Finally, amidst the horrified gazes of the cabinet members, Xiao Han led his troops on their expedition.

There are only three purposes for this trip.

1: Passing through the Darkmoon Forest, I investigated the source of the anomaly deep within and casually chopped it down.

2: Slay the mutated monsters that threaten Titan City, hacking and slashing your way through.

3: Crossing the wilderness, wishing friends an early Happy New Year, and casually taking a few fat sheep is also the most friendly communication and exchange between people.

"Smack!"

Iron hooves pounded the earth as lightly armored warhorses galloped at breakneck speed, followed by fully armed chariots dragged along by enchanted chains, rampaging across the vast desert.

The chariots were arranged in a U-shape. If they encountered heavily armored knights or other enemies head-on, or if there was a barrier in front of them, they could split from the concave part in the middle and divide into two forces at any time, like the pincers of a giant crab, fiercely clamping down on the enemy's throat.

The pincer movement has the advantage of dispersing troops, forcing the enemy to extend their battle lines and fight on two fronts, and requires a high degree of mobility.

Of course, if they encounter a large group of infantry, the "U" formation will immediately switch to the "T" formation and launch a direct charge!

On the flat wasteland, cavalry is a powerful force, not to mention war chariots with more than fifteen magical runes engraved all over their bodies, which can be crushed like a group of tanks.

However, if they encounter a mage skilled in earth magic who casts spells like Swamp or Stone Wall, or if the defensive works on a building reach an insane level, the cavalry can only spit and curse as they walk away.

Only an idiot would bang their head against the wall!

"Coo coo..."

Inside the spacious carriage, a thick, warm bearskin blanket was laid out. Xiao Han sat cross-legged, put down a glass of lemon juice, and took a deep breath.

He estimated that the sourness, even stronger than lemon, assaulted their taste buds, making the cabinet members who were lying on the ground groaning wonder if they had offended the city lord in the past, thus suffering an undeserved disaster.

The vehicle had ventilated windows that offered a panoramic view of the exotic scenery outside: lush bushes, autumn-frost-covered grasslands, and several gray rabbits that had been startled by the commotion caused by the chariots. They hopped around, looking like they were in good condition, and were dragged back by a sharp-eyed professional who shot them with an arrow still attached to the bowstring.

Before my eyes, the sparse trees gradually become denser, and as the distance closes, the outline of a forest emerges.

Darkmoon Forest is located in the northeast of Titan City, not far away. Continuing northwards, you'll find a barren wasteland.

The Darkmoon Forest stretches for hundreds of miles, and adventurers and mercenaries from Titan City gather resources on the outskirts, with monsters only appearing in the depths.

Legend has it that a wolf clan roams deep in the forest, and the wolf king, as their leader, often leads his clan to a high place to dance during the full moon.

Yeah, it's like jumping around from side to side, convulsing all over, and yelling at the top of your lungs, like you're having an epileptic seizure.

Furthermore, it was a group of demons suffering from epilepsy...

Xiao Han squinted slightly, put down the organized intelligence, and lay back on the soft bearskin sofa. The five soul armors nurtured deep within his soul shone with a crystalline brilliance.

Doran's Shield, Flame Fang, Serpent Wing Ring, Rock Chains, Silver Lion Helmet.

It's worth mentioning that the Silver Lion Helmet was refined by the demonic flames. Originally, it could summon a lion with snow-white fur, but the Demon King's soul was too domineering, and the fur was dyed red, nurturing a part of its spirituality. It looked like a lion dance, which was a bit... festive.

"roar!"

Just as he was quietly recuperating and honing his skills, a sharp, long howl came from outside the window, making everyone feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

A porcupine over three meters tall suddenly appeared from the woods, its dark red pupils and fierce face revealing itself to the crowd.

"Thorn Beast!"

Blood Raven, acting as the vanguard of the knights, exclaimed and ordered the knights behind him to remain on guard and refrain from ranged attacks.

This porcupine-like thorn beast has sharp bone spurs along its back and its fur has a defense as solid as gold, so ordinary attacks can't cause much damage.

The most terrifying thing is that the Thorn Beasts have a unique talent that belongs to their species: they can reflect the damage they receive back. If they are careless for a moment, they are in danger of dying.

Blood Raven walks in the shadows, having assassinated many enemies, including a Thorn Beast.

Driven by youthful arrogance, he attempted to assassinate the Thorn Beast after uncovering its intelligence, but was instead wounded by the attack, his breastplate shattered, and he nearly died.

"Ahead lies a forest, where many monsters dwell. If we act rashly and stumble into their trap, it will be disastrous."

Hruf reminded him that he was the vanguard of the knights on the other side. Among the high-ranking officers on this expedition, Xiao Han only brought him, Blood Raven, and Radiance, who was circling in the sky to scout ahead.

However, just as the protected mage was chanting spells, preparing to unleash a magical attack on the thorn beast, the beast suddenly let out a mournful howl, its entire body engulfed in flames, resembling a burning fireball. The merciless fire consumed its form, but its tenacious vitality drove it mad as it charged toward the stopped chariot!

"call out!"

A sudden cry rang out, and an arrow shot from the bow flashed past the chariot, striking the Thorn Beast in the eye!

"Waaah!"

The thorn beast let out a shrill scream. Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, a burst of blazing fire surged from its pierced eyeballs. Its internal organs were devoured by the demonic flames. In less than three breaths, it crashed to the ground, carving a furrow more than ten meters long, burning with flames. Its corpse quickly turned to ashes.

This scene caused the opposing group to gasp in astonishment, their gazes falling on a luxurious carriage in the center, their eyes revealing awe.

Three hundred meters away, the opponent inexplicably caught fire. This was beyond the comprehension of a Silver-ranked player. Even the strongest Silver-ranked player would have to fight cautiously to avoid being killed by the triggered counter-damage.

But the little fox city lord's casual strike, seemingly just a glance, caused the opponent to burst into flames and die.

"What's wrong? Have we arrived at Darkmoon Forest?"

At the same time, a graceful figure lifted the curtain and looked at the stopped convoy, the astonishment in everyone's eyes coming into view.

"Reporting to the City Lord, we have indeed arrived at our destination, but..."

Hruf glanced worriedly at the monsters emerging from the woods—giant wolf, bear, thorn beast, swamp crab, and grumpy squirrel—and his cheek twitched: “The inhabitants here don’t seem to welcome us.”

During the great purge of the Gubang family, he was a typical example of abandoning darkness for light. He secretly cultivated his influence in the city and earned the glorious title of "the number one lackey under the Little Fox". He suppressed the big shots like George and Jay, who were silly city management officers, making others envious.