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nChapter 41: Underground Kingdom

nTranslator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

nThe next day, Ji Chen led the entire army and rushed to the location where they had encountered the Kobold hunting squad.

nHe planned to follow the river to the mountains to find the Kobold’s nest.

nAs the terrain gradually became higher, the field of vision also became wider.

nHe stood on a rock and looked around.

nBeneath his feet was a lush forest, and behind him was a boundless ocean.

nFrom this height, he could see merchant ships docked on the east side of the main island.

nJi Chen looked at the mountainous area with jagged rocks and lush trees to the north, wondering where the Kobold’s nest would be.

n…..

nTo begin, a thorough analysis was required.

nFirstly, it became apparent that water was an essential element for the sustenance of most creatures, including the Kobolds. Thus, in order to support their population, it was necessary for the Kobold nest to be situated near a water source such as a river or a pool.

nSecondly, the survival of such a large-scale group depended on access to an abundant food supply. Therefore, it could be inferred that the location of the nest would not be far from a reliable food source.

nAfter carefully considering and listing these conditions, a clear outcome emerged.

nHe did not know.

nThere were countless places in the entire mountainous region that met these conditions.

nDetermining the specific water sources within the vast mountain area proved to be challenging, making it impossible to come to a conclusive decision.

nAdditionally, due to the relatively small size of the main island, identifying the precise location of the food source posed an even greater difficulty.

nAs analysis yielded no results, there was only one course of action left.

nJi Chen turned his gaze towards the native beside him, who happened to be one of the few individuals in their tribe who had discovered the cave where the Kobolds resided.

n“Lead the way.”

nThis native possessed knowledge of the cave’s entrance and would now guide the way. Without uttering a word, the native silently took the lead.

nThey quickly passed through a forest and came to an ordinary cliff.

nThe native pointed at the vines on the cliff. “There’s an entrance to the cave inside.”

nJi Chen nodded and gestured for the Murloc to come forward.

nWith wild strikes of the Murloc’s pitchfork, the vines were forcefully torn apart, revealing an ominous dark cave.

nThe cave inclined downward and was enveloped in darkness, its depths shrouded from view.

nAs he gestured, the Murlocs led the way, venturing into the cave.

nThey were followed by the pirates and sea pixies, who illuminated the surroundings with their torches.

nSoon, Ji Chen, Alice, and the natives found themselves encircled by Naga warriors.

nUpon entering the cave, an instant wave of coolness washed over Ji Chen, creating a stark contrast to the outside temperature.

nThe cave exuded a high level of humidity, and water droplets continuously dripped from the rocky walls, pooling on the ground and transforming it into muddy terrain.

nThey soon discovered something.

nSeveral meters away from the cave entrance, on the muddy ground, a fresh set of Kobold footprints caught their attention. These footprints extended all the way into the depths of the cave, indicating recent Kobold activity.

nJi Chen was delighted.

nSince there were relatively new Kobold footprints here, it meant that there were Kobolds coming in and out of this entrance recently. In other words, this entrance was likely to lead to the Kobold’s nest in the depths of the cave.

nWith this discovery, they didn’t waste any time and immediately went deeper.

nJi Chen was also constantly paying attention to the changes in the Omniscience map.

nWhile the map had a horizontal detection range of 1 kilometer, its vertical detection capabilities were limited, spanning only about 10 meters both above and below.

nConsequently, in areas with intricate terrain, it was possible that the approaching Kobolds might not be detected by the map.

nAfter walking down for dozens of meters, the Murloc in front suddenly stopped and gave an early warning.

n“Croak!”

nIt meant:

n“There’s a trap.”

nJi Chen wasn’t surprised. Kobolds weren’t particularly strong, but they were very good at using traps to kill and capture prey.

nTherefore, it was not strange for them to set up some traps outside their nests to defend against the enemy.

nAfter letting the pirates who were more agile destroy the traps, the group continued to move forward.

nIn the next ten minutes or so, they also encountered several traps one after another, but they were all detected by the Murlocs with good night vision and destroyed them one by one.

