Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 302 Ambush and Tea

The vast Misty Forest is characterized by a thin mist that gently drifts in the air due to highly concentrated magical particles, a feature of this fertile land that nurtures countless lives.

Like a natural maze, the towering, dense oak trees, waist-high grass, and lush shrubs are the natural enemies of one's sense of direction.

Anyone who enters without proper preparation will be lost in this land shrouded in mist and greenery, sacrificing their life as nourishment for the forest.

Adventurers may possess stronger physical abilities, more professional equipment, or a special ability to orient themselves deep in the forest compared to ordinary people.

But that doesn't mean they can ignore the fog and green leaves filling every corner of their vision and find their target precisely and accurately.

Especially when the mission location is deep in a forest far from town.

In this context, some distinctive landmarks became beacons guiding adventurers through the depths of the gray fog.

Perhaps it's a uniquely shaped, oddly shaped oak tree, a large, inexplicably appearing open space, or a small, rocky hill whose origins are unknown...

When adventurers see these strange and unusual locations, they can use them to pinpoint their location in the forest.

Then, whether continuing to delve deeper into the entrusted goal or returning home, there will be a reference point.

Rotten roots and mud pits are among these landmarks commonly found on various maps.

Located in the heart of the misty forest, it is not a simple puddle.

Instead, it was a vast, dangerous wasteland, reeking of corruption.

A thick, yellowish-green miasma perpetually hangs above it, merging with the thin fog in the air, like some kind of morbid filtration mechanism, filtering the warm sunlight and the life force emanating from the vegetation into a distorted, dim, and materialized decay.

The surface of the pitch-black, nauseating liquid is covered with an oily, iridescent film that reflects the faint light, slowly wriggles, and occasionally bulges out a huge bubble, which bursts and makes the surrounding poisonous miasma even more concentrated.

This dangerous area, filled with death and misfortune, would never be approached by an illiterate country farmer who had never seen or even heard of a "swamp" before.

Adventurers who make a living in dangerous forests teeming with monsters are all too aware of the dangers they face.

Even so, a considerable number of adventurer teams still disappear near the mud pits every year.

As for the reason... it's naturally for certain expensive crops that only grow deep in swamps, or rare materials that are produced from the sediment at the bottom of mud pits.

The "Oath-Keeping Blackwood" team was well aware of the dangers of this place.

In fact, with their rich experience in adventure accumulated over the years, they had even fought enemies in the mud more than once to complete their missions.

It is precisely because of this that they clearly know where the dangers are located, and understand that as long as they do not go too deep or stay for too long, but simply use it as a reference point on the way, it will not be much more dangerous than the dense forests next to it.

Unfortunately, perhaps due to the addition of new members, the "Oath Keeper Blackwood" squad's operations were too rushed. After returning from Newm City, they did not take advantage of the gaps between missions to rest in town for a few days as they usually do.

Otherwise, if they had the chance to sit in the lobby of the White Sparrow Tavern and chat with the adventurers next to them, they might have been able to find out about the recent disappearances that have been frequently occurring near the "Rotten Roots Muddy Pool," and thus change their route.

But now, it's too late.

"Pfft."

The leather boots, covered in sticky slurry, were pulled with great difficulty from the inky black mud. Every step they took through the mud was more difficult than ever before.

As the captain of "Oath Keeper Blackwood," Margaret, a "Swordsman," sacrificed some of her defense in exchange for the ability to unleash bursts of power and skillfully manipulate her blade.

Therefore, it lagged behind during the march, ending up at the very back.

At 1.79 meters tall, a height significantly above the average for a human woman, and with two long, powerful legs encased in durable leather trousers, the mud and water only barely reached her boots, about the shinbone.

Her level 4 profession also gave her physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, so she didn't expend much energy walking through the mud.

In contrast, Soldin, the dwarf who was walking at the very front of the group, with a sturdy build and a body full of bulging muscles, looked particularly strained.

The mud that reached around the calves of others was already past his knees and almost reached his thighs.

It was impossible to pull the boots out of the mud and water and take steps in the air to save energy; they could only force themselves to wade through the sticky mud, step by step, struggling forward.

