My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and fine dew condensed on the stone pavement of the central square of Summer Town.

Xiuqi stood at the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild, his gray robes swaying gently in the morning breeze.

Behind him, Ado's massive body resembled a small mountain covered in armor. His robes and chainmail gleamed with a cold, hard luster in the rising sun. His mace was slung across his shoulder, and his oak shield was strapped to his back.

Link arrived precisely at 6:00.

The boy had changed into a hunting outfit that allowed him to move around easily. His dark brown leather armor was repaired but well-maintained, and he had a quiver hanging at his waist and a slightly worn but well-maintained longbow on his back.

His face radiated the youthful vigor unique to young people, and his eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

"Mr. Xiuqi, Mr. Ado, I'm ready!" Link walked up and nodded to Xiuqi and Ado.

Xiuqi glanced at him, his gaze lingering on Link's equipment for a moment: "Have you checked the bowstring? How many spare arrows did you bring?"

"The bowstrings were just replaced last night. There are thirty quivers in the quiver, and another thirty spares in my pack." Link patted the quiver at his waist. "Grandpa taught me to always check the bowstrings three times before entering the forest."

"Very good." Xiu Qi nodded.

"Let's go."

The three left the square and headed toward the gray forest along the path on the west side of the town.

Summer Town was not yet fully awake in the early morning. Only a few farmers carried their tools to the fields, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of the bakeries.

As they passed the path on the outskirts of town, Ado's pace noticeably slowed.

The ogre's bright yellow eyes gazed toward the distant orchard, and a low whimper escaped its throat.

"After we finish our mission, we'll come see Grandma Martha," Xiuqi said softly.

Ado nodded and resumed his heavy steps.

Link led the way, his steps light and steady, his eyes scanning the surroundings from time to time to confirm the direction.

As a child who grew up on the edge of the forest, he was born with a hunter's keen sense of terrain.

"Mr. Hugh, let's take that path ahead," Link said, turning around. "Not many people know about this path, but it's about two miles shorter than the main road."

"It's your decision." Xiuqi trusted Link's judgment.

The path meanders through a sparse woodland, its surface covered with pine needles and fallen leaves, soft and silent underfoot.

The trees on both sides gradually became denser, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled light and shadow in the forest.

After walking for about an hour, Link suddenly stopped, squatted down, and carefully examined the ground.

"Something's up?" Xiu Qi stepped forward.

Link pointed to several messy footprints on the ground: "Goblin footprints, fresh, no more than half a day old. Judging from the direction, they came from deep in the forest."

Xiuqi bent down to examine the footprints. They definitely belonged to goblins, and there were quite a few of them, at least seven or eight. The soil around the footprints was still damp, indicating that not much time had passed.

"Which direction did they go?"

Link stood up, his gaze sweeping around before finally pointing northwest: "Over there. The footprints are messy, like they're chasing something, or... carrying something."

Xiuqi pondered for a moment: "Write this information down first. Our primary objective is to find the tribe that raided the caravan; let's avoid any unnecessary complications."

"clear."

The three continued onward. As they ventured deeper, the scent of the forest grew increasingly intense—

The earthy smell, the sour smell of decaying leaves, and a certain indescribable stickiness unique to the gray forest.

Ado seemed uneasy about its surroundings; its huge nostrils flared from time to time, and it made a low growling sound in its throat.

"Ador doesn't like it here," Link said softly. "An animal's instincts are sometimes more acute than our senses."

Xiuqi nodded in agreement.

He took out the two-star blue card, "Bird Poet," from his pocket. The card felt slightly warm in his hand, conveying a vague warning.

Something's definitely wrong with this forest.

Around noon, they stopped to rest by a stream.

Link took out some dry rations from his bag—bread, smoked jerky, and a few summer fruits. Hugh shared some fairy black tea; the black tea prepared by the proprietress, Adeline, tasted excellent and invigorated him after drinking it.

Ado has an amazing appetite, so Xiuqi specially prepared five times the amount of food that a normal person would eat.

The ogre sat carefully on a large rock by the stream, holding its food in its huge hands, trying not to make too much noise while chewing.

"Mr. Hugh," Link said while eating bread, "according to the Association's intelligence, that group of goblins last appeared near the highlands. The terrain there is treacherous and would be ideal as a nest."

Are you familiar with that area?

"I've been there a few times with Grandpa," Link nodded. "The highlands are flanked by steep cliffs, with only one narrow passage leading in. If the goblins have set up their lair there, it will be very difficult for us to launch a direct assault."

Xiuqi pondered, "Therefore, we need to rely on a wise mind to think."

"Yes." Link's eyes lit up. "Grandpa taught me that the best way to deal with hordes of goblins is to divide and conquer them. They are numerous but undisciplined, and once divided, they will fall into chaos."

