Led by the corpses, Green Serpent launched the assault.

  Once again, they successfully wiped out a group of Hyena Men. The number of undead controlled by the necromancer had nearly reached ten, close to their expected target.

  Green Serpent surveyed his surroundings and confirmed this was a suitable ambush site. He selected a sturdy tree and easily climbed up.

  Looking around, the forest was dense, and the terrain was a low hollow. From a distance, details on the ground were hardly visible.

  Hidden among the branches and leaves, he held a gleaming green snake spear and tapped the tree trunk, signaling the start of the operation. The previously limp corpses suddenly sprang to life.

  The corpses wielding flying claws fiercely fought alongside the nearby serpent tribe warriors. The clash of weapons, snarls, and battle cries intermingled throughout the forest.

  According to plan, the serpent tribe and the undead Hyena Men worked together to create as much noise and chaos as possible.

  They just want to lure them all out, huh? Green Serpent muttered silently as his eyes kept scanning the area.

  No matter which subhuman tribe it was, hunting parties always kept a certain distance. Such a loud commotion would quickly draw their attention.

  Draven's strategy was to lure the enemy deeper, then surround and attack reinforcements. Although subhumans were aggressive, they were not stupid. If the enemy sent out a large force directly, they would choose to retreat.

  But if they only encountered small groups, the situation was different.

  Sure enough, the disturbance in the hollow reached the ears of a nearby Hyena Man hunting squad. The hunters quickly regrouped and headed toward the hollow.

  When they saw about a dozen of their kin surrounded and endangered by over twenty serpents, the leading few exchanged glances and nodded in tacit agreement, summoning more clan members for support.

  "Damn serpents—weren't they already wiped out? With such a small number, they dare trespass our territory to die?"

  The Hyena Men whistled and howled fiercely, their charge echoing through the woods.

  Green Serpent, perched in the tree, smiled coldly. These squads combined totaled at least forty or fifty. They always preferred numerical superiority.

  As they charged, the Hyena Men brandished their flying claws, ready to strike the serpents with lethal blows.

  However, just as they launched their attack, Gregor, who had received intelligence, whispered from the other side of the hollow.

  Three serpent squads of twenty each, led by bloodline-warrior-level captains, quietly maneuvered to flank the enemy.

  When the Hyena Men threw their flying claws, not only were they intercepted by their own kin on the battlefield wielding claws, but more serpents also appeared from all directions.

  In the ensuing close combat, the numerically disadvantaged Hyena Men quickly lost formation. They fought desperately while sending urgent cries for help. This was their territory, so they should have had the advantage in numbers.

  Facing fewer than a hundred serpents, the Hyena Men formed a tight circle back to back. Even when surrounded, their eyes constantly scanned for a breakthrough.

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  They failed to notice that the previously traitorous clansmen had silently fallen and become several silent corpses.

  With their objective achieved, Green Serpent suppressed his excitement, watching intently as his clansmen used spears to pin down the encircled Hyena Men, forcing even more desperate cries for aid.

  The leader's method was the most effective. If he were here, hearing his clansmen call for help in their territory, he would surely be the first to arrive.

  Draven precisely exploited this instinct of the subhumans. Though seemingly primitive, they were remarkably united.

  Whether feeling superior or utterly overwhelmed, most subhumans would fiercely protect their comrades. The concepts of tribe and kin were deeply ingrained in their blood.

  Soon, the Hyena Men's calls for help were answered. Other hunting squads from nearby woods quickly assembled and rushed toward the hollow.

  They emitted piercing, eerie laughter as they moved—a call-and-response method among Hyena Men that sent chills down the spine.

  The remaining hunting squads in the forest quickly converged, advancing fiercely toward the battlefield.

  A tall Hyena Man stood on high ground, overlooking the blurry battle unfolding in the hollow below.

  He halted the advancing troops and assigned several young members to return and report the situation. Then, at his command, he led the remaining team in a fierce charge.

  The Hyena Men emitted piercing, eerie laughter, their flying claws swinging swiftly, ready to tear apart the enemies before them.

  But as soon as they reached the entrance of the hollow, the colorful venomous snakes hidden in the grass and trees launched their attack. The snakes leapt out quickly, coiling around them and instantly disrupting their formation.

  Except for a few bloodline warriors who swiftly broke free from the snake swarm, the other Hyena Men screamed in panic and grew increasingly frantic.

  Several bloodline warriors tried to concentrate their strength, unleashing their bloodline power to break free, but suddenly, more than ten powerful auras erupted all around.

  The long-ambushed large serpent force appeared. Led by bloodline warriors, they dispersed quickly and locked onto their targets with precision. The Hyena Men fell into deeper chaos. Facing more and more serpents, they realized they had walked into a trap.

  But even knowing it was a trap, what could they do? Either get entangled by the venomous snakes and collapse in pain, or be pierced by spears and bayonets, losing their lives.

  In the dense forest, the killing intensified.

  Green Serpent finally showed himself, leaping down from the tree. His powerful leader aura immediately radiated. Pointing his emerald-green snake spear forward, he majestically began to pressure the enemy into surrendering.

  At first, the Hyena Men tried to resist, but when Gregor slowly stepped out, openly displaying his presence as a mid-level leader, the remaining dozens of Hyena Men completely broke down and dropped their weapons.

  Gregor waved his hand, and immediately serpents brought out beast sinew ropes, binding the surrendering Hyena Men tightly one by one.

  Amid fierce curses, Gregor pulled out the Eyebrow-Patterned King Serpent from his bosom and swallowed the newly surrendered Hyena Men one by one into its belly.

  They never imagined surrendering wouldn't save their lives. Naturally, no one told them that the Eyebrow-Patterned King Serpent was merely temporarily holding them inside.

  The serpents began cleaning the battlefield, piling over a hundred dead Hyena Men's bodies together.

  The necromancer appeared again, wielding his skeletal staff and chanting spells in a low voice. The dead Hyena Men rose one by one, becoming undead warriors under his control.

  Although the ambush was victorious, the serpents paid a price—seven dead and more than ten wounded.

  Green Serpent led a squad to carry the dead and injured clansmen back to camp. The others stayed to rest and recover, waiting until nightfall.

  Gregor did not rest. He was busy competing with the Eyebrow-Patterned King Serpent over the corpses on the ground. The necromancer's magic could not revive the severely damaged limbs and broken parts, which were ignored.

  Gregor's bone-spike magic was clearly no match for the Eyebrow-Patterned King Serpent's devouring speed. After it absorbed two corpses, the rest were swallowed up.

  Satisfied, the Eyebrow-Patterned King Serpent leapt above Gregor's head, seemingly treating Gregor's serpent clone as its master's contract beast.

  Gregor naturally didn't mind. Having absorbed Tauren Moreau's power, he had broken through the lower-level leader bottleneck. The Hyena Man leader, reportedly a mid-level leader, was his true opponent.

  Gregor sheathed his bone spikes, leaned against a tree, and looked at the sun—it was still some time before dusk.

  Green Serpent beside him sensed Gregor's aura growing stronger, which made this serpent village chief uneasy.

  He silently resolved that he must defeat the Hyena Man leader and prove to his own leader who the truly powerful serpent was.