'That was embarrassing,' he sighed as he stepped out of the department store, feeling the hot rays of sunlight hit his face.
But he didn't let that little accident weigh on his mind for too long; after all, it was just an honest mistake.
'I should head right away to the bus station,'
Luck double-checked his phone for the bus schedule, noticing there was a trip around 4:30 PM.
'I need to wrap this up fast while I still have time,'
In History Empire Online, there was a three-day grace period after a war.
During this time, he didn't have to worry about invasions.
Good thing he had already streamlined the processes through an app linked to his online account.
It allowed him to check on resources, issue commands, and even communicate with his allies, though it was more of a click-and-play feature than anything fancy.
'Let see...' he opened another app, quickly navigating to the ride-sharing option.
A few taps later, he requested an Uder to his destination.
DING!
It pinged, signaling that his ride was nearby. A sleek black sedan car pulled up, and the driver waved at him.
Taking a deep breath, he checked the plate number of the car before climbing into the backseat.
"Luck Marshal?" the driver asked, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.
"Yeah, that's me," he responded, not bothering to mention his destination since the driver already knew it.
"Okay," the driver said, pulling away from the curb and merging into traffic.
He settled back and opened his phone.
Checking in on his empire gave him a sense of satisfaction; it was the one thing that really calmed him.
DING!
A message popped up from one of his allies, Queen Madona.
He had never really known whether this user was male or female.
But given that 90% of gamers in History Empire Online were male, it was a fair bet that this was just another guy roleplaying as a woman.
'To each their own,' he thought, deciding to identify her by her gameplay character.
Curiosity getting the better of him, he tapped on the message.
[Greetings, Unrivaled Emperor! I hope you are well. I'm pleased to know that our alliance is strong, and I have gathered significant resources for our upcoming campaign.]
Reading the message, he appreciated her dedication to the roleplay.
Her commitment was something that role-players all over the world would admire. It made the interactions more immersive.
He began tapping the screen, writing a response.
[Greetings, Queen Madona! Your news brings me great joy. How many soldiers have you prepared, and which empire do you plan to conquer? Your assistance was invaluable last time, and I look forward to returning the favor this time.]
DING!
[Ah, Unrivaled Emperor! Your support means a great deal to me. I have gathered a force of 15,000 soldiers and plan to target the Empire of Argan. Their defenses are weak, and I believe we can seize this opportunity for an overwhelming victory.]
Luck furrowed his brow, recalling the rumors he'd heard about Argan.
'Argan? Isn't that one of the top 10 empires in Asia? I heard it was attacked by an alliance of over 10 players and barely held on'
'If that's true, kill-stealing it would anger those players, especially since they were the ones who put the effort."
His mind raced as he assessed the situation.
This game was more than just brute strength; players had to consider diplomacy and political relationship as well.
[Queen Madona, we may be stepping into dangerous territory. Attacking Argan could provoke the wrath of other empires. I believe a more strategic approach is needed. Perhaps we should strengthen our forces and gather more allies before making such a bold move. What do you think?]
DING!
[Worry not, Unrivaled Emperor! I'm ready for the challenge. I've already spoken with Emperor Blazing Tiger, and we believe we can take on Argan with ease. United, those weak empires will have no choice but to give up! Our alliance will be unstoppable!]
'What? She got Blazing Tiger to team up with her? Well, played! Well, played!'