366: Chapter 356 What kind of monster is that?

Lake Royal Capital.

The Royal Palace.

Although the flames of war between Lake and the Alliance had never flickered out for a moment, there had been no major movements lately. Zhang Mu found himself with some leisure time. Every day at noon, he would contact Domit to ask if there were any anomalies at the front, and then he would hole up in Avril's bedchamber to help her handle government affairs.

Avril had been incredibly busy lately.

She had to scout candidates for the Medical Squad and oversee personnel training, while also devoting energy to various administrative tasks of the Kingdom.

Furthermore, because Lake was at war and had been branded as a heretic by the gods, merchant caravans no longer entered for trade, and a large number of citizens were fleeing the territory. Even many city lords had abandoned their high positions to flee as refugees. This made affairs extremely hectic and added a significant burden to Avril.

Zhang Mu felt for her, seeing her hunched over her desk every day. Since he happened to be free, he personally cooked three meals a day, making something good to reward her.

"Senior, stop working for a bit and eat first." Zhang Mu walked into the study carrying a wooden tray.

Avril placed her quill into the inkwell and stretched lazily with her hands high in the air. "Thank you for your hard work, Lord Marshal."

Zhang Mu's face darkened.

A few days ago, when he was talking to Domit in his room, Avril happened to walk in and overhear. Since that day, Avril had changed how she addressed him.

"I think 'Junior' still sounds better." Walking to the table, Zhang Mu set down the tray.

"Mmm—smells so good." Avril didn't answer, but walked over and sniffed with the tip of her nose. "Stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers?"

"Have a taste." Although it looked very awkward to see someone eating shredded pork with a fork, Zhang Mu still handed her a silver fork.

Avril's fork technique was very skilled. She poked down, skewering a shred of meat on each of the three tines, and stuffed them into her mouth to chew slowly. "Junior."

"Hmm?"

"That Medical Squad you mentioned—the first batch of candidates is almost chosen."

"So fast?" Zhang Mu was somewhat surprised. "Didn't you say the citizens of the Kingdom were all tending to flee?

They're actually still willing to join an organization established by the royalty?"

"Who told you to promise such generous benefits? Not only using potions as military pay, but also promising a monthly subsidy of silver coins."

Zhang Mu had a sudden realization; it really wasn't strange.

These things were very cheap to him, but for the people of the Saul Continent, especially Apprentice Level Professionals struggling at the bottom, they were far more precious than their own lives.

They felt their own lives weren't worth much.

"Once the people are gathered, hurry with the training. The Alliance won't last long. After we repel them, we'll counterattack immediately."

"Oh?" Avril tilted her head to look at Zhang Mu, forking a piece of green pepper and stuffing it into his mouth while asking, "You weren't this optimistic before the war started."

"I'm still not optimistic now." Zhang Mu crunched the green pepper in two bites and swallowed it, saying with a smile, "I've never had a headache over the Alliance. What I'm wary of is the Kingdom, and that Elf Army coming toward Lake.

However..."

Zhang Mu's expression became strange. "I didn't expect the Alliance to be so pathetic. It seems there's a reason they've been pinned down and hammered by either the Kingdom or Lake for thousands of years."

In such a massive Alliance of at least twenty Kingdoms and principalities, they could only scrape together six Saint Levels. It was too pitiful.

One had to know that if Lake hadn't broken out in civil war, there would have been six Saint Levels even without counting Potter.

In other words, even if Zhang Mu didn't contribute, Lake itself could have beaten the Alliance until they were covered in lumps.

As for the low-level Professionals and ordinary Soldiers who far outnumbered Lake's, to be honest, they did bring Zhang Mu considerable pressure in the beginning.

But with the development of magic-conducting weapons and the continuous production and transport of original firearms, that pressure had already dissipated.

The reason the Alliance was currently allowed to operate within the borders was simply to train an army that could be of great use.

Zhang Mu never believed the war would end with the defeat of the Alliance. On the contrary, this was the start of the war, perhaps even just the warm-up.

The real enemies were those distant empires occupying the wealthiest regions of the Saul Continent.

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing Zhang Mu lost in thought, Avril reached up and pinched the tip of his nose.

"Hiss—" He was jolted awake by the chill from her fingertip. "Senior's magic cultivation has improved again.

When will you reach Saint Level?"

"I'm only half a step away, but when exactly I can cross that half-step is anyone's guess."

Breaking through to Saint Level was indeed difficult, even for Avril who possessed the inheritance of the Ice and Snow King.

"No rush, take it slow. I'll help you win some time..."

"Her Highness Avril, Lord Marshal." A Guard appeared at the door. "Legion Commander Domit seeks an audience."

"Who? Domit?" Zhang Mu turned around, his expression surprised. "Isn't he... tell him to come in."

