The Seventh District of Londinium swiftly descended into panic.
The people were not fools. When they saw the defeated Victorian army fleeing in disarray, they immediately understood what had happened. Some tried to escape, only to discover in despair that every route out of the Seventh District had been sealed.
The city defense troops, who had not taken part in the battle outside the walls, now stood blocking the roads to other districts.
"Why won't you let us through?!"
Civilians shouted as they grabbed at the uniforms of the garrison.
"Are you even Victoria's soldiers? Aren't you supposed to protect us?"
Their cries met only silence.
All that answered them were raised swords and spears, and rows of impassive city guards.
The Victorians had never imagined that Londinium would one day feel so alien, that the very garrison they trusted would turn their blades toward them and bar their path without yielding an inch.
"Calm down!" the squad leader roared. "This is to prevent spies from slipping through. If you're Victorian, go back to your homes and shut your doors and windows. Continue causing trouble, and don't blame us for taking action!"
"Open your eyes! Do we look like spies to you?"
His words ignited the crowd.
Fingers trembled as they pointed at the guards, hurling insults and curses. The city defense troops endured a storm of abuse and accusations. They were only following orders, but anger began to flare among them. One soldier drew his longsword and slashed it through the air twice, attempting to force the crowd back.
In the chaos, a young girl was shoved forward by those behind her. The tip of the blade grazed her neck.
Blood burst forth in a crimson spray.
She clutched her throat, her eyes wide with sorrow and disbelief, then collapsed to the ground. Her blood seeped slowly into the cold earth.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The crowd recoiled in horror.
"Murder!"
The cry tore through the street.
Shock and fury twisted their faces. Someone stooped to grab a stone and hurled it at the guards.
"Damn you!"
"Murderers! The city defense is killing us!"
"Let us pass!"
The sight of blood did not quell them. In that razor-edge moment, fear curdled into rage. People seized mops, stones, anything within reach, and began advancing step by step toward the guards, eyes bloodshot and wild.
Some did retreat home in terror. But when they saw others pressing forward with makeshift weapons, courage flared within them as well. Stones and rotten eggs rained down upon the city defense troops.
The squad leader staggered as he dodged the barrage, resentment and fury flashing in his eyes.
"Don't let them get closer! Hold the line!"
"Whoever lets me through, this gold is yours!"
In the chaos, the jeweler raised a gold pendant high above his head, his voice shrill and desperate.
Gold could tempt even the desperate.
Boom.
A tall, burly Victorian man tore the iron gate from his own doorway and hoisted it like a shield. After taking a running start, he charged straight at the line of guards.
The crowd split apart in an instant.
The next second, a terran battering ram crashed into the formation.
Bang.
Two unfortunate guards were slammed to the ground, and a gap tore open in the defensive line. The remaining guards faltered. Civilians surged through the breach, ripping down iron gates and wooden planks as they fled toward other districts.
The squad leader was knocked flat, trampled several times before he managed to struggle back to his feet. His face twisted with pain and humiliation as he watched the crowd scatter.
"Captain… what do we do?"
"We can't stay here. Fall back to the lieutenant colonel," he said through clenched teeth.
The city defense troops were no match for Victoria's regular army. Expecting them to stop the adventurers advancing on Londinium was suicide. In his mind, the city's fall was only a matter of time. Better to cling to his superior while there was still a chance. The lieutenant colonel might already be preparing to retreat. He had no intention of sacrificing himself to buy time for someone else's escape.
Without hesitation, he ordered the withdrawal.
They left without a backward glance.
The young girl still lay on the ground, her body twitching faintly.
Within minutes, a commotion rose beyond the walls of District Seven. Dozens of adventurers carrying heavy shields carefully stepped over the ruins and entered Londinium.
The expected counterattack never came.
The players exchanged puzzled looks.
"Where is everyone?"
"They didn't just run away, did they?"
"Wait… shouldn't there be city defense troops here?"
A scouting drone had just taken off when its transmitted feed abruptly went black.
"Didn't the advance team say the Military Commission set up anti-reconnaissance arts over Londinium?" another player muttered.
They lowered the drone to fly within the restricted altitude and scanned the area repeatedly, but still found nothing.
With no sign of resistance, they finally decided to push forward. At the same time, they relayed news of the empty streets back to the flagship, the Venus.
Yanfei was the first to notice the girl lying on the ground.
She rushed over, quickly examined the wound, and after a brief assessment shouted, "Medic!"
Yui, her long pink hair swaying behind her, broke away from the group that was searching for hidden enemies and clues. Staff in hand, she hurried to the girl's side. One glance was enough. Without asking questions, she began casting her healing arts.
Lost blood could not be restored so easily, but the wound itself could be closed.
Ignoring the blood that stained her clothes, Yui gently lifted the girl's head onto her lap, took out a bottle of healing potion from her bag, and carefully fed it to her.
The girl's sallow complexion turned deathly pale. Her hands and feet were still icy cold, yet she had been pulled back from the brink of death.
Yanfei frowned. She did not know what had happened here. The only witness lay unconscious before her.
The King of Dawn had ordered them to carve out a safe route leading directly to the Shard. District Seven was only the beginning.
"Move out."
After a thorough inspection, they found nothing unusual, aside from several apartment buildings missing their iron doors and a foul stench lingering in the streets ahead. Someone instinctively covered his nose and spoke through his sleeve.
