I'm not a Witcher anymore.

The road becomes even more difficult as you go further.

The hunting trail here almost clings to the mountainside.

The trees on both sides were so dense that their branches intertwined, and the sunlight filtering down from above was fragmented.

The stone troughs extend along the slope, some collapsed into rubble, while others retain their intact shape, like a grayish-white wound winding its way out of the forest.

Hill suddenly spoke in a low voice.

"two."

She didn't say much, only slightly tilted the tip of her cane.

Zig saw it.

Two goblins were crouching beside the partially collapsed stone trough ahead.

One was tilting its head to drink the black water that had accumulated at the bottom of the trough, while the other leaned against the cracked stone wall, holding half a bone in its hand, gnawing on it while glancing around haphazardly.

Valeria pulled her kite shield closer to her body and leaned forward against a fallen, thick tree trunk.

Zig approached from the other side, his feet treading through the wet mud and gravel.

The one drinking water was the first to notice something was wrong; the moment its ears perked up, Valeria had already emerged from behind the tree trunk.

She slammed the edge of her shield against its jaw, and the creature's head snapped back, its throat just emerging as the sword pierced through.

The other goblin opened its mouth to shout.

Zig closed in with one step, his steel sword slicing into the side of its neck, slicing open half of its throat and collarbone at the same time.

Before the blood could even spurt out, Zieg had already shoved the corpse into the shadows behind the tree.

Lucy stood behind, her face paler, but she didn't look away.

Only after the two corpses were dragged into the stone trough did she exhale and steadily lift the medicine bag onto her shoulder again.

Further up, the stench in the mountain air grew even stronger.

From deep within the woods came intermittent, eerie laughter, and in the distance, it sounded like something was vying for something high up.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to make it clear that they weren't far from the walled city.

The old hunter pressed down on the edge of the cracked stone trough in front of him and gestured upwards with his lip.

"The reservoir is over there."

"After crossing this slope and going around that half-collapsed wooden fence, you'll see the wooden wall behind the fortress."

Ravenna, however, did not immediately move forward.

She turned to look at the others.

"Don't all push forward. If there are goblins guarding the wooden fence ahead, there won't be any room to hide if there are too many people. I'll go and scout ahead first."

Before she could finish speaking, Zieg had already taken half a step forward.

"I'll go with you; it'll be good to have someone to look after you."

Ravenna shifted the short bow on her back to a more comfortable position.

"it is good."

Valeria did not stop them, but simply nodded at the two of them.

"Be careful."

So the two of them crept along the hunting trail.

Beyond the shadowy trees where everyone was hiding, the terrain ahead became increasingly narrow, with gravel buried beneath the damp soil. If one's foot slipped, it would drag the entire pine needles down the slope.

On both sides are ferns that reach waist height and horizontal branches that extend outwards, with thin vines twining underneath.

Further in, the remnants of the stone trough are scattered in the mud, their grayish-white edges covered with moss and decaying leaves. If you're not careful, you could step into a hole and the whole stone slab could tip over down the slope.

The mountain breeze leaked down from higher up, causing the branches and leaves to sway gently, and just enough to blend the soft sound of boots rubbing against the soil and stones into the sound of the forest.

After walking more than ten steps, Ravenna suddenly stopped.

She hid behind a clump of low bushes and gestured with her face turned forward.

Zig crouched down and peered through the gap she had created.

A half-collapsed wooden fence stood crookedly in front, blocking the narrow opening that led up the mountainside.

The wooden fence is not tall, and many of the wooden stakes are rotten and blackened, but judging from the way they are placed, they were obviously not nailed there randomly.

Once you cross this slope and keep walking forward, it will be the first thing you encounter.

Two goblins stood inside the wooden fence.

They each carried a short bow, one on the left and one on the right.

They occupy a wide enough space to cover both possible gaps.

If someone shows themselves from the front, they have almost no chance of escaping.

Ravenna stared at the two green-skinned imps and gripped her shortbow tightly.

Zieg did not move.

His gaze swept past the half-collapsed wooden fence and further back.

The area behind the wooden fence is not a dead zone.

Not far ahead, the trees and slopes began to recede, and a dark outline could be vaguely seen at a higher elevation.

Those are the wooden walls of the walled city.

The distance wasn't short, and there were slopes, crooked wooden fences, and uneven branches in between, so it was impossible to see how many goblins were on top.

These two goblins weren't left here alone.

Behind them, on the fortified village, countless eyes were fixed on their backs.

Ravenna noticed his pause and turned to glance at him.

Zieg lowered his voice and said:

"Don't make a move yet, we're too close to the stronghold."

Ravenna looked up at the high place behind the wooden fence, where branches and leaves had cut through the ground, and her grip on the short bow loosened slightly.

She nodded gently.

The two retreated little by little.

Once they retreated back into the shadows of the woods where everyone was hiding, Ravenna recounted what had happened in a low voice.

"There are two goblins inside the wooden fence, and the stronghold is not far behind. I can't see how many goblins are behind, and I can't continue to explore."

"You've worked hard, take a breather first," Valeria said softly.

Lucy handed him the water pouch at just the right moment. Sieg took it, thanked her, took only a sip, and then handed it to Ravenna.

Ravenna took the water bag with both hands and took two gulps.

Cold water slid down my throat.

She wiped her mouth, handed the water bag back to Lucy, and remained crouched in the shade of the tree, her ears constantly listening to the sounds around her.

Valeria took out the map.

She pressed the parchment scroll onto a moss-covered broken stone, securing the edges firmly with the handguard.

She didn't rush to make a judgment, but instead checked what she had just heard on the map again, and then looked at the old hunter.

"Let me confirm this again."

She raised her hand and pointed to the northwest corner of the map.

"We are here now."

My fingertip moved upwards and landed on the remaining ruins further inside.

"The wooden fence that Zieg and Ravenna just scouted out is behind the back of the fortress. So, you mean the reservoir is also here?"

The two villagers who had followed the old hunter up the mountain stood aside, even their breathing became softer.

They couldn't decipher the intricate route on the parchment, but they knew these questions were of great importance. No one dared to interrupt, waiting for the old hunter to speak.

The old hunter first looked down at the ground and began to carve.

As if afraid of saying something wrong, he didn't even dare to look away too quickly. After a few seconds, he carefully compared the parchment with his rough, dark fingers.

"That's right, this side."

"The hunting trail on the mountainside is the closest to that side."

"The area where the two adventurers just approached is the northwest of the fortress. A little further in, you'll find the reservoir and the wooden wall at the back of the fortress."

Valeria listened without immediately responding.

She re-examined the two locations for a moment, as if arranging the wooden fence, the reservoir, and the wooden wall in her mind, before looking up at the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

The sun had not yet reached its highest point.

But it won't be long.

In another two hours or so, it will be almost noon.

Goblins are nocturnal creatures, so by then, most of the stronghold would be asleep. Even if a few were still keeping watch, their spirits wouldn't be what they are now.

She looked away and rolled up the map.

"Everyone, take a break."

As soon as those words were spoken, even the taut shadows of the trees seemed to relax slightly.

Valeria's gaze swept across the faces of the group.

"Don't move or make a sound."

"Let's save our energy for now. We'll go up at noon."