74: Chapter 75 Slice Zone Hunt

The air at Grey Stele Post was exceptionally heavy. Lu Jin pinched the scorched, brownish stone leaf between his fingertips. The mere six characters on it signaled that this place was about to face a storm—from this moment on, there would be no more peaceful days.

He tossed the stone leaf back to Ning Yanqiu and looked out into the thick night outside the post building, his tone cold: "The Fire Bridge is open. There must be an ambush at the main entrance. Do not be careless."

Ning Yanqiu carefully tucked the stone leaf into a stone tube, her eyes sharp: "I will take the Night Wing and the Digging Rats to take the side path. I'll return once I've figured out the ambush's details. I won't get entangled in a fight."

"Remember, only scout. Do not engage," Lu Jin added. His gaze swept over the main fire pillar that had just been erected in the center of the Post Station, where grey-red flames flowed slowly along the fire channel. "This sub-nest was just established, and the scent of fire is extremely strong. There will definitely be uninvited guests tonight. No need to hide; just be prepared to respond."

Ning Yanqiu nodded, turned, and vaulted onto the high platform of the post building. Her figure quickly vanished into the shadow of the bridge's belly. Before leaving, she pressed her fingertips down, securing the cold-white mirror patterns at the wind-sheltered opening of the right high platform—this was the line of defense she had left for the Post Station.

After Ning Yanqiu left, only the crackling of the main fire pillar remained in the Post Station, eerily quiet. Lu Jin stood before the fire pillar, his fingertips rubbing against the texture of the stele. He knew clearly: the sub-nest's foundation was unstable, making it most vulnerable to the frenzied attacks of native Night Beasts, the covetousness of wild scavenger teams, and the aristocratic forces hiding in the shadows, waiting to exploit any loopholes.

And tonight, he probably wouldn't be able to avoid any of these troubles.

"Qiao Ye, hold the main entrance to the death! Not a single step back!" Lu Jin spoke abruptly, his orders crisp. "Wen Zhao, keep a close eye on the right slope, the Back Well Ravine, and the perimeter of the Grey Granary. Don't miss any movement! Grey Pupil, the main fire pillar is in your hands. Once the fire goes out, none of us will survive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Fu's angry voice came through his Sea of Consciousness: "You sure know how to order people around! You're frantically draining reinforcements for a newly established sub-nest. The nest slurry pool in the Furnace Cave is almost empty. If this continues, I'm done with it!"

Lu Jin's tone was indisputable: "Fix the supply lines first. If we can't hold tonight, everyone will be buried in the Rift Zone, and you are no exception."

Wu Fu snorted, but ultimately did not refute—she knew that if the Post Station was breached, the Furnace Cave would eventually be affected.

Grey Pupil stood beside the fire pillar, thumping his black staff onto the ground. His voice was steady: "As long as the front fire does not collapse and the rear fire does not cease, as long as the Post Station stands, the Furnace Cave remains."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Night Wing on the post building's high platform emitted a sharp alarm—not a human, but a beast!

"Boom!"

A dull thud exploded. A grey-black shadow slammed into the small fire channel on the outer edge of the Back Well Ravine. Sparks splattered, shattered ash flew, and the buried fire bricks were knocked far away. The pungent stench of beasts instantly filled the Post Station.

"Just in time!" Qiao Ye's eyes lit up. He grabbed his long shield and charged toward the main entrance, his combative spirit instantly ignited.

"Wait!" Wen Zhao shouted sharply, his fingers already gripping three Line-Marking Nails. "This group of beasts was driven here by someone. Something is wrong."

As soon as he spoke, ear-piercing roars came from the night. One after another, Night Beasts covered in hard spines darted out from the shadows of the slopes and the cracks in the broken walls. They were slender and swift, pouncing fiercely toward the Post Station.

The one in the lead was exceptionally ferocious, with shoulder height nearly half a wall. Its split mane stood on end, its nose was pale, and its eyes burned with hungry fire—it was a leader-level Split-Mane Night Beast. Behind it followed a group of Night Beasts suppressed by it, their momentum imposing.

"It's a leader-level! Quick battle, quick decision!" Grey Pupil shouted, lifting his black staff slightly. The flames of the main fire pillar sank, spreading along the ground cracks toward the main entrance. The scorching heat forced the front row of Night Beasts to retreat.

Qiao Ye seized the opportunity to charge forward, slamming his long shield into the chest of the Split-Mane Night Beast. The dull sound of impact was deafening. The Night Beast roared in pain but refused to retreat even half a step, instead lowering its head to bite at Qiao Ye's shield.

