Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Stab, Stab, Stab
BOOM! RUMBLE! BOOM! RUMBLE!
The Earth Puppets drew closer and closer.
With each step, all 70 Earth Puppets stomped in unison, causing the ground to tremble ceaselessly.
Their presence was imposing, but their Movement Speed was indeed very slow.
Gu Qing summarized, "The Earth Puppets have high Attack, high Defense, and high Life. Their Attack Speed is fast, but their Movement Speed is slow. They use a long-range Stone Spike Spirit Technique, and we can kill them by smashing their heads, right?"
"Correct. A perfect summary."
"These things can’t be captured, can they?"
"They can be, but it’s too difficult for us right now. Just focus on killing them with everything you’ve got."
Gu Qing nodded. "Understood. What’s our strategy? Do we split into two groups and attack the flanks of the Earth Puppet formation? That way we can maintain a numerical advantage and always have the upper hand."
Zhao Chi nodded.
"Splitting into two groups is fine, but we can’t engage them head-on right now."
"We need to bait out all their Skills first, just like we did with the Thunder Element earlier."
"Gu Qing and Tang Ruan, you two take the Female Soldiers and go first. Draw the Earth Puppets’ attention."
"Each one should only be able to use Stone Spike about three times. After they’re used up, they’ll be limited to close combat."
"Female Craftsmen, maintain your distance. You don’t have Leather Boots, so your feet are vulnerable. Don’t get too close for now."
"Otherwise, a single Stone Spike could cripple one of your legs."
"First, we draw out all their Skills. Then we can kill them. Go!"
"Yes, Commander!"
Gu Qing and Tang Ruan each led half the Female Soldiers, charging toward the left and right flanks of the Earth Puppet formation.
The remaining Female Craftsmen followed from a distance.
Leaving Zhao Chi standing there by himself.
Zhao Chi didn’t mind in the least.
Without them, Zhao Chi’s performance would have been about the same as Yang Xiong’s; he would have been eliminated back on the Ghost stage.
Reaching this seventh stage with his current strength, he couldn’t contribute much anymore anyway.
Zhao Chi was currently following the Commander-in-Chief path, and his Skill was Encourage.
But it wasn’t the right time to use it.
Their Morale was still high.
[Zhao Chi Army Morale]
[Gu Qing] 90%
[Tang Ruan] 96%
[Female Militia] 85%
[Female Craftsman] 81%
Although their Morale had dropped slightly, it was still high enough.
The Female Soldiers split into two teams and rapidly approached the flanks of the Earth Puppet formation.
Seeing this, the Earth Puppets also split down the middle, forming left and right groups to meet the attack.
Their synchronized march was finally broken.
The tremors in the ground lessened considerably.
Gu Qing was in the middle of her charge when she suddenly felt something bulging from the ground up ahead.
It was just like when the Peach Blossom Human Race were born.
Gu Qing dodged immediately.
WHOOSH!
In an instant, a conical Stone Spike, one meter tall and as thick as a thigh, burst from the earth, thrusting upward with a sharp point.
It shot up with incredible speed.
It almost grazed Gu Qing’s thigh as it passed.
"Thirty meters..." Gu Qing turned and shouted, "I was just attacked by a Stone Spike! The range is about thirty meters, and it’s extremely fast! Everyone, watch the ground!"
Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Tang Ruan said, "Everyone be careful! We’re about to enter the thirty-meter range."
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The words had barely left her mouth.
The Female Soldiers on both flanks saw the ground begin to boil simultaneously.
It started bubbling, like water being brought to a boil.
But what erupted weren’t bubbles, but sharp Stone Spikes bursting from the earth.
The Stone Spikes appeared so quickly that not everyone could dodge them.
"Ah!"
"Oh no!"
"Ugh..."
"My foot!"
"It was too fast! I’ve been hit."
"Did it... not break through my defense?"
Several Female Soldiers were launched high into the air.
It wasn’t that they jumped, but that they had been flung upward by the Stone Spikes.
