An hour later.
...
The chat within the Scarlet Moon Knights' squad was buzzing with excitement; PK time was imminent!
"Wo Zei Neng She is outside the East Gate."
Mo Yin said in the team channel, "He's the squad leader for that group, fifty-two people in total. Most of them are heavy infantry, with a few mages, sharpshooters, and storm gunners, arrayed in a fan formation guarding outside the East Gate. So if we want to break through, we just need to attack from one side. We'll probably only have to face less than thirty people."
"Mm."
Chen Xue nodded, "Mo Yin, you stay outside the city to provide support. You don't need to charge in with us. As an assassin, charging forward doesn't have much meaning. The rest of you will return to the city to resupply. Make sure the resupply is quick. We need to catch them off guard, don't let them get wind of it and prepare. Lin Zhao will lead everyone in the charge."
"Got it."
Lin Zhao pondered for a moment, then began to arrange their formation. He said, "When we charge out, I'll be the tip of the spear. Chen Xue and Ding Chi will flank me. Lu Li and Yao Guai, you two will be the main damage dealers behind me. Rong Xing will provide defensive support on the left flank, and Zhang Jun on the right flank. Qing Ning, you stay at the rear, healing anyone who's low on health. Rong Xing and Zhang Jun, pay attention to protecting the rear, don't let their people stick to Qing Ning."
"Mm, okay!"
Everyone nodded in unison. The Scarlet Moon Knights' first battle was on the verge of breaking out.
"Return to the city!"
With Lin Zhao's command, everyone pulled out their town scrolls and returned to the city. They then resupplied and repaired at the pharmacy and blacksmith, ensuring everyone was in peak condition with full equipment durability and ample potions. Lin Zhao glanced at the East Gate, drew his Qing Lu Sword, and said with a smile, "Alright, the battle of revenge begins!"
"Annihilate them!"
Ding Chi, Rong Xing, and Zhang Jun drew their swords simultaneously, their expressions fierce. Chen Xue held her spear by Lin Zhao's side, ready to charge as soon as he did.
...
"Let's go!"
As the leader of the Scarlet Moon Knights, Lin Zhao took the lead, Qing Lu Sword held low, charging rapidly towards the East Gate. The group behind him followed, following Lin Zhao's earlier arrangement. The initial engagement had to be a surprise attack, otherwise, it would be difficult. After all, they only had nine people, while the group blocking the gate for 'Prosperous Peony' had fifty-two!
"Rustle~~~"
On the bridge outside the East Gate, fiery red maple leaves scattered everywhere. Lin Zhao's boots trampled through the fallen leaves as he led the group across the moat. He then looked outside the gate. The 'Prosperous Peony' players responsible for guarding the gate were leaning lazily against trees or sitting down, almost no one standing upright. In the front, directly outside the gate, the level 37 player "Wo Zei Neng She" was squinting and telling crude jokes to his subordinates. When he looked up, he saw the figures of Lin Zhao, Chen Xue, Ding Chi, and the others.
"Damn it!"
Wo Zei Neng She shouted, "Hurry and set up a formation to meet them! Damn it, the Scarlet Moon Knights actually dare to charge! How much guts do they have? Hurry, prepare to attack!"
At the first moment, Lin Zhao led the group towards the enemy's right flank. He raised his sword, and a beam of sword light enveloped the head of a Starry Sky Mage. The next second, with a "swish," his figure shot through the air, stunning the mage who hadn't even managed to raise his shield. The two-stage damage from the sword's impact alone left the mage with critically low health. Accompanied by Lin Zhao's swift follow-up strike, the mage immediately collapsed to the ground and died.
"You..."
A nearby Sharpshooter was greatly alarmed. He had just raised his bow when Lin Zhao's Qing Lu Sword descended, unleashing a continuous combo of normal attack + Qian Kun Yi Zhi + normal attack. A series of terrifying damage numbers leaped above the opponent's head—
"1588!"
"3978!"
"1494!"
The damage was overkill. The Sharpshooter had already fallen by the second sword strike, but Lin Zhao's attack speed was too fast, and the damage number from the third sword still appeared, shocking the Storm Gunner standing nearby. What kind of terrifying damage was this? A single Qian Kun Yi Zhi strike had depleted nearly 4000 health. Where were the game's rules, and where was humanity?
"Bai Yi, you..."
The Storm Gunner hurriedly retreated, his iron pipe gun shaking as he finished loading, preparing to attack. At the same time, two assassins from 'Prosperous Peony' darted from either side of the Storm Gunner. Their daggers were covered in a milky white sheen, unleashing a blinding skill. If the blinding was successful, even a level 42 Swordsman like Lin Zhao would be in trouble!
However, none of them had anticipated what other fierce moves the opponent had!
The next second, Lin Zhao's body sank, and the sword light was entwined with intense spiritual energy. With a "swish," he flicked the Qing Lu Sword upwards, summoning a sword intent from the ground, as if a giant dragon was roaring beneath the earth. A Rising Dragon Slash instantly sent the three of them flying into the air, each taking around 2000 points of damage. Their bodies remained suspended in the air; the airtime of Rising Dragon Slash was long, rendering them immobile during this period.
"Lin Zhao, be careful!"
Chen Xue, wielding her spear, rushed over. After repelling a Paladin with a single strike, she reminded him, "Their focus fire is coming!"
Ahead, multiple Sharpshooters and Storm Gunners had already raised their weapons, and the mages' Flame Burst spells were in flight, about to land on Lin Zhao's head.
