Chapter 50: The All-Out Assault of the Beast Horde

Yi Yeyu, Yi Zheng, and the others found their faces clouded with gloom. They had just enjoyed a rare afternoon of ease, only to be struck by this sudden calamity. The three nearby human strongholds had all been wiped out, which meant Snow Mountain Town would now face the combined assault of the monsters that had previously attacked the other strongholds. The number of monsters converging for the attack would rise to four times its original count.

The other hunters were well aware of this, and the atmosphere across the battlefield plummeted to freezing point.

“Lin Huang, do you have any ideas?” Zhou Le took a deep breath, calming his nerves just enough before turning to Lin Huang with a hint of hopeful anticipation.

Lin Huang shook his head, helpless. “There’s nothing we can do but brace ourselves and hope that the extraordinary human arrives as soon as possible.”

Night fell swiftly. Though morale had dropped considerably, the battle raged on. More than a thousand hunters stood vigilant, not a single one slacking, each guarding the canyon entrance with unyielding resolve.

Around nine in the evening, Yi Zheng heard faint sounds from the distance, approaching rapidly toward the canyon. He strained his eyes, for nighttime was no different than daytime for him, and he soon made out the shape of an enormous herd. Though the dust obscured the monsters' features, he could sense the ground trembling beneath him.

Many hunters within the canyon felt the tremors as well. Lin Huang knew that such vibrations could only be caused by massive creatures—and not a few.

Before they could see clearly what kind of monsters these were, Yi Zheng climbed atop a boulder and turned to address the crowd. At a moment like this, he had to rally their spirits; otherwise, should the monsters launch their assault while morale remained low, the defensive barrier would likely be breached.

“Everyone, monsters from other regions are already on their way here. I’m sure you’ve all felt the tremors underfoot. You must also know that the number of monsters attacking will only increase, for ours is now the last stronghold left in the area. That extraordinary monster will not rest until it has wiped us out completely. Our only choice is to fight to the death! There is no other way.”

“It is now nine twenty-three in the evening. The Hunter Association promised that the extraordinary will arrive within forty-eight hours. There are less than nine hours left until the deadline. That means, at most, we only need to hold out for nine more hours before rescue comes.”

“The extraordinary sent by the association—surely you have all heard his name—is Yu Chanli. Years ago, he ranked fourth on the Gold Hunter list in Zone Seven and is a formidable summoner. The extraordinary monster has already been severely wounded; once Yu Chanli arrives, its death is inevitable, and the beast tide will retreat on its own.”

“The other strongholds are gone; what's done is done. What we must do now is put this behind us. From this moment forward, there is only one goal—to hold out for nine hours! Strive for this single purpose! If we achieve this, we—and the more than two hundred thousand residents of Snow Mountain Town—will survive!”

Yi Zheng’s words finally had some effect. Whether it was the renown of Yu Chanli or the hope of only needing to endure nine more hours, the crowd was visibly invigorated. Even Lin Huang muttered quietly, “Only nine hours left. We must make it.”

After this boost to morale, Yi Zheng turned and looked again at the distant herd.

It was a group of Iron-armored Giant Elephants—though classified as exotic beasts, their size rivaled the largest types. Each stood at least ten meters tall at the shoulder, veritable titans; even a third-tier Iron-class Tyrant would appear diminutive beside them.

From trunk to haunches, their bodies were sheathed in metal armor, their heads similarly encased in a metallic mask that left only their eyes and vast, fan-like ears exposed. These metal parts were not grafted on, but grew naturally. Their bones were inherently semi-metallic, granting them a defense unmatched among monsters.

Yi Zheng frowned upon seeing them. Their presence posed a significant threat to the safety of the defensive circle. With their weight and impact force, they could easily damage the stone wall barricade; if the wall were breached, other monsters could pour in unchecked.

“Yeyu, keep watch here. I’ll deal with these armored elephants!” Yi Zheng instructed Yi Yeyu, a slender sword appearing in his hand.

His white robe billowed in the wind as he leapt from the boulder, sprinting across the heads and backs of monsters toward the Iron-armored Giant Elephants.

Yi Yeyu watched her brother’s figure depart, but she felt no concern for his safety. With his strength, as long as the extraordinary monster did not appear, he was invincible.

The Iron-armored Giant Elephants, despite their immense size, were mostly Iron or Bronze class monsters; few had reached Silver rank. They posed no threat to Yi Zheng.

In moments, Yi Zheng plunged into the herd, and with every swing of his slender sword, a golden sword light flashed, piercing through an elephant’s skull. In the briefest interval, the entire herd of hundreds was slaughtered.

Yi Zheng finished, immediately turned, and returned without delay. He knew that the elephants were only the first wave from the other strongholds; the monster numbers would only grow.

He mounted the boulder again, arms folded, standing as if nothing had happened. Across from him, Yi Yeyu gave a thumbs-up; he only cast her a sidelong glance, though the corners of his lips could not resist a subtle smile.

Soon enough, another wave of monsters appeared, but neither Yi Yeyu nor Yi Zheng intervened. These monsters lacked the ability to breach the stone wall, so the two let them gather behind the main herd.

One wave after another arrived from afar, and the grasslands beyond the canyon grew thick with monsters.

Yi Zheng was about to unleash a wide-range attack to clear the monsters beneath the boulder when he suddenly heard a faint rustling from behind.

Turning, he gazed up at the snowy peak behind Snow Mountain Town. There, scattered black dots appeared, stark against the white snow, and these dots were steadily creeping downward.

Yi Yeyu, noticing his gaze, looked toward the mountain as well. She could not help but cry out, “They look like Desert Black Spiders! I hate spiders the most!”

Yi Zheng’s lips twitched at her words. “Now isn’t the time to worry about what you hate. The real problem is how to deal with this swarm of spiders so far away.”