Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 200 The Wolf Pack: Intimidation and Division
Almost the instant after Cash warned them, the entire Seathorn squad sprang into action.

They are all seasoned adventurers who have achieved professional ranks, and their reactions are extremely fast.

Having just returned to the ground from the tree, the slightly loose formation instantly coalesced.

With Mint, the spellcaster in the team, at the core, the group contracted inwards, forming a back-to-back formation while still maintaining enough space for combat.

Xia Nan, Veris, and Cash each took charge of a section of the area, their line of sight covering the entire 360-degree radius around them.

After all, the team was only recently formed, and two of the members were newcomers who had just joined. They hadn't had enough time to get used to each other, so it was impossible for them to have a very smooth working relationship.

Given the sudden circumstances, such a response is already quite good.

Xia Nan gripped the decapitation sword tightly with both hands, while keeping some attention on his teammates beside and behind him.

A pair of dark eyes stared into the deep night shrouded in mist ahead, focusing their mind on sensing the potential dangers within.

If Cash's scent bait really worked, there's no way there wouldn't have been any movement in the misty forest at night for so long.

That left them with only two possibilities.

In the first scenario, Cash did indeed buy a defective product, and the bait failed to work.

Considering that the air is still filled with an extremely strong, putrid stench that rushes from the nasal cavity to the top of the skull.

It doesn't seem to be malfunctioning at all.

Xia Nan felt that the probability of this happening was extremely small.

Then, there's only one possibility left.

Those dangerous predators that live in the forest and are active at night have already smelled the bait.

They even took action, moving closer to the place where they had set a trap.

only.

There was a more ferocious and brutal aura present, which made these predators, driven by their survival instincts, forcibly suppress their hunting desires and dare not approach.

I don’t know when it started, but the sharp wolf howls that used to come from the depths of the mist have not been heard for a long time.

Xia Nan remained focused, her face showing no emotional fluctuation.

But I couldn't help feeling annoyed.

where?
Where did their operation go wrong?
The situation, which was originally one of the enemy being in the light and us being in the dark, was instantly reversed. The Seathorn Squad, which was maintaining its formation in the forest, was as if it were under a spotlight, wary of the deep darkness around them.

Time passed quietly.

Even after several minutes, the wild boar meat on the campfire was still not cooked.

But for the people on the field, it felt like several hours had passed.

He was simply standing still, without making or daring to make any unnecessary movements.

Cash's face was covered in a fine layer of sweat, and his muscles were taut, like a spring compressed to its limit.

The slightest movement could cause it to explode instantly.

With two daggers in her hand, Veris's tall figure and face were shrouded in a thin veil of shadow, as if she were about to melt into the darkness at any moment.

Although her specific expression cannot be seen, this reaction is enough to prove how much she values ​​it.

Mint, protected in the middle by the crowd, still held tightly to her branch staff, her light green teardrop-shaped earrings swaying gently in the wind.

Her expression was somewhat tense, but her eyelids were lowered, as if she was using other senses to search for enemies in the surrounding area.

Compared to the three, Xia Nan's demeanor and actions seemed to have not changed significantly from before.

This is naturally because he concealed it well.

Deep down, I was also quite tense.

The "Death Line" ring on the right index finger reflected an inconspicuous, dim luster under the moonlight, its "deflection field" poised to unleash its power.

At this moment, all four members of the Seathorn Squad had completed their battle preparations.

Like a powder keg filled with gunpowder, all it takes is the smallest spark, proof of the enemy's tangible existence, to detonate all repression and restraint in an instant.

But just like that, the spark that would ignite the entire venue never appeared.

As if sensing the tension among the people on the field, there was no suspicious movement in the surrounding woods.

Like a top predator with exaggerated patience, hiding in the unknown depths of darkness, watching and letting everyone waste their energy for nothing.

Staring at the silent, dim thicket of bushes ahead, Xia Nan even wondered for a moment if he was once again outsmarting the air.

In reality, everything that happened was just a coincidence. The so-called wolf pack and enemy simply did not exist.
But just a second later, he dismissed his hesitation.

Beyond the level of the five senses, there may be no special discoveries.

On the other hand, his extraordinary perception allowed him to sense, almost as if by illusion, an extremely clear and obvious hostility.

