The faces turned from grim to bleak. A single drake can fight ten of them.

The original intent for the test is to have the thousand men fight a hundred drake to see if they could properly deal with the threat as an organised army, overcome the balance and take less than a-fifth casualties.

Sure, the thousand could take on a hundred drakes easily especially with their Bagua formation, but three hundred?

This is not to say the battle array is inadequate. No, according to past records in war, the Saint Empire troops that adopted the Bagua formation had successfully overcome a force three times larger quite easily. On paper, this should be entirely possible for them to fight off three hundred over drakes.

However, reality is different.

Fortunately, those who went onto the battlefield before could instinctively feel the danger even if their brains could not understand it. Moreover, Tommy is not slow-witted by any means.

He swiftly understood the current situation.

On the chaotic battlefield, the number of cultivators fighting a drake at one time is undetermined, and because drakes are harder to kill than cultivators, it is more likely that the teams without enough soldiers will be wiped out faster than the teams with more than enough soldiers killing their drake.

As time goes on, things will snowball, and they will all perish.

This is completely different from fighting cultivators. Therefore, having more drakes than expected is just a massacre waiting to happen.

Moreover, the Bagua formation is defensive in nature, and it excels in them outliving the enemy attacks.

Now, this is a difficult thing to do when these creatures are infamous to have overflowing vigour. This can be seen in all the different kinds of draconic offspring like the drakes, wyverns, wyrms, serpents, dragon horses, that hardly anyone could name them all.

In fact, those of the dragonkin are exceptionally hard to kill because of their life force and can endure impossible amounts of punishment.

That is why the Saint Empire troops could successfully fend off hostile parties larger than itself, but these soldiers here cannot deal with three hundred drakes. Not to mention, they hardly had enough training to execute the Bagua formation to its optimal.

The housekeeper looks confusedly at Tommy. He had heard several times that the error of margin for this target is below ten percent. Hurriedly, the man pulled out papers that detailed the current test.

In an obscure section, he found that it is written, the surveyor reached a kilometre away from the nest and dared not proceed further. Though he checked the nearby tracks and searched for the drakes’ faecal deposits to verify their numbers, it is hardly any affirmation.

How could this be a-tenth margin of error?

The housekeeper looked at Tommy, unable to say anything. By the order of his majesty, the king, if there are more drakes found in the nest than expected, the test will continue as though there wasn’t. However, the excess number of drakes in this case is simply too much.

The wizened man felt all his years living in the king’s court had given him nothing to answer Tommy’s question.

In the end, to miscalculate the number of drakes to this magnitude shows just how little effort had been placed in this matter and how much they disregarded Tommy.

To belittle an opponent is one thing, to show disparage towards a potential ally is both insensible and reckless.

“Think you old man! Where was the glib that helped you survive? If they turn hostile because of this, your family and you will lose your heads!”

“Uhh… Lord Tommy Styrkur, this is certainly our mistake. I will reflect this in the results, b… but… this test…”

He could not bear to say finish that it must continue regardless.

Tommy who had not hoped so from the beginning only gave the housekeeper a glare before his thoughts returned to the problem at hand. One thing he learnt from Kairos is that no matter what happened, the only correct thing to do facing it is to carefully choose your next steps.

To give up and return at this point, Tommy cannot accept such a result. The soldiers who had their confidence built up will also come crashing down with such an untimely defeat.

He turned to the housekeeper, who is the one overseeing this test, “The rules. I cannot participate directly in the hunt. Explain to me to what extent will I be considered interfering?”

The housekeeper went silent for a moment. To what extent?

“Lord Tommy Styrkur, as long as you do not raise arms and attack the drakes then all is allowed.”

“That means as long as my soldiers are the ones fighting the drakes, I may stand here and issue commands or do anything I like?”

The housekeeper nodded.

“Good,” Tommy suddenly declared.

“You heard him,” he turned to his men and said, “Soldiers, prepare arms!”

Nervous, yet without hesitation, they drew their Lotus Iron longswords.

“First detachment, step forth!”

Sixty-four soldiers separated from the rest. Their number fits the requirement to form up in the Bagua formation.

“Decoys,” Tommy gave them a role, then continued.

