The monsters of 【Dungeon: Oxhead Stockade】 were rather sporting — or rather, their fixed judgment-logic limited their strength. Had they all rushed out the gate at once for an open battle instead of advancing in batches, the Black Armor would long since have been overrun, with no room to rotate. Soldiers were not, after all, normal players; their seemingly stable battle-state was in truth swayed by stamina, mood, pain, and more.
"Hook-sickles ready — feint the thrust, land the hook; control over wounding."
As the Divine Arm and Black Armor crossed the gate passage, Zhou Yuan finally saw the Oxhead Stockade's interior. It was a stockade that fully exploited the mountain's shape, its buildings rising against the slope in tiers. The uneven ground hindered the Black Armor's movement but was very friendly to free-shooting archers. In the stockade's center stood a wooden platform, a long pole flying a banner — black ground, white design — a vivid ox-head. Four bandits stood at the four corners; on a wooden chair by the pole sat a burly man in half-body iron armor, a red kerchief on his head. Above him were not just a health bar and identity tag — after 【Level 5 Stockade-Bandit Chief】 came even a blood-red skull icon. Zhou Yuan knew this well; in some games, boss-class monsters did carry a special mark.
"Straight to the boss? Isn't this a bit hasty?"
"Divine Arm, rapid fire — kill the four corner guards first."
At Army Marshal Cai Cheng's order, the boss fight began in earnest. Level 8 Bowstring Control had given Zhou Yuan a unique rhythm with the bow — not only swift, but cheaper to draw. So before the other four archers had killed their targets, he'd headshot two guards in a row. But his violent output also drew the boss's aggro; the bandit chief hefted a thick-backed great blade, leapt from the platform, and charged straight at Zhou Yuan.
"Black Armor, push in and meet it. Divine Arm, scatter and snipe."
Army Marshal Cai Cheng was utterly reliable; though the chief's target was plainly Zhou Yuan, he led the Black Armor to intercept it.
"Bang!"
The heavy blade hammered the iron tower-shield like a war-mallet, splitting a deep gash in the thick shield. Zhou Yuan had no time for the other archers now; a few steps took him to high ground, and he opened fire full-bore, loosing arrow after arrow with his life. The armor-piercing arrows from the three-dan bow flew fast and steady, every one for the chief's head. Wondrously, the thing's skull was so hard the arrows couldn't pierce it — only tearing off flesh or lodging in the bone-seams. Enraged by such blows, the bandit chief ignored even the Black Armor at its side, turning to pounce on Zhou Yuan.
"Hook and lock!"
"Yes, sir."
Ten hook-sickle spears showed their worth now; the Black Armor strained with all their might and dragged the chief bodily back. That tug shifted the fight again. The chief's aggro turned back to the Black Armor behind it, and it wheeled with a mighty downward cut. Two Black Armor men were driven staggering, barely holding their shields; comrades rushed to fill the gap and steadied the line once more. In this moment the chief, however fierce, had already lost. The Black Armor and Divine Arm rhythm was set, and the room left it to strike was very narrow. Sure enough, the chief lunged at Zhou Yuan again; again the Black Armor hooked and hauled it back. This time, just as the chief raised its heavy blade to counter, the Black Armor braced their shields.
【Ding. Slew Level 5 Stockade-Bandit Chief. Experience +200.】
The dreaded crushing force didn't fall; instead came the thud of a heavy body hitting the ground.
"Bang."
The chief, its head shot into a pincushion, toppled — leaving the battle-hungry Black Armor at a loss. This wasn't right; usually it took five or six tugs and a few wounded before it fell. Why so smooth today — had the demon stockade-chief learned to play dead? Among the puzzled crowd, only Zhou Yuan and Army Marshal Cai Cheng knew the answer. Zhou Yuan because he could see the health bar, and so knew roughly when the boss would die and how many of his arrows it could take. Cai Cheng because, seasoned, he at once traced the battle's variable to the newcomer.
"Newcomer, what's your name, and how many arrows did you put in the demon chief?"
"Sssh."
Zhou Yuan slid down from the high ground and, walking toward the Black Armor, answered Cai Cheng's call.
"Reporting, Army Marshal — your subordinate Zhou Yuan. Eighteen arrows loosed, eighteen hits."
"A divine shot, a fine lad. Were you a Black Armor man, your valor could make you a realm leader."
Army Marshal Cai Cheng didn't slight archers; a realm leader prized not slaughter but fearlessness. The Black Armor, who charged first and bore all the harm, needed a fearless commander to lead them, to fire their will. Only seeing a commander fight with his life would they hook back the demon chief without hesitation, braving danger to make room for the Divine Arm.
"Many thanks for the Army Marshal's praise. It was not my valor but the Black Armor's fierce fearlessness."
"Rare — valor without arrogance, and a sense of comradeship. Truly a fine seedling."
Zhou Yuan walked to the chief's corpse, cupped his hands as if thanking his comrades — while in truth pressing his foot on a blue light-orb to collect the drop.
【Ding. Obtained: Eight Forms of Edge-Breaking x1, Gold-Thread Heavy Blade x1, Jade-Truth Powder x3.】
【Technique: Eight Forms of Edge-Breaking】
【Description: The blade has eight aspects — cleave, hack, lift, chop, sweep, slap, bar, hang; eight aspects open eight edges, yielding eight methods.】
【Medicinal Material: Jade-Truth Powder】
【Effect: Quiets wind, stills convulsion, relieves pain, nurtures qi; eating it combs the meridians and nourishes the inner qi.】
【Use: Quickly recover a small amount of true qi, and remove one pain debuff.】
Eight Forms of Edge-Breaking and Jade-Truth Powder were both fine things; the Gold-Thread Heavy Blade was ordinary, just a heavy steel blade traced with gold lines. While Zhou Yuan read the drops, Army Marshal Cai Cheng sorted out the merit for killing the demon chief. The other four archers had landed twenty-one arrows total, five each on average — nearly outdone by Zhou Yuan alone. That shamed the four veterans badly, and delighted the Black Armor.
"Zhou Yuan, dare you station permanently in the secret realm? With your swift hard bow, you'd help the Black Armor brothers take fewer wounds."
"Since it helps my comrades, how could I refuse?"
One dungeon run left Zhou Yuan richly rewarded; just as he was about to invent an excuse to grind a few more times, Army Marshal Cai Cheng handed him the perfect reason.
"Good. These next days don't leave the colonel's manor; while your bow is sharp we'll enter the demon realm a few more times. When you're worn in body and weary in heart, I'll grant you a long leave to rest."
"Zhou Yuan accepts as duty, and will spare no effort in assailing the realm."