Chapter 26: Attacking Fortified Strongholds
Ma Chao mustered the troops before the formation. Six hundred soldiers and one hundred White Dragon Riders stood arranged across the training ground, each of them full of energy, their morale soaring.
“March.”
Ma Chao let out a low shout, and the Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear in his hand pointed forward. The soldiers ahead responded with raised voices one after another, their voices merging together and shaking the heavens.
Standing at the side, Xiao Wen merely watched the scene before him, yet he could not help feeling the blood in his body boiling and surging!
At this moment, it was as if he had returned to the days of his previous life when he had galloped unhindered across the battlefield.
Reality and illusion merged, and everything became different.
Seven hundred troops marched forward in grand formation. They left the territory and charged straight toward Black Fiend Stronghold.
By the time Xiao Wen and the troops behind him arrived at the foot of Black Fiend Stronghold’s mountain, they had already been discovered by the mountain bandits guarding the stronghold.
Ding! Detected that player Half-Journey Through the Mortal World is attacking a Bluestone-grade mountain stronghold—Black Fiend Stronghold. First to trigger the assault mission—Attacking Fortified Strongholds!
[Attacking Fortified Strongholds]
Mission Type: Beginner Trial Mission
Mission Difficulty: Four Stars
Mission Overview: During the beginner period, large numbers of villages controlled by mountain bandits are scattered around player territories. Since you have occupied these villages, you will naturally draw the attention of the mountain strongholds behind them and invite their attacks. Want to change this situation? Then capture the stronghold as well!
Mission Rewards: Large quantities of supplies and equipment; building blueprints (chance to obtain); City Establishment Token (chance to obtain)
The crisp notification sounded beside Xiao Wen’s ear. His expression remained calm, without much fluctuation.
So-called stronghold assaults were, at most, tutorial scenario missions.
They were the same as the general-challenge tutorial triggered by Level 3 villages.
“My Lord, next...” Ma Chao turned his head, looked at Xiao Wen beside him, and asked for instructions.
Xiao Wen said, “Have the White Dragon Riders switch into White Dragon Guards. Send the one hundred shield guards forward to block the attacks, with the six hundred soldiers following behind. General, you may transform yourself into a roaming dragon and charge at the front. Break through the palisade ahead first.”
Hearing this, Ma Chao nodded, cupped his hands, and said, “This general accepts the order!”
“White Dragon Riders, change formation!”
Ma Chao turned back, his gaze falling on the one hundred White Dragon Riders behind him.
After Ma Chao gave the order, these White Dragon Riders dismounted in an orderly manner, each taking down a heavy shield and a large saber, gripping them in their hands. They gathered together and slowly advanced.
The White Dragon Guards were at the front, followed by several hundred soldiers behind them, advancing step by step.
As the White Dragon Guards pushed forward, sounds of slaughter immediately came from the mountain stronghold ahead. Soon after, several hundred mountain bandits could be seen waving weapons as they charged down.
However, before these mountain bandits could reach the front, they were blocked by the White Dragon Guards ahead.
A streak of white light shot out from within the crowd. It was Ma Chao, holding the Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear as he charged forward with full force. Wherever the spearhead pointed, it stirred up a sharp wave of air that pierced through the world, directly breaking out from among the White Dragon Riders and killing forward.
The spear tip trembled, bringing with it a sonic boom as it directly picked off and killed several soldiers who had rushed forward. Its momentum did not slow, landing on the palisade at the very front.
When the spear struck down, a powerful tearing force instantly erupted across the palisade, ripping it into two halves.
Behind him, the soldiers raised their spears one after another and charged forward.
In the next instant, two surging torrents slammed into each other. Under their mutual collision, mountain bandits constantly fell.
The rolling tide pressed forward. Mountain bandits continuously poured out from within the stronghold, yet they could not suppress Ma Chao’s momentum.
Seeing that Ma Chao was about to charge to the stronghold entrance, the Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear in his hand thrust out. Spiral force instantly erupted, and a strangling power immediately appeared, tearing through the surroundings and shredding the mountain bandits along the way one after another.
“Kill!”
Just as Ma Chao’s battle intent erupted, he saw a burly man clad in armor rushing out quickly, holding a pair of bronze hammers in his hands.
The moment he came out, he went straight for Ma Chao.
This was...
Black Fiend Stronghold’s second chief, Cheng Bao.
General: Cheng Bao
Gender: Male
Grade: Elite General (Second Tier)
Level: 22
Three-Dimensional Talent: 156/20 (Levels 21–29, increases by 20 points with each level)
Weapon: Gilded Bronze Hammers
Faction Affiliation: Second Chief of Black Fiend Stronghold
With one information probe, Cheng Bao’s details were fully taken in. Xiao Wen raised his eyebrows slightly, but his expression remained unusually calm. He silently pulled up Ma Chao’s attribute status and looked it over for a while.
General: Ma Chao
Gender: Male
Grade: Legendary Famous General (Fifth Tier)
Level: 20
Three-Dimensional Talent: 160/50
Weapon: Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear
Mount: Claw Yellow Flying Lightning
Hidden Talent: Combination Attack Skill (Activated)
Judging purely from level and attribute status, Ma Chao’s attributes were stronger than Cheng Bao’s.
Therefore, in a duel, there would be absolutely no difficulty.
As Xiao Wen thought this, almost at the same moment that the thought flashed through his mind, Ma Chao’s spear moved in the next second, killing toward Cheng Bao.
The spear was like a dragon emerging, bringing out crisp sounds of tearing wind in the air.
The spear in his hand thrust forward rapidly, leaving several afterimages in the air in succession as it stabbed toward Cheng Bao.
Facing Ma Chao’s spear, Cheng Bao naturally did not dare to be careless in the slightest. With shock and anger on his face, the Gilded Bronze Hammers in his hands moved quickly, blocking Ma Chao’s attacks one after another.
However, after blocking only a dozen or so times, one thrust came killing through with an extreme explosive force and landed on the bronze hammers.
A massive force surged over like a great mountain collapsing, instantly changing Cheng Bao’s expression and forcing him to retreat repeatedly.
However, just as Cheng Bao retreated, Ma Chao seized the momentum and advanced. The spear in his hand stabbed forward, strike after strike, as red health values continuously floated up from above Cheng Bao’s head.
“Break!”
Ma Chao let out a low shout. The Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear in his hand thrust forward with full force, directly locking onto Cheng Bao’s heart, intending to end him with one spear strike.
However, before the spear could land, a longsword came forward and flicked against Ma Chao’s thrusting Profound Heaven Sky-Piercing Spear, directly lifting the spear tip together with the shaft. The strike’s trajectory changed, and it was forced to stab to the side.
The spear struck empty. Ma Chao stared at the thin man who had appeared before him, his expression sinking.
This thin man was none other than the chief of Black Fiend Stronghold.
Most people thought mountain bandits were all broad-backed, thick-waisted brutes with fierce, fleshy faces, but the man before him was thin and pale, without a beard. He looked like a scholarly man.
Only, on that deathly pale face, his eyes were sinister, and his brows carried a faintly cold killing intent.
“You look like quite a refined man. How did you end up becoming a thief?”
Ma Chao stared at the man who had suddenly appeared before him, his expression calm, as though he had already expected his existence.
“The word refined does not seem suitable for a man, does it?”
The chief frowned. As he raised his hand, a flexible sword appeared in his grasp against his cold, gloomy face.
“The villages under my command were occupied by you people, correct?”
“And this time, you actually dare to come up here and try to attack my stronghold? Fine. I’ll kill all of you. That will also let others know that my stronghold is not a place any stray cat or dog can invade!”
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