As I emerged from the camp alongside Wang Zhong, the sight of that group compelled me to shake my head in silent dismay; it was indeed a formidable challenge to cultivate individuals into competent warriors. As for the fleeing Li Mingda, I chose to leave him to his own devices—without a guide, his chances of surviving in this world of calamity were negligible, and I lacked the patience to deal with such a temperamental neurotic.
There were approximately a dozen enemies before us; what should we do? Wang Zhong, indifferent to the throng passing by, instead inquired how we should engage in battle. I assessed the speed and posture of these cavalrymen on horseback, calculating their combat prowess, and with a bitter smile, I replied, "There's no time to devise strategies or tactics. Stay behind me, and let us attempt to carve out a path to survival." Behind us lay a camp devoid of fortifications, surrounded by open plains, leaving us with no feasible escape.
Wang Zhong shook his head, saying, "I do not recommend such reckless action. Have you forgotten about that stone chamber? If we can block the entrance, it will at least buy us some time; we stand no chance against a frontal assault from cavalry. Wang Lin, your bravery is commendable; what were you engaged in before this?" I was momentarily taken aback, realizing I had inadvertently revealed a hint of my capabilities.
Having undergone rigorous training under Master Horus on Skull Island, I possessed considerable insight into dismantling cavalry formations, yet such skills should not be expected from an ordinary high school student. Although Wang Zhong spoke in a calm tone, my performance had undoubtedly aroused his suspicions. While I was not afraid of having my truth exposed, the moment was not yet ripe; I hastily shifted the topic, saying, "The situation is dire, and we are running out of time. You should go inside and gather those fools into the stone chamber while I hold them off for a moment."
Wang Zhong chuckled softly and retreated into the camp, casting not even a glance in my direction. Yet, I knew this man had certainly discerned something. "After all, my identity is not necessarily a secret worth preserving; even if he were to discover it, it would not matter." I spat on the ground, for at that moment, the cavalry had already closed in to within a hundred meters of the camp.
These inhuman riders were the resurrected minions of the Dark Overlord, the Catastrophe Legion. Though merely a small cavalry unit, they radiated an oppressive aura of death and menace that was palpable even in the daylight, instilling a profound sense of dread.
Whoosh! A sharp sound sliced through the air as one of the Catastrophe Knights loosed an arrow towards me. Although I had daggers in hand, I refrained from employing them. The ethereal blue flame of the Heart of the Fallen Warrior enveloped me, and from within its depths, two breaths of death emerged from my palms, manifesting as two razor-sharp tips. With a flick of my hand, I cleaved the arrow in two.
The thunder of hooves echoed. The flames of battle were about to ignite. In that fleeting moment, I felt a familiar chill, a force that vanished as swiftly as it appeared, yet it invigorated my spirit. I unleashed two breaths of death, each manifesting as ten-centimeter blades, crossing them deftly to deflect the might of a charging Catastrophe Knight's lance.
I gracefully sidestepped, allowing the knight to pass, and with my magical longsword imbued with the essence of death, I silently harvested the soul fire of that Catastrophe Knight. Engaging in a head-on collision was never my style; stationed at the camp's entrance, I resembled a willow swaying in the wind, absorbing the impact of the knights' charge before striking them down in the fleeting moment of our passage.
The intensity of the battle escalated rapidly; within mere breaths, I had clashed with seven or eight Catastrophe Knights. Without exception, they surged past my defenses, yet three of them fell among their number. During my skirmishes on Skull Island, I had always faced hordes of skeletal cavalry without any enemies falling before me, yet behind me lay a trail of defeated foes.
This was my signature fighting style! However, I felt a pang of disappointment; having lost the familiar strength I once wielded, my combat efficacy had diminished significantly. I could have annihilated these Catastrophe Knights with ease.
A chilling cry reverberated through the camp, scattering the few Catastrophe Knights yet to breach our defenses. A towering black steed, bearing a knight cloaked in charred darkness, appeared before me. Seeing the poised stance of his broadsword, I realized he intended to break through my defenses with sheer personal might. The four Catastrophe Knights who had breached my line circled back, intent on flanking me.
As I felt the warmth of blood seeping from a wound on my back, inflicted by a knight wielding a chain hammer, I shrugged and flashed a bright smile at the approaching foe. Just as he prepared to charge, I took a step back and retreated into the camp.
There was no longer any need to showcase individual valor! The Catastrophe Knights roared in fury, their thundering hooves shaking the ground as they surged into the camp under the leadership of their commander. I broke through the blockade of the earlier intruding knights and fled into the stone chamber. Wang Zhong, stationed at the entrance, glanced at me and whispered, "I have distributed those cards to them. How did you fare in the battle above?"
"It was far from easy; those knights are monsters—be cautious, for they only die when their heads are severed." In the wake of that fierce conflict, I had once again relied on the breaths of death. The two gashes on my body, inflicted by the chain hammer, were gruesome enough to elicit gasps from those hiding within the stone chamber. I seemed to hear murmurs of, "Monsters, monsters… all monsters."
The Catastrophe Knights that had invaded the camp appeared in no hurry to attack. Initially, I was uncertain of their intentions, but soon, the expressions on both Wang Zhong and my faces shifted dramatically.
The camp erupted with countless roars, and Wang Zhong and I rushed out of the stone chamber to witness an unimaginable scene. This group of Catastrophe Knights, employing some unknown means, was rousing the slumbering spirits within the camp. At the entrance of the stone chamber, over a dozen skeletal arms reached out, seemingly yearning to return from the netherworld.
Wang Zhong acted decisively, his hammers swelling with power as he crushed the three skeletal remains that had just emerged. I drew my daggers, and the two breaths of death concealed in my palms unleashed a gloomy force, immediately shredding a zombie that clawed its way out.
Yet, we were already a step too late; summoned by the Catastrophe Knights, dozens of skeletal warriors soon emerged from the camp. These were far more formidable than those we had encountered upon entering; even at my full strength, confronting such a multitude would be daunting, especially now that I had lost both my unnamed martial arts techniques and the power of Platinum Glory. "I wonder how many souls lie buried beneath this camp. We cannot allow them to summon endlessly; we must devise a way to drive them away.
Let those below emerge and unleash all their magic to bombard them."