The Defias Bandit's dagger had already slashed across the Skeleton General's neck. A harsh scraping sound like grinding teeth rang out as the Bone Armor protecting its neck was actually cut open. Yet, to the rogue's surprise, no blood flowed out!
Taking advantage of his momentary daze, the skeleton's Bone Blade stabbed toward his chest. The rogue twisted aside, but still failed to evade in time and took a slash. The wound immediately turned a sickly blue.
"Poison!" The rogue seemed to have realized the effect of the Venomous Dagger, but he had no time to take any defensive measures. The Skeleton General was already hacking down with blow after blow, while the Clay Golem behind him smashed down with its petrified fists. At the same time, Li Shaolin's Bone Fangs circled overhead, magic locking onto him.
"Ha!" Tommy, who had been forced back, suddenly surged forward, his heavy sword crashing down!
In an instant, the rogue was trapped on all sides!
First came the Skeleton General's Bone Blade, which he dodged by twisting aside. Then the Clay Golem's heavy fist came smashing down. Since he had activated Evasion, much of the damage slipped away, though the blow still jolted his body. Next, Li Shaolin's Bone Fang struck first despite being launched later, hitting him squarely in the chest and spraying blood. Then came Tommy's heavy sword.
With a hiss, the sword pierced through his chest, sinking in more than halfway.
The rogue stared fixedly at the blade before him, stunned. As an elite member of the Defias Brotherhood, with strength at level 16, he had actually fallen here. He simply could not understand it. But if he knew that his other two brothers had also died at Li Shaolin's hands, who knew what he would have thought?
"Pah!" Tommy spat heavily, kicked over the rogue's corpse, and exchanged a look with Li Shaolin. Both of them could not help feeling fortunate.
By now, the remaining Defias dockworkers in the field had been surrounded and slaughtered. Blood covered the ground.
Li Shaolin secretly sighed. What incredible luck. Back at Fargodeep Mine, if the Golden Golem had not suddenly turned against them, he probably would not have been able to withstand the attacks of two elite rogues. He had not expected these rogues to be so formidable.
With a shout from Tommy, everyone surrounded the room where the Dock Master was.
Though they had wiped out the enemy, their own side had suffered severe casualties as well. They had brought eight guards. Now, two were dead and three were injured. Of the three injured, two seemed to be taking part in such combat and slaughter for the first time and were crouched on the ground, vomiting nonstop. The last was too badly wounded to fight, leaving only three able to continue.
The door creaked open, and a Goblin appeared before them.
Green skin, pointed ears, and less than sixty centimeters tall, he wore a tiny brown leather vest. A huge gold ring on his finger displayed his owner's wealth.
Of course, the two Brotherhood members in wool masks behind the Goblin were equally conspicuous.
The Goblin was shocked when he stepped out and saw the scene. He blurted out something in Goblin language that sounded like a curse, though naturally no one could understand it.
There was nothing to explain. The Brotherhood had dealt with humans for more than a day or two, so the Goblin naturally understood why they had come. Without another word, he waved a hand, and the two bodyguards behind him charged forward.
Tommy stood with sword in hand and stepped up to block them.
One of the bodyguards wielded a two-handed axe. When their weapons collided, axe and sword clanged together with a crisp ring. Tommy was knocked back several steps by the axe before he managed to steady himself.
"What tremendous strength. This guy is probably a level 10 warrior." Tommy's face was full of surprise. But he feared neither heaven nor earth; the stronger the enemy, the greater his fighting spirit. With a shout, he charged forward again.
The axeman—let's call him that for now—sneered, naturally unafraid of him.
At that moment, the other bodyguard shook out the longsword in his hand and charged in as well.
One guard raised a spiked mace, about to strike, but the enemy casually thrust his sword and pierced his thigh. The guard cried out, dropped his weapon, and began moaning in pain.
Just as the swordsman was about to advance again, a white flash slashed down at him. The Skeleton General at Li Shaolin's side had attacked on his command.
This swordsman was exceptionally skilled. With a shout, he thrust four times in rapid succession, sending bone fragments flying from the Skeleton General's Bone Armor. But his strength seemed insufficient, and that was all the damage he could do.
Li Shaolin's eyes widened in a daze. "Is this guy a combat rogue?"
The axeman fighting Tommy shouted, and a bloody aura surged from his head. His strength instantly increased considerably, and several axe blows forced Tommy back again and again. Affected by his roar, the swordsman's strength seemed to increase as well, allowing him to contend with the Skeleton General for a time.
"What are you standing around for? Go help Tommy." Li Shaolin hurriedly ordered the remaining two uninjured guards over. He had not expected this damn Goblin's bodyguards to be so powerful. He had been careless.
Without pausing, he rapidly fired several Bone Fangs at the axeman's back, slowing his assault enough for the two guards to join Tommy.
Seeing that Tommy and the others were still struggling, he sent the Clay Golem over to help. At the same time, he summoned Bone Shield again. It would be awful if a stray attack came flying his way.
