Last night, the six Martial Saints of the Assassin Camp went on a killing spree, slaughtering fifty thousand Strongarm Bull Devils until they were running for their lives.
Today, two more ten-thousand-man camps arrived under orders.
After hearing about last night's massacre, the two ten-thousand-man commanders quickly decided to merge the remaining ten thousand survivors and the previous Blood River camp's nine thousand troops into a single camp, bringing their total force to over forty thousand.
Right now, the two commanders aren't aiming for glory, just trying to avoid blame.
In a couple of days, once more troops arrive, those Human assassins won't dare to come again.
So, they've pulled all their forces together into one tight block—no need for patrol squads at all.
If the attackers are those Human assassins, patrols are useless; if it's other Human warriors, their forty-thousand-strong army all gathered in one place is still more than enough to hold them off.
Ian Song circled the expanded camp once, quickly sizing up the whole situation inside.
Forty thousand troops—if all twelve Martial Saints attack at once, it's not hard to take them down.
Just as Ian was about to leave, he spotted a figure sneaking toward the camp from not far away.
"Who’s there?"
Lance Xuanyuan, ever vigilant as a Grandmaster, drew his sword, ready to strike at Ian.
"Senior Xuanyuan, it's me."
Hearing Ian's voice, Lance sheathed his sword and strode over. When he saw Ian’s face clearly, his tone turned sour: "Leon Huang, what are you doing here?"
Ian didn’t bother to hide anything and replied, "I’m here to scout enemy movements. The Strongarm Bull Devils have pulled all their troops into the camp, so if you were hoping to ambush their patrols, that’s off the table!"
"How do you know I was planning to ambush their patrols? Were you following me?" Lance’s face darkened, his eyes growing cold.
Ian was speechless at Lance’s self-importance: "I wasn’t following you. As for how I know—easy, I guessed. If you brought people over, it’s not for a camp assault, so what else but a patrol ambush?"
Lance froze for a moment, both annoyed and surprised by Ian’s words.
"Enough. We shouldn’t stay here. Senior, take your people and leave!" Ian urged.
"Why should I listen to you?" Lance snapped angrily.
Ian was even more speechless: "I’ve said all I can. Whether you stay or go is up to you. Goodbye."
"We’re not done talking. You’re not allowed to leave!"
With a flicker, Lance blocked Ian’s way.
Annoyed by Lance’s stubbornness, Ian snapped: "Senior, I’ve said everything. What more do you want? If I really want to leave, do you think you can stop me?"
Ian’s words stung Lance’s pride. He raised his sword and pointed it at Ian: "Tell me, were you following me on purpose?"
"Idiot!"
Ian couldn’t be bothered with him. He activated the Art of Great Teleportation and vanished from Lance’s sight.
Seeing Ian disappear, Lance’s face turned stormy. Suddenly, a thought struck him and he muttered, "Leon Huang wants me to leave so I won’t earn any merit. Outrageous! If he wants me gone, I’ll stay just to spite him!"
If not for being surrounded by Strongarm Bull Devils, Lance would’ve laughed out loud at that thought.
Ian had no idea what Lance was thinking. If he did, he’d probably roll his eyes.
Relying on the Art of Great Teleportation, Ian quickly returned to the Assassin Camp’s base in Blood River City.
All twelve members were gathered in the small courtyard, awaiting his orders.
"How did it go, Captain? What’s the situation at Blood River?" Fiona Li asked urgently as soon as she saw Ian.
"Yeah, did the Strongarm Bull Devils send any new Martial Saints?" Easton De, a new member, asked right after.
Ian replied, "No new Martial Saints, but the Strongarm Bull Devils sent two new ten-thousand-man battalions. With the rest of their forces, there are about forty thousand troops massed together!"
Hearing there were no Martial Saints, the six new members were clearly disappointed. If you killed a Martial Saint alone, you’d earn a Special-Class Military Merit; if two people teamed up, they’d get a First-Class Merit plus extra rewards.
"Tonight, I plan to send out the entire Assassin Camp. We’ll annihilate all forty thousand Strongarm Bull Devils across from us!" Ian declared.
"Great, I’m in!"
Easton De was the first to respond. Even if there were no Martial Saints, helping take down forty thousand Strongarm Bull Devils should earn at least a Third-Class Military Merit.
"Haha, Captain, just give the order—I’m with you!" Jason Song said with a chuckle, glancing warily at the other new members.
"Good, it’s settled. Let’s head out now!" Ian said.
In less than twenty breaths, Ian used the Art of Great Teleportation to bring all twelve Assassin Camp Martial Saints to the camp’s edge.
"Captain, should we assassinate the ten-thousand-man and thousand-man commanders first like last night before attacking?" Shawn Tu asked.
"No need tonight. Last night we were short-handed, but tonight we have double the numbers!" Ian paused. "You twelve attack from twelve directions at once, push forward slowly, and try not to let any of them escape!"
"Yes, sir!"
The group answered in unison and quickly spread out around the camp as Ian instructed.
"Begin!"
At Ian’s command, the assault began.
Each of the twelve Martial Saints attacked differently, but all were devastatingly lethal—sometimes a single strike would wipe out dozens of Strongarm Bull Devils.
Meanwhile, Lance Xuanyuan hadn’t taken Ian’s advice and leave. Instead, he and his men lingered around the camp. Suddenly, shouts and battle cries erupted from the Strongarm Bull Devil camp.
"Wait here—I’ll go check it out!" Lance said.
Lance Xuanyuan darted toward the Strongarm Bull Devil camp at top speed.
"Captain, should we assassinate the ten-thousand-man and thousand-man commanders first like last night before attacking?" Shawn Tu asked.
"No need tonight. Last night we were short-handed, but tonight we have double the numbers!" Ian paused. "You twelve attack from twelve directions at once, push forward slowly, and try not to let any of them escape!"
"Yes, sir!"
The group answered in unison and quickly spread out around the camp as Ian instructed.
"Begin!"
At Ian’s command, the assault began.
Each of the twelve Martial Saints attacked differently, but all were devastatingly lethal—sometimes a single strike would wipe out dozens of Bull Devils.
Meanwhile, Lance Xuanyuan hadn’t taken Ian’s advice and leave. Instead, he and his men lingered around the camp. Suddenly, shouts and battle cries erupted from the Bull Devil camp.
"Wait here—I’ll go check it out!" Lance said.
Lance Xuanyuan darted toward the Bull Devil camp at top speed.