Cooperation in Battle

Ang decided to return to the battlefield. After speaking with Commander Richard, Richard said Ang could act freely, but reminded him that since he did not belong to any regiment, no one would share his military merits or spoils—and no one would help him, either.

Richard advised Ang to remain on the outskirts of the battlefield and avoid contact with other regiments, lest inexplicable conflicts and misunderstandings arise.

Ang rested for another day before heading to the front lines, fully prepared. Recently, Demon activity had decreased, and the frequency of battles had clearly dropped. However, a small group of Demons came to provoke them that day. Before long, the soldiers of the Forty-Second Infantry Regiment received orders to engage. Ang stood on the defensive line and watched the entire battle unfold.

There were fewer than a hundred Demons that had come to provoke them, while the Forty-Second Infantry Regiment deployed over a hundred and fifty men. The Demons' strength and cunning were universally acknowledged, so deploying more manpower was meant to ensure victory and the soldiers' safety.

Once the battle began, Ang noticed that although the Forty-Second Regiment held the numerical advantage, the Demons' ferocity and agility still made the fight exceptionally intense.

The soldiers fought desperately from their positions, every step difficult and perilous. Ang tightened his grip on his weapon and silently decided that if the situation worsened, he would immediately join the battle, even though he was still watching from the defensive line.

Before long, both sides left behind several corpses and retreated. Clearly, the humans had suffered more severely. Most of those lying on the ground were human soldiers, while the Demons were merely seriously wounded. The returning warriors breathed unevenly and were in low spirits, their faces filled with helplessness and anger. Though they had held the advantage in numbers when they set out, most of the human soldiers returned injured, while several unfortunate warriors remained on the battlefield forever.

Ang felt a heavy weight settle in his heart as he watched the grim scene. The wounded were supported by their comrades as they headed toward the rear medical station, while the fallen soldiers were covered with temporary white cloths and lay silently to one side, awaiting disposal.

The cruel reality of battle was laid before Ang once again. He realized that even with superior numbers and equipment, humans were still at a disadvantage when facing Demons.

Seeing the situation before him, Ang abandoned the idea of cooperating with the Forty-Second Regiment. He stood alone atop the fortifications, his gaze fixed on the gradually retreating Demons as confusion welled up within him.

Ang could not help reflecting on his decision. He had thought that his own strength would allow him to make a difference on the battlefield, but at that moment, he realized that an individual's power seemed small and helpless in such a battle. He knew he had to find a path that would both make use of his strengths and minimize the risks as much as possible.

Ang's figure on the defensive line looked somewhat lonely. The other soldiers were busy tending to the wounded and dealing with their comrades' bodies, while he was immersed in his own thoughts. The Demons' cunning and strength, along with battle's cruelty and unpredictability, left him unsure of what to do.

He took a deep breath and decided to hold still for the time being and continue observing the battlefield.

For several days in a row, Ang appeared atop the defensive line. He neither went into battle nor left, merely watching the movements on the battlefield in silence. Deep down, he hoped someone would take the initiative to invite him out to fight alongside them, but reality did not go as he wished. Warriors only went into battle after receiving orders, and people like him who actively wanted to enter the battlefield were almost nonexistent.

Ang gradually realized that his behavior might seem strange to the other soldiers. Those who fought according to orders might consider him mentally unsound. After all, in their eyes, there was no need to voluntarily seek out death and injury that could arrive at any moment.

Even so, Ang remained at the defensive line. He hoped to learn more tactics and experience by observing the battles, preparing himself for future actions. He understood that the decision to enter the battlefield alone brought loneliness and challenges, but he believed that if he persevered, he would eventually find a fighting style of his own.

Those days of observation also gave him a deeper understanding of Demon tactics. He noticed that the Demons' attacks were varied and cunning, while the human soldiers seemed passive in the face of them. Ang silently decided that since no one was willing to cooperate with him, he would have to find a way to take the initiative through his own efforts.

With twenty days left until his retirement, a turning point finally appeared on the battlefield. Beyond the Archer Regiment's range, scattered Demons began to appear and imitate the humans by throwing weapons from afar. The weapons they threw were wooden spears or stone spears. Ang was astonished by the sight.

He had always believed that Demons relied on their sharp claws and powerful bodies. He had never expected them to use tools as well. This discovery greatly increased Ang's wariness toward the Demons. A powerful enemy was not frightening; an enemy that could learn was. It now seemed that the Demons not only possessed terrifying strength and speed, but also the ability to learn and adapt, making them even more dangerous.

Witnessing the change in Demon tactics, Ang was filled with vigilance and urgency. He understood that this meant the battles would become more complicated and difficult. The enemy's evolution forced humanity to adjust its tactics and strategies to deal with the new threat.

Ang also discovered that the Demons who came each day to throw stone and wooden spears were not always the same. Sometimes, there were only a few scattered Demons attacking from different directions. Other times, there were one or two groups. After observing for several days, Ang found that at sunrise, an entire Demon squad would usually come out together to practice throwing.

