Chapter 283 : Crimson Moon Fox Tribe

Crimson ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Moon Fox Tribe

The spare dagger flashed out, slitting open the girl's shrine maiden outfit and leaving a cut on her leg, while at this moment, many of the fox tribe members had suffered some injuries.

"Fall back!"

Kenra ordered a retreat. The human soldiers switched from attacking to entangling, and during this process, a large number of foxfolk fell.

It was bonemelt powder!

Unlike Sahi, who possessed an exceptionally strong physique, some of the weaker fox tribe members were quickly affected by the bonemelt powder. Even though Sahi could still stand, her strength was gradually fading.

"Everyone..."

Quite a few fox tribe guards collapsed, and the defenseless foxfolk in the rear were caught on the spot. Seeing this, sahi wanted to render support, but unfortunately, kenra had already surrounded her with six men.

The outcome was decided. Greed flashed unabashedly in Kenra's eyes.

"Heh heh, with such a pretty face and figure, you'll fetch a good price for sure. But after so many days of hard work, tonight I'll have to reward myself first."

Kenra said this, and Sahi naturally understood what he meant.

"Shameless!"

The girl's face flushed red with anger, but this only fanned the beastly desire in Kenra's eyes.

"I just like girls who fight back."

A few guards charged out together with Kenra. After heavily wounding several guards, kenra pressed his dagger to Sahi's neck, then smoothly circled behind her and held her in a controlled grip.

"Don't move—move again and I'll kill her!"

A thin line of blood was forced out of Sahi's skin, and she dared not resist any further. Seeing the Holy Maiden taken hostage, the few remaining fox warriors who could still fight lost all will to resist.

"Despicable wretch!"

"Despicable or not, you'll soon find out tonight."

Kenra's eyes brimmed with lasciviousness, and Sahi could only silently endure, watching her tribespeople being captured one by one.

It was all over. Perhaps migrating truly had been a mistake...

Yet just as the girl fell into despair, a shadow appeared on the ground, spreading rapidly. Everyone looked up—an immense figure dominated most of their field of vision.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Crashing sounds erupted as earth and pebbles flew, blocking everyone's sight.

"Cough, cough, what the hell?"

Kenra hurriedly retreated, and when the dust cleared, four majestic statues had landed around the foxfolk.

"Eliminate those trespassing on the Queen's territory!"

The gemstones in the eyes of the four gargoyles reflected the figures of the crowd; their stone spears and war halberds swung toward the humans. Witnessing this sudden turn, the slave-hunting squad panicked and withdrew, abandoning the slaves they had seized.

"Giant beasts! Giant beasts! The alien giant beasts are here!"

Judging by their panic, it seemed they had encountered the jungle's giant beasts before—though it was unclear which great tribe they had crossed previously.

Facing the sudden arrival of the colossal creatures, even Kenra panicked. Really, he just wanted to capture a small fox tribe, yet ended up provoking these monsters!

He was still thinking this when a figure hurtled down from the sky.

A flash of silver—by the time Kenra reacted, a sword blade had already slashed across his shoulder.

"Argh!"

An arm was severed at the shoulder, and he covered his wound, releasing Sahi from his grasp.

Weak and unsteady, sahi nearly collapsed, but a young man clad in battle armor caught her in his arms.

"Can you stand?"

The youth asked her with concern. Hearing the gentle voice by her ear, sahi looked up and saw the still youthful face of Maro.

For a moment, sahi's heart fluttered wildly, and when she didn't respond, maro assumed she couldn't move on her own, so he held her tightly with one arm.

Clang!

Blood Burn activated, parrying an enemy's sneak attack. Then Maro kicked the assailant away.

"Maro, Captain—get down!"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Maro responded softly,

"My apologies."

He pressed the girl to the ground, shielding her with his own body. Then, the gargoyles' combined Scorching Ray swept across the battlefield.

BZZZT!

A red beam flashed by—Kenra and his guards were instantly reduced to ash.

Instant kill!

This is why, when facing giant beast units, the best option for infantry without anti-beast capabilities was to run.

The slaughter continued; the red rays fired ceaselessly, turning one slave-hunting squad member after another to dust. Such a sight drove the remaining slavers to the brink of collapse.

"Help! Giant beast—it's a giant beast!"

They fled desperately into the woods, abandoning weapons and armor, terrified the monsters would catch them.

But the gargoyles did not pursue further, in accordance with Serea's orders. Serea had her own reasons for this.

Since Maregof's fall, slave-hunting squads had become commonplace. To prevent them from causing greater trouble, Serea instead spread warnings to ensure all those coveting them knew: the Darkmoon clan's territory was forbidden ground!

Now that the necessary slavers had been killed and the rest let go, it was time to deal with the foxfolk's situation.

"Let's go over and take a look."

The blood slave force led the way, and the masked Serea appeared under the escort of the Dread Warriors.

Just then, sahi was helped to her feet by Maro.

"Miss, are you alright?"

Maro's conduct was exceedingly gentlemanly, bringing a blush to Sahi's cheeks.

"I... I'm fine."

"Good."

As he spoke, maro let go. Sahi seemed reluctant, for, as the Holy Maiden, she had never been so close to a man. Now his gentleness left her a little dazed.

While the girl was lost in thought, the foxfolk who could still move gathered around. They looked at the towering gargoyles, the Undead, and the golden-haired girl surrounded by the Undead.

"Holy Maiden of the Dragon!"

Sahi called out this title—Serea looked completely bewildered.

"Huh?"

"You are the master of the Darkmoon clan—the Holy Maiden of the Dragon!"

Sahi was moved. Among the tribes, all had their own beliefs. Some worshipped intangible gods, others mighty beings such as dragons. The Crimson Moon and Cangyue fox tribes were devout believers in 'dragons'.

"I am indeed the master of the Darkmoon clan, but no 'Holy Maiden of the Dragon'."

Serea replied, and the blood slaves surrounded the foxfolk. Without the Queen's orders, they did not act further for now.

"On the contrary, I'd like to ask you—this is the Darkmoon clan's territory. Why have outsiders like yourselves come here?"

"We are the Crimson Moon fox tribe. Originally, we lived in the core region of the jungle, but the emergence of the Undead forced us to migrate. We intended to seek refuge with our friends of the Cangyue fox tribe—we were just passing through here."

Upon hearing Sahi's words, Serea remembered.

The Cangyue foxes they spoke of were those guarding the Trading Post for the Xiyun Merchant Guild—friends of friends were friends indeed.

"Lola, treat their wounds."

"Understood."

Lola led people to treat them, and the fox tribe quickly expressed their gratitude.

(To be continued...)