Goblin Encirclement

He Xi's gaze locked onto the eerie mud doll swaying in the wind atop the bell tower.

Based on his observations while taking a detour earlier, the boundary of the silent zone formed a distinct arc.

If this was a massive, circular silent field, then its center... was most likely the bell tower where the mud doll hung!

He was certain in his heart: "That thing is almost certainly the source of the town's silence! It must be destroyed."

He Xi explained his thoughts to Baron Ul, then raised his hand, a steady white light illuminating his fingertip: "[Light Spell] consumes very little magic and can be used to clear a path. We'll push directly towards the bell tower."

"If Captain Kadan sees the light, especially if we're heading towards the bell tower, he should understand our intentions! Even if he can't respond, as long as we can lift the silence, we can rally the townsfolk again."

Baron Ul looked at the light on He Xi's fingertip, then gazed into the depths of the dead silent town, a flicker of resolve in his eyes.

"Good!" he nodded heavily, gripping his longsword. "We'll do as you say! Form ranks! Protect He Xi."

"Yes, Lord!" The guards responded in unison, quickly adjusting their formation to shield He Xi in the center.

Bruce pressed close to He Xi's leg, ears pricked alertly, his nose twitching constantly.

The group no longer tried to force their way through from the north. Instead, they skirted the western edge of the town, searching for areas with fewer Goblins.

Soon, they found an opening.

A few lone Goblins spotted them and immediately charged forward, brandishing their tattered weapons.

He Xi didn't waste magic casting [Light Spell]. There were too few of them, not worth the effort, and it would only attract more Goblins from the surroundings.

Baron Ul and the guards' swords flashed, their spears thrusting!

"Thwack!"

"Crack!"

Several Goblins were instantly cut down, their green blood splashing onto the dirt.

The group quickly pushed into the town.

The moment they stepped into the silent zone, the world plunged into utter stillness.

Footsteps and breathing sounds vanished instantly.

Only the thrumming sensation of their hearts pounding in their chests remained.

The further they ventured into the town, the more intense the stench of blood and rot became, almost suffocating.

Under the moonlight, dark red bloodstains smeared the ground.

Some houses had their doors and windows violently smashed open, their interiors in disarray. Broken pottery and overturned carts lay scattered by the roadside... there were even a few mangled corpses.

He Xi felt his stomach churn, his breathing involuntarily deepening. But in the absolute silence, he could only feel the rise and fall of his own chest.

Bruce whimpered silently in his throat, while Baron Ul's face was ashen.

They proceeded cautiously along the town's main road.

Suddenly!

A young guard in the group's eyes widened dramatically as he stared fixedly at a house by the roadside whose door had been smashed open—it was his home!

His face instantly lost all color, and he lunged forward without a second thought!

"Stop him," Baron Ul shouted, but no sound came out. He reached out to grab the guard, but was a step too late!

The guard had already rushed into the house!

Nearby Goblins were immediately alerted!

Several pairs of cloudy yellow eyes turned towards them in unison, snarling silently and brandishing their weapons as they closed in!

"Damn it!" Baron Ul cursed inwardly, but his movements were not slow at all!

"Kill!" he roared silently, charging forward first!

The guards formed a tight formation, their spears thrusting, their blades slashing! He Xi immediately cooperated.

[Light Spell]

A ball of white light exploded amidst the Goblin horde.

Several Goblins screamed, clutching their eyes and dropping their weapons.

The battle proceeded in silence. Relying on their superior equipment and combat skills, along with He Xi's precise [Light Spell] support, these dozen or so Goblins were quickly eliminated.

But the guard who had rushed into the house... never came out.

He Xi and Baron Ul exchanged a look, seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.

Bruce bared his teeth at the house.

He Xi nodded.

Baron Ul made a gesture, and the others immediately gathered around, cautiously approaching the house that emanated an even stronger scent of blood.

He Xi's fingertip light-orb floated into the house first.

In the light, they saw a leg clad in a guard's leather boot, extending from the inner doorway, hanging limply onto the ground.

It was that young guard who rushed in!

He Xi's heart sank.

He raised his hand again and cast a [Light Spell] directly into the inner room!

The moment the light illuminated the inner room!

From the shadows on both sides of the inner room's doorway, several goblins that had been lying in ambush suddenly sprang out. They were clearly blinded by the sudden intense light and were rubbing their eyes in pain.

The guards reacted extremely quickly.

Several spears accurately pinned the ambushing goblins to the wall.

He Xi and Baron Ul rushed into the inner room.

The sight before them made everyone's eyes split with rage.

The young guard lay on the ground, his upper body... mangled beyond recognition, a bloody mess.

Several goblin corpses lay beside him, still clutching scraps of flesh in their mouths.

The team continued to advance towards the bell tower.

The closer they got to the town center, the more the number of goblins increased.

He Xi no longer held back his magic.

[Light Spell]

[Light Spell]

[Light Spell]

Balls of dazzling white light exploded continuously in front and on the flanks like signal flares.

The goblins were disoriented by the flashes, their mouths agape, in utter chaos.

Baron Ul and the guards acted like a meat grinder, carving a bloody path through the chaotic goblin horde.

Bruce was also exceptionally brave, using his agile movements to target the goblins' ankles and the backs of their legs, cooperating with the guards to trip them and bite them.

They entered an alley leading to the bell tower square.

The silhouette of the bell tower became clearer and clearer in their vision!

Hope seemed to be within reach!

However!

Just as they were still dozens of meters away from the bell tower square, a sudden change occurred!

A hunched figure, clearly taller than the other goblins, appeared in the middle of the road!

It stood about 1.5 meters tall, its skin a sickly purplish-red, covered in wrinkles and dark spots.

It wore a ferocious mask made from a beast's skull, and its hollow eye sockets flickered with two points of eerie green light.

In its hand, it held a wooden staff entwined with vines and bone ornaments.

Was this the spellcaster?

Looked like a Shaman?

He Xi's internal alarm bells went off!

The Shaman's cloudy eyes swept over He Xi and the others, finally landing on the light at He Xi's fingertips, a flicker of apprehension and anger flashing within them.

It raised its bone staff, chanting words, and slammed the staff hard onto the ground.

An invisible wave spread out.

The goblins around, who had been cowering slightly from the [Light Spell], suddenly stiffened.

Immediately, their murky yellow eyeballs turned completely crimson.

All the goblins went berserk!

They charged towards He Xi and the others like they had no fear of death.

Their speed was far beyond before.

Baron Ul's longsword turned into a cold gleam, instantly cleaving two of the charging, berserk goblins.

But more goblins pounced like mad dogs!

The guards' pressure increased dramatically!

A spear pierced a goblin's chest, yet the goblin seemed to feel no pain, its crimson eyes fixed on the guard as it used its last strength to hurl its stone axe!

"Pfft!"

A guard's shoulder was struck by the stone axe, and he staggered back.

A gap instantly appeared in the defense line!

More berserk goblins poured through the gap!

Bruce barked soundlessly and lunged at a Goblin that was trying to ambush He Xi, knocking it to the ground.

[Light Spell]

[Light Spell]

He Xi frantically cast spells.

But as a white light flashed, the berserk Goblins that were hit by the flash only paused slightly before charging forward again.

The bright light had greatly reduced its effect on them.

The Goblins around them, like sharks smelling blood, poured out from every alley entrance and joined the encirclement.

They were surrounded!