Over the next few hours, the fighting barely ceased.

The density of Bone Eagles in the northwestern region of Bone Eagle Cliff far exceeded that of the northeast and southeast.

Every half hour or so, new Bone Eagles would fly out from the cliffside caves to patrol their territory, launching fierce attacks upon discovering intruders.

Zhao Hu's command grew rapidly through actual combat.

“Beacon Guards, change formation! Triangular formation!”

The ten Garrison Soldier quickly shifted formations, moving from five two-man teams into three triangular formations, with a three-man team acting as a reserve in the center to provide support.

“Tie Dun, Scarface Liu, there are two on the left wing; I’m leaving them to you!”

“Wang Wu, that one high up, shoot its left wing!”

“Shadow Snake, circle around the back! Don't let that one with low health escape!”

Order after order was swiftly executed.

The combat style of the Beacon Guards gradually revealed its full outline amidst this continuous fighting.

They never fought alone.

They were always in pairs or three-man formations. One person would block from the front, one would thrust from the flank, and one would fill any gaps at any time.

The reach advantage of their Long Halberds was utilized to the extreme, consistently dealing damage from a distance where the Bone Eagles' sharp claws could not reach.

Their movements were not flashy; one might even call them 'clumsy.' There were no rolls, no jumps, and no fancy techniques.

There were only the most basic actions—thrust, retract, block, and sweep.

But it was precisely these four basic movements, coordinated within a tight formation, that formed a mobile wall of Halberd Blades.

Any Bone Eagle attempting a frontal assault would be targeted by at least two Long Halberds simultaneously;

Any Bone Eagle attempting to {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} break through from the flank would find another group of Garrison Soldier already there to fill the gap;

Any Bone Eagle attempting to pull up and escape would be pierced by the arrows of Wang Wu or Arrow Eye the moment it took flight.

And once a Bone Eagle was ensnared by the halberd formation and unable to break free, Shadow Snake would appear.

Her movement techniques were like a fish in water within this jagged Stone Forest, always cutting in from the most unexpected angles, her emerald claw blades specifically targeting wing roots, throats, and eye sockets.

She would strike and leave immediately, never lingering, like a true ghost.

Tie Dun was like a moving boulder, leading Scarface Liu and A Wang to protect the entire formation's left wing.

His ironwall greatshield could directly knock away Bone Eagles attempting to charge the formation at critical moments, buying time for the Beacon Guards to adjust their positions.

Wang Wu and Arrow Eye were responsible for battlefield control.

The two were like two mobile arrow towers, their arrows rising and falling in succession, specifically targeting Bone Eagles attempting to take flight or dive-bomb from high altitudes.

Wang Wu's experience was seasoned and his archery precise, often crippling a Bone Eagle's flight capability with a single arrow;

Though Arrow Eye was young, the professional traits of a Windchaser Archer made his arrows faster and more accurate.

As for Su Yurou, she gradually found her own rhythm.

“Beacon Guard number three is injured, health is below half!”

“Healing Spell!”

A white light descended.

“Tie Dun's health has dropped to 40%!”

“Healing Spell!”

The white light fell again.

“Scarface Liu was grazed by a Bone Eagle's claw, minor injury!”

“Healing Spell!”

Wherever the short staff pointed, the white light reached; every heal landed precisely on the person who needed it most.

When her mana was depleted, she would retreat to the rear, pull a Small Blue Bottle made by Pharmacist Chen from her bag, unhesitatingly pop the cap, and tilt her head back to drink it. Once her mana was full, she would re-enter the fray.

Four hours.

Eight hours.

Twelve hours.

When the dark red light of the sky completely sank below the horizon and a pale moon climbed over Bone Eagle Cliff, the battlefield finally grew quiet.

On this day, they had killed a total of twenty-seven Bone Eagles ranging from Level 10 to 13.

Experience points, like streams flowing into the sea, quietly merged into everyone's bodies.

【Level Up: 9 → 10】 (Tie Dun, Arrow Eye, A Wang, Scarface Liu, Su Yurou)

Su Yurou exhaled softly; she was Level 10 now.

But at this moment, what she cared about more was...

That everyone was still alive.

Nineteen people, out for a day of battle, zero deaths.

She looked at her companions by the campfire, who were silently chewing on dry rations and checking their equipment, and suddenly felt that this jagged, ashen land of death didn't seem so terrifying anymore.

Lin Feng stood up from the giant boulder and walked slowly toward the campfire.

Everyone looked toward him in unison.

His gaze swept over everyone. Zhao Hu had added a few new wounds to his body but was in high spirits; Tie Dun had a few more claw marks on his greatshield and was grinning foolishly;

The edges of Shadow Snake's claw blades were still emerald green, but her breathing was steadier than it had been in the morning; the Beacon Guards sat silently in a row, wiping their Halberd Blades with cloth strips, their movements as orderly as a drill.

Su Yurou leaned against a rock, her hand holding the short staff trembling slightly—an aftereffect of her mana being repeatedly exhausted and restored—but her eyes were much brighter than they had been that morning.

Lin Feng nodded slightly.

“Tomorrow, we continue.”

Everyone responded in unison: “Yes! Lord!”

The campfire crackled.

The night in the northwest of Bone Eagle Cliff was very cold.

But the blood of this group from Beacon Fire Village was very hot.

The second day.

The advance into the northwestern region of Bone Eagle Cliff went more smoothly than expected.

After the previous day's adjustment, Zhao Hu's command became more proficient, the Beacon Guards' tactical coordination was as natural as moving one's own limbs, and the synergy of Tie Dun, Wang Wu, and the others also improved.

Lin Feng still sat cross-legged on the high ground behind the team, his Wildfire Spear laid across his knees, his eyes calmly watching the battlefield.

For the entire day, he indeed did not make a move.

But his eyes never left a single person on the battlefield.

Zhao Hu's commands were decisive and precise, Tie Dun's greatshield was always blocking the most dangerous positions, and Arrow Eye and Wang Wu's arrows rose and fell to weave a web of death.

Shadow Snake moved through the shadows to deliver finishing blows, and Su Yurou's Healing Spells always landed on those who needed them most.

And the Beacon Guards.

Those ten silent Garrison Soldier used their Long Halberds and flesh to build the sturdiest foundation of the entire battle formation.

All day, nineteen people, fifteen Bone Eagles killed, zero deaths. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

By evening, the team finally advanced to the deepest part of the northwestern region.

Ahead was a relatively open, fan-shaped cliff terrace. Three sides were surrounded by jagged stone pillars, while the front was a nearly vertical, ashen-white cliff face.

The cliff face was riddled with caves of various sizes, their entrances piled with a thick layer of white bones and bird droppings.

And at the highest point, at the entrance of the largest cave.

Two dots of emerald-green light slowly lit up.

“Stop!”

Zhao Hu suddenly raised his right fist, and the entire team halted instantly. The Beacon Guards quickly contracted their formation, their Halberd Blades pointing diagonally forward, forming a defensive circular array.

Everyone saw it.

Those two emerald dots grew brighter and larger.

Then, a massive figure stepped slowly out of the cave.

Its wingspan was nearly six meters.

Its body was covered in dark gray feathers, the edges shimmering with an eerie bronze luster.

When its wings were folded, they looked like a heavy metal cloak. Its talons were black as ink, leaving deep gouges in the rock with every step.

Its head was sturdier than that of other Bone Eagles, its beak like a curved hook glinting with a metallic cold light.

Most terrifying were the two clusters of soul-fire in its eye sockets.

Deep green like ink, burning more vigorously and violently than any elite before it.

【Lv15 Bone Eagle Elite · Rift-Breaker】