“Second and third detachments!”

Another two groups of sixty-four soldiers came forward.

“Provide support for the decoy group.”

He looked at the rest of them, “Form up!”

The remaining eight hundred and eight soldiers took up their positions in the Bagua formation, each faced one of the eight cardinal or intercardinal directions.

“Captains step forward.”

Ten soldiers left their groups and stood in front of Tommy with perfectly straight backs.

Because the Bagua formation works in multiples of eight, the soldiers that were a hundred per group had been changed to one hundred and twenty-five per group.

This means that only eight captains are needed. The two remaining captains became the control for the formation, one of them is temporarily assigned as lord, whereas the second as his advisor.

In the northern realms, for both Logres and the Frosthral Feudal State, the ranking system for lower class warriors start as Warriors, Chiefs, and War Chiefs.

Saint Empire adopts another system, grouping the soldiers in squads, sections, platoons and so on, and are led respectively by the Martial Leader, Martial Captain, Martial Lord.

Although the soldiers here belong to Logres, but Tommy is using the military standards belonging to Saint Empire on them.

For a platoon of a thousand warrior, the Martial Lord takes command, and he will be assigned an Advisor.

But do not underestimate the power an Advisor hold. Within a platoon, his authority is equal to the Martial Lord, though his main purpose is to provide support.

Of course, the two captains did not receive actual promotion from Tommy but rotate their roles amongst the captains.

Tommy assigned three captains to the decoy and cover teams, the remaining seven with the main Bagua formation. He further called out three more soldiers from the group, the three ex-captains who he had demoted in the past.

Together, eight of them will oversee the eight directions, while the temporary martial lord and his advisor take the formation heart in the middle.

With the battle position now ready, Tommy started explaining the strategy to deal with the present situation and asked for suggestions from them.

This is another aspect he learnt from his younger brother, Kairos. Unless absolutely necessary, Kairos will always involve his brothers and all the leaders of Snowdrifts into decision making. Thanks to that, even when Kairos is away, the Snowdrifts can operate independently.

Compared to the many empires that disappeared into the obscurity of history after their founding emperor passed away, the Snowdrifts have a rather reliable system.

The captains found themselves participating in the strategy, and quickly gained confidence for the operations.

The housekeeper looked in disbelief when the soldiers marched towards the drakes’ nest.

“Do they not fear death?” he asked no one in particular.

One of the captains who had chanced upon hearing it, flashed him a defiant smile, “Didn’t the commander said he will take over if it gets dangerous?”

All of a sudden, the soldiers around perked up. It was a timely reminder for the hunt.

Fearless, they followed their captains’ instructions and prepared for the battle.

Their strategy is for the decoy team will lure out groups of drakes for them to fight, the support teams will ensure the safety of those luring, while the rest will lurk in ambush. Once they cleared their enemies, more will be brought over.

This plan is simple and straightforward, just the way these soldiers preferred. Out of trust in Tommy and because they are a tad too green between their ears, none of them realised the pitfalls which awaits them.

After handing over the commands, Tommy continued ahead alone. The decoy team left shortly after him, accompanied by two teams that will provide them with support, while the rest stayed at an ambush spot that is out of sight.

It is fortunate that as large wingless lizards, the drakes prefer to nest at rocky terrain, and they could find enough corners to house all of them.

Not only so, but the uneven surfaces will also limit their scent from being carried too far by wind.

Terrible roars announced the start of the hunt.

“That is their warning,” the interim lord for the group noticed, “The decoy team must have been found by the drakes. Hide your presence now.”

The soldiers quickly throw on a set of dripping wet rags. The extra weight will muffle the sound of their scale armour, cover some of their scent, and reduce the danger of burning from the drakes’ breath attacks. The Winter Drakes can control the ice elements around them, but also possesses a fiery breath like many among the dragonkin.

To don on soaked clothes in this insufferable cold is complete torture. If not for the special material the rags are made from, and them constantly controlling the liquid to cycle around the cloth with their Ki, the water would have frozen over stiffly. Of course, the rags are the main contributor, mostly thanks to the design by the talented weavers of Snowdrifts. With the intricate weave, water will have a harder time to crystalise into ice, and by applying just a small amount of Ki it will not freeze over no matter the temperature.

