Chapter 796 What Fault?
Tian Ling City was already in battle mode. Everyone was much more nervous than last time. Even the little peddler didn’t dare to shout as loudly, as though afraid that he would attract a Hybrid Demon’s wrath upon himself.
……
After I repaired my equipment and replenished my potions, I went straight out of the city. Li Mu, Wang Jian, and Wan Er all met up with me along the way. After the battle of the Sea of No Return, we had taken some heavy losses among our members. At the very most, we could send out 1500 Steel Blade Horsemen, 2000 regular Knights, and along with the players from other classes, we would have a total of 7000 or so. However, if we’re just fighting against the Blood Giant Kehl, then it was useless to just rely on numbers. A BOSS of this rank clearly needed a strong NPC to attack with us. Thankfully we have Frost, so that wouldn’t be an issue.
Last minute tents and preparations were being made throughout Gale Forest. Wild bears, boars, and other forest animals didn’t dare to come out from the shrubbery. Gale Forest was practically and completely occupied by the humans. I continued trekking forward, and once I made it out of the shrubbery, I was stunned by the scene that was laid out in front of me.
The lake right before me was the rumored Deer Lake. It was the only lake in Tian Ling City that was directly connected to the Sea of No Return. Countless war boats were docked in the lake. All of the war boats that came from the Revered One had been made to look like the man made boats under Luo Lin’s supervision. Standing on the boats were numerous Magic Sword Masters and Level 4 Hybrid Demons. Each boat had a line tied to the end of the war boat with Stone Giants at the other end. Motherf*cker, so that’s how those Giants made it here?
The Giants had incredible vitality, and while they couldn’t swim, they couldn’t drown either. Although the Hybrid Demons couldn’t match the intelligence of humans, idiots always had idiotic plans. Just seeing this sight nearly made me laugh.
However, it is exactly this kind of stupid idea that left the Tian Ling City armies with no counterattack. Most of the Flame Dragon Army and Xia Yu Army soldiers were guarding the two banks. Cannon fire lit up on both sides and arrows flew through the skies, but none of it could stop the Blood Giant Army’s advancement onto our shores. Masses of Magic Sword Masters rushed onto land and clashed with the NPC soldiers.
“Another chance to earn achievement points?” Li Mu smiled, “I didn’t go back to Tian Ling City to repair my Neptune’s Blade for nothing. He pulled out his Neptune’s Blade and yelled, “Brothers, prepare for battle!”
There were only a few guilds that had built up a foundation to take on the Hybrid Demons. All of the shrubbery surrounding Deer Lake had been trampled flat or was used to make tools. I could see countless bodies lying on the banks. Clearly, a fierce battle had already been fought here. Only a few remaining small guilds were fighting the Hybrid Demon here and there.
The arrival of [Zhan Long]’s seven thousand man army was without a doubt a massive morale boost for everyone. The fifteen hundred Steel Blade Horsemen opened up the path and cleared out an area near the lake for us to set up our formation. Healers, archers, and other ranged players lined up into their respective places and began attracting the Magic Sword Masters towards us. [Zhan Long]’s remaining fifteen hundred Steel Blade Horsemen were all the cream of the crop. Over half of them were in possession of the Black Flame set. Furthermore, they had the support of the healers, which gave them enough of an advantage to not die while killing these Magic Sword Masters.
I raised my sword and dashed to the shores, killing the Magic Sword Masters one by one. Afterwards, I used a ranged spell to aggro a Level 5 Hybrid Demon Giant onto the shores. Several Steel Blade Horsemen rushed over and killed the giant in a couple of slashes. Once they obtained enough achievement points, they went out to search for the next target. ……
We had been fighting this battle for close to 20 hours, but nobody complained about feeling tired or weary. Ever since the Battle of the Sea of No Return until now, we were under constant stress and didn’t even get a chance to breathe. If the Battle of Deer Lake didn’t end soon, then this event wouldn’t end either. It was still early in the game however, and I could feel my heart beat faster in excitement. This time the Hybrid Demon Territory sent out three of their BOSSes. Luo Lin had yet to reveal himself, the Blood Giant Kehl was in the lake, and Han Lin had been killed. This time, if we could kill Kehl as well, then we’d have defeated two of the Hybrid Demon Kings!
The Hybrid Demon forces have always been a bitter pain for the players, and as the country battles draw near, we must deal with the Hybrid Demons behind us. Otherwise, how else would we be able to fight Moon City, Flame Cloud City, and Port City with all our forces?
I charged ahead, killing monsters left and right along the way. Without noticing, I had taken several dozen Steel Blade Horsemen all the way to the Flame Dragon encampment. I could see a hastily made stage set up at the center for the general. At some point, the old king and Princess Pearl had brought their own armies to the same encampment. I could see Theodore, Owen, Les, and Luke standing on the stage.
From a distance, one of the messengers shouted, “The Commander of the Royal Army, Li Xiao Yao, presents himself before His Majesty!”
I felt my heart sink. Motherf*cker… they better not waste too much of my precious time. But no matter what, I had to go. After all, if the old king was planning on rewarding me, then that would most likely mean more achievement points for me. I was not satisfied with just being a small general. I needed to climb the rankings to command more troops.
I carried my sword and guided my horse towards the stage. When I reached the foot of the stage, I slid off and sheathed my blade before stepping forward.
