Chapter 552: The Last Knight of the Land of Knights

"... Saint Xisi above! That box contains rifle bullets, not your grandmother! Put it down gently!"

"You idiots over there! Get out of the way! The carriage can't get through!"

"Quick! Move!"

Rude shouts tore through the sultry air outside Cold Crow City, as military supply carriages were moving into the expanding military camp.

This was the northeastern border of the Campbell Principality.

It was also the newly designated front line.

The citizens in Cold Crow City were whispering and discussing this matter; some were nervous, some were confused, but more were excited.

These frontier people had long been unhappy with the rats in the north. Their hatred for the rat-men was roughly equivalent to the hostility of the villagers of Yinsong Town toward the little demons—

One put rat droppings in their granary, and the other peed on their heads.

By comparison, the threat of the rat-men was clearly greater. After all, the little demons all lived in the labyrinth, and their numbers were limited.

While the rat-men of the Carrion Clan were not only numerous, but also repeatedly probed the boundaries of the human world.

It's just a pity that the Earl of Sipinuoer had no interest in this frontier land, and the baron was unable to bear the cost of expanding northward alone.

This is also the biggest drawback of feudalism; the interests between various families cannot be unified. Some want to solve the problem, while others want to condone it, and no one really cares what those old farmers are thinking; they just occasionally think the same way as them.

It still had to be the famous "White-Haired Duke" to take action.

Although Edward actually didn't know what they were thinking, this didn't prevent the border people of Cold Crow City from regarding him as a savior sent by Saint Xisi.

It's also interesting to say that at first, "White-Haired Duke" was a nickname given to him by traditional nobles to mock Edward's "political show," but when it reached the ears of the commoners, it completely changed its flavor.

After all, the commoners couldn't hear the news in the upper-class circles at all, and mostly believed the version of royal harmony in the "Lei Ming City Daily."

On the high slope, Edward squinted his eyes to overlook the military camp that was slowly unfolding, and returned the telescope in his hand to Sir Wei Sili on the side.

"Our mobilization speed is twice as fast as before, Sir Wei Sili, this is your credit."

Sir Wei Sili, who took the telescope, smiled and said.

"I dare not take credit, Your Majesty, I think this is more the credit of the railway."

"Haha, undeniably, Prince Kelin's railway has indeed done us a big favor," Edward grinned, turned around and walked down the high slope, "Let's go, I still have some details to discuss with you about the specific strategic deployment."

Sir Wei Sili nodded respectfully.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Although Edward had decided to leave the "glory" of the frontal battlefield to the lizardmen of Mud City and the dwarves of the Gaoshan Kingdom, this did not mean that the Campbell Principality intended to stand by and watch.

This was, after all, his own border.

More importantly, this was a once-in-a-lifetime "learning" opportunity that Prince Kelin had won for the Campbell people.

After the military meeting, Sir Wei Sili, as the Marshal of the Principality, also put forward a supplementary suggestion to Grand Duke Edward—

Rather than observing from the sidelines, it is better to learn in actual combat.

Therefore, a new type of unit called the "Mountain Corps" came into being.

A mixed unit of 10,000 people composed of adventurers and Ryan refugees would undergo a transformation here.

They abandoned the thousand-man squad tactics brought from the Aus Continent and adopted a brand-new establishment more suitable for the Luokesai 1054 bolt-action rifle—"battalion" and "corps."

This theory originated from the people of the Dragon God of the Gutafu Kingdom.

The troop strength that a lizardman with the loudest voice could hold was about ten lizardmen, which was a "squad."

And a lizardman with good eyesight, fast running, and a loud voice could integrate the three squads within his line of sight, which was a "platoon."

Why three?

Because the most useful fingers on a lizardman's front claw were three, and coincidentally, the Campbell people's infantry phalanx was also three rows.

3 and 4 were a very scientific "command multiple," although scientific thought was a fresh thing for the people of the Aus Continent, "empiricism" had a heritage of thousands of years on this land, so the Campbell people soon absorbed this advanced tactic.

