Chapter 127: Change (Part 2)
"Rumble..."
A series of heavy footsteps and the clanging of weapons immediately woke me from my sweet dream.
"What's going on?" I walked a few steps forward and asked.
"Lord, the Monsters are attacking again."
The Mercenary immediately saluted and said respectfully. There was no panic on his face from being attacked; instead, a flush of excitement appeared. It seemed they knew what this meant.
This meant we didn't have to abandon our advantageous defense; they were running here to their deaths.
I quickened my pace and climbed the small Watchtower I usually used for observation. Druv and Ai Er were already standing there.
"Wu, did you see? They're delivering themselves to us!" Druv turned his head, his steady, heavy face unable to hide his excitement. His Pressure was also immense; if the Monsters didn't attack again, he would have had to lead the Warriors in an assault, which would inevitably increase many Casualties. How could it be as easy as waiting for the enemy like this?
Looking from afar, the Cannon Fodder Team was still leading the charge, an vanguard composed of Fallen and Saber Cats. However, their Quantity was far less than the first time. Without Bishibosh leading them, they looked even more pathetic now. Seeing their momentum charging straight ahead, it was more appropriate to call it tragic rather than magnificent.
"Swish swish..."
The Platform and Arrow Tower, rebuilt yesterday, unleashed their Power. Taking full Advantage of the high ground, the Warriors unleashed an Arrow Volley from a distance. Even the Mages didn't make a move, seemingly saving their Mana for the critical moment.
"I'll go join in too."
Lars and the Barbarian Brother standing there couldn't sit still. They took out their Bow and Arrow and ran outside. Then, the others also left due to "temporary matters," leaving only Druv, who Cannot Leave, and me, who was too embarrassed to make a move because my Archery was lacking. We stood there smiling wryly.
Next came the Dark Hunters and Lancers, numbering less than a thousand, and the nearly extinct Quill Rats. Hmph, with such a small Quantity, they still dared to show up. I couldn't even be bothered to describe their pathetic appearance as they crumbled like a defeated army. Let's skip that.
Then came the most crucial wave. Having been heavily targeted in the previous Battle, only a little over a thousand Skeleton Archers and Dark Wanderers remained. When they began their charge, although Druv had a calm and composed Smile on his face, if you looked closely, his hand was tightly clenched. Let's see you keep pretending...
"Swish..."
"Boom..."
As soon as these Ranged Monsters entered range, they became the focus of attention. The Mages, who had been waiting, finally made their move. A series of Arrow Volleys and Magic bombardments instantly suppressed them.
"Good..."
Seeing this, Druv couldn't help but shout loudly.
"If we continue with this momentum, tomorrow... no, if we pursue the Victory, we can end this Battle today." "Warriors, keep pushing! You can reunite with your Family tomorrow!" He shouted from the Watchtower, and the Warriors immediately erupted with fervor. The overwhelming Arrow Volleys and Magic seemed to herald the arrival of Victory. If this guy were in my original Act, he would definitely be a first-class dangerous person skilled at inciting people.
The only threatening Ranged Monsters fell one after another. The footsteps of the melee army were also blocked outside the Ravine. As long as the Ranged Monsters were completely eliminated, it would be their turn next. Seeing this, my Mood also relaxed.
Although quite a few people were Sacrificed, this Battle seemed to be going a bit smoother than expected.
"Ah... ah..."
Just as I was thinking this, a series of startled cries mixed with calls for help suddenly came from the back of the Village. Then came a rumbling sound, an explosion like a bombardment, accompanied by the sound of houses collapsing...
Druv and I exchanged surprised glances, then immediately ran towards the direction of the incident.
Relying on Light Snow 's Speed, I arrived at the scene faster than Druv. The sight before me filled me with shock and anger. Dozens of Soldiers had already fallen in pools of Blood, and some injured Soldiers, along with the Warriors who had stayed behind just in case, were entangled with hundreds of Vile Crows.
It was the Vile Crows, these smelly and tough things. The sound of collapsing houses just now was probably caused by their "straight charge," right?
Damn it, despite all my calculations, I still missed a step.
I roared in anger and charged forward with Light Snow and the others. Soon after, Druv and others who had heard the News also arrived. These Vile Crows, whose Strength was even lower than the Fallen, were all cleared out by us before long.
"How is it?" I wiped the Blood from my face and hurriedly asked a nearby Soldier.
"Well, everyone arrived in time. The Warriors didn't suffer any damage, but..." The Soldier said hesitantly.
"But what?" I anxiously grabbed the Soldier.
"Don't be like this, Wu." Druv patted my shoulder.
"R-right... sorry..." I took a deep breath. Anyone, upon realizing they had been tricked by a group of Low-level Monsters, would probably find it hard to swallow their anger.
"No, Lord, it's nothing. The Villagers, it's the Villagers. Quite a few of them were captured." The Soldier said, enduring the pain.
"Villagers?"
"Captured?"
"Are you sure they were captured, not killed?" I asked in a questioning Tone.
"Yes, they were captured by the Vile Crows. Your subordinate is certain. At that time, hundreds of Vile Crows suddenly charged in. Everyone was caught off guard, and over a hundred Villagers were captured and taken away." The Soldier said with an Affirmative Tone.
"What exactly are these Vile Crows up to?" Druv punched a Tree fiercely.
"I just didn't expect that at the very last moment, we would still be one step behind." I smiled wryly.
