Chapter 50: Pre-Battle Preparations
Chapter 50: Pre-Battle Preparations
Leon vaguely understood Velun's plan.
Fishmen tended to prey on the weak, and while they might hesitate to attack a strong human, they would eagerly charge at vulnerable women and children, howling and brandishing their weapons.
Velun intended to use the skinny Matteo as bait to lure out the fishmen from their tribe and then surround and eliminate them.
Leon nodded in agreement, finding the plan reasonable. In case of any unexpected events, they could quickly retreat.
"Why not just charge straight into the fishmen's tribe?" Leon asked.
"It's not that we can't, but fishmen have a unique survival strategy," Velun explained. "When faced with an overwhelming enemy or danger, they immediately dive into the water nearby. They either gather more fishmen for a counter-attack or hide in the water, waiting for the threat to pass."
"So, if we don't eliminate a large number of them at once, given their high reproductive rate, this area will soon be swarming with fishmen again!"
"Let's go! We'll take care of these fishmen first!" Velun was pleased with Leon's cooperative attitude and turned to the other Night Watch members. They slowly approached the fishmen, using a flanking formation.
After taking a few steps, Velun turned to Leon and said, "Leon, you can take a rest. We can handle these fishmen with our bows and arrows."
He then took down the bow and arrows from his back, gesturing to Leon.
Leon was taken aback, but quickly understood the situation. He scratched his head and smiled, "Alright, Captain Velun. I'll stand guard for you."
He had brought only the sheepskin-wrapped two-handed greatsword, not having prepared any bows or arrows for this trip.
It wasn't that Leon was being lazy; his Level 2 basic archery skills were simply not up to par.
Velun was aware of this, so he hadn't reminded Leon about it before their departure.
The primary reason, however, was that Leon wouldn't consider spending his precious skill points on improving his basic archery skills in the short term.
So, Leon hung back while the ten elite Night Watch members advanced in a semi-encircling formation. Once they were within shooting range, they nocked their arrows and took aim.
A shower of arrows flew through the air, followed by a series of thuds as the four fishmen fell to the ground.
Leon's eyes widened in realization, now understanding why Hamilton had sent the Night Watch instead of the guards or constables from Glintstone Town.
It was because of their superior archery skills!
The Night Watch's archery skills were generally more advanced than those of the town's guards and constables, making them ideal for dealing with fishmen.
Leon stepped forward to examine these fishmen, who, in Velun's eyes, lacked significant intelligence.
The fishmen were about five feet long, covered in fine, slimy scales that seemed to provide decent protection.
Their fish heads had a pair of protruding bubble-like eyes and a large mouth filled with sharp teeth, emitting a putrid stench.
Their hands and feet had webbed digits, and they wielded an assortment of weapons, mostly inferior fish spears, large knives, and short spears. None of them carried a short bow, and their equipment was rudimentary.
Leon prodded one of the fishmen with the hilt of his sword, confirming that the scales on their bodies offered protection similar to a single layer of leather armor.
Of course, if he were to strike them with his finely crafted greatsword, those scales would offer no resistance at all.
"Leon, this is the emblem of the Fiendfin Fishmen," Velun said, turning over one of the dead fishmen. "See this long dorsal fin running down its back? It's dark gray, with occasional long spines."
"Fishmen have distinct features that represent different tribes, and their strengths can vary greatly."
"For example, on the coastline near Yuhang Town, there are Blackgill Fishmen, who are stronger than the Fiendfin Fishmen."
Additionally, even among the same type of Fishmen, the strength of each tribe varies greatly."
Rain listened intently beside him, nodding from time to time.
He could tell that Captain Velen was sharing his experience.
"Let's go, we should be able to find their base soon by following the Fishmen's tracks."
Along the banks of a small river upstream from Glimmer Lake, Rain and his group followed the webbed footprints left by the Fishmen.
Before long, they discovered the tracks becoming more and more dense. Ahead, on the riverbank, stood a newly constructed camp of over ten stilt houses made of branches and thatch. The camp was bustling with numerous small, shadowy figures, clearly marking this as the 'base' of this group of Demonfin Fishmen.
Gazing at the Demonfin Fishmen tribe, numbering at least a hundred, Captain Velen frowned and said, "This tribe has relocated their entire community here. That's quite a large number!"
"I'm afraid dealing with them will be challenging, as it's quite different from what the reconnaissance report indicated."
"Captain Velen, what did the reconnaissance report say about their numbers?" Rain asked curiously.
Velen shook his head. "The report mentioned a small group of Demonfin Fishmen roaming upstream of Glimmer Lake, typically around thirty to fifty individuals. But this group here is too large; I estimate there are at least a hundred of them."
"Let's abandon the mission for now. It would be best to wait until Sir Hamilton's injuries heal, and then he can take charge." After a moment's thought, Velen frowned and spoke.
Rain looked at the display on the board, showing his Night Watch occupation level lv1 (87/100) and Grizzly Sword Technique lv2 (269/300).
Both were about to level up, and Rain felt reluctant to just turn back.
So, Rain asked again, "Captain Velen, although the number of Fishmen is large, their individual strength isn't formidable. Is there any difficulty in defeating them?"
"The issue is not just eliminating a portion of them; we aim to annihilate them as much as possible. With so many, even if we take them down one by one with arrows, it will still take some time."
Velen frowned and spoke.
"According to the original plan, you're supposed to cut off their retreat. I'm afraid the pressure on you, Rain, will be immense."
Rain, however, had a different perspective on this matter.
First, this group of Demonfin Fishmen didn't possess any ranged weapons, and his own mastery of the Grizzly Sword Technique was particularly effective in handling such group battles.
Additionally, his strength had improved since the battle with the Werewolves.
With the increase in two points of Spirit Energy, Rain could grasp more details during combat, making it less likely for him to get injured.
So, Rain smiled and said, "Captain Velen, I have confidence in myself. Let's give it a try; I don't think there will be any major issues."
Velen was taken aback when Rain volunteered himself.
But looking into Rain's eyes, he saw sincerity and no hint of jest.
Moreover, as the one bearing the most pressure in the entire operation, if Rain was willing to give it a try, it would be a blow to morale if Velen suggested abandoning the mission.
After a moment's thought, Velen patted Rain's shoulder firmly and said, "Alright! Rain, since you have the confidence, we'll give it our best shot. But remember, if we're overwhelmed, retreat immediately."
"Come on, everyone, let's set up a trap line here. If things go south, we'll pull back."
"Yes, sir!"
At Velen's command, the Night Watch members sprang into action.
In no time, they set up several traps with spikes and ropes, marking them to avoid accidental triggering by their own team.
(End of Chapter)
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