Chapter 176: Damn the Poison Scorpion Society! Return to the Territory Immediately!

At this very moment.

A scout responsible for scouting the path ahead came galloping from the distance, whipping his horse to speed.

An anxious expression was on his face.

"Master!"

The scout flipped off his horse and knelt on one knee.

"Urgent intelligence from Master Martina at Vanguard Valley!"

He pulled a letter tube sealed with wax from his bosom and held it high.

Roko's heart sank; he had a bad premonition.

He took the letter tube, broke the wax, and quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

In an instant, his complexion turned incomparably cold.

A terrifying murderous aura surged from his body, making the surrounding air seem to solidify.

"Master, what happened?" Hart asked hurriedly.

Roko slowly raised his head and crushed the letter in his hand into powder.

His voice was like ice that had not melted for ten thousand years.

"Archibald, and the Poison Scorpion Society."

"They actually dare to touch my territory!"

The letter stated that during the time Roko had left Vanguard Valley, a group of bandits supported by the Poison Scorpion Society had suddenly appeared in the border regions of Vanguard Valley, burning, killing, and looting everywhere, creating chaos.

Although Martina had already sent troops to suppress them, the enemy's movements were mysterious and their strength was not weak; it was clearly a premeditated harassment.

This was them moving against his home base after luring the tiger away from the mountain!

"Pass on my order!"

Roko's voice resounded throughout the entire caravan.

"Advance at full speed! Return to Vanguard Valley as fast as possible!"

"Yes!"

The massive caravan instantly transformed into a torrent, galloping away toward the east.

The caravan kicked up clouds of dust on the main road, galloping madly toward the east like an angry dragon of steel.

The hundreds of carriages loaded with wealth extorted from Archibald should have been a symbol of triumph, but at this moment, they had become the heaviest burden in Roko's heart.

Too slow!

It was simply too slow!

Roko rode on his horse, his face so cold that a layer of frost could be scraped off it.

Every word of that urgent letter from Martina was like a red-hot steel needle, stabbing fiercely into his heart.

Archibald!

Poison Scorpion Society!

What a fine "luring the tiger away from the mountain"!

What a fine "drawing the firewood from under the cauldron"!

He had only just stepped into Sunset City, and these scumbags dared to stretch their claws toward his home base!

They actually dared to touch Vanguard Valley!

Dared to touch his more than three hundred thousand subjects!

An irrepressible rage and murderous aura surged out from Roko's body; even the warhorse beneath him felt its master's fury and snorted uneasily.

"Master, please do not worry too much."

Hart urged his horse forward, his voice carrying a trace of worry.

He had never seen his Master so composedly lost.

"Master Martina is wise and resourceful, and the territory's defenses are not what they used to be; she will surely be able to hold on."

"Hold on?"

Roko's voice was hoarse and low, as if squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Why should my people bleed and sacrifice there, waiting for others to save them?"

"They are living the stable life I promised them on my land!"

"Now, someone wants to destroy all of this!"

Roko pulled the reins sharply, and the entire troop came to a halt.

His scarlet gaze swept over the caravan behind him, over the twenty elite Storm Knights.

"Hart, you are right, Martina can hold on."

"But holding on means casualties!"

"For every minute I waste here, Vanguard Valley might lose one more person!"

"This person could be our loyal soldier, could be a hardworking farmer, or could be a child who has just learned to walk!"

Roko's voice rose abruptly, filled with unquestionable determination.

"I cannot wait!"

Hart's heart jolted; he knew that his Master had already made his decision.

"Master, give your order! We all listen to you!"

"Pass on my order!"

Roko's voice resounded through the sky.

"Hart!"

"Present!"

"You are to lead twenty Storm Knights, take Fula with you, and we shall form an advance party to return to Vanguard Valley at maximum speed! Two horses per person, traveling day and night; if a horse dies, use your Battle Qi to run! I want to see the walls of Vanguard Valley before dawn!"

"Yes!"

Hart responded loudly without a moment's hesitation, a fierce fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

Roko then turned toward a steward from the Commercial Alliance within the caravan.

This steward had been specifically sent by Silas to assist Roko in handling this wealth.

"Mr. Steward."

Roko's tone softened slightly, yet it still carried an imposing aura.

"I am placing this caravan, and all the wealth it carries, under your charge for the time being."

