Chapter 268: New Threat

Deep within the central great camp of the Northern Han allied army.

Inside a strange tent entirely constructed of deep blue crystals, the air seemed to solidify, carrying a piercing chill.

No lamps lit; only those crystals embedded in the walls, floor, and even hovering in midair emitted a cold, ominous gloom, illuminating the interior as if it were the bottom of the deep sea.

A figure, cloaked in a wide deep-blue robe embroidered with dark-gold crow patterns, sat silently upon the largest crystal at the tent's center, from which cold vapors continually rose.

He was the Venerable of the Iron Crow Army stationed here.

At this moment, his eyes, devoid of any human emotion and hidden beneath the hood's shadow, peered through the tent's sole observation hole toward the distant Chen army's main camp.

Despite the great distance, he could still clearly 'see' that above the newly arrived army rose a tenacious, scorching pale-gold 'Fortune Momentum'.

And that existence, like a golden solar core, which made his instinctive sense of rules feel repulsion and hatred—Chen Wen.

"Three hundred versus five hundred…… the wolf cavalry was completely wiped out……"

Hoarse and icy, like the sound of two ice blocks rubbing, it echoed in the silent tent.

The voice held no anger, only an almost absolute, procedural coldness.

"Target individual 'Chen Wen', intervene on the battlefield."

"Behavior pattern: take the initiative, display crushing force, intending to boost morale."

"Ability assessment: recognized as an 'extra-system granted' ability, performance…… exceeds the expected baseline."

"Threat level: raised to 'highest'."

He slowly raised a hand as pale as bloodless.

Above his palm, strands of deep blue energy, as if summoned, seeped out from the surrounding crystals, gathering and swirling in his palm to form a reduced, ever-shifting battlefield sand table.

On the sand table, dozens of blue light points of varying brightness were clearly marked.

Among them, several light points located in the frontline area were now faintly flickering, becoming somewhat unstable.

Just moments ago, when Chen Wen's gaze seemed to pierce the void and lock onto the approximate direction of those nodes, this Venerable immediately sensed it.

"Sensory ability…… enhanced."

"Possibly able to initially capture high-density nether energy convergence points……"

"Information update: the target individual 'Chen Wen' has deepened his integration with the native 'Fortune Momentum', producing an unknown benign mutation."

In his icy thought core, streams of data flashed by rapidly.

Chen Wen's growth rate once again exceeded the 'script's' projection.

This excess means the 'deviation rate' is rapidly expanding.

It means the 'rules backlash' he bears is intensifying.

A kind of chaos and irritability caused by something like a 'logic error' began to assail his consciousness, which should be absolutely rational.

It must be corrected!

We must, at any cost, eliminate this greatest 'variable'!

Spare no…… resort to the last reserve of power.

He clenched his palm tightly!

The miniature sand table in his palm instantly shattered, turning into pure nether energy that remerged with the surrounding crystals.

"Issue the order."

He spoke to the empty tent; his voice, through some intangible vibration, reached the minds of the motionless, statue-like Iron Crow Army dead soldiers standing outside.

"Activate the 'Netherbone' sequence."

"Quantity: fifty."

"Target: lock onto the Chen army's forward outposts and patrol units for a devastating strike."

"Order: hold nothing back, maximize casualties, test the Chen army's limits, and…… attempt to locate the deployment points of their 'Crystal Disturbance' devices."

At the moment the order was issued, a deeper, more vicious cold aura seeped out from a heavily sealed area deep within the allied army's camp.

Chen army's main camp, watchtower.

Chen Wen frowned slightly, gazing toward the depths of the enemy camp.

Just moments ago, he clearly felt that the icy will that had been locking onto him produced an intense surge, even tinged with a hint of madness.

Immediately after, a surge of nether energy reaction, far richer and darker than those previous 'light points', brimming with pure destructive desire, erupted suddenly deep within the enemy camp!

Not one, but a group!

Numbering about fifty!

They moved at extreme speed, with a clear target—straight for the few newly established outposts and patrol routes on the outskirts of the Chen army's main camp!

"They're here!"

Chen Wen's heart jolted.

The enemy has been enraged, or rather, forced to use one of their true trump cards!

"Li Wu!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Li Wu had been standing by ready.

"Enemy movement! About fifty special units are advancing toward Outpost B3 and C1! Extremely fast speed!"

Chen Wen spoke at extreme speed.

"Order all forward outposts to immediately light beacon fires, abandon holding position, and contract toward the main camp!"

"Patrol units, withdraw immediately!"

"First and Second Companies of the Guard Battalion, proceed immediately to reinforce, equipped with all stockpiled 'second-generation Crystal Disturbance Disks'!"

"Remember, prioritize reinforcing the retreat; do not engage in battle! I want to see what exactly has come!"

"As you command!"

Li Wu, though astonished that His Majesty could predict the enemy's movements so precisely, but with the military situation urgent, he had no hesitation, immediately turned and rushed down from the watchtower, loudly conveying the order.

Soon, a shrill alarm rang out at the front of the main camp!

Several outposts instantly lit warning beacon smoke!

The patrol squad scouting the perimeter also saw the signal, immediately turned direction, and sprinted toward the main camp.

