218: Military strategists exhaust the enemy, retreating only when the enemy advances, and relentlessly harassing them.

The brief stalemate, like the thick silence before a storm, weighed heavily on every spectator's heart. The smoke and dust slowly settled, revealing the ravaged yet still standing battlefield: the shattered Buffer Defense Zone, the massive, scorched craters, the slightly dimmed but stubbornly circulating Taiji Diagram Formation, and across the crater, Lin Zhou's Divine Domain Position, silent as a mountain yet radiating a heart-stopping resilience.

The Titans stood at the edge of the crater, their heavy, bellows-like breathing audible through the layer of rules for the first time. The previous fierce assault, especially Star Shatterer's "Earth Shatter" attack, which had most of its power "swallowed," not only consumed their immense physical strength but also dealt an unspeakable blow to their consistent belief in invincibility. The Titan Hero had just pulled his warhammer out of the deep pit, his dark cyan rock chest rising and falling slightly, and the arcs of lightning flickering across his body had become sparse.

Sol's Divine Thought projection hovered behind the Titan Legion, his face so gloomy it looked ready to drip water. He could clearly perceive the subtle fatigue and hidden confusion of the Titans under his command. This was not physical exhaustion (the Titans' stamina was far from its limit), but rather mental drain—a stifling frustration of punching into empty air, having strength but nowhere to apply it.

"We cannot stop! Stopping will only allow his Formation to recover and those ants to repair their defenses!" Sol immediately became alert. As an elite from a top academy, he quickly analyzed the situation after a brief moment of shock. "His Formation relies on Divine Power for maintenance, and its range is fixed! As long as we apply continuous pressure and constantly drain his Divine Power and the Formation nodes, we can eventually bore through!"

"Reorganize the Formation!" Sol's Divine Thought boomed like thunder, forcibly suppressing the Titans' discomfort. "Abandon the full-front charge! Concentrate power, use Star Shatterer as the spearhead, and bore through a single point! The remaining Titans, cover the flanks and guard against harassment! Advance steadily, do not rush! No matter how strange his Formation is, it cannot withstand continuous high-intensity attack!"

Hearing this, the confusion in the Titans' eyes was quickly replaced by rekindled Battle Intent. Their trust in Sol and their instinctive reliance on strength allowed them to coalesce once more. They began adjusting their positions, no longer dispersed, but forming a tighter, wedge-like attack Formation centered around the partially recovered Star Shatterer. The remaining Titans formed a crescent shape, guarding the sides and rear of Star Shatterer, vigilantly watching the flanks and the air.

Their steps began again. This time, they were slow but far more resolute, each stride carrying the determination to completely shatter the earth, aiming directly for the breach in the Buffer Defense Zone! They intended to act like the heaviest battering ram, slowly but surely smashing and flattening Lin Zhou's position.

Seeing the Titans change their Formation, shifting from a furious full-scale charge to a steady, focused Breakthrough, the hearts of many supporting Lin Zhou in the Spectator Channel rose again.

"Sol has reacted! He's no longer acting recklessly!"

"Concentrating strength to break through a single point is the standard solution for fixed defensive positions!"

"Lin Zhou's Formation has limited range and high Divine Power consumption; if it's continuously attacked at one point, it probably won't last long..."

"It depends on how Lin Zhou responds. He definitely can't hold out by brute force."

However, upon seeing the Titans change their Formation, Lin Zhou showed no panic; instead, a faint, expected smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"As expected, you chose the safest method, the one most consistent with your style... Sol." Lin Zhou murmured inwardly. "Steady advancement, breaking skill with brute force. If I only had the 'Taiji Force-Deflection Domain' card, this battle would be dangerous. What a pity..."

His gaze suddenly became sharp as a hawk's, and the essentials of the School of Military regarding "Exhausting the Enemy" flowed through his mind like water.

"If the enemy is stationary, harass them; if the enemy is exhausted, strike them; if the enemy retreats, pursue them. Now the enemy seeks steady advancement, I must ensure they find no peace!"