By the test regulations, the soldiers cannot be supplied by the Snowdrifts, but the Snowdrifts could sell the cloth to the Logres’ quartermaster who in turn provides the equipment for this mission.

It was a simple matter of buying over one person in a corrupted kingdom.

Still, the type of items the soldiers could receive is sorely limited to what Logres already have. That means, stratagem plates, talismans, or anything that obviously come from Snowdrifts is out of question.

The soldiers waited with bated breath.

The terrifying roars accumulated into quiet but threatening growls that finally break loose into a violent chase as a dozen drakes guarding their nest hunt down the decoy team.

The soldiers who had been swinging game meat and mocking the big fat lizards just a moment ago turned tail and fled like bolts of lightning.

“Throw them the food! They don’t believe we are better hunters,” one of them cried as he dropped the dead beast in his hand and fled.

Even while escaping they did not forget to bait the drakes. Granted, their voices are shaking in fear, but the drakes hardly noticed. To be slighted for their hunting prowess is too much!

These humans are more insufferable than the cold.

Although cultivators are fast, it is impossible for them to outrun drakes. Fortunately, the drakes paused a little over the carcasses. They snorted. It is just Maurie Sheep, a weak creature easily found everywhere in the snow.

Just this creature and they dared say they are the better hunters?

Besides, the sheep is too tiny for the humungous reptiles. Compared to True Dragons that could span the length of a castle, they are considered small. Still, mature drakes are over ten meters in length.

The drakes roared angrily and ran after the soldiers. Yet each time the soldiers will throw out another creature’s carcass, causing them to pause a little to identify what it is. When they grew impatient and picked up speed, the support teams would come in throwing repugnant filth at the drakes, forcing them to slow down.

The housekeeper’s old eyes brightened as he looked over the grounds from a vantage point.

“So that’s why they plucked clean all the beast lairs after each hunt! Even their common latrine…”

A lot of creatures pick spots to deposit their faeces, especially beasts that grew powerful from absorbing Heavenly Energies. It is well-known that their behaviours become more sophisticated as their cultivation increase, at the same time their intelligence will also increase. It will continue to be so until at some point, they develop shape-shifting abilities that allows them to turn into a humanoid form or at least change their sizes.

It is unsurprising that their habits change to be more humanlike.

As the drakes give chase to the insolent cultivators, the remaining drakes in the nest that are largely uninterested returned to their rest. Only a couple of them inched unwillingly out of the burrow to replace the missing lookouts.

Even apex predators cannot leave their home unguarded.

As the drakes neared their ambush point, the scout gave them a warning whistle.

“Take the Ki Regeneration Pill.”

The martial lord gave them a final command before the clash. They took one of the five Ki regeneration pills that soldiers will be assigned for each battle. Of course, these pills are made by the Snowdrifts’ alchemists and have their quality assured. In the coming battle, they will be pumped full of energy.

Soon, they heard the decoys screaming and shouting as they came closer.

“Foolish lizards, are you impressed with our hunts yet?”

A loud snort and clearly unimpressed snort replied.

“Hah, that’s why I say you guys are poor hunters. The Maurie Sheep that you dislike tastes a hundred times better if you know how to cook it well. Aren’t you guys fire breathers? If your breath is too hot to cook, you can simply breathe on a rock, then throw your hunt on it.”

The drakes hearing so looked confusedly at each other.

The man thing has a point. The humans had always cooked their food, so perhaps they have more experience.

Sometimes when they burnt their prey, the smell was rather pleasing. Unfortunately, almost everything will become charred and tasted bitter, but if they adopt the man thing’s idea and roast rocks to cook their meat, maybe even a tiny Maurie Sheep will be delicious?

Just as the drakes are having in-depth considerations about cooking their meat in the future, one of the decoys threw out a roasted Maurie Sheep. Thanks to the Time-space ring, the food that was perfectly roasted retained all its smell and flavour.

This instantly drew all their attention over. The intense aroma was mouth-watering.

Of course, such a small piece of roast is barely enough for one, much less twelve of them drakes but every lizard wanted a try.

It was at this point when the ambush was sprung.

