After firing a dozen or so harpoons, the guards in the Corridor Guard of the large fortress were no longer worried.
How could a mere small trading fortress possibly compare to the behemoth beneath their feet?
In terms of capacity, durability, and weaponry, none of them can be considered a match.
Moreover, their harpoons were being fired in a staggered pattern, forming a net above the Antasia. Even a small fortress, if it were to be severely damaged, wouldn't be able to escape.
As they basked in their self-satisfaction, strange sounds began to reach their ears.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to attract the attention of these professional soldiers.
It was a series of crisp, resounding impacts, as if someone were repeatedly striking the outer shell of their massive fortress with a small wooden mallet.
A curious soldier stuck his head out and looked down; his expression immediately became distorted and bizarre.
What's going on next?
Yes, yes, yes...
"What the hell is that?"
"Someone has climbed up!"
"What?"
"Attention all personnel, prepare for battle!"
Shouts rose and fell on the large fortress. Just as the group was trying to get more information from the soldier who was peering out, a grappling hook lashed out in an arc.
"Ugh!"
The curious soldier who had stuck his head out only had time to grab his neck with both hands to try and catch his breath before the rope wrapped around his neck and he was pulled down.
The next moment, a hand reached out from the edge of the large fortress, grabbed whatever edge it could find, and pulled upwards, revealing a bloodied and mangled face to the members of the Corridor Guard.
The player pulled out the short knife he had been holding in his mouth, displaying the gaping wounds on his cheeks to the crowd before him, and asked in a low voice:
Who fired the third harpoon from the left?
"How could you...?"
One of the soldiers was completely dumbfounded.
The large battle fortress is covered with numerous barbed spikes, making it difficult for even hordes of Blood Corpse Tide Blood Corpse to climb over it, no matter how many times they charge through it.
Anyone who tries to climb up will be pierced and fall to the ground, eventually getting caught in the bottom conveyor belt and turning into a bloody mess.
But how come this guy...
Many soldiers wanted to ask this question, but the scene before them already provided the answer.
The first person to climb up had many bloody holes in his body, and in some of them, one could even vaguely see the light from the other side.
While the soldiers were currently in a position where they couldn't see how these guys had climbed up their fortress, they had a clear view of the side of the fortress opposite them.
These spider-like monsters were working in twos and threes, some using ladders, some using planks or grappling hooks, and some even grabbing the tail of a harpoon to climb up.
They either carried weapons in their mouths or transformed their hands and feet into strange shapes, immediately engaging in battle once they climbed onto the fortress.
While he hesitated, a second person appeared behind him.
"Sian Deng! It's me, Xian Deng!"
The second Soul Returner climbed the fortress shouted twice before realizing there was already someone in front of him, and awkwardly shut his mouth.
Finally, there was the third, the fourth...
Like cockroaches swarming through a sewer after rain, five people had already climbed onto the large combat fortress in just a few breaths.
The Corridor Guard, though fully armed, did not retaliate; instead, they retreated a few steps to form an arc-shaped defensive line.
They made this decision not because they were cowardly, but because they were not there to kill in the first place.
They were simply following orders from their commander, and the commander in the lower cockpit understood that his task was to stop, not kill.
Upon noticing the commotion above, the commander, whose limbs were entirely made of mechanical prosthetics, strode up from the lower level and accepted the situation after just one glance.
"Are you guys working for Gray Griss?"
He asked the players at the front in a low voice.
"Right."
The players who had finally climbed up wouldn't miss such a great opportunity to show off, and readily confirmed this fact.
"I have no intention of attacking you. Like I said before—go back to the fortress and stay there until noon, then you can go wherever you want."
Can I ask you a question?
A player suddenly shouted.
"Can."
The owner of the large fortress didn't think much of it and nodded at him.
"So how do we make up for the missing 'merit' in supporting the emperor'?"
"What?"
"I mean, if you won't let us escort Gray, will you give us the credit?"
The fortress master finally understood, his face instantly darkening as he shouted:
I'll give you an egg!
"All troops, form ranks! Kill or wound them, it doesn't matter! Drive them away!"
"Yes!"
The orderly shouts rang out; as expected of the regular army of the Graycast Corridor, they were far more professional than the players in responding to orders.
With their superior's permission, the menacing members of the Corridor Guard revealed their weapons.
One after another, long and short weapons with mechanical aesthetics appeared, and then groups of several quickly rushed towards the Soul Returner in front of them.
But the group of creatures in front of them, who looked somewhat like savages from the Wilderness of Chaos, showed no fear whatsoever.
"Brothers, don't forget what Gray said: as long as you don't kill them, go all out!"
"Ooooooo!!!"
At the very top of the two fortresses, a fierce hand-to-hand battle was about to erupt.
In the distance, atop a small hill.
"They didn't spot us, did they?"
[ Chocolate Ice Cream Scoop ] asked [ Howling Pothos ], who was gazing into the distance.
"No, the vision control plan was a success, and the battle has begun on the top deck."
"Alright, it's time then."
[ The Chocolate Ice Cream Scoop ] waved behind them:
"Quick, there's a grove of trees here, let's go through and sneak up on their backsides!"
"Good!"
Using the sparse trees as cover, the group began to approach " Oreo " from behind.
The roar of the fortress's operation masked the sounds of the Hoofed Beast running, and dozens of players successfully approached the rear of the fortress, with the distance between them slowly closing.
"Watch out, there's an observation window over there."
[ Gill's Cuisine ] pointed to a spot roughly on the third floor and pointed out.
Why is there no one behind the observation window?
The [ Western Sharpshooter ] beside him asked in confusion.
"They must have been lured to the top floor by them. Let's quickly lasso them up!"
[ Gill's Cuisine ] sets its sights on [ Western Sharpshooter ]:
"Your Excellency the Cowboy, please demonstrate the power of your lasso."
"Using a lasso isn't difficult; there are so many things outside this fortress that you can use it to lasso."
[ The Western Sharpshooter ] agreed, but at that moment a wicked idea popped into his head:
"Could we squeeze in through that observation window?"