As the halberd-wielding Silvermane Guardsmen began advancing, the Silvermane Archers behind them immediately provided covering fire.
They aimed their guns at the group's limbs and pulled the triggers without hesitation, clearly intending to restrict their movements.
Dan Heng stepped forward and swept Cloud-Piercer across, knocking the incoming bullets away.
"Looks like this fight is unavoidable."
Dan Heng frowned, then charged straight in with his spear. "March 7th, I'll leave those archers to you."
Like a gust of wind, Dan Heng reached the Silvermane Guardsmen, then swung Cloud-Piercer, tracing elegant arcs through the air.
Whether in physical ability, combat experience, or skill with a spear, Dan Heng far surpassed these guardsmen.
Several sharp clangs rang out as their halberds were knocked to the ground. Then, holding back his strength, Dan Heng knocked them down with his spear shaft, subduing them without dealing any killing blows.
March 7th reacted quickly to Dan Heng's words. Six-Phased Ice instantly condensed in her hands, and she nocked several ice arrows.
Aim, volley!
The frost arrows shot forth, freezing the Silvermane Archers' weapons just as they began their second volley and preventing them from supporting the Silvermane Guardsmen fighting Dan Heng.
After dealing with the Silvermane Guardsmen, Dan Heng knocked down the now-disarmed Silvermane Archers, bringing the fight to a swift end.
Jiang Yu hadn't joined this fight. What had he gone off to do?
He had gone to catch Sampo.
The moment the fighting started, Sampo declared, "If we don't run now, when will we?" and prepared to make a break for it.
But before he could demonstrate his ability to move as silently as the wind and leave no tracks in the snow, a clear breeze blew toward him, unlike the freezing winds of Jarilo's snowfields he had grown accustomed to.
Then a small hand grabbed old Sampo by the ear.
"Ow, ow, ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Sampo immediately started yelling as Jiang Yu dragged him back by the ear.
He truly hadn't expected this colleague to suddenly come over and grab his ear!
The little guy was ruthless, grabbing his ear and dragging him along.
Sampo followed Jiang Yu back to the others, wailing all the way and filled with regret.
I knew he was a colleague, so why did I let my guard down again just because of his looks and behavior?
People always said you learned from your mistakes.
Yet old Sampo had fallen into the same trap twice in one day!
Jiang Yu was in a good mood. He hadn't let Sampo get away.
That was because he had suddenly thought of a win-win proposition.
He remembered that they should soon encounter Brother Gepard-Gepard.
He also remembered that Sampo would run away along the way.
Thinking it over, someone like Sampo was bound to be on the Silvermane Guards' wanted list. Handing him over to Gepard might earn Jiang Yu some spending money.
And that would also keep Gepard from getting the wrong idea about them.
Wouldn't that mean I win twice?
With old Sampo's abilities, escaping would be easy anyway, so there was no need to worry about his safety.
We're all friends here. Friends help each other out!
Still holding Sampo by the ear, Jiang Yu brought him back to the group after he had sprinted almost ten meters away in an instant.
Dan Heng kept a constant watch on the Silvermane Guards. His expression didn't change when he saw Sampo being brought back.
He had considered Sampo rather untrustworthy from the start, and he nodded in satisfaction at Jiang Yu's actions.
A fellow countryman really is a fellow countryman. So reliable!
Stelle and March 7th had also noticed Sampo trying to flee in the middle of the fight. Both gave him scrutinizing, displeased looks, their contempt plain on their faces.
Stelle stepped forward and took the Bat in hand.
"You actually tried to run away?"
Although Jiang Yu still held Sampo's ear, he was no longer pulling on it.
His ear no longer hurt, but someone else still had him firmly in hand. Faced with Stelle's questioning, Sampo could only give an awkward laugh.
"Girl, I... I wasn't running away... heh heh. I was preserving our fighting strength so I could hurry off and get you some reinforcements, haha..."
Stelle rolled her eyes, clearly not believing a single word coming out of Sampo's mouth.
Floating on the wind, Jiang Yu pursed his lips, then raised his hand and patted Sampo's head.
"Aha, my ass. You'd be better off believing I'm the Aeon of Elation than believing him."
Sampo froze at Jiang Yu's words.
Huh?
This new little colleague is pretty bold, casually throwing around the Elation God's name like that.
But at that moment, the Silvermane Guards Dan Heng had knocked down earlier were even more bewildered than Sampo.
Dan Heng's strength had easily robbed them of any ability to resist. They had already prepared themselves to die heroic deaths, only to look up and witness this scene:
The youngest-looking child among the suspect and his accomplices had flown into the air, grabbed the suspect's ear, and forcibly dragged him back just as he was about to escape!
For a moment, the Silvermane Guards felt their brains couldn't keep up.
Were they... fighting among themselves?
As one question after another surfaced in the Silvermane Guards' minds, footsteps rang out, sounding solid and steady even on the snow.
Black military boots trod over the snowy ground as a man slowly approached, dressed in a snow-white military uniform adorned with blue stripes, gold accents, and ice crystals.
His short, pale blond hair stirred in the wind and snow. His gaze was resolute, his expression firm, and his face had sharp, chiseled features.
His right arm bore a sturdy silver-white metal bracer and gauntlet. In his gloved left hand, he carried a massive, heavy metal case resembling a shield.
Gepard looked at Jiang Yu and the others and gave a cool "Hmph," then spoke without a trace of a smile.
"I, Gepard Landau, captain of the Silvermane Guards, order you to put away those pointless tricks and cease your futile resistance."
Seeing their commander arrive, the guards Dan Heng had subdued immediately perked up.
Before, they might have had no choice but to die for their duty. Now that Captain Gepard had arrived, even without weapons, they might still be able to fight this group again.
They climbed to their feet. Rather than retreating because they were unarmed, they stood beside Gepard.
"Suspects! Stop resisting and surrender!"
Had they not been on opposing sides, the group might have admired these guards' actions and courage.
But right now, March 7th gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and stamped her foot.
"I was already mad because Sampo nearly screwed us over! Being treated like a criminal makes me even madder!"
Stelle also explained to Gepard, "We're not his accomplices."
Jiang Yu nodded, then spoke bluntly to Gepard.
"Honestly, you're a little late. If we were his accomplices, we could've killed those soldiers and escaped. You wouldn't have caught so much as a glimpse of us."
Before Gepard or the guards could respond, Jiang Yu patted Sampo's head and continued.
"Speaking of which, he's a criminal in your eyes, right? Then I should get a bounty for catching him and handing him over to you, shouldn't I?"
At Jiang Yu's words, Sampo's face remained mostly expressionless, showing only a hint of resignation.
He had guessed this outcome the moment he was caught. He had definitely become someone else's entertainment again.
Being someone else's entertainment really doesn't feel good... Aha, my...
No, can't say that!
Before you continue