Chapter 1084: Distraction Tactic

If monsters who have been eating humans for centuries suddenly stop, it’s not due to a sudden enlightenment; it’s surely out of necessity.

“Yes, the island’s purchaser, surnamed He, commands a formidable force. Rumors persistently circulate in Blade Harbor that this Island Master He possesses the ability to dispel malevolent miasma and control the *Yin Kui*. The Blade Harbor Maritime Affairs Bureau even tried to obstruct him once, only to be severely disciplined by his *Yin Kui*. Now, all vessels traversing the Golden Waterway must pass through his archipelago to avoid *Yin Kui* attacks.”

The Yangshan Island Master, who controls *Yin Kui*? Wulu’s eyes narrowed. Blade Harbor is a two- or three-day sea journey from Storm Bay. So, who ordered the sudden mass appearance of these monsters from the Yangshan Archipelago? The answer was obvious.

Does this mean the Yangshan Island Master is aiding the Bailong clan?

At this point, another trusted aide added, “General, Wanqisong and Wanqifeng, an uncle and nephew from the Bailong clan, sought refuge with the Yangshan Island Master over half a year ago. The Royal Court has repeatedly issued notices demanding their expulsion, but the Yangshan Archipelago has consistently ignored them.”

He stopped there, and Wulu did not need to ask "what then."

Knowing Ya State's temperament, if the Yangshan Archipelago were an easy target, it would have retaliated without hesitation.

But if these *Yin Kui* were indeed dispatched by the Yangshan Archipelago to assist the Bailong clan… Wulu recalled the soldier’s remark that the island master “also commands a force,” and immediately tensed. “Give the order…” he began.

The moment he spoke, his personal guard by his side suddenly cried out, “Watch out!”

Before the words fully escaped his lips, the guard lunged, pushing Wulu from behind.

Several dark figures suddenly burst forth from beneath their feet. One of them launched a sticky net directly at Wulu, but his guard intercepted it.

With a slight tug, the nearly two-hundred-pound guard was violently yanked away, so swiftly that no one else had time to react.

Had he not selflessly thrown himself forward, Wulu himself would likely have been caught.

They squinted, realizing it was another *Yin Kui*!

Up close, these creatures truly appeared immense; when they reared up, an ordinary person had to crane their neck to see them fully.

Behind it stood several other *Yin Kui*, astonishingly clutching specialized crossbow bolts.

These crossbows were waterproof and could fire three bolts at once. After each shot, the next set of bolts could be instantly loaded from the rear, allowing for a rapid second volley!

In other words, within two breaths, it could unleash six crossbow bolts.

And *Yin Kui* possessed four arms.

As these creatures raised their crossbows, dozens of bolts whizzed through the air, directly targeting General Wulu, who stood immediately ahead!

The barrage was as relentless as the “arrow swarm” wielded by Wanqifeng.

Ya State’s personal guards were instantly mown down. Protected by primal energy, they might not die, but injuries were inevitable.

Weapons produced by Songyang Prefecture were guaranteed to be of high quality.

Before Wulu, however, a nine-foot-tall heavy iron golem materialized, completely shielding him.

Arrows clanged off its body, leaving only shallow dents on its hardened shell.

“Protect the General!”

Amidst shouts, other Ya State guards surged forward.

The *Yin Kui* showed no desire to prolong the fight. The lead creature casually seized the soldier who had just delivered the military report to Wulu, hurled him forward, and simultaneously let out a hoarse shriek.

Upon hearing the command, the *Yin Kui* spun and descended.

This brings us to the unique terrain of the location.

The peninsula where Wulu stood was formed by an earthquake, resulting in immense ravines and deep cliffs that extended from the coastline deep into the island, resembling a cake sliced multiple times.

Wulu had chosen this location for its elevated vantage point, but it also featured a deep, seemingly bottomless gorge.

Wulu initially dismissed this. The Bailong people were not known for their aquatic abilities, and even if a hidden river here led directly to the seabed, the gorge’s edges were lined with razor-sharp rocks and jagged cliffs, making free movement impossible for humans.

Little did he know, however, that creatures like the *Yin Kui* existed, capable of traversing such treacherous terrain despite lacking legs.

In fact, the southwestern beaches of Dragon’s Ridge Island shared a similar topography, allowing *Yin Kui* to navigate them with ease.

While the Ya State forces were preoccupied with observing the sea, these *Yin Kui* had swum from the ocean into the gorge’s depths, then scaled the cliffs to launch a surprise attack.

Wulu had overlooked the danger at his feet and nearly fell victim to the enemy’s scheme.

“Capture them!”

The Ya State soldiers reacted quickly, raising their weapons and charging. However, the *Yin Kui* dove into the gorge, and despite their considerable size, they navigated the narrow crevices with surprising agility. Soldiers tossed torches down; in the flickering light, the creatures’ forms flickered among the sharp rocks before disappearing into the darkness within moments.

However, one *Yin Kui* was snared by a flying claw Wulu had deployed.

Its body was sleek and covered in tight scales, but the flying claw’s hook-like tip, once deployed, pierced into the *Yin Kui*’s flesh like a nail.

The monster hissed in pain, struggling violently. But Wulu roared, and to everyone’s astonishment, single-handedly held it fast.

The other guards then rushed forward, and together they managed to wrench it out of the crevice.

Seeing escape was futile, the *Yin Kui* turned to attack Wulu, only to be impaled by the combined blades and spears of the guards, effectively skewering it.

Wulu observed the creature still flicking its tongue, took a step forward, and demanded, “Who sent you here? Where is your master?”

The *Yin Kui*, however, merely snarled and bared its teeth at him, attempting to spray acid once more.

Wulu repeated his questions twice more, but the *Yin Kui* remained unresponsive.

His aide promptly stated, “General, this creature may not understand human language.”

Wulu nodded. “Kill it,” he ordered.

If it yielded no intelligence, it had no value.

After executing the *Yin Kui*, Wulu decided to relocate their encampment to a different hilltop, ensuring it was far from any crevices this time.

Even if such creatures understood the tactic of “catching the leader to catch the whole gang,” submerged in the ocean, how could they have known Wulu was the commander of this Ya State army?

This implied they had another leader—one who understood the peninsula’s topography, Wulu’s camp layout, troop distribution, and even Wulu’s exact location!

The thought of such an individual secretly observing him sent shivers down Wulu’s spine.

Recalling the arrow-struck golden eagle, Wulu suddenly ran to the cliff edge, raising his telescope to scan the horizon.

Nothing here, nothing there.

Just as he was about to sigh in relief, his scope caught sight of several faint sails.

Wulu’s heart plummeted. He quickly scanned other sections of the sea, only to discover nearly a hundred ships approaching under the cover of night, already close to the coast!

These vessels varied in size and capacity, but every single one had its bow packed with fully armed soldiers!

“Enemy by sea!” Wulu croaked, “Immediately send 2,300 men back to Storm Bay to engage! Quickly, as fast as possible!”

The night was overcast and moonless, thick with fog. Had he not possessed an artifact capable of seeing through mist and darkness, he would never have detected their approach!

Indeed, the enemy had first used the *Yin Kui* and Bailong forces to steal ships, luring over a thousand of his soldiers into the water. Then, they ordered the *Yin Kui* to flank him and attack from the crevices, diverting his attention and preventing him from noticing the activity at sea.

This strategy had cleared the way for the enemy’s naval forces to launch an unopposed beach landing!