A light glowed in Gu Qing’s hand. "How are you all?"
"We’re fine! It didn’t pierce through. It just pushed up against the sole of my foot. There’s a bit of impact pain."
"I’m fine too. With the Defense Bonus from the Leather Boots and Silk Stockings, the Stone Spike didn’t get through to our feet."
"Is that so? Good." Gu Qing crushed the light in her hand.
Since they weren’t injured, it meant their Leather Boots’ Durability had taken damage. Naturally, there was no need to waste Spiritual Power on Treatment.
Gu Qing didn’t know how much Damage the Stone Spikes could inflict.
But judging by their sharpness and the speed at which they thrust upward, their power had to be significant.
However, these Female Soldiers had all focused their Enhancement on Defense. Even the lowest Level 2 Female Soldier had a 42% Enhancement.
Coupled with the 37.5% Defense Enhancement provided by the Silk Stockings, the total Defense Power for their feet reached 79.5%, almost 80%!
The total defense for the Level 4 Female Soldiers reached 91.5%!
The Defense Power of their feet was extremely high.
It was as if their Leather Boots had been turned into Iron Boots.
Tang Ruan said, "How annoying. That almost got me in the crotch. Everyone, it’s probably best to use your shields to protect the area between your legs."
Gu Qing was taken aback. After a moment’s thought, she lowered her Shield as well.
Zhao Chi watched the sharp spikes erupting ahead, like a shark’s teeth, and felt extremely nervous.
But right now, he could only trust those women.
He had considered retreating to the defense towers and counterattacking from there.
They had already moved a large number of rocks onto the towers to be thrown down.
But the rules for this test had been changed; if the enemies weren’t eliminated within thirty minutes, they would be disqualified.
This rendered the painstakingly built defense towers largely useless.
’This test is probably designed to assess the cadets’ direct combat abilities, discouraging the use of towers and traps.’
’So be it.’
’Even if they’re useless for this test, they’ll be useful in territorial battles later. They definitely weren’t built for nothing.’
At the same time, Zhao Chi felt a little ashamed that he couldn’t do anything at the moment.
’But it’s fine.’
’I’ve come to understand this world now. In the future, I’ll have plenty of time to improve myself.’
’I’m sure I’ll have a chance to shine in the next battle.’
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The Stone Spikes seemed to follow the Female Soldiers’ movements, constantly thrusting upward.
Meanwhile, Female Soldiers were constantly being launched up, falling, being launched up, and falling again.
Zhao Chi observed their numbers. Each time, almost a third of the Female Soldiers were launched into the air.
These Female Soldiers all had 6 points in agility. Although they hadn’t specifically enhanced their Evasion or Movement Speed, their base stats for both were already high.
Even so, it was difficult to completely dodge the sudden assault of the Stone Spikes.
Their Defense might be superb, but the Durability of their Leather Boots was finite. They couldn’t keep taking hits forever.
Zhao Chi was just about to give an order when he heard Gu Qing shout, "All who’ve been hit, fall back! Those who haven’t, move to the front! Everyone, watch the Durability of your Leather Boots!"
"Yes!"
Gu Qing was a Female Hero, after all, and she was close with Zhao Chi.
The Female Soldiers would obey her commands.
Besides, it was a logical order.
Zhao Chi closed the mouth he had just opened.
’That Gu Qing... she said my line again...’
’Not bad, though.’
The Female Soldiers quickly adjusted their formation, sweeping past the Puppets.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The ground was covered in a dense forest of Stone Spikes, obstructing movement.
It was obvious, however, that the frequency and density of the Stone Spikes were decreasing.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
The Female Soldiers circled the Earth Puppets.
But the Earth Puppets only waved their stone arms in anger, no longer using their Stone Spike Spirit Technique.
Gu Qing smiled. "Excellent. It seems they’ve run out of Spiritual Power. Everyone, charge! Focus all your attacks on their heads! Surround them!"
"Understood!"
