Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 215 Backstab and Surprise Attack

Xia Nan's original plan was to take a long detour after escaping, bypassing the location where he had previously encountered the herd of beasts and the owl bear.

Then return to the forest via the same route and wait for your teammates in Qingmai Village.

But to his surprise, he hadn't walked far when he keenly sensed some unusual noises coming from the vicinity.

After a brief reconnaissance, he came into view the remaining human footprints on the ground, the broken branches and grass stems, and some blood.

They followed, amidst the increasingly strong smell of blood and the gradually clearer sounds of human conversation.

His two teammates came into view.

Xia Nan observed very carefully, and the moment before Cash and Veris saw him, his first instinct was to be alert and wary.

This is easy to understand.

In the misty forest teeming with all sorts of dangerous monsters, footsteps suddenly approached from the dense woods nearby, making it only natural to remain on alert.

But what they did next, after realizing that the visitor was themselves, was quite interesting.

He was taken aback at first, and the hostility in his eyes seemed to have subsided slightly, but he did not put down his weapon and subconsciously maintained the body posture he had before the battle.

Then, the expression on his face suddenly changed from being stunned to stiff, and he instinctively forced a smile. As if realizing that it was too abrupt, he then suppressed all his expressions and showed a more normal, serious and tense look with a hint of relief after discovering his teammates.

Xia Nan didn't have the ability to read minds, so he naturally didn't know the inner thoughts behind the two people's rich and varied expressions.

Yet, a strange sense of déjà vu inexplicably arose in my mind.

The change in their expressions gave me the feeling that they were secretly talking behind someone's back, and after being caught, they were trying to remain calm and pretend nothing had happened.

That moment of awkwardness and stiffness, the natural expression of emotion, is something that ordinary people could never fake.

"Xia Nan?" Veris was overjoyed. "Thank God, I'm so glad you're alright."

This drow half-elf had thick bandages wrapped around his upper abdomen, and the blood that was slowly seeping out below could be vaguely seen.

Upon seeing Xia Nan appear, he braced himself against a nearby tree trunk with one hand and covered his wound bandage with the other, grimacing and feigning pain as he stood up from the ground.

The way she showed concern for her teammates despite being "seriously injured" was remarkable. If it weren't for the changes in the other party's expression before she appeared, and the loud, vulgar female voice she had heard in the forest before she even arrived, she would have been completely different.

Xia Nan might actually have been fooled.

"This damned misty forest, this damned herd of beasts, and that damned owl-bear!"

Vera stepped forward, complaining in a manner quite consistent with her persona.

"Are you injured? It's a pity that I've already drunk my medicine, so I can't treat you."

“Oh, and our poor little Mint.” Her sorrow was so genuine that it seemed like she was showing her true feelings. “She told me the other day that she wanted to save up some money to buy an enchanted robe.”

"did not expect……"

Fortunately, Vera should also know what kind of personality she has shown in front of Xia Nan in the past.

Although her tone was filled with deep regret and sadness, she did not deliberately act to the point of sobbing and being unable to speak.

Still quite self-aware.

Knowing that saying more would only lead to more mistakes, Xia Nan didn't react much, but simply nodded silently.

At the same time, Cash walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

Xia Nan kept an eye on the stone spear in his opponent's hand, maintaining a vigilant stance ready to retaliate at any moment, suppressing his instinctive dodge and tensing his body.

"It's good that you're back. The situation was urgent, and I couldn't think of anything else. You should be able to understand." Cash's expression seemed sincere, and his gaze towards Xia Nan carried a hint of apology.

"If we hesitate for even a second longer when dealing with a monster of the Owl Bear level, we might lose more than just Mint in our team."

Xia Nan wasn't sure how much of what the other person said was sincere.

But this is what he sees from his own perspective.

Cash and Veris were facing a formidable enemy who had already engaged in combat with the team and even caused casualties among the squad.

Without the slightest reminder, or even a single word was spoken.

After throwing the incendiary bombs, they all fled, leaving themselves on the field.

Currently, I am only able to reunite with them because of my superhuman sensory attributes and the observational abilities provided by the [Mind-Guiding Vision].

