Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8359: Waiting _1

Zhao Hai accepted the Jade slips and quickly reviewed their contents. With a nod, he addressed the elders, "Everyone, mobilize immediately. Travel to these specific islands and command an immediate retreat. The defensive arrays on these islands are flawed. While they might hold for a short duration, they cannot withstand a prolonged assault. Since the Thirteen Family Alliance is currently attacking with their full power, forcing our people to defend to the death would only result in senseless losses. Order them to pull back." The elders bowed in response and departed.

Turning his attention to the remaining group, Zhao Hai spoke with gravity, "Now, everyone must carry out the instructions I’ve provided. The Thirteen Family Alliance is at the height of its momentum, and we are not yet fully prepared. We will concede ground for now while we devise a strategy to dismantle them. I have already informed the Sect Master that he will not find fault with anyone even if we lose several islands before this conflict concludes. However, if the enemy still occupies any of our islands once the war ends, the Sect Master will hold me accountable. In turn, I will not show you mercy. You may view this as a threat, but rest assured, I will deal with you personally before the Sect Master ever reaches me. Move out!"

The group acknowledged his words and turned to leave, though several individuals wore expressions of mockery. Zhao Hai remained indifferent to their attitude. As long as they followed his directives without error, he would ignore their disdain. However, should they choose to ignore his commands or commit acts of insubordination, he would show no leniency. He would never allow such transgressions to pass.

Once the crowd dispersed, Yan Bei finally spoke up, "Little Hai, do you really believe those men will obey you? From what I saw, they don't seem to have much respect for you." Yan Bei had noticed the divide: the cultivators who had personally witnessed the Sect Master’s high regard for Zhao Hai were loyal, while those who hadn't remained skeptical or even openly contemptuous.

Zhao Hai chuckled softly. "Their opinions don't concern me. Regardless of their personal feelings, they must execute my orders. If they fail to comply, I won't be polite." He looked at Yan Bei with a smile and added, "I regret that Big Brother Yan has to endure this frustration alongside me."

Yan Bei dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "How is this a grievance? It has always been my intention to stay loyal and fight by your side. Besides, as the commander of the Western Defense Line, you need someone you can trust. Isn't it better that I’m here?"

Zhao Hai nodded. Gazing out toward the hall’s exterior, he said solemnly, "The Thirteen Family Alliance reacted with impressive speed. Not only did they strike first, but their offensive is exceptionally rapid. It appears they have been preparing for this moment for a very long time."

Yan Bei snorted in disgust. "The Thirteen Family Alliance must have the backing of other major Sects; otherwise, they wouldn't dare be so audacious. With a spy aiding them as well, it was inevitable that we would start at a disadvantage. Little Hai, we should strike back as soon as possible. We can't let them think we are easy targets."

Zhao Hai replied with a calm smile, "There is no rush. Let’s go out and observe. This won't be an easy campaign. We are effectively pitting the strength of a single Sect against multiple major powers. Fortunately, we have our puppets. I’ve heard the other Sects have managed to acquire some of them, but luckily they haven't unraveled the secrets of their construction. If they knew how to manufacture them, things would be far more difficult."

Yan Bei nodded, and the two stepped outside. The exterior was a hive of frantic activity. Cultivators were congregating, supplies were being shifted, and preparations were being made to receive disciples retreating from the outlying islands. The entire island was in a state of constant motion.

Watching the bustling disciples, Yan Bei remarked, "Not bad. Even if those leaders doubt you, they don't dare defy your orders. It seems your plans can proceed smoothly." Yan Bei was encouraged by the sight, but Zhao Hai’s brow was furrowed in thought.

While the disciples were busy, many seemed to lack direction, running about aimlessly and creating a sense of disorder. This was a stark contrast to the Sea Exploration Sect, where preparations for war were always conducted with disciplined efficiency. There, activity was high but never chaotic.

