Those from the Tritalent Isles were surprised when the Rejuvenation airbot stopped a few hundred meters from their location. They’d planned things perfectly.
Imperial Prince Huo’s airboat would be caught in a fatal confinement as soon as it triggered the trap. They would then have a seventy to eighty percent chance of eliminating everyone from Rejuvenation without risking a single hair on their heads.
They were so close to achieving that goal!
Nonetheless, the failure of their original plan didn’t make them lose composure. They had formulated several strategies and a contingency backup, which, unfortunately, involved defeating their enemies with brute force.
Tritalent had gathered experts from various local factions to set up a perfect ambush. Their number was at least three times as many as Imperial Prince Huo’s.
Under these circ.u.mstances, if they ambushed and caught their targets off guard, the odds of a victory were over ninety percent.
“What a sly fox the imperial prince is, Commander Gao!” complained a frustrated man with one eye and unkempt hair. “d.a.m.n him for noticing the trap!”
The commander he was talking to was a burly, tanned man with short hair and sculpted features. He was Gao Kui, a senior executive in the Tritalent Isles and one of their strongest warriors. The ambush had been set up under his command.
Gao Kui scoffed, disappointed by the turn of events. They could’ve eliminated all their targets without drawing weapons. Now that the trap had failed, a fight was inevitable.
Their number put them gave them the edge in a clash, but there would still be casualties, and they might be more serious than preferred if Rejuvenation did something reckless in their desperation.
“Listen up, everyone!” exclaimed the commander. “Our primary target is Imperial Prince Huo. We have to kill that old fox no matter the cost. Chief Warden Ding is our secondary target. The rest can escape for all I care. Our operation will be a success as long as the prince is taken out. It’s a great success if we can kill both the prince and Ding. I’ll get you the rewards you deserve afterwards!”
His pep talk boosted morale; his men were pumped. Their numbers were many, but in an ambush the elites were the ones that mattered. The lesser cultivators were here to clean up the stragglers or serve as cannon fodder.
According to their a.n.a.lysis, there were only four true experts on Imperial Prince Huo’s side, the prince and the chief warden being two of them. The other two were the prince’s left and right hand men who never left his side.
In comparison, Gao Kui had three times the number of experts under his command. Twelve that could rival Rejuvenation’s best. In addition, they had many more lesser elites.
With this set up, Gao Kui believed there was more than ninety percent chance that they could eliminate Imperial Prince Huo and the others.
“Take a good look at the route we’re taking...” He pointed here and there on the map. “Remember, we’ll a.s.sign two each to take on the prince’s two bodyguards. They don’t have to die, only distracted. We’ll set another two to delay Chief Warden Ding as well. Then six are going to trap and attack Imperial Prince Huo. The remaining two from the twelve will be on standby, getting ready to help any team that may need help.
“Alright, let’s a.s.sign tasks.” Gao Kui started taking roll.
Imperial Prince Huo was their primary target. Naturally the commander would be leading that a.s.sault himself. The most powerful of the twelve elites would be with him.
Once everyone was a.s.signed their tasks, Gao Kui encouraged, “Stick to the plan, and Imperial Prince Huo is deader than a doornail no matter how good he is!”
“Ready!” He gestured. “Take your positions and block off all possible escape routes. Let’s trap them and shoot them like fish in a barrel!”
Suddenly, a man’s explosive shouting came from the outside. It was Imperial Prince Huo, furiously cursing them out.
“Listen, you lying in wait! Only shameless weasels sneak around! If you’re bold enough to go after Rejuvenation, show yourselves and let me have a good look at you. How ridiculous the world has become for losers and misfits to attack Rejuvenation!”
“Hmph, how foolish it is for a man about to die to speak so arrogantly!” sneered the one-eyed man standing next to Gao Kui.
“Keep your calm, everyone,” Gao Kui spoke up immediately. He was experienced enough to know what the prince was doing. “Imperial Prince Huo is cunning. Psychological warfare is his specialty. Stick to the plan and don’t let his words affect you.”
His people nodded and exchanged glances before vanis.h.i.+ng into thin air.
Gao Kui beckoned the others over. “Come on. Let’s take a look.”
Their numbers made Gao Kui fearless. He leapt into the air with his group in tow.
Right ahead of them was Imperial Prince Huo, followed by his two personal guards, and Chief Warden Ding, seemingly unprepared for any danger.
Gao Kui was ecstatic.
Imperial Prince Huo was courting death. The four of them had filed into a line rather than a battle formation. An ambush would be able to instantly kill two of them. The remaining two wouldn’t pose much of a challenge then!
“So it’s you rats.” A derisive look shot out from Imperial Prince Huo. “Gao Kui, Tritalent’s been waiting for this day for a long time, hasn’t it?”
Gao Kui was surprised by how calm the imperial prince was. He laughed. “Rejuvenation has been in power for long enough, Imperial Prince Huo! It’s time for you to surrender what you’ve deprived us of!”
“Surrender? To the likes of you?” With Jiang Chen as their backer, Imperial Prince Huo spoke with easy confidence.
Gao Kui gave him a feral grin. “The likes of us? That’s right! In the past, we weren’t in any place to challenge Rejuvenation, but you dug your own grave! Haha, if the aristocratic families from Polylore Divine Nation hadn’t knocked you down a peg, it wouldn’t have been as easy for us to knock you off your pedestal.”
“So what?” the imperial prince said coolly. “Gao Kui, do you honestly believe you have us by the throat?”
“Are you still holding out hope that Rejuvenation will turn things around? Imperial Prince Huo, the good fengshui in this area makes it a decent resting ground. Accept your fate!”
With a wave of his hand, the cultivators came out of hiding and locked down the area.