Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 173 Feeling at Home
The darkness before dawn is the deepest darkness; the sudden attack at daybreak is the deadliest.

Many cunning and experienced veterans would never launch a surprise attack under the cover of night, as the so-called bards claim. Who doesn't know that the night is dangerous and requires vigilance?
Unless one's own level is sufficient to suppress the opponent, the probability of being discovered is almost the same as during the day.

However, the time before dawn is different. Firstly, the starlight and moonlight have already disappeared, and the sunlight has not yet arrived with the dawn. Secondly, the night watchman also has accumulated fatigue and drowsiness. He can still hold on during the night, but as the handover is about to end, his vigilance and reaction speed often drop significantly.

Of course, this excludes those who have undergone special targeted training or those of the Pokémon race.

Kegan, however, was the exception, which is why he took over the night watch.

Kegan, a seasoned veteran of the underworld, understood all too well these clandestine tricks and schemes, and the closer it got to the fall of Surenxi, the more vigilant he became.

Kegan, his ears perked up, sensed an unusual movement beneath his feet. He immediately lay prone, listening intently to the whispers of the earth. After a moment, the dwarf, who had risen to his feet, shouted:

"Warning! Enemy attack!"

As dwarves who are known as the children of the earth, they are naturally seen by some mean-spirited people as a bunch of moles hiding in caves searching for mineral veins. Moreover, they have been involved in mercenary groups in the underworld for many years. Kegan has absolute confidence in his judgment and took the awakening action without hesitation.

The Canaanite team members, who were sound asleep, were awakened by the dwarf's gruff voice. Without even asking why, they quickly dressed, fully armed, and gathered in their respective rooms.

Seeing that everyone had arrived and was in a state of readiness, Kegan nodded and briefly recounted his findings and judgments:
"The tremors coming from the west of our camp are about a kilometer away. There are at least twenty people involved. Their footsteps are heavy, and their pace is not slow, but the frequency is not fast. They should be large creatures, possibly those trolls."

“But those beasts just had a blood meal not long ago, so why are they chasing us?” Nancy wondered.

Zhang Yuan's statement put an end to these speculations and discussions:

"Now is not the time to discuss these issues. We should quickly set up defenses and prepare to meet the enemy."

After quickly devising a battle plan with Kegan, Lawrence, and others, they opened the gate, and the team members filed out.

Münster gently patted the horse that was sleeping while standing, and together with Kegan, they parked the carriage on the east side of the stone house, in a corner against the foot of the hill and the wall.

Lawrence and Nancy took a bunch of lethal traps distributed by a mage and set them up on the western side of the camp's perimeter.

Zhang Yuan, although awakened at dawn, had most of his low-level spell slots restored, except for one Leomon Sanctuary and one level 3 Summoning slot that he had used up, which were temporarily vacant.

The remaining spell slots are enough for someone to raise a small army.

"King of Beasts!" - The Beast King, a two-star, two-cost chess piece;
"For the skinning twins" - Blood Demon, a two-star, two-cost unit;
"I am the proud princess of the Drow" - a two-star, one-cost Drow Ranger;
"Ah, big steak" - Pudge, a 1-star, 3-cost chess piece;
"Big Meow, say thank you!" — Mirana, a 1-star 2-cost minion; "Raise your spear, raise your shield!" — Mars, a 1-star 1-cost minion;

"The Tusk is here!" - The one-star, one-cost Tusk.

Combined with the two-star Tiny, one-star Juggernaut, and Axe who were already present, a complete Beastmaster Hunter set plus six Warriors, and the double Undead system was formed immediately!
Under Master Zhang's relentless summoning, two level four, two level three, one level two, and two level one summoning spells were thrown out, for a total of ten chess pieces to join the battlefield.

With the synergy between Orcs, Hunters, Warriors, and Undead, the health, durability, armor, ranged damage, and armor penetration of summoned creatures are comprehensively enhanced.

When the teammates finished their chores and regrouped, the sound of footsteps coming from the west could be faintly heard, and they were approaching at a rapid pace, indicating that they had launched their initial attack.

The small warrior pieces lined up in front, ready to engage the enemy, while the Beastmaster, Blood Demon, and the two dwarf brothers were positioned on the flanks to provide support. The remaining ranged pieces and Lawrence stayed in the rear.

Rick, Morty, and Münster stood directly behind the small figure, ready to go berserk at any moment and launch an attack while the pieces in front withstood the first wave of attacks.

As for Nancy, we can ignore her; the agile wandering swordsman can choose the right moment to launch a surprise attack.

Taking advantage of the last bit of time, Zhang Yuan enchanted Münster, his own off-hand longsword, and his half-ogre brothers with fire weapons. The blazing flames burning on the already enchanted blades were even more powerful.

The enemy had now come into view, and under the illumination of the Light spell, these monsters revealed their ugly, enormous, and deformed appearance.

Standing over two and a half meters tall, yet appearing somewhat short due to their hunched backs, with bodies resembling withered trees, slender limbs, and messy, straw-like hair, these uninvited guests were none other than the local tyrants—trolls!
This group of hunched-over creatures, resembling oversized crayfish with psoriasis and painted green, charged directly at the camp, following their leader.

As for why they could recognize the leader's identity, it was actually very simple, requiring no intelligence whatsoever. Anyone who saw a two-headed troll charging at the front could make the above judgment.

Upon seeing the identity of the other party, the Canaan team members couldn't help but feel a little nervous. The extra head of this troll leader wasn't just for show. As a subspecies of large two-headed troll, it was superior to its minions in terms of strength, vitality, and even intelligence. The spear in its hand was proof of this, compared to the empty-handed minions.

Fortunately, intelligence is not simply a matter of brain matter; this subspecies' intelligence level is generally limited to improving from mental retardation to that of a child.

There's not much to say. Trolls, these savage and brutal creatures, always have a fighting frenzy and a bloodthirsty urge, and the Canaan Squad never place their hopes on the enemy's mercy.

And so, the trolls, the local inhabitants of the Troll Mountains, who came as hosts to welcome their distinguished guests, and the Canaanite team members, who had traveled from afar and brought honor to this ignorant, savage, and dog-eat-dog land, met in a warm and friendly manner. They began a passionate, frank, and enthusiastic welcoming ceremony, a celebration where everyone was happy to hear each other speak with claws, fangs, blades, and axes, and recorded with blood and flesh!

Thank you shrek, Lazy Dormouse, Smearing Blood, and myself for your monthly votes!

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(End of this chapter)