Over eight hundred soldiers jumped out at the drakes. Surprised by the attacks, the drakes did not retaliate, but instead they ran mindlessly at all directions, trying to break free.

The attacks came on all sides and these armoured lizards quickly found themselves overwhelmed.

A thousand against twelve. If they had not been drakes, it would have been over in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, their draconic blood made them endured much longer than necessary.

Their amateur attacks did not help either, causing them to fumble around for a long time before they finally slain the drakes.

The housekeeper silently shook his head. Two weeks of training is far too short for them to hunt drakes. The poor creatures lay dead with wounds all over. A well-trained team would inflict much less injuries because every strike would be aimed to kill.

It is fortunate that they stuck firmly with the Bagua formation during the fight, otherwise, their blundering nerve wreck of a battle would have ended with people dead.

The two weeks of training had at least drilled into them the absolute necessity to stay in position. And it saved their lives yet again.

Surprisingly, Tommy did not return to see the results.

Unable to understand what he is doing as the commander, the housekeeper quietly watched on as the decoy and support teams left towards the nest again.

During the previous battle, these three teams with sixty-four soldiers each, had only provided backup.

In fact, they refrained from participation as much as possible once the skirmish started.

If not because everyone was panicking and had no idea how to swiftly kill a drake, they should not even be joining the fight.

And for good reason.

Wild creatures are exceptionally sensitive to the smell of blood. Moreover, draconic blood has a unique smell of fire and smoke mixed with rusty iron that will become a dead giveaway.

The three teams hurriedly brushed leaves and soil over their clothes and went out to lure the second batch of curious drakes. Meanwhile, the main combat team lying in wait removed their rags and rewetted them. It was thanks to the soaked clothes they were not noticed until they sprung on the drakes.

The decoys reached the nest again, and this time they blatantly threw out a roasted Maurie Sheep at the replacement drakes guarding their burrow.

“Your mates have surrendered to our roast meat. A good hunter needs to know which meat tastes better and how to prepare it, instead of just killing bigger preys. Your friends already admitted we are the better hunters. What do you say?” a soldier arrogantly proclaimed. He swears he is wholly following the script and prayed that the drakes wouldn’t tear him to pieces.

As expected, the giant reptiles – all shocked by this declaration – stared daggers at him.

One of the drakes rolled up the meat with its long tongue. Unexpectedly the taste was pretty good, but it was only enough to fill the smallest crack in its stomach. Barely a taste.

The other lizards looked at the one that ate the sheep, as if asking it does the meat truly taste as good as these ridiculous man things say?

The drake gave a small shook of its head and snorted, saying that it could barely tell with such a small morsel. As if guessing what they are thinking, the soldier suddenly invited them to go with him.

“We have plenty of roasts but your friends that followed us just now are eating the food already. If you want to try, you have to hurry. Oh, and you should ask others to follow. If they come over later, there will be nothing left.”

The drakes thought over it a little. If meat cooked are as tasty as these man things says, and they did not bother to invite the upper drakes, they might be punished when found out.

Soon thirty over drakes were invited by the decoy groups and they headed over to the ambush spots.

On the way, the support teams threw out roasted sheep and other type of cooked meat for the reptiles, but each piece was only a drumstick or a single stick of rib meat that disappeared before the drakes could chew.

They grew more and more curious as they travelled, and none of them attacked the soldiers.

When they arrived at the ambush spot, they saw a large pile of roasted meat placed at the far end of the path. These lizards, in their excitement at the food pile, did not notice that the batch of drakes that came before them are not feasting on the roasts.

Then, suddenly, the eight hundred soldiers in waiting sprung out with pointy swords aimed at them.

The drakes roared in fright and anger, but a sharp voice cut them off, “Wait!”

The drakes bare their teeth hostilely but did still did not attack. The thirty of them know they cannot fight off so many man things.

One of the soldiers threw out corpses of the drakes that were already killed from his Time-space ring.

A small pile of dead drakes appeared before their eyes.

“If you attack, you will turn into that,” the soldier pointed.

Maybe because they are cold blooded, these lizards did not feel anything but fear when they saw their fallen comrades. There is nary the feeling of anger or the need to take revenge when they saw the dead.

