Absolute Death Game-Chapter 518 - 16 Xuan Zhenzi’s Invitation

```

Boom! The catapult hurled a massive stone block onto the city gate, kicking up a cloud of dust. The wooden and iron-clad gate, though it appeared sturdy, couldn't help but shake violently under such impact. Fresh cracks were revealed where the stone had landed, and it was clear that if this continued, the gate wouldn't last much longer.

This ancient city had not been attacked in a very long time, so all the NPC soldiers were struggling to adapt to such an aggressive siege pace. As the city gate suffered significant damage, countless soldiers from outside the city began advancing toward the city walls in orderly steps, shouting slogans as they marched. The voices of thousands chanting in unison were truly soul-shaking.

The NPC soldiers, who were the city defenders, immediately called out loudly for the archers to step forward and prepare, waiting only for the attackers to come within range.

Behind the city gate and atop the walls, rows of NPC soldiers were ready for battle, looking serious but clearly lacking morale. This was no surprise since they were up against the Qingyang Empire, which had risen swiftly on the continent in just a few months.

Speaking of the Qingyang Empire, it was a name well-known to everyone in the game of Miracle, as it had become a hot topic recently.

Initially, people only knew of a group that had miraculously slain a Fire Element Giant Dragon, a feat on par with what had been achieved by Qilin Hall and the Awesome Empire for years. They promptly posted recruitment ads, attracting players who were either ostracized by these two empires or had previous grievances with them, as this was another power capable of standing against them.

After that, various rumors about the Qingyang Empire began to circulate in the mortal world, each more astonishing than the last. They claimed that the emperor owned a Black Dragon pet, that they had a top-notch intelligence network intimating the appearance of dungeon entrances, and even possessed detailed information about the BOSS's skill attributes. They would prepare specifically for each event, leading to the miraculous result of clearing dungeons without casualties. This struck directly at the G-spot of the game, where everyone sought top-level gear while fearing death.

Then, a group of players equipped with Divine Gear started to serve as walking advertisements for Qingyang. It was said that their gear was mostly of Dark Gold quality. Dark Gold! In this game, having just one or two pieces of Dark Gold equipment was enough to make you check the fortune calendar before stepping out, fearing being killed and looted.

Yet, these nouveau riche flaunted full sets of Dark Gold gear, almost as if they feared others wouldn't know about it. Under such a massive lure, many players who had been undecided were now tempted, and quickly Qingyang's strength surged.

After establishing its initial power, Qingyang wasted no time in embarking on conquest, swiftly annexing two neighboring states of moderate strength. However, they didn't obliterate them but instead recruited their militaries. The people of these two countries, which were hardly living above subsistence levels, found themselves rapidly advancing towards prosperity. Not only did this prevent any resistance, but it also made everyone quite content, resulting in one of the most harmonious invasions in history.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

This also indirectly demonstrated the Qingyang Empire's strength. After recruiting soldiers and buying horses, a formidable force was established, but Qingyang Empire was unlike typical nations as it was not content with the status quo. It immediately began expanding its territory. It's not uncommon in real life for emperors to want to extend their dominions worldwide across all eras.

But this is a game, where players risk their lives, so most people, upon getting their own piece of land, opt to stay home honestly. Until now, everyone had been peacefully coexisting, but the emergence of Qingyang disrupted this situation. Therefore, people speculated that Qingyang's leader must be a warmonger.

A war-like leader with the audacity to have a dragon as a pet.

The battle on the field was still heating up. At this moment, some players who had been watching from the roadside for a long time exchanged knowing glances and made their way in groups of twos and threes up the steps to the city walls.

It took a lot of courage to head up to the walls at such a critical time since the defending NPC soldiers were likely to treat any unfamiliar face as an enemy attempting to breach the city.

However, these players were different. Having spent half a month completing quests near this city and grinding for Prestige, their presence didn't trigger any alarm from the soldiers atop the walls. Some even mistook them for volunteers coming to assist with the defense and greeted them warmly.

These players climbed to the top of the city walls, and one of them looked down through the battlement's embrasure. He saw the Qingyang Empire's vast army stretching as far as the eye could see; even through a computer screen, the view was startling. And with the game's excellent graphics, it truly felt like stepping onto an ancient battlefield.

Above the city walls, archers continuously shot down at the invading forces, who, bearing standard-issue shields and advancing under a volley of Arrows, kept pushing forward. In the distance, siege engines and Stone-throwing Carts were lined up, relentlessly launching projectiles. Even though there was no explosion, the projectiles hit several NPC soldiers due to their close formation on the walls, accompanied by a series of chilling screams nearby.

```