"Trouble!" Wang Yan, being the older and more experienced figure, smiled as he addressed Xu Yi.
"Heh, it's nothing," Xu Yi replied with a mocking smile. "It's my honor to serve the noble soul masters of Shrek Academy!"
His words dripped with sarcasm, full of condescension.
Ma Xiaotao's face immediately darkened, her temper rising. She had been uncomfortable since entering the camp, and now her frustration was growing with each passing moment.
"This is the information on the Death's Hand bandit group. Please take a look." Xu Yi showed no sign of caring about the visible displeasure of the Shrek group. He immediately took out a report and spread it in front of them.
The group suppressed their displeasure and began reading the intelligence.
Zhu Ziyang looked at the rudimentary and vague report, his mind in turmoil. Was this really the kind of intelligence provided by an army of five hundred thousand? Was this really what the Star Luo Empire had to offer? Was their military so decayed?
"Is there no more accurate or detailed information?" Zhu Ziyang asked, his voice steady but filled with disbelief.
Xu Yi laughed lightly, a mocking glint in his eyes. "You really are joking, aren't you? These pieces of information were bought with the lives of our soldiers. How can you say it's not accurate and detailed? Besides, you are Shrek Academy, aren't you? Do you mean to say that Shrek Academy's outstanding students aren't ready to act unless they have the perfect intel?"
Xu Yi's biting sarcasm made everyone furious, but it also made Zhu Ziyang realize something. The reason Xu Yi harbored such animosity toward them wasn't some hidden conspiracy—it was simply because he disliked Shrek Academy itself! With his royal background, it wasn't hard to understand.
Xu Yi was a zealous royalist!
"Fine then!" Ma Xiaotao, unwilling to tolerate any more, waved her hand, burning the report to ashes with a fiery burst. "Let's go!"
She led the group out of the tent, but as they were leaving, Xu Yi couldn't resist adding, "Hope to see you again!"
The group ignored his words and proceeded straight out of the camp.
Once outside the camp, they stopped to discuss their next steps. Elder Lin and Xuanzi also appeared before them. Wang Yan immediately relayed the events that had transpired in the camp.
"Heh!" Elder Lin and Xuanzi both sneered at the same time after hearing Wang Yan's account. "Don't worry about it. The mission continues. All we need to do is eliminate those bandits. As for their base, just leave it be. A bunch of foolish people, thinking that Shrek Academy's students are mercenaries?"
Upon hearing the elders' mocking tone, Dai Yaoheng instinctively felt a flush of embarrassment. As a native of the Star Luo Empire, and the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke, he felt a deep sense of humiliation.
"Xiaotao, you'll be in charge of the next operation. Wang Yan, you'll lead the pre-selection team from the rear. Elder Lin and I will act as your vanguard," Xuanzi instructed.
"Understood!" Wang Yan and Ma Xiaotao responded simultaneously.
The group made their way to the entrance of the Mingdou Mountain Range. Ma Xiaotao immediately arranged the formation. "Maintain formation. I, Zhu Ziyang, and Dai Yaoheng will be at the front, ten meters apart. The support and control types will be in the middle. Chen Zifeng and Jiang Nannan will be in charge of protection."
"Huo Yuhao, you'll be with me. Your martial soul and soul skills are suitable for scouting," Zhu Ziyang said, suddenly calling Huo Yuhao to join him at the front.
The group officially set out, with Zhu Ziyang leading Huo Yuhao at the forefront. Using Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection Sharing, he could clearly observe the terrain and the atmosphere ahead. Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yaoheng followed closely behind.
Zhu Ziyang noticed that they had entered a forest. The trees here were all a species known as Wenlan Trees. These trees thrived in shady, cold environments and were typically found in mass graves or battlefield ruins. The presence of these trees meant they were very close to the Death's Hand bandit group's stronghold.
"Stay alert!" Zhu Ziyang raised his hand, signaling the group to stop. Everyone immediately understood the order, halting and putting on their Shrek Inspection Team uniforms. They channeled their soul power, ready to act at a moment's notice.
They soon found a slope leading down to a cave entrance. A few bandits stood outside, their faces expressionless and their auras filled with the stench of death. It was clear—the cave was the bandit group's lair.
The group was excited. Ma Xiaotao gathered flames in her hands, ready to strike at any moment. Zhu Ziyang signaled Huo Yuhao to move to the rear, then released his Requiem Deathscythe. The seven members of the pre-selection team readied their positions, waiting for Ma Xiaotao's command.
"Go!" Ma Xiaotao ordered, charging forward like a rocket. She struck a bandit with a powerful blow, and the rest of the bandits were immediately alerted. But before they could react, Zhu Ziyang, Dai Yaoheng, Chen Zifeng, and Jiang Nannan launched their attacks.
Zhu Ziyang's Requiem Deathscythe blazed with a punishing light, slicing through one bandit with ease. The bright aura instantly reduced the bandit to ash.
After quickly dispatching the guards, Ma Xiaotao led the charge into the cave. Zhu Ziyang had intended to draw the bandits out first, but Ma Xiaotao acted too quickly, rushing in without waiting for the plan. Dai Yaoheng and Chen Zifeng, seeing Ma Xiaotao rush in, followed without hesitation.
Zhu Ziyang sighed and followed after them.
The cave was vast, capable of holding over a thousand people, yet it was filled with the stench of blood. The walls and columns were decorated with dried corpses of various sizes, each one more grotesque than the last. The sight made the pre-selection team's anger boil.
The bandits had gathered in the center of the cave, where a large hall could accommodate around five hundred people. At the center was a throne made entirely of human skulls. It emanated a haunting aura of at least three thousand souls.
More than three hundred bandits, including over thirty soul masters, stood in front of the skull throne. Seated upon it was a figure cloaked in black—the Messenger of Death, the leader of the Death's Hand bandits. His aura was that of a Soul Emperor, confirming his identity.
As soon as they saw the target, Ma Xiaotao was about to charge in, but Zhu Ziyang stopped her in time. They hadn't been detected yet, so they still had the advantage of surprise.
Ma Xiaotao wanted to take them by surprise, but Zhu Ziyang noticed that behind the Messenger of Death, three black-clad figures stood, their energy similar but much stronger than the Messenger's. It seemed they were in conversation with him.
Zhu Ziyang's instincts screamed danger. These three black-clad individuals were definitely not opponents they could handle.
"Ke ke ke! Some little mice have entered the hole!" One of the black-clad figures suddenly cackled, his shrill laugh causing the team to instinctively cover their ears, and they immediately fell back and prepared to act.
Once discovered, there was no reason to hold back. Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yaoheng, and Zhu Ziyang unleashed their most powerful attacks, charging into the bandit group and using large-area soul skills to wipe out dozens in an instant.
Zhu Ziyang, however, used his Silver Eye's Time Freeze and the Silver Dragon Wolf Arm's Icebound Time to freeze the enemies in time for five seconds—enough for the Shrek team to gain the upper hand. His target was clear: the Messenger of Death.
The Messenger of Death was a Soul Emperor, the minimum requirement for the God of Death assessment. He would make the perfect test target for Zhu Ziyang's assessment.
Without hesitation, Zhu Ziyang pushed forward with full force, charging straight for the Messenger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 early chapters available on Patreon: [email protected]/facficmax10