Hearing this laughter, Yu Ming’s eyes brightened. She opened her mouth as if to shout something, then stopped.

The dwarf only felt the voice was strange—a woman’s voice that sounded far away. While shrinking into the box cabinet under the crossbow cart, he widened his eyes looking around, trying to find the enemy’s trail.

But he wasn’t too nervous, because he didn’t hear sounds of large cavalry arriving. Even if reinforcements had come, their numbers were limited. He didn’t believe any army encountering the Madam’s peculiar and eerie forces for the first time could fare well.

But he discovered no changes. That laugh seemed like mere illusion.

The dwarf sneered and hid in the bottom box. The lower half of this crossbow cart had wheels and mechanisms that could slide short distances under the dwarf’s control. Only these dwarfs were most familiar with the various “artillery” on the crossbow cart.

There were conventional crossbow bolts of different models and purposes, arrows that could fire backward, ejectable heavy hammers for sieging cities, ejectable barbed nets, reserve poison smoke and gunpowder, hidden weapon compartments in the four corners… Any conceivable attack was available here. All the master control mechanisms were in the bottom box under the cart’s lower half, controlled by these specially trained dwarfs. Only they could hide in that cramped space and find the correct controls among those similarly-looking iron arms and buttons. Normal people would be useless even if they came—these crossbow carts couldn’t be operated by others even if abandoned and captured on the battlefield. Violent dismantling would cause explosions. One such crossbow cart cost almost incalculable amounts of money.

The dwarf felt that such crossbow carts, never before seen in Dahuang, combined with the army of strange people never before seen in Dahuang, would make the Madam invincible—this was completely undisputable.

He imagined himself driving this crossbow cart across the battlefield, crushing batches of fierce generals and soldiers under his wheels, breaking their healthy limbs, listening to their groans and screams under his feet. His whole body’s blood seemed to suddenly surge with excitement, steaming and about to boil. His eyes flashed with bloodthirsty light.

The more excited he became, thinking of that commander still on the half-tree, he creakingly operated the crossbow cart, turned direction, and charged fiercely at the tree.

With a thunderous crash, that half-tree also fell down. Yu Wuse screamed, and Yu Ming shouted from the other side: “Hold onto your father!”

Yu Wuse cursed while saying, “He’s wearing armor, he definitely won’t die, I don’t care!” while lunging over to search for Ying Bai among the chaotic leaves. When this tree fell it was also caught by nearby trees. Yu Wuse felt Ying Bai’s slightly damp clothes corner and quickly felt around his back, then suddenly froze.

“You… you’re not wearing inner armor…” he stuttered, frantically feeling for Ying Bai’s breath.

The dwarf laughed heartily while operating the crossbow cart, stopping under the tree. He activated mechanisms—with a click, a tube at one corner of the crossbow cart suddenly shot an arrow that became a fire arrow the moment it left the tube, shooting straight up.

Above were all branches and leaves. Fire arrows would ignite immediately upon contact. That arrow came ferociously, breaking branches and leaves all the way, igniting deep red fire lines. Though it finally got caught by tree forks and lost momentum, the surroundings had already caught fire.

“Bastard!” Yu Wuse cursed while taking off his clothes to beat the fire, desperately trying to move Ying Bai’s body. “Why are you so heavy! Are you dead or what, why so heavy! Dad! Dad! Damn it, say something! What’s the point of you lying here dead? Dad!”

That voice mixed with crackling burning sounds, whether from smoke or something else, seemed to carry broken tones and sobs.

Yu Ming on the other tree was heartbroken, anxious, and sad, shouting: “Hurry up! What are you dawdling for! Come down quickly!”

“I can’t drag him down!” Yu Wuse really cried this time, crying while beating flames. Tufts of his hair turned to ash and fell on his face, then washed by tears into black streaks.

Yu Ming was stunned, irritably and painfully grabbing her own hair. She couldn’t not save Ying Bai, but she also couldn’t let her son die in the fire trying to save him. She struggled to turn around on the tree, looking around bewildered—where was that laughter? Where was that laughter?

That was her only hope now, but why was there no sound now?

A large group of soldiers rushed over to climb trees—some to rescue her, some to rescue Ying Bai and Yu Wuse. Someone was shouting for Yu Wuse to quickly jump down first, but that kid made no sound, only the mad beating and tree-chopping sounds of banging and cracking could be heard.

