Chapter 20: The Dusk Battle of Attack and Defense

The swarm of insects rolled in, covering the campsite like a blanket as it reached the sky, obscuring even the last rays of sunlight in the west. Night fell early, and those on defense could only rely on the bright flashes from flares for some light.

“Damn it, what kind of insects are these? Why are they so terrifying?” One soldier exclaimed in shock after seeing the insects up close.

Unlike the tree mites seen deep in the Spider Jungle, these insects were significantly larger, with an inverted triangular shape and the size of a child’s palm. Their bodies resembled those of slugs or scorpions, with layered hard shells on both the front and back. They had six legs, but only one segment each, topped with spines like those of sea urchins, emitting an ominous glow. Beneath their shells were translucent wings, colorful and reminiscent of the deadly Spotted Stingerfish of the Storm Sea. Most eerily, apart from their antennae, their heads featured a human face, facing downward with vivid expressions, emitting eerie chirping sounds. Their most formidable weapon was a pair of mandibles on either side of their head, resembling mantis arms, with sharp teeth that could likely cut through leather even at flight speed. What was most terrifying was their sheer numbers.

“Don’t worry about them. Charging in is certain death!” Hearing such an indifferent tone, one could tell it was a optimist. As he spoke, the soldier kept refilling the flamethrower’s fuel. “The captain said it’s fine, so it’s fine. Instead of wasting time staring at them, we should hurry up and check our equipment and refill the flamethrowers.”

Meanwhile, the corrosive insects crumpled to the ground as they entered the range of the flares, their wings burned off. Although the ordinary soldiers of Star 745 didn’t have armor, they at least had small steel helmets and thick-soled military boots. These wingless insects were experts at flying but struggled to move on the ground due to their single-legged structure. The soldiers crushed them, splattering intestines and bodily fluids—a sight that was satisfying yet nauseating.

By this point, most of the initial wave of monsters attacking had been eliminated. Before the dark forces launched another ground assault, Neo ordered two squads of soldiers to charge ahead with their swords and asked Ny to deploy over 40 magically enhanced wild dogs to assist. With two fronts, each consisting of 20 dogs and more than 10 soldiers, their combat strength was considerable.

Those responsible for firing flares continued to do so. After urgent efforts, the campsite was finally mostly covered in the light from the flares. Yet, seeing the vast swarm filling the sky, everyone remained uneasy, so they kept firing even without Neo’s orders. Meanwhile, the rest rested on the spot, treating minor injuries and refilling ammunition and fuel.

At the same time, the vanguard of the insects had arrived, leading to the scene just described.

As insects, these little monsters couldn’t carry out complex commands like the Wood Demons or Croc-headed Monsters; they could only understand simple orders. Though the light from the flares was still weak at this point, it was enough to burn through their translucent, soft wings. On the ground, they couldn’t jump or move quickly; aside from scurrying around and screeching, their only option was to be disgusting.

Yet the instincts of any living being cannot be ignored. These corrosive insects weren’t just moths drawn to fire. After paying the price of damaged wings and falling, they quickly found the “weak points” of their opponents and then gathered in large numbers to attack.

The Insect Master received feedback from the insects at the front line and thus halted the “ants crossing a river”-style advance. They had expected defensive weaknesses on the enemy side and naturally intended to make use of them.

Of course, the “weak points” the insects thought of were precisely the areas Neo had ordered to be left untouched. The wonder of Blood Energy lay in its honey-like attraction to many living beings. Moreover, since Neo’s Blood Energy was influenced by the power of the Sacred Tree, it was even more irresistible—so the insects naturally loved it.

On the other hand, from Neo’s perspective, having the chance to reap Blood Energy and Life Energy, plus even refine weapons, twice in just over two months was truly a great fortune.

As the long whip was swung, it straightened out. Neo rotated his arm, causing the whip to spin faster and faster, eventually forming two blood-red tornado-like vortices. These tornadoes might seem like a gimmick when used against the monsters on the ground, but they were more than sufficient against insects. The intense winds prevented any insects entering that area from escaping, and in the blood-red light, they were only doomed to be torn to pieces.

