The World Online

Consonance City, Lord’s Manor Main Hall.

After the feast, the various generals did not leave. Instead, they gathered together for a meeting.

Toward the discussions that would take place tonight, the various people had a rough idea. Hence, although the feast was rowdy, everyone controlled how much they drank to maintain a clear head.

As the host, Bai Hua naturally sat at the main seat.

Left of her was naturally the representatives of Consonance City. Apart from Cao Can and Zhang Liao, these two generals, Zi Luolan, Hong Ying, and Tsing Yi were all present.

On the right were the representatives of the allies. There were only three of them, Xunlong Dianxue, Luo Shixin, and Qinqiong. The only exception was her brother, who was not in the main hall.

The truth was that the moment the feast had ended, the adventure gamemode players had all teleported back to Dali City. As for the following military operations of Consonance City, they would not participate.

After this battle, Qingfeng Pavilion had suffered heavy loses. Amongst the elite unit, five fell and six were heavily injured. Although they had received huge rewards in compensation fees, they would have to rest up for a long time to regain their strength.

One must know that in Dali, there were many guilds that were eyeing their position. Seeing Qingfeng Pavillion face such a setback, one could not say with uncertainty that these guilds would not try something ambitious.

Luckily, Moon Shines over the River was not as open as he looked, and his actions were decisive and accurate. Bai Hua and her brother were the pinnacle of professional players.

Qingfeng Pavillion joining in the battle had caused a small wave in the China region. Adventure gamemode players could become mercenaries and join Lords in battles for pay. The actions of Qingfeng Pavillion basically formed a new way of playing the game.

Although the risk was great, the rewards were astonishing. Apart from the most common gold rewards, some Lords even gave equipment, secret manuals, and items that adventure gamemode players dreamt of.

As one said, under the temptations of hefty rewards, people would become courageous.

Now, in the China region, even mercenary guilds appeared. Some guilds even changed their names to XX mercenary group.

It was not only a change in name, as even the entire structure changed.

Members of the mercenary guilds were basically combat members. To aid in field battle, their occupation combinations would change and be totally different from when they were trying to level up.

Leveling groups basically had every occupation and focused on balance.

Mercenary groups were different, as they focused on surviving. They did not face small scale skirmishes but large scale wars.

Hence, the occupations of the mercenaries were really important.

On the battlefield, adventure gamemode players would treat themselves like normal soldiers. Like that, only then would they follow orders and would not become a bunch of scattered sand.

Some guilds that were struggling to survive, under such a change, started to rise from the ashes. These guilds were all fighting style guilds that were not good at management.

The role of mercenary fitted them perfectly.

With that, player Lords and mercenary groups could help one another out in the areas they were lacking. The Lords provided good logistical support, while the mercenary group gave them combat strength, resulting in an equal value trade.

A strong mercenary group was a movable fighting division.

The various guilds, especially the top 10 guilds, had noticed this problem. Based on Lin Jing’s words, War-Snow Rose had started to build a specific mercenary group under them.

For this, she also wanted to apply for a batch of equipment from the alliance.

One could say that the actions of Qingfeng Pavillion was slowly changing the player structure of the China region. The divide between adventure gamemode and Lord gamemode players was slowing being filled up and broken.

As a reincarnated person, Ouyang Shuo understood that the situation forced this change. In the west, where mercenary guilds were the most progressive, this model had already matured.

In his last life, it would take one more year for this style to rise up in the China region. Ouyang Shuo, this butterfly, was continuously changing history.

Of course, territories like Shanhai City were not going to hire mercenary groups.

In his eyes, rather than spending money to feed a bunch of greedy wolves, training a loyal army was better.

However, in the eyes of the Lords of smaller territories, mercenary groups held a huge attraction. Compared to territory army divisions, they had two advantages.

Firstly, they did not need to be developed.

As long as a Lord had money, they could summon a huge army and start a war. Be it attack or defence, it would work out.

Moreover, to develop an army for the territory would take at least three months.

Hence, the more urgent the situation, the bigger the market for mercenary groups.

Secondly, the cost of hiring mercenary groups was relatively low.

