Chapter 243: The Cat-and-Mouse Game (Part 2)

The proud elven mage had no idea that, as he unleashed his frustration and disappointment through his magic, the person he was searching for was right beneath his feet.

When he finally left, Daryl’s face had completely changed.

Wu Qingsong, on the other hand, was unfazed. The elf’s magic had wiped out nearly six hundred of his ghouls, and about twenty zombies, costing him nearly one-fifth of his forces. But to him, as long as there were enough corpses and soul fragments, regaining such power was merely a matter of time.

This elf’s magic paled in comparison to what he had witnessed during the insectoid swarm in Esola. If this level of magic scared him, then he might as well give up on fighting against the elves altogether.

“What’s wrong, Daryl? Get yourself together!” 

Wu Qingsong slapped the young wolfman firmly on the back. 

“Don’t get arrogant, but don’t sell yourself short either. They have their strengths, but they also have their weaknesses. The battle has just begun. What’s with that look on your face?”

“But…” Daryl began.

“If this world was decided purely by who had stronger magic, then what’s the point of resisting? What did your ancestors, and your sister, fight for all this time? You’ve known for a long time that elves have powerful magic. So what? They fight their way, and we fight ours. The final outcome is still a long way off! Trust me, in the end, we will be the ones who win.”

Daryl, however, felt utterly powerless.

They had no way to attack their enemy, while the enemy could freely rain down magic from the sky. 

How could they possibly fight like this?

“I’ll tell you a secret,” Wu Qingsong said with a mysterious expression.

“What is it?” Liuli was the first to ask.

“Fight your own fight, and let them fight theirs,” Wu Qingsong said.

“Fight your own fight, and let them fight theirs?” Daryl was a bit disappointed. 

What kind of nonsense was this? It sounded like a meaningless phrase.

“This isn’t just empty talk,” Wu Qingsong said seriously. “This is a strategy for defeating a stronger opponent, invented by a great figure. By using this method, he led his army to victory against an enemy far more powerful than his own and ultimately won.”

“That’s amazing!” Liuli exclaimed. 

Though, it was clear she didn’t really understand the meaning behind the words.

“If you can win, fight. If not, retreat. Fight your fight, let them fight theirs. Concentrate superior force locally, avoid the enemy’s strengths, seek out the weak spots, and defeat them one by one,” Wu Qingsong explained. “And remember the mantra: ‘When the enemy advances, we retreat. When they halt, we harass. When they tire, we strike. And when they retreat, we pursue.’ Daryl, once you truly grasp the meaning of these words, you won’t just be a warrior anymore, but a commander.”

Of course, these words didn’t immediately convince Daryl, but for Wu Qingsong, this strategy was the key to victory.

And with undead creatures that felt no fear, fatigue, or distraction, Wu Qingsong had complete confidence that they could wear the enemy down.

Under Wu Qingsong’s mental command, the scattered undead quietly regrouped. He then silently ordered them to gather the bodies of the soldiers they had killed earlier. He once again began the process of converting them once again.

A few hours later, the number of corpses under his control returned to around 3,000, and by then, it was already dawn.

“Let’s move to the next target,” Wu Qingsong said.

***

After his unsatisfactory massacre, the elven mage couldn’t sleep, so he and Roderick started formulating their plan to deal with the necromancer.

From the simplicity of the undead creatures he had summoned, it seemed to Raman that the necromancer’s magical power wasn’t all that strong.

“We don’t need to play hide and seek with him in these mountains,” Raman said while sipping his drink. “His goal is Nina Lams. As long as we keep pressing the wolfkind and force Nina Lams into a desperate situation, he’ll have no choice but to act. When that happens, we’ll catch him.”

Roderick, however, was a bit concerned. 

“A necromancer. Something that’s been gone from the empire for hundreds of years. Raman, this isn’t a trivial matter. We should report this to the family and let them decide.”

“He’s nothing more than an apprentice,” Raman sneered. “Do you really think the two of us can’t handle an apprentice?”

“But he won’t engage us head-on,” Roderick said. “You know as well as I do that necromancy is a plague. Once it’s discovered, it must be completely destroyed. Even the slightest possibility of it existing in this world must be eliminated. Nina Lams is no longer the main issue, the necromancer is the real threat now.”

“Exactly! Which is why we must seize this opportunity,” Raman responded. “We’ll use Nina Lams to capture him. Trust me, brother, he won’t escape us. We can take care of both problems at once. What’s not to like?”

Roderick still appeared hesitant, so Raman had to put a lot of effort into persuading him. It wasn’t until dawn that Raman, finally coming down from his excited state, was able to lie down.

However, just as he was slipping into a light sleep, frantic shouting jolted him awake.

“Lord Raman! The first battalion of the Noguti garrison just sent out an emergency distress signal! The purple flare!”

“That bastard!” Raman immediately leaped out of bed.

Several attendants rushed in, bringing warm water and fresh towels, carefully presenting a clean robe scented with special herbs.

“Send a signal! Tell them to hold their ground,” Raman ordered. 

He urged the attendants to get him ready faster.

A few minutes later, fully refreshed, he grabbed his staff, blew his bone whistle, and swiftly mounted the giant eagle. Without delay, he urged it to fly quickly toward the site of the battle.

The battle raged on. 

In the morning sunlight, the evil figures were fully visible, and Raman quickly assessed their numbers—far fewer than the night before. It was clear that the necromancer’s forces had suffered a heavy blow during the previous night.

“Let’s see how many undead you can summon.”

He smirked, directing his giant eagle to swoop down toward the battlefield. Gathering a vast amount of fire energy in his staff, he unleashed a series of fist-sized fireballs upon the undead. Under his precise control, the fireballs deftly avoided the struggling soldiers and hit their targets with pinpoint accuracy, reducing them to ashes.

In an instant, the overwhelming offensive of the undead vanished. The surviving soldiers, witnessing such a miraculous turnaround, waved their weapons frantically and cheered in ecstatic relief.