Chapter 441: Section 228: Gang Lie and Mushy Words
Bai Ya’s probing attack was thwarted, and he quickly retreated several steps to increase the distance.
The clamor among the human mercenaries died down by a small margin.
Although everyone knew that the Water Pigmen were very strong, it was only after seeing Bai Ya and the Water Pigman clash that they truly understood the magnitude of the difference.
“Black Tooth, don’t panic, the other side has just drawn his blade; his skill is far inferior to yours,” Xu Ma suddenly shouted.
The shout reached Bai Ya’s ears, calming his restless heart considerably.
His gaze sharpened as he launched another attack.
Indeed, as Xu Ma said, the Water Pigman’s weapon skills were far inferior to Bai Ya’s.
For a moment, the Water Pigman was clumsily defending from all sides, while Bai Ya went all out to search for an opening.
The Water Pigman’s strength made the battle difficult for Bai Ya, but Bai Ya’s skill and agility left the Water Pigman at a loss.
Both sides’ physical strength quickly declined, and Bai Ya was the first to falter, forced to reduce the frequency of his attacks.
The Water Pigman felt the pressure diminish greatly and gradually adapted to the fight.
The spectators’ interest waned as time went on.
Both the Water Pigman and Bai Ya were determined not to admit defeat.
The battle lasted unexpectedly long!
“It’s a draw,” Zong Ge finally intervened to stop their battle.
The scene had turned ugly.
Both sides were so exhausted they were almost lying on the deck, each effort to raise the scimitar requiring their utmost strength.
Bai Ya was carried off.
“Kid, you didn’t disgrace the human race.”
“It’s passable, at least you didn’t lose.”
“Why didn’t it fall to me? If I had gone on stage, I would’ve beaten that pig-headed brute up!”
The mercenaries were very kind to Bai Ya.
Although Bai Ya hadn’t defeated his opponent, anyone could see his tenacious unwillingness to give in.
Despite his physical strength having given out long ago, Bai Ya stubbornly persisted until the end.
Of course, this was also due to the Water Pigman’s poor swordsmanship; he couldn’t seize the opportunity.
“Damn it!” Bai Ya clenched his fist, his mood foul.
When he was carried to Xu Ma’s side, he asked gloomily, “Boss, is this what a Beastman is like?”
“They’re stronger than us humans both in strength and physical endurance, and they have greater defensive power.”
“My scimitar hit him, and it barely left a white mark on his body, as if he couldn’t even feel the pain.”
Xu Ma snorted with a hint of ridicule, “Of course there is a racial difference between the humans and the Beastmen. But don’t think the Beastmen are too strong.”
“You have experienced the advantages of the Beastmen in this battle.”
“But what about their disadvantages?”
“Their intelligence and learning ability are not as good as those of our human race, and their magical talents are also much weaker.”
“Otherwise, why would our Empire be able to invade the Wilderness Continent of the Beast Race?”
“The key point is, your tactics were wrong, which made the fight very difficult.”
“If I were able to demonstrate for you on stage, you would understand.”
Zong Ge, hearing Xu Ma’s words, pointed at him immediately, “Since you say so, you go next.”
Xu Ma was stunned for a moment, then delighted, he said spiritedly, “Hehe, as you command!”
Zong Ge then looked toward the Water Pigman side, “Gang Lie, you are the strongest in the Bronze Level, go!”
“Roar roar.” Bronze Level Water Pigman Gang Lie roared twice, glaring at Xu Ma and striding confidently to the center of the deck.
The crowd around them stirred up once again.
Bai Ya sat on the deck, leaning against the ship’s side, staring intently without blinking.
Xu Ma, blessed with the bloodline of the Dark Earth Spider, was naturally tall and lanky, but he often stooped and was obsequious to many, which made him seem not so tall.
But facing an even taller and burlier Water Pigman, Xu Ma stood up straight for the first time.
Human mercenaries were surprised to find Xu Ma was actually that tall.
Xu Ma provocatively beckoned to the Water Pigman with a curled finger, with a strong hint of challenge.
The Water Pigman Gang Lie, clearly having a volatile temper, charged at Xu Ma immediately.
He swung his twin hammers fiercely at Xu Ma.
Xu Ma stood in place, not moving an inch, waiting until the hammer was about to crush his body, then suddenly disappeared from where he was.
Combat Skill — Backstabbing.
The next moment, Xu Ma reappeared behind the Water Pigman, his dagger ruthlessly stabbing towards Gang Lie’s back.
Because the dagger was wrapped in thick cloth, it only marked a bloody spot on Gang Lie’s exposed back.
Gang Lie roared in anger, spinning around fiercely, the hammer whooshing as it followed through, sweeping towards Xu Ma.
Xu Ma ducked low, suddenly compressing from a height of 1.9 meters to just 0.5 meters.
In Gang Lie’s field of vision, it was as if Xu Ma had disappeared.
Believing that Xu Ma had repeated his earlier trick and flashed behind him again, Gang Lie simply increased the force of his swing, employing the Combat Skill — Spinning Hammer.
He wielded a hammer in each hand, spinning a full circle around his body.
The hammers whistled through the air, stirring up a strong wind, an intimidating display of power.
But they didn’t hit Xu Ma.
Xu Ma simply crouched in place, easily dodging Gang Lie’s attack.
His gaze focused on Gang Lie’s buttocks.
The next moment, the corners of his mouth turned up, revealing a sinister and cruel smile.
Combat Skill — Eye Stabbing.
His fighting energy surged, increasing Xu Ma’s hand speed dramatically; the dagger, wrapped in thick cloth, hurriedly accelerated, accurately striking an eye on the lower body of the Water Pigman.
“Roar… Ah—oh!”
