Crossover Anime: I Became Invincible Starting as an Ajin

Chapter 158 Revenge Plan: Infiltrating the Castle

revenge!

These two words were like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the mercenaries present!

Yup!

It was clearly their mercenary group that risked their lives to achieve victory in the normal battles.

As a result, they were sold out by their employer, who then sat in a tall, luxurious room and mocked them.

For these mercenaries who live on the edge, this incident undoubtedly crossed their final line.

"But—Raka, we only have this many people—"

A fire was burning in the eyes of one of the mercenaries, but the rationality gained from long battles made his tone still somewhat hesitant.

"A small number of people doesn't mean it can't be done."

Wang Bai's voice carried an infectious confidence.

"We know the terrain well; we're the hunters in the shadows. They thought we were doomed and let their guard down. That's our chance."

He began to sketch out a bold but rough plan: to use the dense forest as cover to scout out the weaknesses in the lord's castle's defenses: to exploit...

Use "Dark Wings" to harass and create chaos; seek opportunities to infiltrate, seek targeted revenge, and seize enough funds to allow them to make a comeback.

His naiveté was clear, his understanding of the enemy's psychology, and his application of tactics were unlike those of a six-year-old child; he was more like a seasoned schemer and commander.

As the mercenaries listened to his story, the confusion and despair in their eyes were gradually replaced by a light that mixed with hatred, greed, and a glimmer of mad hope.

Buck took a deep breath and was the first to stand up. His gaze towards Wang Bai was complex, but it ultimately turned into determination: "Raka—you're right! I won't swallow this! I'll fight you!"

"Yeah! Fuck them!"

"Avenge our fallen brothers!"

"They robbed his vault!"

More and more people stood up, waving their fists and growling in support.

Looking at the group of remnants whose fighting spirit had been rekindled, Wang Bai knew that the initial objective had been achieved.

He raised his hand and gestured for everyone to quiet down.

"In that case, until Chief Gambino recovers, I will temporarily take command of all operations."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"Any objections?"

No one speaks.

At this moment, whether out of awe of Wang Bai's martial prowess or a desire for the blueprint he had drawn up, people were eager to see what he had achieved.

These surviving mercenaries had subconsciously come to regard this six-year-old child as their new leader.

Gus stood behind Wang Bai, his fists clenched tightly.

He watched as his brother rallied this unruly group of mercenaries with just a few words, his eyes filled with admiration and a sense of pride.

Wang Bai turned around and looked towards the direction of the lord's castle in the darkness in the distance, his eyes cold.

Revenge is just the beginning.

He wanted to seize this opportunity to truly grasp this remaining force in his hands and take the first step in establishing his own order in this dark age.

He hadn't forgotten that in this seemingly ordinary and mundane world, there actually existed an even more terrifying force, with...

And a "god-like" being behind the scenes who decides fate.

And that lord who betrayed them will become the first stepping stone for Wang Bai's true rise in this world.

As the Assassin Leader in the Fate world helped run his organization in the Demi-human world, Wang Bai learned a lot from what he saw and heard.

It's just empty talk; it can only maintain loyalty and morale for a short period of time.

Most importantly, in the process of achieving the goal, these mercenaries should truly feel a sense of accomplishment.

Let them use their own eyes and hands to see for themselves the progress of the plan, the success of the plan, and the bright future that will follow.

This is the only way to keep their morale and loyalty intact.

In short, it refers to the foreseeable "future".

Even after careful consideration, the success rate of this future is quite low.

However, that's based on the situation of an ordinary person. If Gambino were to lead, it would certainly end in failure.

But for Wang Bai, who has experienced multiple worlds, attacking a medieval castle is no different from playing on easy mode with cheat codes.

Wang Bai dispatched his few remaining veterans, the ones most skilled in stealth and reconnaissance.

Buck, who was familiar with the local terrain, and Rick, a small and agile "rat," conducted a detailed investigation into the lord who betrayed them and tried to destroy them.

At the same time, Wang Bai integrated some intelligence he had collected in the past.

Soon, the general image of the enemy lord was clearly revealed.

Lord Reginald Mor was known as the Vulture of the Wasteland.