Actually, regarding the Vile Crows of the Stony Field, because they were the only Monsters in the vicinity with the ability to fly, we had already taken special precautions against them when digging the Ravine. Although we hadn't scouted their whereabouts before the Battle, during the first Battle, even with insufficient manpower, we still left a portion of people specifically Responsible for guarding against them.
But they didn't appear at that time. Druv and I thought that the Vile Crows, by nature, Cannot Leave their nests, and therefore didn't follow the Monster Army. Yet, just as the War was about to end, they arrived unexpectedly.
What exactly was their purpose? If it was for this Battle, then why didn't they Attack during the first Battle? Wouldn't attacking now be too late? If it was for capturing people, then this kind of Tactics makes sense. But if it was just for this, then what was the purpose of starting this War in the first place, and what was its Meaning?
For a moment, heavy clouds of Question hung In Front of everyone.
"Lord, Lord..."
A mournful, hoarse voice startled me awake. I looked up and saw Butu.
"Lord Wu Fan, you must save Velas! I beg you, Lord! She's my only Granddaughter! Her father also Sacrificed himself for the Rogue Encampment! For her father's sake, I beg you, you must save her!!" Butu, with tears streaming down his face, cried out loudly from outside. He was stopped by a few Soldiers, but he immediately knelt on the ground, his forehead hitting the ground with loud thuds.
Velas? A picture couldn't help but surface In One's Head: a kind and beautiful girl humming a Melody, holding a spoon and a Wooden Bowl, presenting her proudest Momo Noodles In Front of me.
"Druv, I'll leave the rest of the Matters to you." I pondered for a moment, then quickly mounted Light Snow . I sighed softly and said.
"Wu, don't be reckless! The Enemy's Strength is unknown this time..." Druv exclaimed.
"That's why I'm going to investigate now! To figure out the Enemy behind this, that's the Quest of our Special Action Squad!! Don't worry, with Light Snow , if I can't win, I can at least run away." I said to Druv with full Confidence, though honestly, I didn't have much Confidence. But I couldn't back down.
"Sigh. I don't know what to say to you. Alright, but remember to act within your capabilities." Seeing my stubbornness, Druv could only sigh softly, then said solemnly.
"Tell me, which direction did the Vile Crows go?"
"Th-that way..."
"There's no time to lose. I'll leave the rest to you, Druv..." As soon as the Soldier finished speaking, Light Snow 's Figure had already leaped out.
"I wonder if Lady Akara and the others have received the News. It might be best to send someone to inform them." Druv thought anxiously, watching my retreating Figure.
After leaving Vita Village, I chased for about an hour, gradually venturing deeper into the Misty Forest. Then, the mist grew thicker and thicker, and this was the Result...
"It seems I really shouldn't have acted on my own. In such an emergency, I believe Kashya and that Old Man Fara wouldn't just sit by and do nothing, right? Why am I rushing? Hmm, no, maybe they won't make a move. I can't become dependent on them." While my Brain was filled with random thoughts, I cautiously moved forward in the mist. Even Light Snow , the King of the Jungle, seemed unable to discern the current direction, let alone me, a Directionally Challenged person?
The mist In Front of me was like layer upon layer of white gauze. Lifting one layer, there was another, endlessly repeating the monotonous color. Besides the sound of breathing and Light Snow 's Footsteps, there was nothing. I hadn't even encountered a single Tree. Was this not a Forest? The Question in my Heart grew heavier.
"Woof~~"
Light Snow , who was moving forward lightly, suddenly let out a low growl.
"Did you find the direction?" It was as if I had found a lifeline.
"Woof~~"
A sense of warning with unclear Meaning came from Light Snow . I swallowed hard. For Safety, I took out the Scepter with +2 Resistance Aura, then jumped down from her Body. One person and one Wolf, we slowly walked towards the depths ahead.
Light Snow truly was the King of the Jungle. Not long after walking, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the mist In Front of me was getting thinner. From being unable to see my hand in front of my face, I could now Reluctantly see the scenery one or two meters away. This way, even if an Enemy appeared, I would have the Strength to fight, and at least wouldn't be in a completely one-sided situation of Taking Hits.
However, my Footsteps became even more cautious. If the Enemy ahead was truly the mastermind behind this, then I would be facing an unprecedentedly strong Enemy, at least in terms of intelligence.
The mist grew thinner and thinner. The Trees I hadn't encountered after walking for a long time gradually appeared In Front of me. Only now did I roughly figure out where I was.
A large expanse of Primitive Forest. The Surroundings seemed to be filled with tall, towering Broadleaf Trees. Huge Tree Roots were intertwined on the ground, and grass grew lushly. But what was different was that these tall Trees were sparsely and orderly distributed from each other, and not a single Shrub Forest, which is often seen in Forests, was visible. It was as if it had been carefully tended, leaving only lush and thriving Large Trees and the lovely green grass covering the ground. Coupled with the faint mist, it looked like a Fairyland in the Forest.
In this scenery like a Fairyland, I didn't dare to be careless in the slightest. The more beautiful something was, the more Dangerous it was. The strong Danger signal transmitted from my Intuition made me feel even more that this place was strange and unpredictable.
As expected, I hadn't walked far when the light mist, which had become as thin as a layer of transparent white gauze, suddenly began to change. The faint white color, without me realizing it, slowly became stained with a layer of Blood red. By the time I noticed, the Surroundings were already enveloped in a layer of Blood. The thick smell of Blood permeated the Air, which even I could smell, let alone the sensitive Light Snow .
The picturesque Forest, the Blood-red mist, it was like the intersection of Heaven and Hell, the Edge between Light and darkness.