Baima City, East Square.
A series of brilliant lights flashed one after another. In just a moment, over a thousand members of the Crimson Moon Knights had teleported from Tianji City to Baima City at any cost. Lin Zhao, clad in snow-white armor, carried a Thunderclap Sword, accompanied by Chen Xue, Shen Xingchen, Ding Chi, and Luo Man. Shen Xingchen, holding a fiery red staff, followed closely behind Lin Zhao.
"The Cold Night Guild was founded three years ago, ranking 175th in the entire Huaxia server in the game 'Conquest.' After 'Tian Xia' opened, Chang Ye Yu Huo received financial support from a friend and continuously recruited soldiers and expanded, growing step by step. Currently, the Cold Night Guild has a total of over 5700 members, with approximately 4500 players online regularly."
She pursed her red lips and said, "According to the information provided by our scouts, Chang Ye Yu Huo personally led about 2000 people to Pine Forest to hunt Mo Chenxue with great fanfare. Additionally, the vice-leader led 2000 people to set up an ambush in the Butterfly Forest outside the city. They must have anticipated our march into Ningzhou, so they planned to give the Crimson Moon Knights a surprise."
Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Chang Ye Yu Huo, that person is quite cunning."
"Mhm."
Shen Xingchen smiled slightly and said, "I'll handle the strategy, and you'll handle the troops. I've given you all the specific information about the Cold Night Guild. You decide how we fight next."
"Divide into two groups!"
Lin Zhao declared decisively, "Chen Xue and I will lead all the mounted combat classes out of the city at the fastest speed, circling around from the north to bypass Chang Ye's ambush, and heading straight for Pine Forest. After all, our top priority is to ensure Mo Chenxue's mission is completed. Time is extremely tight. Xingchen, you will lead the melee combat players to advance head-on, meet us at Pine Forest as quickly as possible, and then we will attack together, making Chang Ye Yu Huo experience despair!"
"Okay!"
Shen Xingchen nodded with a smile.
"All mounted combat classes!"
Lin Zhao gently raised his Thunderclap Sword, streaks of lightning flowing along its blade, and bellowed, "Mount up, follow me out of the city, and head to Pine Forest at the fastest speed to rescue them!"
"Yes, Alliance Leader!"
Everyone mounted their horses one after another, drawing their weapons.
In an instant, at least 1200+ mounted combat players from the Crimson Moon Knights mounted their horses and surged out of the city gates with Lin Zhao. The sound of hooves thundered like lightning, leaving the local players of Baima City dumbfounded. They had never seen such a spectacle. After all, these were over 1200 elite cavalry players from the Crimson Moon Knights, personally trained by Chen Xue and Lu Han. Their combat power was terrifying, and their equipment, skills, and levels were all top-tier in the national server. The sight of them marching together was incredibly awe-inspiring!
"Alright."
Shen Xingchen gently clenched her staff and said, "It's time for us to depart as well. Assassins, Sharpshooters, and Thunderstorm Gunners, the three leather armor professions, will go first, followed by Mages, Nomads, and Array Masters. Let's march out of the city together!"
The remaining people also marched out of the city in a grand procession. The online rate of the Crimson Moon Knights was indeed too high. The entire guild had only 2800+ members, but the online rate reached a terrifying 2600+ players, over 90%!
...
Outside the city, Pine Forest.
Streaks of blood-red figures spawned from the forest, a type of ghost-系的 monster, continuously attacking Mo Chenxue's ten-person squad. A golden scroll icon appeared above Mo Chenxue's head; this was the mission marker. If she were killed, this marker would disappear, and she would lose the chance to obtain the hidden class of Shepherd. Therefore, Mo Chenxue fought with all her might, repeatedly raising her staff to heal her teammates. However, rustling sounds kept coming from the distant jungle. Soon, members of the Cold Night Guild arrived.
"Rustle..."
Chang Ye Yu Huo, clad in top-tier armor and wielding a flaming longsword, had a ferocious expression on his face. "Mo Chenxue, with just these ten people, do you really think you can successfully change your class? 'To wear a crown, one must bear its weight.' Can you truly bear the Shepherd class?"
"Chang Ye Yu Huo!"
Mo Chenxue gritted her teeth. "If you want to kill me, then kill me. There's no need for insults!"
"I didn't intend to insult you."
Chang Ye Yu Huo had his own calculations. The next second, he sent a message directly to Mo Chenxue, saying, "Let's be blunt. The Ghost King hired me to make it impossible for you people to survive in Baima City. It's just business. I'm a businessman, and all I see is profit. If you're willing to do business with me, I might consider not killing you and even assisting you in completing this mission."
"..."
Mo Chenxue's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "How do we cooperate?"
"You join Cold Night."
Chang Ye Yu Huo smiled. "Shepherd, just by the name, you can tell this hidden class is quite powerful. So... as long as you join Cold Night and sign a three-year contract with me, I will stop pursuing you and help you complete your mission. You won't lose out. I'll offer you a salary of 300,000 per month for the Shepherd class. I haven't mistreated you, have I?"
"I see..."
Mo Chenxue smiled with an expressionless face. "So my price is this high..."
"What do you say, consider it?"
Chang Ye Yu Huo laughed. "Don't worry, I pursue wealth, power, and influence, but never women. I'm different from the Ghost King, you can rest assured about that."
"But..."
Mo Chenxue's beautiful eyebrows knitted. "You are just as disgusting as him..."
"!!!!"
Chang Ye Yu Huo let out a few cold laughs. "You truly are a stubborn b*tch who won't yield. Since you're given an inch and refuse to take it, then there's nothing I can do. The fathers of Cold Night will send you on your way now!"
