11. Secret Hideout
The monsters walked closer to collect all the scattered branches, but some of them readied themselves to throw their weapons. Those who had accumulated the loots had rattan rucksacks on their backs, filled with meat and some fish.
Liu Han focused his stare even more and remained cautious about the sudden attack. These Goblins indeed had their roles well-managed. The larger, fat one carried all the resources, while the thinner but muscular one acted as the caretaker.
So from the start, the Goblins waited in the shadow until the Tree Spirit was defeated. As Liu Han took a slower step forward, a spear was launched at him with remarkable speed. The attack was swift, but Astorn had anticipated it and blocked it with his sword.
"You hideous little creature!" Astorn shouted and charged at them, aimed at the bulk Goblin.
Another spear was hurled at Astorn who are focused to attack what was in front of him, careless about his other side. At a slight moment when the sharp weapon was about to hit Astorn, Liu Han successfully thwarted it – sliced off the spear into chunks.
His elbow was sturdy when he did that, tried to do the next move with his kick – a blast of wind burst toward those Goblins and swept them all in various directions. Because of this, their equipment is disabled, making the Knight do the rest with no effort.
Astorn without regret, killed them all – not even letting a single Goblin escape. For him, this was a chance to increase his EXP and he wouldn't waste it. Although it isn't much because their level is so low, at least he can train his skill more and prevent future danger.
Meanwhile, Liu Han continues to do his destructive combo. A wind-infused kick, succeeded by an upward somersault and a downward strike upon descended. The Goblins sure of settled on a bad time, misjudged their foes as some of them tried so hard to flee from extermination.
"Is that all?" Astorn stated and turned his head around. "Heh, don't even mess with me!"
"I think we missed one," Liu Han said as he observed the area filled with corpses. "There were seventeen Goblins, but we have taken down sixteen of them."
"Are you sure?" Astorn began to search through the dead creatures. "How could it run away before us?"
"We need to look over the place where they emerged," Liu Han remarked and checked out the dire situation behind the scrubs. "We should see the hint from there."
On the dirt, there was a spot of blood and scattered pieces of rattan wood, not to mention bits of meat strewn around. With a faint smile, Liu Han whispered, "I've found you."
"Come on, Astorn, we have not done here!" Liu Han shouted and turned to Astorn who was stunned.
"Found it?" Astorn responded but Liu Han did not answer, instead, he walked away from him. "What? Are you always wanted to leave me alone?"
Both of them venture to the inner forest, tracking the blood stain that led them to a certain location. When they went deeper, the trees are not at their normal size as it is abnormally tall with bigger trunks. Moreover, the undergrowth became denser everywhere – causing the clue to vanish without a trace.
"Damn," Liu Han stammered and stopped. "We lost the trail!"
"Are you serious right now?" Astorn expression became worried. "After all this walk?"
"No, it must be close," Liu Han said and scanning the situation ahead of him. "This Goblin won't survive much longer. Unless it has a shelter above its head."
Not far from their stand, there lies a cave with a wide and enormous entrance. Small wooden altars and lit torches adorned its corners, some embellished with animal skulls.
Liu Han take a serious look, preparing himself as Astorn sheathed his sword and began to follow him. They took cautious steps as they entered, and instantly, the atmosphere transformed into an unsettling one, with a strong, noxious smell.
The grassy ground transformed into a parched and unclean terrain, soaked with a black liquid that had mixed with an unknown substance. The unmistakable scent of death filled the air. Stains of congealed blood marked the cave walls, sticking together with an unbearable foul odor.
"God... what the hell is this place!" Astorn face was adorned with disgust. "I can't take this stench!"
That brown-haired man looks like he going to vomit but he tried not to. Liu Han too can feel his stomach moan, this smell alone is so awful. But they need to find out what this cave will lead them, could it be the base of those Goblins? Liu Han and Astorn must endure.
