âShua!â
After I logged on, my character appeared in the middle of a field. When I woke up, I startled two sleeping bees. They buzzed near my ear and then flew off into the distance. Looking out, I saw Han Yuan and Xiao Lie leading an uncountable number of Royal Army soldiers concealed behind the tall crops. Under these extraordinary conditions, we had no choice but to step into the fields. If we could root out the Dragonling Army, then sacrificing this entire field of military crops would be well worth it. Not to mention that all 50,000 of the Royal Army soldiers were gathered in one place. We wouldnât be trampling too much of the field.
Han Yuan led his horse over to me with his blade in hand. The horseâs muzzle had been tied shut so that it wouldnât make a sound. Despite the muzzle, the horse instinctively reached for the crops, trying to bite at them. Seeing this, I couldnât help but feel pity for it. Han Yuan wryly smiled, âGeneral, weâve been lying in wait for almost an entire day and we havenât seen even a single hair of those Dragonling soldiers. Do you suppose those morons are actually not coming?ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
I furrowed my brows, âThey should be. We havenât let any news out. Besides, now that the Royal Army has declared war on them, if I were the Dragonling Army commander, I would conduct one last raid before disappearing into the wind.â
Xiao Lie nodded, âMy lord is correct, letâs just patiently wait for news!â
About ten minutes later, one of the disguised cavalrymen ran over to us and quietly reported, âLord Commander, some Dragonling warships have appeared on the War Godâs River!â
âHow many?â Han Yuan asked.
âTwenty-one!â
âOnly twenty-one?â Han Yuan was puzzled.
I replied, âWait a little longer!â
After a while, another scout reported back, âGeneral, fifty-four total Dragonling warships have appeared on the river!â
I asked, âHow far up is the water displaced by the boat?â
âFairly far, the ships seem to be carrying a lot of weight!â
âGoodâ¦â
After seven to eight minutes, a third scout excitedly reported back, âGeneral, eighty-one ships have appeared on the river!â
Hearing this, Ha Yuanâs spirits were considerably higher, âGreat. Looks like the entire hive has come out. General, this was a good gamble!â
Long Xing was sharpening his blade on the side and smiled, âWhen should we set out? My sword is feeling thirstyâ¦â
I replied, âWait a little longer. Weâll set out after all of them have landed!â
âYes sir!â
A group of lieutenants was hidden in the crops, waiting for orders from us. Not long after, another scout came back with a report, âGeneral, five of the warships have landed on the beach. Around two thousand cavalrymen have disembarked and are heading straight for Greene Town!â
I nodded, âContinue observing!â
Han Yuan quietly asked, âThese two thousand cavalrymen must be there to ambush the town. The other eight thousand foot soldiers are for escorting the loot back, right?â
I smiled, âYup. Letâs wait for the eight thousand to land. Thatâs when weâll begin our move.â
Long Xing said, âGeneral, we await your orders!â
I slid down my horse and smiled with my hand on my hilt, âI will give orders in a moment. Han Yuan, you will lead the Royal Army cavalrymen to cut off the Dragonling Army from retreating. Xia Ye will then lead ten thousand men out to take their ships. Best case scenario, weâll be able to take all eighty-one of them. If they resist too much, then weâll burn the remaining ships. Xiao Lie and Long Xing will then lead thirty thousand men to surround the town. We cannot let a single rat out!â
All of the generals nodded, âUnderstood!â
Not long after, another scout reported back, âAll eighty-one ships have landed, however, each ship has a unit of people have been left behind to guard them. They have a total of thirty Dragon Crystal Cannons and theyâre all ready to fire!â
I pondered for a moment. After five minutes, I shouted orders, âRoyal Army, advance!â
âYes sir!â
Han Yuan and I led a group of cavalrymen and charged out of the fields. The horses trampled over the crops. Once we rushed out, we could see the numerous Dragonling warships along the shores. Most of their men had disembarked and were moving towards Greene Town. The Royal Army cavalry dashed out and cut into the space between them and their ships like lightning.
âD*mm*t!â
One of the pirates paled, âWeâve been tricked! Those d*mn*d Royal Army soldiers are ambushing us! This time weâre done for. Messengers, let Lord Dragonscale know!â
Unfortunately for them, the Royal Army was faster. All of our soldiers pulled out their weapons and charged ahead. On land, the pirates didnât even have half the speed or battle prowess of Lucenâs men. Our arrival was enough to completely break their morale. Our men hacked through their rear while the front of their army was thrown into chaos. Half of them tried to fight back while the other half ran to Greene Town to recruit help.
I led a group of heavy cavalrymen and charged towards Greene Town. When I glanced back, I saw a mass of Star Rifle Camp soldiers already launching their attack against the ships. Like a tide, they flooded the ships and took control of them one by one. After this battle, it was without a doubt that the Royal Army navy would become the strongest in all of Tian Ling City. Even the Flame Dragon Army and the Xia Yu Army navies wouldnât be on par with us!
In the distance, Greene Town came into view over the horizon. The town walls were only three meters high, and it looked almost like a toy. Countless Dragonling pirates had already taken control of the town and were in the midst of battle against the Xia Yu Army. The Royal Army foot soldiers had already surrounded the small town. This time, the Dragonling Army was doomed.
