Chapter 162: Encirclement

Climax!

Based on the intelligence gathered, Shi Chun again selected three teams to target. These three teams were from Yanzhou, Weizhou, and Jiaozhou. The larger groups numbered over ten thousand, while even the smaller ones had around three hundred members.

Relatively speaking, the various prefectures were gradually understanding the situation better as the fighting progressed. After a long period of fierce slaughter, the sects within each prefecture aiming for dominance realized they couldn't stand alone. They gradually achieved a certain degree of integration. Originally, they fought independently, mostly only able to field teams of about a hundred people. Of course, this integration was merely a certain level of cooperation. At critical moments, they could support each other, and when there was profit to be made, they could launch joint attacks and then divide the spoils.

Shi Chun chose to target them based on proximity; they were simply closer to his forces. Pointing at the three teams marked on the atlas, he said to Xiang Lan'er: "Contact these three groups to confirm if all their forces are concentrated in one place. If they are dispersed, find out the number of troops at each dispersed location and if their respective dispersed positions can be ascertained."

Although Xiang Lan'er was puzzled, he followed the instructions, contacting each one for confirmation. The replies were as Shi Chun expected: none of the prefectural forces were fully concentrated in one place. People were wary of their comrades' intentions, fearing betrayal. The troop numbers and general locations were not secrets; the informants planted there already knew. However, one thing was uncertain: the location information. The Heaven's Rain Meteorite Convention had entered its later stages, and unlike the situation in Xuanzhou, forces from other prefectures rarely stayed in one place. They moved almost daily, searching for targets.

Hou Qiang thought for a moment and added: "Ask them if our people can maintain constant contact with the various teams from each prefecture." The replies received were somewhat similar: as forces from the same prefecture, contact was naturally not an issue. However, constant contact was difficult; it was best to give advance notice so they could prepare. Xiang Xuanzhou, having received the message, quickly relayed the situation to Hou Qiang.

The troops drilled until midnight. Seeing that it was enough, Lan'er had Wu Jinliang dismiss them for rest. The person in charge replied, "Okay," and left. Over eight thousand people were still drilling; even when it was dark, they had to continue. They needed to understand the night communication signals.

The news gradually reached Young Master Nan, troubling him again. He paced restlessly in a corner, scratching his head, occasionally turning to look at the light screen, wondering what Hou Qiang was up to. Could he really be leading Shi Chun's dozens of men? In the drill ground before nightfall, Young Master Nan on the grandstand was restless. He paced alone in a corner, occasionally raising his hand to reveal three fingers, pondering the remaining two, and also peeking towards the VIP seats from time to time. After several attempts, he finally couldn't help but approach someone who had come out after a meeting. After confirming their identity, he learned that they were also from Shi Chun's sect, a scout sent by Wang Sheng. He noticed people occasionally trespassing into their guarded area. Those who intruded and were discovered by the on-duty guards were all taken to Wang Sheng for a meeting.

The person operating the Heaven-Gazing Mirror was perhaps also curious; unlike the usual apathy when observing others, the image gained a certain liveliness. It suddenly zoomed out, and although Hou Qiang's face was unclear, it revealed the densely packed dozens of troops behind him. Meanwhile, in the drill ground, commotion gradually spread from Shi Chun's side. Many sects on Shi Chun's side recognized the composition of the forces following Lan'er. Upon seeing Lan'er again, the drill ground fell silent. Everyone stared intently, feeling that Lan'er's demeanor today was unusual. Why did it feel like he had brought so many people? Young Master Nan also stared blankly, equally unable to understand. Lan'er and his group in the mirror image remained motionless. Soon after, the screen suddenly disappeared and switched to another sect. Elder Ke and Elder Yin Huixin from Mount Wukang were both stunned. They were now somewhat afraid of seeing Lan'er in the mirrored image; he always gave them "surprises," and they couldn't handle this kind of stimulation. What kind of play was this today? They couldn't understand!

Learning that some sect members were rather unruly and were waiting for him to personally communicate, Lan'er immediately went to fulfill his duty. As before, he took them away one by one, tested their skills, and then these people disappeared. Eight thousand four hundred people, though numerous, were all trembling with fear, unsure what grand maneuver was being planned. Over eight thousand people, not knowing what they were going to do, just vaguely followed along. On a night full of stars, most people had entered a state of rest. However, some were disturbed by certain movements, and Director Mai was one of them. Previously, Director Mai had asked what they were doing, and Lan'er casually dismissed him with a remark about serving Shi Chun to win the championship.

