Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Friend or Foe
BAM!
The Totem Pole, which had been aimed at a Demonized Minotaur, struck nothing but air. The young Minotaur wielding it stumbled forward two steps before regaining his balance. He turned his head in confusion, watching the Demonized Minotaurs bellow as they charged into the distance.
"Clan Leader, why did the Demonized Minotaurs run away?"
"Is that White Bone Fortress the reinforcements you called for?"
"Clan Leader, say something!"
The enemy’s sudden retreat left the Minotaurs bewildered. They gathered around Mumu, chattering with questions.
’You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?’
’It’s not just you who has no idea what’s going on; I don’t either!’
Mumu was just as lost. He frowned, staring intently into the distance. ’Could I have been wrong? Are the White Bone Fortress and the Demonized Minotaurs not on the same side?’
Whatever Mumu was thinking, Li Ziyu was furious right now. ’This is a first—going from a spectator to the main target. Taking me for a pushover? You’ve got another thing coming!’
’Seriously, thinking a dozen or so Minotaurs can charge my fortress? How arrogant. My Undead aren’t to be trifled with.’
"Charge—"
Skeleton Undead clattered apart from the fortress walls, grabbing their various Weapons and charging toward the Demonized Minotaurs.
Li Ziyu refused to believe that 250 Skeleton Undead couldn’t handle a mere dozen or so Minotaurs. The enemy might be strong, but the difference in numbers was huge. If he couldn’t win even with this advantage, he might as well give up, find a hole to hide in, and wait to die. ’If I’m this weak, what’s the point of even trying?’
The Undead were incapable of feelings like fear or hesitation. The City Lord’s command was absolute and had to be carried out. No matter how powerful the enemy, they had to be annihilated, even if it meant burying them under a mountain of their own bodies.
Facing the charging Demonized Minotaurs, the Skeleton Undead first unleashed a roar. The Soul Roars of hundreds of Undead combined, creating a powerful concussive effect that brought the Demonized Minotaurs to a sudden halt. For the first time, a look of fear appeared in their blood-red eyes.
They did not fear physical pain, but the terror that came from having their very souls shaken was impossible to negate.
As the Demonized Minotaurs’ Charge was checked, the Undead swarmed them. A dense mass of bodies, swinging swords and jabbing Spears in a chaotic frenzy.
The soul-shaking effect lasted only a moment. The Demonized Minotaurs quickly recovered and began to counterattack. A single swing of a Stone Rod sent a dozen Undead flying with a CLATTER, shattering into piles of broken bones upon hitting the ground.
The Minotaurs from the Tribe now stood with their jaws agape, their eyes wide as saucers, as if they were witnessing the most incredible thing in the world.
"Cl-Clan Leader, th-that’s... are those Undead?" a Minotaur stammered.
The question snapped Mumu back to his senses. He swallowed hard, nodded emphatically, and grunted in affirmation.
He had certainly seen some sights tonight. It was rare enough to see Demonized Minotaurs, but now he was seeing the legendary Undead. And what was even more interesting was that the Demonized Minotaurs and the Undead were fighting each other.
’Two kinds of Monsters going at it. Who’s ever seen such a thing?’
The Undead threw themselves forward relentlessly, surging toward the Demonized Minotaurs like a white tide, wave after wave. The Demonized Minotaurs were just as reckless, completely ignoring the wounds inflicted by the Undeads’ Weapons. They simply swung their rods with abandon, smashing the Undead apart and roaring in fury.
Their enraged and violent display might have intimidated other creatures, but it was completely useless against the Undead. They didn’t care in the slightest. They might even have had the idle thought, ’What’s this guy yelling about?’
"Clan Leader, what should we do? Just watch?" another Minotaur asked.
Mumu shuddered. ’Right, we can’t just stand here and watch.’ He looked at the Demonized Minotaurs, then at the Skeleton Undead reeking of terror and death. Finally, he gritted his teeth. "We help the Undead! Take out those Demonized Minotaurs!"
In Mumu’s mind, neither the Demonized Minotaurs nor the Undead were friendly. But the Demonized Minotaurs had attacked them first, while the Undead showed no signs of hostility toward his Tribe. Following that logic, they should deal with the Demonized Minotaurs first.
With Mumu’s command, the other Minotaurs no longer hesitated. The fight had been difficult before, but now it might not be. With the Undead tying up the enemy, they could finally let loose. One by one, they hefted their Totem Poles and charged toward the battlefield.
’Here they come, here they come. I knew it. The natives of this Otherworld are treacherous. It was a trap.’
Li Ziyu stomped his foot as he watched from the window, seeing the Minotaurs charging with their Totem Poles, howling. He was confident his Undead could handle a dozen or so Demonized Minotaurs, but if several dozen more joined in, the Undead might not be able to win.
Even if they did win, the losses would probably be significant.
’Maybe I should retreat for now?’
The thought flashed through Li Ziyu’s mind but was immediately dismissed. He couldn’t just run. It would take time for the Undead to return to the Mobile Fortress, and those dark-skinned Minotaurs were too close. If they gave chase, it would cause huge problems and result in pointless losses.
’Instead of losing Undead for nothing, I might as well go all in. If I can take out all these Minotaurs, I might recoup some of my losses!’
’Besides, am I, Li Ziyu, the kind of person who retreats so easily?’
He usually overthought things, but when it came to the critical moment, Li Ziyu would switch from a state of calm analysis to reckless abandon. He wouldn’t care about the consequences—he’d just fight first and ask questions later!
’Charge! Annihilate them!’
And then, he saw the Minotaurs carrying Totem Poles reach the battlefield, swing their weapons, and smash them down violently on the heads of the dark-skinned Minotaurs.
Li Ziyu: ...
He swallowed the command he was about to give his Undead. The situation, it seemed, was not what he had expected.
’Uh, so it wasn’t a scheme to trick me? They were actually fighting for real?’
’Well, that’s great! With help, those dozen or so Minotaurs are no problem at all!’
"Change in battle strategy! Tie down the dark-skinned Minotaurs, let the other Minotaurs attack."
Li Ziyu observed for a moment and saw that the Minotaurs with the Totem Poles indeed had no intention of attacking his Undead. He quickly issued the order. There was no need to charge in recklessly anymore. The Totem Poles were clearly much more effective than Weapons like Bone Sabers. One smash was more useful than a dozen stabs.
Upon receiving the command, the Undead immediately changed tactics, focusing on harassment.
The Demonized Minotaurs’ attention remained fixed on the Undead as they continued to chase them and swing their rods. This gave the other Minotaurs a perfect opportunity. They hid among the swarms of Undead, darted out for a surprise attack, smashed a Totem Pole down violently, and then ran. What a thrill.
With the Undead tying them down and the high Attack Power of the Minotaurs, the Demonized Minotaurs finally couldn’t hold on any longer. They were smashed to the ground one by one. Once they were down, there was no getting back up. The Undead were experts at kicking a man when he’s down, kill-stealing and finishing off the job.
As soon as a dark-skinned Minotaur fell, ten or twenty Skeleton Undead would immediately rush over and drive their blades straight into its heart and neck—locations they knew were fatal to most living creatures.
No matter how strong the Demonized Minotaurs were, they couldn’t survive with their necks nearly severed and their hearts pierced. The dozen or so Demonized Minotaurs soon met their bitter end under the combined assault of the Minotaurs and the Undead, dying deaths from which there was no return.
But once all the Demonized Minotaurs were dealt with, the other Minotaurs immediately withdrew from the battlefield. They regrouped, hefting their Totem Poles and watching the Skeleton Undead with wary eyes.
The common enemy was gone. So, were the Undead friend or foe?
