I'm not a Witcher anymore.

That evening, in a private room on the second floor of the Butcher's Inn, an oil lamp was lit.

The room was small; a wooden table took up most of the space.

Freshly served ale and hot soup were laid out on the table, the air filled with the aroma of alcohol, stewed meat, and the faint sounds of noise from the downstairs hall.

The group sat down one after another, their shoulders and backs still bearing the fatigue left from the day's journey.

Valeria unfolded the folded piece of paper beside her and glanced at everyone.

"Let's get down to business. I went to the Adventurers' Guild today."

"The Water City has combined the recent murder cases with the underground sewer commission. The guild has confirmed that the killer is not human, but a goblin."

"The clues we can find so far all point to the underground waterways. Several groups of adventurers have taken on the task of clearing them out, but the result has always been the same—no one has come back."

"Also, the bounty is very high. It's not like what you'd pay for wiping out a nest of ordinary goblins."

Ravenna, who had been resting her chin on her hand, frowned upon hearing this.

"That would actually make things more complicated." She lost the look of excitement she had when she entered the city during the day.

"Ordinary goblins wouldn't do something like this. They'd only ambush lone travelers in the forest or raid farms. If they've been able to cause such a ruckus in a city for so long without being cornered, then there must be some big player pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Hill sat down next to her, his gaze fixed on the oil lamp in the center of the table.

Zieg raised his hand and tapped lightly on the table. His voice was soft, but it drew everyone's attention.

"Ravenna is right. The underground sewers are an environment where you're easy to ambush. It's dark, winding, with many forks in the road, and goblins can hide behind walls, around corners, and under bridges."

"A torch can only illuminate a small area in front of us. If we carry it around, we will only expose ourselves first."

"Goblins are more troublesome in this environment than on land. They are naturally accustomed to darkness and are adept at squeezing into crevices and setting ambushes. If there is something directing them from behind, the situation will be even more complicated."

Valeria didn't interrupt, but listened quietly until the end before asking a question:

"So, what do you think should be the first thing we prepare before going down?"

"It's not about planning how to kill first, but about figuring out how to observe first."

As soon as he said that, Hill's gaze finally shifted from the light to his face.

"The underground waterway is different from the previous stronghold; it's a completely dark place. Goblins can see it, but we can't. As long as this issue isn't resolved, going down there will be extremely difficult progress, whether it's walking, exploring the map, setting ambushes, or retreating."

"I can concoct a potion that allows people to see clearly in the dark. I checked the alchemy workshop, the general store, and the trading post during the day, and I have all the materials I need."

Ravenna's eyes lit up.

"Is that the one you drank when you killed the owl bear?"

He shook his head: "No, that's another one, which can boost a person's condition in a short time to deal with tough battles."

After hearing this, Valeria made a decision without hesitation.

"Buy as much as you think you can get. I'll pay for the materials. Ravenna will go with you later."

"Okay." Zieg nodded.

After finishing their business, the group didn't linger in the private room. They quickly got up and went downstairs to take care of their respective tasks.

That night, the city of Water City remained bustling, and the streetlights stayed on until very late.

By the time everything that needed to be prepared was finally ready, it was already late at night.

The next day at noon, the team met again at the agreed-upon entrance at the time they had arranged the night before.

He carried medicine, maps, torches, ropes, and arrows with him.

After briefly confirming the order, Valeria raised her hand and led everyone into the entrance to the underground waterways.

……

slam-la-

The sound of water echoed through the ridiculously high underground waterways, crashing against the stone walls and then returning from afar.

Zig walked at the front of the group, his steps very light.

After drinking "Prelude Cat", darkness was no longer something they could completely avoid.

The torch in front was still lit, but it was mostly used to mark positions rather than to light the way.

What truly guided them forward were the deadly poisonous vines that slithered along the shadows of the vaulted ceiling.

The thing crawled silently up the damp, cold stone roof, its vines and leaves almost blending into the dark shadows above.

Thanks to its night vision and senses, Sieg always knows whether there are goblins lying in ambush ahead of others.

This underground sewer system was even more outrageous than they had imagined.

The stone paths on both sides are surprisingly wide, and the stone bricks underfoot are flat and thick, with edges worn rounded by time.

The sewage river in the middle flowed slowly forward, black and sticky, with some indescribable filth floating on the surface, and a fishy and rotten smell kept wafting into my nose.

Every so often, a stone bridge spans across, connecting the two stone paths.

Lucy walked behind him.

"This place... is too big."

"Ancient ruins left over from hundreds of years ago," Valeria replied softly. "The Water City simply continued to use them."

Ravenna, who had been looking around, clicked her tongue upon hearing this and was about to reply when Sieg suddenly raised his hand.

The entire team stopped immediately.

All sounds then fell silent.

Only the sound of flowing water and some other noises from further away remained.

Zieg listened intently for a moment.

The poisonous vines in the shadow of the archway also shrank slightly at this moment, and their front end silently turned towards the stone bridge in front.

Not footsteps.

It was the soft sound of a wooden oar cutting through the water.

Mixed in were low murmurs, the high-pitched and indistinct sounds of goblins speaking, drifting through the waterways and stone walls, getting closer and closer.

"There are boats," Sieg whispered. "Two. They're full of goblins."

The air instantly tensed up.

Zieg glanced at the stone bridge in front of him, then swept his gaze across the shadows on either side.

"Plant the torches on the bridge, and we retreat into the shadows."

Ravenna was taken aback: "Using torches as bait?"

"Yes." Zieg strode towards the stone bridge. "They'll first stare at the light. As long as there's no one on the bridge, they'll come over on their own."

He stuck the torch in his hand into the crack between the bricks of the stone bridge.

The firelight suddenly leaped, and an orange-red halo spread across the bridge surface and the nearby stone walls, illuminating the small area clearly and making the darkness further away appear even thicker.

The group quickly dispersed, each retreating into the shadows where the firelight couldn't reach.

Before long, two boats emerged from the darkness.

The bow of the ship is the first thing to be revealed.

Then came the crowded green figures on the ship.

Each ship was crammed with goblins, archers, those with short spears, those with broken knives and wooden clubs, all squatting together in a noisy commotion.

They had clearly also seen the lone torch stuck in the bridge. Before the boat had even gotten very close, the first few of them drew their bows and nocked arrows, shooting them toward the light.