260: Chapter 195: A Surprise Attack, the Mercenary Official Slays the Leader

On the grassland battlefield, under the shroud of [Vast Righteous Qi · Intimidation Domain], a subtle yet critical change occurred.

The pale golden Domain spread like liquid silver, covering the bloody mire. The beast tide's savage Aura—originally boiling like lava and bent on destruction at any cost—was forcibly suppressed and cooled by this grand, upright, and inviolable Order pressure. The bloodthirsty red light in the charging beasts' eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by confusion, hesitation, and even a hint of instinctive shrinking. Their attacks were no longer resolute, their coordination became scattered, and the "momentum" built upon numbers and madness was rapidly dissipating.

However, the beast tide did not collapse.

At the edges and rear of the Intimidation Domain, several crude totem poles emitting ominous bloody light were being frantically driven by shamans, silently resisting the pale golden Domain and barely maintaining the minimum frenzied driving force for the beast swarm. More importantly, deep within the beast tide, a powerful and steady mental fluctuation acted like a stabilizing pillar, working hard to rein in the nearly scattered will of the swarm and attempting to reorganize the offensive.

Lin Zhou's Divine Thought keenly captured this core source of fluctuation. It was located on the right wing of the battlefield, behind a low hill slightly higher than the plain, guarded by several exceptionally sturdy War Mammoths and a group of Wolf Riders whose discipline was clearly superior to ordinary beasts. The owner of the fluctuation should be the captain of the Heart of the Wild squad, the Lv215 Hal, or his most crucial hero unit—the Beast King!

“As expected, there's still a command core holding on,” Lin Zhou understood. Pure intimidation could weaken morale and disrupt rhythm, but it couldn't completely defeat an army with unified command, especially when the opponent's core will hadn't wavered. “I must sever this command chain! Make the beast tide lose all coordination and turn back into a disorganized mess of beasts!”

His gaze swept across his own lineup. At the front, Wang Meng's Behemoth Legion, supported by both [No Retreat] and the Intimidation Domain, had finally stabilized despite being covered in wounds. They even began coordinating with Giant Rock to conduct the final encirclement of the remaining red Behemoth and the heavily injured mammoth. Zhao Hao's dragons firmly held air superiority, as the Thunderbirds and Wyverns were already showing signs of defeat. Qin Qing's Judgment Angel was purifying residual shaman Spells and staying alert for potential counterattacks. Li Mo's auxiliary units were doing their best to maintain the defensive line and provide limited long-range support.

It seemed... they lacked a "dagger" capable of piercing through layers of guards to strike directly at the enemy's heart.

“Wait... a dagger...” Lin Zhou's gaze fell upon the flank of the defensive line, a relatively hidden shoal area formed by a bend in the river. There, a squad of warriors clad in deep blue scale armor, wielding specialized tridents and Law books with cold, sharp eyes, were waiting silently like crouching venomous snakes.

The Lawful Merman Enforcement Squad! Hero: Seth (Lv36)! Quantity: Fifty of the most elite Enforcers (selected from the original Law Fishmen, average level Lv34)!

In previous battles, due to terrain and tactical arrangements, this high-speed, highly disciplined elite unit specialized in rule-based raids had not been deployed for frontal slaughter. Instead, they served as a mobile reserve and flank security force. Now, they were in perfect condition and high spirits, eager to use the enemies' "crimes" to validate the majesty of the Law!

“It's them!” A sharp light flashed in Lin Zhou's eyes. Law Fishmen possessed high-speed amphibious mobility and extreme discipline. Their skills [Judgment] and [Execution] specialized in pinpoint elimination of high-value targets, and the [No Exemption from Punishment] trait provided extra damage bonuses against elite/hero units! They were the perfect choice for a surprise attack force!

“Seth!” Lin Zhou's Divine Thought instantly connected with the Law Fishman hero.

“my god, please give the Order!” Seth's cold and firm response came immediately. The trident in his hand, inscribed with legal runes, vibrated slightly as if sensing the impending "Judgment."

“Do you see that heavily protected source of mental fluctuation behind the low hill on the right wing?” Lin Zhou shared the sensed coordinates and images. “That is likely the enemy commander or a key hero. Your mission is to lead the enforcement squad, using the river and terrain as cover, to bypass their flank and launch the most sudden and violent raid! There is only one objective—kill or heavily wound that core unit! At any cost!”

A trace of near-fanatical murderous intent flashed in Seth's deep blue vertical pupils: “Target confirmed. ‘No Exemption from Punishment,’ enforcement is merciless. We shall use the blade of Law to end their crime of ‘ruling the beast swarm and creating chaos’!” To the Law Fishmen, commanding beasts to conduct indiscriminate frenzied attacks and trample Order was itself a “crime” that required Judgment.

