Golden beams of light pierced through the layers of treetops, casting shifting patches of sunlight across the leaf-strewn forest floor.
The air was crisp and clean, fragrant with soil and plants. Clear birdsong echoed through the woods, filling this forest—which had been gloomy just yesterday—with life once more.
He Xi basked in the warm morning light and contentedly narrowed his eyes.
Though they were in a wilderness fraught with danger, he had unexpectedly slept well.
He had to thank Captain Hulk's sensible arrangements. Staggering Belt's rest time from the others had been a clever decision.
On a sturdy fir tree not far away, Laila knelt on one knee among the branches.
A faint glimmer shone in her eyes as she used [Eagle Eye Technique] to observe the scene ahead.
A few minutes later, a slight dizziness washed over her. She shook her head, her face a little pale.
The spell clearly took a considerable toll on her.
Fortunately, she had gathered all the information they needed.
Though the branch was only a few meters off the ground, she didn't leap down as she had before.
Instead, she carefully slid down along the trunk.
"Captain, it's the same location marked on the commission. The goblins are in the ruins up ahead."
"From what I could see through the spell, the ruins have roughly two levels. There are twenty-two goblins within sight, but I can't tell whether more are hiding in blind spots or beneath the ruins."
"From what I observed, they're all ordinary goblins. I haven't spotted any other goblin variants."
"Is there a clear entrance to the ruins?"
"Yes. There are crumbling stone walls all around, but they're still mostly intact. It won't be easy to sneak in unnoticed. Are there goblins at the entrance?"
"Two. They're dozing."
Hulk's eyes