Alarm! Ambush!

The first night of the journey was spent at a farmstead. The farmer, who was told they were a caravan from the Seven Suns Merchant Alliance and had been generously compensated, gave the team a very warm welcome. The farm's own poultry and plump sheep were roasted to a tempting golden brown by the cook, emitting a rich aroma that filled the dining area. Served alongside a large pot of simmering bone-in vegetable stew, it made the team members, who had been eating dry rations all day, salivate.

Since there were too many people eating and not enough chairs, and no one was particularly fussy, they simply sat on the ground. Each person held a piece of roasted meat in one hand and a bowl of vegetable soup with noodles in the other, eating with great gusto.

The one who ate the most ferociously was Sory, the large fellow. He finished a greasy roasted chicken leg in two bites, leaving only half a bone, and gulped down the still-hot vegetable soup as if it were cold water. He didn't soak his noodles in the soup either, instead dipping them in the rich, savory oil and spices from the roasted mutton, eating with great satisfaction.

I had originally wanted to join them to eat and chat, but I was honestly intimidated by the way he ate. Good heavens, sweat was pouring down his face, and even eating looked like a fierce battle.

It wasn't until dinner ended that Zhang Yuan found Sory. "Big guy, can you do me a favor?"

They were brothers in the same team, training and bragging together, so they knew each other well.

Sory blinked his adorably blank eyes. "What is it? Just say it, I'll help you."

"The captain wants to arrange guard duty tonight, so I have to ask you to help me train my combat skills."

"Sure!" The big guy's answer was as concise as ever.

Zhang Yuan had initially hoped that Skar would teach him. However, as the team leader, Skar was swamped with affairs and bore heavy responsibilities, making it impossible for him to constantly help Zhang Yuan. After discussing it, they decided to have Sory, who was second in rank among all the Fighters, take on the honorable role of assistant instructor.

After a short rest, Zhang Yuan and Sory found an open space to start their warm-up. Zhang Yuan was doing a set of broadcast gymnastics that no one had ever seen before, while Sory looked like a dancing bear. It was truly a sight for sore eyes.

As a result, the open space around the two became even more vacant, because everyone else saw the two of them and actively avoided them.

The subsequent training content included not only basic physical exercises but also sparring, ah, no, combat drills.

As a noob lacking practical combat experience, the only way to compensate for this deficiency was through more practice and simulations.

During their practice session, other team members gradually joined them in twos and threes. At first, Zhang Yuan was a little surprised that so many people were enthusiastically willing to be his sparring partners. When he asked, he realized he had been overthinking it.

"Who doesn't want to become stronger? Who doesn't want to see what the view is like from higher up? It's just that talent has really harmed everyone. Some people have already given up, while others are still unwilling to accept their fate."

Looking at the old mercenary before him, who, despite being in his prime, was still unwilling to remain a mere bystander, Zhang Yuan didn't know what to say. Should he offer some meaningless words of encouragement? It would be too disingenuous to say such things while possessing a powerful body granted by the system. Should he directly advise them to give up? But who doesn't have a dream?

In short, anything Zhang Yuan said seemed inappropriate, so he could only offer a word of encouragement before turning back to continue his own training.

By the time everything was over, it was late at night. The light of Selûne, the Silver Moon, quietly flowed across the land. Everyone gathered in the large room prepared by the farmer to rest.

Sitting cross-legged on the rudimentary bed, which was essentially a straw pile with a bedsheet laid on top, Zhang Yuan began preparing spells for the next day.

Thinking that their itinerary for tomorrow would likely take them through the farmstead infested with Digging Worms, Zhang Yuan felt it necessary to choose a targeted spell. Mage Armor would still be essential; without enchanted robes, it was his last line of defense.

As for the other spell slot, Grease, which he currently had memorized, was clearly unsuitable for dealing with these large worms that burrowed freely underground. The other offensive spells he knew would likely be mere tickles against the thick shells of the Digging Worms.

So, there was only one choice: Burning Hands. Although its damage was only at the level of a first-level spell, its fire damage might have a special effect against insects or their acidic or poisonous secretions. Perhaps, probably...

The next morning, just as the sun peeked over the horizon and the night's frost had yet to dissipate from the ground, the entire team packed their belongings and set off again.

The roadsides as they continued their journey were even more barren and desolate than the previous day. Most of the farmsteads in the wilderness had been abandoned. Recalling the rumors about the Digging Worm plague that had been heard a month ago, the lurking danger had already revealed a corner of itself.

Zhang Yuan, feeling a bit perplexed, walked up to his captain. "Didn't we already receive news about the Digging Worm plague before? After so much time has passed, has no one come to resolve it?"

Skar could only shake his head helplessly. "Discovering a problem and then solving it; if things were as simple as you say, that would be great. Whether to dispatch troops requires a decision from the city hall and the council, and who specifically will carry it out is also debated. Furthermore, clearing out these large worms involves the demands of the Druids in the region. In short, it's troublesome."

"Even this mineral transport mission – if the minerals hadn't been plundered on the previous few occasions, causing the Seven Suns Merchant Alliance, managed by Grand Duke Belth, and its other partners to suffer heavy losses, the nobles in Baldur's Gate wouldn't have been so eager to send us out."

"I see," Zhang Yuan finally understood the cause and effect of the matter.

After proceeding for about a quarter of an hour, the ranger in charge of scouting returned with a report. "Captain, we found this on the side of the road ahead."

Saying this, he took out a small bag and opened it. Inside were what looked like mud balls, which smelled of a strange earthy odor.

Looking at the items, Zhang Yuan suddenly had a bad premonition. As expected, the scout's words confirmed his premonition. "This is Digging Worm feces, and it hasn't dried and clumped. There are definitely these large worms burrowing underground in this area."

Since they knew of the enemy's existence in advance, the experienced mercenary team remained calm and systematically prepared to face the threat.

All members spread out, maintaining a distance of at least five meters from each other, constantly vigilant for movement beneath their feet. They tried to switch to weapons like spears and battle axes, which were piercing or heavy weapons.

These tactics were not baseless but were lessons written in blood. For example, a dispersed formation was like an open target for monsters like the Digging Worms, which could suddenly emerge from underground to attack and spew large amounts of acid. The only effect short swords and curved sabers would have on the tough worm shells was probably just grooming their feet.

They walked with such high vigilance for a while, but it was calm and uneventful. Although they breathed a slight sigh of relief, no one dared to let down their guard. Their vigilance could not be lifted until they were out of the danger zone.

As it turned out, the Flaming Fist team's caution was not in vain. While passing through a patch of woods, several keen-sensed rangers detected slight tremors and faint rustling sounds beneath their feet.

"Watch your footing!" A shrill cry suddenly tore through the tranquil air.