, Champion Michael, my apologies. Do you require any assistance or supplies?” the soldier asked.

“An update on the current situation and your orders,” I commanded.

“Of course. Our expeditionary forces have taken the road and are moving through the country side to conduct total war operations. We are an advanced force being sent deep into Dragon Empire territory.”

I nodded at this. “How many people?” I asked.

“Twenty units of ten, half to the North, half to the South, while the rest are holding the road and supporting the grinding efforts.” I nodded slowly at this.

“Capture any cities?” I asked.

“No, our operational plan is to starve them out, intercept any crystals being taken by these tribes and eliminate them. Once the cities are weakened there will be capture operations using the crystals to resupply and wreck the cities. Capture was ruled out at this time as unfeasible since we don’t have the operational forces to hold the cities,” the soldier explained.

“Hmm, your name?” I asked.

“Captain Mitchell of the Seventh Combat Unit.” I considered the situation and what I should share and do. I had minions I could now command. Clarissa and I had talked about my operational authority. I basically had full authority to issue orders, but unless there was a good reason, I should not do so. That was her department and area of responsibility.

“There have been recent developments and other nations have entered the picture. The Dragon Empire is in a state of rebellion and possibly total collapse after their capital city was ransacked and destroyed. Nanjing was in a state of open rebellion when I passed through there yesterday. The Black Talons were fighting the city soldiers in the plaza. I didn’t stick around to see who won,” I explained.

Captain Mitchell had a thoughtful look on his face. “Our opposition has been light, which was why we were sent ahead to penetrate deep into enemy territory,” he replied.

“Where is the staging ground or rally point for our forces?” I asked.

“The North and South parts of the road at the boarder between level 2 and 3 zones at coordinates (-8,1).” I smiled at bit at that. Another of my ideas taking route across our military forces. “There is a fallback point at the ‘T’ junction.” Where I had first met the rebels.

“Any opposition?” I asked.

“Only light opposition from the tribes, but no high-level combatants or excursions from the cities in force. But that information is a day, no, make that two days old.”

“Your stats are what? Around 700 each?” I asked.

“About that, along with the rest of my men.” I nodded. That was the limit of consumption before things got dicey with store access. I considered the stats of the Black Talons. My forces would be slightly underpowered compared to them and with probably less skills.

Still, a lot of them had probably died in the Forbidden City. The Avatar’s forces, the meat monster, and the explosion would have wiped a large chunk of them out. Still, they were only ten people. If I was with them, then I could hold the front line and wreck stuff. But the priority was the kid at the moment. But taking the capital would collapse the entire evil empire all at once.

Slightly tempting but not worth the risk or the hassle at the moment. Also an outside threat might cause the Dragon Empire to unite in a way that wasn’t possible before. I considered it unlikely. If there was open rebellion in one of the cities, then things were going downhill quickly. I just didn’t know how to capitalize off the situation.

I also needed information. On the flip side, the Forbidden City would be in lockdown and war mode. These people didn’t have the power to take a gate. Or even the skills or stats to scale the wall. What orders should I give, that would help me or my side?

Sending them on their way seemed like a poor decision. The Southwest portion of the evil empire was much larger, and our supply lines were stretched. Also getting a source of people who could speak Chinese on our side would be key for any long term conquest.

“I am going to sack New Beijing. You and your men will hold it and request more reinforcements. It is a key node of the evil empire for North to South travel. Taking it would also create a much closer resupply point than Esperanza. Also it would provide a target for the Divine Empress when she returns, that isn’t on our side of the boarder, hopefully giving a warning,” I decided.

Taking the city on my way, would make things a lot easier and move much more quickly. “That is quite the undertaking, can you do it yourself sir? My unit won’t be able to handle those kinds of numbers.”

“The only one who can defeat me is the Divine Empress and I can’t defeat her. If this was a game of Stratego, she would be a number one piece, while I am a number two piece.”

“Ah, sorry, I never played that game growing up,” Captain Mitchell replied nervously.

“To put it more simple terms. She has ludicrous stats and skills compared to me. I stand that way next to everyone else. Alright, call your men here. I am going to issue some orders and I don’t want to have to repeat myself or have misunderstandings.”

“Gather up,” Captain Mitchell said while not shouting. The kid and Fu Ge were still asleep. I counted nine people gather in a semi-circle.

“Keep that direction clear,” I gestured where I was looking, and a gap was left. I counted three women among the men. I was glad Clarissa had decided on an integrated force composition. No hanky panky while in combat or between ranks, but other than that women who served for five years would get an exemption to the no child policy, same for the men.

The number of children would be manageable and building up a core of loyal and dedicated soldiers was important. “I will be sacking the city of New Beijing. Basically, killing everyone near the plaza.” They wouldn’t be able to easily hide with my Sense stat, unless they put a lot of distance, physical objects, or had some kind of shielding. “I have one VIP with me. Consider it a direct order they are not to be harmed or killed in any way unless one of two things happens. If a recapture is imminent, or the Divine Empress shows up, they are to be executed without hesitation.”

I got various yes sirs at that. I looked back at Captain Mitchell. “While I am sacking the plaza, you and your team will protect the VIP. Their identity and even existence is considered top secret. They are not to be discussed. If you are captured, you are to say that the VIP was taken to the Avatar.”

“Who or what is the Avatar?” one of the soldiers asked.

“A very conniving woman, without feet, hands, tongue, or eyes. White hair, dark skin. Make sure to say that Champion Michael took the VIP to her. If you are captured by the Divine Empress, and give her this information, I would offer to thank you, but you will be killed regardless. This information would make your death’s painless. If she asks why, tell her that I wanted to confront her with the one person she dare not risk killing.”

I was getting weird and confused looks and repeated myself again just to make sure they understood me. Dawn was a short amount of time away. “No questions about the VIP or to him. There is a translator as well, do any of you speak Chinese?” I asked.

“I do, but just a bit, sir,” one of the soldiers said.

“Good, don’t mention it and act clueless when the translator translates. Let me know if he says anything concerning to the VIP,” I ordered her.

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

“Alright, that should be everything. Let’s go collect the two sleeping beauties and get moving. I will be carrying them to the city,” I said since I noted all the soldiers had full packs. We made our way to the spot just off the road.

“Fu Ge,” I gave him a gentle nudge with my foot. “Wake up,” I told him and nudged him harder. He let out a groan and opened his eyes.

“Wha-“

“Time to get off. Reinforcements have arrived. Get the kid up. We will eat and then leave quickly,” I explained.