The black-clad leader's left hand swept down silently in the darkness like a hawk.
Six figures lurking in the shadows moved at once, like puppets receiving precise commands! Without a word or even an exchange of glances, they displayed a chilling coordination.
Two skimmed along the ground like phantoms toward the two fixed sentry posts at the edge of camp. The sentries had barely felt a breeze brush their necks before cold blades sliced their throats with precision. Neither managed so much as a grunt before crumpling. Three others swooped like night owls upon their prey, suddenly accelerating and crossing through the patrol before anyone could react! Their black short blades traced lethal arcs at the edge of the firelight, piercing hearts, severing windpipes, and even driving diagonally beneath ribs into vital organs! The five patrolling guards fell almost simultaneously, their blood seeping into the soil amid a few faint thuds and the clatter of falling weapons.
Only when they lunged toward the guards in the center of camp, whose auras were noticeably stronger, were they finally detected.
"Who goes there?! Enemy attack-!!!"
A Rank 6 guard reacted first, his deafening roar instantly tearing through the camp's silence!
Inside his tent, Wot Lucas was jolted out of a sound sleep by the shout. His heart pounded. Without even time to dress properly in his outer robe, he hastily wrapped himself in a thick coat and rushed out, his face still clouded with frightened drowsiness.
Outside, the three Rank 6 guards he had specially brought along were already locked in combat with the black-clad intruders! Sword flashes crossed dark silhouettes, and the dull collisions of battle-qi rang out incessantly. In those few brief moments, half the caravan's fighting force had already been eliminated! Excluding the servants and drivers, who had no