Chapter 191: The Expedition
Chapter 191: The Expedition
"Good morning, everyone. It is Ivy, your favorite streamer. Another bright and sunny day. Today, I am taking you out to the wheat fields. Let us hope for a good harvest this year."
Ivy opened her livestream interface early in the morning and greeted her viewers with a lively, sweet smile.
She had once started on the same planet as Caelum in Evolution Wars.
This time was no different.
Caelum had begun in the east, while she had started in the west.
Because she spawned on the western continent, the game world had adjusted her appearance and hair color to a certain extent, turning her into a blonde woman with blue eyes.
The same applied to every player, including Caelum.
Their appearances had all been altered slightly so they could blend more naturally into their local surroundings.
It was a perfectly reasonable system.
After so many games, she had somehow run into Caelum again.
She did not know whether to call herself lucky or unlucky.
She still remembered the unforgettable scene in Evolution Wars when Caelum transformed into a colossal beast and destroyed a planet with a single breath.
The sight had left Ivy shaken for more than half a year.
At the time, she had been the only streamer to capture footage of the giant beast.
Her popularity had soared as a result.
Large open game worlds were extremely unfriendly to beginners.
Ivy had never liked seeking out suffering, so she usually chose games built around immediate combat.
Such games tended to have more balanced mechanics, faster pacing, and better entertainment value for livestreaming.
The moment Ivy went live, her fans erupted in celebration.
Messages immediately flooded across the screen.
"Waking up and seeing my wife Ivy’s beautiful face has already made my entire day better!"
"Go, Ivy!"
"I have not watched in a while. How is your territory developing? Have you managed to produce black powder and flintlock muskets yet?"
Ivy left her residence and boarded a carriage bound for the wheat fields.
She glanced at the comments, made a heart with her fingers, and answered sweetly.
"Thank you for the giant rocket, big brother. I produced black powder and flintlock muskets several years ago."
It was not limited to black powder and flintlock muskets.
Ivy had also produced nearly twenty cannons.
She had been secretly training musketeers for years.
By now, she had built a force of more than one thousand firearm troops.
Unfortunately, her territory was not wealthy.
This was already close to the limit of what she could support.
If she wanted to grow any stronger, she would have to begin a war.
At the thought, excitement shone in her eyes.
"Once the autumn harvest is complete, I will launch a war against the neighboring territories next spring. It is finally time to expand."
The comments raced past.
Her viewers were thrilled.
"Hurry up!"
"Overthrow the church! I cannot wait to see Sister Ivy crowned as queen. Queen Ivy!"
"Queen Ivy... Hehe..."
"I only have one request. Could you wear black stockings during the coronation? The doctor says I do not have long to live. I have never begged anyone for anything in my life. Ivy, my wife, could you grant my final wish?"
"Someone kill the guy above me right now. Sister Ivy, I do not ask for much. I only want to know whether the scepter in your hand during the coronation can be replaced with a whip."
"Any news from the expeditionary army?"
Ivy shook her head.
"The church still does not seem to have received any news from them."
More comments appeared.
"It has been far too long. I think they probably ran into disaster in the east. They might have been completely wiped out already."
"That was an army of three hundred thousand. If they really lost, then someone in the east probably developed black powder."
"That makes sense."
Ivy stepped down from the carriage.
An endless sea of golden wheat stretched before her.
Farmers were busy with the autumn harvest everywhere she looked.
The sight filled her with delight.
Wonderful.
All of this grain belonged to her reserves.
She glanced at the comments and showed no concern about any eastern invasion.
Instead, she joked, "The church’s army is guarding the mountain range. Unless the eastern army can fly over the mountains, there is nothing to worry about."
At that moment, viewers in the livestream noticed something unusual.
They narrowed their eyes and stared at the sky behind Ivy.
Rows of tiny black dots had appeared in the distance.
The dots seemed to be drawing closer.
"What is that?"
"Birds?"
"They look rather large."
Several moments later, the black dots grew clearer and closer.
Only then did the viewers finally understand what they were seeing.
"Holy crap!"
"Is this not supposed to be the age of cold weapons?"
"How long has the game even been running? What kind of monster managed to build those things?"
"Turn around! There is a surprise behind you!"
The livestream erupted.
Ivy stared at the flood of comments in confusion.
She slowly turned around.
The moment she saw the sky, she froze where she stood.
A deep drone rolled across the horizon.
The sound grew clearer and louder.
Before long, a formation of bombers tore through the sky and passed directly above Ivy.
The thunder of their propellers made her scalp prickle.
That was not all.
A line of airships was slowly approaching in the distance.
Even from the horizon, those enormous vessels carried an overwhelming sense of scale and power.
The aircraft ahead were merely escorting and scouting for the airships.
Ivy finally came back to herself.
"What the... This... I..."
She stood there blankly.
For a moment, she could not find any words capable of expressing the turmoil and disbelief inside her.
She had worked desperately to farm and develop her territory.
After years of effort, she had only just entered the age of black powder.
Then rows of diesel powered aircraft and airships flew over her head.
The gap was so immense that it struck harder than any physical blow.
Inside the livestream, comments flew past at a frantic pace.
"No need to wonder anymore. The expeditionary army is definitely finished."
"They really did fly over the mountains. Please share your thoughts with the audience."
"The church keeps talking about God and divine will. Let us see how they survive this."
"..."
"Well..."
Ivy spoke with uncertainty.
"They should be going after the major kingdoms, right? My little territory is poor and hidden in the middle of nowhere. Maybe I will escape their attention."
Her words seemed to possess some terrible power.
Not long after she finished speaking, the airships passed over her territory.
Figures began jumping from them one after another.
Parachutes opened in the air, carrying the soldiers slowly toward the ground.
Crates of ammunition and supplies descended alongside them.
"Wonderful."
Ivy rolled her eyes.
"I should have kept my mouth shut."