"Issue the order!" Lin Zhou's Divine Thought rapidly transmitted through his command network. "Guerrilla Squads One and Two, execute the 'Swarm' plan and attack! Target: the enemy's flanks and rear Formation. Do not seek to kill, only to harass. Prioritize infuriating, disrupting, and delaying the enemy! Mechanism Beasts, prepare 'Shadow Strike' mode! Elf Rangers, switch 'Wind Whisper Arrows' to 'Heart Disturbance Arrows,' use saturation fire to interfere with their energy circulation and mental focus! Xuan Zhenzi, maintain the stability of the Formation core, but reduce the 'Force Deflection' intensity on the frontal Breakthrough point, switching to intermittent reinforcement to create the illusion of uneven force reception, inducing them to adjust their exertion and increase physical consumption!"

The series of instructions was clear, swift, and precise. The troops, already waiting in cover, tunnels, and even the aerial clouds (using a small number of Griffins), immediately sprang into action like tightly wound, precise mechanisms!

The first to launch the offensive were the two flanks.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!"

From behind the residual rock Formations on the flanks of the Buffer Defense Zone, from inconspicuous camouflaged holes in the ground, and even from the backs of a few Griffins circling in the air, figures swift as lightning suddenly darted out!

[Guerrilla Force: Mohist Mechanisms · Swift Wasp Squad]

Quantity: 50 units per squad, two squads total.

Unit: Swift Wasp Mechanism Beast (LV25, Elite Template)

Size: Only the size of a falcon, streamlined metal body, covered with a Light-Absorbing Coating.

Core Attributes:

Strength: 18 (Extremely low, not used for direct attack)

Agility: 65 (Core advantage! Extremely high maneuverability and evasion)

Physique: 25 (Fragile, but special structure, minimal vital points)

Energy: Built-in miniature Spirit Stone Power Core, 30 minutes of endurance.

Traits/Skills:

Overclocked Maneuver: Burst speed for a short time, flexible direction changes, difficult to lock onto.

Frequency-Disruption Sonic Wave: Emits high-frequency sonic waves, interfering with biological hearing and balance, more effective against huge units relying on senses and balance.

Suicide Impact (Optional): Impacts weak points such as the target's joints and eye sockets, causing minor physical damage and applying a "Loss of Balance" effect.

Swarm AI: Receives unified commands, possessing simple coordinated harassment logic.

Tactical Objective: High-speed close-quarters harassment, drawing fire, and disrupting the Titans' rhythm of action.

These "Swift Wasps" were so fast they almost left afterimages. Unlike the previous Mechanism Beasts, they didn't attack from range but fearlessly lunged directly toward the flanks and rear Formation of the Titan Legion! Like a Swarm of Enraged hornets, they buzzed and flitted up and down around the Titans' massive bodies!

They specifically targeted the Titans' ear holes, joint gaps, the back of their necks, and even attempted to strike their lava-gem-like eyes! Although the Frequency-Disruption Sonic Waves couldn't cause substantive damage to the Titans' powerful minds, the sharp, Piercing, pervasive noise was enough to cause extreme irritation and discomfort to any creature! The Titans instinctively swung their massive arms to swat and try to catch these annoying "flies," but the "Swift Wasps" were too agile and small. If they managed to hit them twice out of ten swats, it was a good result, and the attempts only disrupted their own steps and Formation.

At the same time, the style of the arrow rain coming from the front and upper sides also changed.

[Wenxin Elf Rangers (Partial) Mode Switch: Heart Disturbance Arrow Formation]

Executing Units: 200 Elite Elf Rangers (LV30-33).

Arrow Enchantments: Temporarily enhanced with "Mind-Chaos Talismans" (weak effect) by Confucian Priests, and "Energy-Dispersion Talismans" (interfering with energy stability) added by Taoist True Cultivators.

Firing Mode: Lobbing, saturation, not pursuing precise hits, but aiming for area coverage.

Effects:

Mind-Chaos Talisman: After impact or nearby explosion, emits faint mental interference waves, which may cause brief distraction and loss of focus when stacked (weak effect on high-spirit units, but effective when accumulated).

Energy-Dispersion Talisman: Slightly interferes with energy flow in the impacted outer shell area (such as the Protective Lightning surrounding the Titans' bodies), causing its operation to be extremely subtly sluggish and obstructed.

Physical Interference: The arrows themselves still carry a certain impact force, clanging against the Titans' bodies. Although they cannot penetrate the defense, the continuous "clanging" sound and sensation also constitute harassment.

Tactical Objective: Continuously apply low-intensity mental and energy interference, coordinating with other harassment methods to stack feelings of "irritation" and "discomfort."

