Chapter 61: Ambush

Cherished screams filled the air, accompanied by the continuous clashing of weapons. An arrow rain poured down like a storm, covering everything. Amidst the dense barrage, countless people fell, and vast amounts of blood spilled. Every arrow that struck could claim a life, and at every moment, someone died, their blood staining the ground.

The arrows whizzed through the air, embedding themselves in the ground. The trees on both sides of the valley also suffered—each one became a target, riddled with arrows. The scene resembled a hellish realm, with blood already pooling into small streams that flowed slowly. Those lying on the ground were in terrible condition; some had been reduced to piles of shredded flesh.

“Water Curtain!”
“Flames of Fury!”

The two mages, using their comrades as cover, cast spells one after another amidst the heavy arrow rain. Brilliant spells were sent to counter the incoming arrows. First was the water mage, a female mage. The fire mage, Aida, was not idle either—she unleashed “Flames of Fury,” instantly creating a wall of fire that blocked the arrows, burning them all except for a few iron-tipped arrows that fell to the ground. With fire on one side and water on the other, the situation temporarily eased.

Yet even so, they still faced attacks. After all, the two mages’ powers were limited; they couldn’t cover all directions or sustain their defenses for long. As time passed, their protection grew weaker.

“Charge! This won’t work!” People around him kept falling—soldiers from the Dark Legion and his own comrades. At that moment, Rod’s eyes turned red as he shouted loudly. With the pressure reduced and the two mages having established a defensive line, charging might be the best option.

“Charge! Let’s go together!” Ignoring the wounded who still had a faint breath, everyone rushed outward under the cover of the mages, braving the arrow rain.

With each step in the arrow storm, an innocent life was lost, dying in agony. A few remaining people protected the carriage tightly, fearing harm to those inside, as they struggled to make their way out.

“Ah…” A scream echoed. Aida beside him had accidentally been struck in the right hand by an arrow, letting out a pained cry.

An arrow shot from a high diagonal angle pierced through the defenses, rushed into the crowd, and struck Ada’s right hand. The moment her mental focus wavered, the blazing fire gradually faded away. All the attacks were deflected by the water-based magic barrier. Although it was a high-level defensive spell, it was powerless against the torrent of arrows and was shattered in no time. A mouthful of blood gushed out as the female mage Chelly collapsed to the ground due to the loss of mental strength. In an instant, another barrage of arrows struck, putting immense pressure on everyone. More and more people fell, with cries of pain echoing everywhere. The exit of the canyon! A beam of light appeared ahead, giving everyone hope. Yes, they were almost at the exit of the canyon. If only they could break free from this damned canyon, everything would be fine. With great faith and hope, everyone rushed forward with all their might. As they got closer to the exit, the intensity of the arrow rain gradually decreased, and everyone felt relieved—their judgment had been correct! “Bad! Retreat!” A loud shout from Landy stopped everyone from moving forward. Before anyone could react, just as the officer was about to get angry, a deafening explosion erupted at the entrance of the canyon. Dust filled the air, and the roar caused everyone to experience ringing in their ears. The slopes on both sides were severely shaken and began to collapse rapidly. After the dust settled, a cool breeze blew, revealing that the exit was blocked by debris, mud, and trees lying scattered everywhere. This sight plunged everyone’s spirits—like being doused with ice water in the bitter cold of winter, utter despair spread throughout their bodies. “Damn it!” They cursed silently and quickly looked behind. The arrow rain had stopped. As they exhaled in relief, they complained inwardly, unsure of what other dangers awaited them below. Looking at their group, which had originally numbered hundreds, now reduced to about half, everyone felt an overwhelming sense of heaviness. “Captain, we… Reeves, Dayek, Humphming— they’re still inside!” Looking at the desolate scene behind them, Bruce touched the wound on his arm from which blood was flowing and stepped forward to Landy, speaking in a grave voice. In this attack, over twenty members of the Swift Wind Mercenaries were reduced by six, all of whom died in this assault.

Thinking of his comrades over the years and recalling their voices and faces, Bruce’s words brought immense sorrow to everyone.
“Who is it? Come out!” At the same time, the officer from the Dark Legion shouted frantically into the empty valley, drenched in sweat.
“Who… who?” The echo filled the valley, conveying a sense of desolation.
“The one who wants your lives. Hmph, hand over the people in that carriage if you value your lives. Otherwise…”
After a moment, a cold and sinister voice was heard. Soon after, amidst chaotic noises, no less than a hundred men in black appeared on the slopes on either side of them. Each of them wore black cloaks covering their faces, making it impossible to see their expressions.
“Who are you? Why are you attacking us?” The officer from the Dark Legion asked in a calm voice after taking a deep breath.
“We’re just doing what we’ve been entrusted to. The Dark Legion? Heh, nothing more than that. If you want to live, hand over the carriage and its occupants. Then you can leave!” One of the men in black stepped forward, surveyed the situation, nodded in satisfaction, and spoke indifferently.
This response wasn’t surprising to anyone. After all, such an ambush and attack method couldn’t be carried out by ordinary bandits or assassins—it must have been planned by a powerful mercenary organization. It was clear that someone behind the scenes had invested heavily in this operation.
“You know who we are and still dare to act like this. Isn’t the person behind this afraid of our revenge?”
With a cold sneer, the officer from the Dark Legion snapped angrily. His military instincts refused to let him bow his head; he demanded to stand tall.
“Want us to hand over the people? No way. If you want to kill us, do it—no more talk!”
With a cold roar, Rod shouted loudly. The disappointment of his comrades and the bloodshed had filled him with hatred. The comrades who died earlier were good people. He had become close to them in just a few days—how could he possibly leave them like this without feeling upset?
“It seems there’s no point in talking. Kill them!” Hearing Rod and the officer’s words, the men in black fell silent for a moment before giving a cold order. Immediately, they rushed down the slopes.
Thus, a fierce battle began.