Chapter 41: Underground Kingdom

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

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

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

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

He stood on a rock and looked around.

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

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

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

To begin, a thorough analysis was required.

Firstly, 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.

Secondly, 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.

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

He did not know.

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

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

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

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

Ji 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.

“Lead the way.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 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.

They soon discovered something.

Several 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.

Ji Chen was delighted.

Since 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.

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

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

While 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.

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

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

“Croak!”

It meant:

“There’s a trap.”

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

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

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

In 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.

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

After 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.

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

Ji Chen instinctively knew that his decision had been correct.

Without any hesitation, he swiftly led his army towards the target, preparing to launch an attack.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Following 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.

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

Seizing 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.

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

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

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

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

It 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.

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

However, 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.

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

Observing 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.

By 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.

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

However, it aligned perfectly with his intentions.

His 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.

While 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.

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

Each 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.

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

The caves held unknown quantities of valuable resources.

However, what caught Ji Chen off guard was…

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