At the same time, two elite guard detachments, each two hundred strong, like two unsheathed blades, charged out of the gate to meet the attack direction.

Chen Wen stood on the watchtower, his gaze tightly following the fifty dark light points that were blindingly conspicuous in his perception.

Their speed was astonishing!

It even exceeded the sprint speed of ordinary cavalry!

Almost less than half an incense stick after the beacon fire lit, they had already appeared, ghostlike, within the view of Outpost B3.

By the last glimmer of sunset and the beacon fire burning at the outpost, Chen Wen and the officers on the tower finally made out the appearance of those 'things'.

They could hardly be called 'human' anymore.

Their builds were much taller and more robust than ordinary people, their bodies covered in a black carapace that seemed fused with their bones, flashing with a cold metallic sheen.

At the joints protruded ghastly white bone spurs; their hands had mutated into claw-like forms, fingertips flowing with an ominous azure light.

Their faces were completely overgrown with twisted bone, leaving only two hollow eye sockets, within which burned two clusters of icy blue soulfire.

They gave no roar, no howl.

Only a heart‑pounding silence, and a terrifying aura that existed purely for destruction.

"Netherbone..."

Beside Chen Wen, an old commander who had witnessed many oddities of the Iron Crow Army hoarsely spat out two words, his face showing fear he could not conceal.

Is this the secret monster the Iron Crow Army keeps as its trump card?

Fifty Netherbone, like a black tide of death, instantly overwhelmed Outpost B3, which had not yet managed to fully withdraw.

The dozen or so Chen army soldiers left behind couldn't even organize a proper resistance.

The arrows they fired struck the black bone carapace, producing only scattered sparks before being deflected.

Blades sliced in, leaving only faint white marks, yet could not pierce the defense at all!

Meanwhile, the Netherbone's claws, when swung, tore through flesh or wooden palisades as easily as paper!

Severed limbs and shattered defenses flew everywhere!

The stench of blood instantly grew so thick it made one want to vomit!

In just a few breaths, Outpost B3 had become a bloody ruin.

Having completed the slaughter, the Netherbone unit paused not a moment, instantly turned, and like a precise killing machine lunged at another retreating patrol squad.

Their speed was so great it inspired despair!

Seeing that the patrol squad of over twenty was about to be overtaken, sharing the fate of Outpost B3——

"Form ranks! Raise shields!"

The First Detachment of the Guard Battalion finally arrived!

Two hundred elite guards swiftly formed a tight circular formation, shielding the panicked patrol squad behind them.

In their hands they held not only blades and shields, but also dozens of newly issued second‑generation Disturbing Crystal Disks, which were instantly activated!

Hum——!

A low humming sound resonated as one!

An invisible, warm‑tinged repulsive field spread out, enveloping the dozen or so Netherbone charging at the front.

Effective!

The moment those Netherbone entered the field, their movements visibly stiffened and fell into confusion for an instant.

The blue soulfire burning in their eye sockets also flared wildly!

Even their indestructible black bone carapace emitted a faint, almost overburdened 'crack‑crack' sound.

"Kill!"

The Guard Battalion Commander seized this fleeting opportunity, roaring as he led the charge forward!

However, in the next moment, a heart‑stopping event occurred.

Those Netherbone were disturbed for less than three breaths!

As their inner azure light flashed, they actually withstood the Disturbing Crystal Disk's interference and resumed movement!

Although their movements seemed slightly slower than before, they remained incredibly swift!

Clang!

The Guard Battalion Commander's saber came down hard on a Netherbone's neck carapace, leaving only a deep gash, failing to behead it!

Yet that Netherbone's retaliatory claw, with a scream that tore the air, plunged straight for his heart!

"Watch out!"

Fortunately, his comrade beside him raised his shield in time, but the wooden shield, reinforced with iron bands, was pierced straight through by that claw!

Terrifying power!

"Retreat! Alternate covering fire while withdrawing!"

The Guard Battalion Commander broke out in a cold sweat, daring not to clash head‑on, and immediately gave the order.

Relying on the continuous interference of the Disturbing Crystal Disks and their seamless coordination, the two hundred guards fought while retreating, barely holding back the Netherbone pursuit and rescuing that patrol squad back to the main camp.

But the cost was over thirty guards killed or wounded, and nearly all the Disturbing Crystal Disks, drained by constant activation, turned into scrap iron.

Those fifty Netherbone halted outside the range of the camp's bows and crossbows, like fifty statues from the netherworld, coldly 'gazing' at the Chen army's main camp.

With a clean, swift strike, they showed Chen Wen and the soldiers of Great Chen what true, transcendent terror is.

On the watchtower, utter silence prevailed.

Everyone's face looked grim.

Chen Wen's gaze swept past the fifty Netherbone, once again turning toward the heart of the enemy camp, to the source of that icy, mad will.

His fist slowly clenched.

A new threat has descended.

Moreover, it is more troublesome than imagined.

The Fortune Momentum's perception let him see where the node lay.

But how to sever these Netherbone driven purely by nether energy has become the cruelest practical problem before him.

A sudden night wind rose, carrying a strong scent of blood, stirring the dragon flag to flutter noisily.

As if playing an overture to the imminent, even more brutal slaughter.