Chapter 197: Arriving at the Grey Dwarf Oasis, Compound Element · Sandstorm Element Spirit
The venomous sun scorched the desert.
The air shimmered under the high temperature, appearing slightly distorted from a distance.
Three thousand humans marched over the sand dunes, their feet sinking deep and then shallow into the desert ground, their pace not particularly fast.
Tang Zheng and Alar walked at the very front, stopping every so often to observe their surroundings.
"Let your tribesmen rest for now," Tang Zheng said to Alar beside him, standing atop a sand dune and gazing at the endless yellow desert in the distance.
"This is the third time we've rested. We can keep moving. We've always lived in the desert and are long accustomed to this environment. We don't need to rest for so long."
Hearing this, Alar tightened her grip on the silver-white spear in her hand and spoke.
"We still have more than two days of travel ahead. There's no rush. Preserving Stamina is the most important thing."
Tang Zheng shook his head expressionlessly, glancing at the three thousand humans behind them before speaking coolly.
The three great oases.
The oasis where the Half-Orcs reside is closest to Shadow Valley, followed by the Dwarf Oasis, with the Human Oasis being the farthest.
As for the oasis of the Gray Dwarf Race, it was about a three-day journey from the Human Oasis.
Of course!
This was under normal circumstances. A force of 3,000 humans might seem large, but in reality, most of them were ordinary people.
A long trek was a significant drain on Stamina, especially in the sweltering heat of the desert during the day.
The water they carried was also being consumed at a problematic rate.
"We will rest this time until nightfall. From now on, we rest during the day and travel at night," Tang Zheng said to Alar again.
Tang Zheng had never led an army before, which caused him to overlook many problems. Fortunately, with Alar around, no major issues arose.
In fact, Tang Zheng learned quite a bit during this process.
"Travel at night?"
Alar was stunned for a moment, then her eyes lit up as she immediately realized it was a good idea.
"I understand, Lord Hero."
After relaying the order, Alar quickly returned to Tang Zheng's side, an expectant look on her face, asking for advice on training techniques for martial arts.
Time passed bit by bit, and night began to fall.
Their rest over, the three thousand invigorated humans began to set out once more.
Without the influence of the scorching sun, the group's movement speed was clearly more than a notch faster.
The next two days of the journey passed without any unexpected incidents.
Although there were some relatively powerful monsters in Despair Valley, they were scattered across the vast desert, making an encounter with them no simple matter.
Cold, white moonlight spilled across the desert.
A ten-man Grey Dwarf squad, pulling a heavy wooden cart, was stopped in a flat area of the desert.
Five of the Grey Dwarves were sound asleep around the wooden cart, while the other five yawned, occasionally raising their heads to look around warily.
They were the very Grey Dwarf squad sent by the Forging Minister to the Human Faction.
The Legion was utterly defeated!
The fact that they were now forced to deliver a weapon as an apology to the lowly humans they usually despised made the perpetually proud Grey Dwarves feel utterly dejected.
No one was in the mood to talk or laugh.
Just as several of the Grey Dwarves were nodding off, a sharp cry suddenly rang out.
"Earth Charge!"
The next moment!
A brilliant yellow figure appeared before the vigilant Grey Dwarves. A sweep of a spear sent one of them flying.
"Enem—" a Grey Dwarf shrieked in terror, but before he could finish, a silver-white spear had already swung, killing him in a single blow.
In the space of a single breath.
Alar had already dealt with two of the sentries. Just as she was about to slay the third...
Streaks of cold light flashed through the air.
Whether it was the Grey Dwarves on watch or those startled from their sleep, all were slain by these cold flashes of light.
Tang Zheng stood beside the wooden cart laden with weaponry. He glanced at its contents, flicked the blood from his greatsword with his right hand, and lifted a survivor he had intentionally left alive.
"So strong... As expected of you, Lord Hero."
Alar stopped her readied silver-white spear, looking at Tang Zheng with admiration.
She had only managed to take down two Grey Dwarves; Lord Hero had already eliminated all the rest.
"Human... Human, don't kill me!"
"We came to sue for peace," the sole Grey Dwarf survivor cried out in terror.
"Sue for peace?" Hearing this, Alar's tan cheeks tightened, and her silver eyes flashed with anger.
"So many of our tribesmen died at your hands, and now you speak of peace!"
"If not for Lord Hero's arrival, all of us would already be dead at your hands!"
Faced with Alar's furious questioning.
The Grey Dwarf's grayish-white beard trembled nonstop as he looked in terror at Tang Zheng, who held him aloft.
This was the mysterious person who had crushed their Legion, and he was actually a human!
It's over!
Our people are in danger!
The Grey Dwarf's terror intensified. They had been dispatched to the Human Oasis not only to deliver the weapon and sue for peace but, more importantly, to ascertain if the mysterious powerful individual was of the human race and to gauge his attitude.