Lan'er, on the cliff, pulled out the Mother-Child Talisman he held in his hand, looked at it, and handed it to Wu Jinliang, saying, "Let's begin." This time, all three families waited for a considerable time before replies gradually came in. Some said they would go, some said they would do their best. In any case, the result after communication was that the problems should not be significant. Before long, Lan'er appeared in the mirrored image, standing on a cliff overlooking the distance. Even though the mirror's scope was limited, one could see a large group of people behind him. Over eight thousand troops immediately emerged upon hearing the signal, actively finding their groups to assemble.

Wu Jinliang looked at it, then returned it to Lan'er. He turned and quickly summoned the ten group leaders, confirming the target's precise location with them in detail, demanding that the encirclement of the target location must be completed within the agreed time. He then picked up eight white cloth sacks from the ground and motioned to Xiang Xuanjiang, saying, "You'll have to make a trip. You need to deliver these eight bags separately to the thousands of people who will then fly down the cliff, forming four groups of rapidly moving forces." Xiang Xuanjiang nodded, took the items, and placed them in front of him. He flew off first. Wu Jinliang signaled and shouted, "Go!"

Lan'er said: "Tell them that when our forces annihilate the target, those Chongji crystals must be found on the bodies of that team." The leader of the Central Seventh Route, though a bit grudging, still waved, signaling his men to follow and lead the descent. It was unknown what the Miao family was doing, but they hadn't appeared today. It was also unknown if they would come, at least not yet. Wu Jinliang immediately ran out, swinging his large saber, rhythmically tapping it to produce a resonant "ai-ai" sound that echoed across the wilderness.

Facing the encirclement formation of several thousand troops, the dozens of people who were surrounded were also somewhat dumbfounded, having never seen such a grand spectacle. With such a disparity in strength, the leader of the encircled dozens of people suddenly said in a low voice: "Gentlemen, the Chongji crystals are not on us. We don't have a single one. We can prove it to you!"

No elaborate arrangements were needed; the troops had already established effective assignments during yesterday's drill. This was the most effective troop deployment method that Lan'er and his group had honed through countless battles in the Land of Exile. With this method, no matter where they were deployed, as long as the order to encircle was given, everyone would immediately know which direction to surround without needing detailed instructions. The ten teams were the East Seven, West Seven, North Seven, South Seven, and Central Seven routes. Each direction had two routes (left and right). When it came to encirclement, the four groups (East, West, South, North) simply needed to execute according to their group's designated direction, and the four-sided encirclement would naturally be completed without difficulty.

Only then did everyone realize that what they had complained about during yesterday's grueling drill seemed to have some effect today. It wasn't just bringing a group of people; it was the formation of an army of ten thousand strong! Xiang Xuanzhou slightly opened his mouth, stunned. His mind pondered repeatedly, but he couldn't grasp it, finally saying with utmost incomprehension: "You go to all this trouble just to deliver those Chongji crystals into their hands, and then snatch them back? Are you sick?!" Whether it was crazy or not, Lan'er had entrusted this matter to him, and then directly returned to his troops' station.

Before dawn, Lan'er received a message from Xiang Xuanzhou and immediately blurted out to Wu Jinliang the colloquialism typically used in the East Fourth Plain: "Gather the troops!" After that, the search team of nearly seventy people, galloping under the golden sunlight, found a high-ground trench to temporarily rest. By the time he returned, it was already dark. The people in front of the drill ground mirror were somewhat speechless. Young Master Nan still couldn't resist and quietly tuned in again.

The man then waved, signaling seven of his fellow sect members to leave with him. As he spoke, he was the first to fly down towards the vast wilderness below the cliff. Hou Qiang followed suit. He had no intention of returning from that journey. He ran far along the ditch before emerging and speeding away urgently, pulling out a Mother-Child Talisman to contact Xiang Xuanzhou along the way. Xiang Xuanzhou immediately conveyed the message to the eight groups of people. These so-called scouts were none other than the eight sect members pulled in by Chu Shaotang, who had not yet appeared until now, and whom Lan'er was using as scouts.

Lan'er waited on the cliff, stopping at a location still some distance from the destination. The remaining four groups of people were at a loss. Time was limited, so they could only go and see what the situation was first. In any case, whatever Lan'er asked them to scout, they scouted, and they themselves didn't know what strange thing they were scouting. In short, there was no danger.

"Are we doing this for real?" Everyone was surprised and doubtful. Lan'er suddenly cast a spell and announced loudly: "If the target flees in a certain direction, that team must hand over eight sect members to die. Within that team, you choose who dies. If the encirclement is not timely, first kill the team leaders. I'm not kidding, and I'm not afraid of offending the sects behind you. Yesterday, I already killed over seventy. Central Seven Route, follow me!"