Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8381: Opportunity (1)

Zhao Hai sat with a composed expression within a mostly intact side hall on the island. While many structures had been leveled during the previous conflict, only the defensive formation had been restored; the buildings remained in ruins. Zhao Hai viewed repairing them now as a pointless endeavor. Such tasks could wait until the entire Western Defense Line was reclaimed; wasting effort on aesthetics at this stage was truly unnecessary.

Inside the main hall, Yan Bei, Chang Jun, and several other stewards watched Zhao Hai with intense focus. They were well aware that with the defensive arrays on Serum Island and Blood Hawk Island now operational, the next phase of their campaign—striking the remaining islands—was imminent.

Surveying the gathered crowd, Zhao Hai spoke, "Since the defensive arrays on Clear Blood Island and Blood Hawk Island are fully functional, we are ready for the next objective: the total reclamation of all Blood Massacre Sect islands. As previously stated, Yan Bei will command this offensive, with Chang Jun serving as his second. Does anyone wish to object?"

Silence filled the room; not a single person raised a concern. Zhao Hai’s authority was absolute, and his prestige was so firmly established that his commands were followed without question. Seeing the lack of opposition, he continued, "Excellent. Since there are no objections, the assault begins tomorrow. We will not dilute our strength by splitting up; instead, we will strike a single island with our full might. We must seize as many territories as possible before the Thirteen Family Alliance can mobilize reinforcements to the Western Defense Line. I will not accompany the main force. However, the moment an island is captured, I will arrive to install a new formation. Once the array is set, the reclamation is considered permanent."

The group voiced their agreement. Zhao Hai added, "The bronze statue will go with you to handle the destruction of enemy formations. Once he breaches their defenses, your task is to move in and eliminate the opposition. However, ensure a detachment is assigned to harvest the Dark Souls. These will be vital resources for our Sect in the future."

After the group acknowledged his orders, Zhao Hai turned his attention to Zhang Zhiheng. "Zhiheng, the Bloodsucker team will remain active. They are the ultimate trump card of the Western Defense Line. You are now officially in charge of them, but I warn you: do not become over-reliant on their killing aura. If another killing aura blood cloud begins to condense, you must disband the formation immediately. Once that bloodlust takes hold, self-control vanishes, and I fear you all will fall into madness."

Zhang Zhiheng stood up instantly to accept the command. Zhao Hai pressed further, "Keep this in mind: the Bloodsucker team has developed exceptional coordination and has become a formidable power. If nurtured correctly, they could eventually rival the Hall of Crimson Blade as a core pillar of our Sect. If you allow them to be wiped out through negligence, do not bother returning—take your own life instead."

The room went still at Zhao Hai’s harsh warning, and all eyes turned toward Zhang Zhiheng. Zhang Zhiheng himself was visibly moved. The mention of the Hall of Crimson Blade—the Sect’s premier combat unit—sent a shock through everyone. To suggest that the Bloodsucker team could one day match the strength of the Sect’s most elite force was a staggering revelation.

Even if they only achieved half the prowess of the Hall of Crimson Blade, the Bloodghost squad would still become one of the Sect's most prized assets. Cultivating a positive relationship with such a unit now would clearly yield massive benefits for everyone's future standing.

Zhang Zhiheng was particularly thrilled. If Zhao Hai’s prediction came true, his own status would skyrocket. Although Zhao Hai was the true architect of the team, his responsibilities were too vast to manage daily operations. This left Zhang Zhiheng as the functional leader and primary contact. The networking opportunities alone were a priceless advantage.

With great fervor, Zhang Zhiheng declared, "Understood, Commander! You have my word; I will look after my brothers. Nothing will go wrong, and if any issues arise, I will report to you immediately!" He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only a fool would squander.

Zhao Hai nodded, his voice deepening as he addressed the collective. "Dismissed. Go and prepare. The attack launches tomorrow. Our success depends on how many islands you can seize; whatever you take, we will hold. If we can reclaim them all, we will purge the Thirteen Family Alliance from Blood Massacre Sect lands entirely."

A thunderous "Yes!" echoed through the hall as the men bowed and departed. Zhao Hai signaled for Yan Bei to remain. Once they were alone, Zhao Hai said, "Big Brother Yan, you must remain vigilant. Do not let the death of Pan Qianlong make you complacent. Arrogance will lead to disaster."

Yan Bei nodded, offering a small smile. "You are handing all the glory of this campaign to me. Don't worry, I understand the weight of it." He recognized that Zhao Hai had already cleared the path; failing now would be an inexcusable blunder.

Zhao Hai shook his head. "This isn't about credit. This operation is fraught with danger. If you act alone without caution, you'll be vulnerable. The Thirteen Family Alliance won't retreat quietly; they may even deploy hidden experts to stop us."

Yan Bei looked startled. "What? Would they actually risk sending an Island Lord level expert? Surely they fear the Sect's retaliation?" He found it hard to believe they would escalate to that level, given the Blood Massacre Sect’s reputation for ruthless vengeance.

Zhao Hai replied solemnly, "They might be desperate enough to gamble. It is better to be safe. If an expert of that caliber appears, notify me instantly. In the meantime, use the bronze men to stall them. While the bronze men might not defeat an Island Lord, they can certainly hold the line until I arrive."

Yan Bei nodded seriously. He trusted Zhao Hai’s intuition implicitly. Even if the threat of an Island Lord seemed remote, his own life was on the line, and caution was the only logical path.

After a few final instructions, Yan Bei took his leave. As the acting commander of the Western Defense Line, he had much to organize. He was determined not to fail, as doing so would disgrace both the Sect and Zhao Hai, who had personally appointed him.

The following morning, Zhao Hai and the members of the Array Hall waited on the island. Since they were deep in hostile territory, Zhao Hai stayed behind to oversee the fortifications and ensure no one interfered. Meanwhile, Yan Bei led the main force away, the soldiers bowing deeply to Zhao Hai before they departed.

Once the army was gone, Zhao Hai turned to the cultivators of the Array Hall. "Did you finish the task I assigned yesterday? How are you finding the new compasses?" The day prior, Zhao Hai had distributed green jade compasses of his own design. These unique tools could not only assist in Cultivation and formation placement but also perform complex calculations. To these specialists, such a multifunctional device was unheard of, and Zhao Hai had insisted they master them immediately.

The Array Masters looked at him with reverence. One stepped forward, saying, "Commander, we have studied them thoroughly. These compasses are magnificent. With such a tool, the difficulty of establishing formations is halved." The others nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

Zhao Hai’s expression remained stern. "Do not become over-reliant on a tool. A compass is merely a magic item; its effectiveness depends on the user. If you cannot recognize a formation with your own eyes, how can you hope to dismantle it? If you are tasked with securing an area but cannot conceptualize the proper array, the tool is useless. Your priority must remain the study of the Dao of arrays. Do not let the compass distract you from fundamental mastery. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Commander! We understand!" they shouted. Their respect for Zhao Hai was immense. Despite only studying under him for a short time, his profound knowledge of formations had left them in awe. His expertise surpassed anything they had ever encountered.

Zhao Hai nodded. "Prepare your talismans. For every island we reclaim, we will construct a new Dharma array. I will oversee the process, but you will be the ones performing the work. You are the primary force now; I will only intervene if you stumble. Real mastery comes from practice, not just observation. Is that clear?"

"Yes! Thank you, Commander!" the group replied, their excitement palpable. They hadn't expected to be given such responsibility so soon. But as Zhao Hai said, reading a jade slip was no substitute for hands-on experience. This was the opportunity they had been waiting for.