Saying that, Chang Ye Yu Huo raised his longsword and shouted, "Brothers, prepare to charge! Kill them all, leave no one alive!"
...
The members of Cold Night drew their weapons one after another, then charged like a tide towards the ten-person squad.
"It's over..."
Xiao Xia frowned, a chill running through her heart.
"Damn!"
A level 67 Swordmaster among her companions, filled with righteous indignation, drew his sword and roared, "Disgusting people doing disgusting things. There's no other way. Let's fight them head-on! We'll kill as many as we can!"
Before he finished speaking, a Soul Burning Arrow struck his chest. Instantly, the Swordmaster seemed to have his soul ripped from his body as a blood-red phantom separated from him, not fully detached. He was then afflicted with a 2-second stun effect!
Soul Burning Arrow, a level 40 skill for Sharpshooters, combined control and damage, making it a god-tier skill in team battles.
"Kill him!"
Chang Ye Yu Huo spurred his horse forward. His 'Qian Kun Yi Zhi' + 'Heng Sao Qian Jun' landed on the Swordmaster, instantly slaying him. Mo Chenxue raised her staff, but she didn't even have time to heal her teammate before he fell. Following that, the two Paladins and one Berserker in front also collapsed. The absolute numerical disadvantage made it impossible to fight.
In the blink of an eye, Chang Ye Yu Huo reached within ten meters of Mo Chenxue and laughed, "I'll send you to hell personally!"
"Ah?"
Mo Chenxue retreated, holding her staff.
"Xiao Xue, hurry and leave!"
Xiao Xia suddenly cast a Meteor Strike at Chang Ye Yu Huo's forehead, using her staff to cover Mo Chenxue's retreat.
"It's useless..."
Mo Chenxue held her staff, tears welling up in her eyes. If she failed this hidden mission, she would really have to leave. This game couldn't accommodate her, and neither could this world.
But just then, she heard the heavy sound of horse hooves, approaching from afar, becoming clearer and clearer!
Suddenly, chaos erupted among the Cold Night members. Amidst the "bang bang bang" sounds of charges and sword energy collisions, the players of Cold Night responsible for guarding the west flank were all stunned. Then, a large group of people surged in like a tide. The person at the forefront slashed his sword through the night sky, instantly killing a half-health Cold Night Berserker. He was clad in pure white armor, surrounded by streaks of shimmering sword aura.
He had indeed come.
Mo Chenxue quickly cast an instant heal on Xiao Xia and said, "Xiao Xia, hurry and leave!"
"Mhm!"
Xiao Xia saw a vast expanse of Crimson Moon Knight emblems and rejoiced.
"There's still time!"
Lin Zhao, at the forefront, galloped his horse towards Mo Chenxue.
...
"Still time for what?"
Chang Ye Yu Huo laughed heartily, his victory assured, and launched a sword energy strike at Mo Chenxue. If it hit, this woman would basically be dead. Even the strongest Nomad couldn't withstand Chang Ye Yu Huo's combo!
The next second, Chang Ye Yu Huo, along with his horse, turned into a golden blur, charging directly at Mo Chenxue's back.
At the same time, Lin Zhao also swung his longsword, and a sword energy cage intercepted between Mo Chenxue and Chang Ye Yu Huo. For a moment, Chang Ye Yu Huo's sword energy strike hit the wall of the sword energy cage with a "bang," and was forcefully interrupted. He bounced back slightly on the spot. This was the hidden characteristic of the Sword Energy Cage: all displacement skills, once within the range of the Sword Energy Cage, had a high probability of being interrupted!
"Success!"
Lin Zhao didn't rush to kill, he didn't charge recklessly. Instead, he moved his sword to Mo Chenxue's right side and used 'Qian Kun Yi Zhi' to cut down a Sharpshooter who was trying to take a shot from the side. Then, his sword energy struck a Mage on the right, and with a 'Heng Sao Qian Jun' combo, he took him down. His damage was too high now, combined with the pursuit damage of the Thunderclap Sword, players in cloth or leather armor would die just from a scratch.
"Protect Mo Chenxue!"
Chen Xue, holding her spear, switched to defensive stance, guarding Mo Chenxue from the other side. Ding Chi spurred his horse forward with his sword, forcing Chang Ye Yu Huo back. Lu Han, carrying a greatsword, led a group of elite mounted combat players from the Youth Brigade, advancing step by step, and laughed, "Chang Ye Yu Huo, what were you saying earlier?"
Chang Ye Yu Huo's expression was quite grim. The 200+ people he had stationed in the northwest had been instantly scattered by the Crimson Moon Knights' 1000+ heavy mounted combat forces. This combat power was truly terrifying. He had only heard that the Crimson Moon Knights were quite formidable in Yunshang County, defeating Shengshi Mudan and kicking aside Cangzhi Knights. Now, witnessing the scene before him, Chang Ye Yu Huo understood that his 4500+ online players were definitely no match for the Crimson Moon Knights' 2000+ players.
"White-robed Alliance Leader."
Chang Ye Yu Huo frowned and said, "Can't we talk things out? Do we have to resort to violence?"
"How else can we talk?"
Ding Chi laughed heartily, dug into his ear with his left pinky finger, and said, "What's that saying again? White-robed, how much is your face worth? Do you really think you're someone special? Did your old man say that line?"
Chang Ye Yu Huo's expression turned cold. "Can't we resolve this peacefully?"
"How can we resolve it peacefully?"
Lin Zhao, carrying his Thunderclap Sword, slowly took a few steps forward and smiled faintly. "Since our Crimson Moon Knights' swords have been drawn, they must draw blood!"