Zakoff and his company were already embroiled in a desperate fight; these bandits were not only stronger than they had anticipated, but they also held a significant numerical advantage.

"Uncle Zakoff, their firepower is intense. Our men might not hold out much longer. What should we do?" Wennar, facing such a situation for the first time, was utterly flustered.

Zakoff’s expression was equally anxious. These arriving bandits were clearly no ordinary thugs; their coordinated movements made that obvious.

Furthermore, the scarred man in the distance, who hadn't made a move, occupied his deepest concern. "No matter how I look at this man, he is not simple. Those sharp eyes constantly sweep the battle, as if observing something!"

Are we about to suffer a humiliating defeat? Just as this thought crossed Zakoff's mind, he suddenly saw several figures flash before his eyes, followed by the heavy sound of objects hitting the ground!

Because the noise was so conspicuous, everyone couldn't help but glance toward the source, and that glance stunned many into silence!

The sounds were caused by several bandits colliding with rocks. Those rocks were already completely saturated with blood, and those bandits were unmistakably dead. To eliminate over twenty bandits in an instant—what a terrifying feat!

Almost instinctively, both sides engaged in the fighting broke distance, turning to look at John, who stood there in astonishment.

"No... impossible. From... from that far away they were thrown..." Finally, someone grasped the crucial point.

John and his group were over a hundred meters from the main caravan. To send bandits flying from such a distance—what incredible destructive power that implied!

Now, many eyes were fixed on the "Ethereal Vanguard," no one able to fathom where this dashing company of fighters had come from, or why they hadn't been seen before.

The scarred man’s brow visibly furrowed again upon seeing the "Ethereal Vanguard," and that gnawing sense of unease returned.

"What sort of vanguard is this? Where did they come from?" Zakoff muttered to himself. He remembered clearly that he hadn't seen these people when talking with John. So where had they materialized from? And what the hell did they want here?

In terms of sheer shock, no one could compare to John and Abel; they had personally experienced the terrifying brush with death! When they saw those bandits raising their swords to strike, they had nearly frozen with fear. But by the time they reacted, those twenty-plus bandits had vanished entirely, as if they were phantoms!

"Looks like things are getting lively," Zhong Shenxiu remarked lazily. His voice wasn't loud, yet it strangely reached everyone's ears. In the next moment, the sounds of clashing weapons gradually ceased.

The silence was temporary, immediately broken by a shout from one of the bandits: "Brothers, don't let them get away!"

Thus, guided by the flawed notion that sheer numbers could overwhelm any enemy, a wave of bandits charged forward—this time numbering over a hundred, each face set in a fierce grimace, clearly determined to slaughter Zhong Shenxiu and his companions.

The scarred man made no move to stop the surging bandits; he wanted to use this opportunity to gauge the strength of this suddenly appearing company and ascertain why they gave him such an unsettling feeling.

Watching the hundred-plus figures rush toward them, John and Abel finally snapped out of their shock and immediately scrambled behind the members of the "Ethereal Vanguard," with the teamsters swiftly following suit!

They weren't fools; they knew that running blindly would only hasten their deaths. Their only hope now lay with the "Ethereal Vanguard" before them, praying they could conjure a miracle!

Just as these hundred-plus bandits closed within dozens of meters, one figure from the "Ethereal Vanguard" surged out to meet them, moving with a speed like a streak of cold light!

Then, in the following instant, it was as if a hand grenade had detonated on the ground, sending all one hundred-plus bandits scattering outwards. Not a single cry of pain was heard during the process! As those bandits were thrown outward, Rachel’s silhouette materialized where the explosion had been.

Rachel stood with a solemn expression; that single move was her signature technique, "Chain Impact Scatter" (achieved by using immense rotational force to instantly blast enemies away!)

Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Dealing with petty thugs like these required no intervention from Zhong Shenxiu or his group; Rachel alone was more than sufficient!

At that moment, everyone’s eyes were wide, unable to believe the sight they had just witnessed. To have instantly vaporized another hundred bandits—what terrifying power this represented!

Now, not a single bandit dared to charge forward. The fate of their comrades served as a stark warning: the woman before them was an extremely dangerous entity!

