Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: The Enemy Advances, We Harass

In the center of the column, a tattered but still menacing, blood-red wolf’s head banner fluttered in the wind.

Beneath the banner, a burly, bald brute with a cruel, fleshy face wearing iron-studded Leather Armor sat astride a mottled horse. It was Carl, the leader of the Blood Wolf Corps.

Carl grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. His eyes glinted with greed as he surveyed the somewhat barren but already developing territory before him.

”Pick up the pace, lads! Take Black Stone Town, and the wenches and ale inside are all yours!”

The bandits around him let out a chorus of lewd jeers and howls, and the column’s pace seemed to quicken.

Although they had suffered a loss last time, they clearly still didn’t take this territory seriously.

In their minds, the last time was just an accident. This time, with their main force turned out in full, there was no way they could fail again.

However, the very moment the Blood Wolf Corps’ vanguard stepped across the border of Black Stone Territory, the unexpected happened!

”What is that?!”

A sharp-eyed bandit pointed at the sky, his voice filled with terror.

Carl looked up, his pupils contracting sharply.

Over twenty swift figures were diving down from behind the clouds at incredible speed!

Pegasus!

On the back of each Pegasus sat a Knight clad in Leather Armor, holding a Bow and Arrow!

Sunlight glinted off the white wings of the Pegasi and the arrows in the Knights’ hands, reflecting a cold light.

Leading them was Ed, his expression grim as his gaze locked onto the chaotic enemy troops below.

”Fire!”

Ed’s order was short and powerful.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

A sharp whistling tore through the air!

Like invitations from death itself, over twenty sharp arrows rained down with precision upon the cavalry and infantry formations at the front of the Blood Wolf Corps!

THWACK!

”Argh!”

Screams of agony erupted instantly!

Several Blood Wolf Corps cavalrymen at the very front were instantly shot off their horses, arrows piercing their crude Leather Armor.

A swath of men in the infantry ranks fell as well. The unexpected strike brought the entire column to an abrupt halt, plunging it into chaos.

Their strike successful, the Pegasus Knights didn’t linger. They swiftly pulled up and began to circle high above, like hawks ready to dive again at any moment, all under the astonished gazes of the Blood Wolf Corps soldiers.

”Dammit! It’s Pegasus Knights!”

Carl was both shocked and furious. He never imagined Black Stone Territory could have formed an aerial cavalry unit so quickly, much less one with such deadly attacks!

”Archers! Return fire! Shoot those damned bird-men down!”

Carl roared in frustration and rage, drawing the Curved Saber at his waist and pointing it toward the sky.

The bandit Archers at the rear of the column finally reacted, hastily grabbing the shoddy Bow and Arrows from their backs. They fumbled to nock their arrows and draw their bows, firing haphazardly into the sky.

However, their bows had limited range, and their aim was abysmal.

The arrows wobbled into the sky, lost all momentum at their apex, and fell limply back down. Far from threatening the Pegasus Knights circling high above, some even nearly landed back in their own ranks, prompting a frantic scramble and a tirade of curses.

In his panic, one bandit even shot a comrade in the rear, drawing an even louder bout of Wailing and furious curses.

”Useless! A bunch of worthless trash!”

Carl’s face was livid with rage as he watched the feeble arrows. He wished he could take to the field himself.

But he knew that with the ordinary Bow and Arrows they possessed, there was no way they could reach those nimble aerial targets.

High above, Ed coldly watched the enemy’s futile counterattack, a faint smirk touching the corner of his lips.

He didn’t order an immediate second attack, instead leading the Pegasus Knight Squad to maintain surveillance and apply pressure from on high.

While this surprise attack hadn’t caused massive casualties, the shock and the blow to morale were significant.

The Blood Wolf Corps’ initial arrogant confidence was crushed, and a sense of unease and fear began to spread through their ranks.

They had never faced an attack from the sky before. This sense of helplessness, of being unable to effectively fight back, made many of the bandits consider retreating.

Carl sensed the change in his men. Suppressing the rage and panic in his heart, he roared, ”What’s there to panic about! They’re just a few flying rats! There aren’t many of them, so they won’t dare get close! Everyone, hold formation and keep advancing! Once we’re inside the town, they’ll be powerless!”

Though his words were tough, Carl was already regretting taking this job.

Carl suppressed his roiling anger and dread, once again pointing his saber forward. His voice was hoarse but held an unquestionable ferocity.

”Charge! All of you, charge! Get into the town and let’s see what those bird-men can do then!”

The bandits hesitated for a moment, the fear from the last volley of arrows not yet faded.

But spurred on by the curses and blows from the flats of Carl’s and his lieutenants’ blades, their survival instinct overrode their fear. Like driven cattle, the column once again steeled themselves and began to crawl forward.

But their steps were clearly hesitant and panicked, their formation even more disorganized. Every man kept subconsciously glancing at the sky, terrified of being the next to fall.

High above, Ed keenly observed the formation below begin to move again. The faint smirk on his lips deepened.

He wasn’t in a hurry to attack again, but waited patiently.

Raylo’s strategy was clear: harass the enemy as they advance, and strike when they are weary.

Now was the time to harass.

His gaze swept over the chaotic crowd below, finally settling on a few of the minor leaders trying to rally the troops and on the faltering wolf-head banner.

”Ready.”

”Prioritize the standard-bearer and the leaders in the front rank!”

The Blood Wolf Corps had struggled forward less than a hundred meters, just beginning to muster a sliver of morale, when the hawks in the sky bared their talons once more.

As if by a silent command, the twenty-odd Pegasus Knights adjusted their angle and dove once more, silent shadows swooping down to reap lives.

This time, their targets were more precise, their movements swifter!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Arrows tore through the air again! The piercing whistle seemed to bore straight into the hearts of every bandit.

A tattered banner representing one of the minor leaders toppled. The bandit holding it aloft to boost morale clutched at his throat, the ferocious look on his face from a moment ago now replaced by incredulous terror. Blood gushed from between his fingers as his body went limp and collapsed.

Immediately after, several more of the tougher bandits at the front, who had been brandishing their Weapons and trying to maintain order, screamed and collapsed. The precise arrows pierced their necks or hearts, giving them no chance to even struggle.

Chaos erupted once more, spreading like a plague and far more virulent than before.

The courage they had just mustered vanished in an instant, replaced by a deeper despair and panic.

”Damn it! They’re back!”

”Get down! Find cover!”

”They’re in the sky! We can’t hit them!”

The column ground to a halt and even began to show signs of breaking apart.