The arrows rained down. Although most shattered against the Titans' hard, rocky skin, the weak Talismanic Incantation effects attached were like countless tiny grains of sand, constantly trying to slip into the cracks of their perception. Combined with the "Swift Wasps'" noise and impacts, and the strange changes in the frontal Formation—sometimes deflecting force strongly, sometimes seeming to weaken (the result of Xuan Zhenzi's precise control)—the Titans felt as if they had fallen into an all-encompassing, inescapable, and relentless mire of harassment!

They wanted to focus on breaking through the front, but the Formation beneath their feet was sometimes soft, sometimes hard, making their exertion awkward; they wanted to swat the "flies" around them, but the tiny things were too slippery to catch; they wanted to ignore the tickling arrows, but the subtle mental interference was like a mosquito buzzing in their ears; they wanted to maintain a tight Formation and advance steadily, but the various harassments made their steps chaotic, and the Formation began to unconsciously loosen.

"Bastards! Bastards!! If you have the guts, come out and fight me head-on!!" A Storm Titan on the flank, dizzy from the Frequency-Disruption Sonic Waves after three "Swift Wasps" continuously struck his ear hole, finally erupted in rage. He abandoned his covering position and slammed a fist into the ground, attempting to use the shockwave to shatter these annoying pests.

Boom! A small pit exploded in the ground. A few "Swift Wasps" were caught by the shockwave and exploded in mid-air, but more "Swift Wasps" cleverly avoided it and continued the harassment.

His action immediately created a small gap in the crescent-shaped Formation on the flank.

Although the gap was quickly filled by the Titans behind him, this scene was clearly captured by Lin Zhou.

"The enemy is Enraged." Lin Zhou's eyes were cold. "Agitate the angry, and their momentum will collapse."

"Guerrilla Squad Three, initiate the 'Decoy' plan! Target: the area to the side and rear of the recently Enraged right-flank Titan! Feign a surprise attack on the connection point of their Formation to create the illusion of a weak spot! Mechanism Beasts, prepare 'Shadow Strike,' focusing the attack on their ankles and Achilles Tendons after the Decoy draws attention! Elf Priests, prepare 'Vine Entanglement' (weakened version) to restrict their movement, even if only for a moment!"

The command was issued.

Suddenly, a smaller but seemingly more "elite" unit charged out from the flank behind the main position! This mixed force consisted of twenty Law Fishman Enforcers (wielding Heavy Runic Shackles) and thirty Tiangong Dwarf Armor-piercing Soldiers (equipped with specialized Armor-piercing Drills and Grappling Hooks). Led by an Elf Hero Ranger, they moved extremely quickly along the edge of the destroyed Buffer Defense Zone, heading straight for the area on the Titan Legion's right flank that had just slightly rippled due to an angry Titan!

Their charge was incredibly resolute and fearless, as if they were executing a Decapitation Mission! The Runic Shackles held by the Law Fishmen flashed with the light of "Imprisonment," and the Dwarven Armor-piercing Drills emitted a Piercing shriek!

"Hmm? They dare to attack proactively? Seeking death!" The Titan on the right flank who had just gotten angry, along with the two Titans next to him, immediately had their attention drawn. In their eyes, although this small unit seemed specially equipped, the difference in size and strength was like a chasm. How dare they charge straight at the junction of their Formation? They were simply courting disaster!

"Crush them!" The three Titans turned almost simultaneously, swinging their massive arms, carrying the momentum of wind and thunder, smashing down upon this "audacious" Decoy unit!

However, just as their attention was completely drawn to the Decoy unit and they executed their attack—

From the shadows of the ground, fifty "Shadow Strike" type Mechanical Beasts (scorpion-shaped, specialized in Subterranean Ambush and Piercing), which had been lurking for a long time, suddenly erupted! Their targets were not the Titans' bodies, but their relatively slender (in comparison) ankles and Achilles Tendons! Poisoned Barbs and high-speed rotating drills fiercely stabbed at those critical points supporting their mountain-like weight!

At the same time, the already prepared Elf Priest Corps cast Spells in unison, and countless thick, green-glowing Magic Vines instantly grew out of the ground, wrapping around the three Titans' calves like flexible pythons! The vines were not strong enough to truly restrain the Titans, but they were sufficient to create momentary hindrance and balance disruption!