"Bone-Armor Furnace Guards, move up!" Lu Jin ordered. Several Bone-Armor Furnace Guards immediately stepped forward, flanking it from left and right to lock the Night Beast's limbs. The Red-Eyed Rat Tide darted out along the grey cracks at the base of the wall, specifically biting at the weak spots of the Night Beasts. The sounds of roaring and clashing intertwined.

Just as Qiao Ye was about to suppress the Split-Mane Night Beast, Wen Zhao suddenly shouted: "Bad! There's movement to the north!"

Everyone looked up and saw several points of grey-brown firelight igniting on the ridge to the north of the right slope. In the blink of an eye, the firelight grew denser, and a whole team of figures dressed in grey-brown clothing emerged. They were organized, well-equipped, and their eyes were filled with greed—it was a scavenging team from Beiyue Academy.

"These scumbags, actually hiding in the back to pick up scraps!" Qiao Ye roared in anger, wanting to turn and intercept them, but he was knocked staggering by the Split-Mane Night Beast.

"Don't be impulsive!" Wen Zhao quickly threw out a Line-Marking Nail, nailing it to the base of the collapsed wall on the left side of the main entrance. "They are here to pick up scraps, waiting for us to be mutually exhausted with the Night Beasts so they can reap the benefits."

In the Beiyue Academy team, a young man wearing a short cape walked out slowly, a sinister smile on his lips, his voice piercing the night: "Lu Jin, this sub-nest was just established, and the fire hasn't settled yet. We have decided to take this spot today."

Before he finished speaking, the Beiyue Academy group used the Night Beasts as cover and pressed forward step by step, rock shields in front, short hooks behind, clearly prepared for a hard breakthrough.

Lu Jin's eyes darkened, and he quickly deployed: "Wen Zhao, guard the right slope supply line, don't let them cut off our rear! Grey Pupil, increase the fire to suppress the Night Beasts! Qiao Ye, hold the main entrance, do not pursue, and beware of traps!"

With the orders given, all three parties acted simultaneously. Grey Pupil's black staff fell again, the main fire pillar's flames surged, rolling along the old fire channel to fiercely suppress the Night Beasts. Wen Zhao threw two more Line-Marking Nails in succession, laying down a line of fire on the right slope to block the Beiyue Academy's advance. Qiao Ye gritted his teeth to steady himself, his long shield pushing, forcing the Split-Mane Night Beast to retreat several steps.

But Qiao Ye was young and hot-headed after all. Seeing the Night Beast retreating, he grew impatient, forgot Lu Jin's warning, and took half a step forward with his shield—this half step became a fatal flaw.

A hook line as thin as a hair suddenly darted out from the chaotic grey dust, precisely catching the armor plate on Qiao Ye's left arm. At the same time, two Beiyue Academy hook-wielders quickly stepped forward, intending to drag him out of the Post Station's defensive line and let him be devoured by the Night Beasts.

"Come back!" Wen Zhao's face changed drastically. He immediately threw his last Line-Marking Nail, hitting the hook line precisely. With a "snap," the hook line broke.

Lu Jin seized the opportunity to flash over, reaching Qiao Ye's side and pulling him back, his tone stern: "Forgot what I said? No going more than three yards outside the wall!"

Qiao Ye's face flushed red. The armor plate on his left arm had been scratched by the hook line, and blood oozed out, looking particularly stark on the grey ground: "I know."

Just then, Wu Fu's urgent voice came through the Sea of Consciousness: "Don't just focus on the frontal fight! I've already sent the supply line Work Rats and slurry sacs over. Hold the left channel fire; don't cut off the reinforcements."

Everyone turned their heads and saw several material-hauling rats carrying slurry sacs, sprinting along the white-patterned route, followed by seven or eight supply-line Work Rats, heading straight for the left channel of the main entrance and the Back Well Ravine—the reinforcements from the Furnace Cave had finally arrived.

With reinforcements, everyone's confidence increased greatly. Grey Pupil urged the main fire again. Two lines of fire emerged from the ground cracks, one wrapping around the Split-Mane Night Beast and the other blocking the Beiyue Academy group. Qiao Ye endured the pain and returned to the main entrance, waving his long shield to smash the Night Beast until it was dizzy. Wen Zhao seized the opportunity to adjust the supply line, pushing the right slope fire line forward by half a foot, completely sealing off the Beiyue Academy's attack route.

"Bang!"

Qiao Ye's final blow slammed into the center of the Split-Mane Night Beast's forehead. The leader-level Night Beast's legs went soft, and it collapsed with a roar, its life extinguished.

