Chapter 153: Counterattack at Sea

Three commanders of the Celestial King Mercenary Group were still awaiting the signal from the Wanderer when, from a distance, they suddenly noticed a vast swath of black smoke mysteriously materializing above the battlefield’s sea expanse. It resembled a miasma, thick and ominous. Their expressions shifted subtly, eyes darkening with gravity as they watched the black fog spread rapidly, instantly engulfing the area where the Wanderer and the Fish Arrow Mercenary Group were stationed. A group of people became blind to their surroundings.

“What’s happening?” two of them glanced toward the female strategist.

She pondered for a few seconds, her brows knitting tightly. “We’ve been detected.”

“Has that Nine-Star Dark Mage sensed us?” the burly middle-aged man asked.

“Possibly.” The female strategist’s brow eased as she fixed her gaze on the distant black fog, emitting a soft hum. “Discovering us only now is far too late. The demonic Nine-Star Dark Mage cannot fully conceal himself, and there’s no escaping the leader’s pursuit. Very well, hunting squad, prepare to engage!”

Without a sound, hundreds of Celestial King pirates shifted from standing to mounted positions, clinging closely to the sleek backs of tiger shark beasts. They moved as one with the creatures, man and shark united as if merging into the very sea itself, indistinguishable from the waves.

At that moment, a vibrant rocket signal flashed from within the swirling black fog.

“Move out!”

At the command, hundreds of tiger sharks simultaneously plunged beneath the waves, dark currents stirring in their wake.

The tiger sharks swam with extraordinary speed and soon spotted the black wind eagle fleeing swiftly from the dark zone, shrinking to a mere black dot.

“Someone’s heading southeast!”

“That bird, Gou Qian, you lead five men to intercept them. They must not escape alive.”

“Agreed. It seems those aboard the bird are valued by the Nine-Star Dark Mage. The five of you, follow me.”

Though the middle-aged man seemed simple in appearance, he was astute, deducing clues from the abrupt magic of the Nine-Star Dark Mage. With a command, he led his men southeast.

The six-star tiger shark beasts matched the black wind eagle’s speed underwater, quickly reaching beneath the seabed where the bird flew.

Yet Gou Qian did not immediately surface to strike.

On the black wind eagle, only one was an eight-star expert; the remaining four comprised three seven-stars and one peak six-star. Against six eight-star masters, they were fragile.

However, they were still within the Nine-Star Dark Mage’s sight...

Xu Wen and everyone aboard the black wind eagle could not discern the pursuers beneath the sea, but the bird sensed something amiss from the tiger sharks’ pursuit path.

A few soft cries escaped, and Xu Wen’s brows furrowed deeply.

“Trouble’s coming.”

“Six eight-stars... they really think highly of us.”

Xu Wen’s words caused all four aboard the black wind eagle to blanch.

Ku’er scanned the calm sea surface below but saw nothing unusual.

“Where are they?”

“Do you think I’d joke about something so serious?”

Xu Wen’s voice was cold, his heart equally chilled.

He hadn’t expected such a swift reaction. The escape plan was barely underway before it was uncovered. The rocket signal had already summoned a ravenous swarm of tiger sharks attacking the Fish Arrow Mercenary Group members who had fallen into the water; to pursue the black wind eagle, even a white tiger shark and five eight-star experts had been dispatched.

“Apply this.”

Ignoring the dissatisfied looks from Bi’er and Ku’er, Xu Wen took a porcelain bottle from his treasure belt and poured a trace of green, putrid liquid, signaling Wang Xiaoshuai to coat the tip of the Flying Dragon Spear.

“Corpse poison!”

Both women gasped, clearly recognizing the green liquid’s nature, their faces turning wary and astonished.

Wang Xiaoshuai did not hesitate and quickly complied.

The remaining thousand-year Corpse King’s poison was handed by Xu Wen to Elder Xie with instructions:

“Follow my command and be ready to pour this into the sea at any moment.”

After Xu Wen pinpointed the tiger sharks’ precise location, Elder Xie nodded, clutching the porcelain bottle tightly, a faintly sinister and cold smile curling at his lips as he stared at the sea surface below.

Xu Wen’s precise orders and arrangements finally persuaded the two women, who still harbored doubts, to glance cautiously at the calm sea beneath.

“Why not strike immediately?”

The Corpse King’s venom was insidious and domineering; even a six-star tiger shark beast could not resist. If even a trace spread across the sea surface, it might not kill the eight-star experts outright, but diluted poison would severely cripple them, rendering pursuit impossible.

“What use is acting now?”

Xu Wen’s face twisted with sarcasm.

“We’re still within your master’s sight, so they haven’t acted yet. But don’t forget, we’re also within the Celestial King pirates’ view. Even your master can’t guarantee all of us escape alive. To deal with them, we can only rely on ourselves.”

Elder Xie and Wang Xiaoshuai nodded in agreement.

Once the black fog vanishes, it will mean the Fish Arrow Mercenary Group’s complete annihilation; Putong will be trapped on all sides, and defeat will be only a matter of time.

