Merchant From Earth in the Magical World

Yan Xing, leading the main force, deliberately controlled their pace while marching. Upon reaching the pond area, the entire army halted. They then began to construct an encampment on the open ground in front of the pond.

The laborers with the army used woven bags to build a half-man-high dirt wall around the camp and set up several watchtowers using scaffolding brought with the baggage train.

Tents were erected within the camp. Some people carried hand-held sprayers around the perimeter, spraying chemicals to repel snakes, insects, rats, and ants.

Soon, the makeshift kitchen began to emit tantalizing smells. Everyone ate dinner in order and then went to rest.

Some fed the Carnivorous Birds and Chocobos, while others strung up a tripwire of bells as an alarm around the camp. Hidden and visible sentinels worked in tandem, providing early warning for the resting troops.

After a flurry of activity, the camp gradually quieted down, with only the CRACKLING of bonfires breaking the silence.

Yan Xing didn't wear his flashy full-body armor; it was simply too heavy. He himself didn't feel its weight much, but the Chocobos couldn't bear it.

Besides, the swampy terrain was too soft for heavy armor.

Yan Xing wore jungle camouflage combat attire, with a military Bulletproof Vest over it, just like the Combat Werewolves. He wore a steel helmet and lay concealed beneath a covering of grass.

He carefully exposed half his head, using night-vision binoculars to observe the nearby woods and the ponds on either side.

His field of vision was a sea of green.

Drones could be seen flying across the sky from time to time, dropping a few bottles before ascending and departing.

Many wild animals have decent night vision, but "decent" was all it was; it didn't mean they could see as far at night as they could during the day.

Yan Xing had tested the Werewolves' vision in low light; it was about three to five times better than his own. It was only due to his own poor night vision that he'd assumed they could see everything perfectly at night.

However, once Yan Xing used night-vision goggles, at night, those Werewolves who relied solely on their natural eyesight were effectively blind compared to him.

So, Yan Xing decisively equipped all his soldiers with night-vision goggles.

With a small force, he couldn't afford to skimp on equipment.

Yan Xing carefully observed the area ahead for any movement.

Nothing could be clearly discerned in the ponds. Occasional shifts in color made it impossible to distinguish whether they were caused by hidden Lizardmen or something else.

However, Chui Chui was setting up a fire zone. Whatever was hiding in the water would have to stay put unless it wanted to become barbecue.

Therefore, Yan Xing's main adversaries were still in the woods.

Through the night-vision binoculars, he could clearly make out several Lizardmen hiding in the undergrowth within the woods, peering towards the camp.

They moved very stealthily. After observing for a long time, they left two Lizardmen to continue surveillance while the others retreated.

In their view, the invading enemy wouldn't pass through the wooded area near the ponds tonight.

The battle would commence early the next morning.

The Lizardmen lying in ambush in the woods could afford to rest a bit, conserve their energy, and wait for daylight to obliterate the swamp-invading foes in one fell swoop.

After the Lizardmen retreated, Yan Xing also left observers behind and slowly made his way back to his tent.

The general offensive was set for four in the morning; that was the deadline he had agreed upon with Steel Fang. This would allow them to fight a coordinated battle even if communications were accidentally cut off, with each side acting on tacit understanding.

Now that communications were clear, Chui Chui's updates showed that Steel Fang had successfully led his troops across the ponds and was maneuvering towards the ambush site. To avoid alerting the Lizardmen in the forested belt, Steel Fang's unit had to make a wide detour.

If their march proceeded smoothly, the general offensive would only be launched earlier, not delayed.

In the meantime, Yan Xing intended to get as much sleep as possible.

Tomorrow's war would be different from any he had experienced before. Both sides would field large armies, and, crucially, many heroes would be participating.

Especially that Lizardman Hero mounted on a Bipedal Flying Dragon.

The only one who could take to the skies and battle him is myself, using the Angel's descent.

Yan Xing had a premonition: it would be a fierce battle.

Enough thinking. Time to sleep!

「In the forested belt at night.」

Bright moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and branches. A HISSING sound, like snakes flicking their tongues, echoed throughout the woods as numerous Lizardmen emerged from their hiding spots.

Prolonged hiding had left their bodies somewhat stiff.

Since the enemy isn't coming tonight, we can stretch our bodies, get something to eat, and relieve ourselves.

Then we'll find a place to sleep.

On the north side of the forested belt, in a makeshift shelter built from branches and leaves, a Bipedal Flying Dragon lay gnawing on a wild boar.

Beside the Bipedal Flying Dragon, a Lizardman Hero was tearing at and devouring the flesh from a pig's leg.

Just then, a Lizardman ran up and knelt before the Lizardman Hero, offering a bottle. "Clan Leader," he said, "something like this just fell from the sky. We don't know what it is. Please take a look."

The Clan Leader swallowed a mouthful of pork and took the bottle from his subordinate with one hand.

This transparent bottle… what is it made of? It feels almost like a gemstone…

A gemstone?

The Clan Leader immediately held the bottle up to the moonlight. It was crystal clear, reflecting the moonlight with a green halo, and contained some liquid.

The mouth of the bottle was sealed with a strip of cloth.

With great solemnity, the Clan Leader declared, "This is divine liquor, a gift from the gods! It signifies that we will undoubtedly achieve victory tomorrow!"

With that said, the Clan Leader bit off the cloth sealing the bottle and took a sniff…

So pungent!

Divine liquor must smell like this.

He took a cautious sip…

Not bad at all!

He sniffed it again. That unique aroma… it's really growing on me.

Truly a brew worthy of the gods! Compared to the foul swill we usually drink, its taste is simply incomparable.

The Clan Leader, seeing his drooling subordinate, kicked him away. "Divine liquor is not for the likes of you! Get lost!"

After his subordinate scrambled away, the Clan Leader took another deep sniff of the "divine liquor," downed a large gulp, and then tore off another chunk of meat to chew.

The more he chewed, the more fragrant the meat seemed; the more he drank, the more invigorated he felt.

While Yan Xing's main force and the Lizardman clan began to rest, Steel Fang, leading four Werewolf Beast Tamers and a large swarm of Poison Flies and Carnivorous Birds, was on the march.

All five Werewolf Heroes were fully equipped in Combat Werewolf gear. They flipped down the night-vision attachments on their helmets, viewing the path ahead in its distinctive green hues.

This swamp was unfamiliar territory to them, making it a significant challenge to reach the ambush site with precision.

However, the flickering red lights of the drones in the sky guided their advance, continuously transmitting their position back to Chui Chui.

As an excellent operative, Chui Chui was on duty twenty-four seven, ensuring that both the deployed army and the Lord's domain remained under Yan Xing's control at all times.

When Chui Chui projected that the Steel Fang Troop would soon reach the designated ambush site, she softly woke Yan Xing from his deep sleep.

"Lord, Steel Fang is in position. The enemy is surrounded."