âHua!â
My horse disappeared from underneath me and I flew into the air. I led the cavalrymen straight towards the masses of enemy soldiers. At the same time, I could see a general swinging his blade and charging through the crowds of people. It was the commander of the Dragonling Army, Dragonscale. He was the legendary chief of the bandits. Our strategy this time was to hit hard and fast, otherwise our losses would become too great!
Dragonscale spotted me from a distance and was immediately inflamed, âThe commander of the Royal Army, Li Xiao Yao? That motherf*cker, fight me!â
Without another word, I mustered my strength and shot forward, right at Dragonscale. With my blade raised above my head, I focused on the strength in my arms, slashing straight down at the enemy!
âKeng!â
Our two attacks clashed, creating a small shockwave. All the Dragonling soldiers around us were pushed out. Dragonscale himself was thrown back against the city wall. The Dragonling soldiers were stunned by the scene. One of them gaped, âHeavens above,⦠Lord Dragonscale was actually pushed back. Just how fearsome is the General of the Southâ¦â
I smiled and activated my [Ice Wings]. I rushed forward at full speed, preparing another attack. If I couldnât push back Dragonscale with all of these conditions, then I donât deserve to muddle my way through Tian Ling City!
I raised my left palm towards the sky. Storm clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, creating bolts of lightning. The earth around us began to shudder and a bolt of lightning shot down. Countless lightning dragons snaked through the crowd of people, unleashing their wrath. These Dragonling soldiers were nothing but phonies. How could they stand up against the power of a real dragon!
In the blink of an eye, everybody in the area was dead except for Dragonscale!
With my sword in hand, I leapt up into the sky and came to a standing point around a hundred meters in the air. The silver wings on my back flapped. I looked down at the Dragonling Army and shouted, âAll men who surrender will be spared! Otherwise, kill all enemy combatants!â
My powerful voice resounded across the battlefield, shocking the Dragonling soldiers into a standstill. Despair filled their eyes. Even Dragonscale was stunned.
âBangâ¦â
One of the Dragonling officersâ blades fell to the ground. Closely following that, many others clanked. Han Yuan and the others didnât stop their massacre, they killed a couple hundred more soldiers before I stopped them.
Dragonscale laughed bitterly at the sky, âBrothers, nevermind⦠Looks like our Dragonling Army has finally met its end. We walked right into a trap. I apologize, everyone. If you become prisoners, you have a chance of surviving. I hope to meet you all again in the next life!â
As he said that, Dragonscale raised his blade and swiped it right across his throat. Blood burst forward, and just like that, this Demon Harvest tier BOSS committed suicide!
I was speechless. I walked over, picked up Dragonscaleâs head, and put it into my bag. This was proof of the completion of my mission. I wouldnât let anybody else touch it, or else I wouldnât get my reward.
At the foot of the city walls, around five thousand of the remaining Dragonling soldiers were captured. Han Yuan and Xiao Lie captured each and every one of them. Right then, a unit of horsemen suddenly thundered towards us from a distance. It was the Xia Yu Army cavalry, led by second prince Owen. When he saw the situation at Greene Town, he couldn't help but exclaim, âGeneral Li Xiao Yao, you⦠youâve already defeated the Dragonling Army?â
I shook my head, âNo, not yet, I will be taking these prisoners back to the Tian Ling Empire and I will await the kingâs decision.â
âAlright!â
Owen glanced at the bloodshed on the ground and suddenly glared at me, âDid you receive news of this beforehand?â
I nodded, âYes sir!â
âThen why did you not contact the Xia Yu Army beforehand so that my army wouldnât have taken such great losses?â Owen was clearly enraged.
I raised my Dragon Reservoir Sword and softly said, âI deeply apologize, your highness. I didnât receive news until the last minute, and had no choice but to deploy troops before I could contact you. I hope that your highness would understand.â
Owen coldly laughed, âI understand. Li Xiao Yao, you are truly a natural strategist!â
I didnât respond.
Han Yuan probably couldnât stand the fact that I was being ridiculed like this and stepped forward, âYour highness, our general rushed over to root out the Dragonling Army. This should be considered a great achievement. After all, the Royal Army has completed a task that the Xia Yu Army and the Flame Dragon Army together have not been able to complete. Your highness, it is just as you say, General Li Xiao Yao is a true strategist!â
Owen scoffed, âHan Yuan, is this the place for you to speak?â
I didnât let him say anymore and ordered, âRoyal Army, escort the prisoners back to the capital!â
This time, we didnât take the Bridge of Fate. Instead, we rode on the eighty-one warships that Xia Ye had captured. After three trips, we shipped sixty thousand men to the other side of the riverbank.
In this battle, the Royal Army lost a total of a thousand men. It was truly a grand victory! This was also my ultimate goal: training soldiers while not taking losses. Otherwise, if we kept participating in battles like the Sea of No Return, then only half of our soldiers would level up, while the other half would die. The Royal Army would never grow stronger at that rate.