Chapter 172: Difference

Amidst the scattered, bloody remains, someone stooped and grabbed several wrists, confirming that the name tags on the bracelets indeed belonged to Xuanzhou personnel. A whistle sounded, calling the remaining fifty-odd people to gather. He reminded them, "They are indeed Xuanzhou people, but not the true elite Xuanzhou forces." His gaze swept over his blood-stained, weary, and injured companions. With a look of deep regret, he sighed to the sky, "Our Sky Rain Meteor Competition has ended prematurely. Find a place to hide well until we can leave. Scatter!"

"We didn't provoke them; they provoked us," someone complained. But everyone knew that complaining was useless; this world speaks through strength. They had killed so many Xuanzhou people, and it was highly probable that the Xuanzhou elite forces would not let them go once they found out. They couldn't resist them, especially in their current vulnerable state. So, the fifty-odd injured individuals, filled with regret, covered in wounds, and carrying their current spoils, withdrew from the scene, leaving behind a ground littered with corpses, and quickly fled into the distance.

"Leader!" "Leader, we were wrong..."

Wailing sounds erupted everywhere. A group of defeated Xuanzhou forces knelt on the ground outside the cave where Shi Chun resided, the same spot where they had been full of vigor yesterday.

Now, each of them was crying profusely, tears and snot streaming down their faces. They were filled with deep shame and regret, lamenting that they hadn't listened to advice.

In this battle, they truly understood the gap between elites and a rabble. That was an elite sect standing at the peak of a continent; they couldn't simply overpower them with numbers. Now they finally understood that the young leader was right. "We lied about our strength, we pressured him! The young leader couldn't even stop us! We must have broken his heart."

Whether they saw the leader or not, Shi Chun had someone deliver a message, and everyone was considered to have received an explanation. Then, dejectedly, they slowly got up and dispersed.

Tang Zhen remarked, "It's said that a group of defeated guys were green with regret, kneeling and wailing outside Shi Chun's cave for a long time. Shi Chun never came out to see them, presumably because he was deeply hurt by them. Alas."

As he said that, he subconsciously glanced at Xuanzhou Qingqing.

As Mai Zhanchang and the others got up to leave, Xuanzhou Qingqing added, "If you find anyone from the enemy continent, notify me immediately. Leave no one alive!" The several leaders exchanged glances. Mai Zhanchang said, "That defeat also proves a point: our current strategy is working; it has pushed them into a corner."

The limping and ill Wan Daoxuan found Mu Fu. He reported a situation with a bitter expression: "Leader, the harvest situation from the other side is out. It's the last day today, and they didn't have much good harvest either; they only managed to get about two thousand items. In total, it seems they only surpassed us by about seven thousand items." The morale of the elite was low in comparison, mired in despondency.

"Since both sides began their overt and covert struggles, we have never won, always being passive. Coupled with the powerful abilities Shi Chun displayed while leading a rabble, it's hard to relax. Will we succeed this time?"

Mai Zhanchang sighed and said with a bitter smile, "Logically, there's nothing to worry about, but I'm a little afraid of Shi Chun now. His displayed abilities are too strong; he's not someone to be underestimated. I'm worried about some unpredictable turn of events involving him."

Only a difference of seven thousand items. Their resentful voices conveyed utter reluctance. At this moment, apart from kneeling in repentance, they didn't know how to face the leader.

Li Shanshan commented, "That's how it is. They currently can't find a large amount of harvest. Seeing that we are about to surpass them, they have no choice but to take risks."

Chu Jing looked on expectantly. Mu Fu asked to see the contents of his pockets, took them, and allowed others to inspect them.

And the frustration experienced here, coupled with the exhaustion of those holding high-quality Insect Crystal resources, also better fits the current situation.

At this point, publicly displaying intense hatred or excessive sympathy has no meaning. The more convincingly one acts now, the more disgusted the group will be once they leave. Overacting will backfire and make all previous efforts futile. It's best to stop when appropriate.

Mai Zhanchang continued, "To say something I shouldn't, to some extent, their defeat is beneficial to us. It makes them face reality, the reality of losing to us, and it helps us avoid being too outlandish. The current daily harvest of Insect Crystals shouldn't be raised any higher; too excessive a number might draw suspicion."

"I'm also very anxious. I also want to bring first place back to the Xuyuan Sect!" "Alright," several people responded. What was agreed upon last night had everyone's approval. At this point, there was no other way; they couldn't abandon the established plan simply out of worry. Soon after the battle began, the enemy forces immediately charged at their leaders, eliminating them, intending to create a chaotic situation without a head. However, the opponents had anticipated that even if they lost their leaders, no matter how the attack targets changed positions, they could adjust their attack direction in time and continue the encirclement.

