The game has become a real alternate world

"Everyone, run faster, pick up the pace if you don't want to lose your life."

Ezari shouted loudly as he rode on his warhorse.

More than 10 knights followed alongside him, though most of them bore some injuries.

Still, they could move, still, they could fight.

But ahead of them was a long line of refugees and many soldiers who could no longer fight.

"Buzz!"

A ringing sound echoed.

Ezari widened his eyes and shouted loudly, "Quick, quick, quick, everyone speed up."

"Keep them in formation, we're almost at Vitra City!" he turned to the knight beside him and said again.

He rode quickly to the back of the formation.

The ringing sound came once more; rarely does the same bat call twice in a short span, indicating a substantial number of enemies were trailing behind.

Under such circumstances, asking these refugees and wounded soldiers to stay put was quite unfair. Besides, with such numbers, even if they remained still, it was hard to ensure they wouldn't be detected by the enemy.

Better to seize this moment to speed up and run.

Just as Ichard reached the back of the formation, he sensed a commotion behind.

Several ghouls in the distance were running swiftly closer like a pack of hyenas.

The fastest ghoul roared and charged forward, its mouth wide open ready to bite, yet an arrow pierced through its throat, knocking it to the ground.

At the back of the formation, an injured soldier was using one hand to brace a bow, providing cover.

"Sir, I only have one arrow left."

"Ha-ha, that's enough!" Ichard laughed heartily, swinging his sword fiercely, sending a head flying.

Faced with the attacking ghouls, Ichard easily swung his sword, every strike taking down a ghoul.

But even that could not stop the overwhelming number of enemies.

Some bypassed him, attacking the refugees from both sides.

Fortunately, the rear of the refugee line consisted of soldiers still able to fight.

They quickly formed a simple formation and with their remaining strength, soon took out the ghouls that had bypassed them.

Their survival from Gray Rock Fortress was not just luck.

They had long devised their method for dealing with the multitude of ghouls.

"Above!" an injured soldier shouted.

Without hesitation, Ichard leapt from his warhorse, striking down a bat swooping from the side.

"Ahh, save me!" cried a youth, carried away from the refugee line, as another bat attempted to fly him skyward.

A few injured soldiers instinctively aimed to shoot arrows but, as stated earlier, they had no arrows left.

Unlike ghouls, the giant bats could trouble enemies in nearly any situation.

A stone shot suddenly upward.

This bat was evidently different from the others, spinning in mid-air, it actually dodged and soared higher.

"Damn!" Ichard swore after throwing the stone.

With such limited manpower, hoping to protect so many refugees was clearly wishful thinking.

"Whoosh!"

A green streak flashed by.

The bat, obviously elite, sensed the attack targeting it; instinctively, it released the youth in its grip.

The youth fell down, caught by several strong men below.

Without its burden, the bat aimed to dodge the attack, but to no avail.

Though fired from quite a distance, the attack was swift, causing the bat pain as it tried to dodge.

The whole arrow even completely pierced through its head.

The massive bat body crashed down from the sky.

A few more ghouls circled in from the side, approaching, while Ichard was still dealing with the ghouls before him.

As the ghouls were about to attack the refugee line, several ropes flew from the shadows, accurately ensnaring and dragging the ghouls to the ground.

In the shadowy forest, several short figures swung along the ropes, swiftly harvesting the lives of the ghouls with their short swords and daggers.

"Sir Ichard, it's been a few days." On a treetop, George stood there, firing an arrow that pierced a ghoul's head, smiling and greeting.

Seeing George, Ichard finally breathed a sigh of relief, slightly relaxing.

"You came just in time."

George chuckled, "His Highness sent us, said by his calculations, you should be arriving soon, so he had us come to meet you."

"Ha-ha, then I'm not surprised at all." Ichard teased, allowing himself to relax.

"Sir, you'd better lead the refugee group on ahead, leave the pursuers to us."

Upon hearing this, Ichard nodded, leading the soldiers and refugees to begin their escape.

Soon, they saw a burnt-out ruin, a once-thriving city turned to rubble, causing many refugees to pause.

Until they saw the Holy Knights and Priests.

Ichard rode his warhorse over to the waiting Kana, dismounted, and saluted.

"Mission accomplished, Your Highness."

Kana nodded, smilingly saying, "Well done, you have completed the mission excellently."

Upon hearing this, Ichard's expression did not improve; he frowned, "But what is the significance of what we brought?"

Alyris, Lurik, and several others also looked at Kana.