After nearly an hour of suffocating silence, hurried footsteps echoed through the manor. A soldier burst in, his face pale as he rushed toward Commander Mo.
"Commander Mo!" he called out urgently. "Someone outside demands to see you—he says it's an emergency!"
Commander Mo's eyes narrowed. He didn't waste a single breath. Rising at once, he strode out of the room with the other three close behind him.
The moment they stepped outside, a dishevelled man rushed forward, his chest heaving.
"Commander Mo!" he shouted. "The beast tide has begun! The reconnaissance team has already fired the signal flare. The instant I saw it rise into the sky; I ran here without stopping!"
After hearing the man's report, all of them instinctively drew in a sharp breath.
Commander Mo stepped forward and gripped the man's shoulder firmly. "Good work," he said, his voice steady yet heavy with authority.
He then turned sharply toward another soldier. "You—go and notify everyone immediately. Sound the alert across the entire town. From this moment on, no one is to approach the mountain range until the beast tide is completely suppressed."
"Yes, Commander!" The soldier snapped to attention, saluted, and sprinted away without hesitation.
Commander Mo's gaze shifted to the three men behind him. "You three, prepare yourselves at once. Inform your brothers and have them assemble immediately. Once everyone has gathered, we move for the mountain range."
"No worries, Commander Mo. We'll do as you say," Xue Zhan replied without hesitation. Mu She and Mister Yao nodded in agreement.
With that, they headed toward the front courtyard where the rest of the people were resting.
The moment they arrived, Commander Mo's voice rang out like a blade cutting through the air.
"Everyone—assemble immediately!"
Almost at the same time, the deep boom of war drums thundered through the town, followed by the sharp peal of alarm bells. The echoes spread endlessly, sending a chill through every street and alley.
"What's going on? Why has the emergency bell sounded now?" a shop owner shouted in panic, his face drained of color.
"Idiot!" another man snapped. "It must be a beast tide. That bell is a warning—not to enter the mountain range. If you value your life, find somewhere safe and stay there!"
"A beast tide?!" the first man cried, clutching his head in despair. "Then aren't we going to die if we stay here?!"
"No," someone else said hurriedly, forcing himself to stay calm. "If it were truly dangerous, the town would have been evacuated already. Since that hasn't happened, the beast tide must be small. The soldiers should be able to suppress it before it reaches us."
"Is… is that so?" The shop owner let out a long breath, his legs nearly giving way. "Then that's good…"
We can only hope that's true, the man thought silently, unease lingering deep in his heart. Otherwise…
….
….
….
At Commander Mo's call, everyone gathered without hesitation.
He stood before them, his gaze steady and unyielding.
"Everyone," he said, his voice firm, carrying the weight of responsibility. "As you have likely guessed, a beast tide has erupted near the Co-Apes region just moments ago. What lies ahead is not an ordinary hunt—it is a battle that will decide the safety of this town and everyone behind us."
A brief pause followed, heavy and solemn.
"I ask for your strength, your courage, and your lives if necessary. Stand ready to face those beasts… and to end them."
With a clear metallic ring, Commander Mo unsheathed his sword. The blade caught the light, reflecting the determination in his eyes.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!"
The response was thunderous—not blind excitement, but a roar born of resolve.
The moment they heard the words beast tide, something ancient stirred within them. These were soldiers and mercenaries who survived by standing on the edge of death. Countless battles against savage beasts had carved the meaning of combat into their very souls.
They were not charging for glory.
They were moving forward because retreat was not an option.
Seeing this, Commander Mo nodded silently. Alongside Mu She and Xue Zhan, he mounted his horse and rode out first.
One by one, the soldiers and mercenaries followed, mounting their steeds. As hooves struck the ground and the formation surged forward, a single unspoken thought bound them all together—
If they did not stand here today, the town behind them would fall tomorrow.
As they rode out, the people of Qingshan Town burst into loud cheers, their voices following the departing force like a tide of encouragement.
That sound hardened the resolve of every soldier and mercenary. Some, unable to contain their emotions, raised their blades high and waved them through the air in response. Though many of them were mercenaries by profession, they were still human—men with parents, wives, and children living within those very streets. This charge was not merely a contract or an order; it was a promise to fight and protect what lay behind them.
The streets trembled beneath the thunder of galloping hooves. Dust billowed into the air as nearly a hundred soldiers and mercenaries surged forward toward the mountain range. The sight of their charge alone was enough to make one's heart tighten.
But once the last of them disappeared into the mountains, the town fell into an eerie silence.
People slowly lowered their hands. Some clasped their palms together and prayed silently for victory. Others prayed for something simpler—for their loved ones to return safely, without wounds, and without loss.
And beneath those quiet prayers lingered a single shared hope—
That the men who had ridden out would return, just as they had left.