Chapter 7: The Pursuers and the Pursued

Today is my precious son's one-month birthday. Let's see if I can put out a burst—I'll try to post another chapter after nine o’clock!

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When Sanai and Reed arrived at Li Bin's office, the news brought by the Nether Ghost Servant had already taken a new turn.

The troops that had entered Li Bin's territory had been identified: they belonged to an undead-type NPC, though it was unclear what organization or rank of hero he was, leading his troops straight toward Ghost Butterfly City without bothering with any resources or mines.

About twenty kilometers behind him, a human troop was in hot pursuit. From the looks of it, one side was the hunted, the other the hunter.

“Have you identified the battle standards of both armies?” This was what Li Bin cared about most; with battle flags, he could determine the factions involved.

“They’ve been identified,” the Nether Ghost Servant who came to report answered confidently. “The undead army in front bears a flag with four black-robed wraiths supporting a praying angel; the human force’s flag is a golden heart encircled by two angels, and in the top right corner is the insignia of the Sanctum League of Nations.”

Li Bin’s brow furrowed immediately; this was no ordinary trouble. The presence of an angel on the banner suggested that the pursuers were likely the offspring of a powerful noble from the Sanctum faction. No matter what had happened between the two armies, Li Bin had no intention of getting involved.

Yet, even if he didn’t want trouble, trouble found him. Barely a moment later, another Nether Ghost Servant drifted in. “Master, the undead hero has discovered our presence and sent out a call for help.”

“A call for help?” Li Bin was stunned. He hadn’t expected that even by avoiding trouble, it would arrive at his doorstep.

After hesitating a moment, Li Bin immediately ordered, “Send out scouts and rogues. I want to know everything there is to know about that Sanctum force.”

“Master, you mean...?”

“If that human army is too powerful, we could always lend a hand to the humans.”

It didn’t take long before reports on the Sanctum force and the undead force about to reach Ghost Butterfly City were placed before Li Bin.

Jessica Ailins (provided by reader Quickhand Xiaowai), female, about 17, human cleric, blonde hair, blue eyes, wields a brown staff, leads two squads of crusaders and five squads of crossbowmen. There appears to be a medical tent to the rear of her main force.

Shuiyuetian (provided by reader Ice Moon Night Lian), male, long moon-blue hair, white robe, uses a compound bow, moves swiftly, commands six ratman crossbowmen, two squads of ratman miners, three ratman scouts, three ratman diviners, six ghost soldiers, one mixed squad of skeleton and ghost soldiers, and two pristine mine guardians—white jade skeletons.

“Two pristine mine guardians? That’s quite something.” After reading all the data, Li Bin gave a wry smile. Pristine mine guardians were low-tier heroes who volunteered to lead teams to defend mines for players or high-level heroes; they existed solely to protect mining sites. Li Bin already controlled seven or eight mines, yet he had not acquired a single guardian hero.

He handed the two profiles to Sanai and Reed, asking, “What do you think?”

“My suggestion: help them,” Sanai replied, without hesitation.

“Why?” Li Bin hadn’t expected such a decisive answer.

“As a rule, heroes with pristine mine guardians under their command are usually focused on internal affairs,” Sanai offered simply.

That was enough for Li Bin. He slapped his thigh and declared, “Let’s do it. Reed, help me organize the troops. Sanai, you stay behind to guard the city.”

“Why?” Sanai protested loudly, eager for battle.

“Besides you, who else can control the full power of the magic tower?” Li Bin pointed out casually, immediately quelling Sanai’s excitement.

By now, Reed had finished organizing the troops. After weighing the enemy’s strength and the possibility of reinforcements, Li Bin assembled two squads of the newly developed Harpy Venom Maidens and Harpy Soul Stingers. In addition, he brought along six of the newly tested seventh-tier troops—the Harpy Banshees, who had abandoned physical attacks for sonic assaults.

Next were three mixed squads composed of various third- and fourth-tier skeletons and corpses. Their duties included protecting Li Bin’s main force and engaging in melee as needed.

Behind them came Li Bin’s main attack force: two squads of fifth-tier undead ballistae. This was after leaving two squads behind to defend the city; under normal circumstances, four squads of undead ballistae would be enough to give any commander a headache.

Bringing up the rear was Li Bin’s newly replenished personal guard: twelve staff-wielding mummies and three apprentice mummy cursecasters, his last line of defense.

Of course, Reed also brought his own outrageously formidable troops, though true to his word, he would not relinquish command before acquiring a bone dragon.

By the time Li Bin led his troops out, Shuiyuetian was already about twenty kilometers from Ghost Butterfly City; Li Bin could even see the dust kicked up by the retreating army in the distance.

Li Bin considered briefly, then ordered his forces to accelerate and intercept. He did not want either Shuiyuetian or Jessica entering the city’s sphere of influence before he understood their intentions.

But Shuiyuetian was the sociable type. Even from afar, spotting Li Bin, he shouted, “Hey, brother up there! You’re here to help me, right? I knew you were a good man. I’m Shuiyuetian—may I ask your name?”

Li Bin found himself both exasperated and amused by Shuiyuetian’s demeanor. He asked, “Are you a player or an NPC? Why are you being chased?”

“Me? What player or NPC? I’m just an ordinary hero. No time for questions now—help me quickly!” Shuiyuetian shouted, urging his troops forward.

He did look quite bedraggled. Li Bin noted that while the undead troops were holding up, the ratmen looked utterly dejected, their spirits crushed.

Li Bin began deploying his forces and asked, “At least tell me why you’re being hunted.”

“Fine,” Shuiyuetian replied nervously, glancing back. “Honestly, I don’t even know why that girl is chasing me—I only took a few mines that already had owners, that’s all.”

“You only took a few owned mines? How long have you been chased?” Li Bin asked, frowning, sensing Shuiyuetian wasn’t being entirely truthful.

“Not that long, probably less than a month.”

Li Bin was nearly speechless. Less than a month? That still counted as not long? He was beginning to realize he simply couldn’t keep up with Shuiyuetian’s logic.

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