The wisest course is to seize the moment, retreat swiftly, and devise a strategy to eliminate the enemy.

Bi’er and Ku’er fell silent, silently following Xu Wen as he summoned defensive magics and protective barriers, including Xu Wen’s “Coiling Serpent Formation.”

The magical fluctuations rising from the black wind eagle were immediately detected by the six beneath the waves.

“Discovered?”

Noticing that those on the black wind eagle only summoned defensive magics, Gou Qian smiled with satisfaction underwater, casting a glance at the swiftly receding black fog zone. He then signaled his comrades with a pirate gang gesture.

All five quickly enveloped themselves in battle qi and protective barriers, faint shimmering lights appearing from beneath the sea.

“One, two, three... five, six!”

The two women aboard the black wind eagle paled instantly. Xu Wen was right—six eight-star masters were in pursuit, clearly waiting to strike once they escaped their master’s sight.

Without Xu Wen’s warning, they might never have known how they died.

“Prepare to engage!”

Xu Wen instructed Elder Xie with a cold gaze before turning to the worried women.

“If you don’t want to die, tell me your professions and preferred combat styles—now!”

He was not arrogant enough to believe that the five aboard the black wind eagle could withstand the six Celestial King pirates, but he needed to maximize their situational awareness to survive as best as possible.

Though he had a second plan for escape after survival, for now, cooperation with the two women was best.

“Assassin. Skilled in assassination, poison release, cold arrows, traps, reconnaissance,” Ku’er answered, raising Xu Wen’s caution. He silently drew a sharp breath, unable to imagine he had been traveling with a mysterious and powerful hidden-class assassin on the same ship.

Assassins were renowned in the gaming world as elusive hidden classes. Few players could defeat them in PvP; being targeted by such a person would make life extremely difficult.

Xu Wen hesitated for a moment before instructing Elder Xie to hand some of the corpse poison to Ku’er.

She looked at Xu Wen deeply, swiftly drawing two petite silver metal crossbows to hang at her waist, along with a small matte-black metal arrow.

A glance from Xu Wen was enough to discern Ku’er’s considerable expertise in this area.

The silver metal crossbows were rare multi-arrow powerful weapons, exquisitely crafted and connected, radiating a seamless flow and immense force.

The black arrow belonged to a rare armor-piercing, magic-breaking metal, its tip shaped like a blade with blood grooves.

Ku’er gently wiped the black metal arrow across the poison, instantly imbuing its tip with a deadly sheen.

Witnessing this, Xu Wen’s heart jolted, and without hesitation, he commanded:

“When I use the phosphorus powder, you release the arrow!”

In a few words, Xu Wen described the wristband’s function to emit a large amount of phosphorus powder.

Ku’er nodded. “Understood!”

“And you?” Xu Wen turned to Bi’er, who was scrutinizing the two.

“Dark Mage, skilled in illusions and mental control,” Bi’er replied.

Xu Wen frowned briefly, simply said, “Be careful,” then shifted his gaze and gave instructions to Elder Xie and Wang Xiaoshuai regarding necessary precautions.

“You...” Bi’er had never been so underestimated before, especially in such a life-or-death moment. She was furious beyond measure.

Yet even if she were less composed, she wouldn’t have erupted now. Moreover, a six-star dark mage’s mental control had no effect on eight-star experts; protecting herself was already fortunate.

Half a minute passed.

The black fog disappeared completely from the sea surface... Splashes cut through the water in six successive bursts. Gou Qian and five eight-star masters broke through the surface from their tiger sharks, silently streaking toward the black wind eagle above.

“Elder Xie!”

Xu Wen shouted loudly, his demonic form leaping from the black wind eagle’s back at lightning speed to confront the ascending foes.

“Bold move!”

Gou Qian sneered, maintaining his speed and wielding a massive axe as he charged Elder Xie.

“Leave this to me. You four take out those four small fries...”

“Yes, sir!”

The five men nodded and dispersed, circumventing Elder Xie’s direction to continue their pursuit of the black wind eagle.

“Five of them...”

Onboard the black wind eagle, the two men and two women felt their hearts sink.

Wang Xiaoshuai sweat poured down his body, gripping the Flying Dragon Spear tighter, a desperate fighting spirit swelling his dark battle qi, growing deeper and stickier.

Previously, they had thought if the enemy sent two or three to deal with Elder Xie and only two or three to chase the black wind eagle, they could catch the pursuers by surprise.

Never expected the pirate leader would personally confront Elder Xie.

A grave mistake.

Cursing inwardly, Xu Wen gritted his teeth, forcing his spirit to surge, the Coiling Serpent Formation’s fierce flames intensifying. He began chanting a “Earth Emperor” level spell learned after ascending to seven stars.

Ku’er crouched on the black wind eagle’s back, eyes unblinking as she fixed on the five approaching pursuers. Her silver repeating crossbow, held behind her, was slightly cocked, her finger poised on the trigger.

“Be careful!”

Just as the group entered the eight-star masters’ firing range, Xu Wen shouted, “Go!” The black wind eagle abruptly turned, rushing toward the enemy at greater speed.

(to be continued)