The two appeared to have met some time ago.

It's hard not to suspect that one's two teammates had planned this all along.

To some extent, given the general values ​​among adventurers in this world, if his personality were even slightly extreme, all of the above would have been enough to make him take action and eliminate his two companions.

In fact, Xia Nan was indeed making preparations in his mind.

He was outnumbered, one against two.

But Cash is right next to me, within my attack range. If I catch him off guard, I might be able to use [Whirlwind Slash] to seriously injure or even kill him.

Hmm... We must consider the possibility that the opponent has protective magical equipment, and we also need to prepare [Fang Hunt] so that we can deal with either retreating or charging forward.

However, compared to Cash, he still hoped to take care of Veris the moment before the battle began.

In the dimly lit, misty forest as night falls, the Wanderer, wielding a poisoned dagger and manipulating the power of shadows, is undoubtedly more dangerous than Cash, who prefers close combat.

Although Xia Nan has a certain physical defense capability, the [Coin of Destiny] can even trigger the physical damage reduction effect of [Iron Bones] with a 100% success rate.

But he didn't want to waste this precious item in such a place.

If possible, I need to find an opportunity to get close to Vera.

It has to be close enough that the opponent can't react before you swing your sword, then...

While he was pondering, Cash, who was standing in front of him, continued:

"You've come at the right time. We suspect that this attack by the beast horde was secretly orchestrated by that beastman."

As if hearing a certain keyword, Xia Nan's murderous intent subsided, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.

"How to say?"

"Because shortly after Veris escaped from the field, she was ambushed by the beastmen—it didn't seem like a sudden encounter; they must have been lying in ambush nearby for some time."

As Cash spoke, he stepped aside, revealing the drow half-elf whose waist and abdomen were wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.

“Luckily, I reacted quickly, otherwise I probably would have died there.” Veris nodded vigorously and said fiercely, “But it was also poisoned by me.”

"They can't get very far. If we set off now, we have a great chance of catching up!"

Before Xia Nan could reply, Cash added:
"We only have one chance. This cunning beast has discovered us and has been attacking us repeatedly."

"After the owl bear, it should realize that it is no match for us. If it gets away this time, it may not stay in the Misty Forest in the future."

"Your investigation mission will probably have to end here."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan felt a rather complicated feeling.

His gaze lingered briefly on Veris's abdominal wound and Cash's face, which was covered in sweat and bits of grass.

Finally, it quietly swept across their vulnerable necks.

Nod slightly.

"Then let's go."

……

For the vast majority of adventurer teams in this world.

After a fierce battle that resulted in the loss of several players, it's perfectly normal for the team's atmosphere to change.

Even if the one who died was a newcomer who had only recently joined the team, it was still hard not to feel a sense of sadness and grievance, let alone the veterans who had been in the team for many years. Mint's departure also changed the atmosphere within the Seathorn team.

However, the direction of the change... is a bit strange.

It's like breaking a delicate balance.

The remaining three members of the Seathorn Squad maintained the most basic formation.

Cash led the way, while Xia Nan remained at the back, but the distance between them had noticeably increased compared to before.

If Xia Nan wanted to take advantage of the situation, he might only need to take two steps forward to be spotted by Veris, who was lurking on the side of the group and occasionally casting hidden glances at him.

As they walked, Xia Nan noticed that the two of them looked rather disheveled.

However, their actual operations were not significantly affected, and they clearly still maintained considerable combat strength.

"Be careful, it might be nearby."

Vera's voice came through my ear.

"Its size is relatively small for a beastman. My poison should take effect soon. Be careful of it going berserk."

Xia Nan remained vigilant in secret.

Of course, the other two people in the team were also on guard.

"Sasha!"

Suddenly, the grass beside them began to shake violently.

Xia Nan gripped the decapitation sword tightly with both hands, holding the blade horizontally in front of his chest, instantly assuming a defensive stance.

At the same time, one should be mindful of other directions to guard against enemy feints or backstabbing from teammates.

