The tiny opening in the northern front had given the Martian united front an opportunity to wage a counterattack. The goal of the counter was not to defeat Zergs; instead, it was supposed to be a strategic show of strength, hoping to keep the pressure on the latter.
The Zergs wouldn"t have understood the concept of pressure before the dark ones were born. The primitive Zergs hardly ever thought about battle tactics, since they lacked both intelligence and emotions. Timing was the key in implementing any military tactical moves, and w.a.n.g Tong"s task was to provide such opportunity for human resistance.
While the Zergs were turning the world upside down in trying to find w.a.n.g Tong and his retinue, the human warriors didn"t just hide in a cave— not like there was any cave to hide from the get-go. Instead, they turned around and tried to stay ahead of the Zerg search parties. However, they were still too slow.
In three days, they had over a hundred skirmishes with Zerg search parties, and no one on the team had slept ever since they left Ontario. The situation could have been worse, and if not because of Deep Blue and its brood brothers, half of the team would have already been killed.
Each time the human warriors were encircled by the Zergs, it was the direwolves who had brought them out of danger. Their incredible mobility meant that they could easily break out of the encirclement and flank the Zergs from behind.
In a large open field, the soldiers were taking a brief respite. They had once again successfully outmaneuvered the Zergs, and the soldiers were waiting for w.a.n.g Tong"s further instructions.
"Our plan has worked! Judging by the number of Zergs that are looking for us, I say Xie Su is really p.i.s.sed."
"I think it"s about time to enter the core area. Once we do, I think it"s not just Xie Su who is going to get p.i.s.sed, Moye too." w.a.n.g Tong cracked a smile. "How is everyone doing? I know we hardly had time to sleep, but I have to give you guys a fair warning. Once we enter the core area, we will have even less chance to take a nap."
"No problem! You think too little of us. It is not only you who is good at falling asleep." Xiao Yuyu said.
During the on and off of perilous battles, knowing how and when to sleep was also a life skill. It was easy enough to fall asleep when the moment was right, but it was difficult to learn to have the guard still up while sleeping.
The soldiers learned the skills very quickly after they crossed the border to the Zerg land.
Xiao Libie was a new addition, and therefore, he was still trying to get used to the life in Battle Wolf. Although he was a legendary level warrior, he was the least experienced in handling the situation they were in. When he first joined Battle Wolf, he was confident that his ability would rank in the top three. However, in only three days, he knew that it was an overstatement calling himself even one of the top ten warriors of Battle Wolf. Even some girls could handle sleep deprivation, hunger, and fatigue better than him.
Despite the unprecedented challenge he was facing, Xiao Libie knew that it was only the beginning. However, the difficulties also convinced him that he had made the right choice in joining w.a.n.g Tong.
Guan Dongyang unfurled the map and spread it across the table. The leaders of the retinue were plotting their next move. The road to the central block of the Zerg land was heavily guarded. By then, not only the Zergs, even the Martians knew that w.a.n.g Tong was after Moye"s castle.
Regardless of whether w.a.n.g Tong was able to defeat Moye, the Zergs could not let a small group of the human soldiers infiltrate into their heartland. If that happened, it would make the world know that those dark ones were inferior to humans. The war with humans had blown the dark ones" ego to an epic proportion. So, they could not bear the thought of humiliation; they had to stop w.a.n.g Tong at all cost.
When Xie Su sent out all of his troops to kill w.a.n.g Tong, Moye didn"t say a thing. He had wanted to recruit w.a.n.g Tong and make him a dark one. But after seeing what w.a.n.g Tong was capable of, he decided to do away with the potential risk.
w.a.n.g Tong and his friends scanned the map, calculated their moves, and weighed the options. Suddenly, a unit city caught everyone"s attention. It was a perfect spot to leave memorabilia for their fellow Zerg opponents before they left for the central area.
…
"What? Disappeared again?" Xie Su snarled. In a fit of uncontrollable anger, he squeezed the messenger"s head until it caved in and became a blob of mush in his hand.
