Chapter 15: Jessica’s Challenge Once More

Just after leaving the passage, Li Bin was informed by the system that the Duchy of Warner had issued a warrant for his arrest, offering a reward of ten percent control over the city of Uyada for capturing him and his subordinates.

Li Bin merely chuckled upon receiving this news. He had already completed his mission on the Fick Continent, and the teleportation array that would take him back was not far ahead. Once he returned to Ghost Butterfly City, the Duchy of Warner's warrant would mean nothing to him.

With this in mind, Li Bin quickly directed his troops to follow the map drawn by Jessica. Before long, he discovered the teleportation array on a plain.

However, waiting before the array was already a unit from the Sanctuary.

“It seems the Duchy of Warner is not without clever people—someone actually thought to wait here,” Li Bin remarked coldly, raising his staff and pointing forward. “Prepare to attack.”

At his command, several heroes under Li Bin drew their weapons, and the mixed unit directly under his command advanced at the front.

Ted led the Death Knights swiftly to the right flank; as soon as any gap appeared in the Sanctuary’s formation, he was ready to charge.

Meanwhile, Shenling and her surprise attack unit had melted away into the ranks, and only Li Bin knew where she might emerge.

Gru and Little Carter led their archer units close behind the mixed force. Li Bin could see from their eyes that both yearned for the honor of being his chief archer unit.

Just as the two armies were about to clash, Li Bin noticed a woman emerging from the Sanctuary ranks.

He stared intently and saw that it was Jessica, whom he had already sent back to Abira City. Yet now, the troops at her command had more than doubled.

Li Bin’s voice was icy: “Jessica, didn’t I return you to your father? Why are you here again? Are you hoping to capture me for that ten percent reward?”

“No, I’m here to fight you. If you want to leave, you must defeat me,” Jessica replied earnestly.

Li Bin studied her for a long time but could not discern her true intentions. He raised his staff and declared loudly, “Then let the battle begin…”

With that, he swiftly retreated atop his Undead Scorpion, and a series of commands were issued down the line.

At his order, Little Carter’s corpse mages quickly cast walls of poisonous gas, while Gru’s skeleton archers and phantom undead archers commenced a rapid assault on Jessica’s main force.

Jessica was not to be outdone. Three squads of elven hunting masters exchanged volleys with Gru’s archers, while two squads of crossbowmen began to flank Li Bin’s main formation.

Li Bin deployed death ballistae on both flanks and ordered Ted to launch the Death Knights’ attack.

Unexpectedly, Jessica’s force not only outnumbered her previous army but also far surpassed it in quality. Her main formation concealed a small squad of Sanctuary knights.

As soon as the Death Knights charged, these armored juggernauts rushed out at a speed matching the Death Knights, their round shields deftly blocking the cavalry’s blades. However, the Death Knights, lacking defensive gear, could not withstand their lances and heavy spears.

Li Bin immediately commanded his spectral lanterns to cast negative support magic atop the enemy, while his mixed force pressed forward.

Jessica countered by having her priests dispel the negative magic and threw all her Crusaders onto the front line.

The situation now looked troublesome for Li Bin; he sensed that Jessica’s force had been assembled specifically to counter his own. In both numbers and troop types, she held the advantage. Li Bin understood that victory would require a risky maneuver.

Resolute, he slammed his right hand downward. Instantly, his remaining harpy units appeared near Jessica.

Jessica had anticipated this move. With a wave of her hand, six eighth-level Sanctuary soldiers—the Judicators—materialized at her side.

Wielding heavy silver hammers and clad in silver chainmail, they struck down six harpy phantoms from the sky in their first blow.

Li Bin, determined to sacrifice his harpy units, ignored the situation. The four remaining harpy poison mists swiftly swelled and transformed into green clouds, enveloping Jessica and the Judicators.

The five harpy banshees screamed relentlessly, their agonizing cries causing several nearby Crusaders to drop their weapons.

Soon, beams of holy light burst forth from the toxic mist. None of Li Bin’s harpy units survived; all were felled by the Judicators’ sanctified blows. As the poison dissipated, the six Judicators turned and were astonished by what they saw.

Where the poison had cleared, Shenling stood with her spear leveled at Jessica’s throat, flanked by Amazonian forest hunters and swamp stalkers, their weapons raised against the surrounding enemies.

Jessica faced Shenling’s spear calmly. “It seems I’ve lost again. Please take me prisoner.”

“What?” Li Bin was nearly beside himself at her attitude, having lost so many troops. “Are you out of your mind? I went across continents to return you to your father, and now you’ve come back to die?”

Jessica snorted and had Shenling bring her before Li Bin. She produced a piece of parchment and tossed it to him. “This is from my father.”

Li Bin opened it and found an authorization letter from Damon. It explained that the Fick Continent was unsafe and unsuitable for Jessica’s future development, and expressed hope that she could develop herself on Li Bin’s continent, requesting his assistance.

There was a small note beneath the request: Jessica would lead her new force in battle against Li Bin’s troops. If Li Bin lost, Jessica would not require his help. If they drew, he was to form an equal alliance with her city. If Jessica lost, she would join Li Bin as one of his heroes.

Li Bin put away the document and asked, “Jessica, your father says you’re to develop on my continent. What are your plans?”

“What plans could I have? Naturally, I’ll build a city first,” Jessica replied with a smile.

“Do you have a City Core?” Li Bin asked, getting right to the heart of the matter.

“Yes.” Jessica answered confidently, and indeed produced a City Core. It appeared to be a second-level undead City Core.