He wasn't the most difficult one in the team.

The one who truly held everyone back, slowing down the entire team considerably, was the thin, young mage who was being protected by several others and sandwiched in the middle of the line.

His level 1 job rank is the lowest in the team. His [Mage] job makes his physical condition no different from that of an ordinary person. In fact, due to his noble birth, he lacks exercise and is much worse than ordinary people.

He had only been in the "root of decay" for a short time, but he was already covered in sweat, his legs were trembling, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

"Hold on a little longer, we'll be out soon."

Behind them, a timely voice of encouragement from Captain Margaret rang out.

To some extent, this was actually her oversight.

They were only thinking about getting to the mission location in the fastest and simplest way, without considering the unexpected situations that might arise due to the mage's physical condition along the way.

That's a good thing.

After all, their purpose for this trip was partly due to the association's commission, and partly to increase team cohesion and improve teamwork.

Now that this oversight has been discovered, we can reflect on it promptly and avoid making the same mistake when planning routes in similar situations in the future.

"Hey kid, are you even capable? Don't you have any spells that can save you some effort?"

A sarcastic, teasing voice came from beside me.

The Wanderer, Sandkin, moved nimbly along the flanks of the group, perhaps due to specialized training or professional expertise. His movements were much easier than those of the others in the group.

With each step, the mud and water on both sides of his calves seemed to encounter some invisible force, swirling and receding away like a reverse vortex, greatly reducing his physical exertion.

"Yes, I'm sorry, Brother Shajin."

Knowing he had once again dragged the team down, the mage Joshua instinctively lowered his head, avoiding eye contact, and apologized:

"I don't have many spellbooks memorized, and my mental energy reserves are only average, so I really don't have any suitable spells..."

As he spoke, he took a few more steps forward, as if trying to speed up, but the mud and water on his feet made him lose his balance and his body swayed violently.

If it weren't for Margaret's quick reflexes and support from behind, he would have almost fallen.

"If all else fails, just have that short guy in front of you carry you across."

"His small body fit perfectly on the 'iron turtle shell' on his back."

Sha Jin shook his head, a smile playing on his lips, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

It was just a casual joke, but unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, the dwarf Soldin actually showed a thoughtful expression on his face, as if he was really considering the possibility of carrying Joshua over.

"Quiet, gold dust!"

"This is the Misty Forest, not River Valley Town. Stop talking nonsense!"

Seeing this, Margaret glared at him and warned him.

“Yes, my captain~” Sha Jin deliberately struck an awkward aristocratic pose. “Then I’ll soak in this ‘fragrant’ hot spring a little longer.”

"Gudu."

Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps it was precisely because the group was talking that they let their guard down.

Not far to the side of the group, a small string of seemingly ordinary bubbles quietly rose to the surface of the water and burst.

A huge, blurry shadow could be glimpsed briefly before disappearing silently into the dark depths beneath the mud.

Margaret felt a faint, unnatural sensation in her heart. She instinctively turned around, her gaze fixed on the direction from which the sound had come. Nothing there.

All that came into view were mud and rotten branches scattered throughout the puddles.

With some doubt, he turned his head again and strangely discovered that Sha Jin, whose senses were equally sharp, was also looking in the same direction as him.

The two looked at each other and frowned.

If only one person makes a discovery, it may be an illusion caused by the high-pressure environment.

But if two people in the team have noticed something wrong, then there is definitely something strange going on.

Without the slightest hesitation, a decisive action was taken.

Margaret whispered:
"alert!"

"Attention all!"

Before the slightly hoarse, serious female voice had even finished speaking, the team's formation had already changed in the blink of an eye.

Joshua remained in the same position, still gripping his classic wooden staff, standing in the very center of the group.

The remaining three, centered on him, changed from their original long, single-file formation to a triangular defensive formation with their backs to each other.

The air fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

Only Joshua's tense breathing became clearer and more rapid in the silence.

Predator.

When a powerful predator, extremely skilled at stealth, discovers that its prey has become aware of its presence while lying in ambush.

It will do something.