And now, with him appearing here, the answer was self-evident.
"We Grey Dwarves are willing to cooperate with you humans! We can help you forge weapons exclusively for human use..." the Grey Dwarf shouted in terror, struggling all the while.
"Alar, arrange for some people to check if there are any other Grey Dwarves in the vicinity," Tang Zheng said, turning to Alar beside him.
"Yes, Lord Hero."
Alar shot a resentful glance at the Grey Dwarf in Tang Zheng's grasp before nodding quickly and hurrying away.
After Alar had left.
[Charm Species]
A glint of magic power flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes, and an invisible mental wave instantly flooded into the mind of the Grey Dwarf before him.
"Tell me everything about the Grey Dwarves' situation," Tang Zheng asked, his gaze cold.
Under the influence of the charm.
This Grey Dwarf poured out everything he knew in one go.
Tang Zheng deliberately asked for information regarding Rune Craft. According to the dwarf's account, Rune Craft had nearly been lost following the fall of the Gray Dwarf Kingdom 50 years ago.
Among the new generation of Grey Dwarf artisans, there was no one left who had mastered Rune Craft. However, the Forging Minister, a minister of the kingdom, still possessed this knowledge.
After learning all this information,
Tang Zheng applied a slight pressure with his palm, crushing the Grey Dwarf's neck.
After completely dealing with the Grey Dwarf squad, the Human Faction began to march again. Finally, late on the night of the third day, they arrived at a position about a kilometer away from the Grey Dwarf Oasis.
Swoosh!
The Evil Spirit Hound, transformed into a goshawk, shot into the sky and circled above the Grey Dwarf Oasis.
After a careful observation.
The Evil Spirit Hound flew back down from the sky, landing on Tang Zheng's shoulder.
The humans, lying prone on the sand, watched Tang Zheng at the very front, their bodies tensed and ready for orders.
They would charge the Grey Dwarf Oasis at a moment's notice.
"Everyone, rest well tonight. Tomorrow is the true decisive battle against the Gray Dwarf Race!" Tang Zheng turned to face the gazes fixed on him, his tone serious.
The group had traveled all night and their Stamina was severely depleted. This was clearly not a suitable time to start a war with the Grey Dwarves, especially since the Gray Dwarf Race preferred to be active at night.
Tang Zheng had brought the three thousand humans here with the primary goal of preventing the Gray Dwarf Race from escaping.
If their population of over fifteen thousand were to scatter over a wide area, even Tang Zheng wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Do as he says!" Alar added immediately, a look of excitement flashing in her bright silver pupils.
It wasn't just Alar who was excited; all members of the Human Faction were filled with a mixture of nervousness and thrill.
In this unique atmosphere of silence, suppression, and excitement, most of them only began to feel drowsy as dawn broke.
On a small sandy slope.
Tang Zheng gazed at the oasis in the distance. Its overall area seemed a size larger than the oasis inhabited by the humans.
At this moment!
Around this oasis, a considerable number of Grey Dwarves could be clearly observed.
"Lord Hero, should we wake them now?" Alar approached with light steps, glancing nervously in the direction of the Gray Dwarf Race as she spoke in a low voice.
"No rush. Let them sleep."
Tang Zheng looked up at the sky and said coolly.
"Lord Hero intends to make a move at high noon," Alar said, quickly grasping Tang Zheng's intention.
Staring at the Grey Dwarf Oasis ahead.
Tang Zheng suddenly asked, "The Gray Dwarf Race lives underground, right?"
"That's right."
Alar's expression turned serious, and she quickly replied, "Most Grey Dwarves dislike being active during the day; they even hate sunlight. Even with the cover of trees in the oasis, they build their dwelling caves underground."
This was also the most troublesome part.
Alar's brow furrowed, seeming to find the situation extremely tricky.
The underground environment was a complex labyrinth that not even the Grey Dwarves themselves knew completely, let alone outsiders. Once they entered, there was a high probability of the entire army being wiped out.
Faced with such a troublesome situation.
A smile appeared on Tang Zheng's face instead. "In that case, it's actually much simpler."
"Huh?" Alar looked up at Tang Zheng, her face full of confusion.
Time quickly passed, and soon it was noon.
The large number of Grey Dwarves who were originally on the outskirts of the oasis had disappeared, leaving only squads of twenty Grey Dwarf soldiers patrolling the perimeter.
"It's time to make our move."
Tang Zheng reached out and patted the Evil Spirit Hound on his shoulder.
Whoosh!
With a beat of its wings, the Evil Spirit Hound immediately soared into the air, flying towards the sky above the oasis to act as his eyes.
"Third-tier Magic: Compound Elemental Summoning!"
The magic power within Tang Zheng surged. He raised his arm, aimed forward, and activated the [Mad Mage]'s passive ability, Element Conversion.
"Sandstorm Element Spirit!"
(end of chapter)