"What about her?"
"For now, we leave her here. The main force's medical team will transfer her to the Venus," Yanfei replied.
She signaled two players to bring over a stretcher. They carefully placed the girl on it and carried her into a nearby safe house.
"Let's go."
More than two thousand players began advancing to clear the path. Naturally, resistance followed. City defense troops were thrown forward as cannon fodder, and remnants of the Victorian army attempted to stall them. More troublesome were the Sarkaz of the Military Commission, who resorted to every underhanded tactic imaginable to slow their progress, drawing gritted teeth and muttered curses from the players.
The second wave of forces soon entered Londinium. Many Terrans were among them. Their mission was to support the first wave while handling logistics and protection.
Having received the earlier transmission, the medical team moved the rescued girl into a temporary treatment center. Before long, more injured were brought in: city guards who had fallen from the walls, civilians who had broken bones during clashes, and even a captured Sarkaz mercenary from the front lines who continued pointing and hurling abuse until his mouth was gagged.
The operators of Tomorrow's Development worked in tight coordination, clearing obstacles, reorganizing squads, and treating the wounded.
At the forefront of the Venus fleet stood Felix.
He lifted his gaze toward the distant city.
Theresa stood at his side.
Behind him were Patriot, Mudrock, and Qalaiša.
Each of them possessed strength enough to stand against a thousand foes alone. Patriot's power rivaled that of Mudrock and Qalaiša combined, a force worthy of ten thousand men.
As members of the royal court, they held the right to enter Londinium and confront the Military Commission.
From beginning to end, Patriot voiced no objection. On the contrary, he held deep respect for Felix. Qalaiša admired how Felix had transformed Kazdel in such a short span of time. Mudrock had joined the Special Zone even earlier, leading the Gargoyles in building homes and helping construct the city as an operator.
Before them stood the fully armed Sarkaz of the Saviadel Legion, battle-ready.
The soldiers of the Battle Angel Legion stood ramrod straight, silent as statues. Their spirit and focus had reached their peak.
In truth, had Patriot joined earlier, Luna might never have had the chance to command the Second Legion, Saviadel. Yet without Luna's relentless dedication as legion commander, Felix might not have achieved what he had. Timing and fate intertwined. Her abilities and sense of responsibility had grown immensely during her tenure. The reckless child she once was had matured, though traces of that old temperament still lingered.
Since some of Londinium's defensive artillery remained operational. For that reason, Felix did not choose to fly directly into the city this time.
Instead, they advanced in armored vehicles, just like the operators before them.
Not long afterward, the main force of Rhodes Island arrived.
At the front stood Kal'tsit, with Amiya beside her. To Felix's surprise, the Doctor was there as well. Apart from the Doctor, nearly all of Rhodes Island's elite operators had come, including Touch, Mechanist, and several others Felix did not know well.
The operators following behind them, however, were clearly not on the same level as the legionnaires.
This was the first time Kal'tsit had observed the Sarkaz-composed Saviadel Legion, as well as a legion made up of entirely unfamiliar races, from such close range. Her expression remained calm, but her thoughts churned beneath the surface.
Though the legion's numbers were not large, their equipment and overall strength rivaled only the secret armed forces of a handful of major powers on the continent. As for the other Legions, composed entirely of women, Kal'tsit had never encountered their race before.
She had walked this land for many years, yet she was absolutely certain she had never seen beings like them. They resembled Sankta in appearance, but in essence, they were fundamentally different.
"Let's move."
Kal'tsit had countless questions for Felix, but this was not the time. She suppressed her curiosity and followed.
Twenty minutes later, the convoy reached the city walls of District Seven. Numerous camps had already been established inside and outside the walls. With the city defense cannons destroyed, the operators could rest safely beneath the ramparts. At the sight of Felix and his group, all the operators stood at attention and saluted.
"The walls of Londinium have fallen, but the walls within the Victorian heart remain," Felix murmured, then lifted his gaze. "Luna. Asuna. Eliminate all threats."
"Yes!"
The legion dispersed swiftly, slipping into every corner of District Seven like fish returning to the sea. Before long, they encountered resistance. The Sarkaz of the Military Commission had deliberately set up barricades and Originium explosives to obstruct their advance, but to Melira and the others, the traps were obvious.
As Felix walked forward, memories surfaced of the last time he had come here with the players. It felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, Siege had been nothing more than a naive gang leader. Now she had grown into a capable woman, one who shouldered her responsibilities without hesitation.
The operators accompanying Felix surveyed their surroundings. The once refined and industrious city now lay in chaos. With the so-called enemy army inside its walls, Londinium's order had collapsed entirely. Those tasked with maintaining security were fleeing in panic. The city had descended into complete disorder.
"Your Highness… the Military Commission headquarters lies just ahead. The Shard Tower stands beyond it."
Felix gave a slight nod. He caught sight of the complicated expression on Theresa's face, then continued forward.
"Any further word from Stainless?"
"The last message arrived an hour ago. The Self-Salvation Army's base was attacked by the Vampire Lord. Contact with Stainless has been lost, but intelligence confirms he is still alive."
Felix pressed on.
Ahead, the mercenaries of the Military Commission had formed a battle line, standing in his path with grim determination.
The final civil war would end here.
"Saviadel, heed my command!" Luna's voice rang out. "For His Highness. For Kazdel. Charge!"