Greedy and cold gazes pierced through the spatial barrier, clinging to the skin with a damp and cold touch, seeping into the pores and penetrating the flesh under high pressure;

The hunger and ferocity of desire almost solidified in the air, transforming into a phantom, chilling wind that repeatedly brushed past his ears and the back of his neck.

Absolutely, absolutely, something is lurking in the shadows, watching me.

Xia Nan was certain of it.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Just when Xia Nan thought they would be stuck here until dawn.

Suddenly someone moved!

He knew perfectly well that continuing to drag things out under these circumstances would only cause the scales of victory to tip ever more to the other side.

After weighing the options carefully, Kash suddenly gritted his teeth.

He pulled out a few small, jet-black pouches from his waist pouch, without even aiming at them.

He threw it forcefully towards the dark and secluded forest ahead.

boom--

The grease and powder were instantly ignited by a few scattered sparks.

A blazing, bright flame erupted in an instant, like an explosion.

It illuminated the woods ahead.

Originating from the general store in River Valley, the "Flaming Oil Bomb," a versatile throwing weapon, is almost ubiquitous and can be owned by anyone with enough money. It once again demonstrates its power during the adventure.

It did not burn any enemies, and the orange-red flames, suppressed by the thick night fog, could hardly spread further and would soon be extinguished.

But even those brief few seconds of illumination revealed the blurry figure of the dangerous enemy hidden nearby, its gaze fixed on the crowd with covetous intent.

Its fluffy fur swaying in the wind, its massive, strong body, its elegant, long limbs, and its powerful, long tail trailing behind it...

It's fleeting, and you can't see its full picture.

Even a fleeting glimpse of the remaining blurry silhouette is enough to identify its biological type.

"It's the Temple Night Wolf!"

"Ready to fight!!!"

It's like some kind of signal.

As the oil bomb was thrown, it turned into a bright flash of light that disappeared in an instant.

The once silent, dense bushes on both sides suddenly began to rustle with unusual noises.

Phosphorescent green, cold eyes rose in pairs in the darkness. The thick, fishy stench and the fragrance of pine resin in the air were dispersed by the evening breeze, revealing a restless stench unique to wild beasts.
The low, threatening growls of the dogs seemed to gradually make the blurry outlines under the moonlight clearer, and one could vaguely see the silvery fur flashing among the branches and leaves of the bushes.

Its enormous body displayed a strikingly agile posture, moving through the forest like a phantom in the moonlight, making the rustling of the bushes even more deafening.

These wolves, living in the jungle, are extremely disciplined.

When undetected, they remain quietly hidden, patiently whittling down their prey's attention; but once exposed, they instantly seem to go berserk, swarming and attacking the crowd on the field.

There was no room for the Seathorn Squad to react. Almost the next second after the oil bomb was thrown, seven or eight silver wolves, each as tall as an adult's chest, burst out of the bushes.

Ouch——

The shrill, mournful howls of wolves made my eardrums ache as I stared at the two night wolves charging straight at me.

Xia Nan was extremely focused, and even breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Compared to the previous high-pressure situation where he was holding back his attacks, he entered his comfort zone after entering the battle.

The decapitation sword in his hand was slightly tilted, its iron-gray light appearing even sharper under the moonlight.

The brain is thinking rapidly.

The current situation is a positional battle between the squad and the wolf pack, and they cannot move around randomly.

Otherwise, if one or two of them slip through our side, not only will the spellcaster Mint in the center of the team be in danger, but the other two teammates will also be at risk of being attacked from behind.

Moreover, being in a misty forest late at night, even in the outer areas, greatly increases the danger.

With such a commotion, who knows what kind of trouble it might attract next?

It must be resolved quickly!

"Squeak".

As I pondered, the ground beneath my feet trembled slightly.

Saturn flew out, and several green vines with barbs suddenly shot out from the mud, wrapping around the front leg of one of the night wolves like tentacles.

The barbs pierced deep into the wolf's fur almost instantly, tightening as it moved, and blood began to seep out in the blink of an eye.

Behind her, her soft, slightly greenish short hair moved without wind, and Mint gripped the branch staff tightly with both hands, her lips moving as she chanted a spell.

Xia Nan nodded almost imperceptibly, then suddenly took two steps forward.

