203: Chapter 203 The War Begins

With those three top-tier generals added, the chances of victory were slim.

Perhaps only if Lord Karl personally intervened, or if a larger, similarly enhanced Death Legion were mobilized, would it be possible to wipe them out.

His thoughts racing, Mo Yu instantly changed his strategy.

Going head-to-head was unwise, so... he would talk.

He urged his Undead Warhorse forward a few steps, deliberately reining in the uncomfortable deathly chill surrounding him, and spoke to Lin Tian, who was clearly the one in charge. His voice, muffled by his faceplate, sounded deep and raspy:

"This Lord truly... commands respect. Given Your Excellency's current strength, I fear there is no longer anyone in this region who can compete with you."

He offered a compliment first, then shifted his tone, pointing toward Lord Su Wan beside Lin Tian.

"I have come here only to settle a private matter with this Elven Lord. I wonder... friend, what is your purpose for being here? If you are merely passing by, I hope you will do me a favor."

He spoke politely, even with a hint of negotiation, attempting to exclude Lin Tian from the situation and avoid a direct conflict.

Mounted on Chi Yan's back, Lin Tian listened to Mo Yu's shift from arrogance to humility and his attempt to "reason." The faint smile on his Face deepened, looking somewhat amused.

"Friend?"

He softly repeated the word and shook his head, his tone casual yet clear.

"I cannot accept such a title. As for my purpose..."

He turned his head and smiled at Lord Su Wan, whose body had stiffened slightly when Mo Yu named her, then turned back.

Looking at Mo Yu, his voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness that spread clearly across the front lines of both sides:

"This person is under my protection."

Six simple words, without any embellishment, yet they carried the weight of a thousand catties.

Behind him, when Lord Su Wan heard Lin Tian's unhesitating and decisive response, her long-strained heartstrings felt as if they were gently brushed by a warm hand, and her nose actually began to sting.

An indescribable warm current, mixed with the relief of surviving a disaster, instantly overwhelmed her.

She knew all too well that without Lin Tian, Moonlight Grove would have been completely swallowed by death and wither tonight.

Hearing Lin Tian's blunt refusal, Mo Yu's Face twitched beneath his faceplate, but he restrained himself.

In a negotiation, there had to be some back and forth.

"Since Your Excellency insists on protecting her..."

Mo Yu's voice remained deliberately "peaceful," carrying a hint of "concession."

"Then today, consider it my intrusion. I shall leave now, and there is no need for either side to lose their civility. How about it?"

With these words, he was essentially backing down, intending to retreat directly.

In his view, he had given enough Face, and the other party had no reason to persist.

However, Lin Tian's response once again caught him off guard.

"Since you're already here."

Lin Tian gently patted Chi Yan's neck. Understanding the gesture, Chi Yan stepped forward, the flames on its four hooves flaring up with a "whoosh," illuminating Lin Tian's calm and expressionless Face. "Why leave?"

He looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the hideous faceplate to stare directly at Mo Yu. His tone remained flat, yet it carried a judge-like coldness:

"I think... you won't be able to leave today."

"!!!"

The "politeness" and "peace" that Mo Yu had forced himself to maintain shattered like a fragile shell of ice before Lin Tian's words, which were laced with undisguised killing intent!

"You!"

The deep, raspy voice suddenly rose, filled with uncontrollable shock, anger, and violence!

The deathly chill around him erupted with a bang, spreading outward like a physical tide of black ice. The plants beneath his feet withered and turned gray at a speed visible to the naked eye!

The Undead Warhorse beneath him also let out a shrill neigh, the Soul fire in its eye sockets burning wildly.

"I gave you Face, and you threw it back!"

Mo Yu's voice became sharp and venomous, stripped of all pretense, filled with the fury of being slighted and cornered.

"Do you really think I'm afraid of you? The person behind me could crush you like an ant! I advise you not to make a mistake! Step aside now, and I can still act as if nothing happened!"

The negotiations had broken down, and the fangs were bared. Intense killing intent, accompanied by a cold aura of death, instantly enveloped the entire front line of the battlefield like the low pressure before a blizzard.

The moonlight also seemed to dim slightly because of it.

Hearing Mo Yu's blustering words, acting tough while trying to intimidate him by bringing up his backer, Lin Tian didn't even bother to raise an eyebrow.

Waste words on him? No need.

Since things were out in the open and he had gauged the opponent's general strength.

Only seven thousand legendary Death Knights and several hundred low-star Platinum ones.

Then why dawdle?

Wouldn't it be more direct to capture him and interrogate him slowly?

The faint smile at the corner of Lin Tian's mouth vanished completely, and his eyes instantly became sharp and cold like northern ice.

He gently raised his right hand and then waved it forward.

A simple gesture, yet like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, it instantly shattered the fragile standoff and silence on the battlefield.

"Pale Moon Hunters, Crimson Flame Mages, three rounds of interval fire, saturation attack!"

"Lin Feng, Command of a Thousand Armies, prepare to engage!"

"Lin Yin, free hunt, prioritize eliminating enemy units of platinum rank or higher!"

The orders were concise, clear, and cold, instantly spreading through the entire army.

This was an "old routine" tested in countless battles, yet it was also the most effective and lethal combination.

"Hum!"

"Swish, swish, swish!"

"Boom!"

Almost at the same moment Lin Tian's hand dropped, the long-range units, which had been poised for action, responded!

The sky was first illuminated by countless Moonlight Arrows trailing pale silver wakes, looking like an upward-flying meteor shower cutting through the night.

With sharp whistling sounds, they poured down toward the Death Knight formation!

Before the arrows even arrived, the bone-chilling Moonlight Power, which seemed capable of freezing the Soul, caused the Soul fire in the eye sockets of the front-line Death Knights to flicker.

Before the rain of arrows had fully landed, another storm of destructive fire followed close behind!

The Crimson Flame Mages chanted in unison, as blazing fireballs, explosive flame shells, and roaring fire dragons condensed at the tips of their staves, smashing down on the same area like a volcanic eruption!

The scorching heat distorted the air, staining the moonlight with a layer of violent red!

Interval fire, seamless connection.

Before the freezing and piercing effects of the first round of Moonlight Arrows could fade, the explosions and incineration of the second round of Crimson Flame Spells arrived, followed immediately by a third round of arrows...

Within a dozen breaths, three rounds of violent long-range firepower smashed into the front of the Death Knight formation like a hammer hitting an egg!

"Raise shields! Bone Bulwark!"

Mo Yu's shocked and angry roar rang out within the formation.

He truly hadn't expected the opponent to be so decisive, not even bothering with pleasantries before striking a lethal blow!

But the Death Knights were, after all, a legendary unit, and their reaction was extremely fast.