“At this rate Serabourg Castle and the palace will be toppled and then...”
The whole public order of Rosenheim Kingdom would collapse. The Embinyu Church would spread everywhere unchecked and the Kingdom would be on the path to ruin. The whole of Rosenheim Kingdom could become a hunting ground seething with monsters like the few regions on the Central continent and mountains of quests asking to defeat the Embinyu Church would be generated.
Either voluntarily or under the command of the king, famously difficult quests were generated in Royal Road that concentrated on the rebels but not one kingdom has yet to successfully drive off the Embinyu Church. Rather there were mass exodus of players from the kingdom, leading to it’s downfall.
“I should escape before it’s too late.”
Weed rolled his eyes. Outside the castle were the Embinyu Church army with hundreds of Wyvern Riders controlling the sky. To survive he had to escape the castle but there was only the perilous way out.
As Weed looked around several guild members or friends bunched together looking for an opportunity to bolt outside.
“Looking for people to escape together. Calling for Warriors.”
“Anyone know how to ride a horse? Planning to get away on a horse through the South gate. Looking for people to come along. Preference to people over level 300!”
“Anyone who can protect a merchant? If anyone could give safe passage I will give a 2000 gold protection fee. I am giving up my carriage, I just need to come out alive!”
The Square and the street were in a pandemonium as players sought for refuge. Even the ordinary NPC residents planned to escape. As the Embinyu Church slaughtered everyone with indifference, once all the residents were killed it would be impossible to re-establish Rosenheim Kingdom. Countless quests would disappear, technology would be lost forever, and manufactured goods would decrease leading to irrecoverable loss.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the appearance of the Embinyu Church is a true catastrophe.
“With the situation like this, we should escape as well.”
“Yes.”
Weed and Seo Yoon decided to squeeze in with the most influential group.
“Excuse me, two Warriors...”
“Our party is full.”
“Is there a place for two people?”
“We don’t accept strangers.”
Even at this moment, the people were lording over the newcomers. The high level players grouped together to survive by themselves. If people wanted to join in, they had to pay for admission and there was a chance that they could be abandoned during critical moments.
“Excuse me, two warriors that know how to contribute.”
“Ah, it’s the merchants that sold peanuts for an exorbitant price.”
“......”
This way, that way, it was difficult for Weed and Seo Yoon to join any group. With Seo Yoon’s PK status it was like entering the eye of a needle. Back then Weed had received PK status after hunting in Todeum, but in extreme cases a PKer could be attacked by soldiers so their movements were restricted.
All heads of the groups and guilds had a meeting.
“In a short while the wall and the gates will collapse. When the Rosenheim Kingdom’s forces are fighting, let’s rush out all at once.”
“Everyone rushing to a different direction.... Then we will head east.”
“Then we will head west.”
“Us, the south. The Embinyu Church will be to preoccupied with seizing Serabourg Castle, if we penetrate through the encirclement I don’t think they will chase after us.”
All groups coordinated their escape plans. But the group of 8 people that Weed and Seo Yoon were part of only looked around.
“Which direction should we run to?”
“I am going to the east. Karless-nim is part of it, so the chances of survival are highest there.”
“I am heading out through the south gate. Doesn’t look like many monsters are gathered there yet.”
The beginners were all forsaken to themselves but they had no choice but to be part of the escape plan. They would receive no protection as each group departed Serabourg Castle. Rather the chance was high that they would be used as monster bait, but the beginners had very little options left to them.
“Sigh, we don’t have the capability to follow after them.”
“Us under level 100, let’s just die fighting the Embinyu Church when they break through.”
The beginners sat at the Square in self-abandonment and each group separated, leading their people according to their favorable escape plan.
Weed fell in deep worry.
“No, never like this...”
If he revealed himself now, no group would reject him. He might be called a coward behind his back but something like that was a natural progression of life, something to endure and overcome. A sacrifice that liberates the underdogs!
Any end of the world movie had a touching moment where through the actions of a few heroes, many survive. But rather than becoming a hero, Weed wanted to be that one person who survived till the end. Sentimentality with devotion and sacrifice just made life difficult.
“I must avoid falling into that temptation. Must never fall into temptation.”
Weed saw many people sitting helplessly in front of him. Befitting of the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom, there were many beginners. There were youths, heads of households and even elderly.
‘If I ignore them, then most of them will die.’
Weed closed his eyes tightly.
‘Let me just take the coward's way out. Besides, not one person gave me a helping hand in my time of desperation.’