Chapter Forty-Five: Hah, What Good Is Numbers?

“Give me a reason.”

“I feel I might be able to help a little. Consider it as compensation for my previous actions...” the armored man said in a low voice.

He couldn’t possibly tell the other man that he hadn’t eaten since yesterday and was dying for a piece of meat, could he? That would be far too humiliating...

Of course, he wasn’t lying entirely—after all, if he put in the effort to help, he should be granted some special consideration...

[You judge his words, and think what he says is more or less what he thinks, but he’s hiding some of his real thoughts.]

[However, those thoughts are irrelevant.]

“What’s your name?” Colin asked, stroking his chin. “And tell me what you plan to do. Let me see if you can really be of any use...”

“Li Hang. If my guess is right, you must have some ability to see through the fog, otherwise you wouldn’t have sent them out or managed to intercept us so precisely...” Li Hang quietly explained his reasoning in brief.

In the end, Colin nodded his approval, letting him join the second team, and instructing the others to listen to Li Hang’s suggestions.

“I’ll wait here for your return. I hope you’ll bring me a satisfactory answer.”

Not long after, a team of over a hundred people hurried off in the direction Colin had indicated.

If all went as expected, in about five minutes they’d run into the survivors who’d been drawn here by the lure of his ore.

Seeing them depart, Colin quickly packed up his table and other items, preparing to follow them in secret.

“Aren’t you supposed to be training them, letting them handle things independently?” Shauna asked in surprise. The Church of Trials had similar customs, and she’d thought Colin really wouldn’t get involved.

As he packed up his things, Colin replied nonchalantly, “Come on, these are my own men—even one of them hurt is painful enough, let alone killed.

“I want them to gain experience, not get themselves killed...”

...

In the midst of the fog, four lanterns moved along, their flickering light casting shadows of the people holding them.

“Brother Huang, do you have a map? Bah, I mean, are you really sure about this? There are so many mutated creature corpses on this road—they must be strong...” one of the lantern-bearers asked, bloodstains on his clothes from encounters on the way.

Huang Weiyang walked in silence, thinking aloud, “They’re just ordinary mutants. Put in some effort and a few swings will kill them, at worst you get a little hurt...

“So the guy here can’t be that strong...

“There aren’t that many Colins in this world.

“If I’m right, that person just figured out black powder—at most there are four or five people.

“The explosion earlier carried a long way, so it must have been a big one, meaning there’s plenty of raw material. Most likely a mining area, which would explain his extravagance...

“Too bad he’s too green—doesn’t know how to hide, doesn’t think things through. Back in the channel, a lot of people were planning to come here. And just now, there were a few small explosions—meaning fighting’s already started...”

“We’re still less than fifteen minutes in, so both sides should still be fighting. Now’s the perfect time for us to go!” someone else in the group affirmed his reasoning.

A niter mine that big ought to be shared, after all!

Following a line of footprints, they soon spotted a bright lantern ahead.

The four of them tensed, instinctively bunching together.

Seventeen people—the group ahead made no effort to hide. But why were their lanterns so bright?

Huang Weiyang and his companions exchanged glances but didn’t act. Their thinking was simple: they had nineteen people; the other side had seventeen. The odds were even, maybe even in their favor. Why back down?

Just as he was about to speak, a survivor from the other group approached. The two sides’ lights mingled, and they were once again taken aback.

Why were their lanterns so bright?

“Are you here for the niter mine?” Number Two asked in a deep voice, showing no fear toward these so-called lords.

After all, they’d just dealt with nine of them not long ago.

Except for Colin, they were no longer afraid of these people.

Arrogant, thought Huang Weiyang, giving Li Han, who stood by the servant, a displeased look. So what if your lantern is brighter?

He couldn’t be bothered to answer. Worst case, a fight would settle things.

“If you won’t answer, I’ll take that as a yes. Hand over the sheepskin scroll, the synthesis table, and your lanterns, and come with me. Otherwise, if things get rough and you noble lords get yourselves killed, don’t blame us,” Number Two said scornfully. “Our lord has always said peace comes first.”

Outrageous!

“So this is your idea of peace?” Huang Weiyang frowned, glaring at Li Hang. Did they really think having two extra servants made them invincible?

Even if they had two, three, or even ten times as many, did they think he’d be afraid? He was the district sanda champion!

Not my problem, they’re not my men... Li Hang thought to himself, feeling that annoyed glare.

Then he said, “Why are you looking at me?

“I advise you to cooperate, or you’ll regret it.”

At that moment, his eyes flicked left and right, and the corner of his mouth curled up.

“I’m waiting for the encirclement. What are you waiting for?”

Li Hang recalled what Colin had said when he’d blown him up earlier, and couldn’t help but quote him.

“Heh,” Huang Weiyang snorted. “So your trick is just numbers. Even if you have twice as many people, what’s the use? Let me show you that numbers aren’t everything!”

He’d come here with confidence.

But before he’d finished speaking, a lantern suddenly lit up around them without warning...

Sixteen people...

Huang Weiyang frowned, but so what?

Then another lantern flared...

And then...

Thirty-two, forty-eight, sixty-four, eighty...

A total of nine lanterns blazed from all around!

No way out!

Huang Weiyang went numb, gripping his axe so tightly his hands trembled.

One hundred and forty-five people, each one holding an axe and staring at him...

He didn’t dare move, barely dared breathe, afraid that the slightest misstep would send them all charging to kill him.

“Are you sure you want to resist?” Number Two glared at him.

“Just kidding, just kidding! I’m a peaceful man, don’t like violence...” he stammered, then glanced at Li Hang, confused. “But you said your lord...”

He wanted to say, isn’t your lord standing right here! But he didn’t dare—that would be a death sentence.

They’d all be killed.

“What are you looking at? He’s not our lord!” Number Two snapped.

Li Hang just shrugged. “Don’t look at me. If I were you, I’d cooperate. Earlier, all nine of us got steamrolled by the boss. You four think you can turn the tables? That’s a joke...”

Many people knew, but hadn’t noticed, that the light of the lanterns could be hidden.

It was simple: just have your men form a circle. The effect on the fog was the same.

But this was a blind spot—most people saw it but didn’t realize it could be used tactically.

Colin had given Li Hang a chance because he noticed, after interacting with him, that Li Hang was exceptionally observant.

Even Colin himself hadn’t realized this.

After all, the primary enemy for survivors now was mutants, not other survivors.

Li Hang used this fact, combined with Colin’s “map hack” intelligence, to have nine teams surround and cut off their retreat.