CHAPTER 159: ACT 12 SAINT’S RELICS_2

Brand thought to himself that of course, the Land of Saint’s Relics was also very famous in the game. Countless people had been there, and even more speculated that a great secret might be hidden inside—it’s just that no one ever got anything out of it. He had been there as well but discovered only as much as everyone else.

That is, absolutely nothing—

"Useful?" Tama asked.

"We’ll see if Goddess Yi Lian looks out for us," Brand replied.

"What if she doesn’t?" Char turned his head back and asked.

This time Brand remained silent. At least three to six thousand skeletons and zombies were trailing behind them, while in front there were Dead Maggots and Kabais’s elite troops, as well as ghosts roaming the forest. It might not be an easy night.

He saw that the white stag ahead had caused a cheer among the refugees, then ran far off to the other end of the valley and stopped. Brand knew the night’s adventure had begun—

He checked the time. Eleven o’clock.

So he ordered the refugees to break camp and march. The Self-defense Corps wielding long spears and the line of refugees paralleled each other. Two dark lines moved along the valley, and with the light of the stars and moon, there was no need for torches.

Finally, there were more than fifty riders covering the rear. Brand and Char mounted their horses, then drew their swords. The spine of the Azure Light Piercing gleamed faintly, proving there were no undead nearby.

"Let them follow the White Stag; it will bring us luck!" Brand said, holding his sword and turning his horse to address his knights.

Mano rode up behind him, one position behind, and asked loudly, "Lord, can we really get through that valley ahead of the Madara army?"

"Of course."

"I’m not doubting you, Lord, it’s just that it sounds incredible."

"Indeed, but at this moment, all you need to do is trust me. I wouldn’t gamble my life and yours lightly—"

"What about the undead army up ahead? Going north from here, there are at least three of Madara’s columns loitering in the mountains. Some are converging from the Sharp Stone River Valley, others from Deer Hunting Forest. I suspect they are the advance party of the White Knights and the Corpse Ghosts," said an officer from the White-maned Knight Order that Brand recognized—Luc Besson called him Votarong.

Brand had crossed swords with this man in Ridenburg and remembered knocking him out cold with his sword. Of course, he might have misremembered; it could have been two other people. The situation was immense chaos at the time.

This officer seemed to harbor a deep grudge against him. Though he resignedly acknowledged Brand’s swordsmanship, he always spoke against him whenever tactics were discussed.

"Moreover, we’re being pursued by Dead Maggot Magus’s troops," continued the officer. "If we confront them head-on, we’re doomed."

Brand looked at him, needing an officer from the White-maned Knight Order to manage his soldiers from that unit. So, he wasn’t angry and simply replied, "They always have gaps."

"What gaps?" Votarong asked, holding the reins at his side.

Brand would never reveal the secret of the Stone Statue Ghosts to him. Although some knew he had the power to control those monsters, they didn’t know what he could do with them.

"We’ll circle around behind the Dead Maggots. They’ll pass through here in half an hour at most," he thought for a moment and said.

Everyone fell silent. Even the mercenaries who were beginning to trust him couldn’t help but think the man was crazy.

But Reto said, "Good plan, as long as we seize the opportunity."

Brand turned back surprised to see him. This was no ordinary courage; he had only done this once in the game—infiltrating gaps in the enemy’s blockade, possibly breaking through one or two companies, then stealthily following behind another.

It wasn’t impossible, but it demanded a great grasp of the situation and the ability to blind the enemy’s "eyes."

Even if Brand could predict the situation, he had spoken offhand. But he hadn’t expected Reto to see the opportunity and dare to risk everything.

Everyone was stunned again. This time Mano spoke up, finally reacting, "All right, if that’s the case, I’ll wager too—"

Playing infiltrations with two thousand refugees in enemy territory?

Except for Mano, Reto, and Brand, everyone else, including Frey, thought they must be crazy. But Brand remained very calm, understanding his ultimate reliance lay in the Stone Statue Ghosts above.

*********

Dead Maggot Magus had known since this morning that another group of refugees was heading toward Silver Sparrow Mountain. They had fled there before dawn and even took down one of his squads of Skull Cavalry.

But he hadn’t paid them much mind at first. Most refugees had scattered into Deer Hunting Hills. Comparatively, the refugees in Sharp Stone River Valley with the White-maned Knight Order were the focus of the day’s operations for him and Kabais.

Humans are simply feeble.

To him, the battle was proceeding as effortlessly as expected. The White Mane Legion, though renowned as Erune’s regular army, was just as feeble before the Madara army. The whole day of relentless pursuit ended perfectly with a fatal strike before sunset.

Though the advanced troops suffered heavy losses, they were merely cannon fodder. The Ghouls and Kabais’s Skull Cavalry incurred virtually no casualties.

In contrast, it was last night’s battle that pained him. Over forty Skull Cavalry lost, painstakingly accumulated over a long time.

It was then that Magus turned his attention to this group of refugees. Lord Tagus had ordered the sealing of Sharp Stone River Valley, and no unit involved in the battle dared be negligent.

However, he soon noticed something unusual.

The opposing side appeared very proficient in evading his Undead Wizards’ skeletal vultures’ surveillance. Throughout the daylight, they only captured that group’s position a few times, and ultimately lost track of them.

This was not a good sign.

In the dim Soul Fire light, Magus spread the sheepskin map and drew several circles within Silver Sparrow Mountain—

...

(PS. As promised, a successful triple update.

But where are your tickets?)(To be continued. To learn what happens next, please visit www.qidian.com, more Chapters, support the authors, support legitimate reading!)