Euphemia had no desire for conflict with Princess Meiyu's people. She said, "Suzaku Guard Captain, can you get them to stand down? If this keeps up, everyone is going to get hurt."
"I'll try." the Suzaku Guard Captain said. He called out loudly toward the eastern side of the camp: "Give it up. We've been prepared for this all along — your attacks are useless. If you keep going, the only ones getting hurt will be yourselves."
The man's voice from outside the camp responded: "Unless you forfeit this competition and surrender, we will not stop our attack."
"So that's your real purpose," the Suzaku Guard Captain said. "Claiming we killed your people was just a pretext — you only attacked us to force us out of the competition."
"I have no interest in discussing this with you. I only want your answer: are you surrendering or not?"
The Suzaku Guard Captain turned his gaze toward Euphemia. After a brief hesitation, she shook her head.
"We will not abandon the competition," the Suzaku Guard Captain declared loudly. "If you continue to attack us, we will launch a fierce counterattack, and you'll only have yourselves to blame for what happens."
"Then let's see who ends up suffering." the man's voice said, and he fell silent after that.
Suddenly, a piercing, eerie laugh rang out from beyond the camp. The moment they heard it, everyone inside felt their minds grow heavy and foggy. At the same time, a thick yellow mist had, at some point, filled the entire forest. Heavy, thunderous footsteps — *boom, boom* — began to sound, as if something massive was rapidly closing in.
"Trouble — the enemy's inside, they're here, ahhh—!" A panicked cry came from within the mist, as if someone had just been attacked.
"What's happening? How many enemies are there? Where are they?!" the Suzaku Guard Captain shouted. Although he had heard the cry for help, the mist had completely blocked his line of sight, making it impossible to determine the enemy's exact position or numbers — and leaving him with no idea how to strike back.
"The enemy is here with me — it's a humanoid monster nearly three meters tall! Someone come help me, ahhh—!" Another panicked cry rang out, only to cut off moments later, as if whoever had cried out had been taken down by the giant.
Using the cover of the mist, the giant continued attacking the people inside the camp one by one. It was large and powerful, and it specifically targeted those who had become isolated. Euphemia's people stood no chance against it. In no time at all, several more of them were struck down — killed or badly wounded — and rendered completely combat-ineffective.
"Damn it, it's those two causing all this chaos. At this rate, it'll pick us all off." The Suzaku Guard Captain's expression grew frantic. He had previously learned from Rulu that among Princess Meiyu's subordinates was an enormously tall giant, as well as a human-faced, sheep-bodied creature capable of clouding the mind and inducing hallucinations. He had never imagined these two monsters would prove so formidable — he couldn't think of any way to deal with them.
"Rulu… no, Mr. Qin — do you have any way to handle these monsters?" Euphemia, feeling that her people were no match for them, turned to Rulu beside her for help.
"Don't panic. Let me get a clear picture of the situation first." Rulu said. He turned to C.C. at his side. "What's the situation right now? How many enemies are there and where are they?"
"Let me look." C.C. peered out from behind the wooden cabin, swept her gaze around the camp, and then said, "There's only one enemy in here — a very tall, very powerful giant carrying a large club. Up in the trees nearby, there are also a lot of people armed with bows and arrows."
Hearing this, both Euphemia and the Suzaku Guard Captain couldn't help but stare at her in astonishment. "Are you serious?" the Suzaku Guard Captain said. "This whole area is thick with mist — how can you see them?"
"I can just see them. Spiritual-power has no effect on me." C.C. said matter-of-factly.
"Spiritual-power?" The Suzaku Guard Captain was even more confused.
"Don't ask so many questions for now," Rulu said. "What matters is that we have to find a way to deal with the creature causing our hallucinations. Without that, we have no chance of winning. C.C., do you know where the creature making that strange laugh is?"
"I do. The laughing was coming from the eastern side of the camp. But there are at least five people in the trees over there — if we head that way, we'll definitely be attacked."
"In that case, we have to find a way to draw them away first." Rulu said. After a brief moment of thought, he turned to the Suzaku Guard Captain. "I have an idea. You take Euphemia and the others and leave — retreat westward. The enemy will certainly give chase, and that will give me the opening to strike the creature causing the hallucinations. Once that thing is dealt with, our odds will improve dramatically."
A look of doubt crossed the Suzaku Guard Captain's face. "But the camp is surrounded on all sides right now — moving out in the open is too dangerous. There's a real chance they'll attack Lord Euphemia directly."
"But if you all stay here, things will only get worse," Rulu said. "Just flee in the opposite direction of that strange laughter."
The Suzaku Guard Captain was uncertain and looked toward Euphemia. "Lord Euphemia, what do you think?"
Euphemia didn't hesitate long. She looked at Rulu with trusting eyes and said, "I believe in Mr. Qin Lulu. I believe he can save us. Let's do as he says."
"Very well." the Suzaku Guard Captain called out: "Fall back! Everyone abandon your positions and retreat to me — now!"
As he spoke, he escorted Euphemia and began pulling back toward the west. The others, hearing his voice, immediately moved in his direction. Rulu, C.C., and Kallen, meanwhile, stayed behind, remaining hidden at the back of the wooden cabin without making a sound.
"I see Euphemia — they're running!" The lookouts stationed in the trees outside the camp spotted the Suzaku Guard Captain's group and immediately let out a shout.
"Get around behind them and cut them off — everyone go! If we can capture Euphemia, we've won!" a man's voice called from outside the camp. At that, the people in the trees instantly dropped down and moved at tremendous speed along the perimeter of the camp toward the west. The giant, meanwhile, continued pressing the attack on Euphemia's group from the front, driving them further westward.