Bai Qi looked up and said, "I think Wang Ergou will probably poison them. It's not just a bandit village like this—even in an ordinary village, people might betray others for profit, or to save their own lives."
"I also admire Your Highness's plan. First, the bandits in Bandit Village don't eat like people in ordinary villages, where each household cooks for itself. They eat from a communal pot, which creates the perfect opportunity to poison them."
"Second, by choosing an insignificant nobody in Bandit Village, Your Highness ensured no one would pay him much attention. Although a lord can check people's loyalty, he has to do so in person. So Wang Ergou's betrayal was unlikely to be noticed."
"Third, Your Highness combined kindness with coercion. Great Qin Village hasn't developed any poison that requires an antidote. Your Highness only needed to show Wang Ergou one poisonous pill and one harmless one to frighten him into abandoning any thoughts of rebellion. Finally, Your Highness offered him money, the thing bandits value most, as a reward. It seems Your Highness's strategy was flawless."
"However..."
Bai Qi paused.
Zhao Fu nodded. "Go on."
Bai Qi continued, "However, anything can happen. We can make plans, but their success depends on fate. Wang Ergou might not poison them, or he might get caught. So, Your Highness, we must carefully prepare our attack strategy."
"Right!"
Zhao Fu agreed. Bai Qi was right, and Zhao Fu had been thinking the same thing. The two of them began to work out a detailed battle plan.
Time passed little by little!
The hall in Dire Wolf Village had been bustling with activity, but suddenly, one person collapsed, spitting blood before dying on the spot. Then another fell, and another, each vomiting blood.
The poison Zhao Fu had given Wang Ergou had been made using the venom of a hundred poisonous snakes, which he had ordered someone to catch. The apothecary Zhang Baishu had then refined it. It was deadly.
The Great Han seated at the head of the hall was startled. He knocked the food in front of him onto the floor and sprang to his feet, but before he could say anything—
Someone rushed in from outside and reported, "There's a fire!"
The Great Han realized what was happening. His expression hardened as he grabbed his broadsword and shouted to the few men who hadn't been poisoned, "Brothers, let's go! I want to see who's bold enough to attack Dire Wolf Village!"
Outside the village, Zhao Fu watched as several wooden houses caught fire. This meant Wang Ergou had successfully carried out the plan Zhao Fu had given him.
Taking advantage of the night, Zhao Fu immediately shouted, "Archers, use Fire Arrows! Set every house in Dire Wolf Village alight! Crossbowmen, aim at the guards outside the village!"
The dozen or so archers followed his orders. They fired flaming arrows toward Dire Wolf Village, setting its houses ablaze. The guards on the outskirts were caught by surprise.
But then, more than forty Goblin Crossbowmen fired a volley of bolts. They flew like a rain of arrows, and one bandit after another fell, riddled with bolts.
Zhao Fu didn't rush to attack. Instead, he gave another order: the archers were to keep firing Fire Arrows and set every house in Dire Wolf Village alight, while the Goblin Crossbowmen fired at random into the village.
Zhao Fu did this to guard against a trick. Soon, Dire Wolf Village was engulfed in flames. The Goblin Crossbowmen fired several more volleys, and many bandits who tried to rush out were either shot dead or driven back in terror.
Just then, ten hulking Goblin Champions, each two meters tall, charged into the village with enormous stone hammers, smashing everything in their path as they surged forward.
Zhao Fu gave the order for a full assault. The Infantry, Shield Bearers, and Goblin Warriors raised their weapons, shouting as they charged into the village.
"So it was you, you bastard! I'll kill you!"
Seeing that nearly all of his village had been burned down, the Great Han spotted Zhao Fu at the head of the enemy force. Burning with hatred, he charged at him with his broadsword.
As the Great Han rushed toward him, Bai Qi drew his iron sword and went to meet him.
The two clashed fiercely amid the flames. The Great Han's swordsmanship was savage and powerful, each sweeping strike bringing tremendous force down on Bai Qi. Bai Qi, meanwhile, fought with a light, graceful style.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The broadsword and sword clashed again and again, sending sparks flying. But the Great Han gradually began to tire, while Bai Qi remained in control. At last, the Great Han made a careless mistake, and Bai Qi ran him through the heart with a single thrust.
"The bandit chief is dead! Lay down your weapons and you'll be spared!" Bai Qi shouted after killing the Great Han.
Seeing that their leader was dead and they were surrounded by enemies several times their number, the others had no choice but to drop their weapons, kneel, and beg for their lives.
Just then, Zhao Fu noticed a woman ahead of them. She had red lips, alluring features, and a mature, enticing figure. Dressed in a red skirt, she brandished a whip, and several Infantry soldiers didn't dare approach her.
Wang Ergou emerged from one side, his face pale, and said to Zhao Fu, "My lord! She's our third-in-command!"
At this, Zhao Fu held out his hand to an archer and took an Ironwood Bow. He drew it, using Stone-Shattering Arrow. A golden-yellow aura wound around the arrow as he aimed at the alluring woman's chest, ready to fire.
The woman caught sight of Zhao Fu about to shoot her from the corner of her eye. Her face paled. She was already surrounded, and if the fight continued, she would die, so she quickly dropped her whip and shouted, "I surrender!"
Zhao Fu was a little surprised. He put away the bow and, seeing the flames grow stronger, ordered the prisoners to be taken away. Then he hurried to the Village Chief Hall in Dire Wolf Village.
The lord of Dire Wolf Village was dead, so the village could be occupied directly. If the lord had still been alive, the City Heart would have released an energy barrier to protect itself.
Zhao Fu placed his hand on the floating white cube and chose to occupy it, then chose to relocate it.
System Notification: Great Qin Village gained 345 experience. System Notification: You gained 50 battle merit! System Notification: Your status has been raised to Citizen!
Ignoring the notifications, Zhao Fu hurried out of Dire Wolf Village. Soon, the whole village was swallowed by the flames and reduced to nothing.
Only then did Zhao Fu have time to check his upgraded status. Previously, he had been a Commoner, and it took 200 battle merit to advance. Each captured village earned 50 battle merit, and Zhao Fu had now captured four, enough to meet the requirement.
To advance from Citizen to Lord Citizen required 500 battle merit, which meant capturing ten villages.
"Your Highness, I found these on the bandit chief."
Bai Qi walked over and handed Zhao Fu a money pouch, a blueprint, and a broadsword.
Zhao Fu took them and looked inside the pouch. It seemed to contain a little over thirty silver coins. He wasn't interested in the money, but the blueprint caught his attention.
[Small Spirit Pill Recipe] Rating: White. Required materials: Small Spirit Grass, Tree Bud Root, Long-Lasting Stone. Effect: Doubles cultivation speed.
Zhao Fu was delighted to see the recipe. Tree Bud Root and Long-Lasting Stone were very common medicinal herbs, but Small Spirit Grass was harder to find.
He moved on to the next item: the broadsword.
[Mountain Blade] Grade: Blue. Attribute: Strength +1. Description: An exceptionally sharp broadsword that can clear paths and break stone.
Bai Qi used a sword, so Zhao Fu could only set aside the blue-quality Mountain Blade for now and save it as a reward for whoever distinguished himself.
His gaze turned to the group of prisoners.