Chapter 41

With tears smearing his cheeks, he sobbed silently for those brave warriors under him who had fallen. The howl of the passing wind started making him remember the past, the time where he camped in the wilds with his unit after a successful sabotage against their enemies.

They were exposed to the elements, with only the campfire giving them warmth as the wind howls and passes by them. Those were the good old days where he enjoyed the company of his peers.

Until their unit was disbanded due to some political issues, their captain charged with insubordination and dismissed dishonorably after disobeying a command. A command that will surely get his men's lives in danger, he still remembered what he angrily yelled on the radio towards the old general.

"There is no hell way that I will let my unit be a sacrifice!!! I'll accept my punishment after this mission but I will leave no man behind!"

The captain remained decisive with his stance and took responsibility of everything. During the court martial was the last time that Xiao Chen saw his captain, he just disappeared like a bubble.

*****

In his past life, he had never experienced losing so many men consecutively, he was a general in rank but never really had the power that came with it. He only had around a hundred men under him and most of them were non-combatant like those who are in charge of logistics, communications, medical welfare and many other fields.

Xiao Chen accepted everything, he never tried to get more than what was provided for him. He made remedies for those that he doesn't have.

In every mission that he had undertaken with his very own unit, they never suffered any real casualty. They only suffered grievous wounds but they lived, they lived but some unlucky ones needed to be honorably dismissed because of their injuries like severed limbs.

Soldiers come and go in Xiao Chen's own unit since every single mission that was thrown at them was never an easy one. He took good care of his men, never allowing any of them to be left behind and just like his captain, he disobeyed many commands.

Commands that he deemed excessive and unreasonable that could put his life and those under him in jeopardy. Luckily his achievements and merits kept the charges of insubordination against him at bay unlike his captain who had no such things.

Mission after mission, he accomplished them whenever they are possible and backing out if it was deemed impossible after intense investigation and observation. His leadership career was flawless, all his men remained all accounted for after each mission despite others being three-fourth or half a man after encountering dangerous situations during their missions.

*****

After blaming himself, Xiao Chen wiped away the tears that stained his face, the grieving expression that he had now was replaced by his stoic facade. Gripping his spear tightly he stood up with his back straightened like the weapon in his hand and walked steadily towards his warriors.

"We have counted a hundred and three dead brave warriors, chief"

Gur'kan respectfully reported as a scowl emerged on his face, his anger directed to the unending number of goblins that besieged them.

"Chief! You might want to take a look at this"

Aro'shanna shouted towards Xiao Chen as he beckoned him towards the little Grogus prying something from the mess up skull of a goblin that got unluckily squashed.

The hands of Grogus were covered in blood and brain matter as he took out something from the squashed goblin head. On his hands was a black crystal that oozed out a foul stench of death and decay while also having the energy that is commonly felt upon the presence of a demon.

"By my ancestors! That's a crystal from the Spell of Domination from a demon or a warlock!"

Sakh'arran exclaimed as he approached closer to the black crystal that was on Grogus' palm.

"There's no mistake, it's from the Spell of Domination"

Sakh'arran confirmed as he took the black crystal from the goblin and held it towards his nose, sniffing it closely and feeling its texture.

"That means we aren't dealing with normal goblins but the pawns of a demon or a warlock"

Trot'thar butted in as he wiped away the blood that covered his face after he tore apart a goblin with his thick and burly arms after foolishly lunging at him thinking that he wasn't proficient in melee combat.

"Yes, these aren't normal goblins. They attack recklessly, unafraid of death unlike normal goblins and they attack in huge swarms"

Sakh'arran commented as he held the black crystal close to his eye trying to find any telltale if it was from a demon or a warlock.

"What do you say big guy?"

Gur'kan patted Galum'nor's butt as the huge orc joined them.

"Hmm...Still weak...just smash and they die"

The muscle head replied quickly and just said what came into his mind.

"Let's hope it's from the latter and not the former"

Xiao Chen said as he didn't want to encounter another demon too soon after his experience with the Demon of Madness, Ozshe. Fighting against a demon wasn't a pleasant thing to do, especially if you don't have the power to defeat it. He didn't know if the spirit of Gu'rhazza would descend on again if he really meets a demon, but one thing is for sure, it won't be pleasant.

With the fallen warriors loaded on the wagons, Xiao Chen and the Yohan First Battalion marched forward towards the place that the scouts deemed sufficient to erect a camp.

The goblins thoroughly were sly, they hid from the scouts and fooled the nose of their wargs and only made their move when the main army arrived.

Arriving at the chosen camping grounds, the Yohan First Battalion started digging a ditch around their, soon to be erected fort. Xiao Chen requested bigger timbers to be use since he wants to make this fort a permanent one unlike the one that they built near the entrance to the woods.

A towering over ten feet tall wooden wall surrounded the campsite with four gates that could be closed at any time if there was a sudden attack. Xiao Chen and his troops didn't require the use of torches since they could still see fairly even when it was dark, but with lesser range unlike during the day.