Meanwhile, the Dark Force’s Insect Master, hindered by the light from the flares and the insects themselves, couldn’t see clearly what was happening at the camp. They could only faintly see some red light, unable to tell what it was. From the latest feedback from the insects, they knew these little guys were very excited. There was usually only one reason for the corrosive insects to get excited—seeing blood! Seeing blood meant they were killing in large numbers!

After hearing the Insect Master’s report, the commander of the Dark Force realized that even if the camp wasn’t in complete chaos, it was already in a desperate situation.

“Well, let these little guys go ahead and have their fun!” the commander said. For this reason, he didn’t rush to use a “pour oil on the fire” tactic, allowing the Dark Forces that hadn’t yet assembled to continue fighting alongside those monsters capable of fighting during the day. Instead, he waited a while, aiming to launch a decisive strike and deal heavy damage to the enemy.

As a result, this gave the enemy some respite, and more than 200 monsters were finally killed. The frontline soldiers and barbarian dogs retreated to rest. Neo didn’t order the soldiers with flamethrowers to immediately take up positions at the front line. Instead, he ordered them to fetch water and dried meat for a quick meal before stacking ammunition boxes at the front line in preparation for the next battle.

For Neo, strangling the corrosive insects was a low-tech task that didn’t affect his ability to observe and control the overall situation at all. Yet it had to be said that the Blood Vortex was truly formidable and highly impressive, leaving the spellcasters in awe. Hess even asked a soldier, “Did your captain kill insects this way in Spider Gorge last time too?” The soldier raised his head and smirked, “It was way better than this. Our codename is ‘Circus,’ and our captain is the best performer! If you get the chance, check out the battle records of the Sky Temple—it’s absolutely thrilling!” Not only the spellcasters but also the officers of Star 745 were envious. “That’s how deadly weapons are forged—so enviable!” Valrug watched as the two Blood Whip Vortices devoured insects like whales sucking in water, his eyes filled with envy. “Save it. Even if you got that chance, you wouldn’t be able to take advantage of it!” Korkal was always interested in such remarks. “It’s better to focus on killing the monsters on the ground.” This time, Zanjin also agreed with Korkal. But Valrug quickly realized that he was doing this purely to brag about himself. “I can already feel it…” Zanjin declared confidently, “Since my Blood Moon Great Sword completed its hundred-kill streak, its power has grown even stronger. These monsters on the ground have plenty of life force—perfect fuel for the sword!” As he spoke, Zanjin waved his great sword, whose handle alone was as thick as a goose egg. The blade was long, the back thick, and the edge had a graceful curve. According to Simon, this type of sword was called a “curved moon sword,” a sacred script with a difficult name. Zanjin simply called it the Blood Moon Great Sword—simple and domineering. It took over a thousand gold coins just to forge this weapon, and Zanjin adored it so much he refused to part with it even while sleeping. All the officers of Star 745 had been turned into members of the Blood Energy Party by Neo. Zanjin used the Blood Moon Great Sword, while Valrug used the Blood Fang Axe—two massive axes with a large curved blade on one side and a triangular sharp edge on the other. Each one weighed more than Zanjin’s great sword, showing just how heavy they were. Under Neo’s guidance, Valrug had completely ignored the agility and subtlety of shadow killing, focusing solely on one goal: brutality! Extreme power and a one-hit kill. Interestingly, the three axe techniques Neo had taught him were used with great skill. In Valrug’s own words, “Since there are only a few moves, I can combine them however I want. When using one of these moves, I don’t even know what the next one will be!” This unconventional and reckless use of combat techniques actually allowed him to gain unexpected advantages over his opponents. Often, he could defeat them in just a few moves. Even Green and the others said that if someone like Valrug was at the bottom, just imagine how powerful the chosen ones must be. Time slipped away quietly as both sides reacted. With more and more flares being set off, the encirclement became increasingly effective. The blood-red vortices kept strangling the insects, while those insects, under the command of the insect master, rushed frantically toward the blood-red passage, resulting in thousands of insects dying every second.

