Chapter 165: Encirclement

The three mastiffmen sent by Arvin were whispering among themselves at the back of the group, discussing something unknown.

Wu Qingsong paid them no mind, instead continuing to gather information about the recent events from Angus.

Ling, with great caution, held two large boomerangs, walking beside Wu Qingsong, while Liuli, equipped with a crossbow, hopped and skipped and followed alongside her.

Unsure of what might happen, Wu Qingsong decided to keep them close to deal with any potential situation.

Should the situation escalate to the point where their abilities, especially Liuli’s, became necessary, he planned to first eliminate the threat, then dispose of these three spies sent by Arvin and blame it on the insectoids.

Having already acted against someone as high-profile as the half-elf Arvin, Wu Qingsong certainly had no qualms about them.

“Lord Tagraedi, how much further?” asked one of the mastiffmen.

“About two miles,” Wu Qingsong said. “I’ll do my best to ensure your safety, but if things get serious, I hope you three are ready to retreat.”

The mastiffmen laughed, clearly not taking his words to heart.

“Warriors of Norwei always advance, never retreat,” declared one of the mastiffmen with pride.

“I look forward to seeing the valor of the three of you then,” Wu Qingsong said.

He had brought three fully staffed squads selected by Angus, totaling sixty people. This number was sufficient for handling most situations. If the challenge exceeded their capabilities, then even more people wouldn’t make a difference, and they would need to rely on Liuli’s power.

The rest of the troops were left behind and led by Harold and Ram, ready to deal with any possible surprise attacks.

Wu Qingsong had Harold position scouts up to ten miles from Orgrimmar. If Arvin did indeed send forces to attack, they were to burn all supplies immediately, light signal fires, and retreat east toward the Silver Moon Wolf Clan’s territory with only the most crucial members, or fall back to the mines for defense. Upon seeing the beacon fires, Wu Qingsong would also take appropriate action.

This was preparation for the worst-case scenario. Wu Qingsong hoped to avoid such an outcome unless absolutely necessary.

Scouts at the forefront sent a signal, and the group promptly halted.

“We’ve found numerous insectoid footprints ahead but saw neither them nor any survivors. Judging by the tracks, they seem to have headed into the mountains.”

“Stay alert,” Wu Qingsong commanded. “Form up in Formation Two.”

Maintaining readiness over long periods was a significant challenge to soldiers’ physical stamina and mental strength. Adapting combat formations to different scenarios was crucial for preserving combat effectiveness. After over a year as the top commander of this mercenary group, these principles had nearly become instinctual for him.

The soldiers from the two squads formed a loose “tortoiseshell” formation to protect Wu Qingsong and the others at the center, moving forward slowly. Meanwhile, the remaining scout squad, under Wu Qingsong’s direction, tightened their ranks and split into groups of four, dispersing in various directions.

As their pace naturally slowed, the mastiffmen laughed mockingly.

Liuli, visibly annoyed, swished her tail. Wu Qingsong gently patted her head to calm her down.

They quickly passed the location of Angus and his team’s previous ambush. Traces of spider silk were still visible on trees around, with numerous bloodstains and even more holes from the insectoids’ scythes on the ground.

“Light the torches,” Wu Qingsong commanded.

Fire was the best countermeasure against spider silk, and incendiary bottles were essential against giant beetle people or ant soldiers. Though they hadn’t faced these creatures in direct combat, Wu Qingsong had prepared his soldiers with relevant contingency training. He was confident that, unless facing insectoid numbers several times their own, they could certainly emerge victorious.

There was an odd odor in the woods, reminiscent of overly fermented fruit.

Wu Qingsong noticed that since they had approached this area, no animals were to be seen, not even the omnipresent crows.

“Formation One,” he then commanded.

The soldiers began converging toward the center. The mastiffmen, unaccustomed to such maneuvers, were about to voice their concerns when rustling noises quickly ensued.

“Enemy!”

“Mite people!”

Alerts resounded from all around.

“Scouts, regroup into formation!” Wu Qingsong ordered loudly. “First and second squads, form up to confront the enemy!”

The shield bearers responded collectively with a “Ho,” placing their large shields on the ground to produce a thunderous sound. The mastiffmen quit their scoffing, drew their longswords, and readied for battle.

The scouts swiftly retreated through the shield wall’s openings, with numerous mitepeople emerging from the woods behind them. For the soldiers clad in insectoid shell armor and well-versed in combat, these creatures posed only a nuisance rather than a threat.

The firmly placed large shields segmented them, while the hammer soldiers, in coordination, rapidly harvested their lives.

Blocking, parrying, smashing. All executed seamlessly. Within moments, forty to fifty mite people were reduced to fragments, inciting panic among them as they hurriedly fled.

The three mastiffmen didn’t even get a chance to engage, completely abandoning their contempt as their expressions turned grave.

“Lord Tagraedi, given the number of these mitepeople, there’s likely to be over five hundred of the regular insectoid soldiers ahead. We’re outmatched! We must retreat and wait for Lord Alvin to dispatch troops from the border to stand a chance against them!”

“We can’t escape now,” Wu Qingsong said.

Glimpses of large scythes moving in the distant woods hinted that they were already surrounded.

Over the past year, the Thirteenth Mercenary Group had slain at least three hundred insectoids, yet they always fought in small, independent groups. Wu Qingsong had never encountered insectoids employing such tactics. This meant they were under someone’s command.

“Angus, quickly scout for any caves or higher ground we can use for defense,” Wu Qingsong ordered loudly, then addressed the three mastiffmen, “If you have any means to contact Arvin, now’s the time to use it. It’ll be too late soon.”

Angus and the scouts quickly dashed out, while the mastiffmen hesitated before pulling out a scroll. They swiftly wrote a few words on it, tugged at one side of the scroll, causing it to ignite and transform into a fiery phoenix that soared toward Esola City.

A web strand shot from the forest in an attempt to ensnare it, but it passed right through the phoenix, clearly showing it wasn’t a physical object.

“We’ve sent a distress signal to Lord Arvin!” the mastiffmen announced.

“Sir, we’ve found an abandoned private mine here!” came Angus’s voice from the front right.

“Excellent! Let’s head there, fast!” Wu Qingsong instructed.