Chapter 129: Experienced Enemies
The moment Adam Smith was attacked, the four burly clay golems stepped in front of him.
They raised their fists, letting the weapons strike their bodies, sparks flying, without hesitation trading blow for blow.
This was the golems' combat style!
However, the attackers were prepared for the clay golems!
One of them pulled out a scroll emitting a strong magical glow from his pocket and skillfully tore it open!
Fifth-circle spell—Mass Slow!
Even the clay golems, which had decent magic resistance, were affected by the Mass Slow spell.
Their previously agile movements became sluggish, like snails.
The other attackers deftly avoided the golems' slow strikes, grinning savagely as they stabbed Adam Smith!
Four or five sharp daggers pierced through Adam Smith, leaving him riddled with wounds. The high bounty for his assassination was what drove these attackers to risk it all!
But, instead of showing any pain, Adam Smith grinned back at them!
His entire body began to shatter into pieces!
Intense flames roared down from the sky!
With a loud explosion.
The spot where Adam Smith had stood was instantly engulfed in rolling flames.
The attackers, unable to escape in time, only had a moment to display fear before they were consumed by the destructive power of the fireball spell!
The broken remains of five assassins were revealed as the smoke cleared.
"Adam Smith has been attacked!"
"Nobody move!"
The panicked guards were about to rush over when Captain Mellen shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Adam Smith is fine! Don't panic!"
As he spoke, Captain Mellen opened the nearby carriage door, revealing a smirking Adam Smith inside.
Seeing that Adam Smith was unharmed, everyone in the camp breathed a sigh of relief, though they still felt a lingering fear.
Adam Smith's importance couldn't be overstated—the Thorn Caravan's operations relied on his leadership.
If he had been seriously injured or killed.
The camp's defensive capabilities would have dropped by at least 30%.
Adam Smith stood up, his face serious as he addressed everyone:
"We've been attacked! These are ruthless killers, and everyone needs to stay alert! If you fall into their hands, death will be the best thing you could hope for!"
"All soldiers, prepare for battle!"
"All refugees, get into the tents as quickly as possible!"
"Mount the crossbows on the walls. They dared to attack me? Let's knock their teeth out!"
Now fully awake, the soldiers immediately ordered the refugees to return to their tents.
They kept a vigilant eye on everyone, knowing that the attack on Adam Smith right under their noses was a slap in the face to all the guards. With urgency, they quickly forced all the refugees into their tents.
Then, filled with anger, they turned their attention to the oncoming enemy.
As the soldiers got into formation, more adventurers safely returned to the camp.
Watching the enemy get closer, Adam Smith couldn't help but walk toward Matthew's carriage.
This time, not only were the four clay golems standing by his side, but also more than ten professional guards.
Inside the tents, a figure shuddered as they stared at the charred corpses on the ground, fear gripping their heart.
She recalled the swiftness and devastating power of the "fireball spell" and was grateful for her hesitation earlier.
So this is the power of an Arcanist?
Terrifying!
"Ding, you have killed 5th-level Assassins x5, gaining 250 experience points and 1 skill point!"
Spending 100 gold coins to get 250 experience points and 1 skill point was well worth it!
And eliminating these enemies wasn't the only benefit Matthew reaped.
Cole: Deceased.
Profession: 5th-level Assassin.
Identity: Junior assassin of the Assassin's Guild, Farcico rogue knight.
The other four assassins were also part of the Assassin's Guild, just like the deceased Cole.
This annoyed Matthew quite a bit!
Normally, the Assassin's Guild in the Netheril Empire was limited to providing information or acting as intermediaries.
Assassinating commoners or professionals was one thing, but assassinating those with noble ties was absolutely forbidden!
Most nobles in the Netheril Empire were spellcasters, with formidable strength, and they wouldn't tolerate reckless assassinations!
No lord or noble would ever allow the Assassin's Guild to kill nobility or those associated with them.
Mishandling such situations could cause terrible disasters.
Just like years ago, when the first king of the Netheril Empire initiated a bloody era of assassinations to consolidate power from other regions.
In the end, he succeeded.
The Netheril Empire became a united entity!
But he also failed, as he was killed in an assassination, and the royal family suffered immense losses.
This led to the rise of the spellcasters' power!
Now, the fact that the Assassin's Guild dared to act like this made Matthew wonder if they had simply grown bolder from a lack of punishment over time...
Or if they had been taken over by the enemy...
"It seems the enemy's forces are quite formidable..."
Matthew quickly realized that the enemy might have infiltrated Bay Territory by planting spies among the settlers.
There was no need to question it—the answer was obvious!
He reflected on his own recent complacency—everything in Bay Territory had been progressing so smoothly that he had let his guard down.
Grounding himself again, Matthew couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
His impact on the territory's development was beyond ordinary expectations.
Many of his hidden secrets kept prying eyes at bay.
However, he couldn't allow this infiltration to continue unchecked!
While it was impossible to completely block out spies, he could at least make it cost them more dearly!
Watching Adam Smith approach, Matthew's gaze shifted to the adventurers trailing behind him. Four or five of them carried a distinct aura of hostility, sneaking glances at Matthew's direction.
Matthew didn't act immediately—he was giving them a chance to "perform."
Yaya, who had been circling in the air, landed beside him, bringing the latest information on the enemy.
"The enemy's numbers total around 1,500, including 1,200 professionals, with a decent level of coordination."
Matthew relayed this information to Adam Smith, whose face paled as he quickly calculated their own forces:
"We have fifty personal guards with an average level of 4, with Captain Mellen at level 10."
"One hundred and fifty caravan guards with an average level of 2."
"Five hundred trained pushcart workers, of which only about eighty are professionals."
"Fortunately, they can all use bows and arrows, and with the camp walls, they should be able to defend."
"There are four hundred adventurers, though their strength varies, and they may not be entirely reliable. We can only have them help defend the flanks..."
"The Arcanist is powerful, but even if he goes all out, he could only deal with a couple hundred enemies, so we'll need to save him for crucial moments..."
"The twenty clay golems and fifty barbarian soldiers are key."
"Their strength and defensive abilities are critical to holding off the enemy attack..."
"We still don't know how many enemies there are... Is this the lord's test for us?"
"Phew..."
Ambitious Adam Smith wasn't content with just being a merchant!
Controlling power and showcasing ability—that was his true goal!