The Guard took the order and left, returning ten minutes later with a travel-worn Domit behind him.

"Greetings, Your Highness Avril.

Lord Marshal, the Alliance has deployed Rhinoceros Cavalry, and our sniper squads have suffered heavy casu... uh, am I here at a bad time?" Entering the room, he spoke as he walked, his peripheral vision suddenly catching sight of several dishes laid out on the table.

"You're already here, so stop with the nonsense. Speak quickly."

"Oh." Domit scratched his head, then his face turned solemn. "The Alliance has formed dozens of Rhinoceros Cavalry squads to patrol the plains. Our sniper squads were no match and suffered many casualties."

"Cavalry squads..." Zhang Mu pondered for a moment. "How many people in a squad?"

"Anywhere from ten to fifteen."

"I remember the Mutated Rhino-Ox is a Elementary magical beast; it only threatens high-level Professionals when in large numbers... Oh, they're quite clever."

Zhang Mu grasped Novak's intent. Instead of rushing to explain, he asked, "Why couldn't the sniper squads win?

The skin of the Mutated Rhino-Ox has magic flowing through it, so bullets can't pierce it, but can't they pierce the cavalrymen on top?"

"After fighting for a long time, they've become quite familiar with sniper tactics." Domit said somewhat helplessly, "They're now equipped with shields forged with magic crystals mixed in. Sniper bullets only leave a white mark when they hit."

"Then no need to wait. Go and mobilize the Armored Legion."

Domit was stunned for a moment before saying, "Lord Marshal, didn't you plan to save that trump card until..."

"How was I to know the Alliance was this useless, unable to even scrape together ten Saint Levels?

I originally planned to lure the enemy deep and swallow this Alliance army. Looking at them now, they won't be able to push forward anymore anyway."

"Uh, speaking of Saint Levels." Domit scratched his head in confusion, "The war has been going on for several months. Why haven't we seen a trace of the Alliance's Saint Levels?"

"There are gaps even between Saint Levels, and... you wouldn't understand even if I told you. In short, don't worry about the Saint Levels; I'll deal with them."

"Then I'll go handle it immediately."

"Right." Zhang Mu called out to the turning Domit. "Don't expose the entire Armored Legion all at once."

"I understand."

"Alright, go on."

Domit walked out and disappeared to the left. Avril retracted her gaze. "What kind of unit is the Armored Legion?"

"They... are a pack of steel monsters."

"Steel monsters?"

Avril clearly didn't understand how steel could be qualified as a monster. She blinked, her ice-blue pupils filled with curiosity and inquiry.

Quite beautiful.

Zhang Mu couldn't help himself; he leaned in and kissed her fair, smooth cheek, then shivered from the cold.

"Whew..." Rubbing his arm, he said with a grimace, "You'll understand when you see them.

Also, take care of yourself. Whether the Alliance risks everything for a general offensive or retreats, they will use Saint Levels. I have to go to the front to oversee things."

"Mm, you too."

"I will."

...

Ten days later.

The edge of the plains.

An Alliance patrol squad was on duty. Today they were responsible for a hilly area.

It happened to be a clear day. Under the azure sky, short grass covered the rising and falling slopes, stretching into the distance. Everything in sight was verdant green.

The knight captain was in a good mood, carrying his shield at the front, squinting as he gazed at the beautiful scenery.

After watching for a while, the unchanging view became a bit boring. He turned his head to look at the cavalry squad trailing several hundred meters behind.

The tall bodies of the Pack Rhinos towered, the ground trembling slightly as their thick legs moved. The cavalrymen sat astride the Pack Rhinos' backs, several blood-seeping cloth bags hanging from their waists.

As his gaze fell on the cloth bags, the knight captain's mood took a sharp turn for the worse, becoming somewhat gloomy.

A few days ago, the cavalry squad arrived just in time, and he had benefited from their presence—three squads, totaling six Lake Soldiers.

They weren't the first group of Soldiers killed by an Alliance patrol squad, but six Soldiers at once could still be considered a fruitful harvest.

This had earned the knight captain a generous reward.

And with the support of the cavalry squad, not only was their safety guaranteed, but the efficiency of exterminating Lake Soldiers had greatly increased.

It should have been a good thing, but the problem was... the spoils of war had decreased.

The cavalry had learned that the equipment and heads of Lake Soldiers could be exchanged for cultivation resources, so they immediately began hunting frantically.

It was fine at first; everyone relied on their own abilities, and whoever made the kill got the credit.

But the greed of the cavalry grew increasingly bloated, and they began to snatch the results of the patrol squads.

Whenever a patrol squad killed a Lake Soldier, as long as nearby cavalry spotted it, they would rely on the high mobility of the Pack Rhinos to harvest the equipment and the Soldier's head before the patrol squad could.