"What are the specific plans?"

Link picked up a twig and drew a diagram on the muddy ground: "There's a stone forest on the east side of the highlands, with complex terrain, perfect for an ambush. If we can lure some goblins out and deal with them in that area, we can gradually weaken the entire tribe..."

Xiuqi carefully examined the diagram on the ground, quickly assessing the feasibility of the plan in his mind.

Link's plan, though simple, exploited the goblins' weaknesses—stupidity, greed, and lack of discipline.

More importantly, this plan would maximize their squad’s strengths: Ado’s defensive and deterrent capabilities, Link’s long-range support, and his own agility and mobility.

"There's another problem," Xiuqi said, "How do we lure them out?"

Link grinned slyly. "Goblins are gluttonous, especially fond of fresh meat. We can use food as bait."

He took out a small package wrapped in oil paper from his bag. Inside was a piece of cured and smoked meat, which emitted a rich aroma.

"This is a special bait, containing extracts from the glands of swamp lizards. Its scent travels very far. Goblins have almost no resistance to this smell."

Xiuqi nodded approvingly. Although Link was young, he was indeed talented in hunting and tracking.

"Alright, let's go with your plan." Xiuqi made the decision. "Once we get to the highlands, we'll scout the terrain to determine the number and distribution of goblins, and then choose the best time to act."

"yes!"

After resting, the three continued their journey.

The deeper you go into the forest, the more eerie the atmosphere becomes.

The branches and leaves of the trees had an unhealthy grayish-green color, and the stickiness in the air was becoming more and more obvious. When breathing, one could feel a moist resistance in the nasal cavity.

What's even more unsettling is the silence.

The forest, which should have been filled with the chirping of insects and birds, was eerily quiet. Only the rustling of the wind through the treetops and the sound of their own footsteps could be heard.

"It's too quiet," Link said in a low voice. "Not even a squirrel."

Xiu Qi gripped the sword hilt tightly. The rare meditation stone on his chest continued to pulsate with a warm, gentle energy, enhancing his senses.

He could sense a faint, unsettling chaos of arcane energy permeating the area.

Is it due to the gray forest itself, or something else?

Around 3 p.m., they reached the outskirts of the highlands.

As Link described it, it was treacherous terrain. Two steep rock walls stood opposite each other, with a narrow passage about twenty feet wide between them. The rock walls were a hundred feet high, their surfaces riddled with holes eroded by wind, and when the wind passed through, it did indeed produce a whistling sound.

Link signaled to stop, and the three of them hid behind bushes on a high ground.

From their position, they could overlook the highlands.

Xiuqi saw a simple sentry post at the entrance—a shed made of branches and animal hides, with some bones and garbage piled up next to it.

"There's a sentry post with two goblins," Link counted, squinting. "The lair should be deep in the canyon, but judging from the defensive setup at the entrance, this tribe is quite large."

Xiuqi took out a monocular telescope from his spatial ring, through which he could observe the situation more clearly.

The goblins at the outpost looked lazy and lethargic; some were dozing off, while others were gnawing on unknown bones.

Their equipment is better than that of ordinary goblins; at least they are equipped with short swords or bone clubs, and one of them even has a crudely made wooden bow.

"There's no sign of the goblins," Xiuqi said in a low voice. "They're either deep in their lair or out raiding."

"Goblins don't usually stand guard themselves," Link said. "They are the tribe's commanders and generally stay in a safe place to give orders."

Xiuqi continued his observation. He discovered several natural caves on the rock walls on either side of the canyon entrance, their entrances concealed by branches and animal hides.

Judging from the occasional figures moving around at the cave entrance, that should be the goblin's living area.

"See that biggest cave?" Link pointed to the middle section of the left rock wall. "There are totem poles at the entrance; it should be the chieftain's lair. If I'm not mistaken, the goblin is there."

Xiuqi turned his binoculars toward the cave. There was indeed a rough wooden pillar standing at the entrance, covered with animal bones and feathers. A faint light flickered deep inside the cave, but the situation was unclear.

"We need closer reconnaissance," Hugh said.

Link nodded: "I know a shortcut that can take us around to the side of the canyon and get a better view from above."

The three quietly retreated from the highlands, and led by Link, they followed a narrow path almost completely covered by bushes, meandering along the side of the canyon.

The path was rugged and difficult, with some sections requiring steep climbs. Ador's massive body became a burden here, but it displayed amazing agility, its huge hands gripping protruding rocks, each step as steady as a rock.

Half an hour later, they arrived at their designated location—a rocky platform situated on a high ground.

From here, you can overlook the entire interior of the goblin tribe; the view is excellent.

Xiuqi raised the binoculars again.

The sight inside the canyon made him frown.