Zhao Hai realized there was little he could do to fix this immediately. These individuals were Sect disciples, not soldiers, and they lacked formal military training. Their behavior was to be expected. Furthermore, he was merely a commander, not the Sect Master, and lacked the authority to overhaul their entire culture. Attempting to force military discipline might breed resentment. While the Sect Master trusted him enough to allow him to execute people to establish authority, every execution would create new enemies. He intended to remain within the Blood Massacre Sect for a long time and didn't want to burn bridges. He would tolerate the chaos as long as the essential tasks were completed.

As Zhao Hai stood watching the square, a flash of white light erupted from the teleportation formation. Groups of disciples began to emerge, many of them bloodied and wounded from recent combat. Their arrival only added to the confusion of the scene.

Zhao Hai’s expression darkened. He projected his voice across the island, "Silence! Do not panic! Move the wounded to safety first. The rest of you, follow the guides to your assigned quarters and rest. Whoever is in charge of this unit, report to me immediately!" His voice was not a roar, yet it carried clearly to every ear on the island.

The noise died down instantly as everyone looked at Zhao Hai in surprise. Soon, the crowd began to organize. The injured were carried to nearby courtyards, and others were led away to recuperate. Two cultivators in the Refinement Realm flew toward Zhao Hai.

Upon landing, the two bowed deeply. "Greetings, Commander. We are the leaders of this detachment. An hour ago, the Thirteen Family Alliance launched a massive assault. They deployed nearly a hundred large-scale magic weapons against our island. They seemed to possess intimate knowledge of our defensive array’s vulnerabilities and struck them relentlessly. We attempted a counterattack, but their numbers were overwhelming and their experts were too strong. We were forced to seek reinforcements."

Zhao Hai nodded understandingly. "I see. Go and rest; you are not to blame for this. The fact that the Thirteen Family Alliance is launching such a massive offensive now suggests they feel pressured to act. They know if they don't strike now, they won't gain anything. Go." Though puzzled by his words, the two commanders bowed and left.

Once they were gone, Yan Bei asked, "Are you suggesting they are attacking now because they fear we will fix the arrays after Han Lei’s death? They want to seize as many islands as possible before we can adjust the defenses, using them as a forward base for a long-term war?"

"Exactly. That is their strategy," Zhao Hai confirmed. "They’ve anticipated our moves, which is why they are acting so aggressively. This is just the beginning; their attacks will only intensify. We will likely have to surrender half of the islands on the Western Defense Line to stabilize our position before we can counter-attack. Big Brother Yan, relay a new order: disciples are not to use puppets for now. If they must use them, they are forbidden from letting them fall into enemy hands. If a puppet is at risk of capture, it must be detonated immediately. I will forgive a destroyed puppet, but if anyone allows the enemy to seize one, I will take their life!"

Yan Bei acknowledged the command and set off to inform the elders. Despite Han Lei’s previous failings, he had at least established a basic administrative structure. Elders were assigned to specific duties, and temporary Island Masters were in place. This existing chain of command made Zhao Hai’s job significantly easier.

However, being new to the position, Zhao Hai still needed to evaluate these subordinates before making further changes. As Yan Bei had noted, Zhao Hai lacked a core group of trusted allies, which limited his ability to make bold moves.

After Yan Bei left, Zhao Hai pulled out another Jade slip to study its data. He then recorded new information onto a blank slip and sent it off, followed by a spatial Jade slip containing further instructions. With those sent, he sighed in relief and glanced back at the teleportation square as another flash of white light signaled more arrivals at Blood Bone Island.

Yan Bei soon returned and nodded to Zhao Hai. "The orders have been distributed, and the elders understand. However, our numbers are thin. If we restrict the use of puppets, our casualties will surely rise."

"They can retreat to other islands to recover if they are overwhelmed, but the puppets must remain hidden for now," Zhao Hai stated firmly. He knew the time for the puppets had not yet arrived; he was waiting for the perfect moment.