Both sides fought fiercely without pause. Li Shaolin chuckled when he saw that the Goblin Dock Master was now alone. He drew the Infantry Sword with his right hand, condensed a Bone Fang in his left, and assumed a stance to go finish the guy off.
The Goblin Dock Master showed no panic at all. He pulled something out and threw it straight at Li Shaolin.
"What is that?"
Before he could react, a boom rang out, and one layer of Bone Shield shattered.
Good grief, an engineering bomb? Li Shaolin broke out in a cold sweat.
Seeing that the bomb had failed to hurt Li Shaolin, the Goblin waved his hand again. A wooden Decoy was deployed, swaying as it stood before him. Then, with another wave, a sheep appeared and slowly trotted toward Li Shaolin.
Was this the Explosive Sheep? Li Shaolin had at least done some research on games in his previous life. Otherwise, he truly might have suffered for it.
A Bone Fang shot out and shattered the Explosive Sheep mid-path. A thunderous blast erupted, smoke spreading everywhere. The force of the explosion actually shook everyone present and sent them stumbling back.
When he looked again, the Goblin had already fled toward the riverbank.
Li Shaolin was about to pursue him when the axeman shouted again and stomped his foot. Power of Thunder surged forth, jolting everyone and leaving their feet briefly numb. The axeman did not take advantage of the opening. Instead, he turned and chased after the Goblin, clearly intending to flee as well.
Tommy endured the numbness in his feet and was about to give chase when he saw the axeman take a few steps, lock onto a rat in the distance, and kick off with a whoosh. He carved a long trail across the ground as he shot forward at high speed. A warrior's signature skill: Charge!
In that instant, he left Tommy far behind.
"Damn it!" Tommy cursed. Seeing that he could not catch up, he could only turn around and call everyone to surround the swordsman.
"Trying to run?" Li Shaolin saw the Goblin Dock Master and the axeman together, apparently planning to lower the wooden boat hanging at the dock and escape on it. With a series of hissing sounds, he fired dozens of Bone Fangs in succession. The axeman repeatedly swung his two-handed axe, sparks flying everywhere, but his escape was halted.
On the other side, green light flared around the swordsman's body and beneath his feet. He swung his sword backhandedly and used Kidney Shot, freezing the Skeleton General in place. With Sprint and Evasion activated at once, he also fled.
As the swordsman reached Li Shaolin, he chuckled, seemingly believing that Li Shaolin was a mage. Now that he had gotten close, wouldn't Li Shaolin be meat on the chopping block, ready for him to carve up?
With a flick of his sword, another layer of Li Shaolin's Bone Shield shattered.
Only then did Li Shaolin realize that the swordsman had already come right beside him. He jumped in fright.
The Skeleton General and the Clay Golem instinctively felt the urge to protect their master and followed after him. The Skeleton General in particular strode over in great strides, reaching his side in only a few steps.
Crash! The axeman had cut the rope holding the small boat, dropping it into the water.
The Goblin Dock Master leaped aboard, with the axeman following right after him. Then mechanical sounds seemed to rise from beneath the boat as it prepared to move. The axeman repeatedly beckoned from the bow, seemingly urging the swordsman to hurry.
The swordsman could no longer spare Li Shaolin another thought. He broke into a run and rushed over.
If the Goblin Dock Master escaped back to the Deadmines, the Defias Brotherhood would surely harass him endlessly from then on.
Li Shaolin gritted his teeth, exhaled, saw that the others had yet to catch up, and ran after them!
Slap, slap, slap! The Skeleton General, Li Shaolin, and the swordsman landed on the boat at the same time. The hull rocked violently, seeming about to overturn, but finally steadied itself.
The mechanical sounds beneath the boat continued as it slowly pulled away from the dock!
Back on the dock stood the late-arriving Tommy and the other guards. The Clay Golem was there as well, but it did not dare enter the water.
"Lin, get down here!" Tommy shouted.
Night had long since fallen. The dock where they had fought was illuminated by ever-burning lamps, making everything clearly visible. But where could there be any light on this pitch-black river? The boat was already drifting farther and farther away.
"Hehehehe!" The Goblin Dock Master exchanged glances with his two bodyguards, the axeman and swordsman, and they laughed. On this lone boat, three against two, victory was naturally assured.
Li Shaolin could not worry about that now. He quickly took out the Book of the Dead and pointed. The Clay Golem on the distant dock vanished and was instantly stored in the book. He did not summon it again; if it fell into the water, the golem would surely dissolve.
The Goblin Dock Master smiled wickedly. Somehow, he produced a short blade, then deployed another Decoy beside himself before preparing to have his two bodyguards attack together.
Li Shaolin began chanting, intending to replenish his Bone Shield, but there was sound and no effect. His mana had run dry! After that wild barrage just now, even he had no idea how much he had used.
"Haha, kid, next year today will be the anniversary of your death!" The axeman laughed wildly as he and the swordsman prepared to attack together!
"Is that so? It's still too soon to tell who will win." Li Shaolin's expression remained calm. He slightly opened the Book of the Dead and lightly tapped it. Another Skeleton General and a Skeleton Warrior appeared before him!
Before you continue