The reflection in his dark eyes showed the white wolf, its speed suddenly reduced as it became entangled in thorns.

"boom!"

The thick leather boots connected to the shin guards landed suddenly, like the roots of an ancient tree, drawing strength from the depths of the earth.

The energy travels upwards from the calves, hips, waist, chest, and abdomen, finally converging at the fingertips and flowing out with the swing of the sword.

scoff-

The perfect arc of iron-gray light illuminated the bright moon overhead, fleetingly disappearing into the dark forest.

The long-lost sound of a sharp blade slicing through flesh and bone reached my ears.

[Whirling Slash]!
Having already mastered it to perfection, the only "proficient" level combat skills he possesses, seemingly ordinary basic moves, are still Xia Nan's most reliable aid in battle.

It becomes even more powerful with the improvement of physical fitness.

It tilts upwards, from bottom to top, like an upward flick.

As the cold light faded.

The viscous brain matter, along with half a mouth, a beast's eye, and a few fragments of an ear, flew out.

Half of his head was chopped off.

The mangled wolf carcass still retained its forward momentum, but its consciousness had already vanished into darkness.

His robust body, spurting blood, convulsed and collapsed to the ground, no longer capable of attacking.

The longsword that tore through the wolf's body spun a semi-circle along with the force it unleashed.

Xia Nan took another step to the side, turning his body around as he did so.

We must remain vigilant.

He had already drawn his longsword and held it horizontally in front of his chest, ready to defend against the other night wolf that was flanking him from the side.

But what I didn't expect was.

Just as he moved his feet and changed his position.

On the light gray leg armor, the bone plates, which had been cut and polished to a finer texture, suddenly rippled with an invisible wave.

The ferocious wolf that had been growling and baring its sharp canines suddenly froze, its entire body stiffening in place.

A human-like bewilderment was revealed on the long, narrow wolf head.

The beast's eyes, once filled with violent and ferocious thoughts, now held only blank clarity.

He even stuck out his tongue and licked his nose.

……

【Bone-Binding Iron Legs】(Effect 2):
Challenging hostile beasts with a level no higher than "1" may result in being stunned.
……

A sudden realization dawned on me.

Xia Nan did not hesitate at all and switched from defense to offense.

Taking another step forward, he exerted force with both hands and unleashed another [Spinning Slash].

A flash of iron-gray light fell.

A complete wolf head, splattered with scarlet blood, spun and landed.

In my ears, I heard the dull thud of a heavy object falling to the ground.

Thus, only a dozen seconds had passed since the wolf pack appeared.

Slightly out of breath, Xia Nan turned her head and looked to the other two sides.

Mint's face was pale, covered in sweat, and her hands were trembling slightly.

Clearly, casting a large number of spells in a short period of time had taken a heavy toll on her.

But the results were equally outstanding.

The body of a night wolf lay convulsing on the ground beside him.

The traces left by the entanglement of plants can be faintly seen on the surface of the limbs.

What truly killed him was a small, bleeding wound on the side of his neck, a fatal blow.

—It came from the bluish-gray stone spear in Cash's hand.

At this moment, the middle-aged man, who claims to have come from a fisherman background and became a professional by chance, is in the midst of a fierce battle.

Unlike Xia Nan, there were three wolves that charged at him.

Even after dealing with one of them with the help of Mint, he still had to contend with two night wolves at the same time.

Although it wasn't fatal, he still looked extremely disheveled.

The surface of that otherwise decent scale armor now bears many marks left by wolves.

As for Vera...

Xia Nan suddenly frowned.

As a "wanderer" known for his agility and whose fighting style leans towards mobile combat.

This mixed-race Drow is showing great difficulty adapting to the current positional warfare.

Faced with the same attack from three night wolves, she may have used her relatively agile movements to dodge their pounces and leave wounds on the wolves, allowing the poison coated on the blade to gradually take effect.

However, Veris's original position was shifted due to the wolf pack's intentional or unintentional attacks and pulls.

The formation was quietly broken up.

The last two, night wolves that had been lurking around since the start of the battle, approached silently, their bodies low to the ground, like shadows under the moon.

It sneaked in quietly through the loophole.

They rushed straight for the mint in the very middle of the group!
(End of this chapter)