They launched flares 300 meters outside the camp in one go, but the ammunition used was nearly three times that of the previous day.
“Captain, our stock of flare ammunition is less than 1/5 left.” Upon hearing this report, Neo quickly ordered everyone to stop. Although they brought portable tools to manufacture such ammunition on this trip, the output was far too small to handle such a large-scale operation—some had to be reserved; they couldn’t just squander it all.
“Use grenade launchers to fire butterfly bombs and cover the front of the defense line from 50 to 300 meters away.”
In Aemera, it was the Dornoth dwarf tribe who excelled at using bombs, but butterfly bombs were still a new concept in this world. Originally, these vicious little devices were designed to shatter the target’s feet, scattering debris across their legs to inflict unbearable pain and impose a heavy logistical burden on the enemy. But Neo, considering that the dark forces never cared about healing their monsters, made some modifications. This was the first time they were used in actual combat, so their effectiveness remained to be tested.
In just a short while, the Dark Forces unit had assembled and begun advancing.
Compared to their previous impatience, the troops advancing this time were much more steady and organized. There were still two fronts, attacking simultaneously, with over 300 soldiers on each side.
When the Dark Forces’ battle formation reached 300 meters from the defense line, it stopped advancing. Then, a dark purple magical glow began to flicker within the formation.
“Be prepared for remote magical attacks and defend against them—get ready to counter the grenades!”
The so-called counter grenades were actually quite primitive. They contained pure light energy, which was released suddenly to consume the dark energy along its path, rather than targeting the enemy directly to neutralize it. Hence, calling them “light barrier grenades” would be more appropriate. Neo said this as a reference to their future name—fully, they should be called “Light Magic Neutralization Grenades.”
Like stones launched by a trebuchet, the dark corrosion balls released from the Dark Forces formation attacked in a parabolic trajectory, unhesitating to kill insects along the way. Over 50 of them flew in one wave, each the size of a pumpkin, scattering black debris as they flew, leaving purple trails and trailing thick smoke as they descended.
“Prepare… to launch!” These orders were given by the sergeants on the front lines. As the counter grenades rose into the air, they bloomed into brilliant white light flowers. The light wasn’t blinding, but it felt extremely intense, and the large areas of light mist it created lingered for a long time. When the dark corrosion balls passed through this area, they disintegrated significantly. Instead of exploding upon impact, they detonated earlier, creating a large area of destruction. As they continued moving forward, they turned into countless droplets of corrosive debris that made a hissing sound upon hitting the ground.
“Purify!”
The holy water used for medical purposes came in handy at this moment. Although the soldiers could barely protect themselves with shields, the entire area being corroded would cause a series of problems. Some brought out the medical holy water used for cleansing, and thus the lingering effects of the dark corrosion balls were completely eliminated.

Green and the others watched in confusion. In the past, these issues had always been resolved by mages (the Frey Radiant Church had few members), but on Star 745, they were completely self-sufficient, equipped with full offensive and defensive capabilities, and had endless tactics at their disposal—truly the nemesis of darkness!
One major problem for the dark forces was that they couldn’t see clearly what was happening at the camp. Even the people on Star 745 had to wear dark-colored goggles to maintain their vision under the conditions of numerous flares that night, let alone the dark minions who suffered from varying degrees of light blindness. For this reason, the dark commanders could only rely on the reports from two frontline monsters to understand the situation. But the insects’ reports were unreliable, and the monsters were also blind when they charged in, so they could only make assumptions, leading to a situation where each side fought on its own.
Thus, the second and third waves of Dark Corrosion Balls, deployed like regular attacks, were meant to create chaos in the attacked area in the minds of the dark commanders. Coupled with the harassment from the corrosive insects, things might already be in complete disarray. Even if there was still some defense left, it would be barely sufficient. “Full attack!” ordered the dark commander.
The dark sorcerers who cast the Dark Corrosion Balls provided dark shields for the attacking monster groups and summoned dark mist to minimize the damage from the flares. Under these conditions, the monsters launched a collective charge.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The explosions of the butterfly bombs were weak, quieter than firecrackers, and retained the characteristic of low power of genuine butterfly bombs. Concentrated elemental explosives could increase their power, but that would raise costs too much, rendering them useless. Moreover, these butterfly bombs retained another characteristic of the real ones—deviousness.
The shrapnel, or more precisely, the fragments created by holy water, used extremely brittle cast iron, meant they became highly fragmented upon explosion. Only in this way could they penetrate the monsters’ skin.
Once the shrapnel entered the body, it was hard not to die or avoid pain. As for how painful it was, only those who experienced it could truly understand. Soon, some monsters lost consciousness due to the pain and frantically fought in their most effective way—by battling.
Monsters were never kind or friendly to each other; their relationship was more like that of enemies with a common goal, relying on one another while ignoring each other’s fate. When suddenly attacked by their own kind without end, they naturally wanted to retaliate with fury. Thus, chaos began to spread through the entire formation and grew worse, no matter how much the demon handlers tried to calm things down with whistles.
The dark commander and the demon handlers couldn’t see clearly what was happening at the front line. The information they received was just a rough description of monsters going mad and causing chaos in fights. The dark commander realized it was the defenders at work but never guessed, nor could he have imagined, that it was something called a butterfly bomb causing the trouble. He thought it was some kind of spell used by the enemy. He also knew that among the mages accompanying the convoy was a woman named Elan who was skilled in mental attacks.

