Chapter 5: Ambushing the Minotaur

After handing over a harpy to Li Mingxing, he decided to temporarily take up residence in front of the witch’s treehouse. Yin Haitao was summoned inside to study the art of mapping, while Li Mingxing took the opportunity to familiarize himself with the newly acquired harpy.

It didn’t take long for Li Mingxing to figure out the nature of this harpy. Unlike his other subordinates, she was a nurtured type of soldier, only seventeen years old—just entering the prime of harpy youth. According to the seventh-tier classification, her combat strength was roughly at the lower end of the second tier.

Unlike fixed-type soldiers, this harpy could be trained to learn more advanced combat skills, and might even reach the third or fourth tier in strength. Of course, anything above the fourth tier was highly unlikely, as the inherent potential of the harpy race simply did not allow for more. Achieving the fourth tier was already a considerable feat.

Yet, more important to Li Mingxing than her future potential was what the harpy had already learned. She had previously been one of the witch’s three ranged attackers, and thus had been taught a great deal. In addition to proficiency in throwing those spring-loaded projectiles, she was skilled in wielding daggers, and possessed the harpy’s unique traits of whirling attacks and resistance to lightning—these made up the entirety of her abilities.

Crucially, unlike fixed-type soldiers, she was not limited to using only familiar weapons; she could equip any weapon and, with practice, learn to wield it in combat.

Once he had grasped her abilities, Li Mingxing wasted no time. While he lacked any spring-loaded projectiles, he managed to find suitable objects for her to practice throwing. He gave her one of the two newly acquired venomous daggers, then sent her to coordinate with his battle leopards and elite thieves, instructing them not to hinder each other’s fighting, though he set no lofty expectations for their teamwork.

As for himself, Li Mingxing intended to ask the witch if he might borrow her alchemy table to study the poison recipe he had just obtained. This poison was more sophisticated than the ones he’d previously concocted with snake and scorpion venom; it used spider venom as a base, blended with two herbs, and induced paralysis. Once injected, it could instantly immobilize an enemy.

The witch had developed this poison after long observation of spiders feeding. Its advantage was that it didn’t kill—after a period, the paralysis would wear off naturally, and ingestion posed no threat.

However, the witch seemed to dislike Li Mingxing and refused to let him use her alchemy lab, so he had no choice but to pore over the recipe again and again.

After a day and a night outside the treehouse, Yin Haitao finally emerged, and the door was promptly shut tight behind him. Yin Haitao walked over to Li Mingxing, glancing helplessly back at the treehouse.

Li Mingxing looked up and asked, “So, how did your studies go?”

“O-level mapping art,” replied Yin Haitao. “As long as I have enough paper, I can automatically draw maps of everywhere I pass through—but at my current level, the maps will be quite rough.”

“That’s fine. As long as we have a map, that’s enough. We’ve been waiting for you. Now let’s go have a look at that minotaur lair the witch mentioned.” Li Mingxing stood and called his subordinates to gather around him.

He then began briefing Yin Haitao on what he knew of the minotaur lair, information gleaned from the harpy now under his command. These minotaurs had migrated from elsewhere.

When they arrived, there were three upper fourth-tier minotaur guards, seven lower fourth-tier minotaur warriors, two lower fourth-tier minotaur shamans, fifteen upper third-tier minotaur champions, nine upper third-tier minotaur chanters, and thirty-seven lower third-tier minotaur slaves.

Upon reaching the area, they took over a valley. That in itself would not have mattered, as long as they kept to themselves. But within the valley was the Fire God Pillar, the witch’s most vital magical focus. Losing it was like losing half her power. Negotiations failed, so the witch led a powerful force against the minotaurs.

The result was disastrous: the witch’s entire force was wiped out. On the minotaur side, only a single minotaur guard, two chanters, two champions, and four slaves survived.

Even so, the minotaurs managed to secure the valley completely, leaving the witch with no hope of reclaiming it. In the years that followed, the witch launched several more assaults, but each ended in failure. The minotaurs, harboring grudges, would send out raiding parties whenever the witch mustered even a small force—such was the situation Li Mingxing had encountered.

Previously, whenever the witch tried to take down the minotaurs, she would lose all her troops, leaving her unable to attack the valley again. This gave the minotaurs ample time to recover and fortify.

But now, with Li Mingxing’s arrival, the witch saw an opportunity and quickly handed over some items, sending him to deal with the minotaurs on her behalf.

After listening to Li Mingxing’s account, Yin Haitao asked, “Master, knowing all this, do you still plan to go?”

“Of course. Why not? You saw how much we gained from just those six minotaurs—nearly two thousand soul coins, not to mention the totem pole that heals all troops within its range. If we can take that valley, there will be even more for us.”

“But we’re not strong enough. You’ve seen the strength of those minotaurs—we’re no match for them. Even if we managed to kill them all, our losses would be severe.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already asked around about the area. There are two goblin tribes nearby. We can go there and borrow some of their warriors,” Li Mingxing explained.

“That won’t work,” Yin Haitao shook his head. “Don’t be fooled just because the witch made good use of goblins. In fantasy novels and games alike, goblins are never powerful. You can’t train goblins to the witch’s standards without a lot of time.”

“I know. But I don’t intend to send goblins to die for us. My plan is simple: I want the goblins to lure the minotaurs out of the valley.”

“Will that even work?” Yin Haitao asked.

“It doesn’t. The witch has tried it before. Each time, the goblins only manage to draw out half the minotaurs, and once the minotaurs reach a certain point, they turn back.”

“Then why—”

“Why use the same method again, you mean? Here’s the thing: because this tactic has been tried so many times, everyone knows just how far the minotaurs will pursue.”

“So your point is...?”

“Tell the goblins that as long as they can lure the minotaurs to a specific spot, they’ll be safe.”

“Will that really work?” Yin Haitao still doubted Li Mingxing’s plan. “But isn’t there always half the minotaurs still in the valley?”

“Send more waves of goblins, that’s all.” Li Mingxing replied calmly, as if his plan were already flawless.

“But even if we lure all the minotaurs out, we can’t kill them all.”

“I’m not asking you to kill them. Do you think the witch wants us to wipe out every minotaur? Of course not. She wants the valley. I’ve scouted it: as long as we lure the minotaurs out and seal the entrance, the minotaurs will be in serious trouble.”

“Seal it?” Yin Haitao was startled by the plan.

“Yes. The valley entrance is just a half-open tunnel. If we blow it up, it will collapse for sure.”

“But what will we use to blow it up?”

“I paid extra soul coins to the witch for some explosives. Once the minotaurs are all lured out, we just throw them in. Whether the minotaurs later dig out or go after the witch is not our concern.”

“Won’t the witch be angry?”

“No. The witch has good relations with the nearby tribes, and you know the goblins can’t fight, but when it comes to digging, even minotaurs can’t compete with them.”

With this, Yin Haitao had no further objections and agreed to the plan.

Li Mingxing quickly set things in motion. He planned to take thirty battle leopards and wait outside the valley, while Yin Haitao would lead the remaining forces, accompanied by the harpy, to seek out goblins in the area. How many goblins Yin Haitao could recruit would depend on his own abilities.

Realizing that Li Mingxing had entrusted him with such an important task, Yin Haitao understood this was a test of his capability. He steeled himself and set off with the harpy in another direction.