Chapter 136: Slaughter Through

"Shh!"

The iron-gray sword light flashed across the air.

Accompanied by sharp, painful wails, was the stagnant sound of metal piercing flesh.

Crimson blood mixed with cold raindrops dripped from the surface of the sword, seeping into the mud, dyeing the emerald meadow into a patch of brownish-red.

Xia Nan pressed his right foot against the wooden fence in front, pulling the decapitation longsword out from between the fence gaps.

The hot air, residual of body temperature, condensed into water mist in the air, and the black broken hair on his forehead had long been soaked by the rain.

The villagers of Green Creek Village, although affected by the "taunt" of the Red-maned Bugbear and no longer fleeing, returned to the village to fight.

But other than that, their sanity was not affected.

They were even aroused to fighting spirit, their brains were clear, and they performed even more bravely.

Facing the Goblin attack, under the temporary command of Adeline and the village chief, they completed simple defensive arrangements at a very fast speed:

—The barbed hardwood fences that had been prepared long ago were pushed by the villagers and set up beside the trench on the outskirts of the village.

The special geographical location near the Mist Forest allowed Green Creek Village to obtain related benefits, but also often required facing ferocious monsters foraging outside from the forest.

Goblins and similar low-level monsters accounted for the majority.

In this situation, they also summarized and concluded a set of simple response methods, and set up related defensive facilities.

On the side of the village facing the forest, dig a deep trench, and insert sharpened wooden stakes at the bottom in advance.

If there was no elite individual like a "Hobgoblin" to command, small Goblin groups of less than twenty could hardly break through the defense by their own strength.

It was just that, the Goblin groups surging like a tide right now clearly exceeded the category of "small groups."

They didn't even need to bypass from the side; in just over ten minutes, they easily filled the trench that the villagers had spent months digging with difficulty during busy farming seasons with corpses.

Roaring, constantly impacting the fence.

"Hold on! Don't retreat!"

"Our wives and children are all behind."

"Don't let a single green-skinned bastard in!"

The hunched, thin, elderly village chief stood at the very front line without retreating, and his old, powerful encouraging voice had not stopped since the battle began.

And those elderly, women, and children who should have been hiding in the cellar or been urgently evacuated were also moving objects and transmitting messages under the control of "taunt," doing what they could behind the battle line.

"Shh-la!"

Two more Goblins were pierced through the chest by the iron-gray longsword thrust out from the fence.

Twitching and falling to the ground, they hadn't even completely stopped breathing before they were stepped on by the Goblins behind them.

There were too many, and Xia Nan didn't even need to aim deliberately; just by constantly thrusting the longsword, Goblins fell one after another.

To be honest, for him, who possessed 【Spinning Slash】 and 【Tooth Hunt】 and was suitable for high-mobility mobile combat, this was not suitable.

But if considering the commoners who needed protection behind him, it was the simplest and most effective defensive method.

With some villagers holding the fence that was shaking and about to collapse under the Goblin impact, the rest used weapons like pitchforks and wooden axes to attack the enemy using the gaps in the fence.

And several adventurers, under the command of squad leader Adeline, were also dispersed to all parts of the front line, each contributing their efforts.

Abi carried his wooden shield on his back, and his original single-handed sword had been tied back to his waist—the length was too short, laborious, and more dangerous.

At this moment, he was gripping a pitchfork borrowed from the villagers with both hands, stabbing at the Goblins excitedly and constantly.

The clothing and armor, which had already been dirty and unbearable after many days of adventure in the Mist Forest, were now splashed with fresh blood from the enemies.

Adeline, who had rich combat experience against Goblins, roamed all parts of the front line, checking and filling the loopholes in the defense, occasionally helping the villagers who were exhausted to take over, dragging out time for their rotation.

In contrast, Berg, also a veteran adventurer, faced the massive number of Goblins coming, and finally no longer tried to break free from the "taunt" control.

Instead, he came to the roof of a nearby bungalow, using the advantage brought by the height difference to pour his arrows onto the Goblins.

It was just that, one could still see thick uneasiness and anxiety on his face, clearly not having recovered to a normal state.

For the time being, the impact was not great.

After all, the number of Goblins was too large, and they were all gathered together.

Even if the accuracy was lost, just shooting an arrow into the green-skinned pile at random, it could often hit the target.

