Chapter 24: The Horde Attacks the Camp

Upon hearing Zhao Gongming’s words, Wang Liang’s expression grew grave as well. He glanced toward the direction from which the Quetzalcoatlus had approached, fearing something else might emerge from that side. But even after Niu Xuanguang and the others joined forces to bring down the giant Quetzalcoatlus, nothing else appeared from that direction.

Once they had landed again, the leader of the paladins began to check on his subordinates. The Quetzalcoatlus dwarfed any human; when one bit a person, death was instantaneous—there was no such thing as surviving with grave injuries. The paladin leader’s face was unsightly as he removed his helmet, looking at his equally pale-faced men.

“Gather your things. We’re leaving this place.”

All the paladins nodded in agreement. After the brutal battle, the ground was littered with bodies and pools of blood. They all understood there could still be dangers lurking nearby; if more ferocious beasts were drawn here, it would spell disaster. So leaving was the wisest choice, even if it meant only going a kilometer or two away to avoid the immediate area.

But just as they began to pack, clouds of dust rose from the direction the Quetzalcoatlus had come, and the earth began to tremble with the pounding of massive feet. It sounded as if enormous beasts were stampeding their way.

Wang Liang heard it, and so did everyone else. They looked toward the source of the commotion and saw a horde of bizarre creatures charging toward them. Not a single one was familiar to Wang Liang. Some looked like gigantic rhinoceroses with three horns, some like enormous plucked roosters, and others like moving hills with rows upon rows of bony plates along their backs.

There were also some particularly large monsters, their bodies covered in scales, making it clear they would be anything but easy to handle.

As he watched the beasts rush forward, the paladin leader turned to Niu Xuanguang. Niu Xuanguang seemed equally startled and quickly said, “We can’t let them crash into our camp. Let’s lure them away!”

The paladin leader, noticing the agitated herd of camels, knew this was the best plan. If the monsters charged into their camp, none of the camels would escape alive.

After a moment’s consideration, he gritted his teeth and said to Niu Xuanguang, “You go left, I’ll go right. Let’s split them up and draw them away.”

Niu Xuanguang nodded and called for Crying Aunt to join him as they ran out to intercept the herd. Meanwhile, Wei Ban, who controlled the massive repeating crossbow, positioned himself at the front of the camp, directly facing the oncoming beasts.

His siege weapon stood over three meters tall, constructed entirely of wood but clearly formidable. With him blocking the center, some of the more timid beasts veered off to the sides, but the braver—or perhaps more foolish—charged straight ahead.

At this point, Zhao Gongming had no time for further conversation with Wang Liang. He shoved Wang Liang behind the Loom of Fate. “Stay behind there. That thing can’t be broken and has strong defenses. Don’t stick your neck out again.”

Then, with Miss Ghosthead and Sister Qie, he dashed behind the repeating crossbow. Under its protection, they began to fight off the rushing beasts.

The white-robed men remaining in the camp quickly recovered their wits. Grabbing bows and arrows, they joined the fight, firing continuously from behind the siege weapon.

At the same time, the paladin leader and a few surviving knights mounted their horses and charged directly at the beasts. Their goal was simple: draw the monsters away to the flanks by any means necessary, as long as the camp was spared.

Yet they had underestimated the strength and speed of these creatures. As the knights rode forward, they found themselves facing a massive blue-skinned beast with three enormous horns and streaks of white across its hide—taller and broader than any ordinary animal.

As the paladin leader charged, the beast lowered its head and rammed into the group. Though clad in heavy armor, the leader’s reflexes were quick enough; he leapt from his horse just in time. Unfortunately, his mount was skewered by the three-horned beast and flung aside, never to rise again.

The monsters behind trampled over the fallen horse, causing some to stumble and collapse in a chaotic pile-up.

The paladin leader seized the opportunity, leading his men in a fierce attack, killing several of the smaller beasts and gradually drawing the monsters away from camp.

In this way, the herd split: one half chased after Niu Xuanguang, the other after the paladins. Only a small group persisted in attacking the camp, but the repeating crossbow held the line, so there was little cause for alarm. With the vanguard drawn away, the rest of the beasts simply followed in their wake.

They had managed to divert the bizarre creatures away from the camp after all.

Seeing the crisis nearly resolved, Wang Liang poked his head out from behind the Loom of Fate. But just then, a deafening crash came from the front of the camp—a massive body had slammed into wood.

Looking to the front, Wang Liang saw a colossal monster, as big as a small mountain, crashing into Wei Ban’s repeating crossbow. The creature stood a full fifteen meters high, its serpentine neck writhing as it struck the siege weapon again and again from above.

Wei Ban and Zhao Gongming were already trying to deal with it, but their attacks had little effect on the beast. The repeating crossbow was forced back several times under the onslaught, and Wang Liang could see cracks beginning to form along its frame.

Just as Wang Liang was about to rush over and help, a flash of sword light flew in from the right, striking the monster directly in its eye. The blow blinded its right eye, and agony sent it into a frenzy, battering everything around it. Most unfortunate was Wei Ban, standing directly in its path—his repeating crossbow now bore visible wounds, and even the wooden longsword it wielded had been sent flying.

Yet Wei Ban was nothing if not tenacious. Knowing there would be mu