Although Liu Weian had hurried as much as he could, by the time he finished off his two hundredth corpse, the cemetery was already swarming with a new wave of undead. The zombies had begun to stir, and their combat prowess had skyrocketed. After firing off all fifteen of his rune-inscribed arrows, Liu Weian was forced to retreat.
If the sheer numbers of the Rotfiends and Shamblers before had seemed overwhelming, then what he saw now was an entirely different league. Those previous creatures were nothing more than low-tier grunts—janitors of the underworld. The zombies… they were the real army.
They leapt from coffins in droves, lifting their arms toward the moon in eerie unison. The sheer density of them stretched beyond the limits of Liu Weian's vision. The sight was awe-inspiring.
Despite the shock, he couldn't help but feel exhilarated. Ten silver coins per zombie—and with this many of them, he could practically smell the fortune. He had been worried earlier, when Rotfiends were almost extinct and only a few stray Shamblers remained. Back then, zombies had appeared only sporadically, and he'd wondered what he would do once they were gone. But now he realized his worries had been completely unnecessary. There were enough zombies here to keep him busy for months.
Excitement soon gave way to concern. A treasure trove like this wouldn't stay unclaimed for long. Once other players caught wind of it, they would flood in, and he wouldn't stand a chance against the numbers they'd bring. He had to find a way to kill faster—some kind of ultimate skill, a move that could wipe out dozens at once. As he mulled it over, he followed the ox-drawn cart back toward the city. Old Li's yellow oxen were much stronger and quicker than Black Ox's team, making the return journey much faster.
Halfway back, Liu Weian was struck by a sudden realization—it wasn't the time to daydream. He needed to be on high alert for retaliation from the Pegasus Gang. He couldn't be certain if they subscribed to the "settle the score tonight" philosophy, but better safe than sorry.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when a loud rustling erupted ahead. A large group sprang out from the trees, blocking the road. Almost simultaneously, another group emerged behind, sealing their escape.
Liu Weian gave a bitter shake of his head. Spoke too soon, didn't I?
The attackers were dressed in sleek black combat outfits, looking uniform and disciplined. At their head stood three imposing figures: one wielding a broadsword, one carrying a battle axe, and the third—a knight—held a longsword in one hand and a round shield in the other, his silver armor gleaming under the moonlight. All he lacked was a helmet.
"We're from the Pegasus Cavalry," the knight declared. "When you get to hell, don't forget who sent—"
His words were cut short.
A single arrow ripped through the air like a meteor.
Clang!
The knight reflexively raised his shield. The arrow struck and shattered on impact, sending a shockwave through his arm. He staggered slightly, stunned by the force. Before he could recover, a gurgling cry rose beside him. The broadsword-wielding brute had collapsed, a bloody arrow buried deep in his throat. He gaped, trying to speak, but only managed to spit out blood.
"Loose!" the knight roared, enraged. Liu Weian hadn't even let them finish their dramatic intro before launching a sneak attack.
Whssh!Dozens of arrows were loosed from both sides. Most were aimed at Liu Weian, the rest at Black Ox and his crew.
But Liu Weian had anticipated this. The instant he heard the twang of bowstrings, he had already drawn and fired three arrows.
His arrows hit first.
Three screams rang out from the forest.
As the enemies' arrows neared, Liu Weian kicked a nearby Shambler into the air. The arrows on his left slammed into it instead of him. He followed the airborne corpse with a leap, loosing two more arrows midair.
Two more screams. Left flank, cleared.
He rolled as he hit the ground, narrowly dodging a second volley. Now partially hidden beneath the cart, he continued firing from the shadows.
Cries erupted behind him. Seven or eight enemies were downed almost instantly, arrows piercing their thighs and sending them writhing in pain. The rest scrambled for cover.
Liu Weian pivoted, firing without even fully aiming. His hands moved in a blur—draw, nock, release. Five or six arrows flew in quick succession, forcing the front-line enemies to retreat.
Black Ox had already leapt from his cart, a feathered shaft sticking out of his rear. His face was contorted in pain.
Liu Weian suddenly spun and fired twice into the trees on the right. Two pained shrieks followed.
Just in time.
