She was seething with anger, her eyes locked onto me like a predator ready to pounce. I attempted to brush off her aggression, but her intensity was too palpable to ignore. As I took in her appearance, I noticed that she was wearing a stunning dress, far nicer than anything I had seen in this city. It was clear that she was an important figure, and I became even more intrigued to know who she was.

I cautiously approached her, despite the fury radiating from her every pore. "Who are you? I want to know who I'll be killing today," I said, my voice laced with a sense of sadistic glee.

Her expression did not waver, and she refused to give me the satisfaction of a response. "You don't need to know," she retorted, her voice laced with defiance. "If you want to kill me, go ahead and do it. I don't want to waste my breath on the likes of you."

Her words only served to provoke me further. "I like your attitude, but the circumstances are different now. We're not exactly friends, and you're at the edge of my sword. So, just tell me who you are, and maybe I'll let you go."

Her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and fear, and I knew that I had the upper hand. "You're not going to let anyone go, not even children," she spat at me. "I know people like you. You're afraid, hiding behind false power. You think you have everything..."

Before she could finish her sentence, I swiftly removed her head from her shoulders. Her body fell to the ground, lifeless. I turned and began to take out the rest of the people in the area, relishing in the sense of power that coursed through my veins.

As the afternoon sun beat down on the desolate city, I decided that I needed to rest. I instructed one of my intelligence variants to set up camp outside the city walls, far away from the carnage. I didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place any longer than necessary. The minion left, and I watched as it set up a camp just outside the city gates. It was perfect.

I lay down on the bed, my blood-soaked suit making a sticky mess on the sheets. I didn't bother to change it, too exhausted to care. As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about the day's events, feeling a sense of satisfaction, but also a sense of emptiness. This victory didn't give me the same sense of peace that I felt after capturing Howard City. I wanted more action, more destruction. I craved it.

When I woke up later that evening, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains. I emerged from my tent and saw that another camp had been set up next to mine. It was Chloe's camp, and I felt a twinge of satisfaction at the thought of my enemy being so close.

I called for one of my intelligence variants to bring me food, and it quickly obliged. I ate my dinner in silence, lost in thought. After I finished, I opened the advanced control menu to check the strength of my army. This was a successful mission, but I wanted to see how many men I had lost in the process.

To me, the minions were nothing more than weapons. When a weapon was broken, one simply replaced it with a stronger one. I didn't feel any sadness for the loss of my minions, but rather a sense of detachment. I checked the army section of the menu and saw that my army had taken a significant hit, but it was nothing that couldn't be replaced. I would rebuild and come back stronger than ever before.

-

<Advanced System Controls>

~

Army~

[Combat Division - Standard] ( 7150 Minions)

-5025x Advance Warrior Minion

.. 110x Intelligence Variant [ Stage 1]

…. 15x Intelligence Variant [ Stage 2]

.. 2700x Brute Strength Variant [ Stage 1]

…. 1150x Brute Strength Variant [ Stage 2]

.. 900x Technique Variant [ Stage 1]

…. 150x Technique Variant [ Stage 2]

- 960x Warrior Minion

- 50x Scout Minion (Swordplay)

.. 140x Silent Killer (Swordplay)

- 1150x Scout Minion (Archery)

~[Combat Division - Magic] (80 Minions)

- 0x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Residential Heater)

- 10x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Projectile Controller)

- 13x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Flamethrower)

- 15x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Ice Warrior)

- 10x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Arctic Wind)

- 10x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Water Manipulator)

- 10x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Defensive Wind)

- 0x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Visceral Turbine)

- 5x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Projectile Enhancer)

- 10x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Brute)

- 5x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Solid Control)

- 2x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Land Scaler)

~

~

The battlefield was silent, the only sounds came from the wind as it blew through the torn flags and banners. The smell of death was heavy in the air, mixed with the scent of burning buildings and smoke. My army was victorious, but the cost of the battle was high. I had lost 700 of my men, which was a staggering number, but I knew that it was a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

Despite the heavy losses, our victory was significant. We had gained control of two of the largest and most prosperous cities in the world. These cities were vital for our empire's growth and dominance, and the victory had secured our place among the most powerful players in the game. Our opponents had underestimated our strength and paid the price for their folly.

As I looked at the battlefield, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in my soldiers. They had fought bravely and without hesitation. They had given their lives to secure our victory and protect our land. The memories of their sacrifice would remain with me forever.

After assessing the army's status, I decided to shift my attention to the resource section. I wanted to know how much loot we had collected from the defeated cities. When I opened the section, my eyes widened in disbelief. The amount of resources we had collected was enormous. The gold, weapons, and other treasures would significantly strengthen our empire's economy and military might. We could now afford to train more soldiers, improve our weapons, and construct new buildings.

As I closed the resource section, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. We had won a great victory, and our empire was stronger than ever before. We were now one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal of dominating the game and becoming the most powerful force in the virtual world.