From a long term standpoint, developing an army was more worth it. But in the short term, spending on a mercenary group actually cost less than building an army.

After all, building an army, apart from occupation change fees, one needed to give equipment, and salary, which would result in huge expenditure.

Just with these two points alone, the market for mercenary groups would only grow bigger and bigger.

One could even say that even some prominent Lords like Di Chen might hire mercenary groups during emergencies.

It was the same as saying that the appearance of mercenary groups was granting big powers like Di Chen a trump card. After all, the material goods in their territories were plentiful.

More importantly, through the mercenary group model, adventure gamemode players would participate more and more in the game. The rise in their use and status would also be forced and rushed under such a situation.

And this was also what Gaia wanted to see.

Earth Online, apart from being used to choose leaders, must include everyone. As the highest level of AI, it was neutral, and it was not biased to any side.

Within the main hall, Cao Can, as the representative, reported the battle situation.

During this battle, facing the two hundred thousand Taiping Country west army, the various divisions had suffered relatively large loses. The ones who suffered the most were naturally the Consonance City Legion, and they had directly lost fifty thousand people.

Apart from that, Luo Shixin’s division lost 1600 men, while Xunlong Dianxue’s division lost two thousand men.

After the battle, the various divisions were all badly hurt.

However, based on Ouyang Shuo’s plan, they did not have the time to rest.

The reason Consonance City faced such a tough situation during the Taiping Army west conquest was mainly because the other Lords of Yunnan Province just watched, although Ouyang Shuo letting it happen was also a factor.

Especially those in Kunming Prefecture, not only did they not help, they even arranged troops at the border and stared right at Consonance City.

Hence, Ouyang Shuo suggested that taking the chance while the Taiping Country army left, before the other Lords got the news, they could secretly turn around and destroy the other Lords in Kunming Prefecture.

One had to say, Ouyang Shuo’s idea was really too bold. Even Bai Hua was shocked when she heard it. However, after thinking about it, it did make sense.

Firstly, although Consonance City had lost troops and men, if one counted Luo Shixin and Xunlong Dianxue’s divisions, their strength had increased.

Both of them led top class divisions.

To assist Consonance City, Xunlong Dianxue had expended a lot of effort, and he had even sent the heavy armored cavalry division trained by Qinqiong.

The equipment of this division was comparable to the Guards Division of Shanhai City. Xunlong Dianxue had nearly spent all his money before he managed to purchase the equipment for them all.

Mingguang Armor, Horse Lance, Tang Knife, Strong Crossbow, and more; they were all well-equipped.

In addition to the leadership of Qinqiong, this division was comparable to Luo Shixin’s division.

Moreover, the strength of the Consonance City Legion, after the trial by fire of this battle, had undergone an explosive growth. Their personal strength had increased. Most importantly, they had gained more battle experience.

Not all territory armies could be like the armies of Shanhai City, being bathed and improved through battles on the main map. Normal armies would only have such a chance during the battle maps.

During normal times, they could only fight raiders.

Shanhai City was different, as they expanded their territory, their troops participated in many battles.

Which was why the Shanhai City Army would get stronger and stronger, and the gap between them and the other territory armies would grow bigger and bigger. One could say that only after being bathed in battle could one truly become an army.

Consonance City had undoubtedly gone through such a trial. In addition to the leadership of General Zhang Liao, in the China region, Consonance City could be considered a strong army.

The sum of the two was a reason why they had confidence for this conquest.

The second reason was pretty obvious.

The Lords of Kunming Prefecture were busy looking on at the action. Never in their wildest dreams would they think that Consonance City would swing their swords at them at this moment.

As it was unexpected, be it the Lords of Kunming Prefecture or Yunnan Province, they would not have the chance to ally up and form an alliance army.

Hence, as long as they planned the matter well, they would win with just one battle.

As long as they took over Kunming Prefecture, Consonance City would truly gain a footing in the Yunnan Province. The other territories, including alliances, would not be able to challenge Bai Hua’s position.

After all, Kunming Prefecture took up a third of the entire Yunnan Province.