“Charge in!” Charm-based spells generally don’t control many targets for long. The Dark Commander believed this was one of the opponent’s last acts of resistance, giving the attackers a good chance of winning.
The monsters continued to charge, causing more victims among the butterfly bombs, with even more going mad.
“Master, the situation is getting worse!” The demon tamer was sweating profusely, his voice panicked.
“It’s fine. Keep them charging!”
“Master, many soldiers refuse to follow orders!”
“Force them! Go mad and just keep charging—victory will be ours!” The Dark Commander was determined.
Once the monsters went mad, they could no longer transmit information. After all, they were insane—how could someone with clear consciousness still be called insane? Thus, the demon tamer’s control over them ended. Those monsters would either wait for the battle to end and their madness to subside, or die in their delirium.
The demon tamer faithfully carried out the orders. Instantly, the attacking monsters became chaotic—some fighting each other, others advancing single-mindedly after receiving the final command. Backward, the dark mages continued to fire their dark corrosion balls, giving the attacking force even more pressure.
Thunder bombs, lightning bombs, and neutralizing grenades were thrown recklessly. The flamethrowers kept burning without stopping, the wind cannons operated at full power, shields crashed loudly, and people were constantly flung backward before getting up again to fight on…
Neo used battle roars repeatedly, boosting everyone’s combat strength, temporarily increasing endurance and stamina, while also elevating their morale and reducing pain…
It was a bloody battle. The defense line was forced to retreat again and again. It was the warriors and barbarian dogs working together once more to launch counterattacks, holding back the shattered defense line and pushing back the enemies. Yet they were forced to retreat again—this time led by warriors like Zangin and Valrug, with the mages providing support, stabilizing the lines once more.
When the third wave of monster attacks arrived, Neo had no choice but to use his bloodthirst skill. Instantly, everyone’s abilities surged dramatically. Green and the others had already run out of mental energy, and their use of potions had exceeded limits. With the boost from bloodthirst, they felt their mental energy rapidly regaining strength, and their bodies’ tolerance for potions increased significantly. They quickly took out more potions and fought with all their might, launching a brilliant counterattack that drove the monsters back 30 meters outside the defense line.
By then, over 70% of the corrosive insects had died. The insect masters couldn’t sense any updates and finally realized something was wrong, requesting a retreat from the Dark Commander.
The Dark Commander thought the front lines were chaotic enough, and with ground troops charging in, the confused corrosive insects would only hinder things, so he agreed to their request. At the same time, he ordered the dark mages to advance and assist in delivering the final blow.
The withdrawal of the insect swarm freed Neo from the battle. This special energy recharge finally made up for some of the losses from the Battle of Dawn, giving him the strength to fight again. His two blood whips had also become formidable—shaking with the sound of wind and thunder, and glowing like lava after being infused with blood energy, with crimson arcs flickering across their surfaces.

Neo ordered his men to fill in the gaps in the lighting with flares, while breaking through the defensive lines. The energy output of his two blood whips increased significantly; when fully charged, they transformed into giant serpents—or rather, dragons, creatures from legends of other worlds. Nancy had once mentioned them to Neo, who listened with great interest. As the desire took shape in his mind, it manifested physically, a clear sign of enhanced control over blood energy and advanced weaponry.

