Chapter 82 - 64: Goblin
Chapter 82: Chapter 64: Goblin
A vine crept silently toward the guards. In a surprise attack, it snatched one away, dragging him into the tall grass. While the other guards stood dumbfounded, a massive maw gaped open and swallowed the captive guard whole.
"AAAAH—"
The other guards, having seen their comrade dragged away, gave chase only to witness this scene. They shrieked in terror and fled in a panic; some even scrambled back into their cavern.
They acted as if they’d been struck by a Withered Messenger’s fear spell.
"Uh, what the..."
Yuan Xiaobo’s jaw dropped in disbelief. He couldn’t believe there could be such cowardly guards.
Just as everyone was staring at each other, unsure how to react...
...the group of ugly guards charged back out. Their faces were fierce, and they screamed and hollered in the party’s direction as if they weren’t the same ones who had just fled in a panic.
Lin Kong blinked, utterly speechless at the guards’ behavior.
"Why don’t we just go up there and finish them off?"
"I think we might have been overthinking this."
Yuan Xiaobo was just as baffled, so he agreed with Lin Kong’s suggestion.
The party moved forward, surrounding the cavern and the guards stationed around it.
That’s when something unexpected happened.
It all started when the elf, Lin Yan, approached the perimeter. Perhaps it was because of the heat and the long walk, but she casually adjusted her hood. Or maybe a strong gust of wind blew through the forest, lifting her robes and revealing her shapely legs.
In any case, she had revealed part of her face and exposed her feminine features.
At that, the guards’ eyes lit up, and the entire group charged toward her.
Seeing so many hideous creatures rushing at her, Lin Yan went pale with fright. Her adrenaline surged, and she unleashed a flurry of Magic at a blinding speed: Protective Shield, Lightning Chain, Entangling Vines, Thorn Spike...
She cast every single spell she could think of in a blind panic.
Despite the overwhelming barrage of Magic, the guards seemed not to see it. Their earlier cowardice vanished as if it had never been, and they charged straight into the fray.
And then... they were all gone.
A carpet of corpses lay before Lin Yan. She herself stood frozen in place, panting for breath. Her heart hammered in her chest, and it took her a long while to compose herself.
Everyone else was stunned. They had formed a circle to prevent the cowardly guards from escaping, never imagining the creatures would charge to their own deaths.
"Ahem. It seems they really aren’t a Calamity."
"Since the guards are cleared out, let’s notify the rear. Have them mark this location. We’ll write... ’Weak monster camp, suitable for new-player leveling.’"
"Captain Yuan, add one more line: ’This location is not suitable for women traveling alone.’"
Yuan Xiaobo looked toward the voice and saw that Lin Kong had, at some point, made his way to the cavern’s entrance. He was currently flicking his hand repeatedly as if he had touched something filthy.
[Name]: Goblin Cavern
[Type]: Natural-type Recruitment Office
[Grade]: Excellent (Green)
[Description]: The lair of the goblin race. Goblins are not fond of cleanliness, so the deeper parts of their lairs are exceedingly filthy. Non-goblins are advised not to venture too far inside.
[Recruitable]: Goblins x500
[Special Note]: The goblin race’s genetics are extremely peculiar. They can mate with any species. If the resulting offspring is male, it will always take the form of a goblin. Furthermore, goblins are perpetually in heat.
As a result, goblins have an extremely strong possessiveness toward female creatures. They’ll even try to kill a female mosquito that flies past. [See attached image.jpg]
When faced with a female creature, goblins will temporarily lose all reason and charge forward fearlessly.
...
Before he could finish reading the rest of the description, Lin Kong closed the window. He didn’t want to see any more. He continued to wipe his palm, scrubbing at it.
He now deeply regretted reading the description. ’That damn system even thoughtfully included a picture. How utterly disgusting. It’s like it sullied my very eyes.’
Yuan Xiaobo took Lin Kong’s advice, adding the line: "This location is not suitable for women traveling alone." He didn’t know why, but since his friend, the Lord, insisted, he figured he might as well add it. It wasn’t a huge deal. He did, however, add a preface to the note: "Per the advice of our Lord, Lin Kong:"
With the matter of the goblin cavern settled, the party pressed onward.
Along the way, they encountered two more goblin caverns, both of which were dealt with easily.
...
「That night.」
Yuan Xiaobo’s squad found a large tree and made some simple preparations up in its branches, casting a Protective Array and an Illusion Technique.
After eating their rations, they settled down to rest in the massive tree.
In the dead of night, the silence of the forest was occasionally broken by the roar of a beast, only to fall quiet again moments later.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from below the tree...
"Lin Kong, wake up, wake up!"
Lin Kong was roused from his sleep. He opened his eyes to find the other members of the squad gathered around him.
"You guys..."
"SHHH—"
Just as he was about to ask why, a hand clamped over his mouth. Mirus pointed down below the tree.
Lin Kong got the message and fell silent. It was only then that he noticed the sound of countless, disorderly footsteps coming from below.
He leaned over a branch to look down and saw a massive column of goblins marching southeast.
Mixed within their ranks were other types of soldiers, clearly distinct from the short goblins.
There were tall, burly goblins that looked like bigger versions of their kin; elderly, bearded goblins holding wooden staves and being carried piggyback; large felines that flickered in and out of sight as they flanked the column; and even a four-meter-tall Minotaur wielding a giant axe...
Thankfully, the squad’s concealment was solid. The goblin army passed right under the tree without discovering the nine people resting in its branches.
Once the goblin army had passed completely, the party quietly climbed down from the great tree.
"Let’s go. We’re following them!"
"Mirus, Lin Yan, you’re on protection duty for Lin Kong. Keep him hidden. Everyone else, follow that army!" Yuan Xiaobo commanded.
"Captain Yuan, I’m going too. As a member of this exploration team, I have the ability to protect myself and fight."
Yuan Xiaobo studied Lin Kong carefully. The firm look in his eyes told him he wasn’t bluffing, so he nodded in agreement.
"Stay close, and don’t get spotted. If you’re discovered, fall back immediately. Mirus, Lin Yan, you two still stick with Lin Kong. Don’t let him get hurt."
Lin Kong wanted to say that it wouldn’t matter if he got hurt—he’d revive quickly even if he died. But then he thought better of it. ’That would be a bit too shocking to say out loud,’ he decided, and kept his mouth shut.
At Yuan Xiaobo’s command, the Demon Race members of the squad reverted to their original forms. They shrank in size, suppressed their auras, and tailed the goblin army from a great distance.
The Death Devourer followed closely behind them. As a Tree-man, he had a significant advantage in the forest. As long as he stood still and concealed his aura, no one would be able to spot him.
When the goblin army had passed by earlier, he had simply leaned against the great tree, and the goblins hadn’t given him a second glance.
That left only Lin Kong, Mirus, and Lin Yan bringing up the rear.
He looked at Mirus and Lin Yan and shrugged.
"We should get going too. We don’t want to get there after all the action’s over."
With that, Lin Kong activated his natural concealment ability. With the forest’s aid, he vanished from sight and gave chase.
Mirus had been about to cast an invisibility spell on Lin Kong, but seeing this, he cast the prepared Magic on himself and Lin Yan instead.
The pair followed Lin Kong, hurrying to catch up with the main group.