My Misfortune Crushed Instances-Chapter 116: Facing Pang Manjunโs Attack Head-On!
Upon hearing Li Ruiโs words, both the commander and Prince Zhen Dong were invigorated, pressing on with their inquiries. ๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ.๐๐๐
"What strategy do you have, young hero? Please enlighten us."
Li Rui said, "There is still a long distance from here to the Golden Scale Marsh, yet the Barbaric Beasts suddenly invaded. Why is that?"
The commander urgently responded, "Itโs because the Barbaric Beasts have used Divine Power to set up a Shifting Array, continuously sending beasts from the Marsh to here, crossing the vast central desert. Otherwise, no matter how naturally strong these beasts are, they couldnโt launch such a large-scale invasion."
Li Rui clapped his hands together, "Exactly. As long as we can shut down that Shifting Array, the beasts will cut off their reinforcements, and naturally, we wonโt be overwhelmed as we are now."
Upon hearing this, both Prince Zhen Dong and the commander had a familiar thought in their hearts:
What are you talking about?
If we had a way to go behind enemy lines and shut down the array, wouldnโt we have done it by now?
Li Rui couldnโt eavesdrop on their thoughts, but he could guess their ideas from their expressions, so he said calmly, "Please donโt be anxious, gentlemen. Since Iโve proposed the plan, I naturally have a way to complete it."
The commander was still skeptical, but Prince Zhen Dong decided to try his luck.
"Young hero, your righteousness is admirable. If this succeeds, even if it costs me everything, I will surely repay you."
Wu Yun solemnly cupped his hands. Of course, his words were an exaggeration, implying a generous reward. It was just that in seeking help, he didnโt want to appear too high-handed.
Li Rui became spirited, "Ah, Prince, your word is golden, and you must keep it."
"Uh, ah?"
Prince Zhen Dong felt a little scared.
Will he really make me lose everything?
Li Rui smiled, "Please rest assured, Prince. I seek no wealth, just a question for you to answer at that time."
Prince Zhen Dong released a huge sigh of relief and nodded, "Not one question; even ten is fine."
"Good, then ten it is."
With that, Li Rui lifted the Vajra Umbrella and went into the array to find his other two companions.
Wu Yun watched the receding back, full of lingering fear.
Luckily, I didnโt say a hundred.
...
"Brother Rui, what should we do?"
When the three reunited, Kong Hua asked.
Li Rui said, "My contribution rate is currently less than two percent. What about you?"
"Iโm not even one percent." Kong Hua said, and Huo Yun indicated similarly.
"Good. It looks like we can hold Segment Six, but from Segment One to Fourteen, such a long stretch is bound to get breached. Even if we go to support, we will be stretched thin."
Li Rui said, "I think ever since Pang Manjun appeared, succeeding on this quest has become very difficult for us."
Kong Hua looked disheartened; he didnโt want to fail.
Li Rui continued, "Moreover, even if we do hold, by the end, our contribution rate wonโt be high."
Kong Hua asked, "What should we do? We canโt meddle in the World NPCโs battles."
Huo Yun pondered, "Do you have another idea?"
Li Rui smiled and nodded, "I have a way that might allow us to successfully complete the quest and greatly increase our contribution rate, though it comes with risks."
"Captain, just say it. Iโll go through fire and water without a frown," Kong Hua eagerly responded.
Li Rui said, "The sheer number of Barbaric Beasts here is ultimately because of an array behind their stronghold that connects to the Golden Scale Marsh, sending beasts nonstop. If we reach the source of the array and destroy it, we will greatly boost our contribution rate and potentially turn the tide."
Kong Hua furrowed his brows tightly.
Huo Yun instinctively shook his head slightly, "That... an army of thousands, how can we reach behind them? Their array is surely deep within the beast horde."
Li Rui said, "The usual approach wonโt work. But now, we can go through the middle."
He pointed to the deadly battlefield where the Demon Suppression Bureau was engaged with Pang Manjun. The ground was plowed, littered with corpses, and remnants of being struck by lightning, fire, frost, and poison were everywhere.
Kong Hua furrowed his brows even more.
