Blood Altar (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

There weren't many Goblin Champions, only five. But what drew Zhao Fu's particular attention was the Blood Altar at the center of the village. It stood a meter tall, built from different kinds of stones, and gave him a very bad feeling.

They were so close. If the Goblins discovered Great Qin Village, it would be in danger. Great Qin Village had only forty-seven villagers in total, and merely twenty-one Soldiers. How could they possibly face over one hundred ninety Goblins?

These Goblins definitely weren't like those in games, the kind anyone could casually slaughter without any fighting ability. After Zhao Fu's careful observation, he found their combat strength was actually quite decent.

Zhao Fu wore a solemn expression as he pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Bai Qi! Stay here and observe the Goblins while I take everyone back to Great Qin Village. Tell Li Si to put the village on first-level alert. Also, drill all the Soldiers properly. Don't let anything unexpected happen when they enter battle. I don't want anyone losing their life over this."

Bai Qi hesitated, concern showing on his face. "But Your Highness, your safety..."

Before Bai Qi could finish, Zhao Fu felt a warmth in his heart. He cut him off and said, "Don't worry, I'll be careful. I'm the only one suited for this task right now. I can keep watch while also searching for their weaknesses. But train them as quickly as possible. The Goblins will probably discover us soon."

Seeing this, Bai Qi understood the severity of the situation. He could only nod seriously and lead everyone back to the village, informing Li Si of what had happened.

Li Si also looked grave. He ordered the women to reinforce the fence defenses while helping forge all kinds of weapons.

Bai Qi gathered all the Soldiers and trained them in how to form formations, coordinate with one another, and deploy in battle.

When the villagers of Great Qin Village heard that Zhao Fu was risking his life to keep watch for them, they were deeply moved. Everyone actively cooperated and worked hard, and their popular support unknowingly rose to 90.

Zhao Fu hid in a concealed patch of grass on the hillside, observing the Goblin Village for any openings. If they fought head-on, Great Qin Village would certainly lose. Even if they won, the casualties would be devastating. That wasn't the outcome Zhao Fu wanted.

Time slowly passed. Before they knew it, the setting sun hung low in the sky, dyeing half the heavens red. Bai Qi arrived with his people then.

Zhao Fu sighed. After observing for so long, he hadn't found any exploitable weakness in the Goblin Village. However, he had learned a few things about their habits. First, they weren't very intelligent and were rather aggressive, often fighting fiercely over a single piece of meat.

Night was about to fall, so Zhao Fu could only return, leaving two people behind to keep watch. He had considered a night raid, but even including himself and Bai Qi, they had only twenty-three people against more than three hundred Goblins. A night raid was clearly unwise.

He didn't sleep well all night.

At daybreak the next morning, the population began refreshing again. This time, fifteen people appeared, but only five of them could fight, leaving Zhao Fu somewhat disappointed.

Just then, someone came to report. It was one of the two guards left behind earlier. "Your Highness! The Goblins are on the move."

Zhao Fu immediately questioned him in detail. He learned that the Goblin Village had split into four groups, each containing roughly fifty Goblins, and they had departed in four different directions.

Hearing this report, Zhao Fu felt his opportunity had arrived. Goblins weren't an agricultural race; they relied on hunting and killing prey for food. Thus, they hunted every day to ensure the village had enough to eat.

"Bai Qi! Gather everyone at once!" Zhao Fu immediately ordered.

Soon, all twenty-six Soldiers had assembled. Zhao Fu ordered each of them to bring a few pieces of fruit for breakfast, then set off with Bai Qi to catch up to one Goblin party.

This Goblin party had around fifty Goblins and was led by a Goblin Champion.

Bai Qi now displayed the results of his training, showing them what real warfare was rather than a brawl between street thugs.

First, Bai Qi placed the Shield Bearers at the front, the Infantry in the second row, and the Archers in the third. It was merely the simplest square formation.

"Archers, I know you haven't completed your Class Transfer long ago, and I don't need every arrow to kill someone. You only need to hit them. Aim for the largest part of their bodies."

Bai Qi gave the order quietly, then made a gesture to loose arrows.

Eight Archers drew their bows. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... Arrows streaked through the air and into the Goblin formation. Zhao Fu also released a Fireball and hurled it among them.

All eight Archers hit their targets. Of the eight Goblins struck, three suffered light wounds, four were heavily injured, and one was unlucky enough to be hit in a vital spot, falling dead on the spot. Zhao Fu's Fireball also had considerable effect, blasting five or six Goblins wounded. One was sent flying and collapsed onto the ground, clearly not long for this world.

The Goblins discovered Zhao Fu's group then. With a shriek, they raised their blades and charged over with loud shouts.

As so many Goblins charged toward them, some people revealed frightened expressions. After all, they had never fought before. Bai Qi snorted coldly, and the fear among them suddenly faded. It was likely his title's effect, boosting their morale.

"Loose arrows!"

Bai Qi shouted again. Eight arrows shot out, knocking several Goblins to the ground. This time, the Goblins were prepared, so the results weren't as good as before. At the same time, Zhao Fu released another Fireball, injuring several Goblins.

The Goblins quickly closed to within ten meters. Bai Qi shouted, "Shield Bearers, advance! Break their momentum! Infantry, follow!"

At once, the eight Shield Bearers charged forward with round shields made from Ironwood. They had cut the previously meter-thick Ironwood into sections a little over three inches thick and roughly polished them. They looked crude, but their effectiveness was quite good.

The eight Shield Bearers rushed forward, and the two groups collided with a tremendous crash. The Goblins' blades struck the wooden shields, leaving shallow marks one after another, but they couldn't harm anyone. The Goblins' charge weakened as a result.

A charge depended on a single burst of momentum and an unstoppable advance to unleash its devastating power. But once the Shield Bearers blocked them, that momentum faded.

Moreover, the Archers and Fireballs had already weakened roughly a third of the Goblins' strength at the start. Now that they had been stalled again, Zhao Fu's Shield Bearers and Infantry began their counterattack. The Archers behind them began picking off targets freely, while Zhao Fu continued casting Fireballs.

The tide of battle quickly shifted.

As for the bulky Goblin Champion, Bai Qi fought it alone. Though the bulky Goblin Champion looked fat, it was remarkably agile. The small dagger in its hand flashed back and forth at terrifying speed, arcs of light streaking through the air. Even Zhao Fu felt alarmed watching it, but fortunately, Bai Qi was no weakling either.

Over an hour later, the battle ended. A few people on Zhao Fu's side suffered minor injuries, but nothing serious. As for the Goblins, they were completely wiped out. This was the effect of coordination between different military classes.

After resting briefly, Zhao Fu continued leading everyone in pursuit of another Goblin party.