The guard squad moved swiftly through the forest, maintaining their formation as they approached the location Zhou Bai had indicated.
As they got closer, they could hear sounds of combat – human shouts and the growls of magical beasts.
Zhou Zhengping raised his hand, signaling the squad to halt.
“Li Xingteng, take three men and circle around to the left. I’ll take the rest and approach from the right. We’ll coordinate our attack.”
Li Xingteng nodded and selected his men. The two groups split up, moving carefully through the trees.
Soon they could see the situation clearly.
Seven survivors – four men and three women – were trapped in a small clearing, surrounded by six large, wolf-like creatures with shadowy black fur and glowing red eyes.
“Shadow Demon Dogs,” Zhou Zhengping muttered, recognizing the creatures from the system’s bestiary. “Level 3 magical beasts. Dangerous in packs.”
The survivors were clearly exhausted, wielding makeshift weapons and barely holding the creatures at bay. One man was already injured, blood seeping through his torn shirt.
Zhou Zhengping made quick hand signals to Li Xingteng’s team, then raised his spear.
“On my signal… NOW!”
The guard squad burst from the trees with a coordinated battle cry.
The Shadow Demon Dogs, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of 20 armed warriors, hesitated for a crucial moment.
That hesitation cost them dearly.
Zhou Zhengping’s spear found the throat of the nearest demon dog, while Li Xingteng’s team struck from the opposite side.
The guards had trained together for only a short time, but their coordination was impressive. They moved in pairs, one guard distracting a demon dog while his partner struck from the side.
The battle was fierce but brief. The Shadow Demon Dogs were formidable opponents, but they were outnumbered and outmaneuvered.
Within minutes, all six creatures lay dead.
“Is everyone alright?” Zhou Zhengping called out, checking his men first.
Two guards had minor scratches, but nothing serious. The leather armor had done its job well.
Li Xingteng was already tending to the survivors.
“Thank you! Thank you so much!” gasped one of the rescued men. “We’ve been running from those things for hours. We thought we were done for.”
“You’re safe now,” Li Xingteng assured them. “We’re from Hope Village. We’ll escort you back to safety.”
The injured survivor was helped to his feet by two guards. “Hope Village? We heard rumors about a safe territory, but we weren’t sure if it was real.”
“It’s real, and it’s growing,” Zhou Zhengping said. “You’ll have food, shelter, and protection there.”
As they prepared to return, the guards efficiently collected the demon dog corpses. The materials would be valuable back at the territory.
The march back was triumphant. The guards had proven themselves in their first real battle, the survivors were safe, and the territory would soon have new residents.
When they arrived at Hope Village, a crowd had gathered to welcome them back.
Zhou Bai felt a surge of pride as she watched her father lead the successful guard squad home.
The rescued survivors looked around in amazement at the organized territory with its various buildings and bustling activity.
“This is incredible,” one of them whispered. “It’s like a real town.”
Zhou Bai stepped forward to welcome the newcomers personally, though she was careful not to reveal her role as the territory’s lord.
“Welcome to Hope Village. You’ll find everything you need here – food, shelter, work, and safety.”
As the survivors were led away to be processed and housed, Zhou Bai gathered the guard squad.
“Excellent work, everyone. You’ve proven that Hope Village’s guards are a force to be reckoned with. Rest up – I have a feeling this won’t be your last mission.”
The guards dispersed, chattering excitedly about their successful first mission.
Zhou Zhengping approached his daughter with a satisfied smile.
“The men performed well. They’re ready for whatever comes next.”
Zhou Bai nodded, looking out at the territory that was growing stronger by the day.
“Good, because I think we’re going to need them.”
The territory map still showed red dots in the distance, and Zhou Bai had a feeling that the Shadow Demon Dogs were just the beginning of the challenges they would face.
But for now, Hope Village was secure, growing, and protected by its own dedicated guard force.
The future looked bright indeed.
Translator thought: Thank you so much for visiting the site and reading the story. If you would like to support my translation you can buy me a cup-ontea. You can also help by shopping in our store or watch the youtube video to get more traction to the website. If you can’t wait to read the next chapter why not subscribe to our monthly plan, you will get 15 chapter every month for $35.
