The mock battles were staged with a hundred versus a hundred, a thousand against a thousand, and ten thousand against ten thousand, for three rounds in total. For the exercise, specially manufactured force projectiles were issued; once the projectile hit, it left an indelible mark of paint.
Naturally, such drills would incur costs, but fortunately, the Summit of Peaks was financially robust, and William waved his hand magnanimously, shouldering all the expenses without a second thought.
In the hundred-man battle, the Summit of Peaks emerged victorious without a doubt, thanks to their soldiers’ individual combat skills. A single charge broke through the defensive line, followed by a slaughter.
However, the thousand-man battle was a close contest. The lycan forces, supported by human archers, displayed formidable firepower, annihilating a third of the Summit of Peaks’ troops mid-battle.
In the ensuing melee, the lycans provided cover, allowing the human soldiers to show remarkable resilience. The fight raged for an hour, ending in a narrow defeat for Qian Ye’s mixed battalion.
The final engagement, the ten-thousand-man battle, was set in a hilly area with complex terrain that favored the lycans.
Commanded by Xu Jingxuan and overseen by Carol, the mixed battalion also included a significant number of warriors from the noble families. The Summit of Peaks dispatched a distinguished marquis to oversee their side.
As the battle commenced, Xu Jingxuan quickly secured a favorable position and began constructing defenses. When they were just taking shape, scouts from the Summit of Peaks spotted the mixed battalion. In no time, a large contingent of the Summit of Peaks appeared on the horizon, showcasing exceptional mobility.
Xu Jingxuan hastily prepared for the clash, but with methodical calm. He organized the troops into newly constructed fortifications, deploying them according to battle formations, with meticulous order.
When the lycans from the Summit of Peaks launched their charge, a storm of projectiles instantly painted the lycans red.
Many lycan warriors were momentarily stunned, only to realize they had been “killed” in the simulation. They looked around, bewildered, seeing their comrades similarly covered in red paint.
The lycan forces were painted red in waves, their “casualties” mounting at an alarming rate, making the overseeing marquis visibly agitated. He had not anticipated that when sufficiently numerous, human archers could create a devastating hail of projectiles, leading to area-of-effect strikes.
Within such a dense field of fire, only those with a significantly higher rank could resist; otherwise, individual combat prowess became insignificant.
Despite their grim casualties, the lycans, inherently fierce and fearless, did not falter. Instead, their ferocity was ignited. They charged towards the defensive line, expecting it to crumble as in past experiences.
But as they neared within a hundred meters, the lycans felt a strange hesitation. When had humans become so unflinching, remaining indifferent even as they approached the line?
Suddenly, rows of towering figures appeared behind the line—fully-armed lycans, no less robust and well-equipped than those from the Summit of Peaks. The latter’s lycans, despite their superior combat techniques, were vastly outnumbered.
By the time of the charge, two-thirds of the lycan forces had already been “killed.”
The elite lycans from the Summit of Peaks found themselves in a dilemma: continue the charge, certain to lose, or hold back and become sitting ducks for the human archers. In their hesitation, more lycans fell.
Seeing the catastrophic losses, some soldiers, unwilling to accept defeat, tried to rise and continue the charge. However, their red marks made them too conspicuous, even for the overseeing marquis.
“What are you standing around for? Charge! Even if we must die, our Summit of Peaks warriors will die on the offensive!”
After his bellow, the marquis added, “Those who have already ‘died,’ stay down. Do you need to embarrass us further?”
Thus, many soldiers, ashamed, lay back down.
The marquis’s roar reinvigorated the forces, and the lycans roared in fury, charging into the line, only to be surrounded by the mixed battalion from all sides.
The melee was fierce, with the Summit of Peaks’ warriors fighting for honor, each displaying true ferocity. Yet, the numerical advantage of the mixed battalion’s lycan forces, combined with the elite mercenaries and private armies, proved overwhelming.
As the Summit of Peaks’ warriors dwindled, the last soldier raised his blade and was instantly marked with a thick layer of paint.
Though the Summit of Peaks won the hundred- and thousand-man battles, the overall outcome was a sobering defeat. Even William, typically easy-going, wore a grim expression.
Lycans are often seen as primitive and tactically unsophisticated, but the elite nobles of Evernight know better. If lycans were truly that inferior, they would never have been one of the four major races.
Tradition and heritage influenced the lycan community, but at the elite level, the gap between the four races was not as pronounced. Thus, today’s outcome was particularly impactful for William.
The mixed battalion, at the cost of a third of its forces, obliterated the Summit of Peaks’ army. Despite the terrain favoring the lycans, the intense fire from the mixed battalion felled over half of the Summit of Peaks’ warriors before they could breach the line.