As everyone froze, watching Rachel, she slowly began to walk toward the battlefield. With every step she took, the hearts of the onlookers felt heavier. Those bandits who had moments before been arrogant and imposing now finally tasted fear, abandoning all thoughts of plunder and retreating uncontrollably!

It wasn't just them; even the members of the "Tiger Leap Mercenary Group," responsible for the caravan's safety, felt their hearts hammering violently, the oppressive feeling making it hard to breathe!

In this complex situation where friend and foe were indistinct, no one knew why Rachel was approaching. Would she turn on them, just as she had dealt with the bandits?

The moment this thought arose, the guards flanking the caravan wagons began to tremble involuntarily. They understood perfectly well that if she decided to strike, they wouldn't even have the strength to resist before dropping dead like those bandits moments ago!

It was then that the previously unmoving scarred man finally moved. With a swift flash, he managed to block Rachel's path, his eyes gleaming with sharp intensity!

This sudden development startled everyone again. After witnessing Rachel's power, who would dare to confront her? Was he insane, or simply fearless of death?

Yet, contrary to expectation, Rachel walked on as if the scarred man were invisible. And the scarred man simply remained motionless!

No one knew the depth of the shock the scarred man was enduring. Having survived for years in the "Other Dimension," his strength had greatly increased, and he had learned how to seek out an enemy's weakness! But looking at Rachel approaching slowly, he sensed an absolute flawlessness about her!

There was not a single weak point on Rachel's body! (Of course, if someone like Zhong Shenxiu were watching, he would see that Rachel was riddled with weaknesses!) "This woman... did she... did she also come from the 'Other Dimension'?" the scarred man thought, becoming even more hesitant to act rashly!

The scarred man had been a mere nobody struggling to survive day-to-day in the Other Dimension; in terms of power, he was near the bottom. If he fought against other "Z-war personnel," he would lose ninety percent of the time!

He never expected that after all his calculations, fate had intervened, throwing another "Z-war personnel" in his path—this was entirely beyond his projections!

While several thoughts raced through the scarred man's mind, Rachel had already reached his side, but she made no pause, simply walking past him! "You are blocking the way," Rachel stated calmly, her face as serene as before, as she reached the front of the caravan. "We... we didn't mean to, but... but they..." An elderly man, his face etched with the years, stepped forward from the caravan, gesturing toward the bandits who now stood there looking dazed.

Rachel merely lifted her gaze and glanced ahead, causing the bandits to flinch back again! In their current estimation, this woman was far too abnormal; she was simply beyond anything they could handle!

At that moment, a loud, clear beast roar suddenly echoed. Upon hearing it, the expression of every bandit softened, and they retreated like a receding tide, vanishing into the darkness within moments!

It was clear this was the scarred man's wise decision. If he hadn't ordered the retreat, the final outcome would likely have been Rachel wiping them out completely! Although he hadn't truly clashed with Rachel, he had clearly sensed that her strength surpassed his own by several times; to attack rashly would be inviting self-destruction!

The bandits fled, and the caravan continued its journey, yet the shock in everyone’s hearts lingered long after.

"Uncle Zakoff, who is that woman? H-how is she so powerful?" Wennar whispered, repeatedly glancing behind him. But because the members of the "Ethereal Vanguard" had already returned to their carriages, he was thwarted.

"I don't know very well either!" Zakoff replied vaguely. His mind felt exceptionally muddled; he needed time to sort things out!

"Uncle Yehut, those people dressed like that woman just now must be from the same mercenary group, right?" Wennar shifted his attention to Yehut on the other side. "What mercenary group are they? Why haven't we ever heard of them?"

The thought of the power Rachel had just displayed made Wennar’s blood surge. Though he had seen countless masters, he had never before witnessed someone instantly eliminate over a hundred bandits like Rachel! It was incredibly cool; he wished he could be that formidable!

Wennar now had one remaining question: aside from Rachel, how strong were the other members of that mercenary group?

Meanwhile, John and Abel repeatedly expressed their profound gratitude to Zhong Shenxiu and his companions, constantly praising Rachel’s incredible skill!

However, one comment from Rachel left them utterly bewildered: "I am the weakest one in our mercenary group!" Huh? What did that mean? Was it false modesty? Was there such a thing as being that modest?

John and Abel exchanged glances, speechless for a long moment!