It’s still Level 5 difficulty, but everyone is already panicking.
Even the Heavenly Dao Alliance commanders and garrison troops who had just arrived at the four city gates were stunned.
“Everyone, follow my command!”
“This monster siege is Level 5 difficulty—unprecedented!”
“The teleportation arrays inside the imperial capital have all been locked down!”
“During the five hours of the monster siege, no one can leave!”
“I believe everyone understands the stakes here!”
“Everyone, hold the line! Do not let the monsters break through and form a protective shield!”
“Tank-class fighters, step forward!”
“Mage-class fighters, step forward!”
“Healer-class…”
…
The same scene played out all around the imperial capital.
Every awakened one wore a grave expression.
Still, they followed the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s arrangements and began forming teams in batches. These were no longer five-person squads—they were divided into massive raid groups!
Personnel assignments, requirements—everything was laid out in detailed formation.
The monster siege lasted five hours, but because past difficulties had been so low, it never took anywhere near five hours for the siege to be resolved.
So many people had overlooked this time limit entirely. No one had ever paid attention to it.
But now things were different.
Five hours—that was now a countdown to death for everyone in the imperial capital!
They had to hold out to survive. Otherwise, the entire city would be massacred!
And the final line of defense was the main city shield. That was a last resort, only to be used when defense was truly impossible—to tank the monsters’ attacks head-on!
Everyone’s expression was grim, tinged with despair.
The excitement, the cheers, the liveliness from before—all gone without a trace!
Even the spectacular Hundred Cities League that had just concluded drew no one’s attention anymore.
When you’re about to die, who gives a damn about some Hundred Cities League!
But that wasn’t even the end of it.
While everyone was staring at the teleportation arrays outside.
Those arrays—large and small—changed color once again.
They turned a bright purple. Purple light pillars surged out from the teleportation arrays, as if countless purple beams had been scattered across the area outside the city!
Liu Xinxin and the others’ expressions darkened sharply.
“This is bad. It really is Level 6 difficulty. How is this possible? The datafication rules shouldn’t allow this to happen. Under normal circumstances, no main city could possibly pass this!” Liu Xinxin was bewildered.
“You said it yourself—under normal circumstances. But now my brother is here, so of course it’s not normal circumstances. Maybe the datafication rules have already factored Lu Ran into the equation?” Ye Hongyi mused.
From the look of Ye Hongyi, she wasn’t worried at all.
Lei Tai, however, was getting anxious.
He shouted, “How can you still be so calm? Damn it, if only my War Banner National Guard could come.”
Ye Hongyi said lazily, “What good would that do? A Level 6 monster siege—only Lu Ran is qualified to contend with it. Even if your War Banner National Guard came, it’d be useless. Not just your War Banner National Guard—including my Red Dress Pavilion, the Essence Water crew, even the Heavenly Dao Alliance. No one coming would make a difference.”
Liu Xinxin chimed in, “Hongyi’s right. A Level 6 monster siege means at minimum Level 60 monsters. Level 60-something, even Level 70 ones could appear. This isn’t something current awakened ones can fight against. Even the first-tier elites can’t handle it.”
Lei Tai gritted his teeth. Embarrassing as it sounded.
But he knew Liu Xinxin was right. That was just the reality.
“Then Lu Ran…” Lei Tai murmured.
“It’s been this long, and you still don’t have faith in Lu Ran? Don’t forget—Lu Ran’s Undead Touch can stack infinitely and control infinitely. And the Sea-Calming Trident can precisely avoid the imperial capital. Those monsters will be endlessly controlled, unable to even move. Besides death, what other possibility is there?” Ye Hongyi said with a chuckle.
Hearing this, Lei Tai scratched his head awkwardly.
“Heh, I guess I forgot. I kept worrying Lu Ran would be overwhelmed too. But if that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any surprises. Lu Ran soloing everything—the experience from that would be insane.”
But blind confidence wasn’t enough either.
Liu Xinxin mused, “There could still be accidents.”
Hmm?
Ye Hongyi and Lei Tai looked at Liu Xinxin.
Liu Xinxin explained, “You need to understand—the monsters that appear at Level 6 difficulty range from Level 60 to Level 70. The bosses and elites among them are also high-level. Lu Ran can one-shot monsters, but that requires the Blood Spear to be charged. Lu Ran’s Blood Spear was already depleted during the Hundred Cities League. Although it’s been charging for two or three hours now, the damage is far from enough. A single Blood Spear can’t one-shot all the bosses. Moreover, we’ve never experienced a Level 6 monster siege before, so naturally no one knows how many bosses and elites there are at this difficulty.”
Liu Xinxin’s words made even Ye Hongyi feel a bit nervous.
But then Liu Xinxin changed tack.
She said, “However, Lu Ran has other means. For example, one of the spirits—the Great Spirit Gathering—can summon the entire spirit race to fight. Even if just the Nature Spirit Queen Tina came alone, that would be enough. Plus, there’s the Dark Spirit Queen Siluo Luo by Lu Ran’s side. And at worst, there’s Nanami’s Yamata no Orochi.”
Liu Xinxin kept listing them off.
Ye Hongyi and Lei Tai felt their hearts bouncing up and down like a rocket.
“Geez, can you say everything at once next time? You scared me! Those three are Level 100 mega bosses. Dealing with these Level 60-70 monsters—even the bosses—would be nothing to them!” Lei Tai said, speechless.
Ye Hongyi blinked.
“That’s true. Taking stock of all of Lu Ran’s abilities, this Level 6 monster siege definitely shouldn’t be a problem.”
And Liu Xinxin continued adding, “Right, there’s also Lu Ran’s Skeleton Throne, which can indiscriminately control dark-type monsters. During the monster siege, even if luck isn’t on our side, at least a third of the monsters are dark-type and can directly become Lu Ran’s helpers.”
Ye Hongyi and Lei Tai’s mouths were twitching.
They couldn’t even remember all of Lu Ran’s abilities.
Yet Liu Xinxin kept going, “Lu Ran’s Undead Resurrection can also instantly control those bosses after killing them. As time passes, the more that die, the more helpers Lu Ran gains.”
All things considered, this was a war that couldn’t be lost.
But the reason Liu Xinxin and the others weren’t worried was because they understood Lu Ran’s abilities and capabilities.
They’d been talking for a while, but in reality, less than a minute had passed.
In that time, the entire imperial capital’s awakened ones had already fallen into panic.
Massive panic!
A Level 6 monster siege—something they couldn’t even imagine!
Level 5 difficulty, everyone could grit their teeth and push through, though the death toll would certainly be high.
But Level 6 difficulty? Forget it!
Those were at least Level 60 monsters!
Anyone who touched them would die!