“The route is planned. Pay attention to avoiding the residual vision of enemy air units and ground patrols. I will have Zhao Hao's dragons and Qin Qing's angels apply more pressure on the front to draw attention. Li Mo will provide real-time guidance for the optimal path.” Lin Zhou quickly arranged the cover. “The opportunity is fleeting. Once you are close, immediately launch [Judgment] to mark them, then go all out with [Execution]! Remember, you only have one chance!”

“Understood!” Seth responded concisely, then silently conveyed the mission to the fifty elite Enforcers through the Law Fishmen's unique mental link. There was no pre-battle mobilization, no impassioned speech—only cold killing intent and absolute focus on executing the “legal principles.”

Fifty-one deep blue figures slipped silently into the murky river water like ghosts. Swimming against the current and utilizing the shadows of riverbank vegetation and terrain, they rapidly flanked toward the right wing of the battlefield. Their scale armor was nearly invisible in the dim underwater light, and they moved with only the slightest ripples. Miniature reconnaissance units released by Li Mo, disguised as water insects, scouted ahead for them to avoid stray beasts and potential sentries.

On the frontal battlefield, Lin Zhou commanded the other troops to launch a new round of feint attacks. Zhao Hao's dragons deliberately lowered their altitude, using Dragon Breath to scour the ground and create more noise and fire. Qin Qing's angel clusters pressed forward, their Holy Light shining even more brilliantly, posing as if to charge the center of the beast tide. Wang Meng's Behemoths also let out earth-shattering roars, their offensive intensifying further. The Intimidation Domain maintained by the Literary Heart Elves glowed brighter, continuously weakening the beast swarm's will to resist.

All of this was to mask the "poisonous fangs" moving rapidly through the shadows.

Behind the low hill, the Beast King hero—confirmed to be an exceptionally tall Lv38 Thunder Lizard variant clad in crude bone armor and wielding a totem war club embedded with a massive gemstone, temporarily named "Thunderfang"—was growling irritably. Its intelligence, significantly higher than other beasts, allowed it to understand the unfavorable changes occurring on the battlefield. Its giant beasts were suppressed, swarm morale was failing, and air superiority was lost... It constantly issued commands to scattered shamans and secondary swarm leaders through the mental link, trying to stabilize the situation or even organize a counter-attack, but efficiency was greatly reduced by the Intimidation Domain.

It was guarded by four Lv35 elite War Mammoths and over twenty Lv32 Wolf Riders elites (Orcs riding giant dire wolves); its defense was considered tight. However, most of its attention was drawn by the fierce combat on the frontal battlefield and the pale golden light that it instinctively detested.

It did not notice that in the shallow river channel behind its flank—usually used only for drinking water—fifty-one killing intents had already quietly approached within a hundred meters!

“Target confirmed. Hero unit, energy reaction Lv38, strong command-type mental fluctuation. Guards: four elite War Mammoths, twenty-plus Wolf Riders. Bearing: 11 o'clock, distance eighty meters, vision obstructed by low hill and mammoth bodies.” Seth's cold, digitized Judgment rang out in the squad link. “Execution plan: First echelon, fifteen members, launch [Judgment Volley] to force-mark the target and disrupt its guards. Second echelon, thirty-five members, follow me in [Execution] charge, prioritize clearing the Wolf Riders and breaking through to the target. Ultimate goal: Launch [No Exemption from Punishment · Execution] on the marked unit.”

Without redundant words, all Lawful Merman Enforcers simultaneously entered their optimal attack state.

“In the name of the Law—Judgment!”

Fifteen Lawful Mermen positioned near the front suddenly leapt from the river! Their tridents simultaneously aimed at Thunderfang behind the hill, their tips firing fifteen hair-thin yet incredibly condensed deep blue beams carrying a cold Aura of Order! These beams were not pure energy attacks but the manifestation of the [Judgment] skill's rules—forced marking and mental locking!

“[Judgment Volley (Combo Skill)]”}, short_description: "Multiple Lawful Mermen launch [Judgment] simultaneously, applying multiple rule marks and mental shocks to a single target."},

Effect: Multiple Lawful Mermen launch [Judgment] simultaneously, applying multiple rule marks and mental shocks to a single target.

Mark Stacking: Deepens the [Legal Mark] on the target, increasing damage taken from a base +25% to +35% (depending on the number of successful marks), and making it harder to dispel.

Mental Interference: Causes brief but intense mental shock and confusion (especially against casting or mental command units). Success rate and intensity increase with the number of beams hit.

Manifestation: Units hit by multiple Judgments will become as clear as a torch in the night to the Enforcers' perception.

Fifteen Judgment beams hit the irritably pacing Thunderfang almost simultaneously! Its massive body suddenly stiffened as layers of deep blue glowing phantoms of scales and chains (multiple Legal Marks) instantly appeared on its surface! A strong sense of dizziness and confusion hit it, causing its ongoing mental command link to fluctuate violently, nearly snapping! Meanwhile, it felt as if it were being locked down by countless cold gazes; a sense of being "convicted" originating from the level of rules made it both shocked and furious!