Three mountain corps, each under the jurisdiction of three battalions, each battalion had 600 to 800 people.

The newly established establishment would serve as a pilot for the Principality's military reform. In the future, the Principality's army would no longer be dominated by conscripts, but would establish a more modern standing army, with professional soldiers as the main body.

The reform of the military system was another major weakening of traditional feudal forces following the recovery of land and church membership.

In order to fill the source of troops, recruitment orders stamped with the Campbell family crest were posted all over the streets and alleys of Lei Ming City.

Those adventurers who licked blood on the edge of the knife were completely crazy. What attracted them was not only military pay, but also the "nationality" of the Campbell Principality.

It is worth mentioning that although the "nationalization of church membership" was something that happened in Aus Year 1054, the nationality legislation of the Campbell Principality did not happen during Edward's time.

A long time ago, the Lei Ming City Council had issued a similar bill, stipulating the identity distinction between "subjects of the Grand Duke" and "outsiders," and for the first time legally distinguished who could inherit land in the Campbell Principality, who was protected by council legislation, and who needed to pay extra taxes to His Majesty.

This was essentially different from the nationality of the information age.

The Campbell Principality in 1054 had just reached the social stage of "natural subjects," and taking nationality was mostly for tax exemption and inheritance rights, rather than "permanent residence" and free-riding benefits.

However, this could still be understood as the prototype of nationality.

And for the adventurers in Lei Ming City, this was almost the best shortcut to get legal citizenship of this rich land, besides marrying a local.

Just as this huge war machine was roaring, an out-of-place carriage slowly drove into the dusty military camp.

The carriage was painted with exquisite black lacquer, and the wheels were wrapped in shock-absorbing cork, looking particularly eye-catching in this chaotic camp.

It was like a poodle that had wandered into a wolf pack.

The carriage door opened, and a polished leather shoe stepped onto this land full of yellow mud. Sir Dikbin stepped off the carriage with a look of disgust, seemingly angry because there was no red carpet.

He was the special envoy of the Ryan Kingdom stationed in Campbell Castle, his shiny hair combed meticulously, as if it had been licked by an ox tongue.

Although time had carved traces on the corners of his eyes, it had not taken away the greasy, pampered air from his skin.

Looking at the ceremonial staff walking toward him, he pushed the guy away, took out the comb from his pocket to comb his hair, and cursed.

"Take your dirty hands away, I don't want to hear a word of nonsense! Let me see your Majesty! Immediately! Now!"

The ceremonial staff was stunned.

He thought he hadn't reached out, but he was inexplicably pushed. However, he still nodded politely, at least he couldn't be as rude as a Ryan noble.

"Okay, sir."

Inside the military tent, Edward was discussing the details of the front-line deployment with Sir Wei Sili and a group of officers.

They needed to prioritize opening a supply line to the Gaoshan Kingdom to meet with the dwarf brothers of the Gaoshan Kingdom.

Compared to sending an envoy to submit a cold document, using the sound of guns and cannons to tell the other party the determination of the Principality would be more sincere.

The dwarf scouts must be observing the movements of the Principality's border now, and it shouldn't be long before their envoys arrive.

At this time, the tent curtain was lifted, and a messenger ran in.

"Your Majesty! Sir Dikbin is visiting."

Sir Wei Sili frowned.

"Who let that guy in?"

The messenger stammered and couldn't explain clearly.

It wasn't who let that guy in, it was mainly that no one dared to stop him. After all, nominally, the Ryan Kingdom was still the suzerain of Campbell, and that special envoy was a noble.

And Edward raised his eyebrows, but didn't make things difficult for the messenger, but smiled and said.

"Let him in."

He didn't expect that the Ryan envoy's movements would be faster than the dwarves living on the next mountain, only one day later than him to the front line.

When he sent troops to the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng, this Sir Dikbin didn't even let out a fart.

"Yes!"

The messenger breathed a sigh of relief and ran away.

Not long after, the tent curtain was lifted again, and Sir Dikbin strode into the tent, bringing a scent of perfume with him.

Several officers frowned.

