The Day of the Raid

'What!? My mentality went up? Alter is even changing the alcohol's effects.' Liu Kai looked at the big beer mug he's holding.

'Ugh... My body can't get intoxicated,' he facepalmed, wanting to get drunk.

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After dining and having fun with others for a while, King Lee paid all the bills, as they went out and went to the dojo.

Outside the dojo, they can already sense several heavy presences' inside waiting for them.

"It seems like they're here," said King Lee, smiling after he felt their presence in front of the dojo.

'Strong!' The trio thought, following King Lee entered the place. They all look forward to meeting the participants of tomorrow's hunt.

They saw a crew of dwarves inside the dojo, holding long firearms that look like snipers. There were people they saw at the dojo training hall yesterday, the martial artists or King Lee's students, including Wang Xiu Ying.

"Everyone listen up!" King Lee shouted to catch their attention.

"Here are our new recruits. They are from the Monarchy same as me but decided to help us out on tomorrow's hunt. I've got inside information from them that the Monarchy is going to make a move two months from now. We need to gain resources these next couple of weeks and get the assets for this village to defend itself," King Lee said.

Liu Kai, Jin Chow, and Sergio Von Croy have mixed emotions about it. They are sent by the Monarchy to investigate, but they are helping a separate civilization to prevent itself from being eradicated.

"I'm hoping that we won't need this. We'll try our best to talk it out. The Monarchy is not so heartless as they look," Jin Chow said, unable to remain silent to the situation, still thinking high about the Monarchy.

King Lee looked at Sergio with eyes of curiosity, thinking about his resolve.

"I'm with Liu Kai!" Sergio declared, noticing King Lee's gaze. Everyone looked at Liu Kai after Sergio's declaration.

'I no longer know what's right and wrong. I mean, I just woke up in this ruined world. But what I know is… it's not good to judge people and kill them so easily. Just thinking about the possibility of this village being eradicated just because of their emergence is making me feel furious.' Liu Kai thought to himself.

"I'm not the one who judges this matter. What I know is… harming innocent people is not the answer. I'll help if the Monarchy showed hostility." Liu Kai announced.

"THANK YOU!!!!" They all bowed at the same time to the three recruits.

Liu Kai no longer knows what's right, especially about what's going on in the world. But just like how he felt about Desmund Brashford's story, they're still victims of the case, and they're not meant to face extinction because of what happened.

For now, Liu Kai has agreed to help them, as he's still studying what happened to himself, particularly how he survived, and what this system is that keeps showing up and saying things on his head.

Another thing, the dwarves, are benevolent enough to accept the remaining humans at the village as their own. Choi Nayeon unexpectedly popped out on Liu Kai's thoughts.

'Thinking about what the Monarchy would do to the people who lived with the Dwarves. All of them are uncertain. They would not look at them the same way as the other humans outside of here. And people like Choi Nayeon won't take and hold herself together if the dwarves that took them while they were nothing were to be killed.' Just thinking about the possibilities made Liu Kai's blood boil.

'I can delay my goal a little to save thousands of lives within this village. Who would have thought Dwarves and humans could live together in harmony? I shall protect this village at all costs.' He said to himself.

"Tomorrow's going to be a challenging task! We're going to hunt down all the giant bugs that the Giant Cursed Tree has collected so far. That's why we need more people to join to increase manpower. But the price is going to be worth it if we succeed in hunting all those giant bugs. We can at least double the strength of this village if we accumulate all the Giant Bugs there." King Lee gave his motivational speech to encourage them.

"The strategy is simple. Dwarven Snipers are going to wait beyond the range of the Giant Curse Tree. We're dragging those pests out of their dens until they're at the edge of the Giant Cursed Tree's range. Anyone who's in danger can get out of the Giant Cursed Tree's range and recover while few needs to remain in their range to keep them in place." King Lee explained the scheme.

'The idea doesn't seem too risky, it's the best way to get a lot of resources in just a short time.' Liu Kai thought to himself.

"Khundehr, Krugarl, and Karden Battlesong, we're relying on all of you to back us up all the time, particularly for those who need to go back. Please prepare with your crews tomorrow." King Lee said to the three dwarves' brothers.

They are called 'Trio de Terrible' because of their small frame, and their outstanding marksmanship that made them the leaders of their long-ranged army. Dwarves are born craftsmen, but they are also excellent at using their hands at weapons.

"We'll wear a mask and an air tank apart from our armor to keep the Giant Cursed Tree from infecting us. Let's meet here tomorrow before the sunrise, understand?" King Lee raised his voice.

"YES!!!" they all replied in chorus.

After that talk, everyone started their last training before their hunt tomorrow.

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"Woohoo, let's see what's gonna happen tomorrow then."

An old man talked to himself, observing Liu Kai and the rest at the back of a pillar of the dojo.

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***The day of the hunt***

They all woke up excited and kind of anxious about their hunting day. Even Jin Chow, who has 'Indestructible,' cannot defend himself from non-physical hazards without masks or air tanks within the radius of the Giant Cursed Tree.

"Oh, you guys are too early. Let's eat, breakfast is ready." Desmund Brashford said.

They just eat without talking to each other. Preparing their minds about what's going to happen.

"Here are your gears" Desmund Brashford breaks the silence and puts a huge suitcase on the table with their armor, helmet, and air tanks.

King Lee was wearing his equipment aside from the mask and the air tank when he left his room. He's wearing his traditional full-body martial artist outfit with a metal plate on top of it.

'He complained about my choice of clothes yesterday, and yet he's wearing his typical martial artist's attire that isn't made out of Giant Spider's Web.'

Liu Kai was worried about himself.

"Hurry up and finish your lunch to wear your equipment." King Lee said.

They all hurriedly finish their meal and proceed to wear their new uniforms.

After changing to their equipment, they all look so great, ready for battle.