One arrow hitting two, or even three, was common.

As for Xia Nan...

The decapitation longsword itself possessed a length advantage, but changing from hacking to thrusting, its sharpness and sturdiness were enough to deal with these fragile low-level monsters.

Plus his strengthened physical fitness, he basically didn't need to rest and could maintain long-term uninterrupted combat.

The efficiency of one person was almost equal to four or five ordinary villagers.

Making the defensive line he was responsible for almost the most stable side on the entire battlefield.

Just like this, adventurers and villagers cooperated, and for a time, they actually held off the siege of those hundred-plus Goblins.

And if it continued like this, it was foreseeable that in a few dozen minutes, this battle would also end with human victory.

But even so, whether it was Adeline or Xia Nan, there was no relaxed expression on their faces, but rather seriousness and caution.

Because they all knew that the real danger... had yet to arrive.

"Huff..."

Panting, Xia Nan gripped the hilt, turned his wrist and exerted force, pulling the longsword stuck in the bone joint out.

His gaze couldn't help but look into the distance.

That Bugbear with red mane was carrying its pale bone club with hollows, staring at them from afar.

Standing in place, as if it were a supervisor supervising the battle.

Don't know why, since it launched the taunt skill at everyone just now, clearly having successfully controlled the Green Blood Squad and the villagers so they couldn't escape.

The Bugbear did not go any further and did not actively launch an attack.

It just stood in place like this, watching the Goblins die one by one.

Even if it just commanded slightly, letting the Goblins impact the weak points of the fence, or personally went into battle, it could instantly destroy the defense line.

It just stood quietly in place.

As if waiting for something.

Xia Nan naturally wouldn't naively think that these ferocious monsters who viewed other intelligent creatures as livestock would kindly let them off.

It was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

The Bugbear had no action, so he could only secretly strengthen his attention and be vigilant about the development of the situation.

The only good news.

Was that Green Creek Village was not too far from River Valley Town, and it was a half-day journey if walking fast, and adventurers often passed by.

They only needed to drag on for some time, not too long, just a few hours, maybe there would be...

"Boom!"

The sound of collapse suddenly came from his ears.

Xia Nan's heart sank instantly.

Looking in the direction of the sound, he only saw flying dust, villagers lying on the ground, and... green-skinned Goblins rushing into the village from the collapsed fence.

"Bang!"

The dirty black-brown wooden club slammed down, making the man who was supporting the fence with both hands so it wouldn't collapse shake.

His pant legs were covered with mud and grass clippings, and the simple cloth clothes with patches had been soaked by sweat.

Blood kept dripping from the wound on his eyebrow—that was the wound caused by being hit by a Goblin wooden club when helping other villagers move positions just now.

A burst of soreness came from his forearm muscles, and the violent and rapid breathing made his throat dry and painful.

Ji Mu, however, had no intention of giving up.

It was not only because of the spirit he had instantly regained with the blood-red sound wave, but also because his wife and daughter were helping him find weapons from various houses behind him.

Taking a step back, it was not just his own life, but their whole family, and everyone in the village.

And the tragic scenes in the Goblin lair that he had heard from adventurers passing by.

Made his will even more resolute.

It was just... people, after all, had limits.

Ji Mu himself, perhaps because he had encountered that Goblin on the way home recently, exchanged it for three silver coins at the association, and had a full meal with his family for a while.

Full of energy.

But other villagers did not have his luck.

Facing the constant impact of Goblins like a tide.

Even if they didn't have the slightest intention of giving up, the limit of the body was right there.

It was not that just anyone could ignore, or even surpass and break through.

"Hoo... hoo..."

The sound squeezed out from his throat unconsciously because of overexertion entered his ears.

Using all his strength to hold the fence, Ji Mu's peripheral vision swept to his side.

Uncle Ai Wen, the honest man living next door to him.

Forty-something years old, he had nothing worth mentioning in his life.

Just farming, watering, and eating.

He seemed to have been sick for a few days recently, and he hadn't fully recovered yet, so he came up.

Seeing him in a state of physical exhaustion, completely drained, unable to even speak.

Ji Mu hurriedly spoke out, wanting to let the villagers resting behind take over and hold this gap.

But just after opening his mouth.

He watched with his own eyes as Uncle Ai Wen's legs went soft, and the whole person collapsed to the ground as if exhausted.

