Chapter 89: Swarming Clouds and Rising Storms

"All villagers, return to your homes at once and hide!"

Seeing that even the densely packed arrow towers could not hold back the endless horde of giant bees sweeping down like a storm from the sky, Jia Zhengjin’s face turned dark with urgency. Without hesitation, he barked out orders. "Town guards, arm yourselves fully and protect the villagers while they take cover. Then prepare for battle! Wolf, hurry and blow the whistle to summon the kobold force back here at once!"

"Yes!!"

Wolf and Buddy immediately sprang into action, one rushing to recall the kobold troops to the city, the other leading the town guards in shielding the panicked villagers as they fled.

"Little Gray! Take all the kobold miners who are still working and get them back into the kobold nest right now. Do not let any of them come out!"

"Aw~~"

Little Gray dashed toward the mine at once.

"Perrin! Protect Tina and get her back inside!"

"Yes!"

"Keene! What about you?" Tina asked anxiously.

"Don't worry!" Jia Zhengjin raised his shield in his left hand and spear in his right. "I’ll lead the troops and drive off this swarm!"

"Keene, I’m staying too!" Tina said nervously. "I want to fight too!"

Knowing she was worried about him, Jia Zhengjin hurried to comfort her. "Your little fireballs aren’t strong enough to hurt those giant insects. The best thing you can do is hide safely and let me fight in peace. Trust me, I promise you, nothing will happen to me!"

"But Keene..."

"Go, now!! Back to the house!!"

Reluctantly, Tina was dragged back to the residence by Perrin, who then shut the doors and windows tight. Through the cracks, she stole frightened glances outside. If Jia Zhengjin were ever in danger, she would charge out without a second thought. Of course, what she wanted most right now was for nothing terrible to happen at all.

"So many lullutos! So scary!!"

"Help!!"

"I don't want to die!"

"Run!"

"Hurry back inside! Father, quickly!"

"Son, help me up!"

"Daughter, run! Run!"

The villagers were like ants on a hot pan, utterly at a loss before the onrushing swarm.

Boom, boom~~

Using their advantage in sheer numbers to soar over the arrow towers, the giant bees blanketed the sky above the city, then plunged downward like thousands of bombers, launching their attack on the villagers below.

"You will not succeed!!"

"Clear them away!"

"The town guards know no fear!!"

"Kill!!"

Led by Buddy, the town guards fought bravely, using their bodies and swords to block the giant bees and cover the villagers’ retreat.

Thud!!

Jia Zhengjin’s great shield intercepted one giant bee falling from the sky, and his thunder spear in his right hand immediately thrust into its chest. The centipede venom took effect at once, and the giant bee crashed to the ground. He rushed forward and delivered a finishing stab to its head.

[System Message] You killed a Luluto and gained 50 experience points!

Turning his head, he saw the bard, Kiki Risimo, hurrying down from the stage with his pipe organ clasped in his arms. A giant bee dropped from above, raising its sharp tail stinger toward him.

Roar~~

Jia Zhengjin hurriedly opened his mouth and unleashed his howl skill at the bee, causing it to falter in midair. Then he seized the chance to charge in and savagely drove the thunder spear through its head.

[System Message] You killed a Luluto and gained 50 experience points!

"What are you standing there for? Get back to your house!" Jia Zhengjin shouted at Kiki. "I’ll protect you!!"

"R-right!" Kiki looked flustered and quickly hugged his instrument as he ran back toward his temporary home.

Jia Zhengjin protected him all the way, using the thunder spear in his hand to strike fiercely at every Luluto giant bee that tried to approach.

But there were simply too many of them. Little by little, Jia Zhengjin began to feel the strain. One or two were manageable, but when four or five giant bees appeared at once, he was driven to exhaustion just defending himself, with no strength left to counterattack.

"Lord Keene!" Buddy had already led the town guards in escorting the villagers safely home. Now, on his return, he saw giant bees everywhere, crazily stabbing at every building with their sharp tail stingers, not even sparing the beast pens or the triceratops and pack horses within them.

And Jia Zhengjin himself was being besieged by five giant bees, with even more closing in. He looked as if he would soon be overwhelmed.

In his anxiety, Buddy hurriedly raised his splendid sword and leaped into the air, pouring all his strength into the strike.

"Clear them away!!"

Boom, boom, boom!!

The devastating attack split the giant bees surrounding Jia Zhengjin cleanly in two.

The pressure on Jia Zhengjin eased at once, and he finally let out a breath. "Thanks!"

"No need for thanks, Lord Keene. Protecting you is the duty of a follower!" Buddy swung his splendid sword, efficiently cutting down every giant bee that tried to draw near.

With Buddy guarding him, Jia Zhengjin could finally fight without restraint, shield raised and spear in hand as he launched his counterattack.

The surrounding town guards gradually gathered back around them. Raby was using sweeping strikes to mow down enemies in clusters, while the others had yet to master the skill and could only rely on raw strength, sword in hand, to cut the bees down one by one.

The town guards were still very much a force to be reckoned with. With iron swords and a full set of iron defenses, their protection was good. So far, only one or two had suffered minor injuries, and those were merely from accidental falls and twisted ankles in the chaos of battle.

In a one-on-one fight, the giant bees were naturally no match for the town guards. But their numbers were overwhelming.

The town guards fought desperately, and though the ground was already littered with corpses, they had killed at most only a little over a hundred or two. Compared with the horrifying tide of more than ten thousand bearing down from above, the difference was absurd.

Even the town guards, Jia Zhengjin included, were already panting from the intensity of the battle. Wearing iron armor and carrying iron shields, they could endure for a short time, but over the long haul the toll on their stamina was immense.

Looking up at the giant bees that showed no sign of thinning, only growing denser as they blotted out the heavens and raged through the city, Jia Zhengjin finally felt a trace of fear well up in his heart.

Aw~~

Just as everyone was exhausted and close to collapse, on the verge of being unable to hold on any longer, a wolf’s howl reached their ears.

Wolf had finally returned with the kobold army!

The moment he arrived, Wolf rushed straight to Jia Zhengjin’s side, using his sharp claws and nimble speed to clear away the giant bees trying to close in. The kobold troops also hurried into battle at once, with heavily armored spearmen taking the front to defend while crossbowmen unleashed dense volleys from behind.

Yet the pressure did not ease in the slightest, because the giant bees were far too numerous. They were practically a terrifying army that knew no fear of death.

Jia Zhengjin looked at the troops locked in bitter combat, then lifted his gaze to the ever-increasing swarm of bees. Only then did he truly come to understand the terror of the monster forest. Against such a giant bee army, let alone himself, even that red fire-spitting giant python he had seen that day might have no way to withstand it. Faced with this horrifying swarm, it would likely be swallowed up completely as well...