With the combined efforts of several low-ranking members of the Gale Mercenary Group, everyone retreated back within the range of the wagons. The wagons provided cover, successfully limiting the Wind Wolves' wind blade attacks.
The Wind Wolves prowling around the perimeter saw that they could no longer strike the humans with wind blades. They raised their heads and howled at the sky.
In an instant, as if they had received some command, all the wolves launched attack after attack without fear of death. Even when pierced through by spears, they would bite down on the spear shafts and refuse to let go.
"Damn it, don't these things feel pain?"
Baki cursed as he watched the pile of wolf corpses grow ever higher. Under the wolves' suicidal attacks, everyone could only keep retreating.
At the front of the camp, more than two hundred wolves had gathered. Under the relentless attacks of the wild wolves and Wind Wolves, the wagons at the very front had been reduced to piles of broken wood, and many mercenaries had suffered severe injuries.
"Wells, this can't go on. We'll all be finished before dawn."
The captain of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group shouted as he swung his two-handed sword.
Wells surveyed the state of the camp. The entire place looked as though it had been washed in blood. These wild wolves seemed to have lost all sense of pain; even after being hacked in two, their upper bodies would still crawl forward and open their jaws to bite people.
"Ada! Batila! We have to break through and kill or drive off Death's Howl. As long as it keeps empowering the wolves, they'll wear us down until we die!"
Wells stared at the white giant wolf in the distance, which kept howling at the pack, then raised his shield and bashed away a wild wolf that pounced at him. The other two mercenary group captains fighting at the front also understood that Wells was right.
"You're right, Wells, but there are too many wolves. We can't break through at all!"
Wells saw that they had already lost thirty men. Gritting his teeth, he said to a subordinate beside him,
"Go tell Mr. Dida to pull out a few wagons. We'll use them to charge through."
After receiving his leader's orders, the subordinate quickly left the battlefield and returned to the center of the camp to find the caravan manager. Before long, the pot-bellied Dida arrived at the front line under the protection of two guards.
"Captain Wells, I heard from your man that you need wagons. Are you planning to...?"
Seeing Dida arrive, Wells raised an eyebrow and waved over the mercenaries waiting nearby, signaling for them to fill in.
"No, you misunderstand, Mr. Dida. The situation is far too passive for us right now. Do you see that white giant wolf? That is a Mid-tier Magical Beast. With it here, it'll be difficult for the wolves to retreat after taking enough losses, as we originally expected."
Dida looked at the white giant wolf in the distance, then at the chunks of flesh and blood scattered along the defensive line. The pungent stench of blood made him want to vomit. His face pale, he continued asking,
"I understand, Captain Wells. Death's Howl, a mid-tier wolf-type magical beast, possesses extremely powerful offensive capabilities. But... but this shipment is worth three thousand gold coins. I can't afford to lose it. I can't compensate for it."
Wells froze for a moment, not quite understanding what the caravan manager meant. After a few seconds, he seemed to realize something.
"Mr. Dida, we are not going to abandon the caravan and break out on our own. The three of us captains plan to lead around ten men in an assault on Death's Howl. Only by killing or driving away that Mid-tier Magical Beast can we ensure everyone's safety. Otherwise, if this continues, even if we aren't wiped out, we'll still suffer devastating casualties."
Seeing that Dida was still hesitating, the captain of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group, who was holding back the wolves nearby, suddenly flared with anger. He swung out several sword auras toward the wolf pack, then turned and strode toward the two of them.
Aka, covered head to toe in blood, carried his two-handed sword like a warrior from hell. He grabbed Dida by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
"Prepare the wagons and do as we say. Damn you, if we wanted to run, we'd have run long ago. Keep whining, and I'll chop you to death."
Wells hurried forward and separated the two, shoving Aka forcefully aside. Whether from terror or something else, the caravan manager's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
"Please forgive him, Mr. Dida. Captain Aka meant nothing else by it."
As mercenary groups that had worked together several times, Wells did not want this situation to create a rift between the caravan and the mercenaries.
After sitting on the ground for a while to recover, Dida rose with the help of his guards. He took a deep look at the Blood Wolf captain, who had returned to the front to hold back the wolves, then turned and grabbed Wells's hand, saying humbly,
"I understand, Captain Wells. It's just that this shipment is far too important. My entire fortune is tied up in it. I'll have the wagons prepared right away. You must be careful."
With that, he left the front line under his guards' protection. Wells stood there, watching the caravan manager's retreating figure with a helpless sigh before turning back to the defensive line to discuss the assault with the other two captains.
On the other side.
After everyone retreated behind the defensive fortifications formed by the wagons, the defensive pressure on the Gale Mercenary Group immediately lessened considerably. Finally able to catch his breath, Havent turned to look for Paimon. He saw Paimon standing there in a daze, as though his soul had left his body.
After checking that the defensive line was still holding, Havent quickly walked over to Paimon and patted the young man's cheek.
"Hey! Paimon, what's wrong with you? We're in battle. Don't space out."
Hearing his voice, Paimon slowly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was a complicated mix of panic, fear, and anger. His voice trembled as though he were about to cry when he spoke to Havent.
"Will... Will... Ada is dead. Ada is dead. He said just a little while ago that he wanted to buy Lily a gift in the Imperial Capital."
Havent looked helplessly at the incoherent Paimon and patted his shoulder in consolation. Just as Havent was about to say something else, he heard a scream behind him.
Havent quickly turned around and saw three Wind Wolves leap onto the roof of a wagon and attack the defending mercenaries.
"Damn it!"
Unable to spare time comforting Paimon, Havent grabbed the longsword planted in the ground and charged forward.
After spitting three wind blades at the defenders, the three Wind Wolves leaped down into the crowd and began attacking wildly. Baki, who had been holding the front line, quickly turned and charged at them.
"Okro, hold the line! I'll finish these three beasts quickly."
With that, he swung his twin-handed axe and launched a charging slash at a Wind Wolf's lower back. The Wind Wolf that had been tearing into a mercenary seemed to sense the danger and quickly released its bite, dodging to the side.
Baki's all-out strike only cut a long gash across the Wind Wolf's flank. The wolf shrieked in pain and turned to look at its attacker.
Baki swallowed as he watched the Wind Wolf bare its fangs at him. Then he remembered the tall man's instructions, gritted his teeth, and let out a roar as he raised his twin-handed axe and hacked at the Wind Wolf once more.
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