Chapter 368: The Turning Point

The torrential rain had passed, but a light drizzle still fell over the island. In some ways, this was hardly better than the previous storm of thunder and lightning. Though the rain had eased, allowing the birdfolk to move a little more freely, the loss of the lightning’s illumination meant they could no longer see what was happening in the distance.

“Keep casting your magic at that location!” Wu Qingsong took over issuing commands in Queen Gale’s stead. “Just hold on for another fifteen minutes!”

The harpies hesitated for a moment but soon followed his orders. Of course, as for how to organize their rotations and assignments, they had their own system and did not need Wu Qingsong to manage the details. 

After battling the fishfolk in this valley for over a thousand years, they had long since developed a complete set of tactics. While the arrival of the sea draconians had disrupted their usual routines, as long as they were willing to pay the price, they could always manage to keep the fishfolk at bay.

In the history of the Gale Kingdom, there had been occasions when the fishfolk had managed to push deep into the island’s interior. When the fishfolk’s forces grew too overwhelming, requiring too heavy a toll to repel them, the harpies would choose to retreat. The harpies and birdfolk could always survive by taking refuge on cliffs and treetops where the fishfolk couldn’t reach. Meanwhile, the penguins, with their sheer numbers, ensured their species’ survival—so long as they weren’t completely wiped out, they would always be able to repopulate once the fishfolk eventually withdrew back into the sea.

If Wu Qingsong hadn’t been here, tonight might have turned into yet another nightmare for the kingdom. However, his repeated successes so far had convinced the harpies to follow his command. After all, it was only for fifteen minutes.

The towering silhouette of the water elementals finally emerged once more, pushing forward against the howling winds, sending a new wave of panic through the birdfolk ranks.

“Just five more minutes!” Wu Qingsong shouted.

But truthfully, he had no idea how much time had actually passed—nor how much longer they needed to hold out.

Boulder and the undead sea creatures had advanced to a position very close to the bay, yet for some unknown reason, they had remained there for several minutes without moving forward.

The water elementals had clearly begun merging again, adopting a creeping, reptilian posture as they advanced. This made the harpies’ wind magic far less effective, and the birdfolk were beginning to waver.

Just then, Ling suddenly rushed over from the rear.

“That thing disappeared!” she reported, easily spotting Wu Qingsong in the darkness thanks to her sharp vision.

Did Boulder manage to kill the summoner?

By now, Boulder and the undead sea creatures should have reached the bay’s entrance. Wu Qingsong no longer hesitated—he gave the command to the undead hidden beneath the sand and soil, ordering them to attack the surrounding fishfolk.

The massive water elementals continued their advance, and the birdfolk had already started to retreat. But at that moment, chaos erupted along the shoreline. The agonized screams of those caught in the attack rang out, mingling with their dying wails. The water elementals hesitated for a moment before suddenly dispersing into over a dozen smaller forms. Riding the winds summoned by the harpies, they rapidly retreated toward the shore.

“Ling! Let’s go!” Wu Qingsong shouted.

The harpies’ magic finally ceased. They could only watch as the two of them charged forward. Moments later, a silver substance suddenly enveloped Ling, surrounding her and transforming into a towering, metallic humanoid figure.

It reached down, allowing Wu Qingsong to step onto its hand before placing him into a newly formed, semi-open cockpit at the back of its head. Then, it strode swiftly down toward the beach.

Many of the undead hidden in the sand and dirt had already been severely damaged by the previous magical clashes, leaving them broken and incomplete. However, their sheer numbers—nearly three thousand—still held significant weight. The fishfolk had spent the entire night pressing the birdfolk back, completely lowering their guard toward their surroundings. They had never expected their enemies to be hiding such power, waiting until this very moment to unleash it.

Many fishfolk had been eagerly awaiting the moment the water elementals broke through the valley entrance, ready to charge in for a slaughter. Compared to the mainland, Gale Island was a relatively barren place, but to the fishfolk—who lived in even harsher conditions—it was a prime target for plundering. Not to mention, the slain birdfolk made for excellent food.

They all knew that the island was filled with countless penguins. As long as they breached the valley, everyone would be able to feast.

But then, all of a sudden, allies began rising from the sand beneath their feet—only to attack them with mindless ferocity.

The fishfolk ranks fell into instant disarray.

Even the sea draconians found themselves under attack. However, as the rulers of the fishfolk, they possessed more than just powerful magic—they also had formidable physical strength and combat prowess. The smaller undead were often sent flying with a single sweep of their tails.

Yet in the darkness, the fishfolk’s vision was just as limited. They couldn’t tell how many enemies had suddenly appeared. Weighing their personal safety against the overall battle, the sea draconians ultimately made the decision to recall their water elementals.

The undead were soon identified. After all, the sea draconians had already encountered them before and had studied them enough to recognize what they were dealing with.

Under their command, the water elementals began attacking the undead directly, carefully avoiding their own fishfolk allies.

Within mere minutes, over half of the three thousand undead had been eliminated. But by then, Wu Qingsong and Ling had already charged down the hillside in their new combat form.

Two water elementals lunged at them, but Ling skillfully maneuvered her mech to dodge their attacks, rapidly closing the distance between them and the sea draconians.

In the next instant, countless water arrows shot toward them, forcing Ling’s machine back several steps. But before that could happen, Wu Qingsong had already thrown all of his soul shards at the sea draconians.

Agonized screams rang out. Several sea draconians, completely unprepared, were overwhelmed by the barrage of soul shards. Their minds were instantly shattered by the onslaught of agonizing memories and violent emotions. Some had their very souls torn apart. Their powerful bodies convulsed violently for a moment before going completely still—lifeless.

However, the sea draconians further away had managed to survive. As spellcasters of the fishfolk, their mental fortitude was far superior to that of ordinary fishfolk. Though they, too, suffered immense pain, they quickly expelled the chaotic spiritual energy from their minds and recovered.

Even so, the sudden turn of events completely shattered their confidence and courage. Several sea draconians immediately dove into the water, attempting to flee toward the bay’s exit at full speed.

But for the fastest swimmer among them, salvation quickly turned into a nightmare.

A cloud of venomous ink sprayed directly into his face, blinding him with excruciating pain. Then, enormous tentacles coiled around his body. The razor-sharp suction cups punctured his scales, burrowing into his flesh—before violently squeezing every drop of his blood and tissue out of his body.