Chapter 118: A Harvest Beyond Expectations

Qian Ye’s eyebrows arched slightly as he asked, “Are you abandoning the fortress?”

Bailongjia shook his head. “It’s impossible to hold. The strength of the vampire in command of the central warship is unfathomable, at least an Honored Marquis. If I hadn’t asked my elder sister to restrain herself and not show up, merely countering their probing with her aura, he wouldn’t have retreated due to uncertainty. But this trick can only be used once; it won’t work again next time.”

He continued, “Now, with the dark races having suffered heavy losses of their elite forces in their first attack, they are temporarily retreating for regrouping. This is the perfect time to evacuate. Otherwise, I fear very few of our remaining warriors will survive to return.”

Turned out, apart from Bai Aotu and another elder, the other powerful figures of the Bai family were not near this fortress. With such a disparity in forces, if the warship was commanded by a Dark Duke, even Bai Aotu and the elder together would stand no chance.

Additionally, the Bai family’s garrison had lost more than half its numbers, and the detached fleet stationed there was almost entirely wiped out. Such a loss was a blow to the core for the Bai family. Continuing the fight would not just endanger one sector but could shake the foundations of the empire itself.

In front of Qian Ye, Bailongjia did not mince words: “If the Zhao family were to suddenly attack us now, we’d risk losing territory if we can’t stop their air fleet.”

Qian Ye smiled but said nothing. He had no interest in the internal conflicts of the imperial families. The Bai family should have anticipated being in the same predicament after taking advantage of the Zhao family when they were besieged on all sides.

Bailongjia sighed inwardly and changed the subject, asking Qian Ye if he would consider joining the Bai family in battle. If Qian Ye agreed, he was willing to double the conditions originally offered for external recruitment.

Hearing this, Qian Ye was taken aback. “General Bai, that would be four times the military merit. Aren’t you afraid I’ll deplete your resources?”

Without hesitation, Bailongjia replied, “You’re worth it.” Qian Ye’s combat prowess far exceeded his rank, making him a true pillar on the battlefield. His overall contribution was immeasurable compared to mere enemy kills.

However, Qian Ye suddenly became distracted, recalling a long-forgotten memory. The first time he met Bailongjia was during a recruitment in Xiangyang. Their statuses were vastly different, and he had only glimpsed the great man from afar, barely remembering his appearance. The only thing he remembered was the evaluation written in his file, which was inconsequential.

Regardless of Qian Ye’s personal views on the Bai family, he had already promised the Li family and had no intention of breaking that promise. Therefore, he wouldn’t stay.

Seeing that Qian Ye was uninterested in any conditions, Bailongjia knew it wasn’t about money. He regretfully said, “During the evacuation, it’s best if you follow our main force. The dark army this time is a mixed force, and given its size, there are at least six or seven high-ranking nobles. You’d be too dangerous alone.”

Due to well-known reasons, the number of powerful fighters in a multi-race mixed dark army was usually greater. Qian Ye hesitated but didn’t immediately refuse. What Bailongjia said was generally true, but Qian Ye could infiltrate the dark army using his bloodline and break through with relative ease.

Seeing that Qian Ye was still considering, Bailongjia called in an officer and, after a brief inquiry, told Qian Ye, “How about this: we’ll calculate the military merit for this defensive battle and match it to what we offer free agents. Your merit for this battle equates to a Knight of Garter. Choose between weapons, potions, or other resources. What do you prefer?”

“Knight of Garter?” That was a first-class baron. The reward was somewhat beyond Qian Ye’s expectations.

He didn’t intend to be polite and refuse, and after a moment, pointed to his tattered Iron Wall armor, saying, “I’ve heard the Bai family’s armoring skills are the best in the empire. If possible, I’d like to exchange this merit for a set of armor.”

“Sure. If I’m not mistaken, you’re wearing the standard Iron Wall armor, a heavy suit, right?”

Qian Ye extended his arm, turning it to reveal the bite and claw marks, the most noticeable being several deep tooth holes on the inside of his elbow, nearly piercing through the armor.

“If it weren’t heavy, it would have been bitten through,” Qian Ye said.

Seeing the condition of the arm, even Bailongjia gasped. He turned to the officer, “Go get the armor from my tent.”

The officer froze, “General, that’s your backup armor!”

Bailongjia’s face darkened, and the officer, sensing the coldness, hurried away without further argument.

Bailongjia then told Qian Ye, “We are about the same size; my armor should fit you. It’s too heavy for me, so I can’t wear it for long. Since you can fight in Iron Wall for so long, it should be perfect for you.”

