NEC Chapter 79: This is War

The front ranks of Zircon Family's search team fell one by one like trees being cut down, but these deaths were not without value. The enemy's mages finally reached attack range under cover and hurled their first round of explosive flames.

The earthen wall that Little White had been leaning against at the very front was directly blasted down, and flying clods of earth buried the small skeleton heavily underneath.

But it didn't matter. Skeletons didn't care about physical disabilities. Even if the spine was broken, as long as both forearms could still move, it could continue shooting.

That's why undead and firearms made such a good match.

After the first round of explosive fireballs came the second round.

The enemy's mages might not match Old Locke in rank, but the attacks of professional elemental mages, whether in power or accuracy, were far beyond what Locke, this kind of cross-disciplinary old fellow, could compare to.

Taking advantage of the chaos brought by the magical attack, a Zircon warrior charged in at high speed, breaking through the wall.

The Cloudmist Domain warriors met him head-on.

Although only a few people remained, the overall formation still looked decent. The team had two warriors, Lady Frost, and the last remaining guard.

The young lady had been stimulated by the series of blows until her eyes were blood red. With a counter-charge, she wedged her small body in the gap of the earthen wall. That flowing, radiant longsword carried blazing flashes as she wielded it into a sword curtain with advance but no retreat.

The charging warrior clearly outranked her, yet could only struggle desperately to defend himself.

After all, this was nobility, nobility that the Marquis had specifically ordered to be captured alive.

The team also had one and a half mages. Master Locke, this kind of support profession specializing in healing and enchantment, worked hard to throw a few not-so-skilled fireballs between his flashing white healing spells.

The other half was Linda, this follower of the God of Wisdom who was still only Stardust rank despite her advanced age. Her face was pale as she chanted loudly.

Finally, there was Chen Mo, serving as both gunner and grenadier. As the second-best marksman in the team, he shouldered his light sniper rifle and with three shots blew off the skull cap of Zircon Family's head mage who was passionately exchanging fire with Locke.

In the scope's view, red and white matter splashed out an elegant arc under the setting sun.

And if distant enemies pulled back and hid from his line of sight, he relied on the drone's general positioning to occasionally throw a grenade outward, blocking the approach of enemy melee troops and filling the firepower gap left by Little White, who was pinned under the earthen wall and could no longer reload.

Enemies that truly got close were left for the warrior front line to handle.

Although the enemy mages called out twice, successively destroying two drones, at this point there was no room for regret. Let them fall.

Using drones to tank a spell that might otherwise have landed on himself was pure profit!

Without superhuman strength that could withstand bullets and grenades, ordinary soldiers faced nothing but naked slaughter. This intense close combat finally drew to a close after more than twenty minutes of fierce fighting.

The attacking enemies were completely annihilated. Faced with this bottomless pit of military achievement, the enemy remnants' courage finally gave out and they fled frantically. Chen Mo pulled the trigger and left behind two more souls.

But he didn't pursue them. Exhaustion, ammunition, and unknown dangers all prevented him from giving deep chase.

In the end, several dark shadows still disappeared into the distance.

On Cloudmist Domain's side, they had likewise paid an extremely heavy price.

The warriors were completely dead. Linda had been pierced through the chest by a flying sword from the warrior who broke through the wall, and was clearly beyond saving.

Master Locke himself had also paid a heavy price. Some unknown spell had grazed his left side, tearing his robes and flesh, with blood soaking through the gray-white robes.

He leaned weakly against a half-collapsed wall, breathing heavily. Each breath seemed to pull at his wounds, bringing waves of painful spasms.

During the battle, this converted Healing Master had given all his protective and healing skills to Chen Mo and Frost, leaving these two as clean as if they'd just stepped out of a bathroom.

Well, certain healing spells inherently came with dust-cleansing effects.

Although they had achieved brilliant results, Cloudmist Domain's team was now completely wiped out.

Chen Mo increasingly realized that his previous victories in passing through cities and towns had all been built on Paven's exceptional command and personal abilities.

Without Paven, the team immediately fell apart.

Chen Mo moved closer and pulled out the last Everchant Essence he hadn't sent away yet, trying to hand it to the old man. Old Locke smiled bitterly and shook his head, tremblingly raising his hand to make a gesture.

A gesture identical to the one Paven had made to him in his final moments.

Please, take her away!

Go quickly!

Chen Mo didn't like watching these scenes of life and death partings, so he walked out first.

He didn't know what the original fate of this team would have been if he hadn't gotten involved.

Nor did he know why, after a series of strange twists of fate, he had become Frost's "sole guardian."

Chen Mo was actually very clear that the most rational approach would be to turn around and leave this disaster-prone, ill-fated team that now had only a bare commander left.

Or simply hand over the young countess in exchange for his own safe departure.

Of course, at this moment he didn't know that as a "crow of the sky," he was also one of the enemy's primary targets.

But he could only sigh deeply.

For the sake of the floating airship at Six-Leaf Grove and the Everchant Essence sent back home, I'll try once more.

If it really doesn't work out... we'll figure it out when we get there.

Though given the Emerald Duchy's current sorry state, he seriously doubted whether the territory Paven had promised even still existed.

With another massive reduction in personnel, he couldn't carry much anymore. The intelligent gimbal, anti-materiel rifle, and most supplies all had to be abandoned.

He quickly reorganized his items, taking minimal supplies, the skylark, two batteries, light weapons, and gathered the remaining items together, placing adhesive bombs on them.

Frost walked out from the devastated small courtyard. In just a few short days, having lost three guardians in succession who had been constant companions she regarded as family, the girl's small face was pale as paper, her eyes hollow and vacant, like an exquisite porcelain doll.

Only when she saw Chen Mo did her eyes redden once again.

Chen Mo inexplicably wondered, were a girl's tears inexhaustible?

The young countess reached out and handed Chen Mo several items.

A Bluetooth earpiece.

"Aunt Linda told me I should study hard in the future. From now on, I won't need this anymore, so I'm returning it to you..."

There was also a thin booklet and a magical pendant.

"Grandpa Locke's spell book and magical implement. He said to give them to you..."

"Alright!"

Digging Little White out from under the earthen wall, the small skeleton's leg bones had been crushed, with multiple open fractures throughout its body. It clearly couldn't walk.

But Chen Mo still brought it along.

Just like the scene at Whitestone Outpost many, many days ago, a big boy, a small girl, and a skeleton frame walked toward the slanting rays of the setting sun.

Behind them rolled the smoke and dust from the remote-controlled bomb's detonation.

"By the way, if you surrendered to the Zircon family, could you be ransomed back?"

Frost's steps paused. Without raising her head, she just forcefully and slowly shook her small head, "Father... told me. If... I were to fall into enemy hands, the last sword... should be for myself."

"Alright then, never mind that."

"Let's hurry up and run!"

[NEXT CHAPTER]