Easy Target

Since the migratory colony split from the main nest colony and began its independent operations, this was its first large-scale group battle.

Even though they could fully inherit the combat experience accumulated by the main nest, the battlefield environment and situation were vastly different, making it impossible to copy and apply them directly.

“Those bastards are rushing us. There are tens of thousands of monsters. Speak up, how do we deal with them!”

But this statement applied just as well to the beastkin on the opposite side.

Furthermore, the beastkin chiefs under Gobad's command could not obtain any help from the deities, nor could they acquire any information from the Divine Net forum.

Right now, they were gathered in a tent with solemn expressions, holding an emergency meeting.

No one dared to speak.

For the disaster rushing toward them was a monster unlike anything any of them—or the entire history of the beastkin—had ever encountered.

“If... if that bastard Gorzan's forces could launch a sneak attack from behind those monsters, things would be much easier.”

The topic naturally shifted to Gorzan, who was their equal in strength.

“Bullshit! We should thank the heavens if those guys don't take this chance to stab us in the back!”

Gobad immediately barked in anger, his voice rising.

Gorzan's declaration to “make all beastkin submit to the god Uria” was nothing short of a death sentence to these rulers who led large tribes and had long dominated the plains.

For the beastkin, who believed in “fighting for whatever you want with your fists,” being able to agree to a temporary truce because of the ant colony was already close to a miracle.

“Besides, the distance is too great now. Even if they march through the night, they won't make it in time.”

The ant colony, having turned around, was now traversing the vast northwestern plains.

Even if those currently in the southwest turned around to give chase, they would never catch up.

“I've heard rumors that those monsters build massive nests to settle down.”

“I've heard that too, but the ones appearing on the plains this time are different. The scouts reported that they are migrating with all their eggs and larvae, which should normally remain in a nest.”

“How could such a thing be...”

Mobile warfare, centered around wolf riders and shamans, was originally the beastkin's specialty.

They had originally planned to send a force to circle around and launch a sneak attack on their nest while the main ant army was deployed, but this plan was completely shattered from the very start.

Learning that the migratory colony had no fixed nest and simply wandered continuously across the vast land like nomadic tribes, Gobad was momentarily struck speechless.

Unable to obtain answers from a deity, the more Gobad learned about the ant colony's capabilities, the colder he felt.

Building a nest to settle down and operating with the nest as the core, versus migrating nomadically the entire time, were two completely different modes of survival.

Yet the ant colony actually possessed both capabilities at the same time. This fact triggered an instinctive sense of unease within him.

“...Prepare for battle, everyone. Those things are already at our gates. If we retreat any further, the only thing we'll lose is our own land.”

In the end, unable to come up with a foolproof plan, they could only steel themselves and prepare for battle.

Even though the beastkin race was extremely resilient, they were essentially no different from the humans of the southern Kingdom of Karmi.

Once their land was seized by the ant colony and they lost its resources, they would likewise be unable to expand their power, destined only to slowly weaken and perish.

【The servants are deeply aware of the importance of this battle】

The calm before the storm did not last long.

The ant colony was equally aware that this imminent all-out war would determine the rise or fall of their entire species.

Only by winning this battle could they acquire a massive amount of prey to drive the evolution of the entire colony.

Equally tense, Lin Miao could not sit still. He could only pace back and forth in his room, his eyes glued to the screen.

The aerial scouts flew in rotation, providing him with a continuous view of the battlefield without a moment's pause.

The place where the beastkin army was stationed was a gently sloping high ground, one of the few on the vast plains.

Formed by the alliance of almost all the small and medium-sized tribes on the plains, this army's numbers did not seem inferior to the ant colony's in the slightest.

His communication with the ant colony was currently limited to barely being able to alter their direction once; it was far from smooth.

In contrast, other deities could immediately provide direct support to their servants, even if they had to pay a price. It was no wonder Lin Miao was so wary of them.

【The servants are assessing the enemy's intentions and have ultimately determined that the probability of the enemy taking the initiative to attack is practically zero】

The ant colony recalled their countless past battles.

In battles fought across various races and environments, the ant colony was almost always the offensive party breaching the enemy's defensive lines.

For the sake of the colony, even if hell lay ahead, they would charge without hesitation.

This time was no different.

Facing the ant colony, the beastkin army behaved completely differently from their usual reputation for pillaging and violence, adopting an extremely conservative defensive formation instead.

“Those things will definitely charge! That's just the kind of monsters they are!”

In fact, the beastkin were also certain that the ant colony would take the initiative to charge them.

Even if they did not know they were nothing but walking prey in the eyes of the ant colony, this certainty made them fully prepared to defend to the death.

“The enemy is moving!”

And things proceeded exactly as they expected.

The ant colony had no reason to abandon the prey delivered right to their mouths, while the beastkin preferred a secure defense over launching an attack.

Lin Miao watched the screen with a grave expression, witnessing the imminent clash of tens of thousands on this vast plain.

Even though he had seen such scenes countless times, there was never a single moment where he could truly put his mind at ease.

“Faster! Hurry up! This is a special order handed down by the great God of War!”

A small squad of wolf riders was desperately traversing the vast plains, kicking up a massive cloud of dust behind them.

The surrounding area was completely open with no cover whatsoever, but they could no longer care about that. The mission they carried was of monumental importance.

Even though they had already noticed several winged ants flying in the sky, they had no other choice.

They could only keep moving forward, riding at breakneck speed.

“Right there! If we climb that high ground, we'll be able to see the battlefield!”

The youngest warrior looked at the map and shouted, pointing to a hill not far ahead.

When they finally crested the hill, panting heavily atop their wolves, the sight that unfolded before them made them freeze in their tracks.

“How can this be...”

On the distant horizon, endless armies filled the entire land, colliding and slaughtering each other in a frenzy.

On the left were their brown-skinned beastkin brethren; on the right was the bizarrely shaped ant army clad in black exoskeletons.