Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen: Goblin Raid on the Camp

Using the firelight on the opposite bank as illumination, she saw that the South Bank camp was indeed under attack: nearly ten green humanoid monsters were leaping and bounding within the wooden fence. The only two second‑class troops on her side could not hold back the multitude; five of them tangled her two men, while other green monsters chased several unarmed first‑class troops, several of whom could not outrun the beasts and were cut down to the ground.

"It's a Bluetooth Goblin…" Wu Zhuoyue blurted out: "Their numbers are too few to hold them off; fortunately they're only scattered Goblin troops, otherwise the camp would be hard to protect."

Li Bucai asked in surprise: "Bluetooth Goblin?"

Wu Zhuoyue replied: "According to the historical records, I think that's what they are—greedy raiders, countless in number, dozens of times more than the people of Sky City. Across the river there are only about ten, so they appear to be merely scattered troops. When our ancestors still lived on this continent, they suffered repeated Goblin raids, which not only stole food but also often injured people."

Since the opposite bank could not see the school uniform girl, Li Bucai realized she had only two guards and would likely be unable to hold out, and said: "It seems the other side needs help; you stay here, I'll be right back."

When he reached the riverbank, his feet not yet in the water, he saw that the central two‑story wooden building of the camp had its door suddenly burst open; with the sound of the breach, a girl clad entirely in yellow‑bronze light armor leapt out, dual swords in hand—it was the school uniform girl.

Her leap was supremely light, landing precisely between the two guards tangled by five Goblins on the clearing, and she called out: "Leave these to me; you go rescue the others."

After speaking, she vaulted forward, executing the technique "Twin Serpents Emerging from the Cave": her body rose parallel to the ground, the two precious swords fluttered like silver snakes, instantly carving a passage. Seeing the two guards use the gap to leap out of the encirclement, the school uniform girl planted one foot, then performed "Lotus Dance", laying the dual swords flat at her sides, spinning rapidly to form a lotus‑shaped disc, then turned and struck back into the center of the five Goblins. Her speed was such that two Goblins could not dodge in time; their bellies were slashed open by the blades, and they let out a howl before collapsing to the ground.

The other three Goblins attacked from the left, right, and rear. After landing, the school uniform girl substituted her sword for a spear, using the technique "Turning Back to Gaze at the Moon", leaning back to thrust; the blade struck the Goblin behind her. At that moment, Goblins from the left and right swung their knives at her. Unfazed, before the previous technique had run its course, she again used "Twin Serpents Emerging from the Cave" forward, evading the blades, then turned back, sword flashing down to slash the remaining two Goblins.

Her movements were light and seamless, without a hint of hesitation; in an instant all five were cut down by her sword, and she rushed to aid the others.

"What a deft girl," Li Bucai couldn't help but praise her skill: "It seems the earlier passage was unnecessary now."

Once the school uniform girl appeared, within moments the Goblins were driven out of the camp, fleeing toward the dense forest to the east. She ceased pursuit, called the two guards back, and inspected the damage. The camp was left in disarray; eight first‑class troops were injured, and a portion of the food in the warehouse had been stolen.

Seeing her return safely, Li Bucai shouted across the river: "Hey, you didn't hurt my consort, did you?"

The school uniform girl gave a cold glance, ignored him; she had no healer at hand, so she could only order the subordinates to carry the wounded back into the houses.

Just a day ago there had been chatter and laughter; in an instant she became as indifferent as Zhuoran, giving him the cold shoulder. Li Bucai shrugged and muttered, "Fine, I'll just return to the camp."

The school uniform girl's camp was attacked, indicating that one's own camp is inevitably vulnerable to Goblin raids and must be defended.

Just as Li Bucai turned to head back to the camp, he suddenly spotted several dark silhouettes leaping into the camp from the north.

"Bad, Goblins!" Li Bucai, still a few hundred meters from the camp, saw nearly ten Goblins already parting the canopy surrounding the tents and charging into the camp.

Within the camp, as the Goblins appeared, Wu Zhuoran was the first to notice and calmly ordered: "Xianghong, Rui Tong, you two go to the riverbank and protect the honored master."

The two responded, activating their light steps and sprinting toward Li Bucai.

Wu Zhuoyue added simultaneously: "I have many men; Yan Qiu is under my charge. You attack the left side, I will block the right, and hold them back."

The two sisters nodded together, dispersing their subordinates into separate formations: one unit circled around the Goblins from the left to their rear, the other blocked the Goblins from the front on the right.

In an instant the camp erupted into chaos; Li Bucai quickened his pace, seeing the two girls approaching. Rui Tong, whose light steps were superior, arrived first, blocked Li Bucai and said: "Goblin raid, the camp is dangerous. Please stay here, honored master; I, Rui Tong, vow to protect your safety with my life."

