Chapter 81: From Small Bait to Big Bait

"You take your men and assault this position."

As the temporary commander of the shadow-aligned players, Li Shi had noticed Liu Zong’s earlier interactions with those other shadow players, but he paid them no mind. Only when Liu Zong had all the Yadala Insectoid undead under his control did Li Shi approach and present his strategic request.

Liu Zong nodded, looking toward the spot Li Shi indicated. It was the enemy’s most crucial location, heavily guarded, and if players were forced to attack it head-on, the casualties would be severe.

At times like this, sending expendable undead to charge was the obvious choice for everyone.

Of course, the player commanding the cannon fodder would be at considerable risk. Yet Liu Zong did not fault Li Shi for the arrangement. He led the Yadala Insectoid undead swiftly toward the designated position.

Unbeknownst to Liu Zong, after he set off, Li Shi dispatched several other players to advance in a different direction, and the Grave Lord also moved, but their paths diverged entirely from Liu Zong’s.

The target was close to their original position, so Liu Zong soon arrived with over four hundred Yadala Insectoid undead.

He remembered Li Shi’s instructions: attack as soon as they arrived, without waiting for coordination or further orders. Li Shi had no specific requirements, merely urged Liu Zong to fight as deep into enemy territory as possible.

So Liu Zong took up the newly exchanged spear and, with the demon girl in tow, charged forward.

The spear in Liu Zong’s hand was a weapon unique to the Yadala Insectoids, crafted from chitin, its edge lined with backward-facing barbs, resembling the legs of some insect. It was remarkably light and easy to wield.

With a sweeping motion, Liu Zong carved a great arc, slicing several Karya Demon undead in half.

Behind him, the demon girl swung her arms ceaselessly, the giant bear chained at her side crashing down on the enemy ahead, each swing like a massive meteor hammer.

More dangerous than any meteor hammer was the demon girl’s bear, now upgraded; its paws and jaws could open and close freely. Anyone struck by it would not only be smashed by the bear’s weight but also torn to shreds by its claws or devoured by its jaws.

With Liu Zong and the demon girl clearing the way, the Yadala Insectoid undead surged behind them like a tidal wave, colliding heavily with the Karya Demon undead.

The foremost twenty Yadala Insectoids were armed; Liu Zong had invested considerable effort outfitting them, arranging their formation, and instructing them on responding to enemy attacks.

Now, this unit was finally ready for real combat, and this was the ideal place to showcase their strength.

When they clashed with the Karya Demon undead, the twenty Yadala Insectoids wiped out an equal number of enemies in an instant.

This gave the four hundred behind them a clear target. Though they lacked consciousness, they remembered Liu Zong’s command before the assault: do not outpace Liu Zong, simply hurl stones at any enemy they saw.

The Yadala Insectoid undead were straightforward; once they entered the fray, stones flew instantly, large and small, pelting the enemy like a hailstorm.

Of course, the Yadala Insectoid undead were not particularly strong; their stones inflicted only minor wounds, but they drew the enemy’s attention entirely. The Karya Demon undead, unlike the Insectoids, launched flaming orbs as their ranged attack.

These orbs were more potent than stones but slower, and the real trouble was that they could merge into a single massive sphere. When this happened, someone had to advance and detonate the sphere prematurely.

Once detonated, the blast would not harm the Karya Demon undead, but the one triggering it was sure to die.

Everyone knew the Karya Demon undead would not stop at one attack—there would be wave after wave. Even with cannon fodder to sacrifice, who could say how many waves they could withstand?

Thus, the best option was to clash head-on. If Liu Zong focused on the enemy’s orbs and sent his undead to intercept, losses would only mount.

Understanding this, Liu Zong ignored the Karya Demon undead’s tactics, pressing forward relentlessly while his undead hurled stones from behind.

With this mindset, Liu Zong’s advance quickened, encountering foes of modest strength, most around Lv0 (5-star) power.

Ordinarily, Liu Zong could handle three on his own, but now he had a powerful force behind him. His task was not to defend, but to charge forward recklessly, and the enemies before him could withstand only a single blow.

The Karya Demon defensive line could not even withstand Liu Zong’s initial assault, allowing him to break into the heart of the battlefield.

Naturally, Liu Zong’s actions drew the enemy’s attention. Whether it was his reckless advance or the strategic importance of this position, the opposing BOSS pressed the bulk of his forces here.

Over a thousand strong, the enemy force dwarfed Liu Zong’s undead. As soon as they arrived, they prepared a devastating attack: a colossal orb appeared overhead, and Liu Zong knew at once that if it fell, all four hundred here would perish.

Liu Zong had no intention of leaving the map in ignominy. He turned and shouted to the demon girl, "Throw it!"

Without hesitation, the demon girl spun her chain, and the bear snatched up a Yadala Insectoid undead, swinging it twice before hurling it into the massive orb.

The orb was drifting toward Liu Zong’s position; the undead collided with it, triggering a violent explosion. Liu Zong immediately ordered his Yadala Insectoid undead to charge into the melee.

He knew his options were few at this point. Only by turning the battle into a chaotic brawl was there a chance for survival.

Just then, from afar, Liu Zong heard a voice: "Death Knights, advance!"