Chapter 5: The Battle of Tiger Wolf Cave
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After a day of marching, as night fell, the army finally reached the outskirts of Tiger Wolf Cave.
Even though the Pangolin Monster knew well that Tiger Wolf Cave had been abandoned, it still decided to send someone inside to check thoroughly—top to bottom, left to right.
Once it confirmed there was no danger, the Pangolin Monster decided to make the lair of the Great Demon inside, accompanied by dozens of attendants.
The rest of the troops spread out to rest around the cave’s perimeter.
As soon as the army settled down, the Hedgehog Monster and company began bustling around, cooking and preparing food for the troops.
They were exhausted from hauling supplies the entire way, and while others rested, they couldn’t afford to stop.
The Little Demons’ resentment grew deeper.
At that moment, the Black Fish Monster nonchalantly strolled in and, right before everyone’s eyes, dragged a few sweet-looking Butterfly Demons away.
Those poor Butterfly Demons seemed to sense their fate, screaming in helpless anguish.
“Great King, save me… Great King!”
Watching her subordinates being taken, the Flower Butterfly felt an overwhelming urge to confront the Pangolin Monster, but the Hedgehog Monster blocked her way.
With a calm expression, he shook his head and whispered, “A little patience leads to greater plans…”
The Flower Butterfly fell to the ground like she had lost her soul, tears streaming down her face.
The Bat Monster gritted his teeth, “Those bastards will pay for this, mark my words.”
Meanwhile, the Little Demons affiliated with Thunder Mountain Cave, Seven Feather Cave, and Mountain Crossing Cave started whining non-stop.
“Dammit, we’ve been waiting ages for food—are you trying to starve us?”
“Right? Move faster, or I swear I’ll chop you up myself!”
“These useless brats need to be the first ones sent to battle tomorrow.”
“Haha, exactly! Even if they’re weak, at least they can soak up some enemy arrows for us.”
“That’s why they call them cannon fodder!”
Hearing the complaints from the Little Demons, the folks from Spirit Tooth Cave were furious.
In the past, they would’ve had to swallow their grievances without a word.
But now that they had other options, they weren’t about to sit idly by.
…
Listening to women’s anguished cries from within the cave, the Pangolin Monster and Seven Feather calmly sipped their drinks outside, gazing at the twinkling campfires in the distance.
To them, the lives of the Little Demons were worth no more than weeds—cut them down, and they just keep sprouting.
A few Butterfly Demons? If they died, so be it.
What did it matter to them?
Seven Feather said, “Tomorrow, I’ll take some folks to scout Cold Wind Cave and see if they have any preparations.”
The Pangolin Monster nodded. “Good. Even if Cold Wind Cave has captured people from Tiger Wolf Cave, there probably won’t be more than four hundred of them.
Let Spirit Tooth Cave send some in first to wear them down, then we’ll follow.”
Seven Feather chuckled, “Their cooking is actually pretty good. It’d be a shame if they all bit the dust.”
“Haha, you’re joking, right? Our Cook has plenty of food stocked up; I’ll share a couple with you.”
“Hey, thanks, big bro!”
As the night grew deeper… all was silent.
After a long day, everyone was exhausted.
Basically, after dinner, they all collapsed into sleep.
Inside Tiger Wolf Cave, it was pitch dark, with only the occasional muffled groan of women in pain breaking the silence.
Just then, a thick black liquid began to flow down the cave’s stone walls, soaking the bedding of many sleepy soldiers.
The ground outside seemed to sprout new narrow grooves as the black liquid pooled and slowly spread toward the densely packed crowd.
The watchmen were mostly dozing off, each dismissing the idea that the troops of Cold Wind Cave would have the gall to do anything in the presence of their army.
So, coupled with the darkness of night, who would notice the extra liquid at their feet?
Originally, the black liquid could have spread even further, but at that moment, a centurion from Thunder Mountain Cave got up and accidentally stepped into the goo.
Realizing something was amiss, he shouted, “Guards, guards!”
Startled, the guards jumped up, looking around in a panic.
As the torchlight illuminated the area, they quickly discovered the problem.
But it was all too late— in an instant, flames surged along the path of the liquid.
“Whoosh…”
Half the camp was instantly engulfed in flames.
Inside Tiger Wolf Cave, it turned into a massive inferno.
To make matters worse, the entryway had a dip that had accumulated a lot of black liquid. When the flames ignited, it acted like a fire curtain, sealing off any escape.
A few Little Demons, desperately trying to break free, were instantly engulfed by the flames, their screams piercing the night.
Amid the chaos of the camp, the sound of battle cries erupted, dark forms emerging from the shadows, killing any Demon they saw.
Many Little Demons, just waking up and wholly bewildered, lost their heads before they even realized what happened.
More frantic Little Demons were swallowed by the fiery sea, turning the camp into a gruesome battlefield.
Thankfully, the Bird Demons resting in the surrounding forest soared into the sky, using their aerial advantage to fend off the relentless enemy attacks. Otherwise, casualties would have skyrocketed.
Seeing a sturdy defense, the enemies pulled back, whistling as they dispersed.
At that moment, the fire in Tiger Wolf Cave raged on, growing stronger by the second.
The surrounding Little Demons were in shock.
Their Great King was inside, and so far, not a single leader had managed to escape.
Just then, the ground far from Tiger Wolf Cave began to tremble.
“Boom…”
The earth suddenly cracked open, and the Pangolin Monster, covered in dirt, emerged from beneath the surface.
Following closely were Seven Feather, the Black Fish Monster, and a few surviving Little Demons.
They all looked incredibly disheveled, with visible signs of having been scorched by the flames.
If it weren’t for the Pangolin Monster’s powerful burrowing skills, not even solid rock could have stopped him, and they’d have likely met total annihilation.
“Dammit! Those kids from Cold Wind Cave! Resorting to such despicable tactics! I’m furious!”
The Pangolin Monster howled into the sky, causing the chaotic camp to fall silent in shock.
“Everyone, listen up! Each cave must immediately account for their numbers—no mistakes!”
The Black Fish Monster and Seven Feather, wearing grim expressions, returned to their respective camps.
A quick glance at the situation revealed that Thunder Mountain Cave suffered the most severe damage, while Seven Feather Cave’s Bird Demons were largely unscathed.
As for Mountain Crossing Cave, the majority of the Pangolin Monsters preferred to dig their own holes and stay away from the main camp, so although they suffered some casualties, their main force remained intact.
“Big bro, nearly three hundred were killed…”
The Black Fish Monster gritted his teeth, itching to charge straight for Cold Wind Cave.
“Where are the guards on watch tonight?” The Pangolin Monster said coldly.
Seven or eight Little Demons hunched before the three Great Demons.
“Charged with guarding yet fell asleep, allowing the camp to be attacked and nearly three hundred to d*e in flames. What punishment do you deserve?”
“Great King, spare us! Please have mercy!”
The Little Demons bowed deeply, trembling.
“Too late!”
The Pangolin Monster sighed, “From now on, the entire army must remain vigilant at all times; any future negligence will meet the same fate!”
Seven Feather gently waved his hand.
The heads of the Little Demons rolled to the ground, each neck adorned with a radiant feather, looking rather splendid.
