Chapter 224: Building Connections, Cutting Ties (Thanks to Brother Su Shikong for the gift)

It was now a wartime environment, and a 300,000-strong Fruit Ability User Army was about to attack the Sanctuary. The total number of student Players, combined with the invincible Guild Players, was less than 1,000—only a little over 900.

There was a massive disparity in numbers. As everyone knew, quantitative change could lead to qualitative change. With 900 people against 300,000 Fruit Ability Users, even Kamiyu dared not claim the advantage was on her side.

What made Kamiyu even more wary was that these 300,000 Fruit Ability Users were all at least fourth-tier in strength. Even more terrifying was that they had no consciousness. Having no consciousness meant they felt no pain, feared no death—like robots capable of sweeping through everything.

Thus, Kamiyu devised an Enhancement plan: produce more Magic Cannons and Magic Artillery Shells, along with various mid-to-short-range offensive fortification Weapons: Gatling Machine Cannons, letter mines, fragmentation grenade launchers, and so on.

Although these sounded like modern Weapons, it was because the creators of the Black Sphere had fused modern Weapons with Crimson Earth magical artifacts to create the Sanctuary’s fortifications.

Kamiyu would also Enhance these offensive fortification Weapons, just as she had Enhanced the Magic Cannons.

Back at the square, with Kamiyu, Li Changde, and others “controlling the scene,” they leveraged the Players’ unwillingness to fall behind or admit defeat, motivating everyone to actively and urgently join the Guild. Out of several hundred Newcomer Players, only twenty or thirty were filtered out—or had never intended to join a Guild from the start.

With a major battle imminent, everyone had to contribute. No one could use “playing solo” as an excuse to avoid going to the front lines to gather materials and level up. Even if the materials collected were used to craft various fortifications, the Experience gained and the levels achieved were undeniably their own. Who would be so foolish as to pass up such a great opportunity to level up with experienced leaders guiding them?

Naturally, Kamiyu wouldn’t indulge such people. She immediately revoked their Permission to operate offensive and defensive fortifications, letting them go wherever they pleased.

Where there are people, there are conflicts; where there are conflicts, there are rules. These were Kamiyu’s rules. She was not a weak, easily bullied lord who was easy to talk to or push around.

Of course, those people didn’t dare approach Kamiyu directly. They went to Xiao Zhong, asking him to plead with Kamiyu on their behalf.

“Out of respect for our shared time as classmates, let us join the Guild.”

“They’re deliberately keeping us out of the Guild. I have an A Tier Talent, yet those with D-Class Talents get to scavenge alongside them. What kind of logic is that?” one student shrilly protested the unfairness.

Xiao Zhong thought to himself, “What’s unfair about it? You were the ones who defied Miss Kamiyu first, without even assessing the situation. First, your lives were saved by Miss Kamiyu from the Bunker. If not for her, you would have been devoured by the Student Council long ago.

Second, the Sanctuary’s current scale, providing everyone a safe place to eat and sleep, is entirely thanks to Miss Kamiyu and everyone’s efforts. Without Miss Kamiyu, we wouldn’t even know where we’d have died.”

Xiao Zhong reflected that some words would be inappropriate for Kamiyu to say herself—it would seem petty. The unpleasant tasks needed to be handled by him.

He sneered, “Weren’t you the ones who said you’d Squad Up and form your own Squad? Why aren’t you doing it now?”

“This is completely off base. We thought Kamiyu would issue us equipment,” one student said.

“Right, why does she give gear to that Guild’s people but not us? It’s unfair, she’s playing favorites,” another student chimed in.

“Xiao Zhong, you’re so close to her and can control the Black Sphere. Could you put in a word for us? Even if she won’t let us join the Guild, just getting us a few weapons would be fine. We’ll play on our own.”

Xiao Zhong chuckled inwardly: “This guy doesn’t know his place. I’m just a small soldier under Miss Kamiyu—where would I have any say? Asking me to use my control over the Black Sphere to ‘pressure’ Miss Kamiyu into listening to me—this person is purely pushing me toward death.”

“Besides, if you want rewards, the first step is to put in the effort. Weapons and equipment are available—go grind in Instance Dungeons yourself. There are plenty there.”

However, Xiao Zhong didn’t say this outright. He weighed his words carefully and said, “Resources are so tight right now, materials are only…”

“Then why is she willing to give to people with D-Class Talents but not to us A Tier Players? According to her philosophy, the strong should seize everything!” This person loudly interrupted Xiao Zhong, causing many who hadn’t yet set out to turn and look in their direction.

“Boom.” Xiao Zhong’s heart gave a violent jolt.

“The strong plunder everything”—this was a taboo phrase for Kamiyu and for most of the student Players here. Even if you privately acknowledged it, you absolutely must not bring it up, let alone shout it out publicly.

Because the Fear Emperor and his minions, the Ability Users, followed this very policy—the strong plundering everything from the weak, including their lives—using it to slaughter humans, to slaughter us. These Ability Users were using this principle every second to strip the weak of their lives.

These people actually acknowledged the enemy’s “policy and principles”—they were utterly insane, with no grasp of politics. In ancient times—no, even in modern times—they would be singled out by their own Camp as examples and sacrificed to rally the troops.

Xiao Zhong glanced around, looking to see where Miss Kamiyu was, whether she had heard. No, even if she hadn’t, someone would surely report what had just happened to her. There was no shortage of people here eager to advance. Not long ago, Li Changde had even sent his own people into the Black Sphere Room. Li Changde might use this as an opportunity to make a move and eliminate him.

More importantly, “the strong plunder everything” could potentially be twisted by those with ulterior motives to insinuate or attack Miss Kamiyu. Because her current plan involved collecting the Spoils of War everyone obtained—though she only took materials, nothing else, using those materials to build the Sanctuary, weapons, and equipment, which would then be returned for everyone to use, to grow stronger together. It was completely different from those Ability Users.

Although Xiao Zhong was a STEM major, he was diligent and eager to learn, having audited history department courses as an elective. He was highly sensitive to these kinds of political maneuvers.

Time waits for no one. He immediately distanced himself from these people, taking a few steps back and loudly rebuking them: “How can you endorse the enemy’s misguided ideology? The strong must never, and should never, plunder everything from the weak.”

Xiao Zhong not only had to cut in, but also had to “circle back” to praise Kamiyu. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw everyone looking over—not only members of the Student Legion but also Guild members from Invincible. So he spoke even louder: “The strong must protect the weak, and the weak must support the strong. Both must coexist for mutual benefit.”

“Not bad, this kid,” a Frontline Team squad leader nodded in acknowledgment.

“Senior Xiao Zhong is so cool,” a girl exclaimed admiringly.

“Classmate Zhong is right. We must support Miss Kamiyu. Everyone should unite around Miss Kamiyu, work hard to gather more materials, and come back to build a better home,” a teacher, understanding Xiao Zhong’s words, immediately backed him up.

Some clever students quickly followed the teacher’s lead, chanting, “Support Miss Kamiyu!” repeatedly.

Kamiyu stood on the City Wall, watching the commotion below, feeling both amused and exasperated. Once again, she felt dragged into a whirlpool for no reason, always being talked about. Is this the treatment of a Powerhouse?

• First time receiving such a big gift. Special thanks to Brother Su Shikong for pulling out all the stops. Thank you all for your support. Extra updates today, with one more coming tonight.