By noon, it was still the same Demons that had trained at sunrise, but they came back in scattered groups.

After carefully observing the Demons' patterns, Ang decided to act. He discussed the matter with the Archer Regiment soldiers on the defensive line and proposed that he deal with the scattered Demons himself, laying out a detailed strategy. If he could not defeat them, he would quickly retreat behind the defensive line and rely on the Archer Regiment for long-range attacks. To encourage the Archer Regiment's cooperation, Ang promised that for every three Demons he killed, he would give the Archer Regiment the spoils from one Demon.

The Archer Regiment soldiers approved of the proposal, believing it was a win-win arrangement. They said that as long as Demons entered their range, they would attack without hesitation. Even without Ang's promise, it was their duty to eliminate any Demons that came within range.

After reaching an agreement with the Archer Regiment, Ang began carrying out the plan. He roamed the areas where Demons appeared, using the surrounding terrain and his own agility to kill the scattered Demons one by one. Whenever he encountered a situation he could not handle alone, he quickly retreated to the defensive line and let the Archer Regiment provide long-range support.

The strategy achieved good results. The number of Demons gradually decreased, while Ang's combat experience and skills improved. Thanks to Ang's coordination, the Archer Regiment soldiers could also strike more effectively from afar, improving the overall defensive efficiency.

Through this period of cooperation, Ang and the Archer Regiment soldiers developed understanding and trust, and the situation on the battlefield improved somewhat.

Ang realized that although fighting alone could hone one's personal abilities, teamwork was the key to victory on the battlefield.

After several days of fighting, Ang had killed a total of nine Demons. Keeping his promise, he gave the Archer Regiment the spoils from three Demons and kept six Black Magic Crystals for himself. During this time, he also discovered that one Demon carried a piece of Black Magic Mark Skin, an extremely rare spoil.

Since Ang had killed all these Demons independently, all the military merits and spoils belonged to him alone. This left Ang both satisfied and proud, while also strengthening his confidence and fighting spirit. Every Black Magic Crystal and that piece of Black Magic Mark Skin were not only proof of his efforts, but also symbols of his continued growth and progress on the battlefield.

Ang understood that in the days ahead, he needed to fight more carefully and intelligently, continuing to accumulate military merits and spoils in preparation for future challenges.

He also knew that his independent actions had drawn some attention. Many people did not understand Ang's behavior, but they were all astonished by his combat strength.

Where there were people, there was intrigue. As Ang's outstanding performance on the battlefield continued, people from other regiments began contacting him, expressing their desire to act alongside him. At first, Ang remained wary of their approach, but after hearing their explanations, he understood the reason behind it.

These soldiers revealed to Ang that military merits were not necessarily distributed evenly among everyone. In particular, many of them were actually private soldiers of regiment commanders, and the military merits that reached their own hands were pitifully few. After discovering a powerful warrior like Ang, who dared to take the initiative and strike out, those who wanted to accumulate more military merits all hoped to form teams with him in order to gain more merits and spoils.

After learning of their circumstances, Ang's attitude softened somewhat. He knew these soldiers were not trying to take advantage of him; they simply wanted to increase their own opportunities through cooperation. After careful consideration, Ang decided to accept their requests, while establishing clear rules for cooperation to ensure fairness and efficiency.

Ang agreed with the soldiers that before every operation, they would hold detailed tactical discussions and clarify everyone's responsibilities and tasks. During battle, he would still handle the main attacks, while the others provided support and cover. After the battle, military merits and spoils would be distributed fairly according to each person's actual contribution.

This method of cooperation produced good results. Ang not only improved his own combat ability, but also gained the support and trust of more comrades. His team gradually expanded, and its combat strength rose noticeably. In their battles against the Demons, Ang and his team won again and again, accumulating large amounts of military merits and spoils and becoming a force on the battlefield that could not be ignored.

Soon, the day of Ang's retirement arrived. During this period, through active fighting and cooperation, Ang obtained twenty-five Black Magic Crystals and five pieces of Black Magic Mark Skin. The comrades who had teamed up with him also gained ample spoils of their own, and everyone had benefited greatly from their cooperation.

Before retiring, Ang went to the armory and bought out his battle axe. Since the battle axe was a weapon he had wielded smoothly in battle, this transaction allowed him to keep it for possible future use. As for the shield, he chose to return it, believing that in future battles, he would not need a shield as much as he needed the battle axe.

In addition, Ang spent nine Gold Wack to purchase a refined steel saber. Forged from a mixture of several metals, the saber had no magic array engraved upon it, but its sturdy material and excellent craftsmanship made it an exceptionally practical weapon. Gold Wack's value allowed Ang to obtain the weapon at a relatively low cost.

He also spent ten Gold Wack to purchase a set of leather armor. The armor was not only suitable for daily wear, but also offered a certain degree of defense, providing additional protection for his future adventures and explorations.

Ang's preparations for retirement were thorough. He had not only accumulated abundant spoils, but also gathered every piece of equipment he needed. Carrying memories of the battlefield and expectations for the future, Ang prepared to retire.