The dwarf laughed heartily under the tree, his voice full of pleasure—he liked such scenes, liked seeing life and death partings, liked seeing happy people separated, liked seeing all despair and helplessness. This made him feel that he wasn’t the only miserable one in this world—there would be others to accompany his misery, making him feel that those dark years trapped growing up in a three-foot square box would have others to sink with him.

He cackled with laughter, thinking these people’s military morale was already in chaos. Next, gather people together for another charge, and the battle situation would be decided.

Winning this battle, perhaps the Madam would grant medicine to make him grow taller…

He cackled while pushing the crossbow cart around. Turning back, he suddenly saw a slope had appeared before him.

Looking carefully, it wasn’t a slope but a triangular wooden board made into a slide-like thing, slightly higher on one end for sliding down. The sliding surface wasn’t short—several zhang long. It looked like a wooden small hill had suddenly appeared.

The bottom box had observation holes to see outside scenery. He stared at the slide in amazement, not understanding how this thing had suddenly appeared.

Then he sneered mockingly—what was this? Caltrops? Road barrier? Thinking he drove a sledge and putting such a thing on the road would definitely stop him?

Let these country bumpkins witness the magic of the Madam’s crossbow cart!

He pulled up several iron bars from the cart’s bottom. Immediately the wheels retracted and steel rods ejected, extending beyond the original wheeled height and gradually exceeding the slide’s height. The dwarf pulled a mechanism, tilting the cart forward thirty degrees to reach the high end of the slide. Then pressing the trigger, the steel rods retracted, wheels ejected, and the cart began sliding down the slide.

The dwarf laughed heartily, thinking those who set the road barrier must be gaping in amazement—such ingenious design existed in the world!

The slide wasn’t low and was very long. The crossbow cart was heavy, so naturally gained speed sliding down. Wind whooshed past his ears. The dwarf suddenly felt something wrong.

Sliding down at such speed toward his own camp’s direction—he mustn’t crash into other crossbow carts or companions.

But this crossbow cart could adjust direction, so he wasn’t urgent. He reached to feel for the direction adjustment trigger.

Just then, he heard that giggling laugh again.

The same female voice from before!

Slightly hoarse, soul-stirring and seductive, a woman’s voice.

Different from before—previously that voice was far away, so distant it seemed unthreatening. But now, this voice was right behind him!

The dwarf’s soul fled in terror. He immediately tried to turn his head, but before his body moved, he felt sharp pain in his back.

Familiar sensation told him a blade was now piercing through the bottom box’s gap, pressed against his back.

His whole body stiffened. In the stuffy bottom box, sweat slowly seeped from his head.

Someone was behind him.

But how did this person appear?

When he went uphill just now, there was no one behind him. Everyone was either rescuing people or fighting. Within several zhang radius he saw no figures. Then the crossbow cart slid down rapidly—in that half-eyeblink’s time, how could a person leap several zhang and suddenly appear behind him?

A ghost?

He dared not turn back, dared not move. The box door was closed. He could only feel the diving, rapid diving, faster and faster diving toward his own camp… Wind howled, light and shadow flew past the observation hole. He suddenly felt dizzy, as if riding a death cart at lightning speed to catch up with the hell abyss ahead…

“Giggle giggle giggle.” Low, pleasant laughter came from behind him, sounding more joyful than his earlier laughter. But cold sweat broke out on his back, and for the first time in his life he felt “this person seems even more terrifying than the Madam…”

He sweated in fear inside while outside soldiers were already stunned.

Looking up, they suddenly saw a speeding crossbow cart.

Behind the cart was another person.

A woman.

Hands supporting the crossbow cart, feet standing on something long and flat like a sled, that thing hung on the crossbow cart, effortlessly following the cart’s slide. The downward speed and wind made her bright red gold-embroidered cloak and black long curly hair fly up behind her, fluttering like the first rainbow crossing the sky at dawn.

From afar, the crossbow cart charged ahead while she supported and followed from behind, as if she drove the cart flying, about to fly into the battle group the next moment.

Ahead, thick fog suddenly dispersed, dawn was bright, sky light blazed clearly, flashing on her forehead and cheeks. She looked like descending from clouds, then carrying this human war machine, breaking through thousands of troops and horses, rushing to the universe’s end.

Too fast—everyone actually couldn’t see her face clearly, but all Hawksbill soldiers were already shouting loudly: “Your Majesty!”

Yu Ming had been rescued by soldiers, standing up joyfully supporting a soldier’s shoulder. She first looked back, and after looking for a long time saw no army, then looked back at Jing Hengbo, couldn’t help being amazed—Jing Hengbo came alone?

