Chapter 14 – Desperate Battle

The moment the protective barrier shattered, the dark magic wolves poured into Hope Village like a black tide.

“Kill!” Zhou Zhengping was the first to charge forward, his iron axe gleaming coldly in the firelight.

“For our home!” Li Xingteng also led his team into battle.

The entire territory erupted into chaos. Residents who had been living peacefully just moments ago were now fighting desperately for their lives.

Zhou Bai quickly opened the territory management interface and activated all available defensive measures.

【Emergency Defense Mode Activated】 【All territory buildings gain temporary defensive capabilities】 【Resident combat effectiveness increased by 20%】

But even with these bonuses, the situation was still dire. The dark magic wolves were not only numerous but also much higher level than most residents.

“Ah!” A scream pierced the night. A level 3 dark magic wolf had pounced on a resident, its fangs sinking deep into his shoulder.

“Help him!” Several people rushed over, driving the wolf away with their weapons, but the man was already severely injured.

Zhou Bai’s heart ached seeing her people getting hurt, but she forced herself to stay calm. As the lord, she needed to coordinate the defense.

“Form groups of three! Don’t fight alone!” she shouted over the chaos.

“Protect the wounded! Get them to the residential buildings!”

“Focus fire on the smaller wolves first!”

The residents, despite their fear, followed her commands. They had learned to trust their young lord.

Zhou Zhengping and his guard team were engaged in fierce combat with several level 4 dark magic wolves. His axe work was precise and deadly, each strike finding its mark.

“These wolves are smarter than the other magic beasts!” he called out to Li Xingteng. “They’re coordinating their attacks!”

Indeed, the dark magic wolves showed tactical intelligence, with some wolves herding residents into ambushes while others attacked from behind.

But the most terrifying threat was still the level 5 pack leader. This massive wolf, nearly the size of a small horse, prowled the battlefield, its dark fur seeming to absorb light itself.

“Where’s the big one?” Li Xingteng asked, parrying a wolf’s attack.

“There!” Zhou Bai pointed toward the residential area. The level 5 dark magic wolf had bypassed the main battle and was heading toward the civilians who had taken shelter.

“No!” Zhou Bai’s blood ran cold. If that monster reached the non-combatants…

Without hesitation, she grabbed a spear from the weapon rack and ran toward the residential area.

“Zhou Bai, wait!” Zhou Zhengping saw his daughter charging toward the most dangerous enemy and tried to follow, but three wolves blocked his path.

The level 5 dark magic wolf had already reached the first residential building. With a casual swipe of its massive paw, it tore through the wooden wall like paper.

Inside, terrified screams echoed as the wounded and non-combatants cowered.

“Get away from them!” Zhou Bai arrived just as the wolf was about to enter the building.

The massive creature turned toward her, its eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence. It was easily twice her size, its muscles rippling under its dark fur.

【Dark Magic Wolf (Level 5)】 【HP: 800/800】 【Attack: 120】 【Defense: 80】 【Special Abilities: Shadow Step, Pack Leader Aura, Darkness Manipulation】

Zhou Bai’s heart sank seeing the stats. Her own level 4 status gave her only 60 attack power with her spear. This was going to be nearly impossible.

But she couldn’t back down. Behind her were people depending on her protection.

The wolf seemed to sense her determination and let out a low, rumbling growl. Then it moved.

The creature was incredibly fast, using its Shadow Step ability to seemingly teleport behind Zhou Bai. She barely managed to roll aside as massive claws raked the ground where she had been standing.

“Too fast!” she gasped, scrambling to her feet.

The wolf’s Pack Leader Aura was also affecting the other wolves in the territory, making them stronger and more coordinated. She could hear the increased intensity of battles throughout the village.

She needed to end this quickly, but how?

The wolf attacked again, this time with a direct charge. Zhou Bai planted her spear and managed to score a hit on its shoulder, but the weapon barely penetrated its thick hide.

【Damage dealt: 15】 【Dark Magic Wolf HP: 785/800】

“Fifteen damage? That’s going to take forever!” Zhou Bai realized with growing despair.

The wolf’s counterattack sent her flying backward, her back slamming against a building wall. Pain shot through her body as she struggled to stand.

【Zhou Bai HP: 85/120】

Just then, she heard footsteps behind her. Zhou Zhengping had finally broken through the other wolves and reached her.

“Dad!”

“I’m here!” Zhou Zhengping stood beside his daughter, his axe ready. “We’ll fight it together!”

“The stats are too high! Our weapons can barely hurt it!”

“Then we’ll have to be smart about it,” Zhou Zhengping said grimly. “Look for weak points. Every creature has them.”

The level 5 dark magic wolf circled them, seeming to enjoy their desperation. Its Darkness Manipulation ability began to take effect, shadows gathering around it and making it harder to see clearly.

“The eyes,” Zhou Bai suddenly realized. “Wolves’ eyes are always vulnerable, no matter how tough their hide is.”

“Good thinking. You distract it, I’ll go for the eyes.”

Father and daughter coordinated their attack. Zhou Bai feinted with her spear, drawing the wolf’s attention, while Zhou Zhengping circled around.

But the wolf was too intelligent. It saw through their strategy and used Shadow Step to appear between them, separating the pair.

A massive paw struck Zhou Zhengping, sending him crashing into a pile of wooden crates.

“Dad!” Zhou Bai screamed.

Zhou Zhengping groaned but managed to get up, blood trickling from his mouth. “I’m… I’m okay. Keep fighting!”

The battle was going poorly throughout the territory. Zhou Bai could see that several residents had fallen, and the remaining defenders were being pushed back.

If they couldn’t defeat the pack leader soon, Hope Village would be lost.

Desperation gave her an idea. She opened her territory interface and looked at her available resources.

【Gold: 2,847】 【Territory Points: 156】

She had been saving up to upgrade buildings, but now she needed to spend everything on immediate survival.

“Emergency weapon enhancement!” she called out, spending 500 gold to temporarily boost all weapons in the territory.

【All weapons gain +30 attack power for 10 minutes】

Immediately, she felt her spear become lighter and sharper. Around the territory, she could hear the tide of battle beginning to turn as residents found their weapons suddenly much more effective.

“Now we have a chance!” Zhou Zhengping said, feeling his axe’s increased power.

The level 5 dark magic wolf seemed to sense the change and became more aggressive. It unleashed its full power, shadows swirling around it like a dark tornado.

But Zhou Bai and Zhou Zhengping were ready. With their enhanced weapons, they could finally deal meaningful damage.

Zhou Bai’s spear thrust found its mark in the wolf’s flank.

【Damage dealt: 45】 【Dark Magic Wolf HP: 740/800】

Zhou Zhengping’s axe bit deep into the creature’s hind leg.

【Damage dealt: 55】 【Dark Magic Wolf HP: 685/800】

The wolf howled in pain and fury, its attacks becoming more desperate and wild.

“It’s working! Keep it up!” Zhou Bai shouted.

But the enhanced weapons wouldn’t last forever, and the wolf was still incredibly dangerous. They needed to end this quickly.

The battle raged on, father and daughter working in perfect coordination against the massive predator. Each successful hit brought them closer to victory, but also closer to exhaustion.

Around them, Hope Village burned and bled, its fate hanging in the balance of this desperate fight.