Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Vulnerable
The six Skeleton Warriors weren’t there to attack, but to pin down the Bear Goblin. They swarmed it, grabbing its arms and legs, blocking its face, and gouging at its eyes—using every dirty trick imaginable. For the Undead, there was no such thing as morality. Winning was all that mattered.
The Bear Goblin hadn’t anticipated this kind of tactic. Caught off guard, it was tackled to the ground by the six Skeleton Undead. It thrashed violently, letting out furious roars. Just as it managed to struggle back to its feet, the two Skeleton Warriors clinging to its legs raised their Bone Sabers and stabbed down viciously.
"AARRRGGHH~~~~"
The Bone Sabers pierced through the tops of its feet and came out the soles. The pain made the Bear Goblin’s roar quaver. Seizing the opportunity, the other Skeleton Warriors immediately forced it back to the ground. Seeing its chance, the High Level Skeleton Warrior took a running start and leaped high into the air. It gripped its Bone Saber with both hands, aimed the tip at the Bear Goblin’s throat, and plummeted downward.
THUNK!
The Bone Saber sank in, buried to the hilt. The Bear Goblin’s Power suddenly surged, flinging the Skeleton Warriors pinning it down. It struggled to stand, but its strength was draining away rapidly. It got halfway to its feet before its body crashed heavily to the ground.
A few Skeleton Warriors climbed up from the ground. Sensing the Bear Goblin’s life force was fading rapidly, they walked over, pulled their blood-stained Bone Sabers from the corpse, and turned to look at the stunned goblins.
’The Bear Goblin is dead?’
’The all-powerful Bear Goblin... was actually killed!’
The goblins’ eyes bulged, their mouths hanging slightly open. Then, reality hit. They let out terrified screams and turned to flee.
They had witnessed the Bear Goblin’s death from start to finish, but the goblins in the rear hadn’t seen it and were still pushing forward. This meant the goblins at the back couldn’t get through, and the ones at the front couldn’t retreat. The two groups were jammed together, and they even started attacking one another in the chaos.
The High Level Skeleton Warrior silently raised its Bone Saber and advanced on the enemy. The Skeleton Undead opened their maws to unleash a Soul Roar and surged forward for the kill.
The same scene was playing out all over the battlefield. Wherever a Bear Goblin appeared, a squad of Skeleton Warriors would materialize to kill it by any means necessary, then lead the Skeleton Undead in a renewed assault.
Far from the battlefield, the Goblin Leader sat atop his sedan chair, feeling a strange sense of unease. He observed the battlefield carefully, his expression growing darker by the second as dread washed over him.
He saw the Bear Goblins he relied on so heavily fall, but this time, they weren’t getting back up. A white tide of skeletons rolled on, crashing relentlessly against the goblins, and his great goblin army was dwindling at an alarming rate.
"Retreat! Retreat now!" Without a moment’s hesitation, the Goblin Leader ducked his head and shrieked at the goblins carrying his sedan chair.
The reason he had become the Goblin Leader, amassed hundreds of goblins, and even commanded Bear Goblins and Goblin Cavalry wasn’t his superior combat prowess. It was because he was smart and knew how to read a situation.
’This scene proves it—the Bear Goblins have been defeated. They were my strongest fighters! If even they’re dead, how could the other goblins possibly win? Of course I have to run. Am I supposed to stay here and die with those worthless grunts?’
’What’s that? You say those are my people?’
’Bullshit! They aren’t my people. What people? When it’s life or death, my own life is all that matters!’
The Goblin Leader couldn’t care less about the fate of the goblins fighting the Undead at the front. As long as he got away, he knew he’d have a chance to round up another batch of goblins later. They were idiots. All he had to do was spin them a few lies, and they would follow him around like puppies. He could go right back to living the good life.
At the Goblin Leader’s urging, the goblins carrying the sedan chair scrambled to turn around. In their panic, they moved out of sync, causing the chair to sway and lurch violently. The Goblin Leader, unable to keep his seat, tumbled out and crashed onto the ground.
"Ow! You idiots! Are you trying to get me killed? Huh? Wait! Where are you going? Come back! I’m not on yet! Come back!"
The Goblin Leader, dazed from the fall, lifted his head, muttering curses. Only then did he realize that those idiots had taken off with the empty sedan chair, completely ignoring him.
He let out another curse, glanced back at the battlefield where the rout was in full swing, and scrambled to his feet. He began to run for his life, pumping his short little legs, but after just a few steps, he was already gasping for breath.
Ever since becoming the leader, he had abandoned his old way of life. He spent his days eating, drinking, and bossing others around. He had far more flab than any other goblin and had long since lost their characteristic nimbleness. Forget running; even walking a few steps left him exhausted.
He was used to his sedan chair; he just had to give an order to be taken anywhere. He never imagined those fools would actually abandon him and run. He wanted to grit his teeth and flee for his life, but his body simply wouldn’t cooperate.
Faintly, he heard the chaotic din of the goblins—shrieks of terror, pleas for mercy, and agonized howls all mixed together. The sounds were getting closer.
That meant his men were being routed faster than he’d imagined. The Goblin Leader gritted his teeth and tried to pick up the pace, but all the flab on his body made it impossible. His belly practically dragged on the ground. After just a few more steps, he was bent over with his hands on his knees, wheezing heavily, feeling as though he had a giant stone tied to his body.
A figure flashed past him. He glanced up to see a goblin in a grass skirt, arms flailing wildly as it shrieked in terror.
’A goblin?’
The leader froze. His neck turned stiffly, as if it were rusted. More goblins were surging toward him. They were fleeing, and with far more speed than they ever showed in a Charge!
"No! No! Stay away from me!"
The leader shrieked, but the goblins, already scared witless by the Undead, were in no mood to pay him any mind. They swarmed past him like a tide. Several goblins collided with his obese body, sending him tumbling head over heels.
The thunder of chaotic footsteps and panicked cries filled his ears. The Goblin Leader clutched his head and screamed.
RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE...
A strange sound echoed beside him. The Goblin Leader slowly moved the hands covering his head and rolled his eyes upward to look.
The sight nearly made him pass out. It was a Skeleton, with eerie blue flames burning within its skull. It held a Shield in one hand and a Sword in the other, and was even clad in a suit of bone armor. It was staring down at him silently.
The Skeleton tilted its head, as if in thought, then lunged.
"Ah—"
The High Level Skeleton Warrior slowly rose to its feet. Gripping the goblin’s head with one hand, it forcefully yanked its Bone Saber free with the other. Dragging the corpse, it turned and began to walk back, as more Skeleton Warriors fell in step behind it.
Chasing down the fleeing enemy was not their concern. The City Lord’s order had been to eliminate the bigger targets. They had completed their mission. Now, they needed to return and report. They had to protect the City Lord and prevent the enemy from launching a sneak attack on their base.
"Tsk. Pathetically weak."
Watching the Skeleton Undead hunt down the goblins outside, Li Ziyu clicked his tongue. He lost all interest in the one-sided slaughter, returned to his White Bone Throne, and sat down to wait for his loot.