The steward felt a chill run through him under Roko's gaze and hurriedly bowed.

"Please command me, Master Roko. Master Silas has given instructions that we are to fulfill all your requirements with our full effort."

"Very good."

Roko nodded.

"Take the caravan and return to Vanguard Valley along the main road at the safest possible speed. If you encounter any trouble on the way, display the banner of your Commercial Alliance."

"I have only one requirement: ensure the safety of these supplies until I have dealt with those scumbags."

"These supplies are the compensation I have prepared for my fallen subjects, the cornerstone for rebuilding my home, and the capital for expanding my legion!"

"Not a single bit can be missing!"

The steward's heart jumped as he listened, and he nodded heavily.

"Rest assured, Master Roko! Unless I am dead, these supplies will not suffer the slightest loss!"

"Very good."

Roko said no more; he vaulted off his horse and took another spirited warhorse from one of the knights.

Hart, Fula, and the twenty elite knights also quickly finished switching horses.

They abandoned all unnecessary weight, carrying only their weapons and the simplest of dry rations.

An aura of grim slaughter began to permeate their small troop.

"Master, wait!"

Fula spoke up suddenly, a strange light flashing in her heterochromatic eyes.

She reached into her bosom, pulled out an object, and handed it to Roko.

It was a small piece of dried meat wrapped in cloth.

"This is what Tain likes to eat most; it carries its scent."

Fula said softly.

"Master Martina said that Tain has been very agitated these past few days, constantly roaring toward the direction of the border. Its senses might be able to help us."

Roko took the dried meat, felt the faint and peculiar bloodline aura upon it, and his heart stirred.

He thought of that ancient bloodline exotic Orc with the S+ Talent.

Perhaps it could truly become a surprise force.

"Let's go!"

Roko tucked the dried meat into his tunic and slammed his heels into the horse's flanks.

The warhorse let out a long neigh and bolted forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.

Hart, Fula, and the twenty Storm Knights followed closely behind, the twenty-three riders turning into a black bolt of lightning that vanished into the end of the night in an instant.

Leaving only the Commercial Alliance steward behind, watching the direction they had departed in, his face full of shock.

He muttered to himself.

"This... this is a true hero of the age."

"Marquis Archibald, what kind of monster have you provoked?"

The night was like ink, and the gale howled.

Roko and his party were transforming into messengers of vengeance returned from hell, galloping toward the direction of home.

Vanguard Valley, Western Border Outpost.

Firelight reaching toward the sky dyed half the night sky red; the sounds of battle cries, screams, and the clashing of weapons mingled together to form a bloody symphony.

"Hold! Everyone hold the line for me!"

The Minotaur commander Talos swung his massive Battle Axe, cleaving a bandit attempting to charge up the Jiantta in two; blood and brains splattered all over him.

His eyes, as large as copper bells, were bloodshot as he let out a beast-like roar.

"Archers! Volley fire! Don't let them get close!"

"Second squad, use the rolling logs and fire oil on them!"

"Reinforcements will arrive soon! For the Master, for Vanguard Valley, kill!"

However, his angry roars were soon drowned out by the tide of enemies surging in.

These bandits, every one of them with blood-red eyes, were fearless and seemed to know nothing of pain.

Their attacks were devoid of any method, yet they were abnormally frenzied.

The outpost's defensive line was already teetering under their wave after wave of assaults.

"Master Talos, it's no good! The brothers can't hold on much longer!"

A soldier covered in blood scrambled over, his voice filled with a sobbing tone.

"A gap has been broken in the west wall, they've charged inside!"

"What?"

Talos's heart sank. He looked back and indeed saw a torrent of bandits pouring in from the gap in the west wall, wantonly slaughtering the soldiers under his command.

These soldiers were mostly farmers who had just put down their hoes; their training time was still short, and facing such brutal enemies, they had already lost their footing and were finished.

A deep sense of despair welled up in Talos's heart.

Just at this moment, an arrow burning with black flames, like a poisonous fang from hell, silently pierced the night and shot precisely toward the back of his heart!

The arrow was coated with cold, dark energy; it was clearly dipped in deadly poison and came from a highly skilled archer.

Talos was fully focused on commanding the battle and had not noticed this fatal sneak attack at all.

"Watch out!"

At the critical moment, a sharp cry rang out.