Li Rui continued, "Iโm definitely going. You two can choose willingly; if you donโt want to, stay here with the main forces. If I succeed, you succeed too."
"But let me make it clear first, I have one life-saving measure on me; it can be a guarantee. Decide if you want to come along. Itโs high risk, high reward if you do, but thereโs also risk if you donโt."
Heโs determined to join the Secret Realm battlefield, needing guaranteed victory and high experience gain, but the other two donโt have this need, so he has no reason to force them.
Kong Hua, deeply furrowing his brows, said, "No way, Principle Four, we must follow the captainโs lead!"
Huo Yun laughed, "Well said! Principle Four is now in effect."
Li Rui swung the Vajra Umbrella.
"Then letโs charge. We need to seize time while the defense line holds."
...
The battle intensified, with human and beast corpses increasingly covering the ground, and the Human Race seemed to face a disadvantage.
Just when morale hit a low, three figures suddenly charged into the central region, which common folk dared not step into from the defense line.
Prince Zhen Dong and the commander had returned to the watchtower, observing the three like moths drawn to a flame, with their own thoughts.
"Prince, can they succeed?"
"Whether successful or not, they are heroes."
One was for victory, the other admired their courage, both had their hearts lifted, focused on their trajectory forward.
They werenโt blindly courageous; rather than charging through the battleโs turmoil, they chose the route with the fewest Barbaric Beasts and least impact.
This path required them to clear only the rare few beasts blocking their way, carefully navigating their position. If top-tier combatants showed signs of affecting the area, they immediately sought a safe spot to resume once the turbulence passed.
Even so, their path wasnโt smooth.
Wei Xunโs Cultivation Technique with a myriad of knife shadows was formidable, but Pang Manjun was not outdone. Their moves clashed, with scattered power wreaking havoc on the battlefield, randomly sending AOE attacks.
Li Rui had already deployed a wave barrier once, and even used earth blocks to withstand a diffuse Sword Intent, while Huo Yun intercepted attacking beasts with White Rainbow Penetrates the Sun.
Kong Hua provided considerable assistance; his analytic skill guided the three, picking the path most prone to breakthroughs.
Cooperating, they quickly traversed the battlefieldโs middle line.
At this moment, Pang Manjun seemed to notice the unusual movements of the three Humans. Engaged with the Demon Suppression Bureau, it couldnโt spare focus, nor understand the reason. Out of caution, one hand suddenly clenched, launching a shadow like a meteor falling from the sky.
Seeing the fierce attack, Huo Yun and Kong Hua turned pale, facing a formidable enemy.
Pang Manjunโs frontal assault demanded their full effort.
In his run, Kong Hua activated his analytic skill but found no blind spot, while Huo Yun fired an arrow before dodging, swallowed up by the shadow without a ripple.
Aiming skills while sprinting, they tried escaping danger, hoping for mere injury, not death.
But Li Rui sensed something peculiar; this shadowโs threat wasnโt as intense as Zuo Qiutianโs.
It seemed this Barbarian Monarch wasnโt as powerful as the crafty scholar.
Realizing this, he charged headlong into the attack, swinging the Vajra Umbrella and unleashing a wave barrierโs wall of water.
Boom!
The claw shadow visibly weakened, then Li Rui mercilessly swung Thunder Shocking Earth, forcibly meeting a World NPCโs attack.
Crack!!!
The mighty attacks collided and shattered, exploding outward.
Yet the Barbarian Monarchโs level was too high; even so, a bloody surge still loomed overhead.
The wave barrier entered cooldown; unable to dodge, Li Rui could only open the umbrella, enduring the faded shadow, then activating Everlasting Vitality.
"Ah!!!" He grimaced, holding on.
The shadowy giant claw largely dispersed under his counter; it only enveloped him. Now, his only task was to withstand it.
Glows coursed over him; elemental resistance and defense attributes helped mitigate damage. His flesh scorched, then rapidly healed, with Everlasting Vitality effective.
Whew!
In an instant, relief washed over Li Rui as the assault passed, and the lingering seconds of Everlasting Vitality healed all injuries.
With his equipment and physiqueโs support, he withstood a World NPCโs face-on assault.