Not because of the perfume on the other party, but because of the rudeness of this special envoy. He not only didn't show the politeness he should have, but was proud to the point of confusion, only slightly bowing, with condescending arrogance between his brows.

"Grand Duke, I represent the great His Majesty Xio-Deng, and send you greetings!"

That smooth and shrill voice was more like a lizard than a lizard, and Mr. Saku Jifeng's voice was probably more pleasant than his.

Edward didn't look up, his eyes still stayed on the map, and replied casually.

"I represent the Campbell people, and send greetings to you and the thing behind you."

The moment he heard this sentence, Sir Dikbin's fake smile froze instantly, and a hint of anger flashed on his shiny face.

"Is this your etiquette to the suzerain state? Edward, I thought the Campbell Principality was a model of the Land of Knights, but I didn't expect it to be so lacking in upbringing."

"The knights of the Land of Knights will only show respect to true knights."

Edward finally looked up and threw the pencil in his hand onto the map.

"As for you... Sir Dikbin, if you are representing Xio-Deng to reminisce with me, that's unnecessary, my patience for him has long been exhausted. But you came just in time, I hope you take those Ryan people with missing arms and legs outside Cold Crow City home, they are your people after all."

"Sir, I don't have the time to play this hypocritical game of loving the people like a son with you, you don't have to act in front of me."

Dikbin snorted coldly, straightened his collar that had no wrinkles, and his tone became aggressive.

"I came here this time to represent the De-Wa-Lu family to question the Campbell family. Your army violated the ancient contract and marched into the Wan Ren Mountains without authorization, which is an unbenevolent and unrighteous act."

Unbenevolent and unrighteous, really.

Sir Wei Sili laughed softly, the surrounding officers were even more of a joke, while Sir Bertrand sighed softly after silence.

Ever since he killed General Han-Nu-Er, the "Spear of the Principality," with one sword, he had always felt a sense of guilt in his heart, believing that he had destroyed the honor of the Land of Knights with his own hands.

However, when he saw this envoy from the Land of Knights, the guilt in his heart was much less... Behind Earl De-Li-Ke, there stood such an ugly thing.

Fortunately, he didn't have a soft heart and hesitation.

Not realizing that he had lost the face of the Land of Knights, Sir Dikbin, who was angered by the laughter, stepped forward and continued to say aggressively.

"You group of stupid reckless men are still laughing! The Wan Ren Mountains are the sphere of influence of the Gaoshan Kingdom, this is determined by the ancient alliance of the Second Epoch, do I need to remind you?"

"Your army gathered on the border line, not only will it trigger serious diplomatic disputes, anger our dwarf allies, but even cause warnings from the Empire! For the sake of regional stability, I represent the King and demand you stop this foolish act immediately, otherwise—"

"Otherwise His Majesty Xio-Deng will not sit idly by?"

Edward took over his words, his tone as flat as reading an expired newspaper, and choked Sir Dikbin on the spot with one sentence.

For a long time, he squeezed out a sentence with a flushed face.

"That, that is of course... the Lionheart Knights will not sit idly by!"

Obviously, he still wanted some face, otherwise he should have said this shameless sentence without blushing or panting.

The Lionheart Knights, who had been stationed in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng for a year, not only did not move forward into the Wan Ren Mountains, but turned around and returned in triumph in the direction of Roland City.

Edward let out a laugh, his gaze growing increasingly cold as he looked at this neatly groomed baronet, as if he were looking at a bug.

To be honest, he didn't have any good intentions when he invited this guy in, he just wanted the new nobles of the Principality around him to take a look at the ugliness of the Ryan nobles, and unite the people around him... However, the ugliness of this guy disgusted him first.

From beginning to end, this baronet did not ask a single word about the Ryan people lying on stretchers outside, nor did he mention a word of the atrocities the rat-men had committed in the caves; instead, he concerned himself with the dwarves in the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain.

Even on the way he walked into this tent, those tragic scenes were right under his eyelids.

He actually started pretending to be blind.

"Then let your Hai-Ge-Mo take his knights to pick up these people and go home."