After all, when food became really scarce, drakes will even prey on their own kind, starting with the young and the weak.

“There’s no way to escape now!” someone said.

Another soldier laughed, “Do you even see how your mates die? We won’t be satisfied with just killing you, we shall carve into you lessons to not bare fangs at us.”

The drakes did not notice the unnaturally high pitch in their voices, or the nervous tremble in their hands.

*Rarrruff*

One of the drakes growled questioningly.

Guessing what is on these creatures’ mind, the martial lord replied, “Surrender and you may live. We will give you all the roasted food you want to eat, and you don’t have to hunt to survive the winters or risk your fledglings hunted by other beasts. In return, you will join the side of the humans from now on. What do you say?”

The drakes started discussing this amongst themselves. It sounds like a good deal, and more importantly, there don’t seem to another way out. None of them wanted to die. Still, they are afraid to lose their freedom.

Predicting their resistance, the martial lord again added, “Are you satisfied with being stuck in this cold wilderness the rest of your lives, along with your descendants? Staying here until one day the humans hunt you down for your blood, meat, bones, and spirit cores?”

He paused a little for dramatic effects, before saying, “Have you heard the saying, if you can’t beat them, join them? Why don’t you join the Snowdrifts? We will bring you across Gaia, you can have adventures you never experienced before. We will provide resources for you to cultivate, and one day you may turn into full dragons. Don’t you know how wealthy the Snowdrifts are? We are the richest guild on Gaia!”

The soldier claimed, completely forgetting he came from Logres.

“And, once you are our drakes, we will give you the privilege of a member of the Snowdrifts. Meaning, you can come and go as you please, and when you need aid, you can request your brothers and sisters to come fight together with you! All of us will be your family.”

The proud drakes that ruled the frozen winter alps heard for the first time in their life that they can be treated as families. It is a foreign word to the lizards, but the idea that brothers and sisters come fight together with them sounded like an enticing offer.

A few drakes nodded or growled in agreement. They really do not want to die. To have food, resources, and protection from joining these puny humans, sounds like the better alternative.

The soldiers took out Jade Slips and then passed to the drakes. After explaining to them how the item works, they made all the drakes promise to not harm other members of the Snowdrifts, along with a set of rules to enforce loyalty.

Hearing that the promises made will not harm them nor take away their freedom, the drakes happily complied.

Although no human could understand their words, it was not a difficult matter to resolve. The martial lord picked a few of the drakes and asked them to try disobeying their promises made with the Jade Slip.

Instantly, the now-activated slip glowed brightly. Indeed, the Soul Slips are working properly, and the drakes were not dishonest. Frankly, most beasts maybe cunning but they are rather straightforward and honest.

The random picks proved that the lot of them should have properly sworn in, and the soldiers treated them as new members of the Snowdrifts.

The few activated Soul Slips were properly disarmed, and these drakes redid their vows. One of the soldiers chose another few redone slips to test again and this went on a few rounds until they are certain all the drakes dare not give them useless Soul Slips.

Of course, the drakes might be intelligent creatures, but they have never experienced the trickery of man.

“I apologise, my new brothers and sisters, we must be very cautious whenever we recruit new members. We wouldn’t want a Lindeworm hiding in our own nest, correct?”

The Lindeworm is a creature, talented in shapeshifting, that often masquerade as another reptile to eat their food during winter. Because Lindeworms often hunted the young of their victims, they are the most hated species in the frozen north.

The drakes immediately felt the wisdom of mankind and quickly understood their cautiousness.

As promised, they were given the roasted meat at the pile.

The drakes do not know if humans are better hunters, but truly, they are good cooks.

All kind of flavours they had never enjoyed before could be found in this pile of meat. Some are roasted, but there are also steamed meat, boiled, stewed, fried, and sautéed. They had never enjoyed their food like this. Now even if they were asked to quit the Snowdrifts, they will beg to stay.

Sensing the drakes had no intention to stop, the martial lord cleared his throat and embarrassedly said, “Brothers and sisters, we have to interrupt your meal. Don’t forget your siblings at home had not joined us yet. Don’t you want them to enjoy the food as well? We have plenty for every drake.”

