Tang Qi had never commanded a battle involving more than five people.
He did not even think he had a talent for command.
What formation to use, how to micromanage a chaotic melee, what decisions to make when surrounded—his understanding of all that was on par with an uncivilized green skin.
But there was at least one thing he understood perfectly—
Never fight an unprepared battle.
Since he knew where the enemy's lair was and could squeeze as much intelligence as possible out of their captive, there was no need to stand before their lines, beat the war drums, and fight them head-on.
First, he crushed the [Color Roses] gifted by the Ebony Forest, letting the wind carry their petals and pollen into the cave to drive out the snakefolk. Snakes might consider themselves noble, but they lacked a dragon's sturdy scales.
Then, using the resting melody [Mercy of Dreams], he shrouded all the beastfolk in the darkness of fairy magic. This was darkness that darkvision could not penetrate, enough to blend the entire camp into the night. With the stone forest providing cover, no one would detect their presence.
And when the snakefolk tried to approach, that would be the moment for the beastfolk to burst out of the darkness, their scarlet eyes exposed under the [Song of the Vampire], determined to shatter snake bones and feast on snake flesh.
His original intention had been to wait until the snakefolk spread out and could no longer readily support one another before ordering the charge. But he could not expect Houke, who was not particularly intelligent to begin with, to restrain his savage instincts under the thirst of a [Half-Blood].
Fortunately, his strength exceeded all expectations. He grabbed a snakefolk's head and tried to crush his skull—in terms of physique,