Wang Haoze's face was ashen. Around him, several bandits were panicking, blood streaming down their faces, wailing one after another, their Loyalty starting to plunge. Then he heard the clamor of men and horses outside the camp — clearly the Lord he'd ambushed earlier was no pushover either, and had counter-killed his way back.
He stood there at a loss, all but out of options.
The whole bunch of bandits had been cowed; they were all backing away. With no other choice, he went out and stood in the camp, shouting at the top of his lungs at Han Huohuo.
"Brother, killing's no more than a nod to the ground — we're all transmigrator Lords, we ought to look out for one another. Why come campaigning against my stronghold? It makes no sense. I advise you to pull back now; we can still be good neighbors down the road. Don't bring ruin on yourself!"
The guy spoke with righteous conviction!
Pretty brazen, too!
Han Huohuo gaped. Yours truly thought I was shameless enough — how does this guy dare out-shameless me!
Say what you will, he really was a talent. If his luck hadn't been so bad — turning up right next to my camp — he might genuinely have made something of himself!
A good neighbor?
Good neighbor my ass!
Talent or genius, you've enraged yours truly, so you're a dead dish!
"Get in there and raze this stronghold flat! If you leave so much as a blade of grass standing, I'll dismantle every last one of you useless machines!"
No telling whether these mechanical monsters understood a word of it.
First a great swarm of mechanical workers rushed in. With a few clinks and clanks they set to tearing down the wall and gate.
Don't underestimate these workers in a fight — they were better at demolition than real warriors. In an instant the wall and gate were torn clean away.
Then they all swarmed into the enemy camp.
No traps!
Five terrifying giant mechanical wolves charged in behind the mechanical workers.
There was no resistance left to speak of. Screams erupted at once. A few bandits who rose to fight back were instantly kicked over by the wolves and trampled into bloody pulp.
Brutal!
Truly brutal!
In the end only two bandits remained, scared out of their wits, rumps thrust high, every hair on their bodies standing on end, kneeling in surrender.
Wang Haoze had fled. Han Huohuo entered the camp and saw the kid had already run toward the saddle on the far side, scrambling and crawling, running for his life.
The monk runs, but the temple stays put.
This kid was vicious and venomous, and damned shameless besides — a dangerous element, absolutely not to be left as a future threat.
"Smash the Crystal for me!"
A red crystal stood in the center of the camp, with one thousand life.
The mechanical workers and giant wolves immediately surrounded it and pounded it together.
The crystal's defense was decent. Even with so many mechanical monsters battering it for ages, it finally couldn't take any more and shattered with a crash.
Aaah!
A blood-curdling scream!
Shrill beyond words, like a ghost's wail. Han Huohuo looked toward the saddle and saw black fire bursting out all over Wang Haoze, burning up from the soles of his feet, from the inside out. He ran even as he burned, until only a patch of ash was left on the ground — utterly consumed by that eerie black fire.
Just like watching a horror film!
This was too damned terrifying!
A chill ran through Han Huohuo's heart. He thought, if my own Crystal were smashed, this would be my fate too, and he was deeply shaken.
【Congratulations, Lord Han Huohuo. You are the first Lord to wipe out another camp. Broadcast this worldwide?】
"Decline!"
How could I dare broadcast that? Wouldn't it make me the enemy of the whole world? Leveling up first, sure, you can swagger a little — but you wipe out another Lord and dare to broadcast it worldwide? Even an idiot wouldn't!
【Twin Dragon Stronghold wiped out. The following resources obtained, please check: wood 157, stone 71, food 112, gold coins 50.】
【First to wipe out another camp. Reward: one treasure chest. Please accept it, Lord.】
Having seen the ghastly sight of Wang Haoze burned to ash by the black fire, Han Huohuo was now terribly anxious about the Crystal back home. Not daring to linger, he immediately had the mechanical workers haul off every resource, plus all the tools and weapons.
Herding the two captives along, he hurried back to his own stronghold.
The two captives knelt and kowtowed for all they were worth. Han Huohuo had no time for them. He tossed the captured weapons and tools into the recycling furnace and recovered another 40-some iron ingots.
This Wang Haoze had bled himself dry on warmongering; his home was truly poor, with only this paltry bit of resources!