The monsters’ attack formation was already severely weakened. With Neo’s two blood dragons entering the fray, they became the decisive force that crushed them. The swirling blood dragons continuously drained the life force of the monsters, leaving none standing against Neo. The monsters went completely insane, running around chaotically, which not only accelerated the collapse of their formation and the death of individual monsters but also disrupted the advancing dark sorcerers. Their attack formation disintegrated suddenly, and in their desperate attempts to flee, the monsters turned on them. Caught off guard, they were slaughtered by Neo, who killed four of them quickly. The remaining dark sorcerers fled in terror, with three more being killed.

Neo did not pursue further but turned back to the other side of the battlefield. Once past the defensive lines, he unleashed his charging skill. By then, the Dark Commander had heard reports from the dark sorcerers and ordered a retreat, but Neo still pierced through their formation, killing five more dark sorcerers. Then he turned back and wiped out seven or eight of the chaotic monsters. Thus, the battle came to an end.

Leaving the Dark Commander’s miserable retreat aside, he gathered his subordinates and waited for reinforcements, planning a revenge battle before dawn.

The situation on the convoy side was equally dire. If the monsters could launch a fourth wave of attacks, they might have seized victory. Exhaustion, injuries, and the weakening effect of bloodthirst left many soldiers unable to fight, even unconscious and on the verge of death.

With such an urgent need for rescue, Green’s limited magical power was not enough to treat so many wounded. They could only be given priority care, with the rest relying on medical soldiers’ drugs and surgical treatments. Neo naturally would not stand by and watch his hard-earned subordinates die easily. He had collected plenty of life energy from the corrosive insects, and the Death Vines on the battlefield also helped absorb residual energy, providing significant support through life-based healing techniques, thus saving many soldiers’ lives.

In the final count, no more than 30 were still able to fight, provided they rested for at least eight hours. The rest had to be taken to Idara and then half-reclined on their way back to the base. Fortunately, Star 745’s invulnerable golden body remained intact, though two of its limbs were broken. Thanks to timely treatment, they were simply reattached. With enough money, they could still be active. Neo comforted them by saying, “Anything that money can solve isn’t a problem!” It might sound arrogant, but in such times, it warmed people’s hearts. Shangguan treated them like brothers, giving the soldiers confidence and hope for the future—a good sign, beneficial both for recovery and team cohesion.

The camp hadn’t been fully organized yet when Neo called on Zankin and Valrug, two guys with excess energy and strength, to take matters into their own hands. Green and the others wanted to help but were powerless. Hess advised Neo, “You yourself haven’t fully recovered. With so much work to do, just settle for whatever you can manage.” Neo ignored the advice. “On Star 745, as long as one of us is still able to move, we won’t settle for less.” Having grown up in hardship, Neo was naturally skilled at odd jobs. He wasn’t short of technique, strength, or wisdom. Under his guidance, the three of them worked quickly, their efficiency comparable to that of a dozen people working together. After over an hour of effort, the camp finally became orderly—temporary defensive barriers were built, tents were set up, and flammable and explosive items were properly handled.

Meanwhile, dinner was finally ready—a simple meal of meat stew, mashed potatoes, and bread. The sick who could eat were fed hearty meat broth, after which everyone gathered together for a communal meal.

Having survived the ordeal and achieved a great victory, though exhausted, everyone was in high spirits. They laughed and chatted while eating, creating a lively atmosphere. Even Nyi, who had been devastated by the loss of over a dozen brute dogs, felt her mood improve significantly.

The spellcasters also performed admirably—these even more obsessed magic users not only helped launch many flares but also assisted with cooking. After half a day of discussion, they took over from Green and collectively cast spells to create a well connecting to the Water Element plane. Although it ended up as a pond rather than a well, it was still a success. Moreover, since the pond was located on one side of the two defensive lines, it served as a moat, which was quite useful.

As a mage, Hess wasn’t one who craved food, but he was deeply fascinated by Star 745’s stewed meat, as well as the lifestyle there—hard and dangerous, yet highlighting the beauty of wonderful things. Compared to his past life of research and cultivation, it was more colorful, more vivid, and gave him a different kind of fulfillment.

