Chapter 3: Shock
In the royal capital's outer district, the forbidden zone, around the Ring-Sealing Tree.
The Ring-Sealing Tree standing here was already covered in cracks, as if it might fall at any moment, with blood surging from the holes in its trunk.
With a crack, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck the Ring-Sealing Tree. It was worth noting that the weather was perfectly clear, with the sun blazing fiercely.
The color drained from Soldier Captain·Jiaba's face. His hand tightened on his lance as he forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart—after all, he was a veteran of the battlefield.
Bang.
A red signal flare shot into the sky. The surrounding soldiers didn't panic completely; otherwise, they wouldn't have been qualified to guard the Ring-Sealing Tree.
"Form the siege formation! No matter the cost, hold back the War Demon. He's been sealed for over a decade and is very weak. Reinforcements will arrive soon!"
Soldier Captain·Jiaba roared, then slightly lowered his body. His left hand, wrapped in arm guards, rose and crossed in front of him, while the lance in his other hand rested on his left forearm. The lance clanged against his armor with a dull thud.
A circular rune appeared on the armor at his back—a charge rune. Soldiers with runes were rare to begin with, and those with charge runes were always positioned in the front ranks on the battlefield.
Besides Soldier Captain·Jiaba, there were four other soldier captains in scale armor, all gathered near Jiaba—three men and one woman. Among the three male soldier captains, two wielded heavy broadswords, standing to Jiaba's left and right, while the remaining one held a full-metal heavy crossbow, positioned at the rear.
The last female soldier captain wore lighter scale armor and held a short rapier in each hand. The hilts of these rapiers were nearly as long as the blades themselves. Unlike the slender lightness of normal rapiers, these two short rapiers were thicker and broader, resembling sword awls.
This female soldier captain crouched like a leopard, ready to lunge. Her features were delicate, but the muscles in her legs bulged—a warrior should have such strength.
"He's destroying the sealing rune inside the tree!"
The female soldier captain had the sharpest perception and immediately judged why Su Xiao hadn't emerged from the Ring-Sealing Tree.
With a bang, the crouching female soldier captain turned into a blur, darting straight toward the hole in the Ring-Sealing Tree, almost skimming the ground as she flew.
She charged into the hole. The other four soldier captains didn't stop her; they all knew she was a scout. Every second counted now, even if it meant sending people to die one by one to buy time.
All four knew that if they rushed in together, they'd be wiped out instantly. Sending one at a time might buy a little more time.
Pfft.
Blood splattered from inside the Ring-Sealing Tree, then silence. About two seconds later, footsteps echoed from within. All nearby crossbows and bows aimed at the hole.
"Unexpectedly simple. He's too weak."
The female soldier captain raised her hand holding the short rapier and wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand.
"Huh?"
Everyone on the battlefield, including Soldier Captain·Jiaba, was stunned. The mage apprentice·Pepeini even let out a whimper, her legs giving out as she knelt on the ground—she had nearly wet herself in fear just moments ago.
"Is it fine if that guy dies? I stabbed through his throat."
The female soldier captain raised her short rapier and licked the bloodstained tip.
"Better if he's dead."
Soldier Captain·Jiaba didn't let his guard down, but in the next instant, he heard a thud beside him.
Clang. Armor hit the ground. A soldier captain with a short rapier stuck in the side of his neck collapsed, blood spreading beneath him.
Another thud. The soldier captain holding the heavy crossbow in the distance also fell, a short rapier piercing his skull—dead beyond doubt.
Seeing this, Soldier Captain·Jiaba was furious.
"Yifenti·Jiduo'er!"
Soldier Captain·Jiaba stared at the female soldier captain, while Female Soldier Captain·Yifenti·Jiduo'er was straddling a corpse's back, holding a short rapier in one hand, grinning. A faint red glow flickered in her eyes.
The reason for this was one of Su Xiao's weapons—specifically, the [Soul's Whisper] short blade.
Equipment Effect 1: Will·Erosion (Passive) — If this weapon is stabbed into the enemy's nape and heart, when the enemy's health drops below 30%, the weapon's wielder can control the enemy's actions.
Note: Can control the enemy for up to 56 minutes (duration depends on intelligence attribute). After 56 minutes, the enemy dies.
Note: This weapon cannot control leader, lord, or overlord units.
Note: While controlling the enemy, this weapon merges into the enemy's body.
...
Yifenti·Jiduo'er was now under control, operating on automatic mode. Su Xiao had only given a command; how to execute it depended on Yifenti·Jiduo'er's instinctive memory.
'Blade Path: Super·Ring Break!'
Clang.
A circular blade aura spread from inside the Ring-Sealing Tree, moving at incredible speed. In the next instant, it expanded and vanished.
The hundred-plus soldiers surrounding the area froze. First, a bloodstain appeared on their armor, then streams of blood burst forth.