He sneered, bypassed the table, strode to the entrance of the tent, and lifted the heavy curtain.

*Whoosh—*

A crisp, clean sound, the hot wind of June mixed with the smell of rotting wounds, instantly poured into the tent.

Dikbin subconsciously took a step back, took out a silk handkerchief sprayed with perfume, and covered his nose with a frown.

"What are you doing? Close it!"

"Open your eyes and see, Sir Dikbin."

Edward pointed to the refugees outside the tent and scolded sternly.

"The people illuminated by the Holy Light are kept in captivity, tortured, and slaughtered by rat-men like livestock... People who don't know would think they are sardines in a can!"

"And you, a coward who calls himself a noble, are here talking to me about some bullshit ancient contract and dwarves! Sir Dikbin, I don't want to ask if you still have piety to the Holy Light in your heart, because even demons would mock you, I just want to ask where your sense of shame and dignity have gone?"

Dikbin just glanced at the hellish scene in a hurry, then quickly moved his gaze away as if his eyes had been burned by a cigarette butt.

His face flushed red, but not because of shame, but because the Campbell people were so shameless to tear his scars in front of him.

"Grand Duke, you, don't be angry and ashamed! Don't change the subject! I am now... talking about your problem!"

"Once the ancient contract is broken, and the sacred obligation is no longer fulfilled, the corrosion of chaos will come to our land! Can you afford this responsibility!"

"As for these commoners... in this chaotic era, it is common for a few people to die, and you cannot destroy the happy life of good people because of these lowly lives. Grand Duke, you are too young, if it were your father, he would definitely not do such a reckless thing!"

The air in the tent suddenly became quiet.

Everyone's eyes fell on him, Sir Wei Sili restrained the raised corners of his mouth, while Sir Bertrand narrowed his eyes.

This bug...

Dared to mention the name of the Campbell late King so brazenly.

Dikbin seemed to feel that the atmosphere was wrong, and his Adam's apple moved with some difficulty.

"You... what are you going to do?"

They didn't do anything, just looked at him with eyes looking at trash.

Even an old-school noble like Sir Bertrand who paid the most attention to traditional etiquette, only had pure disgust in his eyes at this moment.

No morality, no bottom line, no faith...

Is this the last knight of the "Land of Knights"?

Edward suddenly laughed, there was no temperature in that cold smile, only bone-chilling coldness.

He turned his head and looked at Sir Wei Sili on the side.

"Look, Wei Sili, this is the old friend of our Earl De-Li-Ke... The backbone lost by the Land of Knights even needs me, the Grand Duke who is least like a knight, to pick it up for them." Sir Wei Sili sighed lightly.

"The tulips are withering, this is indeed regrettable."

Edward turned back, looked at Sir Dikbin who was retreating in panic, and then looked at the two guards standing at the door.

"Give this friend a gun and take him to the 'Ryan Camp' of the Mountain Corps. I think Marshal Wei Sili is right, the compatriots of the Ryan people should be saved by the Ryan people themselves, he can take a gun to talk to the rat-men about that bullshit ancient contract, and by the way, go to their cave to find the bones of the Ryan people... if there are any left."

The two guards standing at the door stepped forward to take the person, but Sir Dikbin jumped up like a squirrel whose tail had been stepped on, apparently he didn't expect the "White-Haired Demon" to be so unreasonable.

He had already ignored the response to that teasing insult, only shouting in panic.

"You! How dare you! Wait, I am a special envoy... I am a noble! Take your dirty hands away! For the sake of Saint Xisi, let me return to Roland City, I want to explain this matter to His Majesty!"

Two guards, fierce as wolves and tigers, paid no heed to his protests; they grabbed the screaming baronet by either side and dragged him out like a dead dog.

"This matter is not urgent, you will always have a chance to see your Majesty, remember to say hello to Xio-Deng for me then."

Edward picked up the pencil he had thrown onto the map, not bothering to spare another glance at the baronet being dragged out the door.

"By the way, tell him for me, he still owes me two debts."

"I will settle with him sooner or later!"