If a team member blocked the middle of the path, they would pretend not to see the person and ride the Pack Rhinos straight through, forcing them to dodge.

The knight captain's face was dark. "Those damned bastards..."

The team members heard him and understood where his cursing came from. Combined with their own long-standing dissatisfaction, they all began to complain: "Before, everyone looked for their own targets,

but now that they know the Lake Soldiers don't target them, they follow us every day!"

"The worst part is, they see us being ambushed and don't come to help. They hide in the distance and watch, only acting after we've suffered enough!"

This was retaliation—retaliation for the squad blocking them from fighting over the spoils.

"I really hope Lake tinkers with some new weapons specifically targeting the cavalry," a team member muttered.

Hearing this, the knight captain's brows shot up. "What nonsense! If the Rhinoceros Cavalry is defeated, we'll be in danger too."

"But... with the way they are, will they really care about us when we encounter danger?" the team member openly retorted.

The knight captain was stunned for a moment and fell silent.

It was indeed so.

The thirty thousand Mutated Rhino-Oxen were the elite of the Alliance, one of their trump cards.

This was reflected not only in their strength but also in their treatment.

If surrounded, the cavalry could abandon the Soldiers to break out on their own.

In other words, ordinary Soldiers and even low-level Professionals could die, but the Rhinoceros Cavalry had to be preserved.

After a long while, the knight captain looked up and scanned his frustrated team members. He managed a smile and comforted them, "Even if that's true, with them around, the enemy will always be a bit more wary.

The fact that the number of times we've been ambushed lately has decreased significantly is proof."

The atmosphere of the group did not improve. The knight captain felt melancholy. "Actually, there's no need to worry about the spoils being snatched; we've already earned..."

Hmm?

The magnitude of the ground tremors caused by the Pack Rhinos suddenly increased.

It meant the Pack Rhinos had started running.

There are enemies?!

Everyone was startled. They quickly raised their shields to form a tight circle on the spot, protecting the magicians in the center.

This was the experience they had gained from multiple encounters with snipers, and it was the most correct reaction when facing them.

If they had foolishly stood there looking around for the enemy's position like they did at the start, their heads would have exploded in the next second.

The shields were pressed tightly together without leaving any gaps. The knight captain focused on sensing the vibrations coming from beneath his feet.

If they became weak, it meant the battle was over.

The skin of the Pack Rhino was extremely tough, and with the magic amplification, those arrows couldn't penetrate. Since the cavalry carried special shields, the arrows were also useless.

When Lake Soldiers encountered the cavalry, they could only be crushed.

The knight captain deduced that this time, like previous battles, it would end within a few minutes.

Those few minutes were the time it took for the cavalry to charge to the enemy's position.

However, today was very strange. The vibrations underfoot not only didn't weaken but instead grew stronger and more obvious.

What's going on?

The team members had the same doubts, looking at each other with questioning gazes.

"Should we look through the gaps?" a team member suggested.

"Not allowed!" the knight captain barked. "The Lake Soldiers' archery has become much more accurate!

Did you forget last time?

They could hit even if I just stuck out a finger."

"I guess the reason their archery is so accurate is because of this." A team member pulled a sniper scope out of the cloth bag at his waist, smiling proudly.

The battle outside was still ongoing, and they didn't dare to peek, so they simply started chatting.

"Eh, you kept one?"

"Mm." The team member nodded, putting his eye to the lens tube. "That day I saw a Lake Soldier's corpse like this, his eye pressed against the tube. I copied him and pressed my eye to it,

and found that this is a magic item that can magnify distant scenes."

The knight captain became interested. "How much can it magnify?"

"Quite a lot." The team member felt it was hard to describe with words, so he handed over the sniper scope.

The knight captain took it, mimicked him by pressing his right eye to the tube, and aimed it at a team member.

"Amazing!" He lowered it in astonishment, looked at the team member's face, then raised it again, looking at the "big nose" filling the scope's field of vision.

"Haha, very interesting, right?"

"No wonder those Soldiers are just ordinary people yet can aim at a finger hundreds of meters away, I..."

BOOM—

The earth shook violently, and the explosive blast left everyone's ears ringing slightly.

What happened?!

The Rhinoceros Cavalry wasn't equipped with Magic Crystal Cannons!

The ringing in their ears slowly receded. Ignoring the danger of being headshotted by snipers, they dispersed the shield wall and looked around blankly.

Soon, they saw the source of the ground shaking and the explosion.

CLANG—

CLANG—

The shields in the hands of the patrol squad members fell to the ground. They stared blankly at the distant hilltop.

"That..." The knight captain's mouth opened and closed repeatedly. "That... that..."

Finally, a team member with trembling legs finished the sentence for him: "What kind of monster is that?!"