With lycan comrades forming a steel wall, the human mercenaries and private soldiers remained calm, delivering a decisive blow in the final moments.
The surviving remnants of the Summit of Peaks’ forces, facing equally formidable opponents, naturally succumbed to the numbers.
The outcome surprised the Summit of Peaks, though it was within Qian Ye’s expectations. In the Neutral Grounds, he had seen numerous examples of combined arms warfare among the various races.
Each race has unique strengths, and when integrated, the result is greater than the sum of its parts. The strongest small-scale mercenary groups in the Neutral Grounds were invariably a mix of dark and human races.
Though the Summit of Peaks was less extreme than the Ancestor Sect, there were still many adherents of lycan orthodoxy.
They held other races in contempt and were reluctant to cooperate in battle. In their minds, humans would collapse at close range, while arachnids would rush into disorganized combat, and bloodline demons, being cunning, would often retreat.
Yet, this disciplined human force, unflinching even at close quarters, was something they had never encountered.
In fact, this was a pervasive issue throughout Evernight, as seen in the repeated conflicts between the Parliament and the Empire.
The only downside of the entire mock battle was that it ended with a few dozen severely injured. However, for lycans, dying in battle was an honor, and this minor setback did not strain relations.
Seeing the outcome, William and the other high-ranking members of the Summit of Peaks were thoughtful.
The honored marquis who commanded the Summit of Peaks’ forces approached Qian Ye, saying, “Thank you, my lord, for showing us our shortcomings and narrow-mindedness. We did not expect such a result. I believe we should discuss how to deepen our cooperation in the days to come.”
Qian Ye naturally agreed.
After a full day of negotiations, it was decided that the Summit of Peaks would finance the equipping of fifty thousand elite warriors for Qian Ye, and establish a training base in Yonglu, with all costs covered by the Summit of Peaks.
While Qian Ye was skilled in integrating mixed forces, the Summit of Peaks’ expertise in lycan training was invaluable. Their combined efforts would produce the most elite troops.
William, using his lycan honor, promised that these troops would not be used in the war against the Empire. It was clear who they would guard against.
Since the opening of the New World, its strange original force continuously seeped out, gradually altering Yonglu’s environment. Both worlds had elements of dark and decaying power, but they flowed in opposite directions.
Yonglu leaned towards Evernight, while the New World pointed toward Dawn. Thus, the area around the New World’s portal, including Emerald Sea and Turquoise City, saw a significant improvement in its original force environment. The lycan elites from the Summit of Peaks could now train without fear of the foreign force affecting their internal purity.
The area near the Yonglu Gate gradually became a haven, where powerful individuals could live and train without concerns about their cultivation.
With the Summit of Peaks’ involvement, other factions eyeing Turquoise City’s interests largely abandoned their schemes, focusing on trade. They soon realized that commerce was just as profitable, without the need for conflict.
While the Central Region was embroiled in a fierce war between Evernight and the Empire, Yonglu thrived, a scene of prosperity and peace.
At this juncture, Eunuch Liu paid another late-night visit to Qian Ye, appearing at his window. Qian Ye, who was reading, hurriedly invited him in, asking, “What brings you here, Sir?”
Eunuch Liu smiled, “It’s good news, of course.”
Qian Ye perked up. Last time, Liu had brought him the Dragon Burial and helped intimidate Suosar. Any matter that warranted a visit from Liu was significant.
“Please, tell me.”
Eunuch Liu said, “The Imperial Military has reconsidered and decided to resume trade with you. The tax rate will be temporarily set at a quarter. What do you think?”
Though the tax rate was still high, it was reasonable given the wartime context and the military supplies involved.
Instead of immediately answering, Qian Ye asked, “Is the war going poorly?”
If the war were going well, the Empire would have no reason to compromise. Qian Ye could not possibly supply the Tree of Life’s sap to Evernight. The Empire’s request for reconciliation suggested they faced significant pressure in the New World.
Fortunately, Eunuch Liu reassured, “The war has been quite favorable. In total, seven or eight notable commanders from Evernight have fallen to Zining and Jundu, with a consistent exchange rate of three to one.”
Qian Ye nodded, “This is like steadily bleeding the dark races dry.”
“Exactly. However, even a three-to-one ratio is insufficient, as the dark races keep reinforcing their troops, while the Empire struggles with manpower. This war, no matter who leads, is destined to be lost.”
“Some in the court may oppose the resumption of trade.”
“That matter has been resolved. Zining threatened a mutiny on the front lines, and His Majesty, enraged, executed several key figures from the opposing faction. The decision is final.”
Qian Ye’s face darkened, not expecting Song Zining to take such drastic measures, his brows furrowed with worry.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage