Chapter 101: Third Challenge 2
She figured this out by asking her spy personnel, who were part of the main army, to blend in and ask the locals, who were never shy about their leaders.
But she also sent in powerful cultivators who could hide from prying eyes and determine the leaders' personalities.
She sent envoys to nearby cities with good leaders, proposing alliances and trade agreements.
Some were skeptical, but many saw the benefit of joining forces with her. She gained more soldier cards with each successful alliance, strengthening her army.
She did this because she wanted powerful helpers to assist her when conquering new lands.
And this is important as fighting will never solve everything in the real world, so having experience in this now can help the challengers in the long run.
'Now, it's time to expand our territory,' she thought as she looked at her ever-growing army.
She could see that the soldiers needed fighting experience, which they could only gain by going to the front line.
Huang Xinyi led her army to the border of the neighboring land. The enemy forces were much stronger than hers, but she had a strategy.
She divided her army into smaller units, each led by a trusted commander. They executed a series of coordinated attacks, catching the enemy off guard.
"Move quickly and strike hard!" Huang Xinyi said to the commanders, her voice steady and commanding.
She did this because she did not want her other targets to figure out how they operate, so moving quickly would minimize the risk.
What about the after-battle situation? She planned to seek help from her allies, who would help her stabilize the situation. In return, they would receive monetary and other rewards after this expedition.
This lessened her burden and allowed her allies to gain something from it, which would have a positive effect in the future.
Understanding her motives, her commanders moved precisely, their training evident in every step.
The battle was intense, with sword clashes and warrior cries filling the air. Huang Xinyi stayed at the forefront, leading by example.
She used her combat skills and strategic mind to outsmart the enemy and won with the lowest casualty rate.
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'We need to capture their resources and block their supply lines,' she thought as she viewed the maps showing any choke points that could be taken over.
Doing this could help her minimize her losses and let them surrender much more peacefully.
Once the enemy was defeated, Huang Xinyi ensured that the captured territory was well-managed.
And in doing so, she gained more soldier cards from the captured cities, further boosting her military power.
Along with that, she also found the Internal Affairs personnel cards.
These cards summoned Internal Affairs personnel who would help her manage the territory much more effectively.
She established new outposts and redistributed resources to support her expanding army.
Internal Affairs took care of the newly added people, ensuring their safety while giving them the same treatment as her own citizens, which boosted Huang Xinyi's popularity.
As all the other leaders would turn them into slaves and would never care about them.
Huang Xinyi regularly met with her commanders, allied leaders, and Internal Affairs officers to discuss strategies and resource management.
She implemented systems to distribute food, weapons, and other necessities effectively.
And the final test is where she would defend her territory from unforeseen attacks.
And this was done when a neighboring territory launched a surprise attack. Huang Xinyi quickly figured out the situation and mobilized her forces to ensure that no unharmed citizens were in danger.
She used her knowledge of the terrain and the strengths of her army to set up ambushes and defensive positions.
"Hold your ground! Protect our lands!" one of the female commanders commanded, her voice carrying across the battlefield.
The neighboring territory was prepared for this battle, and most of their troops were brought there.
Huang Xinyi's soldiers fought valiantly, repelling the invaders with their lives because they knew their families depended on them.
Soon, days passed with no end in sight, but then suddenly, Huang Xinyi, who had not appeared on the front line, came out with a man's chopped head in her hands.
This was the leader of the other territory; when this surprise attack happened, she and her most elite group went deep into the enemy lines and killed the leader.
But doing this made her lose most of the Elite guard that she had painstakingly raised.
Huang Xinyi then led a counter-attack, driving the enemy back and instead occupying their lands.
The simulated space tested her at every turn, but Huang Xinyi solved each challenge. She gained more confidence with each one she passed, which led her to finish the new ones at a much quicker pace.
She proved her leadership, strategic mind, and ability to inspire those under her command.
Then she led her people and started building her own empire, with the former allies becoming her vassals and helping her govern her territory.
Seeing this, the deep voice returned, echoing through the space.
"Congratulations, Huang Xinyi. You have proven your leadership and strategic prowess by successfully completing the Trial of Dominion."
"By completing the final challenge, you receive the citizens' complete initial trust value, along with the recognition of the Guardian spirit of the City, five Army expansion cards, and the final key to the city lord's treasury."
Huang Xinyi smiled as she felt a surge of relief. She had done it. She had built an army, expanded her territory, and managed resources and alliances effectively.
Her vision blurred again, and she returned to the empty city barracks. She was on the ground, and no one else was around.
So she hurriedly got up and made her way towards the barracks' exit. As the door opened, she saw Xu Qianghua smiling at her.
"Well done, Xinyi," he said, his voice filled with pride. "You have finished all the challenges in three days."
"Thank you, Master," Huang Xinyi replied, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.
And before they could say anything, they heard the voice of the World's Will in their minds.
"Congratulations, your summoned person is the first person to complete the City Lord's challenges."
"You and Huang Xinyi each get a cultivation level upgrade. You receive the citizens' complete initial trust and the recognition of the Guardian spirit of the City."
Xu Qianghua heard this and could not help but smile as he had basically achieved what many months in his last life took in a matter of days.
All this had to do with the beautiful lady in front of him. This made Xu Qianghua, who could not control himself, hug her and twirl around with joy.
Huang Xinyi, who was held in his arms, smiled at his actions and could not help but blush as she did not expect this reaction from him.
But then she realized that she did not mind this sort of behavior. This made her doubt herself, as she had never allowed any other man to do what Xu Qianghua was doing right now.
However, she soon saw other citizens looking their way with their hands pointing toward them, which made her so shy that she wanted to find a room and lock herself in.
"Master, stop spinning around like an idiot," she said as she chuckled. "You are embarrassing us."
Xu Qianghua laughed and stopped spinning as he nodded and smiled at her.
"That's good, Xinyi." He said, still holding her in his arms. "You have done well."
The World Will's voice continued.
"As Huang Xinyi is the first person to finish the challenges, you and she will have your names engraved on a special monument that will be erected after the first 100 people finish these challenges."
"In addition, this achievement will be known throughout the entire continent and even to other continents in a few moments."
"So, would you like to use your real name or your player ID?"
Xu Qianghua nodded. "Player ID."
He picked this because even though he knew that his real name would not be hidden for long, the people he had befriended before do not know his real name.
Using his ID, he can tell them where to find him. This is because, along with his name, the World's Will also tells the other players which city it is so they can move here if they wish.
After a few seconds, everyone on Nexara heard the World Will's voice.
"Congratulations to Huang Xinyi and her summoner Qiangqiang on completing the City Lord's challenges of Jingzhong City."
"As they are the first ones to complete, they receive additional rewards, which are a minor realm upgrade to both parties, 50 Army expansion cards, and finally, they get the army realized from the third challenge simulation."
When the players heard this, their jaws dropped as most of them were still in the inn, perfecting their powers.
As for others, they also had a similar expression, but their reaction was much less than that of the players as they do not have any cultivation base like the players.
This led them to believe that Xu Qianghua was a government worker or part of the people who had brought them to this world.
As many of them are still in disbelief that their old world is gone.