SEC Chapter 348 Iron Curtain City
Chapter 348 Iron Curtain City
At almost the same moment that the "Dark Raven Group" and other forces, including the "Raging Waves," finalized their vicious plot in the "Yellow Springs Chamber" of the "Oborozuki-ya," the cherry blossom-clad Crimson Moon Castle...
In another vast region of the mainland, in a level-three main city called "Iron Curtain City," which belongs to the player community of the United States, a similar undercurrent is surging in a different style.
The style of Iron Curtain Castle is completely different from the Japanese elegance of Scarlet Moon Castle; it leans more towards a rugged, practical, and cold industrial feel.
The city walls are made of a mixture of thick granite and steel, the buildings are angular, the squares are spacious but somewhat empty, and there are bars, fighting arenas and equipment shops everywhere that bear the cultural imprint of the United States.
The commotion here also carries a sense of panic and urgency, but even more so, it is permeated with an undisguised dominance and desire for control.
If the darkness of Crimson Moon City is hidden beneath the dry landscape of an elegant courtyard, then the shadow of Iron Curtain City is more like a cold mist lingering between steel skeletons, direct and dangerous.
Slightly north of the city center, there is an unassuming, even somewhat dilapidated, three-story stone building with a rusty anvil sign hanging at the entrance. This is nominally a long-established forging workshop called "Heart of the Furnace".
However, in the eyes of those in the know, its underground section is one of the places where the real power struggles in Iron Curtain City converge.
After passing through several secret magical verifications and identity checks, and traversing a dimly lit passageway, one can finally reach the underground space known as the "Strategy Room."
At this moment, the "strategy room" is brightly lit.
Instead of tatami mats and low tables, there is a huge oval table made from a single piece of obsidian, surrounded by high-backed leather chairs.
Instead of decorative paintings, the walls were covered with huge, ever-changing magical maps that displayed the distribution of power, resource points, and known strongmen in the area surrounding Iron Curtain City and beyond.
The air was filled with a faint smell of cigars, leather, and a cold, metallic scent.
Seven people sat around the long table. Compared to the sinister and reserved nature of the five-person group in Scarlet Moon City, the atmosphere here was more outwardly assertive and directly calculating.
Seated to the left of the head of the table was a tall, burly white man, as large as a brown bear.
He had neatly trimmed short brown hair, a strong facial structure, a short beard, and a pair of sharp blue eyes, full of aggression and a desire for control.
He wore specially made half-body plate armor that combined defense and agility, and his bare, thick arms were bulging with muscles and visible veins.
His name is Marcus DuPont, level 28, and he is the holder of the SS-grade talent [Thunder Herald].
This talent allows him to wield the power of thunder, with attacks inflicting paralysis and armor penetration. Each time he releases a thunder-type skill, his attack speed and critical hit rate will increase. Furthermore, within the thunder domain, he ignores 30% of the enemy's defense, making him a battlefield vanguard wielding divine punishment.
Marcus is the guild leader of "Imperial Bulwark," the largest guild in Iron Curtain City.
He is strong-willed and domineering, and believes in absolute power and order—an order centered on him, of course.
Among players in the United States, he is known for his decisive, iron-fisted style and formidable ability to launch direct attacks.
Seated to the right of the head of the table was a relatively thin but equally wiry white man.
He had meticulously combed blond hair, a handsome face with a slightly effeminate look, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that were always pursed into a calm, straight line.
He wore a well-tailored dark blue mage's robe, with intricate silver runes embroidered on the cuffs and collar, and toyed with a crystal ball that kept changing colors in his hand.
He is William Rockefeller, level 28, and the holder of the SS-grade talent [Secret Calculation Web]. William is the behind-the-scenes mastermind of the "Iron Curtain City United Merchants Association" and also the president of the elite guild "Arcane Truth Society".
This talent allows him to deduce the overall situation, accurately predict the enemy's movement trajectory, mark targets and share their weaknesses with allies, and also disrupt the skill release rhythm of enemies within range, just like a behind-the-scenes mastermind controlling the game.
Unlike Marcus's straightforwardness, William was known for his shrewdness, strategic planning, and resource integration, earning him the nickname "Silver Fox."
He appears mild-mannered, but in reality, he is cunning and seeks more subtle control and the greatest possible gain.
These two individuals were the organizers of this secret meeting, and among the player forces in Iron Curtain City and even the surrounding United States, they were the top figures who felt most threatened and most fearful of the sudden emergence of the name "Lin Tian".
Lin Tian's incredible leveling speed, the rumors of his exclusive access to resources (whether true or not), and the halo of "the number one player at level 50" that weighed on the heads of all players on the server were not only a blow to their personal reputation, but also a serious disruption to their strategic plans to establish an early advantage and even control the discourse.
This kind of interference is something they absolutely cannot tolerate.
The other five people are:
Catherine Morgan, female, level 27, S-rank talent [Crimson Lash], the talent effect is to inflict strong life drain and excruciating pain on attacks.
The leader of the medium-sized guild "Red Rose" has a fiery temper and ruthless methods, and has a close relationship with Marcus.
Vincent Vanderbilt, male, level 27, S-rank talent [Shadow Walk], the talent effect is to be able to teleport without leaving a trace in the shadows for a short distance and greatly enhance the stealth effect.
The head of the intelligence organization "Grey Eyes" in Iron Curtain City, he is skilled in infiltration and intelligence gathering, and is an important collaborator of William.
Jack Carnegie, male, level 27, S-rank talent [Earth Barrier], the talent effect is to summon a solid earth and rock shield and greatly increase the physical defense of himself and his allies.
The vice-leader of the large guild "Iron Guard" (the leader is Marcus), specializing in defense, and a loyal lieutenant of Marcus.
Isabella Ford, female, level 26, A-tier talent [Extreme Cold Domination], the talent effect is to create a continuous area of ice, which significantly slows down enemies within it and causes frostbite.
A control mage, a core member of the "Arcane Truth Society," and William's right-hand man.
Roderick Stanford, male, level 26, A-tier talent [Tracking Lock], the talent effect is that after marking a target, he can perceive its approximate location for a long time and find its weaknesses more easily.
Skilled in tracking and weakness analysis, he is the scout captain of the "Imperial Fortress" and Marcus's eyes and ears.
It's worth mentioning that their initial list of potential contacts also included another female player who had risen to fame and possessed exceptional talent among players in the United States—Emily.
Emily is powerful and has a unique style of doing things, which has earned her many fans.
However, Emily flatly rejected Marcus and William's joint invitation to "discuss countering the Lin Tian threat" after only hearing their brief explanation, her voice calm yet distant:
"I have no interest in group hunting based on fear and jealousy. Lin Tian reaching level 50 is his own achievement. The preliminary rounds are a stage to showcase individual or team strength, not a breeding ground for conspiracy. I wish you a pleasant 'planning'."
This blunt reply turned Marcus's face ashen, while William merely raised an eyebrow and added it to his list of "uncontrollable factors."
The atmosphere inside the strategy room was heavy at this moment.
Marcus slammed his thick cigar against the rim of the ashtray, and spoke first, his voice loud and filled with suppressed anger:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I think we don't need to waste any more time confirming with each other."
That Chinese player named Lin Tian is no longer just a "powerful opponent," but a "variable" that we must face squarely and that may disrupt the existing balance.
His existence is a challenge to all of us, especially to the...order we have established here.