The territory consists of only one castle and a few nearby villages, a fairly standard castle layout.

He participated in many of the kingdom's wars, and it was in these wars that he earned enough rewards and titles.

From then on, he came to this place to rule.

He levied exorbitant taxes on his subjects, and any resistance or default on payments was met with the extermination of the entire family.

He was fond of using torture, and the gallows outside the castle were always filled with dried corpses, including many passing merchants and small groups of mercenaries who were arbitrarily executed by him.

He regarded the people within his own territory as "crops" that could be harvested at any time, while viewing foreign mercenaries and armies as "tools" or "sacrifices" that could be used and consumed at will.

He clearly categorized the Gambino mercenary group as the latter.

It's strange, given Gambino's personality, why would he join this lord's service?

After seeing the information that followed, Wang Bai understood the reward offered by the lord.

After all, they are mercenaries, and they cannot avoid the fate of dying for money or for food.

What Wang Bai was concerned about was a rumor that he and his personal guards had encountered "non-human beings" during a recreational hunting competition many years ago.

In a brutal battle, all his guards perished, and he himself was disfigured and twisted, forced to live only in the shadows.

Since then, no one has ever seen the lord in public again, and darker rumors say that he has already sacrificed himself to something in exchange for power and the continuation of his decaying life.

This message was placed very late in the intelligence section, and it was even reported to him regardless of its content unless Wang Bai had specifically instructed him to do so.

This information can probably only be dismissed as mere rumor.

In an ordinary world, excluding it would be the right thing to do, but in this world, there's probably a 90% chance that this rumor is true.

This might explain how a lord with such a bad reputation and such despicable character could survive in this world.

Perhaps some mercenaries and caravans did come to retaliate against him, but they probably underestimated the lord's strength.

Of course, we can't just look at the lord's own strength; for him, this predatory development method is undoubtedly the fastest way to grow.

Naturally, the enemy also had a considerable number of troops.

About one hundred relatively well-equipped soldiers were stationed at Vulture Fortress, commanded by a ruthless knight captain.

If necessary, two to three hundred farmers can be forcibly conscripted from the villages, but their combat effectiveness is low, and they are mainly used to defend the city and serve as cannon fodder.

The castle itself is situated on the edge of a desolate plain of bones, backed by steep cliffs, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

There is only one winding road leading to the main city gate.

The city wall has well-preserved crenellations and arrow towers.

The only city gate was a huge wooden door covered with iron, which required machinery to open.

Although steep, it is not entirely impossible to climb, especially for agile and fearless people.

Above the cliff, there appears to be an abandoned side gate used for disposing of waste, long neglected but sealed off by an iron fence.

There is a hidden path used for transporting supplies and executed corpses, leading to a low door at the rear side of the castle.

The guards are relatively lax, but the entrance is narrow and easily blocked.

Wang Bai was very curious about where this information came from.

This intelligence made the entire castle feel like a person lying naked on an operating table, completely exposed from the inside out.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the villagers of the entire territory had long harbored a deep resentment towards Lord Mor.

Upon hearing that Guts had gone to gather information, she seemed to have no secrets and told Guts about the various channels she knew.

After Guss went to investigate, he found that the place the villagers had described did exist, but some parts were too dilapidated to be used.

But even now, this intelligence is more than enough.

After listening to the report, Wang Bai fell into deep thought.

This Lord Reginald is more troublesome than he imagined.

Their military strength is particularly reminiscent of a noble family corrupted by the power of the underworld.

At the meeting, Wang Bai shared the intelligence he had compiled with the members.

"A frontal assault would be suicidal." Wang Bai drew a rudimentary map of the castle on the sand. "Even if everyone is in perfect condition, we have almost no chance of winning."

"What should we do then? Are we just going to let it go like this?"

An impatient mercenary asked, unwilling to give up.

"Of course not."

Wang Bai pointed to the logistics passage and the abandoned door on the cliff side.

"Our goal is not to conquer the castle, but to seek revenge and acquire resources. Therefore, we only need to achieve our own objectives," Wang Bai said, pointing his finger at the portrait of Lord Mor in a precise strike.

The primary target is Lord Reginald himself!

Secondly, there were his treasury and armory.