Is it to quietly remain in place, handing over the initiative to the other party, and waiting for the prey to fully discover its location, or hoping that they will not discover it and thus turn around and leave?

Or should we simply abandon the hunt and choose another target?
Or perhaps... you'll stop hiding and launch a surprise attack on your prey before it truly discovers you?
This depends on the hunter's own strength and personality.

Right now, this ferocious monster, which has wiped out several professional-level adventurer teams and is now eyeing the "Oathkeeper Blackwood" team, has chosen the latter.

Abandon the natural camouflage provided by the mud and dead branches in the swamp.

A massive, twisted shadow rose from below in an instant, filling the air with the stench of decay and splattered mud.

The eerie noise of shells rubbing together and the sharp, high-pitched chirping of insects suddenly rang out.

With an exaggerated speed far exceeding that of ordinary adventurers, the twisted monster, covered in a brownish-green chitinous shell, leaped out of the mud, its ferocious and enormous shadow enveloping the four people on the field.

"damn it……"

"Ready to fight!!!"

boom……

"Snapped!"

……

……

"Snapped."

Sparks fly.

The warm, orange campfire flickered and burned, illuminating the dim surroundings.

An iron teacup, covered and steaming, sits above the campfire.

Xia Nan sat cross-legged on the soft blanket, her eyes slightly closed, her hands hanging naturally at her knees.

The black, wispy hair on her forehead revealed a hint of orange-red in the firelight.

A gentle breeze blows, and strands of hair sway softly.

Nourishes—

Strangely enough, a small piece of ash, still faintly glowing, was blown out of his hair, gently drifted into the air, and melted into the ground.

Slowly opening his eyes, deep within his dark pupils, one could vaguely glimpse a fleeting, dying ember.

Like some kind of illusion, it appeared only for a blink of an eye before returning to normal in an instant.

What he was practicing was, of course, the combat technique he brought from Ashenvale Secret Realm, [Echoes of Ember].

After a long period of arduous training, and with the special energy granted by crushing the Flame Crystal, Xia Nan's progress was very fast, and he has now almost completely mastered it.

With just a little bit left, I can truly master it and make it a formal combat skill displayed on the attribute panel.

But that last step, like some kind of invisible bottleneck, was something he could never overcome.

"Where exactly is the problem..."

Xia Nan pondered to himself.

Is it that I need a satisfying battle, or some kind of "sudden enlightenment" experience, or that I haven't accumulated enough experience and need to practice for several more days?
It's not that I'm in a rush, after all, [Gravity Etching] is only at level 3, and there's still a long way to go before it reaches the maximum level. It's not like I'm in an awkward situation where I can't level it up any further.

After this mission is over and he has enough money to reforge the longsword, he needs to find the key to the [Dream Corridor], and if there is a chance, he can also check for news about the secret realm and replenish the energy of the [Dream Corridor].

This should significantly increase your upgrade speed.

However, this means that acquiring new combat skills will have to be put on the agenda again.

It's impossible to be perfunctory.

Each combat technique determines one's future potential, so he naturally wanted to choose the type with the greatest potential and the one that suited him best.

"take it easy."

Xia Nan's mind calmed down slightly.

His nostrils twitched, and suddenly, as if remembering something, he quickly took the scalding hot iron teacup off the campfire.

Lifting the lid releases a refreshing plant fragrance mingled with the rising steam.

A large expanse of green leaves, almost covering the entire rim of the cup, floats on the surface of the hot water, gently swaying.

I had tried it once before when I met and traded with the dwarf Soldin at the association. I thought the leaves used for brewing tea had a certain flavor. Later, I tentatively asked Jasmine about it, and to my surprise, she gave me a whole bag of them.

I brought two stacks of them with me while I was out on an adventure.

When we set up camp and rested, we would make ourselves a cup of tea.

I brought the cup closer, blew on it gently, and took a small sip.

"Tsk."

A warm current flowed down my throat and through my whole body, leaving a faint, refreshing sweetness on my tongue.

The campfire flickered, and Xia Nan, holding a teacup, couldn't help but close her eyes comfortably.

(End of this chapter)