Snap! Thud! Hiss!

Most of the "Shadow Strike" Mechanical Beasts' attacks were blocked by the Titans' tough Rock Skin and the Protective Lightning Glow surrounding them. Only a few managed to pierce the seams of the Rock Skin, causing negligible damage and slight Paralyzing Toxin. The vines also snapped inch by inch under the Titans' immense strength.

However, this sudden, well-coordinated chain attack still caused a more noticeable deformation and Delay in the movements of the three Titans, especially the one who was already irritable! To deal with the ankle attacks and the Vine Entanglement, they had to divert strength to their lower bodies, resulting in a significant decrease in the force and accuracy of their strikes against the frontal Decoy unit!

And just then, the "fearless" Decoy unit, after charging to about a hundred meters from the Titans, suddenly, without warning, uniformly turned, scattered, and retreated! Their speed was faster than their charge! They never intended to truly attack; it was purely an act!

"What?!" All three Titans' attacks missed, their massive fists slamming into the ground, only kicking up dust. They felt they had been thoroughly played for fools! The suffocating feeling of a full-power strike hitting nothing was more infuriating than being repelled head-on!

"Arghhh! Damned bugs! I'll tear you to shreds!!" The already volatile right-wing Titan completely lost his mind. He no longer cared about Formation or steady advancement. He strode forward, roaring, and chased after the quickly retreating Decoy unit that had just "tricked" him! The other two Titans beside him were also affected by his emotion, and fueled by the annoyance of the recent attack, they subconsciously followed the pursuit!

The Formation on the right flank instantly tore open a larger gap! Three Titans broke away from the main Formation and chased toward the distant flank!

"Gru! Anvil! Come back!!" Sol's furious Divine Thought roar suddenly sounded, filled with shock and anger. He saw clearly that the direction the Decoy unit was retreating was deliberately deviating from the main attack line, and their speed was extremely fast—they clearly intended to lure his Titans away!

But it was too late.

The Titan who had been provoked to the extreme, especially the leading one, now had only one thought in his mind: "Crush those damned bugs." Although Sol's command made him pause for a moment, seeing the "bugs" about to escape, his rage instantly overwhelmed his reason. He hesitated for only half a second before chasing after them at an even faster speed!

"Opportunity!" A sharp light burst forth in Lin Zhou's eyes! The flaw he had been waiting for had finally appeared! Although it wasn't the complete detachment of the main force as anticipated, three Titans—one of whom was clearly an emotionally compromised Breakthrough point—had been lured more than five hundred meters away from the main position! Furthermore, due to their departure, a clear weak spot had emerged in the overall right flank coverage of the Titan Legion!

"Now is the time!" Lin Zhou's Divine Thought was like a drawn sword. "Zhao Hao! Wang Meng! Execute the 'Wing Cutter Plan'! Target: the gap in the enemy's right flank! Cut off the three Titans from the main force, and if possible, focus fire to severely wound or capture one! Xuan Zhenzi, temporarily divert the Formation energy to strengthen the 'Force Dissipation' and 'Delay' effects against the Star Shatterer's Breakthrough area at the front, ensuring the main force is held up for at least thirty seconds! All other ranged units, open fire fully, covering the enemy's main vanguard to buy time for the Wing Cutter unit!"

Zhao Hao and Wang Meng, who had been building momentum for a long time, were already impatient from waiting!

"ROAR—!!!" In Zhao Hao's Divine Domain, five massive Young Adult Giant Dragons (LV35-38) soared into the sky, their wings spreading to obscure a small patch of the heavens. Dragon Breath brewed in their throats as they flew straight toward the rear flank of the three lured Titans, intending to cut off their retreat!

Although Wang Meng's Behemoth Legion was not adept at pursuit, they had already moved to the area near the right flank via Underground Tunnels. Upon receiving the command, twenty Berserk Behemoths (LV33-36) violently burst through the surface, like beasts unleashed from a gate, letting out earth-shattering roars, and launched a fierce charge at the three Titans from the side! Their objective was clear—to tie them down and create attack opportunities for the Giant Dragons!