"Clink~~~"
As he gently landed, Lin Zhao's body flickered, and he used the 'Draw Sword Turn Slash' skill. As his body passed through the three opponents, he also missed a large amount of their focused fire. Simultaneously, he turned and struck a group of heavy infantry from 'Prosperous Peony' who were surrounding and charging Chen Xue and Ding Chi, dealing over 1000 attack damage. At this moment, almost any skill Lin Zhao used dealt considerable damage.
"I'll take the damage!"
In the team channel, Lin Zhao had finished his combo. He said solemnly, "Everyone start outputting damage, don't charge randomly. Protect Lu Li and Yao Guai's output space first, then take them down one by one!"
"Mm!"
On the flanks, Rong Xing and Zhang Jun raised their swords, both using a normal attack + heavy slash + normal attack combo. Ding Chi was like a tiger descending from the mountain, his swordplay a flurry, making the enemy players cry out in agony. Lu Li raised her staff and cast a Gravity Trap in the middle of the enemy crowd with a "boom." Instantly, the attack and movement speed of the 'Prosperous Peony' players within the trap were greatly reduced, making them move as if stuck in mud. Following that, Lu Li shook her staff and cast a Starry Sky Burn Spot at the feet of the enemy formation. The ground instantly turned searing red, and any enemy player who stepped into this Starry Sky Burn Spot would lose a layer of skin. Both skills were level 40 skills for a Starry Sky Mage and were extremely practical!
Lin Zhao dared to lead the group in charging the enemy formation largely because Lu Li had just reached level 40. In the current Cloudfall County, level 40 mages were few and far between!
...
The entire Scarlet Moon Knights squad was engaged in a fierce battle, and the most arduous task fell upon Lin Zhao. He charged the furthest ahead and was already red-named, making him the most obvious target. Thus, he bore the brunt of the enemy's focused fire. At least five heavy infantry players were colliding with him and charging him with their sword energy. But it was no use. Lin Zhao had already activated his 'Sword Qi Guard' skill and was weaving through the crowd with his long sword. A single normal attack + 'Sweeping the Army' could instantly kill a level 38 Paladin with Holy Aegis shield, demonstrating the terrifying damage he dealt.
"Focus fire on Bai Yi! Quickly!"
Amidst the 'Prosperous Peony' players, Wo Zei Neng She, holding his bow, roared in anger, "Damn it! After all these years, you still can't kill Bai Yi? Are you all useless idiots who eat shit?"
As he spoke, he repeatedly drew and nocked arrows, but it was of little use. Lin Zhao's armor was already high, and with the 5-level Sword Qi Guard's damage reduction effect, the enemy's focused fire didn't hurt him as much. A round of focused fire only dealt over 3000 damage, while Lin Zhao's total health was already close to 9000, and he possessed a 24% lifesteal effect. With a flick of his sword, Qian Kun Yi Zhi specifically targeted cloth armor, and a critical strike dealt over 6000 damage, instantly healing him for over 1500 health. Unless the enemy could instantly kill Lin Zhao with a single volley of attacks or control him continuously with crowd control skills, they had no chance.
"Clear them out quickly!"
Chen Xue raised her shield, heavily striking a level 37 Swordsman from 'Prosperous Peony' and disorienting him. She then flickered to his left flank and dealt over 1600 damage with a 'Thousand Blade Strike.' Afterward, her body erupted with icy mist, activating the Paladin's level 40 skill 'Continuous Thrust.' Instantly, threads of icy spear light pierced through the crowd, dealing high continuous damage to a large group of 'Prosperous Peony' players.
Lin Zhao watched this with a smile in his heart. The sister he found was indeed both good-looking and effective. Chen Xue was excellent at handling guild affairs, and when it came to fighting, she was also incredibly capable. As a Paladin, she was even killing more people than Ding Chi, the Swordsman. The legendary Xue Qian Cheng was indeed formidable!
"Pushing left, Lin Zhao." Chen Xue looked up at him. Lin Zhao's health bar was only at 35% at this point, so she asked, "Can you still hold on?"
"No problem."
Lin Zhao's Qing Lu Sword pierced straight through the throat of a low-health Swordsman, dealing over 3000 normal attack damage. He then flickered to the left, activating Sword Qi Guard, and raised a beam of sword energy that enveloped the head of "Wo Zei Neng She" in the crowd. This person had the foulest mouth, so he would die first!
"Bai Yi, how dare you!!"
Wo Zei Neng She was clearly surrounded by over a dozen people, but he was panicking. The moment the enemy's sword energy locked onto him, his heart sank.
"Stinky mouth, you die first!"
Lin Zhao instantly pierced through the crowd and fiercely plunged his sword into Wo Zei Neng She's chest. Just as the surrounding group was charging, he unleashed Rising Dragon Slash again. Instantly, within a three-yard radius, at least five players were "lifted" into the air. While being lifted, they took over 150% of Lin Zhao's attack damage. He then followed up with Draw Sword Slash, instantly leaving them all with critically low health.
"Kill fewer!"
Chen Xue charged forward and whispered, "Your red name is already quite deep. Let us kill the rest as much as possible!" Da Feng Novel Network
"Okay!"
Lin Zhao glanced at Wo Zei Neng She's corpse and smiled faintly. He truly detested people with such foul mouths, but sadly, there were the most such people in this world. What else could be done? Kill them one by one, until they no longer dared to harm others with their tongues.