“Enemy attack! From behind!” Thunderfang let out a mental shriek mixed with pain and rage, while simultaneously trying to mobilize its guards.

But it was already too late!

“Execution—Verdict!”

The moment the Judgment beams hit, Seth led the charge, shooting out from the river like a bolt of deep blue lightning! The thirty-four Enforcers behind him followed closely, their fifty figures trailing blurred afterimages in the air, moving as fast as arrows released from a bow! The [Execution] skill was fully activated—a high-speed charge to perform Execution attacks on “judged” or “Law-breaking” units!

Their target was crystal clear: those twenty-plus Wolf Riders elites standing between Thunderfang and the river!

The Wolf Riders responded quickly enough; the dire wolves howled as they turned, and the Orc riders raised their spears and battle-axes. But the Lawful Mermen were too fast, and their attacks carried extra damage bonuses against “marked” guards (who were slightly affected by the Judgment's aftershocks due to their proximity to Thunderfang)!

Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!

The tooth-aching sounds of sharp blades entering flesh and bones breaking rang out in rapid succession! The deep blue tridents were like the scythes of a death god, accurately and efficiently piercing the throats of dire wolves, knocking away Orc weapons, and skewering their chests! The speed and impact the Wolf Riders prided themselves on appeared clumsy and powerless before the Lawful Mermen's superior charge speed and exquisite coordination. In just one exchange, over half of the Wolf Riders and their wolves were killed on the spot, their formation completely torn open!

“Block them!” Thunderfang roared, ordering the four elite War Mammoths beside it to turn and face the enemy. The mammoths let out heavy footsteps, swinging their trunks and tusks, pressing forward like a moving wall of flesh.

“Disperse! Avoid the front! Target—the Beast King hero!” Seth ordered calmly. The enforcement squad instantly broke formation, acting like slippery fish. Relying on their superb Agility (average 37 points) and the cover of the narrow terrain, they perilously darted between the mammoths' legs and through gaps at their sides. They ignored these clumsy giant beasts, their eyes fixed firmly on Thunderfang, who was flashing with blue marking light!

“No Exemption from Punishment—Guilty as Charged, Execute!”

Seth finally reached Thunderfang! He could feel the intense “sin” of “ruling the beast swarm and creating chaos” on the opponent, as well as the 35% damage deepening mark stacked by the [Judgment Volley]! He raised his trident high, and the power of all the Lawful Merman Enforcers seemed to converge at the tip of the trident through some invisible “legal link” at this moment! The deep blue shaft of the trident erupted with blinding light, and the runes inscribed upon it seemed to come alive, emitting a majestic hum!

This was the ultimate Execution technique of the Lawful Merman hero—No Exemption from Punishment · Execution! It provided an additional 50% damage bonus against hero/elite units (stacking with the Judgment mark)! It ignored a portion of the target's defense and damage reduction! It contained a powerful will of rule-based punishment!

Thunderfang felt a fatal threat. It wanted to dodge, but the mental interference from the multiple Judgments made its movements half a beat slower; it wanted to parry with its totem war club, but the speed and angle of Seth's strike were incredibly precise!

“Die!”

The deep blue trident light, like a thunderbolt tearing through the night, carrying irresistible legal majesty, stabbed fiercely into Thunderfang's relatively fragile neck (the gap in its bone armor)!

[No Exemption from Punishment · Execution] took effect!

Base damage (Seth's Lv36 hero full-power strike) + 50% Hero-specific bonus + 35% [Judgment] mark damage deepening + Rule-based bonus against “commanding a chaotic beast swarm”!

The attack ignored a portion of Thunderfang's lightning armor and thick hide!

Chii—!

The trident tip pierced and penetrated without hindrance! Immediately following, the violent rule-punishing power exploded inside Thunderfang's body!

“Gu... Roar!!!” Thunderfang's roar stopped abruptly, turning into a wheezing sound of escaping air. Its massive lizard eyes bulged out, filled with unbelievable horror and despair. Its huge body convulsed violently, the lightning on its surface flickered chaotically, and the strong mental fluctuation serving as the command core was suddenly extinguished like a snuffed candle!

Lv38 Beast King Hero—Thunderfang, fallen!

With its death, the light of those few blood-colored totem poles that were struggling to hold on instantly dimmed and shattered. All remaining beasts on the battlefield—whether charging, biting, or wandering—simultaneously froze as if their backbone had been pulled out!

The last frenzied red light in their eyes completely vanished, replaced by pure animalistic bewilderment. The mental link with the Beast King hero was completely severed, and the shamans' driving force failed due to the shattered totems. They lost their unified command, their combat objectives, and even forgot why they were attacking the enemies before them.

The terrifying Aura of ten thousand stampeding beasts dissipated like a receding tide. What remained was merely a group of beasts that had lost their leader, fallen into individual combat, and even began to watch and growl at each other warily.

Surprise attack successful, the Merman Enforcers have achieved the decapitation!

The battlefield, at this moment, completely tilted in favor of the Hundred Schools Squad.