Chapter 10

It would be ideal to be able to eliminate all the NPCs, but if that couldn't be achieved, Zhou Tian wasn't unwilling to accept the outcome. After all, the power in Zhou Tian's hands was limited. In the battle with the NPC team in front of him, as long as he didn't lose, it was a victory for Zhou Tian. Therefore, while pursuing those NPCs, even if there wasn't much to show for it, Zhou Tian didn't feel any anxiety.

Clearly, Zhou Tian's performance had a significant misleading effect on the group of NPCs.

Before Zhou Tian, although there were monsters with intelligence not inferior to that of NPCs, those monsters were all high-level ones. In the novice area where Zhou Tian and his group were, even the biggest boss only had the intelligence of a ten-year-old child.

Because NPCs had a specific understanding of monsters, the NPCs living in the novice area, while not completely unprepared for those monsters, truly didn't expect those monsters to know how to use tactics.

It could be said that Zhou Tian's ability to create a situation where three sides were surrounded but one was left open had already surprised those NPCs. In such a situation, when facing Zhou Tian's pursuit, the group of NPCs naturally assumed that Zhou Tian still had some strength left, and how could they possibly think that the group of half-orc warriors pursuing them were actually just on par with them in strength.

As a result, Zhou Tian's pursuit of the group of NPCs lasted for several hours. It wasn't until the NPCs were about to reach the territory of another group of half-orc warriors that they noticed something was amiss.

If Zhou Tian's strength was really above theirs, the NPCs believed that they would have already shown their trump cards. But now, Zhou Tian only pursued them without showing any signs of a follow-up move. This situation naturally seemed abnormal to the NPCs.

Due to their prejudice against the intelligence of monsters, the group of NPCs still didn't guess Zhou Tian's intentions. Based on their experience fighting the half-orcs, the NPCs assumed that Zhou Tian's actions were merely to drive them into the territory of another group of half-orc warriors.

Regarding this situation, the NPCs even suspected that this action might have been planned by the half-orc leader. Once they had this thought, the NPCs naturally couldn't remain calm.

According to the NPCs' speculation, if they continued to advance, they would inevitably face a complete annihilation. With this conclusion in mind, the leading NPCs discussed and decided to change their original plan.

Since they couldn't continue to advance, they had to counterattack against Zhou Tian's threat. They didn't expect to defeat Zhou Tian, but as long as they could break through his encirclement, their goal would be achieved.

Once the NPCs made this decision, they quickly stopped their escape. After a brief adjustment of their formation, they directly confronted Zhou Tian's side.

Although the situation didn't fully align with Zhou Tian's ideal scenario, he was already satisfied with what he had achieved.

Without any trump cards, Zhou Tian naturally couldn't give the NPCs too much time to adjust. As soon as he caught up, he immediately issued the order to attack.

Zhou Tian's series of reactions were completely unexpected by the NPCs. When Zhou Tian launched his assault, the NPCs were not well-prepared. It wasn't until Zhou Tian's half-orc warriors were almost upon them that the NPCs reacted and hastily prepared to engage in battle.

From that point on, there was no room for trickery. In this world, the NPCs had an advantage, but in the monster camp, with the intelligence of Zhou Tian's half-orc warriors, Zhou Tian had no choice but to engage the enemy in a straightforward battle. If he wanted to use any tactics, the half-orc warriors wouldn't know how to cooperate, leaving him no opportunity to do so.

Although being a half-orc brought Zhou Tian many frustrations, achieving this situation was already enough to satisfy him. If he had engaged the NPC team head-on at the beginning, his chances of winning wouldn't have been more than fifty percent.

However, after a long run, the NPC team's stamina was already severely depleted. With the superior stamina of the half-orc warriors, Zhou Tian's side had a higher chance of winning in the battle.

Moreover, during the pursuit, the NPC side had suffered more losses than Zhou Tian's side. With all these factors combined, when they engaged the NPC team again, although Zhou Tian wasn't confident in capturing all the NPCs, he was already very confident in winning the battle.

Indeed, the situation developed as Zhou Tian had planned. As soon as the two sides engaged, the NPCs immediately showed signs of defeat.

Facing an enemy several times their number, with poor morale and no desire to fight to the death, the result of the battle was a nearly one-to-one casualty ratio.

This meant that for every half-orc warrior that died, Zhou Tian's side could drag one NPC soldier to their death. Compared to previous battles between NPCs and half-orc warriors, Zhou Tian's half-orc warriors performed exceptionally well.

With the numerical advantage, if the situation continued, there would be no surprise. Relying on the numerical advantage, Zhou Tian would eventually win.

However, although Zhou Tian was already at an advantage, as more NPCs fell, their goal was also achieved.

No matter the cost, when the NPCs turned around and broke through toward their village, Zhou Tian's half-orc warriors could indeed inflict casualties, but with the strength Zhou Tian had, it was impossible to easily stop the NPCs' intentions. Therefore, even as the situation became increasingly favorable for Zhou Tian, if things continued to develop this way, some of the NPCs would undoubtedly break through Zhou Tian's encirclement without any problem.

Although Zhou Tian personally participated in this battle, he was still very clear about the current situation. However, regarding the NPCs breaking through, to be honest, Zhou Tian didn't take it too seriously. In Zhou Tian's plan, he had always aimed to eliminate as many members of the NPC team as possible. Whether he could completely annihilate the NPC team was never part of his consideration. Therefore, according to Zhou Tian's plan, even if the NPCs eventually broke through, Zhou Tian wouldn't care.

As a result, after a battle lasting nearly fifteen minutes, the NPC team, having lost nearly eighty percent of its members, finally managed to break through.

Even after the NPC team broke through, Zhou Tian didn't let them go. As the NPC team fled back, Zhou Tian mercilessly led his half-orc warriors in pursuit.

Finally, after pursuing them all the way to their territory, Zhou Tian led his half-orc warriors back in triumph...