Chapter 2027

Geng Zhan was gasping for breath.

"Damn it, I'm exhausted."

His beastfolk were panting like oxen as well.

"We've already used up nearly half our stamina pills — this battle's been so awkward, 95% of the time was just running."

Saying that, Geng Zhan dropped flat on the ground, ignoring the wolf blood and wolf fur all over the place.

"Hah!" Fu Yi sat down as well.

He said, still shaken: "Those Golden Body werewolves and Royal werewolves were way too strong — only a dozen or so, yet they punched through two of my defensive lines. If there had been a few more, I couldn't have held at all."

Geng Zhan tilted his head: "That's not exactly news — they're max-rank werewolves, of course they're strong. I'm beat."

Fu Yi added: "I ran here too, this fight was really exhausting."

Xiang Yuan strolled over: "How are you? Were the losses big?"

Geng Zhan shook his head: "Big isn't the word — just that those Golden Body werewolves clawed a few high-rank beastfolk to death at the end, that stings a bit. About 20 dead, I'd say."

Su Qin said: "I lost 55 on my side."

Fu Yi opened the system.

"Mine's a bit more — 227 dead. Still, it's within normal losses."

Xiang Yuan said: "That's fine. My side lost more — over 1,100 rank 1–2 skeletons, and over 200 rank 3–4. Overall, nearly 31% of my strength. But as long as your losses aren't heavy, that's good."

Geng Zhan said: "No worries — we'll give you 20% of the loot, enough to buy skeleton scrolls and make up the losses. This fight… I'm beat, oof."

Xiang Yuan nodded: "This is the fastest we've ever finished one, right? Not even half an hour."

Fu Yi said: "Yeah, didn't expect the werewolves to charge in first. Next time we reinforce, let's skip the territory link and just bring troops directly — it'll be faster."

Su Qin nodded: "Agreed. Things are different from before now — we don't need the territory's civilians fighting anymore. Just bring your soldiers next time."

"Agreed." Xiang Yuan nodded.

There are two kinds of reinforcement.

One is via territory link, the other is direct troop teleportation.

Each has its own advantages.

【Direct Troop Reinforcement】's benefit is simplicity and speed.

You can teleport straight into the target lord's territory and start fighting immediately.

No time wasted mustering.

You arrive at peak condition and can form up and begin battle right away.

But the battlefield for this method is small — there's no chance for a second round.

Lose the first engagement, and you've lost.

【Territory Link Reinforcement】's benefit is a larger battlefield with more strategic space.

Greater strategic depth.

If the first engagement is lost, you can retreat immediately.

Routed troops can flee back to their respective territories, be rallied, and keep fighting.

After all, not everyone has Zhao Chi's female soldiers' pursuit ability — most routed troops can still escape.

Once they're out, use items or skills to restore morale and health, and they can fight a second time.

Plus, every territory has some terrain advantages.

Like defense towers.

That effectively gives you multiple defensive points.

And in extreme cases, villagers can sortie out too — they're a fighting force as well.

Just like this time, the werewolf army brought all its werewolf civilians and craftsmen — quite a force too.

Overall, the territory link reinforcement method is more reliable.

"Keep fighting?" Xiang Yuan asked.

Geng Zhan nodded while lying down: "Of course we fight — our losses aren't big. But let me rest a bit, I'm too tired."

Fu Yi said: "Rest 20 minutes, then we continue. The troops have already merged now, so this won't happen again. Good thing the losses are far smaller than expected."

Su Qin said: "Your losses really are small — Xiang Yuan's are a bit heavy."

Xiang Yuan waved a hand: "It's fine. Our group still has subsidies, I can definitely refill fast. Next time we can find a 6,000-combat-power werewolf to fight — once we combine forces, there'll be no problem."

Su Qin shook her head: "Let's be cautious. This battle cost me a lot — I can't use Piercing Cloud Arrow next time. Find one around 4,000 combat power, we can fight several more times."

"I agree." Fu Yi stood up.

"I agree too." Geng Zhan sat up.

Xiang Yuan nodded: "Mm, I agree as well. Are the prisoners useful to you this time? I want to convert a batch into skeletons directly."

"Up to you, I don't care." Geng Zhan lay back down.

"Either way works." Fu Yi nodded.

Su Qin nodded too: "Sure. Too many werewolf prisoners is a hassle anyway — go convert them. Just leave that werewolf lord."

Xiang Yuan smiled: "Great, then my losses are basically recovered. Thank you."

"Thank us for what? We share the losses together." Geng Zhan stared at the werewolves: "Let them get a taste of despair too."

"Hehe, well said." Xiang Yuan turned and walked toward the prisoners.

Su Qin relaxed.

She opened the system to search for Zhao Chi's battlefield.

But no matter how she searched, she couldn't find it.

That meant Zhao Chi hadn't sent a request for reinforcements.

Su Qin hurriedly asked, 【Zhao Chi, how's it going on your end? The fight's going smoothly, right?】

Zhao Chi replied quickly, 【Smoothly. I'm about to capture the sixth Werewolf Lord.】

The sixth?

Su Qin glanced at the time. Sure enough, only a little over forty minutes had passed.

She immediately asked, 【That many? You're way too impressive. How did you fight them?】

Zhao Chi, 【Haha, did you get the wrong idea? I caught six Lords, but I only actually fought three. The other three were summoned over, so they all got captured too. Not bad at all, really saves trouble.】

Su Qin, 【Got it. Don't push yourself. Better to fight someone a bit weaker than to take risks.】

Zhao Chi, 【Mm, don't worry. I've got that covered.】

Su Qin, 【Alright, hurry up and fight. I won't keep you. Don't lose focus.】

Zhao Chi, 【Sure. If it gets dangerous on your end, tell me. I'll pull you over.】

Su Qin, 【Mm, I'll remember.】

Zhao Chi's second opponent ultimately chose a Werewolf with 30,000 combat power.

After all, his first fight against a Werewolf with 80,000 combat power had drained a lot of his condition, so to play it safe, he picked a 30,000 one.

The result…

An easy victory.

For the third fight he chose one with 40,000, and was still in the middle of it.

But he no longer needed to direct things himself at all.

Gu Qing could fully direct the battlefield for him. Zhao Chi was inside Gu Qing, comfortably freeloading.

Zhuang Yake was really having a blast fighting.

Her hands freely burned everything, her sadistic-tendency talent thoroughly satisfied.

The entire battlefield was filled with her laughter.

Her vocal quality was quite nice — that kind of lazy, mature-sister voice.

Extremely effective in bed.

But right now it sounded a little demonic.

Tang Ruan was also having a blast fighting.

Amid the Werewolves too came her cheerful laughter, though mixed in with her nonstop taunts at the Werewolves.

Zhao Chi felt she had indeed changed a bit now.

From the soft, timid, cowardly little woman at the start, to now actually daring to talk back.

Zhao Chi would of course fire back hard too.

But it seemed to play right into her hands?