……

The scorching sun of June burned the suburbs of Cold Crow City, and also burned the forest further north.

At the same time as Sir Dikbin was dragged out of the military camp like a dead dog, a fully armed thirty-man squad was silently traveling through the forest outside the northern border of the Earl of Sipinuoer.

They were the most elite warriors of the Principality, every soldier possessed at least the strength of the steel level, and there was no shortage of silver-level powerhouses!

And the silver-haired girl at the head had even stepped into the diamond-level realm.

"Prince Kelin."

The long sword in her hand pushed aside the waist-high thorns in front, Ailin slowed down, turned her face to look at Kelin beside her, her eyes still carrying a hint of apology.

"... You really don't need to take risks with me personally. This forest is full of rat-men's traps and ambushes, if you have any accidents, how can I explain to the people of the Kelin Principality? Protecting the people on the Running River is the responsibility given to me by the Light of Praise, this responsibility does not belong to you."

"What about protecting you?"

"……"

Ailin didn't speak, but the ripe ear tips exposed her accelerated heartbeat.

Seeming to see the teasing in those deep purple eyes, she showed an angry expression, and glared at him unhappily.

"Your Highness, please don't be like this, I am serious. You have helped us too much, I cannot let you take risks for me again—"

"I am not joking, I am also serious."

Luo Yan smiled faintly, waved the magic wand in his hand, and let the thorns entwined in front automatically tilt to both sides.

"The Kelin family is also a person favored by God, you have the obligation to protect the people on the Running River, and I have the obligation to protect the land illuminated by the Holy Light... This is also my obligation. As for worrying about me, it is even more unnecessary."

"The Kelin Principality is a paradise for adventurers, I opened my eyes in the jungle, here is like returning home to me. And if I really encounter any misfortune, adventurers don't have to grieve for me, they will pass on my story."

People grow old every day in this world, but not everyone has truly lived.

Luo Yan wanted to say this, but Ailin's expression was too delicious, and his smooth talk couldn't help but take a turn when it reached his lips.

"Of course, I must admit... these high-sounding reasons are all excuses I made up on the spot, you are the main reason I am here."

The surroundings were left with only the rustling of insects.

Ailin, who was burying her head in chopping thorns, had no sound again.

However, Luo Yan, who was walking beside her, saw clearly that the ears over the hair tips were like a red-hot key, inserted into a silver treasure chest.

He could even guess that she must be thinking—

As expected of Prince Kelin.

Really kind, brave, and heartwarming, heh heh heh...

Appreciating this rare beautiful scenery, Luo Yan smiled faintly, stopped the smooth talk at the right point, and did not continue to express that untimely warmth.

Poor Princess Ailin didn't know that the Demon King was talking nonsense with his eyes open again.

Where is he a believer in Saint Xisi, he is just purely curious, what incredible black technology his old partner in the Academic State has tinkered with behind his back...

Or black magic.

The group continued to advance rapidly in the forest.

Suddenly, Shala, who had been silently following Luo Yan, stopped, her expressionless face raised slightly, and her amber pupils became sharp.

"Something, in front."

Teresa, who was beside her, looked at Shala in surprise; as a gold-level transcendent, she felt nothing.

Is this the strength of the "Prince's Guard"?

Really unfathomable!

Not daring to be the slightest bit careless, she immediately drew the long sword from her waist and turned to shout at the soldiers behind her.

"Prepare for battle!"

"Hah!"

The young men of Campbell responded in unison, drawing their swords one after another, the vigorous "Holy Qi" in their bodies instantly running to the extreme, and a dazzling golden glow rippled under the green shade!

Luo Yan looked appreciatively at Shala, whose perception had improved again, and then pulled a slender magic wand from his sleeve.

He actually discovered it earlier, just hiding his clumsiness on purpose to maintain the Prince's persona.

"Holy Shield Body Protection!"

With a soft chant, complicated runes appeared in the air, then turned into bright silver streamers, accurately covering every soldier, and on their already shining armor, plated another layer of holy glow.

Feeling the power infused by the Prince, the morale of the crowd greatly increased, and the knight longswords held in their hands were even more powerful.