Mu Fu, waiting in silence, also took out a Zimulan. It was a message from Xuanzhou Qingqing, informing them of the troop assembly point: gather tonight and depart tomorrow at the closing of the big competition.

After cheering excitedly, the elite forces dispersed to rest. Everyone nodded slightly upon hearing this. Shi Chun's strategy of targeting the weak was indeed effective, showing true strategic prowess, not merely relying on numbers.

Mu Fu retorted, "Is seven thousand items really that few? I also want to make up the difference, but where can we find more? Xuanzhou Qingqing's side managed to get so many in such a short time, which was truly beyond my expectation. Now, in terms of manpower or morale, it's too late for anything. Our scouts who have been running around are already trying their best, and they haven't returned yet."

Things had come to this point, and they were about to face the outcome. He also didn't want any further complications.

Mai Zhanchang continued, "We'll begin entering the area the day after tomorrow. We can still work hard one more day tomorrow to see if any particularly rare gains emerge on the final day. If nothing unexpected happens, I believe tomorrow's harvest shouldn't be too high; it just needs to be slightly higher than theirs in total."

Her anxiety wouldn't show. She still said coldly, "We'll take it one step at a time." Outside, the faint sounds of troops gathering could be heard.

Li Shanshan explained, "It has little to do with Shi Chun. A group of disorganized people were blindly arrogant. Shi Chun couldn't stop them from insisting on fighting the enemy continent's elites. Nearly eight thousand people clashed head-on with about two hundred, and instead suffered a crushing defeat."

Wan Daoxuan, whose leg was almost severed, struggled to stand up and limped away. He didn't cry; he couldn't. He had no choice but to follow along and put on a show, having been coerced. He nearly lost his life and two fellow sect members. His gaze swept over the group of sobbing figures, and he cursed silently in his heart.

"What? As long as I'm here, it's safe!" Chu Shaotang patted his chest and gave his assurance, then turned and walked away slowly.

Only about a dozen out of four hundred returned alive today, and they were all wounded. Enduring, exhausting themselves, the sky gradually dawned. Within their capabilities, the high-quality resources they could exploit had already been depleted; they couldn't find any more. Their current acquisition volume was already far lower than Xuanzhou Qingqing's side, which was the abnormal situation at present.

He didn't want to bother with it, nor did he want to pursue revenge. He didn't have the time or energy, and he couldn't find the whereabouts of the enemy continent's forces. After Xiang Lan'er's people withdrew from there, it was unlikely they would return this time.

Xuanzhou Qingqing's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Speak frankly," she said. Mu Fu showed the contents of the Zimulan to Wu Jinliang. "Notify them to depart," he ordered.

Qi Gang asked, "Leader, we're only seven thousand items short! Is there really no way to make up the difference?"

Wu Jinliang, who was nearby taking off his shoes and scratching his feet, grinned. He got up and walked away barefoot. As he slowly approached the cave entrance, his expression changed to one of ease. Once outside, he announced loudly, "The leader said everyone is tired; go back and rest!"

Tang Zhen mentioned the other side, "I heard Shi Chun's side suffered a crushing defeat, losing nearly eighteen hundred people in one battle."

So many people were blinded by success. Only Shi Chun was neither arrogant nor impatient, consistently adhering to his established strategy. Only through comparison could one see how truly extraordinary he was. Qi Gang Shi Chun — his name truly matched his character.

"Alas," Wan Daoxuan sighed, and ultimately could only depart helplessly. He turned back, still in his blood-stained clothes, the usual flow of life not yet having fully returned. After a night, the pale sky gradually brightened, illuminating the entire world. The Wangsheng elite forces set out again with full strength.

By strategically revealing their current limitations, they could conceal the unreasonableness of their massive future gains and dispel all doubts from their opponents. Wu Jinliang, who had returned the Zimulan, strode away.

The Wangsheng elite forces had truly done their best. They had engaged in at least seven skirmishes in one day, fully utilizing the information gathered during the previous Jiaofu period.

What good was worrying? Not only him, but even Xuanzhou Qingqing, silently brooding there, also harbored the same worries.

Qi Gang's scouts couldn't find good attack targets, and their unit's morale seemed too low to fight again.

"What a joke! If we could find crystals in large quantities, why would anyone be so foolish as to fight Qi Gang and his side?" Guan Yingjie asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Mu Fu remained silent.

Mai Zhanchang continued, "That way, they will be unwilling to concede, making it easier for us to provoke them into changing the competition rules. If we truly surpass them by too much, and they concede, accepting an on-site count, wouldn't that expose us? The number shouldn't be too excessive. Tomorrow night, we must stir up the opposing atmosphere between the two unwilling sides. With our moles planted there to stir up trouble, the outcome should be without any surprises. What I'm afraid of now is..."