"Damn, fighting is a man's job; how can I be left here now?"

At that moment Xianghong also arrived; the two grabbed Li Bucai and said in unison: "As guards, we are here to keep the honored master safe from danger. Should you suffer even the slightest injury, we can only atone with our lives. Please do not leave this place."

Li Bucai hurriedly said: "There are too many Goblins; Zhuoran and the others lack enough manpower, people will die."

"Dying in battle to protect the honored master is a guard's honor."

Li Bucai urgently said: "Let go of me, or if you don't release me I'll have to kill both of you!"

The two each held onto Li Bucai with one hand, refusing to release their grip no matter what he said.

Li Bucai, helpless, could only watch with his eyes wide open...

In the camp, ten Goblins were hemmed in on the clearing by seven girls. Over at Wu Zhuoran's side, a Blade Badge Warrior shielded his body with a shield while parrying the enemy with a Short Knife, and Junyi Wan'er brandished a two‑foot Short Sword beside her, helping to fend off the Goblins on the left.

Wu Zhuoran suddenly leapt upward behind the two, his body soaring several zhang high as he nocked an arrow and shot it into the Goblin formation. As he descended, he vaulted again, and while his body flipped he unleashed the technique "Three Stars Strike Together!": three strange feathered arrows appeared on the bowstring, all three launched at three Goblins at once. This sequence produced four arrows in total, two of which struck vital points; his body landed atop the small Goblin cluster, barely touching the ground before rolling back down.

Junyi Wan'er, with a clear view, called out: "First block, then kill."

Wu Zhuoran, having just landed, heard her voice; one hand gripped his bow, the other swiftly drew a Short Sword from his back, turning as he held the sword horizontally before him. A Goblin behind him raised a knife to strike, but Wu Zhuoran deflected it with his sword; the Goblin stepped back two paces, and Wu Zhuoran flicked his sleeve, revealing a hidden blade that flashed silver and flew toward the Goblin, a scream echoing as the sword pierced its heart.

Wu Zhuoran rolled forward onto the fallen Goblin, lightly lifted the Short Sword from the corpse, and the blade passed over his head to settle securely back into its scabbard.

The ten Goblins were split into two groups. Unlike Zhuoran's side, which pressed the attack, Wu Zhuoyue's side held a tight defensive triangle at Yan Qiu's tent entrance: a Blade Badge Warrior at the front, two bow‑crossbow users on the sides, and Wu Zhuoyue himself in the center, calmly standing at the tent doorway, waiting for the Goblins to come.

Five Goblins advanced; the front two, also Blade Badge Warriors, raised shields to protect the three behind as they charged a few steps forward. Once within range, two archers suppressed them; after several clashes they could not advance a single step. The wooden shields were studded with eagle feathers, and a Goblin's shoulder armor was pierced by an arrow.

For a moment the stalemate held, neither side daring to launch a full attack.

"Lord Yue'er, they won't attack; this deadlock can't continue. Let's go on the offensive," Wu Zhuoran said, toppling three Goblins in an instant, while Blade Badge Warrior Fang Ling'er grew anxious.

Wu Zhuoyue wasn't unwilling to attack; if no one guarded the doorway and Goblins broke into the tent, Yan Qiu would be in great danger.

Wu Zhuoyue calmly said: "They will come." She slipped a finger into the light pink cuff, gently pulled out a foot‑long emerald Short Flute, held it to her vermilion lips, and slowly breathed into it. Instantly, a melodious tune floated over the camp; each note she played radiated outward, circling the girls, drifting to every Goblin, and after a few rounds spiraled into their ears.

This was the "Soul‑Disturbing Melody." Wu Zhuoyue, a musician, could, while playing, control the invisible notes, sending those that could bewilder the mind into the enemies' ears. The melody sounded enchanting, keeping the mind clear, but as the notes entered, the music grew ever more captivating, and the Goblins gradually became entranced, their combat focus waning sharply.

Because she was only a junior musician, she could achieve only this effect; a master musician could make the entire Goblin horde completely forget battle, linking hands to dance in circles, oblivious even if a companion was cut to pieces.

When the "Soul‑Disturbing Melody" began, the Goblins' gaze visibly scattered; unable to concentrate fully on fighting, Wu Zhuoyue swiftly altered the tune to "Lark's Return," targeting a Blade Badge Warrior, sending all notes directly into its ears.

The Goblin became even more entranced; shortly after, it stared blankly and walked slowly toward the source of the notes, lowering its shield. The two archers on either side seized the moment and released a pair of arrows together.

The Goblin, seeing the arrows, startled awake, raised its shield too late; one arrow was blocked, but another pierced deep into its left eye. It let out a howl and collapsed, while the other Goblins failed to notice.