A petite figure appeared behind Talos like a ghost, the long sword in her hand bringing up a sheet of icy blue frost, precisely striking that black arrow.

Clang!

With a crisp sound, the arrow was split in two and fell to the ground, corroding a patch of sizzling black smoke.

Talos broke out in a cold sweat. He looked back and saw it was none other than Master's personal maid, Fula.

No, she should be called the Guard Captain now.

"Master Fula!"

Talos was both shocked and delighted.

"Why are you here?"

Fula did not answer; her heterochromatic eyes stared coldly at a corner of the darkness in the distance.

"There is an expert among the enemies; they are coming for you."

"Follow me. Master Martina has ordered to abandon the outpost and for everyone to retreat to the second line of defense!"

"Abandon?"

Talos was stunned.

"But..."

"No buts! This is an order!"

Fula's voice carried not a hint of emotion.

"Do you want the brothers to all die here in vain?"

Talos looked at the dwindling soldiers around him and the increasing number of bandits charging up, then gritted his teeth.

"Fine! Retreat!"

"Everyone, rally to me! Provide cover for each other and retreat!"

Skin Blade Valley, Lord's Manor.

Martina, in full military attire, stood before a massive sand table, her expression grave.

On the sand table, black flags representing the enemy were already planted all over the border region to the west of Skin Blade Valley.

Models representing villages and farms had been pushed over, covered in a layer of red paint symbolizing destruction.

"Master Martina."

Scout Captain Bake walked in quickly and knelt on one knee.

"The western outpost has fallen. Master Talos is leading the remnants to retreat toward Black Iron Town."

"What are the casualties?"

Martina's voice betrayed no joy or anger.

"There were three hundred defenders at the outpost. Preliminary estimates show casualties exceeding half."

Bake lowered his head even further.

Martina's fists clenched quietly at her sides.

Another hundred-plus vibrant lives.

This was already the third outpost to be breached.

For days now, bad news had come one after another.

A group of bandits supported by the Poison Scorpion Society, calling themselves the "Black Wolf Bandit Group," had appeared as if out of thin air and were running rampant in the border regions of Skin Blade Valley.

They did not attack fortified towns, choosing instead to target villages and outposts with weak defenses.

They burned, killed, and looted, stopping at nothing.

Their movements were mysterious, their combat power was formidable, and they were extremely cruel.

Martina had already dispatched several units to suppress them, but the results were minimal.

The enemy was like a group of slippery loaches; they fought when they could win and ran when they couldn't, using their familiarity with the terrain to play guerrilla warfare with them.

These were not ordinary bandits at all.

This was an organized, premeditated army with experts at the helm!

Their goal was clear: to use this method of constant bloodletting to slowly drag Skin Blade Valley down.

"Is there any news about the bandit leader, 'Black Wolf'?"

Martina asked in a deep voice.

"Not yet."

Bake shook his head.

"This person is extremely cunning and never shows his face easily. The few captives we caught were only peripheral members who have no idea of his true identity or location."

"Keep investigating!"

A cold light flashed in Martina's eyes.

"Even if I have to turn the entire western border upside down, I will drag this wolf out!"

"Yes!"

Bake received the order and withdrew.

Martina looked at the sand table, lost in deep thought.

The situation was even more severe than she had imagined.

With the Master absent, although she held full command, her authority could not compare to his.

The army, especially the new recruits, had already begun to show signs of panic.

What worried her even more was the logistics.

The bandits' harassment had severely impacted the autumn harvest.

Large swathes of farmland had been burned, and many newly established settlements had also been destroyed.

If this bandit threat could not be resolved in the short term, Fertile Valley would once again face a food crisis.

Archibald, this move of yours is truly vicious and ruthless.

He had calculated Roko's weakness perfectly: it was these commoners.

He intended to use the blood of the commoners to force Roko into making mistakes and to incite internal chaos in Fertile Valley.

"Master Martina!"

A messenger ran in, looking panicked.

"It's bad! The main force of the Black Wolf Bandit Group has suddenly changed direction and is marching rapidly toward Harvest Town!"

"What?!"

Martina's expression changed drastically.

Harvest Town!

That was the largest grain-producing area in Fertile Valley, and the Fertile Granary behind the town stored nearly thirty percent of the entire territory's food!

If that place fell, the consequences would be unimaginable!