With the leader dead, the remaining Night Beasts were leaderless, their momentum greatly reduced, and they began to flee in all directions. Wen Zhao immediately ordered: "Don't pursue! Guard the defensive line, speed up the supply-line Work Rats, and continue the left channel fire!"

The Beiyue Academy team leader looked at the situation, his face turning from green to white—he had intended to reap the benefits, but he hadn't expected Lu Jin and the others to hold the line and even receive reinforcements. Fighting further would only be counterproductive.

"Retreat!" The young man gritted his teeth and ordered, "Lu Jin, count yourself lucky today. Next time we come to grab this spot, I'll make you pay the price!"

The Beiyue Academy group retreated rapidly, disappearing into the shadows of the ridge in the blink of an eye, leaving only a mess behind.

Just as everyone thought they were temporarily safe, Wen Zhao suddenly pointed to the other side of the ridge, his tone heavy: "There are others!"

Everyone looked up and saw several dark gold short flags slowly unfolding on the ridge. The Sun Gold patterns on the flags shimmered with cold light in the night—it was the Pei family.

There were not many of them, but they stood in orderly fashion. They did not press forward, just stood quietly on the ridge, their gazes scanning the Post Station like falcons. There was no greed in their eyes, only cold scrutiny.

"They are not here to grab the spot." Grey Pupil gripped his black staff, his tone vigilant, "They are observing the flow of the fire veins, looking for our flaws."

Lu Jin's gaze locked onto the young man at the front of the Pei family team. The man wore dark gold bracers, his expression calm. He raised his hand and waved, and two Sun Gold short signs as thin as hair flew out silently, precisely embedding themselves into the fire channel outside the Post Station, vanishing instantly.

The next second, the main fire pillar emitted a dull thud, the flames suddenly wilting, and the originally scorching firelight was suppressed by an invisible force, its flow slowing down.

"Bad! It's Sun Gold Sealing Pattern!" Grey Pupil's face changed drastically, "They want to seal our fire veins!"

Everyone looked down and saw a line of dark gold patterns slowly crawling in the fire channel at the lower left of the main fire pillar, winding around the fire pillar like a venomous snake, devouring the flame power bit by bit—this was the Pei family's method, capable of making the Post Station completely lose its breath without spending a single soldier.

In the Sea of Consciousness, Wu Fu's voice was full of fury: "These sinister scoundrels! They didn't come to grab the spot at all; they came to destroy our sub-nest and cut off our retreat!"

Qiao Ye gripped his long shield, his anger burning: "Let's fight them!"

"Don't be impulsive." Lu Jin pressed his shoulder, his eyes cold but determined, "If they want to seal the fire veins, we will break this sealing pattern; if they want to reap the benefits, we will guard this Post Station."

He looked up at the Pei family members on the ridge, his voice clear and powerful: "Pei family, you want to lock our fire veins? It won't be that easy! I, Lu Jin, have decided to hold this Post Station today. If you have the ability, come down and take it yourself!"

The Pei family young man on the ridge raised his eyebrows slightly, making no response, but just raised his hand and waved. Several dark gold short flags slowly retreated, but did not leave—they were waiting, waiting for the Post Station's fire veins to be completely sealed, waiting for Lu Jin and the others to run out of ammunition and food.

Lu Jin took a deep breath, turned to order the others, his tone firm: "Wen Zhao, guard the supply line and prevent the sealing pattern from spreading; Grey Pupil, exert all power to urge the main fire to counter the sealing pattern; Qiao Ye, hold the main entrance and guard against Night Beasts and Beiyue Academy's counterattack; Wu Fu, continue to mobilize the slurry sacs, we will wear the Pei family down to the end!"

"Understood!" everyone replied in unison, without the slightest retreat.

The flames of the main fire pillar ignited again, fiercely resisting the dark gold sealing pattern; the supply-line Work Rats shuttled rapidly, repairing the damaged fire channels; Qiao Ye stood at the main entrance, his eyes steady, having lost his previous impulsiveness; Wen Zhao stared at the ridge, vigilant of the Pei family's movements.

The night remained thick, and the wind in the Rift Zone carried a bone-chilling cold, but inside Grey Stele Post, there was an unyielding resilience.

Lu Jin knew that this battle had just begun. The Pei family's sealing pattern, the remaining Night Beasts, the covetous Beiyue Academy, and unknown dangers were all waiting for them ahead.

But he was not afraid.

With comrades fighting side by side in front and support from the Furnace Cave in the back, he would never lose this Post Station, nor this defensive line.

Tonight, either break the Pei family's sealing pattern and hold the Post Station, or perish with this Rift Zone.