Simultaneously, all remaining firepower from Lin Zhou's main position—Elf Arrow Rain, Dwarven Ballistae, surviving Mechanical Beasts, and even the combined Spells (low-tier) of the Wenxin Elf Priest Corps—poured out like a volcanic eruption toward the Titan main vanguard led by the Star Shatterer! Although unable to inflict decisive damage, this, combined with Xuan Zhenzi's suddenly enhanced Formation interference, successfully drew the attention of the Titan main force and slowed their advance!

Sol was both shocked and furious at this moment. He instantly understood Lin Zhou's tactic—using endless harassment to provoke individual units, luring them into rashly breaking away, and then exploiting the time difference by concentrating superior forces to achieve local numerical advantage!

"Damn it! What an insidious tactic!" Sol immediately commanded, "Star Shatterer! Ignore the harassment, break through the front with full strength! Everyone else, move toward the right flank to reinforce Gru and the others!"

He intended to use the main force to break through, compelling Lin Zhou to fall back on defense and resolve the crisis on the right flank.

But how could Lin Zhou let him have his way?

"Xuan Zhenzi! 'Yin and Yang Chaos · Stasis'!" Lin Zhou did not hesitate, once again investing a massive amount of Divine Power.

Xuan Zhenzi bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of Essence Blood onto his Horsetail Whisk, and the Formation Plate beneath his feet shone blindingly! In the frontal Formation area, the Two Energies of Yin and Yang wildly reversed and collided, forming a brief, extremely chaotic Force Field, as if that space had been turned into incredibly viscous glue!

The Star Shatterer and the other vanguard Titans immediately felt as if they had sunk into a swamp, finding every step arduous! The enemy was right in front of them, and they only needed to advance a few hundred more meters to threaten the opponent's core, but this final stretch became exceptionally difficult! Every step required several times more strength than usual, and they also had to endure comprehensive strikes from various ranged firepower.

Thirty seconds! This was the crucial thirty seconds Lin Zhou needed to buy for Zhao Hao and Wang Meng!

The battlefield was instantly divided into two parts:

On the right flank, the three Titans, who had angrily pursued the enemy only to be lured away, suddenly found themselves in a perilous situation, facing aerial blockade by Giant Dragons and a ground pincer attack by Behemoths! They wanted to turn back, but their path was cut off by the threat of Dragon Breath and diving attacks from the Giant Dragons; they wanted to engage, but the Behemoths' berserk charge was already upon them, with deadly Dragon Breath brewing in the air! In haste, they could only stand back-to-back, forming a small Triangle Formation, attempting to brace the impact.

At the front, the main Titan force was firmly held back by the suddenly enhanced Formation sluggishness and the relentless firepower coverage, making effective support impossible for the moment. Sol was so anxious his eyes seemed to shoot fire, yet he could only watch helplessly as the right flank fell into crisis.

The Spectator Channel completely exploded!

"My god! Lure the Enemy Deep! Divide and Surround!"

"Where did Lin Zhou find so many tricks?! Harassment, Decoys, ambushes, division... one link after another!"

"The Titans got provoked, and they really fell for it!"

"Sol's main force is bogged down by the Formation! Can they make it in time to rescue them?"

"Those three Titans are in danger! It's a two-against-one situation (counting the aerial advantage), and they were ambushed!"

"School of Military's Exhausting the Enemy strategy... it turns out it exhausts not just physical strength, but also morale! Make the enemy angry, lose composure, and then make mistakes!"

At the Hundred Schools Society headquarters, the cheers nearly blew the roof off. Su Yueyao watched the exquisite tactical performance on the light screen, her cool eyes shining like stars, and she softly praised: "Sun Tzu says: 'The skillful commander subjects others but is not subjected by others.' Lin Zhou, you have grasped the true essence of this Samadhi."

On the battlefield, Lin Zhou expressionlessly watched the Local Annihilation Battle about to erupt on the right flank, and the anxious main Titan force attempting to forcefully break the Formation at the front.

His Divine Power reserves were plummeting at an alarming rate. Maintaining the enhanced Formation, supporting the high-intensity combat of the Giant Dragons and the Behemoth Legion, supplying ranged firepower... every second meant a tremendous consumption.

But he knew that these thirty seconds would determine the ultimate direction of this battle of unequal strength.

If he could successfully severely wound or even capture a Titan, it would not only greatly damage the enemy's morale but also potentially become the fuse forcing Sol to make even more irrational decisions.

If he failed... he would face the desperate situation of running out of Divine Power and having his position breached from the front.