A dignified queen, single-handedly rushing to aid?

What use was one person? She wasn’t a fierce warrior who could single-handedly match ten thousand troops.

Yu Ming felt that in this world, no one could possibly single-handedly resolve all these damned various monsters and terrifyingly functional crossbow carts.

Her face turned pale, couldn’t help cursing: “Reckless! Reckless! Do you think you’re a goddess! If you die here, the entire Cross Halberd Army will be ruined!”

She was annoyed, but Jing Hengbo’s laughter sounded as relaxed as going on a spring outing: “Dear darlings, all scatter! Scatter!”

Soldiers immediately abandoned their opponents and scattered with a roar—everyone knew their queen was different, their queen had her own mysteries, their queen would have many strange orders and ideas, but no matter how strange, she was definitely right.

The battle group on Xu Pingran’s side had originally regathered under the dwarf crossbow cart controller’s summons. Those numb clusters of sword-qi people moved, revealing the silver crossbow carts they’d been protecting, lined up in a row.

Originally these crossbow carts were to strike the Cross Halberd Army, but suddenly all these people fled, leaving the crossbow carts standing alone on the battlefield.

As soldiers scattered, a white shadow flashed from Jing Hengbo’s shoulder, pouncing toward those beast-people and sword-people.

“Feifei, go seduce them properly!” Jing Hengbo rode the sliding board, laughing loudly. “I’ll handle the crossbow carts!”

In her laughter, the crossbow cart charged faster and faster, reaching the slope’s bottom, charging straight at the foremost other crossbow cart.

Sword-people naturally didn’t know to move. Beast-people were already attracted by Feifei. Dwarfs in crossbow carts hadn’t reacted yet. Even if crossbow carts were agile, turning around wasn’t so easy.

“BOOM!”

The sound of crossbow carts colliding was like an earthquake. Smoke rose, collision loud, and in the smoke came bang bang bang continuous sounds with vague muffled screams.

The crossbow cart Jing Hengbo followed, having gone through a slope section, gained acceleration that made its destructive power far exceed other carts, actually smashing three carts before stopping.

Dwarfs hiding in bottom boxes couldn’t withstand such violent shaking—some died directly from shock, some fainted, the lightest had blood flowing from seven orifices.

Worse, the four crossbow carts after severe shaking and collisions caused by dwarfs’ death and unconsciousness in bottom boxes triggered most mechanisms.

Immediately around the four crossbow carts, fire arrows shot continuously, poison smoke rolled, and various weapons stored in the carts all greeted that group of zombie-like sword-people.

“Bang.” An ejected siege hammer hit a sword-person’s chest. That sword-person who didn’t know to dodge had his chest cave in and fell silently.

“Hiss.” A large mass of blue fine needles shot out. Wherever they passed, sword-people fell in large numbers.

“Poof.” A yellow smoke jet sprayed out, trailing a long yellow line in the air. Where the yellow line reached, sword-people softened like noodles row by row.

As for other sword-people shot, smashed, or crashed to death, each died lightly and fell silently. Half were gone in the blink of an eye.

Scattered soldiers nearby were dumbfounded—too subversive. Previously when that group was together, they were comparable to peerless sword immortals. That gathered sword qi shot up to rainbows—even Ying Bai couldn’t resist. How did these sword immortals suddenly become rotten noodles?

Jing Hengbo, who had already dodged away, giggled: “As expected.”

Since receiving that mysterious letter, she’d been pondering ways to deal with these types of things. There were absolutely no perfect species in this world. Moreover, species particularly powerful in one aspect must be particularly poor in another—this was heavenly law, not to be violated.

Often the most powerful aspects hid the most fragile weaknesses. From the letter’s information, those sword-people appeared in groups, bodies full of sword qi, whole persons like swords, needing no moves or actions—just walking forward could kill.

Seemed awesome, but thinking again—needing no actions, couldn’t they do actions? What did that indicate? Stiffness, no reaction ability.

Sword-qi-like bodies—if bodies became containers storing sword qi, they must be fragile. Strong physiques couldn’t allow sword qi to penetrate bodies, making people thin as swords.

So these people appeared in groups, with gathered sword qi quite amazing. Under such sword qi protection, no attacks could harm them.

Once in single combat, if opponents’ attacks exceeded their sword qi… they were doomed.

Like famous swords meeting ordinary refined iron daggers—naturally cut in two.

