Chapter 24: Striking at Friendly Forces

Yang Yu, entrusted with a heavy responsibility, set off with everyone's earnest gazes bidding him farewell.

Before he left, Andro specifically gave him a small tool resembling a compass, which would enable Yang Yu to easily reconvene with them.

In addition, Andro also gave Yang Yu a copy of the backup forest map, so he wouldn't get lost in the complex terrain of the forest.

Accompanying Yang Yu were Bai Jin and He Meng.

Although Bai Jin's constitution included a weak attribute that caused her to lose levels and attributes, her intelligence, nearly two hundred, still made her outstanding among the level D adventurers and a rightful main damage dealer.

He Meng was a bit of a proud and aloof companion, often idling and watching from the sidelines, but Yang Yu firmly believed that when he faced danger, He Meng would definitely not abandon him. Having feasted alongside Yang Yu and gained experience to reach level 13, it could be said to be Yang Yu's secret weapon.

Opening the map, Yang Yu commanded Bai Jin to thoroughly scan their surroundings for surveillance points. Bai Jin, too, had felt that strange magic, and for a magician, once familiar with previously undetected magic power, even if it became minuscule and hidden, they could easily locate it using the network of magic detection.

Upon close inspection, in truth, there were far fewer such eyes within the forest than one might imagine.

After all, to plant such eyes everywhere in the forest required not only a great deal of manpower and resources but also a substantial amount of magic power.

Yang Yu estimated that if the mysterious antagonist had enough magic power to fill the forest with eyes, then what need was there for cunning schemes? It would be simpler to conjure a massive fireball and incinerate everything, resolving all at once, wouldn't it?

Based on this, Yang Yu speculated that their previous actions must have been anticipated by the enemy behind the scenes. Perhaps his decision to leave the group to find the goblin stronghold and gather information was also within the antagonist's control; he had to be extra cautious.

Evading one surveillance point after another, Yang Yu continued to advance deeper into the dense forest.

"Yang Yu, there's an area up ahead with many densely packed surveillance points."

Following Bai Jin's gesture, Yang Yu saw that aside from a cave, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about that area. He squinted his eyes, "Let's be cautious and circumvent this place. We'll go around the outskirts of the forest, bypass here, and then proceed."

"Could this be another route that the antagonist predicted we would take? Entering such a gloomy and frightening cave, who knows what might be inside? Perhaps if we go this way, the monsters hiding inside the cave will swarm out and devour us all."

Bai Jin stopped mid-sentence, quickly shut her mouth and turned her face away, transforming her gradually grim expression back to normal.

"Who knows? That's a possibility, which is why we should take a slight detour."

Yang Yu put on a smile laden with meaning and turned to walk out of the depths of the forest. Only after avoiding all the surveillance points did he continue toward the heart of the dense forest.

However, it wasn't long before Yang Yu found traces left by people in the dense forest. Crouching down to confirm, the traces were fresh; judging from the footprints and upturned soil, someone had been fleeing in panic.

Following the tracks, he discovered many signs of combat between the trees and further down, numerous fresh marks on the ground made by stone axes and long spears.

Unlike the goblins in games that recklessly hack around with wolf fang clubs on the ground, the goblins here preferred to shuttle and jump through the treetops like monkeys, throwing their weapons.

Judging by the number of weapons, there had to be at least thirty goblins. Engaging them in combat would be foolish; running away was the right choice.

Yang Yu made a split-second decision and immediately quickened his pace to pursue.

"This looks like traces of a fight between humans and goblins who escaped from the goblin encampment. If we find them, we should be able to obtain the information we want. Bai Jin, be ready for battle at any moment."

"Understood!"

Continuing to follow the tracks with Bai Jin, Yang Yu soon found the fleeing party: the four-person group he'd met once before, led by Sekamens, the Silver Wind Team.

They were currently in a standoff with the goblins.

The assassin, Qi, stood with dual blades, panting heavily, with his ordinary clothes stained with much mud and blood—he was quite a mess. Iron Wall Uncle's armor was damaged in many places, and his huge hammer was covered in scratches. Sekamens's originally well-groomed flowing hair was now disheveled, but his silver spear and armor still shone brightly, inkeeping with their quality, which was rare, nearly epic. The only one who looked a little better off was Rococo, the priest, who was being protected. Pale-faced, she continued to heal but had nearly exhausted all her stamina.

The goblins surrounding them, as expected, numbered over thirty, with most between levels 16 and 19, and two around level 22.

Sekamens and his team's blood volume was still healthy, but their mana and stamina were virtually depleted. On the other hand, although many of the surrounding goblins were injured, they were full of energy, making the outcome unpredictable.

If Yang Yu stepped in to take Sekamens's place, he'd have only a fifty-fifty chance of wiping out the enemy in front of him and leaving with the team, but of course, if it was just about leading the team to escape, that was another matter.

"Just use 'Black Thunder Surge', don't worry, they can hold up. Then wait for my command, seize the opportunity, and use 'Ice Cone Skill' to apply control."

Bai Jin hesitated but started to chant the magic as Yang Yu had instructed. Suddenly the sky darkened, and with a resounding boom, thunder roared as streaks of black lightning enveloped the entire goblin encirclement.

The leading elite goblin was stupefied. They were so close to capturing those runaways, only to be mysteriously struck by a divine punishment.

No, that wasn't it.

As the electric current coursed through the elite goblin's body, he experienced intense pain and numbness, but his hearing and sight remained intact. Having received the thunder's baptism, he could clearly see a figure emerging from the small woods behind them.

The Silver Wind Team in the encirclement were also bathed in electricity, feeling numb all over, wondering what kind of person was attacking without discrimination when they saw Yang Yu emerge with a swagger.

"Yo, feels good to pick on the few with many, doesn't it? Does getting electrotherapy feel good? If not, no worries, even more thrilling things are waiting for you. Come at me if you dare!" His eyes were filled with taunt and mockery as he beckoned the goblins with his fingers.

The rampage of the black thunder stopped, the elite goblin propped itself up with its sword, glaring hatefully at Yang Yu. Being taunted like this, how could it, as an elite, tolerate such insolence? With an angry roar, all the goblins turned their spears towards Yang Yu and charged.

The rats also hurt by the black thunder couldn't stir up trouble anymore. Today, they were going to show these arrogant humans the true colors of the goblins.

"What a fool! With so many pursuers, even I am at my wits' end, and shouting like that is practically asking for death."

Sekamens clenched his teeth in frustration, thinking they had just happened to run into Yang Yu, who, full of hot air, mistakenly believed he could take on these goblins.

"Run! Your lousy tricks are no match for these goblins!"

"That's not necessarily true!" Yang Yu lifted his sword, pointing it towards the oncoming goblins, and smiled faintly.