Seeing this scene, Fang Yuan was already certain that this zombie army was most likely being manipulated by Ding Hao behind the scenes.
If it were an ordinary zombie horde, they would all swarm together. Or the white-fur zombies would die, then the black-fur zombies would advance. Where would they have such tactical coordination? This was clearly someone controlling from behind the shadows!
The person controlling this zombie horde was undoubtedly Ding Hao.
Fang Yuan remembered: After the Second Generation Jiang King had slaughtered the families on Tombstone Mountain, he had left behind an inheritance here. The beneficiary of this inheritance was Ding Hao. This person later became the great disciple of the Second Generation Jiang King. Although he was of the demonic path, he was extremely loyal. Later, during the great battle of Yi Tian Mountain, he took the place of the Second Generation Jiang King and died.
"I was looking for you, but I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to me. This saves me a lot of trouble."
Fang Yuan had originally planned to use this Ding Hao to wipe out the merchant caravan and kill everyone else.
Although he had methods to attract beast groups, controlling their scale was difficult.
The strength of the merchant caravan had already been worn down more and more. If he attracted a large beast group, it might bring danger to his own life. If he also had to protect Shang Xin Ci, it would be even more troublesome.
Under these circumstances, Ding Hao was an excellent chess piece.
"But where is this Ding Hao hiding right now?" With flames blazing all around, Fang Yuan narrowed his eyes and swept his gaze across the surroundings.
"If one wants to command a zombie army, they naturally have to choose a high vantage point to overlook the battlefield. Of course, I can't rule out that he has other Gu insects that allow him to view the camp from above. But no matter what, the place he is hiding must allow for an easy escape..."
Fang Yuan had lost his Eardrop Grass and had no reconnaissance methods, so he could only rely on speculation.
The slaughter became increasingly brutal. Hundreds of zombies had fallen, but the Gu Masters also suffered heavy casualties. Before the endless stream of zombie troops, they were forced to retreat step by step, quickly reaching the center of the camp.
Here, in a hurry, a circle of fortifications had been built with merchant goods, and some First-turn Gu Masters had used various methods to reinforce it.
"There are too many zombies. We can't hold this place for long." "We have to break out!" "Break out? How? There are at least several tens of Black-fur zombies!" "Let's just hold fast. When the sun comes out at dawn, the combat power of the zombies will drop sharply. Without us having to make a move, the zombie horde will retreat on its own."
Conflicts arose among the crowd, opinions split into two factions. One faction insisted on breaking out, the other on holding their ground.
The two sides were deadlocked, and the zombie horde was already closing in.
This hastily assembled caravan revealed its greatest flaw at this moment: it could not achieve true unity and lacked a powerful voice to preside over the situation.
Fang Yuan had been observing coldly from the sidelines. Suddenly, he stepped forward and shouted, "Stop arguing!"
The clamor immediately ceased.
In the eyes of the crowd, he was a Third-turn peak cultivator, one of the strongest in the caravan. Especially in a life-or-death crisis like this, Fang Yuan unquestionably had more say.
Fang Yuan swept his gaze around the circle, his eyes as cold as a blade. His ugly face, illuminated by the firelight, looked ferocious and evil.
"Those who want to stay are idiots! If we can break out, why stay here?" He started with a curse, appearing extremely domineering.
The Gu Masters who had just shouted to hold the ground revealed indignant expressions, but they dared not speak out. Meanwhile, those who insisted on breaking out showed joy on their faces.
"Lord Heitu is wise!" "Lord Heitu, we will follow you." "At a time like this, only Lord Heitu can turn the tide!"
They spoke one after another, trying to put Fang Yuan on a pedestal and make him take on the most dangerous vanguard role.
But Fang Yuan sneered coldly and cursed again: "All of you, shut up! Those clamoring to break out, you are an even bigger bunch of idiots!"
"Uh..." The Gu Masters who had just been praising Fang Yuan stiffened, their expressions fluctuating.
The hold-the-ground faction then revealed sneers and schadenfreude-filled smiles.
"Lord Heitu, what is your meaning, then?" Jia Long asked, his face ashen, his tone low, and his gaze unfriendly.
"Hmph, whether it's holding the ground or breaking out, we must first understand the situation. Do you know the scale of this zombie horde? What if there is a larger army hidden in the darkness? Wouldn't the breakers be walking into a trap? What if this is all of them? You who want to hold the ground can obviously leave early, but you insist on waiting for the bloody scent to attract even more zombies. Are you not seeking death?" Fang Yuan splattered spittle as he raged.
Being cursed out like this, no one had a good expression.
Chen Shuangquan asked insidiously, "Then, my lord, do you have a good suggestion?"
Fang Yuan glared angrily and pointed at Chen Shuangquan: "So you idiots all have shit stuffed in your brains! I've said so much, and there are still people who don't understand. Of course, we break out. We start with a probing breakthrough. Reconnaissance Gu Masters, give it your fucking all!"
Chen Shuangquan was cursed directly by Fang Yuan, his face becoming even uglier, a ball of fire accumulating in his heart.
But Fang Yuan's massacre of the Ou father and son that day had left a deep impression on him. He could only suppress the anger in his heart.
Fang Yuan's domineering attitude made the crowd uneasy, but at the same time, in such a situation, such a domineering person brought them a strange sense of security.
Soon, under Fang Yuan's manipulation, a breakout squad was organized.
"Break out in that direction." Fang Yuan pointed to the southeast and said seriously.
"Yes, Lord Heitu!"
"Remember, reconnaissance is the priority, survival is paramount. If you can't do it, fall back." Fang Yuan suddenly smiled slightly and patted the shoulder of the squad leader.
The squad leader's heart immediately relaxed, and the impression Fang Yuan had left on him was no longer as detestable as before.