At the same time, a monster with jet-black mane all over its body, resembling a humanoid black bear, suddenly rushed out of the bushes.

"It's a beastman!"

A barely suppressed scream of surprise echoed through the woods from Vera.

The beastman transformed into a shadowy figure, roaring as he lunged at Cash, who was at the very front of the group.

"Hey!"

In response, it was met with a barrage of dense, bluish-gray stone spears, like rain.

Xia Nan stood at the end of the line, unable to discern whether the other man's expression was one of excitement or tension, but there was no doubt that this middle-aged man, who came from a fisherman background, was already prepared for battle.

Before the agile beastman could even get close, a phantom made of spears had already blocked its path.

It could be due to the effects of toxins, or it could be due to some other reason.

The explosive power and speed displayed by the beastman at this moment were far less than Xia Nan had expected.

Despite being a surprise attack that went from covert to overt, they did not gain any advantage as a result.

The dark mane was easily shredded by the sharp spear shadows, and the thick, tough skin and flesh did not have the defensive power one would expect.

In the blink of an eye, deep wounds covered its chest, from which blood gushed out.

hold head high--

The mournful wails caused the branches and leaves of the trees on both sides to tremble slightly.

The beast-like human used all four legs, just like a black bear, with blood flowing from its body, as it fled into the depths of the forest.

Up to this point, only a few seconds have passed since it appeared.

Xia Nan hadn't even had a chance to make a move.

"That's it! Don't let that beast get away!"

Vera couldn't hide her excitement, and her body, which had been wandering in the surrounding shadows, emerged from the woods in a twist.

Needless to say, Kash was even worse.

Having personally thrust the stone spear, leaving bloody wounds on his opponent, he naturally knew the severity of the opponent's injuries and how weak the opponent's condition was due to the poison's corrosive effects.

They carried enormous profits that would allow them to retire immediately after the mission, and their long-sought prey was now within reach.

How could they possibly let the other party slip through their fingers?

He roared wildly, the excitement in his shouts almost tangible.

They were already rushing straight in the direction the beastmen had fled.

Vera followed closely behind, as if being a step slower would mean suffering a greater loss. She transformed into a shadow, her speed reaching its maximum.

Xia Nan remained at the very back.

He didn't know why, but he always felt something was off.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange about it.

It could be the dim, fading light filtering down from above as dusk deepens; it could be the dark, shadowy figure of the beastman that has vanished into the gray mist; or it could simply be a tree branch he had just broken under his foot…

It boils down to vague inspiration under high perception.

Now that things have come to this, he certainly cannot simply retreat and withdraw.

But we will never act rashly or recklessly.

Growing increasingly wary, he followed behind the two, continuing his pursuit.

A few minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

Xia Nan didn't even accelerate; he simply trailed far behind his teammates.

Then Cash and Veris stopped in their tracks, as if by prior arrangement.

He followed and looked ahead.

What came into view was a rare clearing in the misty forest.

The area isn't very large, about half the size of a basketball court.

But the environment, where every corner of the view is filled with trees, strangely gives people a sense of spaciousness and tranquility.

In the very center of the open space stood an oak tree that was noticeably thicker than the others of its kind around it, about the size of five people who could encircle it.

The shadows cast by the dense canopy on the ground, reflecting the increasingly gloomy sky, vaguely resembled the corpse of a fallen giant.

Deep within the shade of the trees, there were specks of scarlet blood and labored gasps of breathing.

The Seathorn Squad's target, the dark-skinned bear-like beastman, was slumped against a tree trunk.

His cold, sharp eyes, reflecting a yellow-green light like will-o'-the-wisps, were gradually losing focus; the rise and fall of his chest was slowing down, and his life force was rapidly fading away.

What is most eye-catching is the emerald green light that emanates a rich sense of life, hanging from a slender branch around its neck, like a necklace pendant.

A sense of déjà vu inexplicably welled up in Xia Nan's heart.

But I didn't have time to think about it much.

From a teammate next to me.

A cold glint suddenly flashed in his peripheral vision.

In my ears, there was the sharp whistling sound of a blade tearing through the air.

(End of this chapter)