Crown prince Theodore didn’t seem very happy and he coldly looked at me. “Li Xiao Yao, kneel! Do you know your crime?!”
I stared right into his eyes and replied calmly, “What is my crime, and why must I kneel?”
Theodore let out another cold laugh. “You ordered your Royal Army troops to camp on the western side of Gale Forest. There isn’t a single Hybrid Demon there. It’s clear that you’re just afraid of battle. How could a cowardly man like you be guiltless?”
With a matter-of-fact tone, I replied, “The Royal Army already fought tooth and nail against the Sea Demons in the Battle of the Sea of No Return, such that we have taken heavy losses. We have but ten thousand men left. Over 80% of them are injured. Their battle power is less than a third of what it normally is. Telling them to fight right now is asking them to die. Your Highness, does your heart not bleed for your soldiers? Do you have an ounce of kindness in your chest? If, of the hundred and forty thousand soldiers in your Flame Dragon Army, only twenty thousand were left alive and only two or three thousand could still fight, would you still send them to their deaths?”
Theodore’s ears were hot after my words, and he was so appalled that he couldn’t say a word.
Thankfully, the old king was more sensible and said, “Commander Li Xiao Yao has led his Royal Army through many a bloodbaths, and I’ve seen all of them. Theodore, there’s no need to feel so responsible. The Royal Army will eventually become a major force in the empire’s military. Allow some tinder to remain. With Commander Li Xiao Yao around, do not fret that the Royal Army will be able to once again rise up and become a trump card for the Tian Ling Empire!”
Pearl smiled. “Father is wise. May the Royal Army remain firm, brave, and courageous. After this battle, when we rebuild the Royal Army, it will become an army that can fight alongside the Flame Dragon Army and the Xia Yu Army!”
After Pearl’s words, I felt a surge of happiness in my heart. I could tell that Theodore and Owen weren’t too pleased. The two princes didn’t look very happy. They were both extremely prideful men, and now that they had been defeated multiple times in a row, how could they coexist with an outsider like me?
As she said that, Pearl looked over at the battle and said, “Unfortunately, my Winds of Battle Army only has twenty thousand left. We were once a strong and courageous army that could face any challenge it was given….”
The old king looked at his daughter and gave a doting smile before patting her on the shoulder. “Do not worry. After this battle, I will ask those dusty marquis and dukes to deploy half of their armies to you. Those old men hold tens of thousands of soldiers, over five hundred thousand in total. I’ll make sure that your Winds of Battle Army will regain its hundred thousand. Do not worry, you may also choose from the Battle Academy. In desperate times like these, I do not see any need to wait for them to graduate any longer.”
Pearl leapt in joy. “Thank you Father!”
On the side, the two princes’ expressions grew uglier. In some ways, the doting that Pearl received from the old king far surpassed that of both the princes.
I smiled at their misfortune. Theodore was always dissatisfied with my Royal Army, and as such, I never held good feelings for him either. If there were an opportunity, I would much rather Tian Ling oust this heir to the throne. Either Owen or Pearl would be fine. But it seems that Tian Ling City has never had a Regent Queen before, at least to this day. Ba Huang City is a good example, but the situation there was much different. Angela had no other siblings besides Luo Lin. Only she could take the throne while Pearl had two living brothers, and it would be a stretch to kill two heirs in order to ascend….
I was actually feeling giddy at the thought of these rebellious ideas. Perhaps I was a rebel at heart? But that was impossible. I am a loyal soldier, in mind and spirit!
……
I sat down in an upright stance. Naturally, the two princes couldn’t tell what I was thinking. But after waiting for ten minutes for something productive to happen, I finally couldn’t sit any longer and turned around. “Your Majesty, I would like to personally face the enemy. There are just too many Magic Sword Masters and Stone Skin Giants. I’m worried that my adventurer friends won’t be able to hold their lines. Would Your Majesty please allow me to go and fight?!”
The old king smiled, “Commander Li Xiao Yao is truly a brave general. In all of the empire, there isn’t a single man who would go to such lengths for his soldiers and fight on the front lines! Go forth and lead your friends well!”
“Thank you Your Majesty!”
I turned around and immediately jumped onto my horse, charging straight into the crowd of Magic Sword Masters. I needed to increase my achievement points. Otherwise, the final winner of this event would be [Legend].
On the shores, I saw a group of NPCs activating a large connon. “Peng, peng, peng!” Each time the cannon fired, it would blast the warships that the Hybrid Demons were riding on. The Magic Sword Masters were instantly killed, while the Stone Skin Giants had a health and defense that far surpassed the Sword Masters, allowing them to run onto the shores and clash with the players and NPCs.
In the sky, I could hear the screeches of dragons ringing throughout the battlefield. It was Qing Luo and her Dragon Knights! There were several enormous dragons that flew over the lake. They blew their [Dragon Breath] as the knights that were mounted on them flashed their swords. The Magic Sword Masters couldn’t even reach the Dragon Knights. Even their arrows couldn’t breach the thick scales. The Stone Skin Giants were even more out of reach. This battle was clearly in Tian Ling Empire’s favor. ……
“Grrrrr….”
I could hear a roar in the distance. I didn’t even need to think to know that this was from the Blood Giant Kehl.
As Li Mu charged into the fray, he suddenly stiffened and looked up. “Is the Blood Giant Kehl finally arriving?”