In a few short seconds, Gang Lie’s varying roars manifested his complex emotions of anger, pain, and misery.
As if he’d been electrocuted, he suddenly lunged forward a big step, his attacking posture completely dismantled; he discarded the hammers and subconsciously clutched at his buttocks with both hands.
Xu Ma drew out his dagger, slowly stood up, and watched as the Water Pigman Gang Lie madly rushed out, directly leaping over the ship’s side and then, with a splash, fell into the sea.
“I won,” Xu Ma raised his right arm, still holding the dagger in his right hand.
The thick cloth wrapped around the dagger was already bright red.
The Human Race didn’t cheer; they all felt a chill in their hearts.
Bai Ya was dumbfounded, thinking to himself, “Boss, I can’t pull off that kind of attack!”
The Water Pigmen were as if they had been in a nightmare, then suddenly awakened.
They cried out loud, with two or three Water Pigmen quickly jumping into the sea to rescue Gang Lie, while the remaining angrily pointed at Xu Ma and cursed loudly, their eyeballs filled with blood and seething with the rage to kill!
“Xu Ma wins!” Zong Ge declared loudly, while casting a stern glance at the Water Pigmen, “On the battlefield, all is fair. In life and death, there is no shame or dishonor!”
“Do you want to teach them a lesson?”
“Next is your last chance for today.”
A Black Iron Level Water Pigman cursed and stepped onto the deck while Xu Ma promptly stepped down.
The Water Pigman was so livid that Xu Ma felt that if he was even a step slower, he would have been thrashed by the Black Iron Level Water Pigman who had just taken the stage.
Zong Ge then looked at Sanda, “You go for this match.”
Sanda was slightly startled, then coming to a realization, stepped to the center of the deck.
The Water Pigman turned his head, saw Sanda, and after a look of surprise, his expression became more solemn.
He looked at Zong Ge.
Clearly, Sanda was a capable assistant by Zong Ge’s side.
Zong Ge said to the Water Pigman, “Defeat him, and you can take his place!”
The Water Pigman’s eyes lit up instantly, and with a low growl, his battle spirit surged.
Sanda snorted coldly, drew his dagger, and held it in his hand.
Combat Skill—Extreme Speed: Triple Phase.
Combat Skill—Flash Strike!
Sanda charged forward, as swift as a shadowy line.
The shadow easily swept past the side of the Water Pigman.
The Water Pigman stood frozen in place, eyes wide, and then the next second, he crashed heavily to the deck, his large face smacking into the wood.
The shadow dissipated, and Sanda stood behind the Water Pigman.
As he gently sheathed his dagger, the crowd began to react.
A stir rose up.
“He’s too strong!”
“He knocked down the opponent with just one move!”
“Not one move, idiot, at least two Combat Skills were used simultaneously.”
“His dagger is no ordinary one; it’s a Black Iron Level weapon!”
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Zong Ge nodded in satisfaction, and Sanda, with a respectful face, returned to Zong Ge’s side.
Sanda was inherently Black Iron Level, formerly a Mercenary Group leader, his Combat Skills naturally honed, and using two Combat Skills simultaneously was as easy for him as flexing his fingers.
But the more significant upgrade was his dagger.
The survivors disbursed funds to upgrade their companions’ equipment.
Bai Ya and Lan Zao were among the beneficiaries, and so Sanda received a Black Iron Level dagger—the Nauseating Flattery.
The dagger’s attack came with a paralyzing effect.
It’s worth mentioning that the condition for the paralysis to take effect was not cutting or contacting flesh but sound.
As long as a sound was produced on the target, the paralysis would take effect.
Hence, even though the dagger was wrapped in thick cloth, it struck the Water Pigman with force, grinding a deep mark into him.
The Black Iron Level Water Pigman was thus struck, paralyzed all over, and once he couldn’t stand, his face hit the deck, and he fell, unable to get up again.
Seeing their strongest companion knocked down so easily by a short-statured member of the Human Race, the Water Pigmen’s faces grew serious and tense, their eyes reflecting more fear.
Of course, there was also anger and dissatisfaction.
After all, Sanda had an advantage in equipment.
But the Water Pigmen dared not express their anger—they were only slaves, and according to what Zong Ge had said earlier, on the battlefield, anything goes, and it was only logical to use good equipment, beyond rebuke.
Zong Ge addressed the Water Pigmen, “Today’s one-on-one was just a beginning.”
“I treat my subordinates equally.”
“The Fast Blade squad is an example right before your eyes.”
“I will supply you with better equipment, teach you superior Fighting energy techniques, and train your battle formations.”
“What I just said still applies, anyone who can publicly, one on one, defeat him, can take his place.”
Zong Ge pointed at Sanda.
Sanda sighed inwardly, but on the surface, he held his head high with a face of cold indifference and disdain.
The Water Pigmen couldn’t help but let out low growls, their fighting spirit greatly stimulated, and after being lectured, most of them had their inner pride shattered.
Zong Ge’s hidden agenda was reached.
He continued to supervise military training, with Sanda as his assistant.
Moreover, Chi Lai participated as well.
As a former Navy gunner, Chi Lai was responsible for training the mercenaries to use cannons.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ 11 ships were almost fully equipped with cannons.
After the melee at Twin Eyes Island, too many died, leaving many ships and an abundance of spare cannons.
But Chi Lai was not satisfied, and he spoke plainly to the Dragon-man youth, insisting that the cannons needed to be upgraded.
Because the vast majority were just ordinary cannons.
Chi Lai also mentioned the Golden Level cannon and urged the Dragon-man youth to find a way to repair it as soon as possible.
During the days away from the island, he would take time each day to check on the damaged Golden cannon, like visiting a sick beloved.