19: The holy object moves, and the troops leave the infinite city

Sunset Plain, Goblin King City.

This city, built on the plain, was like a giant beast lying prostrate, entrenched in the center of the plain. Its walls soared into the clouds, meticulously constructed from massive grey flagstones, exuding a raw, unsettling wildness and power.

Above the city walls, teams of Goblin warriors in heavy armor patrolled with synchronized steps. Their physiques were far more robust than ordinary Goblins, and their eyes were indifferent.

Beyond the city walls, countless Goblins moved back and forth on the wide streets, forming a complete social system.

The fires of the city's blacksmith shops burned fiercely, with a constant clang of hammers; simple tents and stone houses were arranged in a dense pattern, and there were even places resembling markets.

Most striking were the figures, chained by thick iron, working numbly under the whips of Goblin overseers—humans, and other humanoid races he didn't recognize.

They were gaunt, with empty eyes, like walking corpses, hauling heavy stones and timber, maintaining the operation of this massive war machine.

At the highest point of the King City, within a palace carved from the skull of a giant beast.

The Goblin King, Bashaka, a figure almost as large as an ogre, with dark green skin that even wide, luxurious clothing couldn't fully conceal his bulging muscles, wore a crown also fashioned from bone. He sat on a throne made of bone and black metal, his eyes closed in meditation.

On his lap lay a thick book, bound in an unknown beast hide. The cover of the book bore no text, only ancient and twisted runes that emitted a faint glow. This was the Goblin tribe's sacred artifact—the world book.

Just yesterday, this world book, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly trembled slightly, and the runes on its pages briefly glowed red, pointing towards the northeast.

Bashaka slowly opened his eyes, a hint of solemnity flashing within them. An anomaly in the world book usually meant only one thing—a new “hero” or a “variable” capable of changing the ‘world’s’ pattern had been born.

“Northeast?” Bashaka muttered to himself, his fingers tapping the armrest. “In that direction, besides some insignificant small tribes and wild beasts, what kind of variable could there be?”

He disliked surprises, especially at this critical moment when he was about to move against the elves in the Twilight Forest. Any factor that could potentially affect his plans had to be nipped in the bud.

“Someone!” Bashaka’s deep voice echoed in the empty hall.

A Goblin, covered in black heavy armor, wielding a massive battle-axe, and with a face full of scars, strode in, dropping to one knee with a dull clang of metal.

He was one of the Goblin King City’s defense commanders, Grunak, known for his brutality and bravery.

“Grunak.” Bashaka looked at him. “The world book warned yesterday, pointing towards the northeast of the King City. Some… interesting changes have appeared there.”

“My King, what do you need me to do?” Grunak's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing.

“Take a team of elite Wolf Riders and scout that direction.” Bashaka’s tone was unquestionable. “Find the source of that variable. Remember, find it, clear it.”

“Yes, My King!” Grunak suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with bloodthirsty light, as if he had already smelled his prey.

He stood up, his heavy footsteps gradually fading away.

Bashaka closed his eyes again, his fingers gently stroking the rough cover of the world book.

“Soon, as long as I get the World Fragment from the elves, the ‘world’ will advance in my hands. By then, a mere Gold rank will be an obstacle easily crushed….”

……………

Under the shadow of the King City, currents surged, while at the distant other end, the war drums of Infinite City had already begun to beat.

Several days passed quietly amidst intensive preparations for battle.

Infinite City, training ground.

The morning light was just breaking, the chill had not yet completely dissipated, and the air was filled with a sense of solemnity.

Nearly a thousand soldiers had assembled, arranged into distinct formations according to their respective troop types.

At the forefront were Stone Rock and his Heavy Shield Guards and Tie Jia Bu Bing (Iron Armor Infantry). Their various scale armors gleamed with a cold, hard luster in the morning light, and their tower shields stood like a forest, forming an impenetrable moving bulwark.

Tie Shan stood beside Stone Rock, his gaze firm, clutching the edge of his shield.

Behind the infantry, one hundred newly promoted Elite ★ Halberd Warriors (Bronze-Upper), led by Mu Yang, stood proudly, with Huang Wei attending nearby. Their twelve-foot halberds pointed diagonally at the sky, their blades glinting with cold light, their ranks strict, exuding a sharp, imposing aura.

On both flanks, Zhui Yun’s Strong Bow Soldiers and Swift Feather Archers stood with bows drawn, ready to fire.

Further out, three hundred wasteland riderss sat astride their somewhat restless half-blood prairie horses. The riders stood tall, their curved sabers at their waists and riding bows on their backs silently speaking of their mobility and lethality.

The warhorses occasionally snorted and pawed the ground, eager for the command to charge.

And at the very core of all the troops, clustered around the high platform, were Bai Xiao and the fourteen Spirit Pivot Sword Servants he led.

They stood quietly, their aura restrained.

Su Jin stood on the high platform, his gaze sweeping over the neatly arrayed army below.

This was his first truly large-scale offensive since arriving in this world.

“Lord,” Huo Jun quickly walked onto the high platform. His face held a hint of solemnity. “We just received the latest message from the Falcons, combined with the close reconnaissance by the wasteland riderss, confirming that the Goblin Camp has not only recalled all its outlying teams but also has reinforcements from Greystone Keep.”

“Reinforcements?” Su Jin’s brows twitched slightly. “Numbers? Composition?”

“Approximately five hundred, according to scout descriptions. Their physiques are much more robust than ordinary Goblins, and their equipment is also more refined. They should be Greystone Keep’s elite—Big Goblins,” Huo Jun’s voice was steady, reporting the situation clearly.

Su Jin looked calmly at Huo Jun: “What is the enemy’s total troop strength?”

“Counting the original Goblins in the camp and the recalled miscellaneous soldiers, the total should be around two thousand. Among them, the five hundred Big Goblins are their core combat strength,” Huo Jun replied.

One thousand against two thousand. The enemy not only had elites but also held a geographical advantage.

This battle did not seem easy.

But so what? His soldiers were at least Tier 2 units, an elite force. What was there to fear from mere rabble?

His gaze was sharp as he surveyed the solemn military formation below. He drew the sword from his waist, its blade pointing directly southeast—towards the Sunset Plain!

“Infinite City, all soldiers!”

“Depart!”

“Roar—!!!”

The nearly thousand-strong army began to move, like a torrent of steel, majestically leaving Infinite City and surging towards that unknown battlefield.