Just then, a chilling sharp roar suddenly came from the depths of the dense forest in front.

"Roar—!"

The earth trembled violently, and several oak trees that needed two people to embrace were snapped in half like fragile matchsticks!

In the flying wood chips, a stitched giant rat five people high rushed over like an out-of-control chariot.

It was stitched with the limbs of various magical beasts, and dark green pus flowed under the rotting skin, emitting a nauseating stench.

That terrifying pressure was enough to make the most elite adventurers tremble, but none of the people standing here frowned.

"Hah—!"

Ailin gave a clear shout, her figure like electricity, taking the lead to meet it.

I saw the "Light of Praise" in her hand draw a perfect semicircle in the air, and the shining sword light instantly swept across the giant rat's huge body.

*Puff—! *

That was the sound of bone and flesh separating!

The giant beast charging with a roar didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was neatly divided into two halves from the middle by an electric light, and the stinking internal organs flowed all over the ground like an avalanche!

However, everything was just the beginning!

*Bang bang bang! *

Dense bowstring sounds suddenly rang out in the surrounding bushes, and hundreds of poisoned dark green crossbow arrows poured down like a rainstorm, pointing directly at Ailin who was rushing to the front.

However, those arrows that were enough to pierce steel plates didn't touch Ailin at all.

Just as they were about to approach, a breeze blew by, and the arrows all over the sky turned into dancing green leaves and dissipated.

"I said, I am serious." Luo Yan smiled slightly, his calm smile unchanged, and the pale golden light on the tip of the wand switched to dark green.

That was the magic of the Life School, he let the dancing arrows grow green buds again.

"Thank you!"

Ailin gave Luo Yan a look of gratitude, her feet didn't stop at all, and the whole person was like a silver meteor shuttling through the forest, straight into the depths of the enemy formation.

The strength of a diamond-level powerhouse was displayed to the extreme at this moment!

Not a single rat-man could parry a round in front of the Light of Praise in her hand!

Ailin, who had adapted to the vampire identity, was even stronger than before, just because there was a steady stream of life force that could be absorbed by the Light of Praise!

And Luo Yan, standing in the rear, was not idle either, the magic wand in his hand casually made a sword flower, and the tip of the wand tapped the ground lightly.

*Hum—*

A pale blue ripple centered on him, rippling extremely fast toward the surroundings, crossing the positions of their own walking knights.

The ripple spread silently for more than ten meters, and when it touched the ambushers hidden in the bushes, it suddenly turned into scorching flames and rose!

*Boom—! *

"Ah!"

"Tail! My tail!"

Hundreds of clan rats let out broken-pitched screams, twisted in the fire, trampled on each other and fled, bringing death and fear back into the rat-men's military formation.

A group of young men from Campbell were dumbfounded.

Such strong strength!

Although they had long heard that this Prince was a powerful mage, they had always thought he was the kind of scholar who only sat in a high tower and studied magic books.

Didn't expect that when he really made a move, his methods were not inferior to those battle mages, and even better.

Luo Yan manipulated the burning flames, not burning those rat-men to death directly, but controlling them at just the right temperature.

He actually had more efficient black flames that could be used, but it was unnecessary here, after all, they were all servants of the Holy Light around.

The morale of the rat-men was crumbling.

However, just as they were about to collapse, more than a dozen rat-men priests in black robes stood out, chanting insidious spells in their mouths.

Dark green light was infused into the rat-men's pupils, then turned into red thicker than blood. They seemed to be controlled by some force, their eyes covered with bloodshot, regained their rat courage, and continued to charge with screams.

"Human thing! Die! Die!"

They waved rusty swords and battle axes stolen from dwarves, colliding with the walking knights of the Campbell people like a black tide.

And then—

Like waves hitting a reef, they died first.

The slaughter behind was still continuing, in just a few breaths, Ailin killed two more stitched giant rats that tried to sneak attack.

Silver hair danced in the wind, there was not a drop of dirty blood on her, and even her breathing had no disorder.

