Chapter 14: The Response of the Neighboring Tribes

Wheel of Heroes

Regardless of whether the apprentice hero from the Light Alliance truly has a way to make the two green dragons his followers, after the recent battle, Li Mingxing now faces a headache of his own. The formidable combat prowess he and his troops displayed in the previous fight had already instilled fear in the surrounding tribes. Before Li Mingxing could even return to his occupied territory, two tribes had joined forces and marched against him.

Of course, with their own homes to protect, these tribes could never muster their entire forces as Li Mingxing had done, but even sending only a third of their warriors made their strength formidable. Especially since their marching routes converged, their combined army numbered an astonishing four hundred. Such numbers naturally drew Li Mingxing’s attention. After some hesitation, he decided to lead his troops to block them outside his camp.

In Li Mingxing’s eyes, the power in this inner world was simple: those of greater strength had fewer followers, while the weak gathered in numbers. This time, the enemy sent over four hundred, which perhaps meant their individual strength was lacking. If that were true, Li Mingxing could eliminate them all in one fell swoop, and use their heads as a sacrifice to further the forest’s corruption.

Yet when Li Mingxing received intelligence about the enemy’s second wave, he was stunned. He hadn’t expected the situation to become so complicated so quickly. The two tribes had sent only four hundred warriors, but within the region, five other tribes had formed a coalition, observing the unfolding battle with keen interest.

Should Li Mingxing lose, these allied forces would swiftly descend upon his home, devouring his territory. If he won, they would seize the lands that rightfully belonged to him, perhaps even joining forces to suppress his expansion. In other words, Li Mingxing now stood as the target of both heaven’s wrath and mortal resentment, and could be crushed by a coalition at any moment.

Faced with such intelligence, Li Mingxing felt both amused and exasperated. Yet he set the reports aside and focused on how to deal with the four hundred enemy warriors already at his doorstep.

According to the information, these four hundred came from two tribes. One was the Amazonian tribe, experts in jungle warfare, consisting entirely of women. Their strongest were known as Huntresses; even elves seeking this profession had to be trained by the Amazons. Naturally, their numbers were never large, and their preference for guerrilla tactics meant they sent only one hundred first and second-tier Amazonian warriors, led by a fourth-tier Huntress.

The remaining three hundred-plus came from the Jungle Lizardmen tribe. These Lizardmen were hardly even considered subordinates of the elves; without their sheer numbers, they would have no place in the forest at all.

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Only during wartime did anyone remember this quintessential cannon fodder race. They originally intended to send five hundred Lizardman warriors and archers, hoping that, after defeating the centaur and harpy coalition, they could finally redeem the Jungle Lizardmen’s name.

But as they prepared to deploy, the Amazons approached, announcing their own participation. The Lizardmen chieftain and elders understood that following the Amazons would doom their plans for recognition, but dared not oppose these masters of jungle guerrilla warfare. So, they reduced their force by two hundred, leaving three hundred first and second-tier Lizardmen to follow the Amazons.

After their departure, the Lizardmen sent word of this alliance to neighboring tribes, and gathered all their third-tier warriors. In their view, this was a chance for their own rise.

Li Mingxing, however, cared little for the Lizardmen’s ambitions. After calculating the enemy’s strength, he realized their only advantage was numbers. He did not relax his vigilance, for he was no longer the novice he was upon entering this inner world; he had become a competent commander.

He knew that the first attack would be merely a probe. If his side showed weakness, the surrounding tribes would pounce like wolves. At that point, no amount of troops could withstand them, so Li Mingxing resolved to crush all the enemy’s hopes in this opening battle.

Only by doing so could he hope to pacify the neighboring tribes one by one. Therefore, his orders were not just to defeat the enemy, but to break through the four hundred warriors’ encirclement and strike at the Amazonian base.

Hearing this command, the harpies and centaurs voiced no objections. Their reaction pleased Li Mingxing, for as veteran tribes of the inner world, they understood the significance of the Amazons. Their acceptance of his orders meant they regarded him as their leader.

This sense of pride welled up within Li Mingxing, stirring his imperial aura. For a moment, his aura overflowed uncontrollably, enveloping a hundred meters around him.

Under its influence, all his followers—including the Blackstone Warriors—knelt before him. Li Mingxing was stunned, thinking his imperial aura had advanced to level two.

If that were true, his mentor would soon complete his conquest of the inner world—a prospect that was not entirely welcome for Li Mingxing.

He pushed aside the harpies and centaurs and examined the details of his imperial aura. After reading, he finally relaxed; his aura had not broken through to level two, but had undergone a minor mutation. Its range had doubled from fifty to one hundred meters, and its effects now extended to those below fourth-tier, not just third-tier.

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This improvement delighted Li Mingxing. To receive such a boost before battle was surely a good omen, and it gave him even greater confidence for the fight ahead.

He nodded to his subordinates, and the centaurs and harpies formed a mixed unit, marching toward the Lizardmen and Amazons.

Soon, Li Mingxing’s forces encountered the first Lizardmen contingent. Whether scouts or mere cannon fodder meant to draw Li Mingxing’s attention, they charged with wooden clubs and short bows, regardless of their numbers.

Li Mingxing barely glimpsed their forms before his centaurs’ wooden spears impaled them all, leaving the Lizardmen dead on the ground.

Witnessing this, Li Mingxing felt a flicker of doubt. He ordered several Lizardmen corpses dragged over for examination.

It soon became clear: these Lizardmen had not come as scouts, but to die. Upon death, their bodies released a faint, non-toxic gas that stimulated Lizardmen’s spirits, inciting them to attack anyone tainted with its scent—a kind of pheromonal trigger.

Furthermore, if enough of this gas accumulated, living Lizardmen would become berserk. This, Li Mingxing realized, was the foundation of their survival in the forest. Without it, their species would have been exterminated long ago.

But now, they faced an outsider: Li Mingxing.

He cared nothing for their cannon fodder status or gas warfare. To him, anyone blocking his path was an enemy to be destroyed.

Thus, Li Mingxing ordered the centaurs to carry the Lizardmen corpses, using their scent to lure out more.

His plan worked; soon all the Lizardmen emerged, charging with wooden clubs just as their predecessors had.

At this moment, Li Mingxing noticed female figures lurking behind the Lizardmen—the Amazons, hidden in the woods.

Upon seeing them, Li Mingxing issued a command: “Set all the Lizardmen corpses ablaze and throw them toward the Amazons.”