Rich!

The old man led them toward a barn at the edge of the village, its wooden doors reinforced with crude barricades. Scratch marks lined the outside, and a faint, rotten stench lingered in the air. "Alright, I will take it from here, sir. Please ask the villagers to stay away from this area. I am not sure if I will be able to protect anyone if some of the rats run away."

The old man nodded and in the next hour, the entire area became deserted. Only then did Ethan kick open the barricade. The moment the doors creaked open, numerous beady red eyes glowed in the darkness.

Each rat was the size of a cat and their teeth looked dangerously sharp. But otherwise, there was nothing too special about them. 

Ethan was about to dash in with his dagger but a thick wave of decay and filth hit him like a wall. The stench was overwhelming, a mix of rot, and damp wood.