Chapter 298: Mechanical Divinity
“Those damned Knights are back again?”
“Looks like we’ll have to move our base once more.”
In the dim, damp cave, the flickering yellow candlelight danced across the walls. Starfire’s expression was grim, his voice low and serious.
After days of relentless pursuit by the army of the Duchy of Carter, the slave laborers he’d rescued from the Valier Mine had suffered catastrophic losses. Hundreds had perished—left behind in the depths of the tunnels, their bodies never recovered.
“They’re… too powerful,” Nick murmured, head bowed, his voice hollow.
One of his closest friends in the mine shaft had died in the battle. The forces sent by the duchy were terrifying—over a hundred laborers left behind as rear guards had been slaughtered single-handedly by the so-called “Eagle of Carter,” a heavily armored knight whose name alone sent chills down the spine. The sight of blood-soaked stone and broken bodies still haunted Nick’s dreams.
“They’re professionals.”
“We can’t keep fighting like this. The gap between us and these elite warriors with their supernatural strength is too wide.”
Starfire spread out a weathered parchment map across the table. He had earned his rank as a First-Class Warrior after the brutal campaign, but without any gear—no weapons, no armor—he was no match for even a single knight from Carter’s forces.
“Wait—”
Starfire folded his hands, resting his chin on them, eyes narrowing in deep thought.
“Maybe… we can bring in outside help.”
Nick gave a dry, wry smile. “The Northern Kingdoms have all issued ultimatums. They’d love nothing more than to see us torn apart. Even though they’re at odds with each other, they’re united in their hatred toward us—runaways, traitorous peasant laborers.”
“I’m not talking about the Northern Kingdoms,” Starfire said, a slow, knowing grin spreading across his face.
Nick blinked. “You mean…?”
Starfire’s lips curled into a sly, almost mischievous smile.
“Since they’ve branded us devils, beasts, monsters—then why not make common cause with another kind of devil?”
As a relatively well-known Plot Enthusiast player, Starfire had connections with several Internal Test Players. And now, those contacts had become his only lifeline in the desperate search for a way forward—for Ember.
He opened his Character Sheet and stared at the name in the Watch list: Steel Tide, the legendary leader of the Mechanical Divinity guild.
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Northwind Keep, Headquarters of the Mechanical Divinity — The Hall of Mars
The door bore a sleek, futuristic emblem: interlocking gears, glowing with arcane energy. Beneath it, engraved in ancient script, was a solemn oath:
“In the name of Sacred Binary, we sing aloud to Omnishea. Glory to the God of All Machines!”
The Mechanical Divinity wasn’t just a guild—it was a cult of innovation, where players had turned cosplay into a religion. Every artifact, every invention, every mechanical marvel was crafted with theatrical precision and spiritual devotion.
Inside the grand hall, Steel Tide sat hunched over a mountain of paperwork, utterly overwhelmed. At his side stood several Ogre Guards—officially there to protect him, but in truth, they were overseers, watching every move he made.
Ever since his last scandal—when he’d secretly used guild funds to build a prototype mech—the Lanpu faction had sent loyal enforcers to monitor him. Any major expenditure now required approval from above.
Steel Tide wanted to cry. In his own words:
“I’m not a guild leader—I’m a slave.”
But things were changing. The Mechanical Divinity had recently recruited a wave of elite, high-tier talent—real-world engineers, inventors, and magic theorists. They were rapidly advancing the guild’s tech tree, blending arcane science with mechanical precision.
They’d already developed Semi-Automatic Firearms, Howitzers, and were now designing a Magi-Mech Tank—a true fusion of magic and machinery.
A new era of warfare was coming.
Steel Tide flipped to the next document.
Project No. 127: Early Internet Architecture Based on the Weave of Magic — Remote Magical Terminal Connection
He swallowed hard.
In a guild full of geniuses, even he felt like a child.
“Holy hell… who the hell is this guy? How fast is this progress? If this keeps up, we’re really going to start the Sacred Binary era.”
Suddenly, a message pinged in his System Character Sheet—interrupting his thoughts.
Starfire: Tide, you in?
Starfire: Got any interest in funding some weapons?
Steel Tide: ?
He knew of Ember—the rebel faction led by Starfire. The Valier Uprising had made national headlines in the Kingdom Daily, becoming a sensation. The official press hailed it as the Mine Shaft Rebellion, praising the insurgents for their courage.
Steel Tide: So you want to make a profit without investment?
Starfire: Come on, that’s not fair! This is an investment in the future!
Steel Tide: I don’t have the permissions right now. Last time I built a mech, I got fined.
Starfire: Then just report it to the top. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The kingdom’s leadership will love to back us.
Steel Tide: …Fine.
A sly grin tugged at his lips. This could be the perfect chance to steal some extra funds.
And the weapons? Easy. Just send them a crate of discarded scrap metal and old rifles.
No problem.
He closed the chat window, then gave a gentle slap to the nearby Ogre, who was yawning and slumping in his seat.
“Feipi?”
“What?”
“Don’t even think about playing games. Don’t try to charm me. I’ve studied under Lord Lanpu’s accounting squad. You still owe the kingdom a debt.”
The Ogre, nicknamed Feipi, blinked slowly, then grumbled. “I’ve got urgent business with Lord Lanpu.”
“Oh.”
Feipi grunted, rummaged in his pack, and pulled out a glowing crystal. With practiced ease, he activated it.
A shimmering Magical Image flickered into existence—revealing the grotesque, unsettling face of Lanpu.
“What is it?”
Steel Tide’s face instantly transformed into a mask of obsequiousness. He needed to repay his debt fast, and he wanted to be free of the Ogre’s constant surveillance.
“Lord Lanpu,” he said, voice dripping with false humility, “the chieftain of the ‘Ember’ rebellion from the Duchy of Carter has reached out to me.”
“Oh?”
Lanpu’s tone remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly. He’d long suspected the Stellarfallen were behind the uprisings—and he welcomed it. Chaos was useful.
“They’re requesting military supplies—weapons, ammunition, rations—to sustain their resistance against the Northern Kingdoms’ pursuit. I was wondering… could we approve another allocation of funds?”
Lanpu paused. Then, with cold precision:
“No need to approve anything special.”
“Years ago, the army retired a batch of smoothbore rifles. They’ve been sitting in storage ever since. You can send them all to them.”
A beat.
“Once our production lines are refined into semi-automatic rifles, and the army’s equipment cycle completes, we can sell those outdated models to them at a discount.”
His voice hardened.
“And one more thing—don’t think for a second that you need to ‘assist’ these operations. The kingdom’s official channels will handle this. No need for you to meddle.”
“Of course, of course, Leadership!” Steel Tide beamed, nodding rapidly. “I’ll inform them at once!”
As the Magical Image dissolved, he slumped back into his chair, exhausted.
“Being crushed by the guild elites is one thing.”
“But now even a Game Non-Player Character’s intelligence is outsmarting me?”
In silence, he let out a bitter, internal wail.
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[Note: The interaction between Players and Indigenous Inhabitants will be deepened in the next few chapters. The main storyline will begin in two chapters’ time.]
(End of Chapter)
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