A short while later, the officer brought a box. Opening it, a silver-white suit of armor was revealed.

This armor looked light and form-fitting, resembling a thin, soft suit that could be worn under a robe. Made of countless small scales, each with intricate patterns, it glowed with a faint golden hue amidst the silver.

Without asking, Qian Ye recognized the golden patterns as signs of entwined fine gold.

The armor featured a beast’s head in relief on the chest and a pair of folded wings on the back, making it highly visible. Even in a sea of soldiers, it would stand out.

Qian Ye picked up the chest piece, surprised by its unexpected weight, much heavier than the Iron Wall. This was just the chest piece; the entire suit must weigh over a thousand kilograms.

Now Qian Ye understood why Bailongjia was reluctant to wear it. Moving in such a heavy suit would drain one’s origin power. It was troublesome to wear unless in a critical situation.

Bailongjia explained, “This armor is named Dragon Serpent. I originally had it made for myself. I aimed for defense but added too many materials, making it overly heavy. Though it has a gravity-reducing origin array, it requires origin power to activate.”

“This is too valuable,” Qian Ye frowned. The Dragon Serpent was at least a sixth-grade custom masterpiece, matching a seventh-grade standard suit in performance, even surpassing it in some aspects. Such a suit could trade for an eighth-grade standard origin gun. In value, it far exceeded Qian Ye’s military merit.

Bailongjia waved his hand. “To move freely in the Dragon Serpent, one needs to be at least level fifteen. I’ve been slow in my recent progress, so it’s a waste on me. If you feel bad, remember you owe the Bai family a favor. At a crucial moment, I hope you can lend us a hand.”

Qian Ye smiled, “The Bai family and you are two different things. If you need help, I’ll do my best. If the Bai family needs help and the enemy is the dark races, I can agree.”

Bailongjia couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Time was pressing, and the Bai family would soon withdraw. Qian Ye didn’t delay and put on the Dragon Serpent, but he felt uncomfortable with its shiny silver. Dressed so brightly, how could he hunt in battle? He had a supply officer bring some paint and turned the armor a drab gray, feeling marginally satisfied.

The Bai family’s fortress was busy yet orderly, completing post-battle cleanup and withdrawal preparations in just a few hours, showcasing their elite status and Bailongjia’s effective leadership.

Qian Ye decided to stay with the Bai private army during the retreat, seeing it as a small repayment for the Dragon Serpent armor.

By dusk, the remnants of the Bai family began their withdrawal, leaving the almost ruined fortress behind and reluctantly abandoning much non-essential equipment. Of the nearly ten thousand garrison, only a thousand remained by the end.

Some commanders wanted to hold, hoping for reinforcements, but mid-retreat, news came of another landing fleet, comparable in size to the previous vampire raid, approaching at full speed.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. Defending the fortress would mean certain death, even with Bai Aotu and the elders.

Bai Tianfeng, an elder of the Bai family, cursed, “What are those imperial fleets for, letting two landing fleets through intact? Useless!”

Qian Ye shared the frustration, seeing the discontent on the faces around him, even on Bailongjia’s.

With both fleets combined, the dark army on the rocky desert neared one hundred thousand, likely led by at least two Honored Marquises, possibly Dukes. The dark races were determined, and the Bai family was in a difficult position, unable to reclaim the territory alone, and would suffer in the post-war distribution.

The atmosphere in the retreating group was tense. Qian Ye silently followed the center, not encountering Bai Kongzhao or Bai Aotu, which slightly lifted his spirits.

After a day, they met the Bai reinforcement. The Bai and Song families’ sectors were adjacent, sharing a forward base. However, the base was in the Song sector, inconvenient for the Bai.

Qian Ye had no good impression of the Song family and didn’t care about the friction between them. Upon reaching safety, he bid farewell to Bailongjia, refusing even to restock at the base.

Bailongjia understood and personally saw Qian Ye off. Before parting, he asked, “Have you seen Pota recently? He’s also here for the battle.”

Qian Ye smiled, “During the void landing, I was with the Wei family fleet.”

Bailongjia nodded, understanding.

Leaving the Bai army, Qian Ye headed southwest. The rocky desert was vast, and the dark army seemed to have a fixed target, leaving other areas untouched. Qian Ye returned to the Misty Forest without hindrance.

As the thick fog compressed his senses to a few hundred meters, Qian Ye felt safe. This forest was his natural battlefield.

Finding a tree to rest against, Qian Ye took out a map and studied it, his brows gradually furrowing.