A cluster of arrows sliced past where his head had just been, grazing his scalp. Three more embedded themselves in the undead.
These archers, though not quite his level, were still dangerous.
He signaled Black Ox. The man lifted a zombie carcass like a shield, drawing immediate fire.
Liu Weian sprang up and fired five more arrows. Four screams. He frowned. So much for wind-sensing archery—it's harder than it looks.
Up ahead, the enemy reached the first ox cart. One man barely poked his head out before an arrow slammed through his face. Liu Weian darted into the forest to the left and was immediately rewarded with a clear view.
A dozen enemies were exposed.
He fired a barrage, dropping over half in seconds. The survivors retreated or flanked around him.
Rapid Shot!
A gleaming blade sliced incoming arrows in half. One final arrow flashed through—hissing through the air.
Clang!The knight's shield blocked it again. He grunted, shaken by the impact. He paused for a few seconds—only to hear more cries of pain behind him.
He'd been duped.
Roaring in frustration, he charged.
By the time he reached the rear, it was carnage. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Except for a few moaning, leg-wounded men, everyone else was dead—most shot clean through the head or throat. And in the dim light, that kind of precision was beyond belief.
Suddenly, more screams came from the right.
Arrows were whistling through the dense woods.
A blood-covered man burst out, wielding a battle axe, one ear missing. He howled in rage.
Then—silence.
The shooting stopped, an eerie hush falling over the forest.
Creak—creak...
The ox carts began to move again.
Everyone flinched at the sound. As they turned to look, more arrows flew.
"Ahhh!"
Another man dropped, an arrow in his heart.
The knight said nothing. He sprinted into the trees, sword drawn. A silver arc swept out—
CRACK!A massive tree split in two and collapsed in a thunder of branches. But Liu Weian was already gone.
"Shit!" the knight cursed, then dashed back toward the front of the caravan. Screams echoed ahead.
Too late.
Everyone he'd left at the front was dead.
The axeman had three arrows in him—one in the thigh, one in the stomach, and the fatal shot right in the throat. The knight knew the sequence immediately. The gut shot had come first, forcing him off balance. The leg shot followed. The last one was the kill.
The big man looked at the knight, unwilling to die. He gurgled twice and fell.
The carts suddenly picked up speed.
The knight realized his mistake.
"Kill the oxen!" he shouted.
More screams. His men were being slaughtered in the rear.
He raced back and finally caught a glimpse of Liu Weian—loosing one last arrow before disappearing into the woods. Eyes blazing, the knight chased him.
Liu Weian's expression was grim as he darted between trees. He didn't know when it happened, but he'd somehow acquired night vision. Even in the pitch-dark woods, he could see well enough.
The knight wasn't as lucky—but he was faster, stronger, and more agile than anyone Liu Weian had ever faced. The distance between them shrank quickly.
Liu Weian fired another Rapid Shot combo. But no matter how tricky or well-placed his arrows were, the knight blocked them all. That shield of his? Not ordinary gear. It had taken over ten hits and wasn't even scratched.
So much for overwhelming him with numbers.
"Arrow incoming!" Liu Weian suddenly shouted.
The knight instinctively raised his shield—only to realize there was no arrow.
"You coward!" he roared.
Liu Weian laughed and picked up speed, widening the gap to thirty meters.
But a few minutes later, the knight was closing in again.
"Arrow!" Liu Weian bluffed again.
The knight flinched. Liu Weian burst out laughing.
The third time, the knight didn't fall for it. He raised his shield but accelerated.
Liu Weian yelped and pushed himself to his limits, barely staying ahead.
A minute later, the knight was almost upon him.
"Arrow!" Liu Weian shouted again.
This time, there was an arrow.
A real one.
And not just an ordinary arrow—it was wrapped in a violent, flashing rune.
BOOM!
The shield exploded.
Behind the shards, a silver flash pierced the knight's throat.
"How… how is this possible?" he choked, collapsing.
Liu Weian leaned against a tree, panting hard. He sucked the blood from his gashed finger, a faint smile on his lips.
Drawing a rune mid-run... damn near killed me.
He'd failed ten times, succeeded once.
But once was all it took.
The corpse-breaking talisman had shattered even that indestructible shield.