Now, to expose crossbow carts for attack, these sword-people scattered. The four crossbow carts’ collision causing continuous mechanism firing immediately killed a large batch of these physically fragile sword-people.

Jing Hengbo laughed heartily: “Separate them! Five people handle one, don’t approach their bodies, use long weapons to hit them!”

Soldiers received orders, formed small teams and pounced, each dealing with sword-people.

Jing Hengbo flashed continuously, pouncing toward those crossbow carts—previously lined up to unleash killers on this side, now due to that cart’s collision and various weapon shock attacks, dwarfs in other carts were turning directions, trying to preserve themselves first.

Let these carts turn and release various weapons on clustered soldiers—soldiers would inevitably get injured. Dwarfs hiding in bottom boxes, no one could harm them. These dwarfs were planning exactly this.

Most destructive was poison smoke. Dwarfs opened poison smoke mechanisms one after another—brass tubes extended, about to spray gas, waiting for batches of soldiers to die.

They faced different directions, calculating no one could simultaneously destroy mechanisms. Once poison smoke released, nearby areas would all be affected.

Unfortunately, Jing Hengbo came.

She carried a bag of stones, flashed above, and threw with both hands.

Stones in the bag floated up, whistling out with continuous clapping sounds. Rolling crossbow carts suddenly stopped.

Kicking and struggling sounds came from carts, then bottom boxes banged open. Dwarfs rolled out with yellow smoke, lying on ground gasping.

Above, brass tubes releasing poison smoke were all embedded with stones of various sizes.

Stones blocked smoke tubes, so poison smoke naturally flowed back. Bottom boxes were narrow—dwarfs got quite a taste.

Jing Hengbo waved her hand. Soldiers came to capture these dwarfs.

Suddenly white shadow flashed. Feifei gracefully leaped from her side toward the swamp direction, fluffy snow-white big tail brushing her cheek, leaving a faint musky scent.

Then ground shook, foul wind hit faces. That large group of half-human half-beast monsters charged from all sides. Soldiers were startled, wanting to rush protect Jing Hengbo. Jing Hengbo smilingly waved, standing motionless at swamp shore.

Those monsters charged wildly, claw tips flashing black light in midair, fiercely pouncing at Jing Hengbo…

Soldiers were so frightened they closed their eyes. Before they could imagine scenes of claws injuring people and blood spattering, someone exclaimed.

Opening eyes again, they saw the queen standing smilingly at swamp edge. Behind her, swamp mud churned. That group of thick-clawed monsters leaped high, grazed past her side, and pounced toward… the swamp.

Above the swamp, a tiny shadow leaped and dodged. Mud splashed all around, occasionally revealing extremely long limbs—boneless people discovering targets, wanting to strangle that small thing.

Feifei was agile as a cat, lightly avoiding those killers, heading toward swamp depths. The snow-white big tail swished in the dark background.

Beast-people’s gazes were straight, as if led by ghosts, following and pouncing toward the swamp.

At swamp edge, figures sank down one by one.

Soldiers stared dumbfounded, watching those just-now fierce monsters that had left them helpless unquestionably sink deeply into mud.

Like sacrificial offerings, rushing to enter the land of death.

Mindless half-human half-beast bodies struggled and roared in mud, irritably fighting. The more they struggled, the deeper they sank; the more they fought, the faster they died. Soon above the swamp, a large patch of mud bubbles appeared.

Jing Hengbo stood smilingly at shore, watching those monsters gradually disappear under mud, her eyes holding both pity and disgust.

For such monsters, perhaps death was their better destination.

But those who should die more weren’t them, but those who created them through cruel means.

Behind her soldiers shouted: “Queen be careful, don’t get too close to the swamp! There are monsters in the swamp too!”

Someone rushed to pull her.

Ahead in the swamp, black mud bubbled. Countless boneless people saw her—this type of monster had the highest intelligence among the three types. Sensing she was the main figure, they all charged at her.

Above the swamp, in black mud, those gaunt bodies straightening up and charging looked like a group of cobras raising heads to devour people.

Their raised upper bodies were skeletal in the morning’s mottled sunlight.

Jing Hengbo stared at those people’s movements. When hunting, they indeed moved like snakes—gliding close to ground, suddenly crouching, then bouncing high.

A smile appeared at her lips. She gently pushed away soldiers who kindly pulled her and bravely rushed before her to block attacks for her.

She said lightly: “Come, let’s watch a magic trick.”

