171: Chapter 123: Arrow Bamboo Forest, Rat King, New Camp_5 171: Chapter 123: Arrow Bamboo Forest, Rat King, New Camp_5 Looking at the Rat King’s skinny, pointed face still full of fierce malice, and its body unmoving, Xia Hong’s brows furrowed slightly as he raised his hand towards the people behind him.
The moment he raised his hand, a flash of fear in the Rat King’s eyes was fleeting yet caught by Xia Hong, bringing him a flicker of joy.
“Don’t shoot, just hold the pose, see if it dares to advance!”
To be honest, though they hadn’t confronted the Rat King head-on, just based on the fact that his own strike had only hit its underarm, and Zhao Long and the other two’s arrows caused some wounds.
Most likely, in its full strength, they wouldn’t stand a chance against the Rat King.
Although the Rat King was forced out and poisoned by Teng Jiao, they were unsure how much its strength was affected, and recklessly engaging it could cost them dearly.
Exaggerating a bit, even total annihilation wasn’t out of the question.
With his leg severely injured, he couldn’t exert his full strength.
Judging by the Rat King’s size and the red glow it emitted earlier, it was likely an Intermediate Cold Beast they hadn’t encountered before.
Who knows what other tricks it might have besides the red glow?
Moreover, the rodent swarm had been driven back, so there was no need to risk everything fighting the Rat King.
Safely repelling it would be the best outcome.
Xia Hong quickly dismissed this idea.
Among them, perhaps only six in the Earth-digging Realm could hurt the Rat King, and Luo Yuan was unconscious, leaving them one short.
Zhao Long and his brothers were out of arrows, and it’s fanciful thinking to believe the remaining arrows from the Logging Realm could harm the Rat King.
The problem is, the Rat King isn’t aware of this fact.
Previously, despite the slaughter of the rodent swarm, the Rat King was reluctant to show itself; even after the swarm’s retreat, it only sneaked attacks from the underground on Xia Hong and the others; and even now, after being forced out by Xia Hong’s scheme from the tree, it did not attack immediately.
These three points alone show the nature of this Rat King.
To put it nicely, it’s cautious; bluntly, it’s afraid of death.
Afraid of death and smart, that’s easier to handle!
Just as Xia Hong speculated, with over a hundred people raising their bows simultaneously, the Rat King, targeted by so many iron arrows, had a fierce look on its face, yet its feet remained still, and its tail stopped swaying, accompanied by an increasingly dazed look in its eyes.
It gave up attacking, intending to retreat!
At this moment, even without Xia Hong saying a word, the others understood his intentions.
Everyone held their bows and arrows, glaring angrily at the rodents, ready to shoot their iron arrows at any moment, without daring to make any move.
“Squeak squeak squeak…”
“Squeak squeak squeak squeak…”
However, a sudden burst of squeaking from the north cast a shadow over Xia Hong’s heart, a trace of despair flashed in his eyes.
Not only him, but the other ninety-plus people, including Xia Chuan, felt the same.
The more than two hundred rodents that had just burrowed into the Arrow Bamboo Forest came scurrying out again.
Although scattering in different directions, some were heading their way.
How did this group of rodents come out again!
At this moment, in stark contrast to the hundred people of the Great Xia Camp, the Rat King’s face was twisted with a sinister, brutal, and smug expression.
It seemed to have foreseen the fate of the group before it and was smiling.
However, the Rat King’s twisted grin didn’t last a few seconds.
The rodents coming from the north were in obvious panic, much like when driven into the forest by Xia Hong and the others earlier.
Tens of iron arrows suddenly sped forth from the Arrow Bamboo Forest behind the rodent group.
This rodent group wasn’t coming of its own accord but was being driven out.
Are there people in the Arrow Bamboo Forest?
Everyone from the Great Xia Camp, including Xia Hong, was momentarily stunned.
Immediately after, they heard voices from the forest, and joy spread across their faces.
“Who drove this stinking bunch of rats into the forest?
“There are many iron arrows stuck in them, probably people from another camp.”
“Around here, it should just be Beehive, what other camps are there?”
“Beehive is north of the bamboo forest on Pingxi Plain, this must be from somewhere else.”
From within the Arrow Bamboo Forest, more than a dozen figures gradually emerged.
All were armed with strong bows, continuing to fire at the panicked rodents as they advanced.
Unlike the people from the Great Xia Camp, the arrows from these individuals were incredibly powerful, killing with a single shot, reminiscent of Zhao Long and his brothers’ earlier performance.
“Squeak squeak squeak…”
As soon as the more than ten figures appeared, the Rat King raised its head and made a few sounds.
The previously disorganized rodent group, upon hearing the sounds, quickly gathered towards the east, and the Rat King transformed into a silver light, darting into the middle of the swarm.
In no time, the group of over two hundred rodents became a rustling silver wave heading towards the depths of the eastern mountains.
The Rat King, just fled so decisively…
So, Xia Hong felt relieved, turning to see the group emerging from the Arrow Bamboo Forest, his face first showing gratitude, then slowly advancing a few steps, intending to express his thanks.
“Indeed, there are people here.
Didn’t Old Lu say this place only had one medium camp called Rog, and a few small camps?”
“So many bows and arrows, this doesn’t look like a small or medium camp!”
Those emerging from the Arrow Bamboo Forest had clearly noticed the people from the Great Xia Camp.
The words from the two at the forefront conveyed information that made Xia Hong’s expression change slightly, and just as he was about to reveal their identity, unexpectedly, another voice came from the opposite side.
“Was it your group that drove the rats into the bamboo forest?”
Hearing the questioning and blaming tone in their voice, realizing they were dealing with another difficult group, Xia Hong’s expression immediately darkened, standing firmly with his injured right foot stepping back a bit.
Then he realized something, giving a signal with his eyes to Xia Chuan beside him, and quietly said two words to him.
Understanding the signal, Xia Chuan quickly took out a torch and immediately lit it.