The operation must be swift in and out; once successful or if things become untenable, immediately take advantage of the chaos to evacuate.

Use "Dark Wings" to create a few small-scale disturbances or strange events around the castle or in nearby villages to attract some of the guards' attention and test their reaction.

Infiltrate through the logistics passage and attack the abandoned side door.

Wang Bai's plan was bold and meticulous, like a dangerous gamble.

But they are mercenaries, and they are used to risking their lives.

In a tent in the corner of the camp on the last evening before the operation.

Gambino lay on the rough bed, the excruciating pain from his broken leg and the humiliation in his heart gnawing at him like venomous snakes.

After he woke up, he naturally learned about the mercenary group's current plans.

He looked at his former subordinates who had once obeyed him without question, but now they were surrounding his adopted son, Wang Bai, who was only six years old, and listened to him issuing orders in a voice that was calmer than a child's.

In particular, he saw the unreserved trust and admiration in Gus's eyes as he looked at Wang Bai.

"I am the leader—I am!"

Gambino roared inwardly, but the fear of losing power and status robbed him of even the courage to protest.

A dark thought quietly took root: What if—what if Wang Bai failed? What if this reckless act of revenge completely destroyed this group of people?

So, could Gambino somehow gain Lord Reginald's forgiveness, or even—

To regain some power and vitality?

The thought sent shivers down his spine, but the will to survive and the envy of losing everything ultimately overwhelmed his reason.

And loyalty.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he used a piece of broken charcoal hidden under his body to scribble a few words on a rag: "Night raid, logistics route".

Then, while everyone was discussing it, he found the carrier pigeon that had previously contacted the middleman and tied the rag to it.

Meanwhile, Wang Bai was making final arrangements.

The "Dark Wings" he dispatched

The magnificent and eerie butterfly-like magical artifact had already quietly floated above Vulture Castle.

Through it, Gus and Wang Bai share the sensory experience of the castle from a unique perspective akin to thermal imaging.

He "saw" the heat source gathered by the guards on the city wall watchtowers, and he also "saw" an unusually cold, distorted energy cluster slowly flowing inside the castle, especially in the area of ​​the lord's main tower.

Wang Bai sighed inwardly. Sure enough, this lord was probably no longer human.

Otherwise, how could there be such a strange energy form on the body?

The Darkwings they wielded were more like the lord's species, a special kind of non-human creature.

As night fell, Gus, Buck, Lick, and eight other elites slipped in like phantoms at the entrance to the logistics corridor.

The passageway was filled with the stench of filth and damp mold, and was so narrow that only one person could pass by bending over.

Like his name suggests, Rick silently paved the way at the forefront.

Gus followed closely behind, holding a short sword, his eyes carefully observing in the darkness.

His innate combat instincts allow him to keenly sense the dangers ahead.

This is also why Wang Bai sent Guss on this mission, and it also serves as a guarantee to the mercenary group.

Even his own brother has joined the fray; what reason do they have not to believe Wang Bai's plan?

Of course, with the help of the Dark Wings.

Gus's security has been greatly guaranteed.

Buck and the others held their breath and followed behind, taking each step carefully, afraid of making the slightest sound to alert the enemy.

Through the vision of "Dark Wings", Guts confirmed that the guards near the exit of the passage were unusually sparse, or rather, there was no one there.

This went too smoothly, which made him a little suspicious.

But he didn't stop. The plan had already begun, and he instinctively wanted to complete his brother Laka's mission.

The team successfully reached the iron fence at the end of the passage.

Lick skillfully used tools and grease to work on the rusted latches, the soft "click" sounding particularly clear in the silence.

The fence was moved aside silently, and a relatively fresh air, yet carrying the cold scent of castle stone, rushed in.

Ahead was a dimly lit courtyard filled with miscellaneous items, which connected to the castle's kitchen and servants' quarters.

Rick was the first to emerge, and he stayed close to the wall like a shadow to observe.

Gus was the second to come out. He took a deep breath and was about to signal the people behind him to follow as planned when he suddenly felt a strange palpitation.

He couldn't explain why, but he just felt that the courtyard was too quiet, without even the chirping of insects.

The feeling brought on by intuition made Gus feel a dull ache.