Then, it was the cracks appearing on the surface of the fence, the mud stars splashing as the fence gradually collapsed, the green palms poking out from the gaps in the bars, and the suddenly high-pitched Goblin shrieks.

"Boom!"

The wooden fence that was already shaking and about to collapse instantly fell.

It was like an inverted hourglass; the Goblins that had been blocked outside by the barbed hardwood were squeezing out from the gap with sharp laughs.

The suddenly intensified force made Ji Mu, who was already close to his limit, unable to support it anymore, and he staggered back a few steps and sat on the ground.

Looking at the villagers falling one after another like a chain reaction in front of him, and the fences collapsing piece by piece.

His eyes were full of despair.

"It's over, it's all over..."

Ji Mu only felt his brain go blank.

The body after overexertion, and the scene with strong impact in front of him, made him lose the ability to think in a short time.

His face was wooden, his eyes dull.

Even if the few Goblins that rushed into the village from the gap first had already come to his front with claws and fangs, he had no reaction at all.

And it was at this moment.

Ang—

High-pitched wolf howls mixed with the noise of objects moving at high speed and friction with the air made Ji Mu's eardrums ache.

In his stunned eyes, a blurry wolf-head phantom composed of wild wind, grass clippings, and fresh blood was reflected.

"Boom!"

Strong air currents surged and whistled past, and wood chips were carried and scratched his cheeks, leaving a tiny wound.

The few Goblins in front of him still maintained the posture of rushing forward, but their shoulders were already empty.

Spraying fresh blood, the ugly heads with residual twisted smiles flew and landed along with their headless bodies.

Xia Nan glanced at the man sitting on the ground in front of him.

He didn't speak, turned around, and rushed toward the gap.

Behind him was the shouting of Adeline, who arrived a step late:

"Don't panic! Hold on!"

"All of you, hold on!"

The battle line had not completely collapsed.

Right now, although the loophole was gradually expanding, they had already killed quite a few green-skinned Goblins before this.

The number of those rushing in was not many.

As long as they could temporarily plug the loophole for a few minutes, not letting those Goblins rush in and attack other parts of the villagers' battle line from the inside, and wait for the spare fence to arrive.

There would be a turning point!

As for this most critical few minutes that required facing the impact of countless Goblins and determined the survival of Green Creek Village, who could hold on...

Xia Nan had already given the answer with his actions.

Long, high-pitched wolf howls echoed through the battlefield; under the ravages of sharp wind pressure, the Goblins whose bodies couldn't find a single piece of intact skin were thrown up and down by the strong wind like toys;

the iron-gray sword light was like a scythe harvesting life, often just flashing across the air, and at least three Goblins lost their heads.

【Tooth Hunt】, 【Spinning Slash】, 【Tooth Hunt】, 【Spinning Slash】...

Constantly repeating.

The black-haired figure wearing iron armor, like a lawnmower, crushed all visible green skins in the attack range, moving and shifting along with cold wind and blood.

Swinging the sword, shifting, swinging the sword, shifting...

When the chain mail rings of Xia Nan's armor were filled with the foul blood of Goblins, there wasn't even a single green-skinned Goblin that could hit him head-on with their ridiculous wooden clubs.

The explosive power granted by 【Tooth Hunt】, the strong endurance under exaggerated constitution, and the decapitation longsword and 【Spinning Slash】 suitable for large-scale attack in open terrain...

The accumulation of more than a hundred days since crossing over turned into him, who was now like a war machine, wantonly hacking and leaping in the green tide.

No longer needing to grip the hilt and awkwardly thrust through the gaps in the fence.

Letting go of his hands and feet, able to move, hack, and use combat techniques at will, undoubtedly brought Xia Nan to his comfort zone.

The agility attribute improved by 【Tooth Hunt】 reaching lv3 also took effect silently with the battle, making his body wrapped in the blurry wolf head only able to see a phantom.

Experiencing the stagnant touch transmitted from the palm with the swing of the sword blade, the sharp screams that stopped abruptly, and the blood, flesh, and internal organs splashing in his line of sight.

Xia Nan once again felt that refreshing experience of wantonly harvesting under the suppression of strength.

In his heart, an illusion inexplicably arose.

No need for any defense, no need for any advance layout of traps.

These hundred-plus Goblins...

He alone, could slaughter through.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 137 =====