Elan also liked Star 745’s food, though not the stewed meat, but rather the tasty snacks—dried radishes and yellow strips, which were sour and salty with a good bite. Besides these snacks, Elan loved the atmosphere on Star 745, especially during meals like this. Though rough, the open laughter, arguments, and straightforwardness gave it a rugged, authentic feel.

Babo, on the other hand, was more focused on cultivation. He seemed distracted even while eating, constantly sensing changes in his body. Based on some analytical data, the theory of cultivating during battles was feasible. Today’s tough fight also drained his mental energy, but the gains were clearly greater than those from regular target practice. This made Babo realize the importance of an element he had once ignored or even dismissed—emotion!

Like many mages, Babo had always believed that casting spells was a precise task, and extreme calmness helped improve performance. But now it seemed that view wasn’t entirely correct—casting spells also required enthusiasm and passion.

In the battles not long ago, when Simon used that blood magic technique that could draw out additional potential power from the body, Barbo clearly felt his will burning. Then, his habit of being cautious and restrained when casting spells was set aside. Overcome with enthusiasm, he used the Great Snake Flame, which he had never succeeded in using before. During the casting process, he encountered the same difficulties he had faced during previous attempts, but this time his intuition was exceptionally sharp, his inspiration abundant, and his reactions timely. He managed to overcome many obstacles in one go and successfully cast the spell. Reflecting on this experience now, it truly feels rewarding.

Ni had long known that if she joined the battle, she would inevitably face the loss of her carefully raised dogs. Other beastmasters had also advised her that it was wrong to invest too little emotion, but also wrong to invest too much. This applied to beastmasters as well as to people—how much emotion one poured in often correlated directly with the pain of loss. Therefore, one should love others while also loving oneself. Yet such things are easy to say but difficult to do. Spending day and night together, watching them grow from unsteady walkers to strong as calves, how could one not develop feelings? Even the small daily efforts add up over time.

Fortunately, though Ni was emotionally rich, her status as a mage gave her a level of rationality that most ordinary women lacked. She knew she shouldn’t indulge in sorrow at this moment, so she tried to distract herself to calm her emotions. The warm atmosphere of the meal made her feel a bit better, and eventually, her attention returned to Simon Windwalker.

Strength and wisdom, roughness and delicacy, passion and coldness, solidity and agility… Many contradictory traits were perfectly blended in this man, creating a unique charm that made Ni feel he was trustworthy and someone she wanted to be around. It was the first time in her life that she had accepted someone she had known for less than two days so quickly without feeling awkward.

At that moment, Neo wasn’t aware that despite his muscular appearance, he had still successfully captured the attention of a young woman in her twenties who still harbored youthful aspirations. He was currently discussing some practical issues with Green, stemming from Green’s concerns about the future situation.

“Although we have achieved one remarkable victory after another, we still have to face a harsh reality: more than half of our total number are wounded. This not only means reduced combat strength and labor force, as well as lower overall efficiency of the convoy, but it also means we need to assign people specifically to take care of the wounded. Under normal circumstances, we might still manage, but if another fierce battle occurs, our wounded could easily be left at the mercy of our enemies, dragging down the rest of us as well.”

Neo admitted that Green’s words were not exaggerated. The series of fierce battles since they started the mission had fully proven that the enemy had a thorough understanding of every aspect of this operation from the beginning. The team had only begun to show signs of weakness now because Star 745 had made thorough preparations, and their combat strength, from top to bottom, far exceeded the enemy’s expectations.

To expect the enemy to make repeated mistakes to help our side complete the mission is a bit too idealistic. So many monsters and dark spellcasters have died, even a high-level black magician has perished, and a high-ranking black magician has been captured—these lessons should be more than enough. Darkness doesn’t equal stupidity, and arrogance also has its limits. They’ve been hurt, so they’ll surely become more cautious.

What’s next? Neo could imagine that, whether through persistent pressure or a forceful attack, the enemy’s mindset should at least be adjusted. If they give up the idea of achieving success instantly and instead resort to despicable, forceful assaults, targeting individual objectives with concentrated high-level power—like one giant rhinoceros, then another next time—then the caravan will surely face unprecedented difficulties and crises.

“Call for reinforcements; we have to make this move!” Neo said, but his eyes sparkled with a light that didn’t match his tone.

At that moment, Green realized that the reinforcements Neo was calling for might not be ordinary at all!