The reptiles stopped eating unwillingly and looked up. They just became new members. They don’t want to be kicked out right now.

Giving him an eyeful, the drakes are asking what should they do?

“Your first guild mission is to lure out your siblings. Around thirty to fifty each time. We will surround them so they will not attack us unnecessarily. Then convince them to join us with food. As we promised, we have plenty of meat for every drake.”

All the beasts they hunted along the way had been cooked to a rather high standard. The soldiers were confused why Tommy had them do so much work, but they did not ask. And now, they are impressed at the battle plan they have.

Very soon, the decoy team along with their new draconic friends, lured out more drakes from the nest.

Each batch faced the same dilemma: To die or to get free meals?

It was a difficult decision, but all the winter drakes submitted.

Unfortunately, after they lured a small group away from the nest, the rest of the drakes realised something was wrong and they turned aggressive.

Not giving them a chance to talk, all the matured winter drakes sprung a surprise attack, rushing out from the burrow. Even the converted drakes were not given a chance when their friends bit at them.

At this time, a waff of aromatic smell crossed their noses. A surprising thing to find on the battlefield.

Then, an overpowering presence fell upon half of the drakes that are on their way out of the nest.

Someone is directing his presence precisely at them. They looked to the source.

A young lad, sat on top of one of the boulders that marked the entrance to the drakes’ nest, is cooking a piece of meat over fire.

When the drakes looked carefully, that piece of meat is a hindleg. And not just any creature’s, but a Sky Cow!

Sky Cows are fearsome beasts, often domesticated by powerful cultivators to keep as loyal guardians of a clan. It is as big as a carriage and only less than half the size of a drake, but their fighting power is enough to fight off a bed of drakes.

Unsurprising, because Sky Cows stay high above, waiting to stoop down and maul their prey to death with their long horns. Impaled on the head, the victim will scream helplessly as the Sky Cow brings it back to its nest to feed.

Moreover, these bovines prefer to hunt creatures larger than themselves, just like a hawk could carry a sheep home.

The Sky Cows have a terrifying radius for their hunting ground, largely because they can fly rather far every day, and that the larger preys tend to stay far apart from each other.

The area they cover are so extensive that even here in the north, the winter drakes could recognise a single hindleg of the sky cow.

The carefree lad turned the meat over the fire as he sat facing the drakes.

However, it is this undisturbed attitude in front of scores of drakes that caused everyone watching to feel threatened.

Suddenly, the lad took a large egg into his hand then placed it into a giant metal pot full of water.

The drakes felt their cold blood freeze with fear.

That egg belongs to them. A winter drake egg!

It looks like once the meat is cooked, he will boil the egg.

They are about to pounce, only to hear him say, “Don’t make unnecessary movements. I have more than one egg to crack.”

After saying so, he continued roasting his cow leg.

These drakes quietly remained at the entrance of their burrow, while the rest of their friends already clashed with the soldiers. The decoys quickly found an opportunity to escape with the two supporting teams and the drakes that had converted to the Snowdrifts helping.

This time, over a hundred enemies gave chase, the rest had been stalled by Tommy alone. The ones chasing had not noticed that not all of them are here.

One person blocked nearly two hundred drakes.

More importantly, he did not directly interfere. All Tommy is doing is tending his food over a fire, yet none of the winter drakes dared to make a move forward.

Fortunately for the inexperienced soldiers, Tommy had predicted the wild beasts will lose control once too many had been lured away.

Very soon, the hundred over drakes were brought to the ambush point.

The soldiers fought with all they had, and once again the Bagua formation proved that if they worked as one, casualties would fall to a minimum. Along with the fifty odd drakes that had joined the Snowdrifts, they managed to force the other party to surrender… after a few drakes from both sides were slain.

Again, the food and other guild benefits were offered. Hearing that they could receive cultivation resources, all of them were enticed. One must know that these beasts, powerful as they are, had always felt envious over the pills and equipment that these man things make.

Especially the healing pills, those things can help them avoid months of starvation and pain whenever they are wounded.

With over a hundred and fifty drakes, and all thousand of them intact, the group had a little rest before returning to the nest.

This time, they will bring every drake and egg back to the Snowdrifts.