Drip, drip~
Blood trickled down Soldier Captain·Jiaba's arm. His lance was held horizontally in front of him, a cut already visible on the shaft. Behind him stood the court old mage and the mage apprentice·Pepeini. Aside from these three, no one nearby survived.
With a rumble, the Ring-Sealing Tree fell. The runes on it shattered rapidly, dissipating into the air.
Su Xiao's left hand exerted force, and the shackles binding his left arm cracked one by one. When the last shackle broke, his combat power was fully restored.
"Honor, fearless!"
Soldier Captain·Jiaba charged at Su Xiao with long strides. The ground beneath him cracked inch by inch, and a whirlwind formed around his lance. In his eyes, everything slowed down—he had never felt so good.
A spatial fluctuation appeared, and Su Xiao vanished from his spot. When he reappeared, he stood behind Soldier Captain·Jiaba, blood dripping from the blade.
With a thud, Soldier Captain·Jiaba fell, his body separated from his head. The slightest gap in strength could decide life and death, let alone the vast difference in combat power between him and Su Xiao—a gap too wide to bridge.
"Yifenti·Jiduo'er, which direction is Chimney Mountain?"
Su Xiao's gaze fell on Yifenti·Jiduo'er, but she was lying on the ground, blood gushing from her throat.
"Already done for, huh."
Su Xiao raised his hand. The [Soul's Whisper] short blade materialized on Yifenti·Jiduo'er's chest, then withdrew on its own, landing in Su Xiao's left hand.
"You two, which direction is Chimney Mountain?"
Su Xiao looked at the court old mage and the mage apprentice·Pepeini.
"You vile fiend, don't think—"
Pfft.
A cut crossed the court old mage's chest. His heart was pierced, and he fell to the ground, dead.
"Wah~"
Pepeini, sitting slumped on the ground, couldn't hold back her tears. She felt she was about to leave this world. A puddle of pale yellow liquid spread beneath her.
"Chimney Mountain... is, is over there."
Pepeini raised a trembling hand, pointing east.
"Thank you."
Su Xiao walked east. Watching his back, Pepeini sat there dumbfounded. Just as she thought she might survive, she felt a wetness on her chest. Looking down, she saw her clothes stained with blood.
A wave of dizziness hit her, and Pepeini collapsed to the ground. Just before losing consciousness, she seemed to hear footsteps.
Su Xiao didn't know much about the royal capital's outer district as a city, but he could tell this was a world where soldiers, once gathered in sufficient numbers, became terrifyingly powerful. He had experienced such worlds a few times.
Therefore, fighting his way out of the royal capital's outer district by force would come at a heavy cost, and he might even be overwhelmed by a human wave tactic. If there were over a hundred thousand troops stationed here, breaking out would be extremely difficult, especially with large war machines—the risk of being surrounded and killed was high.
Su Xiao had never planned to fight his way out by force. He needed an opportunity.
Large trees lay scattered around Su Xiao. He looked at the half-conscious mage apprentice·Pepeini, scanned her information, and determined the timing was right. He then leaped back in a few bounds.
First, Su Xiao disposed of the court old mage's corpse. After removing the [Wild Night] equipment, he took out the [Primordial Mask], poured the court old mage's blood onto it, and the mask quickly absorbed it.
After doing this, Su Xiao released his perception. Tens of thousands of auras were rapidly approaching, and within moments, they would be within a few hundred meters.
From the Grey Orc attack to his complete escape, Su Xiao had taken less than half a minute, yet the royal capital's outer district army had already reacted—the reinforcement speed was astonishing.
Putting away the Dragon-Slaying Flash and Soul's Whisper, a crystal layer formed on Su Xiao's right hand, shaping into a blade. He relaxed his body, slashed his chest open with the hand blade, and then put on the Primordial Mask.
As Su Xiao fell to the ground, he transformed into the court old mage, matching his aura, appearance, and clothing perfectly.
About half a minute later, footsteps sounded nearby.
"This one's too badly injured, on the verge of death. Go save the girl."
"Hurry, hurry! Wake her up as fast as possible."
"Where... am I? Am I... not dead?"
A weak voice came—it was the mage apprentice·Pepeini.
"Where is the War Demon? Speak!"
"I, I, I, he..."
From Pepeini's tone, she was terrified, but under the calming effect of a rune, she gradually steadied herself.
"He's heading to Chimney Mountain. I pointed him in the wrong direction. He went east... that should be east, right?"
Pepeini's tone was uncertain.
"Silly child, you pointed west—that's exactly where Chimney Mountain is. But your bravery will be remembered."
"Huh?"
Pepeini doubted her own existence. She had intended to mislead Su Xiao, but in her nervousness, she pointed in the wrong direction—straight toward Chimney Mountain.
"Chase him! He must not return to Chimney Mountain!"
When the officer among the soldiers said this, his voice trembled slightly.
"What about this severely wounded man?"
"Send him to the church. Do everything possible to save him."
The officer left these words, then led a group of soldiers in pursuit. Soon, they found traces left by Su Xiao.