Thanks to the huge number of new players actively operating near Wolfburg, and Hogg sending his jackals to "stake out territory" in the Filthy Swamp, the once-dangerous marsh seemed to have become safe.
The area stretching south from Wolfburg was especially clear. There were far fewer wandering skeletons—and even fewer crocodiles in the muddy waters.
The jackals didn't just post quests to clear out the undead. Those clever fellows even assigned hunting quests to the tireless players. When it came to fighting, the little players weren't afraid of anyone.
They swept through the dangerous swamp like a storm. Groups of three or five dared to hunt swamp tigers and giant vampire bats, and they fought with real tactics rather than blindly charging in.
Perhaps the change came from the players' participation in the campaign in the Land of Rotting Corpses. They had gained a deeper understanding of how combat worked in this real game.
At any rate, digging traps had become their most common way of fighting in the swamp.
The problem was that the players dug far too many traps and usually didn't bother filling them in after a battle. As a direct result of this bad habit, when Lady Adele's 150-person expedition advanced through the swamp, they had to spare some of their manpower to find and disable traps that were no longer in use, lest someone get hurt while the main group was passing through.
"Thump."
The taut rope was carefully cut. The tree that had been pulled down sprang upright again as its stored energy was released, making a harsh screech. The force was enough to hoist an adult swamp tiger into the air—or even tear out its claws and fangs.
"These guys are pretty good!"
Old Qin watched Digua Shao and Ketchup "clear mines." As