The Northland Allied Forces' outpost tower.
To counter the mist, the Allied Forces had erected hundreds of lighthouses for vigilance and positioning.
The special flames atop them could pierce the dense fog, but this particular outpost tower was eerily quiet.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Why is the light focused on only one spot? The battle has already started ahead, are you trying to court death by slacking off now!"
The Allied Forces' squad leader shouted indignantly.
He walked to the base of the outpost tower, preparing to climb up.
"What is this sticky… and why is there a smell of blood?"
The squad leader's hairs stood on end instantly. He retreated several steps, drew his saber, and trembled as he looked up.
On the tower, countless soldiers were suspended by their legs from wooden beams, their heads missing, thick blood dripping continuously…
"Oh, mother of… "
The squad leader scrambled back towards the camp. Suddenly, he lost his balance, looked down, and found his legs were gone without a trace.
Intense pain surged through his brain.
From the dense mist, a group of mutated beings emerged.
"Hello there friend, looks like our masterpiece has startled you."
These mutated beings were lightly armed, carrying claw blades about the size of a palm, and wore steel wires, ropes, poison bags, and various throwing weapons on their waists.
The squad leader crawled, screaming…
"Don't worry, you will survive. I still need you to deliver a message…"
"Tell the commander of the Northlanders… the Phantom Assault Group sends their regards!"
…
Phantom Assault Group.
A top mercenary team from the Cloud Kingdom, not subject to royal jurisdiction.
Every year, at the start of the mist season, they would descend like locusts to pillage, becoming indigenous bandits. After the mist season ended, they would disappear again, earning them the moniker "White Nightmare" from the people of the Cloud Kingdom.
Yet, unexpectedly, this infamous, brigand-like bandit group was now serving the nation.
And there were many more such civilian organizations like the Phantom Assault Group!
In the Flying Hawk Army's camp, Makabaka had been promoted to supreme commander of the front lines.
In addition to the Flying Hawk Army's over three thousand men, he was responsible for coordinating twenty thousand troops.
Four people formed a combat squad.
Five squads formed a line.
Five lines formed a platoon.
Ten platoons formed a company, a company of a thousand men.
Five thousand men formed an army.
And Makabaka commanded forty armies!
"As arranged, half the troops will arrive at the front lines and remain in place, ready for deployment at any moment."
"Twenty thousand elite troops will be divided to probe the Northlanders' deployments under the guise of raids!"
"Fifty thousand will guard the main camp and protect strategic supplies…"
"The remaining thirty thousand will be personally commanded by me to eliminate the Northlanders' outer satellite units…"
Makabaka's deployment was extremely cautious.
The true main force remained in observation, ready to adapt to any situation.
On paper, the Cloud Kingdom had more pieces it could mobilize.
"As long as we advance steadily, the Cloud Kingdom will surely win!"
"Mo Du, is it… don't think you'll get another chance this time!"
…
Hurricane, carrying the Phoenix Koi, raced back to the main camp at top speed.
"Mr. Zhang Wei, look what I've brought back!"
Hurricane grinned, holding the leather pouch, and emptied the Phoenix Koi into a water trough.
"You have no idea how thrilling and dangerous the moment of the transaction was. The Cloud Kingdom dispatched dozens of Blade Masters, but unfortunately, none of them could keep up with my speed."
Zhang Wei asked, "They couldn't keep up, or they weren't pursuing at all?"
"Well… they did pursue, but I left them in the dust in an instant. How could mere Blade Masters stop me."
"So that's how it is…"
Zhang Wei sighed and said, "Take this fish far away, and then destroy it completely."
Hurricane blinked. "Why throw it away when I worked so hard to get it back?"
"Hurricane, you've attacked the Cloud Kingdom too many times. They know your abilities and speed intimately. If they truly wanted to stop you, they wouldn't have failed to dispatch someone with a comparable speed."
"This… you mean this fish was sent intentionally?"
"Precisely."
Zhang Wei looked at the Phoenix Koi. "Perhaps this thing is a surveillance system. They're watching us right now through these fish eyes."
…
In the Flying Hawk Army's camp, a witch-like mutated being cursed aloud!
"Damn it, has he seen the techniques of my Spirit Witch clan?"
Before the witch was a crystal-clear crystal ball. Currently, the crystal ball was like a television, broadcasting Zhang Wei's conversation live.
Next to it, a basin of water transmitted Zhang Wei's voice.
"Witch, what do we do now?"
The witch grumbled in annoyance. "What else can we do? It's been seen through!"
As the witch chanted a spell,
The Phoenix Koi, hundreds of miles away, suddenly froze in place!
Its beautiful body contorted and shattered, transforming into an ugly fish monster that stood upright, over ten meters tall!
"Gurgle gurgle~~"
"Ugh~~~"
Foul-smelling slime sprayed from the fish monster's mouth, corroding and burning wherever it landed…
"Thought Manifestation, Golden Bell Shield!"
"Fifty percent force, Spiral Fist Power!"
BOOM!!!
Without any suspense, this terrifying fish monster, possessing a strength of level fifty, couldn't withstand even one punch from Zhang Wei and was instantly torn into pieces of scattered flesh!
Hurricane was utterly astonished. "Chef Zhang Wei, you are truly too powerful!"
This fish monster looked incredibly tough; Hurricane himself would have taken some effort to deal with it, yet Zhang Wei killed it with a single punch!
This punch…
Could he withstand it?
Hurricane shook his head and dismissed the thought.
"Just a minor defensive trick. I actually only enjoy cooking."
Zhang Wei was telling the truth.
The purpose of learning combat skills was merely to protect himself in this perilous world; he was not passionate about fighting.
Arriving at the kitchen, over a thousand chefs were ready.
Besides his own two hundred disciples, the rest were newly arrived reinforcements.
"Mr. Zhang Wei, we've been waiting for you!"
"All the ingredients for Warrior's Blood are ready!"
Outside the kitchen area were the hundreds of thousands of Northland Allied Forces. After consuming Warrior's Blood, they would march to the front lines.
"Wolf Butcher and the Knight King have signaled that the time has come."
Zhang Wei nodded. "Very good, let the cooking commence!"
At Zhang Wei's command, over a thousand chefs responded in unison!
The status of chefs was highly esteemed, and such a grand spectacle was a rare sight in a century.
Zhang Wei continued, "Have all the experts come to me. I have a gift for them. I hope this dish can help you achieve great feats, or at the very least, preserve your lives."
Upon hearing this.
Hurricane and the others knelt again. "Mr. Zhang Wei, your great kindness is unforgettable to Hurricane for eternity!"
"Mr. Zhang Wei, your great kindness is unforgettable for eternity!"
"Mr. Zhang Wei, your great kindness is unforgettable for eternity!"
…
Zhang Wei nodded.
One can never have too many favors.
In the conception of the Gourmet Bank, the assistance of these people was indispensable.
"Alright everyone, the battlefield awaits you!"