Chapter 2664: Oriole Plains

Hmm, it's been too long.

Today the sky is clear and boundless, the Oriole Plains are as peaceful as ever. Occasionally a golden eagle soars in the sky, frightening the birds on the ground into unease.

Although winter is near, the Milo River on the plains still has abundant water volume, occasionally large fish leap from the river surface. At its widest point it is nearly two hundred zhang, and the average water depth is also three zhang.

This great river flows from northwest to southeast, passing through five countries and powers in succession, finally emptying into the sea in Chong State.

But it does not pass through the Panlong Wasteland.

Over ten years ago, when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth had not yet revived, Zhong Shengguang once sighed, if the Milo River flowed through the Panlong Wasteland, it would be wonderful, it could inject strong vitality into the wasteland, making it no longer barren.

The Milo River ends in the northern part of the Oriole Plains at the Ghost Needle Forest.

These ghost pines are dark and gloomy all year round; the forest they form, even under the midday sun, the light deep in the woods remains very dim.

The Milo River on the Oriole Plains sparkles like a jade belt in serpentine form, but in the Ghost Needle Forest section it becomes very narrow, no more than four or five zhang wide, often covered overhead by the branches and leaves of towering trees. Here the water flows deep and still, even the river surface does not reflect light.

In a shallow backwater, several wild boars are drinking by the riverbank, meanwhile rooting for tender shoots of aquatic plants.

In this season, only the whorled black algae can still grow vigorously.

But they were rooting with great enthusiasm when suddenly a dark, round thing bobbed up in the river ahead.

The wild boars startled, leaping back two zhang in fright, for there are crocodiles in this riverbed.

But what broke the water surface was not a crocodile; crocodiles do not have such a long and round head.

Afterwards, this thing slowly crawled ashore, finally revealing its full form—

A giant turtle.

Its entire body is brownish-gray, hardly different from the riverbed color, its shell larger than a round table for fifteen people, carved with many runes that now emit faint, unnoticeable glows.

Seeing the turtle posed no threat, the wild boars gathered again, grunting and swearing filthily.

The giant turtle retracted its neck, remaining motionless.

After a dozen breaths, there was no other movement in the forest; the wild boars finished cursing and turned to leave, when the turtle shell suddenly flipped up, shooting out two arrows.

Whoosh—whoosh, the two largest wild boars collapsed instantly.

The other wild boars screamed in shock and scattered in flight.

From beneath the turtle shell, people began to emerge one by one, a total of twenty-four.

After landing, they spread out, patrolling all around to confirm safety, then returned to the backwater and made several hand signals toward the water surface.

Then, from the river water, one giant turtle after another surfaced, slowly came ashore, then lifted their shells, releasing the living people hidden below!

In total, twelve giant turtles, each carrying about twenty living people, so nearly three hundred people landed safely!

This kind of large creature is called the Bent-Shell Turtle, residents of the Bekka Banda Oyster Nation, amphibious. Don't be fooled by their slow movements on land, but once in water they are different. With the Water Escape Technique, they can swim faster than sturgeon and also migrate long distances.

The young of the Bent-Shell Turtle cannot dive; when adult turtles take them out, they often hide them beneath the shell. The space under the shell is large and can extract air from water, so the young do not suffocate.

Of course, this skill is now being used even better.

In the river, over thirty monsters leapt out, human-bodied with fish tails, skin dark bluish, but when they came ashore their tails turned into legs.

This is the Shark-People Clan.

They are slender in build, very agile on land, indeed warriors of the Shark-People Clan.

The human scouts who had been surveying the surroundings returned and bowed to one of the Shark-People:

"Your Highness, there is nothing unusual nearby, nor any trace of enemy troops."

"Return, and quickly send the next team over." This Shark-People turned toward the turtle group, lifted his chin, and they slowly turned, swimming back into the river and sinking out of sight.

"Straight north." This Highness said, "After another fifteen li we will reach the Snail Source."

The Milo River to the Snail Source has only one stream branch; this route is too shallow for giant turtles to dive through.

The people left the riverbank, under the cover of the dim light of the Ghost Needle Forest, quickly marched north.

Yes, this is the second Bekka team infiltrating south of the Panlong Wasteland, but they only travel through remote wilderness, few in number, so all powers have failed to notice their passage.

After winding through the Oriole Plains, the Milo River finally meanders into the sea, so the Bekka Bent-Shell Turtles can reverse-swim from the river mouth, all the way to the Oriole Plains.

The Bekka army here boards the Bent-Shell Turtles to enter the water, silently following the river route across the entire Oriole Plains without needing to expose themselves on the ground.

Thanks to the depth of the Milo River, aerial demon-birds cannot see through the riverbed; even if they occasionally spot a few giant turtles' shadows, they would not think much of it.

Thus these three hundred-plus people silently crossed the last barrier; now only a dozen or so li separate them from their destination, the Snail Source.

"Beyond the Snail Source to the north lies the Panlong Wasteland territory. That town has only over eight hundred people, mostly civilians, unable to stop us." The Panlong army had never marched south before, so the Snail Source needed no large garrison, "But its location is excellent, a natural stronghold; we had best choose to break in from the south..."

The words broke off here, because suddenly an arrowhead appeared in the throat of this Shark-People confidant.

A bloody arrowhead.

"Enemy attack!" The Bekka people changed color, drawing their weapons in alarm.

In response, a rain of arrows came from all directions.

These are all special weapons, with strong penetrating power.

The Bekka people grabbed shields, tightened their formation, various divine lights flashing: "Escort the Crown Prince south, hurry!"

To the south is the river where they landed.

Logically, they would launch a counterattack in the gap when the enemy arrow rain ceased, but the sound of solid impacts continued on their shields, when suddenly several black shadows charged from the forest, the leader directly ramming into the large shield of the Deputy Commander Guard.

The Deputy Commander Guard did not fear but rejoiced, his long spear thrusting from the shield formation, aiming to pierce him through and through.

Who would have thought the enemy struck first, his halberd sweeping out, directly flinging him together with his large shield and long spear into the air, the man staggering.

Before he could steady himself, he was pierced through the heart by the spike on the halberd!

The enemy held him aloft on the halberd, simultaneously thrusting left and right, brutally slamming the shield formation until a gap appeared.

Other Bekka people shouted and charged forward, wanting to spear this black-armored warrior to death, but behind him the Tiger Wing Army surged forward in a rush, pouring into the gap.

Inside and outside coordinated, the Bekka people's defense collapsed in an instant.

Several teams trying to break out separately were instead cut off and intercepted, annihilated even faster.

The battle in the dense forest ended quickly, fierce and bloody, yet swift.

One thousand Tiger Wing soldiers against three hundred Between Between Between Beijia people — the outcome was beyond suspense.

The Merman Prince's right arm was severed at the shoulder and he was shoved before He Lingchuan, blood splattering the whole way.

Behind him only twenty captives still drew breath; the rest had turned into corpses on the ground.