Chapter 185: Big Trouble
Around 1,700 transport team members, still in shock, continued moving forward along the road.
Most of them looked panicked, still trembling from fear, some even injured, resembling a large pack of stray dogs.
Hawk, leading the group, wore a grim expression.
In his hand, he held an ordinary sword; as for his beloved set of equipment, Beelzebub had stripped him of it entirely.
Rubbing his aching chest, he recalled Beelzebub's explosive power during that swift and overwhelming attack, and he gritted his teeth, saying:
"This time, you didn't kill me. You'll regret it later!"
The knights who had lost their horses followed behind him, faces filled with shame.
Before they lost the effects of Water Walking, they had been trapped in the mud pit, nearly drowning, but were saved by their hidden enemies.
As for their weapons, equipment, and warhorses, they were "voluntarily donated" to those wretched creatures.
Burning with rage, Hawk cautiously scanned the mist for any sign of lurking enemies.
He was deeply concerned that Bay Territory might go back on their word and come to deliver a fatal blow.
Hungry, tired, and exhausted, they could barely maintain their speed. By midday, they had only managed to cover 30 kilometers.
At that point, they should have stopped to eat and rest, regaining their strength before continuing, but with death looming over them, everyone pushed forward, gritting their teeth.
Perhaps, in their minds, reaching the camp would mean the end of their current crisis.
As they continued their journey, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind.
Immediately, the group grew tense, with several people shouting:
"The murlocs are coming! Run, everyone!"
Before Hawk could calm the group, the panic-stricken men fled down the road once again.
Their mad dash even swept along the exhausted elite soldiers, who were dragged along by the chaos of the cart drivers, fleeing eastward at full speed.
Ten minutes later.
Caught in the chaos, they lost their last bit of strength and began to collapse one by one.
Only the soldiers remained standing; though hungry and weary, they still had some energy left.
Under Hawk's leadership, they seized the moment, running ahead while the others were defenseless, leaving them behind.
Hawk had thought things through.
Aside from the 30 personal guards he led and the 300 elite soldiers from the Carlisle family who had suffered minimal losses, everyone else was dead weight.
Hawk could abandon them without any guilt.
Even if they couldn't slow down the enemy's pursuit, they could at least buy them a little more time.
By shedding this burden, Hawk could lead the soldiers to the camp at a faster pace.
He had already rehearsed his story in his mind.
He would claim that he and the soldiers had fought valiantly, escaping the enemy's encirclement by sheer luck, and rushed to the camp to report.
As for the supplies and cart drivers, how could they compare to the safety of the camp?
Having experienced similar situations before, Hawk had no qualms about doing this.
Not only could he avoid the consequences of a failed mission, but he might also use the Carlisle family's subsequent support to launch a counterattack on Bay Territory!
Then, he could take back all the humiliation that Beelzebub and Bay Territory had caused him, with interest!
It must be said, the seasoned and cunning Hawk had devised a very clever plan.
Leading the soldiers over the muddy stone road, they finally reached Carlisle Camp, where they were immediately rescued.
Upon hearing Hawk's firm assertion that Bay Territory had launched an attack, Brown's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly settled.
However, Brown quickly rejected Hawk's proposal to mobilize troops and launch a counterattack.
He smiled bitterly and raised his hand, pointing upwards.
Confused, Hawk looked up and saw a silver dragon silently circling in the sky!
There really was a dragon!
And it was right above them!
Feeling the immense pressure, Hawk immediately fell silent, realizing that the dragon in the sky had already set its sights on him.
Bitterly, he began to understand why Bay Territory had let them go.
It was because they simply didn't care!
If they even thought about attacking, the dragon above would sense it immediately and could strike first.
With the forces and combat tools at Carlisle Camp, they had no chance of dealing with this young true dragon.
It was hopeless!
Brown, sensing Hawk's tension, patted him on the shoulder, trying to reassure him:
"Don't worry, just rest for now. I'll notify the family to send reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Since Bay Territory wants to start a war with us, we'll just wipe them out."
"This ruin is almost fully excavated, so only the Carlisle family needs to remain."
Brown, holding in his frustration, also saw this as an opportunity.
With the Carlisle family's abundant military strength, they were confident they could crush Bay Territory!
He also had other thoughts in mind.
"Moreover, for such a small territory to control a true dragon, there must be secrets we don't know about."
"While young dragons are still powerful, they're not as strong as when they reach adulthood. With the right weapons and a few high-level professionals, we can handle it."
"If we could capture this dragon, the entire Carlisle family would profit immensely!"
Considering all these factors, Brown decided not to hesitate any longer and decisively used a "Sending" spell to report the situation to the family.
"Bay Territory launched an attack, stole all the supplies, and killed most of our escort. Requesting reinforcements."
Brown also got Hawk involved, having him send a message as well.
With both of them reporting, their claims would carry more weight.
Brown promptly gave the order to rest, halting all excavation and preparing the soldiers to assemble.
The camp quickly became restless, with the soldiers sensing something was up. Although they were uneasy, they found some relief in no longer having to work and promptly stopped their efforts.
Yaya, circling above, observed their actions before silently drifting away.
Brown and Hawk grew increasingly anxious, fearing a sudden attack from Yaya and Bay Territory. Ignoring the worsening stench below, they nervously hid in the bottom of the large pit.
They ordered the others to stay vigilant and prepare to defend the camp, waiting for the Carlisle family's reinforcements.
But their carefully laid plans soon crumbled.
The assault they were bracing for didn't come from Bay Territory.
Instead, a large group of ragged, exhausted, and starving cart drivers arrived!