The Thieves (Part Two)

[Today there are three chapters. As this is the final week of the new book period, Old Moon is also going all out. As long as you all give your strong support with lots of recommendation votes and collections, Old Moon will burst out with three or even four chapters every day! Old Moon is going all out this week and will definitely not break his promise! I hope everyone casts their votes for Old Moon so he can feel everyone's enthusiasm!]

Time slowly passed, and the thick fog shrouding the castle gradually dissipated as well, allowing everyone to clearly see that line of knights ahead.

They galloped over, kicking up dust that blotted out the sky. A rough count revealed at least two to three thousand men, or even more.

Old Wilson and all the knights within the territory grew vigilant and stood on guard. Their greatswords flashed with a cold light, waiting only for Old Wilson's order to immediately charge forward.

Old Wilson, however, delayed giving the command, his expression instead growing increasingly grave.

"Three thousand men—at least three thousand thieves."

Old Wilson muttered in a low voice, his face growing even more solemn. Suddenly, he called Pula to his side and spoke in a deep tone, "Pula, go protect Merlin. No matter the circumstances, you must keep him alive!"

Pula hesitated for a moment, but ultimately obeyed the order and came to Merlin's side. Ever since he followed Old Wilson away from the battlefield, he had never seen such a solemn and tense expression on Old Wilson's face.

"All Heavy Armored Knights, form ranks, prepare to charge!"

With a roar from Old Wilson, those knights clad in black heavy armor immediately raised the lances in their hands, pointing them distantly toward the sky as they formed up behind Old Wilson, ready to charge at any moment.

Soon, the massive horde of thieves swarmed in. Yet they appeared quite orderly, coming to a halt a few hundred meters away from the castle as three white-robed men wearing golden masks gradually walked out from the crowd.

Old Wilson narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew that these three masked figures must be the leaders of this pack of thieves. A rough glance told him that the number of thieves was practically endless, enough to encircle the entire castle.

In terms of quality, Old Wilson's Heavy Armored Knights possessed the greatest combat capability, but their numbers were far too small—a mere two hundred men. Even with the addition of the other six or seven hundred knights from the territory, the total did not exceed a thousand. Compared to the at least three thousand thieves before them, their numbers were far too few.

Moreover, Old Wilson possessed a discerning eye. Judging purely from the march of these thieves, they were extremely orderly and possessed high combat proficiency. Such a performance could only be achieved after rigorous training.

Seeing this group of thieves before him, Old Wilson felt as though he had returned to the cruel battlefields of the past, as if he were facing not a disorganized band of robbers, but a well-trained elite army.

"Since when could thieves have such fine training?"

Old Wilson's gaze was like lightning as he swept it across the large group of thieves ahead, finally fixing his eyes on the three men wearing golden masks. They were the leaders of this horde of thieves; only by routing them was there any possibility of preserving the territory.

Thinking of this, Old Wilson raised his greatsword in one hand and roared toward the two hundred Heavy Armored Knights behind him, "In the name of knightly glory, charge!"

"In the name of knightly glory, charge!"

The two hundred Heavy Armored Knights roared in unison as well. Their momentum was soaring, as if they completely disregarded the three thousand thieves before them, and their entire bodies exuded a heart-palpitating aura.

This was the force Old Wilson had spent over ten years of effort and nearly half the territory's tax revenue to forge. Today would be the maiden battle for these Heavy Armored Knights!

Rumble.

The two hundred Heavy Armored Knights moved. Like a collapsing mountain, the earth itself trembled. Following behind Old Wilson, the two hundred Heavy Armored Knights surged forward like a torrent of black, driving straight into the formation of thieves ahead.

Old Wilson took the lead, charging at the very forefront. Leading the two hundred Heavy Armored Knights, he forcefully carved out a bloody path. No matter how many thieves stood in front, they seemed powerless to stop the charge of the Heavy Armored Knights.

The heavy armor worn by the knights had no fear of ordinary blade and spear strikes; one needed formidable strength to concuss them, knock them from their horses, or fight them until they were completely exhausted and devoid of combat capability. Only through such means could this band of Heavy Armored Knights be dealt with.

Leading a mere two hundred Heavy Armored Knights, Old Wilson slaughtered at least three hundred thieves in a single charge, and did so with virtually no losses to his own side.

In the distance, the three men wearing golden masks watched as Old Wilson led the Heavy Armored Knights in continuous charges through the ranks of thieves. Though their expressions could not be seen, they certainly could not have been pleasant.

"Such formidable Heavy Armored Knights. This Wilson truly has a few tricks up his sleeve, living up to his reputation as someone who survived the Slaughterhouse back then. If only he could return to the embrace of the gods..."

One of the men wearing a golden mask sighed with a hint of emotion.

"Angus, we cannot let him continue charging like this. I will go kill him, and his Heavy Armored Knights will naturally scatter."

These three could also tell that Old Wilson was the soul of those Heavy Armored Knights, much like the alpha wolf in a pack. With Old Wilson charging at the front, these Heavy Armored Knights knew no fear and were unstoppable.

Therefore, to rout these Heavy Armored Knights, Old Wilson had to be slain.

"Qu Luo, Lei Luo, you two go together and be sure to execute Wilson!"

Angus spoke in an icy tone.

"Haha, Angus, rest assured. A mere Wilson—what amounts to him?"

With that, two white-robed men wearing golden masks spurred their horses and rapidly charged toward Old Wilson.

Although Old Wilson's Heavy Armored Knights were indestructible and virtually nothing could block their path wherever they passed, the thieves were simply too numerous. No matter how they slashed and broke through, they could never quite punch out of the encirclement; instead, the number of thieves swarming around them only grew greater and greater.

Qu Luo and Lei Luo rushed down swiftly, directing a portion of the thieves to sever Old Wilson and his Heavy Armored Knights apart from each other.

Qu Luo, with his cropped fire-red hair, charged straight in front of Wilson, slowly drawing his greatsword as his gaze locked firmly onto Old Wilson.

"Remember, you die at the hands of me, Qu Luo!"

With a low roar from Qu Luo, the greatsword in his hand instantly burst forth with a dazzling radiance, appearing extremely striking even amidst the chaotic melee.

Upon seeing the brilliance erupting from Qu Luo's greatsword—the intense fluctuations of light element—Old Wilson's expression changed drastically, as if finding it somewhat hard to believe. With a voice that grew slightly hoarse, he roared, "Light element... You are Guardian Swordsmen of the Church?"

Shock gripped Old Wilson's heart. He had originally thought them to be thieves, yet unexpectedly, elemental swordsmen capable of manipulating the light element had appeared. He knew very well that such Light Swordsmen would certainly be absorbed by the Church to become Guardian Swordsmen within its ranks.

In the blink of an eye, the thieves had transformed into revered Guardian Swordsmen of the Church, leaving Old Wilson at a loss for how to make sense of the situation.