"My lord, how do you know they will pass through here?" Simon asked, puzzled from his ambush position. They had infiltrated the Holy Cross Kingdom for five days without seeing any prey. Yet Derek remained confident, patiently waiting.

"In our territory, they're like rats—anyone captured can be dealt with. But here, they can act openly. If it were you, would you still stay holed up in the wild?" Derek countered.

"Of course not; I'd head into the city to rest up," Simon quickly realized. "So this is the most direct route."

Derek believed that a group of slave catchers, no matter how cautious, wouldn’t be able to maintain constant vigilance. Now that they were on familiar territory, they were bound to let their guard down. This was his opportunity, and he felt at least a ninety percent chance of success.

The slave catchers might be ruthless and cautious, but they definitely lacked high military training. This was the perfect ambush location.

After much anticipation, Derek finally spotted his prey. He recalled all the scouts and had his men hide behind a small mound. Beyond that was an open plain with no cover in sight. The mound itself looked quite inconspicuous; it couldn't conceal many people, so it wouldn’t draw the enemy's attention.

Derek knew this opportunity was a one-time shot, and he was going to fight against greater numbers. His only advantage was surprise and elite soldiers against a ragtag bunch.

The size of the slave-catching group was considerable, with many slaves bound with grass ropes, trudging forward slowly. However, the number of captors was far below Derek's estimates. According to his scouts, there were only about fifty captors for two or three hundred slaves.

This situation was unexpected, yet it made sense. After all, with support from the Rock Kingdom, the armed pressure for capturing slaves was minimal—it felt more like a transport operation. Moreover, having completed the most dangerous leg of their journey, they would be even less vigilant in their own territory.

Derek prepared for the worst, but the prey proved to be more foolish than expected. Every warhorse was quiet, exactly as a warhorse should be. Holding the reins, Derek silently counted down as he approached the top of the mound.

Once he crested the highest point, he caught sight of the long line of captors rounding the mound. This was the only path worn down by their passage, likely chosen because the backside of the mound was sheltered, making it suitable for camp.

Derek mounted his horse, and the other knights followed suit. With a pull on the reins, they raised their long spears.

‘attack"

In an instant, hooves thundered to life, the sound swelling like the beating of war drums, rapid and dense. Most of the captors didn't have time to react before Derek and his twelve knights crashed into their ranks.

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The majority of these riders had only been training for a year, yet they moved with the proficiency of seasoned veterans. This was Derek's first time leading a charge; as his spear struck its target, he felt a significant resistance, his body leaning back in response. He even saw the spear splinter under the immense force it couldn't withstand.

Fortunately, after countless training drills, his muscles instinctively relaxed, and every movement felt precise. The horse, guided by his other hand, nimbly navigated around obstacles. As the horse slowed, Derek swiftly grabbed his knight’s sword, which was heavy but no longer sharp.

With the horse’s speed decreasing, Derek swung his sword, knocking several men down. He heard angry shouts as others tried to mount a counterattack. However, the incoming cavalry easily tore through any resistance.

It felt like they were wading through water, all the way until the horses finally came to a stop. Squeezing his legs, he turned the horse in a wide arc. It was then that he caught a glimpse of his fellow knights behind him, each one stained with blood.

Behind the mound, the spear infantry had also moved around to deliver a heavier blow to the slave catchers. The slaves, bound together, either lay on the ground or attempted to flee, colliding into one another in chaos.

The remaining members of the slave-catching team were barely half of what they had started with.

"The tide has turned!"

Derek felt a sense of relief. He had forgotten his nerves during the charge, but now he realized how thrilling it had been. As the cavalry regrouped and picked up speed again, they sliced through the spear infantry's flank.

Even when the slave catchers tried to organize a basic counteroffensive, they were effortlessly crushed. With the majority of their ranks decimated, these desperate men were on the verge of madness.

"We are the ha—"

A leader among them tried to shout out his identity, but Derek immediately threw his knight’s sword at him. The heavy sword struck the man’s head like a brick, cutting off his words.

Looking at the few remaining members of the slave-catching team, a glint of ferocity flickered in Derek’s eyes.

"Leave no survivors."

The spear infantry moved forward, rigidly adhering to the order. In just a moment, all of them were slain. Derek directed his men to collect clothing and spoils, setting them ablaze before leaving the bodies to be dragged away and discarded.

After a quick cleanup of the battlefield, nothing remained but the stains of blood.

"Retreat!"

Though this place was remote and desolate, the slave catchers had connections behind them. If they were long overdue, someone would surely come looking. However, with so many beasts in the wild, how much of the remains would be left was uncertain.

At their current level, they would likely never trace the perpetrators.

Derek instructed his men to release the slaves, only binding their hands.

"We are the army of the Rock Kingdom here to rescue you. This is the territory of the scum from the Holy Cross Kingdom, and you certainly don’t want to experience what happens when captured after fleeing.

So follow me back home obediently and await your orders."

Perhaps the word "home" struck a chord with the slaves, as they followed him without hesitation, not a single one attempting to escape.

Derek led them to the deep mountain base, where he conducted the first round of screening. Those who displayed the best compliance would be integrated into the army to prepare for the coming war.

As for those who remained stubborn, Derek was no saint. They would have to work diligently; after all, their fates at the hands of those scoundrels in the Holy Cross Kingdom wouldn’t be any better. Derek felt no guilt about it at all.

4o