nThus far, their journey had been devoid of any casualties, yet they had been unable to uncover any traces of the Kobolds.

nAfter covering a distance of approximately two to three hundred meters, they encountered a fork in the path, with options branching off in different directions. Deciding to divide based on gender, he opted for the left path. The group resumed their progress.

nAfter advancing for another two to three hundred meters, a sudden appearance of a red dot at the edge of the map caught their attention.

nJi Chen instinctively knew that his decision had been correct.

nWithout any hesitation, he swiftly led his army towards the target, preparing to launch an attack.

nUpon hearing the commotion, the Kobolds swiftly reacted, growing alert and mobilizing a group to confront the intruders.

nThe two opposing forces soon converged within a cave, with a width of about six to seven meters.

nTrue to the saying, when enemies meet, hostility flares and both sides locked eyes with a ferocious intensity.

nThere was no room for restraint, and the battle erupted instantaneously.

nThe Kobold-headed warriors charged forward, wielding an assortment of obsidian weapons, their furious barks echoing through the air.

nHowever, their advance was met with a barrage of magical attacks. T

nhe newly arrived Sea Pixies brandished their staffs, conjuring water arrows that rained down upon the Kobolds, striking them with precision.

nThe initial impact of the water arrow pierced through the Kobolds’ scales, finding its mark within their flesh.

nFollowing this penetration, the water arrow detonated with explosive force, sending water cascading in all directions. The mixture of water, blood, and minced meat created a macabre scene, staining the already damp cave with a sinister touch.

nMerely the first volley of 14 Explosive Water Arrows resulted in the demise and injury of nearly 20 Kobolds.

nSeizing the opportunity presented by the chaos caused by the water arrows, the Murlocs and pirates at the forefront swiftly surged into the ranks of the enemy.

nThe wave of Kobolds was comparatively small, unable to withstand the onslaught, and was swiftly overwhelmed by the combined might of the Murlocs and pirates.

n“Ding ~ The battle has ended… You have received 200 experience points…”

nWitnessing the lifeless bodies strewn across the ground, Ji Chen’s resolve remained unwavering.

nWith a commanding wave of his hand, he urged his troops to press forward.

nIt was evident that they were heading in the right direction, and by relentlessly pushing deeper into the cave, they would inevitably reach the Kobold nest.

nThe echoes of the battle cry within the cave alerted numerous Kobolds to the intrusion, prompting them to converge in groups.

nHowever, they encountered Ji Chen and his companions, radiating a palpable aura of determination and bloodlust. Without exception, the Kobolds met their demise at their hands.

nAs they advanced, a trail of corpses formed, stretching from the cave entrance to its uncharted depths.

nObserving the Kobolds being defeated one after another, like punching a pack of dogs with no chance of retreat, the remaining Kobolds grew wary. They gathered together, realizing that something was not right.

nBy this point, they had finally grasped the overwhelming power of their invaders. If the situation persisted, it was likely that the Kobolds would face extinction.

nNoticing the dwindling numbers of incoming Kobolds, Ji Chen also vaguely perceived this change.

nHowever, it aligned perfectly with his intentions.

nHis plan was to allow the Kobolds to gather in one place, enabling him to annihilate them in a single decisive strike. With his current military strength, he held a significant advantage over the Kobolds.

nWhile he had no fear of engaging them directly, his concern lay in the possibility of the Kobolds dispersing and attempting to escape. That would require additional effort akin to chasing after mosquitoes.

nThe group had already ventured several meters deep underground. The surrounding caves were dense and intricate, bearing signs of Kobold activity throughout.

nEach cave served a different purpose: some were used for food storage, some for habitation with grass bedding, some for rituals and sacrifices, and others acted as warehouses for their belongings.

nThe Kobolds utilized the natural caves in the vicinity, expanding and developing them into an impressive underground kingdom.

nThe caves held unknown quantities of valuable resources.

n…..

nHowever, what caught Ji Chen off guard was…

nThe surprising revelation was that this underground cave system was connected to a small mineral vein..

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