Just then, a dozen sneaky elite clan rats climbed onto the towering oak trees.

They set up several thick and long rune crossbows, the pitch-black muzzles aimed at Kelin standing in the center of the team.

The idea of solving the mage first had no problems, but they clearly still overestimated their strength and overestimated the power of those few rune crossbows.

Luo Yan saw them, but was too lazy to even lift his eyelids, as if what was lying there were just a few annoying flies.

And in the next second, a black ghost flashed past the treetops, and the flying daggers silently crossed the necks of a dozen rats.

*Puff—! *

The corpses fell from the trees like dumplings, and the noisy gale didn't blow the leaves off the treetops until Shala jumped down from the tree.

The dagger in her hand turned like a saw blade, Shala landed lightly and didn't stop, a pair of amber vertical pupils narrowed slightly, locking onto the rat-man priest standing behind the rat swarm.

The pressure from the superior predator shrouded the top of the rat-men's heads, that was an aura that made the rats fear more than transcendent power.

"Squeak—!"

The morale of the rat swarm that had just regained its courage was on the verge of collapse again, fleeing for their lives in all directions, trying to stay away from this cat.

Shala didn't look at them at all, her agile figure turned into a residual image again, the short sword at her waist jumped into her hand, and in the blink of an eye, several rat-man priests who were casting spells had their throats cut.

Watching the strong in the clan fall one after another, the remaining clan rats and slave rats completely collapsed.

They threw away their helmets and armor, chattering and fleeing toward the depths of the forest, leaving only corpses and broken weapons all over the ground.

Less than ten minutes!

A full-strength rat-man thousand-man squad was completely killed through by this thirty-man squad, leaving a ground of bloody corpses in the dense jungle!

In fact, the rat-men on Burial Peak were far from being so weak, but unfortunately, the cave spiders of the Shadow-Weaving Nest had already consumed too much of the Shi Laike warlord's effective strength... that was something that happened the night before last.

The flames burning on the corpses extinguished silently.

Shaking off the thick black blood on the "Light of Praise," Ailin sheathed her sword.

Her gaze crossed the corpses all over the ground and cast toward the direction where the rat-men fled, her delicate brows slightly wrinkled.

"It seems that there is indeed something extraordinary hidden behind them... those stitched giant rats don't look like products of natural mutation, but more like creations of some alchemy."

"Hmm, I think so too..."

Luo Yan slowly opened his eyes, and a ripple of magic power flashed in his deep purple pupils.

"The firebird I summoned saw some interesting things in the sky... that seems to be a rat hole, and I can't see clearly further inside."

Actually, where does he need to summon any firebird.

His "Butterfly of All Phenomena" has been hovering over the forest sea, overlooking every move of this land like a satellite.

"Then let's go and take a look, and see what they have hidden in the rat hole."

Ailin took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at Teresa who was walking toward her.

"Rest for three minutes, then continue forward!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Teresa performed a standard knight salute, then shouted loudly for the soldiers to gather again, checking equipment and supplies.

Shala came to Luo Yan's side and quietly handed the dozen magic stones engraved with runes into the latter's hand, those were the spoils she had seized from the rat-man priests.

Luo Yan threw most of the magic stones into the storage ring, leaving only one in his fingers to examine, a hint of profound interest appearing between his brows.

"Magic of the Soul School."

A milky white mist floated beside him, and Hearing You You whispered in surprise.

"No wonder the players said they encountered spells that could strike the soul directly... turns out it was something from the Soul School."

"I hope that's all it is."

Luo Yan pondered for a long time, looked at Ailin's direction, and finally didn't give this thing to her, but also threw it into the storage space.

Let the Academic State matter slow down for a while, he is not sure if the Great Sage participated in it, and if he participated, how deep it involved.

That guy probably still misunderstands that he is an arrogant "ally," the chosen one of the Mist of Deception... He sincerely hopes that the Great Sage continues to misunderstand.

The brave only needs to swing the sword, and the Demon King has a lot to consider.

To what extent this battle will be fought, he also has to look at the situation. ===== CHAPTER 553 =====