"General, we have placed layers of defense on the way to the central block. They wouldn"t have pa.s.sed through unnoticed. I bet they are hiding somewhere, conspiring on their next move." Harmon rubbed his chin and pondered on. He had done a thorough personality check on w.a.n.g Tong and started to think from his opponent"s perspective. What w.a.n.g Tong wanted was not another city or the lives of the dark ones. He wanted to help the front line. Along the same line of thinking, the central area was not w.a.n.g Tong"s goal either.
Seeing Harmon close his eyes and fall into his own reverie again, Xie Su frowned annoyingly. It had been harder and harder for him to contain his anger, and more often than not, he felt his defeat was everyone else"s fault.
"Hua Li, bring me the map."
"Yes, Princ.i.p.al!"
The young and handsome looking young immortal used to be an elite student from Capth. When Harmon turned to Patroclus, he took an elite army with him. These elites of the former A cla.s.s academy were convinced that Patroclus" actions were offering humanity another chance, a transformation into something much better. Their youthful minds were full of ideals, and were easily swayed. Somehow, Patroclus was not only able to justify his actions, but also had persuaded them that they were the future of humanity. Whoever stood before them was against a better future.
On the map, the young immortal had marked the Zerg"s defense lines clearly. It was evident that w.a.n.g Tong would never be able to pa.s.s these lines unnoticed.
The obvious left only one possibility to w.a.n.g Tong"s sudden disappearance: he was up to something. Harmon knew right away where w.a.n.g Tong was going to attack next: Kashan!
The moment of epiphany elated the old princ.i.p.al, as he jumped out of his chair and announced, "It"s Kashan, w.a.n.g Tong is going after Kashan! Haha! What a conspicuous fool!"
Xie Su was startled by Harmon"s outburst. After he realized what Harmon had said, he muttered to himself, "That"s suicide."
Xie Su couldn"t make sense of it. Kashan was the largest city in northern district, and was the most heavily guarded.
Attacking the city with a small force is no different than begging for defeat.
"Haha, this is the wide spirit of humans. The more dangerous a place is, the more likely one is to succeed. Most of the armies in Kashan are out about searching for w.a.n.g Tong, and the enormous size of the city gives w.a.n.g Tong more angles to wage his a.s.sault. It is the perfect target." Harmon"s voice sounded almost like a compliment. He marveled at w.a.n.g Tong"s ability to go with the flow and change his plan on the spot. What a pity that he wouldn"t be recruited to work for Patroclus; otherwise, the world would have already belonged to the immortals. The humans on Mars had no hope of surviving the Zergs" invasion until w.a.n.g Tong showed up and changed things around.
However, Harmon would not let him have his way any longer.
"Are you sure?"Xie Su asked incredulously.
"General Xie Su, no one can be certain of anything, but this is my best guess."
"You have been wrong once. How sure are you this time? What if this is another ruse?" Xie Su asked.
Harmon didn"t mind the threat and put down. Xie Su"s barking sounded like a child"s ramblings to him.
"I am very certain he will go to Kashan. You should get ready. However, we don"t need to pull more soldiers back from the front line. I think what we have now should be enough to handle w.a.n.g Tong if we are prepared." Harmon said thinly. He lamented that if he were not here on Mars, no one here would be able to stop w.a.n.g Tong from claiming the planet.
"No problem! Do you think I will need to pull all the scouts back?"
Harmon shook his head and said, "Let"s pretend that we know nothing. The more we act out, the more likely we will jinx it. We need to prepare our welcoming party very quietly."
"Haha! Very well then! I have been looking forward to meeting this human devil!" Xie Su swung his cloak around and sauntered out of the meeting room. The plan was clear: he wouldn"t gather a ma.s.sive number of Zergs; the defensive forces of Kashan and his retinue of golden dark ones would suffice.
The trap was set, and he only had to wait for w.a.n.g Tong to rise to the bait.
Meanwhile, the immortals were also preparing for the upcoming battle with w.a.n.g Tong. Five years ago, Capth was defeated by Ayrlarng; yet five years late, Hua Li was determined to avenge that humiliating defeat.
…
Somewhere inside the Zerg controlled territory, a campfire burned furtively and low. Of all the two hundred House Lie elites that Lie Jian had brought with him, only two were still awake. The rest of the soldiers were soundly asleep, and the camp had fallen pin drop silent. Tomorrow, more hard battle for survival awaited them.