"Got it."
Paimon had already spotted the group charging toward them. She immediately spun around, mounted her tiny, toy-like pony, and bolted toward the distant forest.
"Pfft—this horse is something else."
The sight almost made Star burst out laughing. Paimon looked like she was riding an oversized wind-up toy—awkward, bouncy, and hilariously slow.
"What's so funny?"
Hu Tao shot Star an annoyed look. This was the logistics ace her consultant had personally arranged for her. Laughing already? Fine—she'd be the one crying later.
Hu Tao pulled out a pair of silvery shackles and equipped them.
War Shackles.
A simple but brutal artifact: once combat began, neither side could retreat.
"Let's see me wipe you all out in one go."
From earlier exchanges, Hu Tao had already realized something important—
her army was fundamentally different from every other Teyvat player's.
She didn't know exactly how many troops the other side had, but it couldn't be too outrageous.
There was no way they had dozens of times more soldiers than her… right?
As the groups closed in, Star and the others were a little surprised.
Hu Tao wasn't running.
Not only that—she looked calm.
With their numbers, shouldn't she be retreating? Why did she look like they were the ones surrounded?
"Miss Hu Tao, fancy meeting you here."
Star rode forward, stopping near Hu Tao.
"Although… I doubt you're very happy to see us right now."
"On the contrary," Hu Tao replied cheerfully.
"I'm very happy to see you."
Star froze.
That wasn't how this was supposed to go.
Five of them. Five armies.
Hu Tao was alone.
So why did it suddenly feel like they had walked into a trap?
"Be careful," Welt warned quietly.
Something felt off.
In a strategy game like this, victories by the weaker side were rare. Morale didn't cause troops to flee, and there were no miracle ambushes like ten-sided encirclements.
He couldn't figure out where Hu Tao's confidence was coming from.
"I agree… something's not right," Dan Heng added.
He had a strange premonition—like he was about to be eliminated any second.
"Oh, come on, what's there to be afraid of?"
March 7th waved her hand dismissively.
"I've got Crusaders. Just watch me."
She didn't bother thinking it through. Five versus one—how could they lose?
Besides, her Crusaders were Tier-4 elite units. They shredded monsters effortlessly. Without hesitation, she initiated the battle.
The scene shifted as combat began.
"Deploy."
With the fight already underway, Himeko had no reason to object. This was a game—she didn't see any issue with overwhelming numbers.
She laid out her formation.
A massive force appeared, including four Tier-6 Knights at the very top.
"Hehe, Hu Tao," Star said smugly as she deployed her troops,
"don't blame us for ganging up on you."
Star's faction was the Tower. She summoned a large force of Gremlins, Gargoyles, and Iron Golems.
The others followed suit.
A chaotic mix of armies spread across the battlefield, blackening the ground with sheer presence.
Facing this overwhelming sight, Hu Tao remained completely unfazed.
After taking a closer look at Star's troops, she blinked in surprise.
"Huh… you don't have mages either?"
She'd heard Furina complain before—about how impossible the Mage Guild was to build, calling it a traitor building.
Now it seemed the other side was stuck on it too.
"W-Well… I don't need mages to deal with you."
Star's mouth twitched.
Of all things to bring up.
Did Hu Tao have any idea how expensive that building was?
"Enough talk. Bring out your army already."
"Alright then."
Hu Tao chuckled softly.
Since you want to see it so badly.
With a casual wave of her hand, thirty Vampire Lords appeared.
"Just thirty Tier-4 units?" Star scoffed.
"That's your trump card? We've got this."
She immediately deployed sixty Wraiths in response.
"Heh. Tier-3 units with lousy stats—no threat at all."
Next, three Dread Knights emerged.
"Oho! Now that's interesting," Star admitted.
"They're strong—and stylish too. Just… way too few."
The Dread Knights caught her attention. Solid stats, intimidating presence.
But still—Tier-6 units weren't exclusive to Hu Tao.
Himeko's Knights were upgraded, and there were four of them.
As long as they stalled the Dread Knights, the rest of their forces could crush Hu Tao's army without issue.
"You're getting nervous already?" Hu Tao teased.
"I haven't even brought out my Tier-1 units yet."
"Tier-1?"
March 7th laughed.
"You're bragging about Tier-1 units? Even if you spam them, what can they do?"
"Oh? Then watch closely."
Hu Tao raised her hand.
The ground began to tremble.
An endless tide of Skeleton Warriors surged forth—filling the battlefield, stretching beyond the horizon.
"—THUD!"
March 7th was so shocked she fell straight off her horse.
"W-What is that supposed to be?!"
"This is cheating! You're cheating, right?!"
"How is this even possible?!"
The Astral Express crew completely lost their composure.
The largest army they'd seen until now barely broke a hundred low-tier units.
So where did Hu Tao get this many skeletons?!
"Hahahaha!"
Hu Tao sat tall on her horse, utterly satisfied.
"You're surrounded."
She'd finally turned the tables.
Laughing at her?
Trying to gang up on her?
Now they knew—
Who was the hunter,
and who was the prey.
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