In that sentence, those boneless people had slid to within one zhang of her.

They crouched down. Next moment would be ground-level sliding, then bouncing up to entangle Jing Hengbo.

Soldiers’ foreheads had sweat—the queen could completely avoid, but she insisted on standing at this swamp’s very edge facing these monsters. These monsters had surrounded several zhang around her. Once they pounced together, with those monsters’ incredibly strong lower limbs and elasticity, no one could contend with them in an instant, much less the queen alone.

Why so bold?

Boneless people crouched in mud, long bodies full of sludge. Only pairs of eyes with much white and little black could be seen, glowing dimly in the darkness. They made hissing low sounds from their lips, trembling slightly. All around, broken leaves rustled from resonance, and the swamp seemed to wrinkle endlessly from trembling.

Next moment, they would pounce.

The next moment, Jing Hengbo suddenly turned around.

The instant she moved, the boneless people bounced up in unison, tremendous force at their waists, black mud splattering everywhere, like streaks of black lightning pouncing at her from all directions.

However, at the moment she turned, everyone saw she was dragging something behind her.

It was a thick, long rope.

It seemed that on the path she had just walked, this rope had already been quietly left behind—one end in her hand, the other extending to the battlefield’s far end. The rope was very long. When she walked to the swamp shore, the rope she dragged behind had circled half the entire battlefield.

This turn tightened the rope like a long arc, stretching taut across the entire battlefield.

The boneless people pouncing forward hit the rope at that instant, like birds suddenly striking aerial wire. Their bodies rushed forward while their heads jerked back, then with unified muffled sounds, they fell heavily back into the swamp.

But boneless people had soft bodies after all. Though this collision left them dizzy and dazed, it caused no fatal injury. In the blink of an eye, they all emerged from the mud again.

Everyone thought she was just briefly blocking them to buy time for escape.

But Jing Hengbo didn’t escape.

She shook the rope in her hand, and it suddenly came alive, dancing nimbly.

Initially just slight swaying, then the swaying amplitude grew larger and larger. The rope danced like a mad serpent, a hunting whip, countless shadows flashing across the battlefield.

Those boneless people had just emerged when they were struck by the rope. With a crisp “crack,” that person’s head drooped to one side and moved no more.

Jing Hengbo alone dragged a long rope, pacing at the swamp’s edge. The rope transformed endlessly in her hands—like a long whip striking people, like a nimble snake coiling, like a dragon turning over. Every movement claimed a boneless person’s life.

She was so nimble and graceful, her figure elegant, long dress flowing, making killing movements as beautiful as dance. In the soldiers’ eyes, she truly seemed like a goddess now.

Feifei emerged from the mud again, lightly jumping to her shoulder. The fluffy big tail swayed behind her, adding a touch of nimble white decoration to her dance. That person and fox were like fairies walking out of myth.

In just moments, the swamp completely quieted, without the slightest sound.

Jing Hengbo withdrew her hand, the rope falling softly. She smiled lightly, saying to everyone around: “Good show.”

Soldiers’ blood boiled as they shouted loudly: “Long live the Queen! Long live the Queen!”

Yu Ming watched dumbstruck, stammering after a long while: “How are you… so formidable? This… this was too fast!”

Jing Hengbo smiled slightly, gently stroking Feifei’s head. Feifei narrowed her eyes, making purring sounds.

“These monsters seem powerful but all have fatal weaknesses,” she explained. “Sword-people have fragile bodies—once scattered, they’re easily defeated. Beast-people lack intelligence and are easily lured. Though boneless people are agile, their necks are their vital point—once struck, they die immediately.”

She paused, cold light flashing in her eyes: “Most importantly, know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated. I learned their weaknesses from the letter long ago.”

Yu Ming suddenly understood, then looked worriedly toward the burning trees: “How are Ying Bai and the others?”

Jing Hengbo looked up and saw Yu Wuse carrying Ying Bai down from the tree. Though disheveled, they both seemed alive.

“Don’t worry, they’re all fine,” she said softly. “However, we need to leave here quickly.”

“Why?” Yu Ming didn’t understand.

Jing Hengbo pointed to the distance: “Because the real enemy hasn’t arrived yet.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a mass of black figures suddenly appeared on the distant horizon—a huge army racing toward them.

Banners flying, war drums thundering, with tremendous momentum.

Jing Hengbo narrowed her eyes, carefully identifying the markings on those banners.

“It seems,” she said slowly, “Xu Pingran has finally made her move.”