The cave gradually became rocky, with even some cages smeared with blood and remnants of rat-eaten body parts. Not only that but nearby, a person was seen restrained with both hands shackled above, ending in a horrifying state.
They were stripped bare, bearing numerous cut wounds around sensitive areas. Their abdomen lay open, spilling all its putrefying contents as if gnawed upon by something. The woman must have felt the horror of hell, even though they knew she was just an NPC.
Liu Han shifted his intention, continuing to explore as Astorn chose to assess the condition of the other victim. One thing stood out, though her situation was just as dire as the previous one – she was still breathing!
"Hey, can you hear me?" Astorn whispered and tried to lift her bowed head, concealed by her blonde hair. "Liu Han, she's still alive!"
"What?" Liu Han hurried to come closer. "Is she like us, somehow?"
"I don't know," the Knight exclaimed, quickly cutting through the shackles that restrained the woman's hands, the sound of clashing iron reverberated in the entire cave. "Damn it!"
Goblin voices scattered, and reddish light flickered in various directions within the darkness. Unintentionally rousing the creature, they lured it to investigate the commotion. Liu Han and Astorn were in disarray, aiming to lift the woman and make their way out of the cave.
However, the silhouette revealed uncared-for, sharp-clawed feet of extraordinary size. Adorned with black fur atop its head, protruding horns, and ravenous fangs. It could very well be the Goblin's Boss, exhibiting a blood-smeared, spiked mace. As the creature noticed the humans attempting to escape, his roar alone can make a wind that shivered their spines.
When they examined the creature before them, it bore the name "Thunderous Goblin" written in red. This indicated that its power was far superior, causing them unable to fight back and with a small chance of escaping unscathed.
"Get her out of here now, Astorn!" commanded Liu Han, standing right in front of them. "I'll try to hold it off."
Astorn nodded without hesitation and immediately rushed to bring the disheveled woman out – covering her naked body with his Knight's cloak. However, moments after he strode away, the massive Goblin struck the ground with its mace, creating an earthquake laced with electricity.
Liu Han managed to evade by leaping, but Astorn was left helpless. He and the woman he carried were hit by the shock and crumpled for five seconds. Swiftly, Liu Han lunged, executing a kick that generated a mediocre blast toward the creature, yielding a meager impact.
Hence, the formidable weapon swung towards Liu Han, who was still airborne. The man with black hair suffered an unfortunate fate, attempting to counter the mighty blow with his bare hands. As a result, Liu Han was flung against the cave wall, causing it to crack and dislodging rocks that buried him alive.
As Astorn broke free from the electric shock, he hastily moved, only to be confronted by a swarm of small-sized Goblins, hovered to attack. Reacting swiftly, Astorn swung his Long Sword, generating sweeping waves infused with both fire and thunder.
Effortlessly, the Goblins were dispersed, and the strike landed on the Thunderous Goblin, which remained fixated on Liu Han. However, the attack had little effect beyond distracting its attention. Unexpectedly, the colossal creature surged forward, nearly causing Astorn's heart apart in astonishment.
Given its massive size, its footsteps resonated loudly as it leaped, seemingly aiming to crush the defenseless humans. It was a horrifying spectacle, likely to instantly transport them to a
Safe Zone.
Yet, a powerful blast of wind once again buffeted Astorn and the woman, propelling them several steps away and luckily preserving their lives. This skill emanated from Liu Han, who was rising from misfortune.
Together, as the Thunderous Goblin landed, a massive collision occurred, its sheer force shattering the cave ceiling and obliterating everything nearby. The scene was shrouded in smoke, leaving nothing visible but devastation.
A scream of dead Goblins emanated, it's like their boss didn't even care that its action killed its minions. The cave healed back to its original state because the environment is fixed, and never can be changed or destroyed. The Thunderous Goblin was awake in the middle of the dust, his red fiery stare turned to Liu Han.
What course of action would he take at this moment?