But then again — if this kid's ambush on him had succeeded, wouldn't he have struck it rich in one stroke?
With this kid's ferocity, if he'd survived the early game, he'd have reached at least the level of a regional warlord. A pity — his fortunes were ill, and he ran into yours truly the moment he stepped out. I may not have much talent, but I've got a cheat, so just accept your fate!
He opened the treasure chest.
【Building Decree】: lets you establish a sub-base, which must be garrisoned by a Hero.
【Build】: 1,000 wood, 500 stone (resource cost scales with your current base's tier).
Good stuff — he could build a sub-base. But right now he didn't even have enough resources to upgrade the main base, and he had no spare Hero either, so this could only be shelved for the moment.
Having gone through the spoils, Han Huohuo finally turned to the two captives.
"I'll give you two roads: surrender, or I kill you. Choose."
The two captives kowtowed like chicks pecking grain. "Chief, we surrender, we're willing to surrender!"
【Recruit the two captives? Requires 100 food.】
"Yes!"
Han Huohuo cursed inwardly. The system really was a piece of shit — recruiting captives needed food too? Truly inhumane.
【Bandit】: Zhang Xiaoping
【Stamina】: 18/100
【Combat Power】: Strength 7, Defense 3, Endurance 3, Intelligence 5.
【Traits】: Agile, Hunting, Sight, Archer
【Food Consumption】: one unit per day
【Loyalty】: 55
Huh — wasn't this the archer who'd nearly shot Gou San dead? Tough fate; he'd actually survived.
His stats were quite high, far stronger than Gou San — no wonder one arrow knocked Gou San flat.
Han Huohuo couldn't help giving the archer a second look.
An archer was actually quite useful — he could be stationed on an arrow tower or a watchtower, with twice an ordinary person's field of vision.
【Bandit】: Zhang Xiao'an
【Stamina】: 23/100
【Combat Power】: Strength 3, Defense 7, Endurance 6, Intelligence 3.
【Traits】: Construction, Repair, Shield.
【Food Consumption】: one unit per day
【Loyalty】: 55
This was a builder and a repairman. "Shield" didn't mean he could only use a shield — it meant he was more efficient when using one.
Any bandit could change class into any troop type, but changing into a troop type matching his traits made him stronger, of course.
Looking at Zhang Xiaoping, then at Zhang Xiao'an — they were carved from the same mold.
"We're twins," Zhang Xiaoping hurried to explain.
The earlier housing was already full, so Han Huohuo casually built another and sent them off to rest first.
Then he made a point of going to check on Gou San.
However detestable Gou San was, he'd been wounded for his sake after all. As a Lord, he had to keep up appearances, or everyone's Loyalty would slip.
Gou San really did have a tough life — astonishingly, he hadn't died. His Stamina was exactly 1; one more bit of injury and he'd have died outright. He was now recovering slowly.
"Chief!"
The instant he saw Han Huohuo approach, Gou San's mouth split into a grin, eyes brimming with tears, full of grievance. "Chief, heaven and earth bear witness — Gou San is loyal to the bone!"
"I know. Recover well. When this Chief carves out a great realm someday, you'll surely be put to good use!"
"The Chief is wise!"
Loyalty +10
Loyalty +10
Loyalty +10
......
Han Huohuo's offhand promise actually raised every bandit's Loyalty by ten points at once.
Han Huohuo was startled. Yours truly is a bandit chief, not an emperor — since when is my word golden law?
If I don't keep my word later, will this bunch revolt?
Having visited Gou San, he returned to the Main Base with Liu Qiang.
Once everyone else had left, Liu Qiang sighed, bowed, and advised, "Chief, you were reckless today."
Han Huohuo rose and returned a deep bow to Liu Qiang. "You're right, sir. I was too reckless — I nearly forgot about the Crystal at home. By heaven's grace nothing went wrong. It's thanks to your wisdom, sir; I'll have to trouble you to remind me more often in future."
Liu Qiang jumped in alarm and hurried to bow again. "Chief, I don't deserve such honor!"
His Loyalty instantly turned to 100.
A leader needn't fear making mistakes — he need only fear not knowing he's made one.
Han Huohuo couldn't help throwing back his head and laughing.