Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Battle of Blackwater River (Part One)

A mournful horn sounded along the banks of the Blackwater River, startling flocks of birds within several dozen kilometers. Standing atop a stone behind the human phalanx, Chu Cheng gazed distantly at the grim and chilling battlefield.

The human army, under their commanders’ orders, had split into four divisions: the standard center, left and right wings, and a reserve unit. All the students were assigned to Reserve Team Two, free to enter the battle at their discretion. This was their privilege—Reserve Team One enjoyed no such right.

Zhang Chunlei and the others had long since returned. Now, they stood beside Chu Cheng, each classmate aligned according to their class. Time had left its mark: Zhang Chunlei’s face bore new traces of hardship and maturity, mirrored by Zhang Hong and Cheng Mingyue at his side. It seemed that dying once had forced them to grow quickly.

Some truths ring clear—only after experiencing the cruelty of the world does one shed former naivety and awaken to reality.

“Chu Cheng, your talents are well-suited to the current situation. Are you going in?” Zhang Chunlei asked.

Chu Cheng countered, “Are you planning to form a team?”

Zhang Chunlei shook his head. “No need. We can’t help you much. But if you’re heading in, we’d like to follow and seize some opportunities.”

“How many of you?”

“Our squad has five.”

“Hmmm…” Chu Cheng pondered before continuing, “Have you thought about joining forces with others in our class? In this situation, numbers matter. If you don’t bring them, they might be swayed by Wang Weilong from Class One or Six.”

Zhang Chunlei shook his head again. “I don’t have that kind of influence—they might not come.”

“You could ask the teacher for help. I’m sure they’d support you.”

“Uh…”

“Just try. See how many you can gather. You can all follow behind me then. But let me say this first: following me doesn’t mean I’ll protect you. I’ll do my best to draw the main fire, but if the enemy splits their forces and attacks you, I may not be able to help. And if the big boss comes and I can’t hold them back, I’ll retreat. Watch the battlefield and act accordingly.”

Zhang Chunlei nodded quickly. “Of course.”

“Good.”

One does what one’s strength allows. At this moment, Chu Cheng considered himself the strongest in his class—even against the thirty-something level teachers, he had little to fear… Well, perhaps that was a bit arrogant.

The younger teachers were not a concern, but the more experienced ones were another matter. Their levels were not much higher, barely past level thirty, but each rank up brought a suppressive advantage. Years of experience meant monthly battles against stage bosses, accumulating countless free attribute and skill points, and who knew how many rare items they carried. With enough time, a full set of rare equipment was not out of reach. Combined with their extra accumulations and skills leveled to ten or beyond, the difference was substantial.

Still, the gap was not insurmountable. Once he reached level thirty and advanced, the difference could narrow, or he might even surpass them. With sufficient strength comes confidence—no need for excessive modesty. Too much humility could harm his reputation with the school. To compete with the clique in Class One, he had to showcase his abilities.

He advised Zhang Chunlei to unite the fifth class, so they could be a resource at critical moments. They might falter before a big boss, but for ordinary foes, they’d suffice. Most importantly, banding together kept them from being poached by other classes. Should Class One try to seize the glory, they would be Chu Cheng’s rear guard.

The homeroom teacher didn’t believe he could win first place in the joint exam, so hadn’t discussed it with him. But if he had a real shot, Duan Yuqin would surely lend support.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

On the human side, mighty war drums thundered. The immense army shifted subtly, messengers on horseback relaying orders to and fro. The commander at the center raised his sword, voice stirring and impassioned. Chu Cheng, too far away to hear the words, nevertheless received a prompt:

“Gained the skill: Warlord’s ‘Pre-Battle Speech.’ Effect ‘Inspire’ granted—your attributes have increased!”

“Pre-Battle Speech—Inspire: Attack +20, Defense +5, Speed +20, Regeneration +2, Morale +100%, lasts 60 minutes.”

Chu Cheng knew of the Warlord class—it was the transcendent evolution of the War Knight, able to cast powerful auras over the entire battlefield. The bonuses weren’t enormous, but spread across thousands of soldiers, the effect was staggering.

Heartened, and at the signal, the three armies advanced. The humans, outnumbered several times over, boldly attacked the orc coalition.

As the armies advanced, Chu Cheng sent Zhang Chunlei a message: “Gather your team. I’m heading to the right wing. Meet me there.”

Zhang Chunlei replied in surprise, “You’re going in now?”

“If I wait, it’ll be too late.”

Zhang Chunlei immediately understood his intention. Mouth agape, he managed, “Be careful!”

“Don’t worry.”

After closing the chat, Zhang Chunlei turned to the equally stunned Cheng Mingyue and Zhang Qing. “Looks like he’s aiming for something big.”

“He’s not planning to change the story, is he?”

“It’s obvious.”

“Wow, that’s bold!”

Zhang Qing pinched his brow and nodded slightly. “Though I haven’t interacted with him much, I can tell Chu Cheng is always careful—he never acts without confidence. He’s kept a low profile until now, but this time, he’s making a statement. He must be quite sure of himself.”

He looked at his companions. “We can’t miss out on something like this. Let’s follow him. With him leading and the human army at our side, as long as we’re not reckless, the risk is low. We can seize some benefits in this crucial battle and easily secure a three-star story rating.”

“I agree,” Cheng Mingyue nodded. “I’ll go persuade the others in our class.”

“Good.”

Meanwhile, Chu Cheng had already joined the human right wing. The vanguard was on the verge of clashing with the orc front lines. Every human soldier gripped their weapon, faces set with resolve, advancing steadily. Chu Cheng slipped in at the edge, unnoticed.

“Kill!…” The shout of battle thundered from the front. Chu Cheng immediately felt his blood boiling, a surge of passion muddling his thoughts.

He knew this was the battlefield.

Many wonder—do soldiers not fear death, knowing the risks? Of course they do. But once on the battlefield, they are swept along. With the blare of horns and the din of combat, adrenaline floods the body. Tension and excitement peak, and when the charge sounds, they can’t help but follow their comrades into the fray.