Chapter 57: Refreshing

"Ding-a-ling!"

An urgent bell rang in the night.

The wooden bowl fell to the ground, and the orange-red stew that had only been half-drunk splashed on the meadow.

*Hum—*

Accompanied by the crisp sound of metal vibrating, the iron-gray cold light flashed in the air.

The next second, the decapitation longsword was already held in Xia Nan's hand.

Beside him, Alton's reaction was just as fast.

Just a moment ago, he was laughing and sharing stories of his hometown with Xia Nan, but the moment the bell rang, his expression

Their two lower legs were moving so fast they were almost a blur.

With a nimble leap, they had already jumped onto the roof of a carriage by the roadside.

While looking toward the direction the sound came from, a miniature, exquisite lute appeared in their hands.

Just because halflings are cheerful, enthusiastic, and lively does not mean they are fools to be bullied.

A strong sense of inner responsibility allows these small folk to often display courage and firm will far exceeding their stature when defending their friends, family, and village.

Their compact, non-bulky physique also grants them agility beyond the ordinary, along with stealth and concealment abilities similar to a rogue.

In fact, for a Lightfoot Halfling to be permitted to leave their extended family within the community and head out as an adventurer,

it already proves Alton's capability.

The reactions of the other adventurers nearby were not much different.

With the sound of pots and pans clattering to the ground, in just a few seconds, the guards had already gripped their weapons and taken their positions according to a pre-arranged formation.

It was only then, once all the adventurers were fully prepared for battle, that a noisy commotion erupted from the camp of the caravan people on the other side.

"Goblins, 23 of them. No subspecies detected."

Quickly tuning the strings in their hands, the halfling calmly and precisely reported their findings to everyone.

As soon as the words fell, Xia Nan felt the adventurers around him, whose bodies had been tense, visibly relax.

"Phew, it's just goblins."

Thinking about it, it made sense; in a location this close to a town, besides certain monsters that had lost their ability to perceive threats due to extreme hunger, the only ones who would dare to actively attack a human caravan were these brainless green-skinned mongrels.

"Ke Li, Weiersun, get ready!"

In the group, the guard who appeared to be the leader shouted toward the two adventurers carrying longbows.

The action was swift, as if they had cooperated many times before.

The two archers used both hands and feet to quickly climb onto a carriage parked by the road, occupying the high ground.

Then, they aimed at those shadowy figures in the dark night, the goblins charging over at a fast pace.

They bent their bows and nocked their arrows.

"Whoosh!"

The wooden arrows, tipped with tail feathers, turned into thin, blurry outlines and vanished into the darkness.

Two black shadows fell to the ground in response.

"Keep going!"

The adventurer continued to shout.

The sound of air being pierced rang out once more, but compared to before, there were a few more people from the caravan among the attackers this time.

—Their clothes were disheveled, and some even had mud and grass roots on them, clearly having tripped on their way over.

They also held bows and crossbows, squinting their eyes as they aimed and fired in the direction the figures were coming from.

This time, three goblins fell.

But it was all thanks to the two professional marksmen, as one of the arrows had simultaneously pierced the chests of two green-skinned rats.

Visibility at night was too poor, and ordinary people without combat experience were far inferior to adventurers who often fought in the Mist Forest, both in terms of strength and accuracy.

Accompanied by shrill shrieks, the sound of dense footsteps approaching rapidly became more and more distinct.

The adventurer in charge glanced at the cargo on the carriage behind him, hesitated for a moment, and then looked at the caravan captain, "Jeff," who was gripping a long-handled spear tightly in both hands beside him.

Only then did he make up his mind, raising his single-handed sword high and shouting to everyone around him:

"Don't let these beasts get near the caravan!"

"Brothers, charge!"

As one of the front-line members of the team, Xia Nan naturally could not drag his feet at the back when facing the impending battle.

With a stride, his whole body had already rushed forward.

At the same time, his gaze swept across the surroundings, following his sprinting body.

Confirming there were no signs of an ambush on either side and that teammates were responsible for support and vigilance behind him, he felt slightly relieved.

Hum-thrum—

In the air, condensed by the high-pressure atmosphere, a high-pitched, impassioned lute sound suddenly rang out.

It was not complex, as if it were just pieced together from high-pitched notes, repeating constantly.

Yet it seemed to contain a peculiar rhythm that made one unconsciously immerse themselves in it.

Muscle strength was not enhanced, and consciousness did not become clearer because of it.

Those notes were just like invisible phantoms in the air, seeping into the flesh, tendons, and bones through the pores.

It gave people a kind of illusion that was more conducive to fighting.

It felt as if the body had suddenly become lighter, and the strength accumulated in the arms was even more abundant.

Xia Nan's forward-rushing body suddenly accelerated.

In his mind, he suddenly recalled the lute he had glimpsed in the halfling's hands, coupled with the other party's light and distinctively colored attire.

"A Bard?"

The thought flashed through his mind.

In the blink of an eye, he had already reached the very front of the team.

Beside him were the roars of teammates fighting and the sharp sound of metal clashing.

Xia Nan focused intently, shutting out the noise in his ears.

Directly ahead,

four goblins were waving the clubs in their hands, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws as they pounced toward him!

The sword tip touched the ground.

The Constitution of 8 points, gained after absorbing the dewdrop, allowed Xia Nan to not worry about the impact of combat techniques on his physical functions.

He just stepped forward violently!

His leather boots immediately sank into the soft mud beneath the meadow.

And that brownish, moist soil, while swallowing his heels, also seemed to suddenly send up the power originating from deep within the earth!

A powerful force surged all the way from the soles of his feet, scraping and gathering the strength usually hidden deep in his flesh, concentrating it in one spot in an instant.

It traveled from his palm to the sword hilt, driving the blade in the exquisite manner that had long since become muscle memory through countless practices.

【Spinning Slash】

Whoosh—

Under the reflection of the flames, an iron-grey, sharp arc of light tore through the night.

Xia Nan only felt four slight sensations of resistance from the sword in his hand.

Flesh was like paper, tendons and bones like firewood.

With the sharp blade bolstered by powerful force, the goblins had not even had time to let out painful screams before their lives were taken by the cold light.

The foul-smelling, dirty blood that gushed out like a spring carried broken limbs and internal organs as it was tossed high into the air.

The scarlet blood staining the sword blade splattered onto the ground along with the poured-out force.

The stray hair on his forehead swayed violently, and the bloody smell that surged into his nasal cavity with his breathing made Xia Nan frown slightly.

But what welled up in his heart was an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

It was just like a butcher skillfully dismantling pork on a cutting board, the indescribable pressure accumulated in his heart because of the Bugbear, the Shihua Xiyi, and even that giant snake that had already died yet still could not be penetrated.

Accompanied by the death of the four green-skinned mongrels, it was released in an instant.

At this moment, Xia Nan had only one thought in his heart:

"So satisfying!"

(End of Chapter)