“Block the door! Don’t let them in!”
“Watch out! It’s Poison Mushrooms! Don’t breathe in the spores! Cough, cough...”
“On the left! More are coming from the left! Forest Wolverines!”
Chaotic shouting mixed with sporadic screams woke Bai Xuan up completely.
A monster attack? At a guarded post house like this?
He rolled out of bed, grabbed his Goldsand Iron rod and the white robe draped over the chair, and quickly pulled open the door.
In the hallway, a young man dressed as a post house attendant was running up from the stairs, his face pale. He nearly collided with Bai Xuan.
“Gu—Guest! Downstairs... there are monsters downstairs! So many! Go back to your room and lock the door!”
The youth shouted incoherently before frantically running to other rooms to knock and sound the alarm.
Bai Xuan didn’t retreat into his room.
He rushed to a small wooden ventilation window at the end of the second-floor hallway and pushed it open with force.
The cold night air rushed in, carrying the now-clearer sounds of battle.
Aided by the torches below and the phosphorescent glow emanating from the monsters, he saw the situation clearly.
The space in front of the post house was enclosed by a wooden fence, and it was currently a scene of utter chaos.
About seven or eight post house guards and the five-man adventurer squad that had arrived today were backed against the main building and parts of the fence, forming a slightly messy but rapidly organizing semi-circular defensive line.
Several monster corpses already lay on the ground—mostly wild dog-like creatures, along with two or three squashed slimes.
The attacking monsters were a mixed bunch.
One type was a purple-black mushroom-like creature about the size of a human head, its cap covered in disgusting, pus-filled boils.
They moved slowly, crawling on short, mycelial legs, but they were extremely dangerous.
Every few seconds, the gills of a mushroom monster would flare, and with a “pfft,” it would spray a small cloud of pale purple spore mist.
The mist didn’t spread quickly, but being caught in it or inhaling it led to severe consequences.
A young guard who was a bit too close couldn’t dodge in time and inhaled a small amount. He immediately dropped his weapon, clutched his throat with both hands, and began coughing violently.
Purple-black festering blisters erupted on his exposed skin at a visible rate. He collapsed with a scream and was desperately dragged back by his companions.
Another type was slightly smaller than an ordinary wolf but much stockier and more robust.
Their brownish-gray fur was matted with filth, their snouts were elongated, and their mouths were full of yellow-black fangs dripping with saliva.
They moved swiftly and without fear, pouncing on the defensive line in groups of three to five, using their sharp claws and teeth to tear at the defenders.
One adventurer let his guard down for a moment, and a bloody gash was torn into his leather-armored thigh.
Additionally, there were a few scattered creatures that looked like oversized slugs.
Bai Xuan focused his mental energy to inspect them:
【Poison Mushroom Monster Lv.1 (Awakened)】
【Status: Panicked】
【Health: 19/21】
【Mana: 15/20】
【Forest Wolverine Lv.2 (Awakened)】
【Status: Panicked】
【Health: 75/90】
【Mana: 8/20】
Their levels weren’t high, but there were quite a few of them—at least a hundred at a glance.
Although the monsters lacked unified command, their numbers and ferocity put immense pressure on the defensive line.
The humans were clearly ill-prepared. The initial panic had prevented two post house workers on the perimeter from retreating in time, and they died brutally under the wolverines’ fangs.
However, the chaos was quickly suppressed, primarily thanks to the leader of the adventurer squad.
“Simon, get up there! ‘Hold Ground’!” the captain roared.
The tallest man in the group, holding an iron-rimmed wooden shield, gave a low grunt as a layer of yellow light shimmered on the shield’s surface.
He slammed a foot forward and planted the shield heavily onto the ground.
【Hold Ground】: Briefly increases the defense and knockback resistance of friendly units within a small radius around the user.
Two guards who had been wobbling under the wolverines’ assault immediately felt much steadier on their feet, just barely managing to withstand the pouncing attacks.
“Lily, clear those Poison Mushrooms! Don’t let the spores spread!” the captain continued to direct.
The only female member of the squad responded.
She shifted a few steps to the side, avoiding the front line, and pointed her rapier at the nearest cluster of Poison Mushroom Monsters. “Wind Pierce!”
Her wrist flicked rapidly, and the rapier transformed into several cold flashes of light. It was so fast it left afterimages in the air, piercing straight through the core caps of three or four mushroom monsters.
The pierced mushroom monsters let out strange “kee” sounds, puffed out one last small cloud of spores, and then went limp.
“Karl, block the wolverine pack on the right! ‘Cleave’!”
The man named Karl was a burly fellow wielding a two-handed battle-axe. He roared as he swung the axe in a wide circle, a faint red glow flowing over the blade.
The battle-axe traced a fierce semicircular arc, violently sending three wolverines attempting to break in from the side flying. One was even sliced in half, its entrails spilling everywhere.
The powerful force temporarily cleared a small area.
The scar-faced captain himself held a broad-bladed longsword. His swordsmanship was steady and ruthless, frequently bailing out his teammates at critical moments or finishing off any monsters that slipped through the cracks.
His combat experience was clearly extensive; he always seemed to appear wherever the defensive line was most strained.
Under their lead and direction, the post house guards also quickly found their rhythm.
Some lit spare torches, waving them to disperse the drifting spore mist. Fire seemed to have a miraculous effect on the spores; the mist vanished with a “sizzle” upon contact with the flames.
Others brought over empty ale barrels and crates, stacking them at gaps in the fence to form crude barricades.
Two archers stood on higher ground, loosely firing arrows toward the rear of the monster pack in an attempt to harass them.
The battle fell into a brief stalemate.
The monsters had the advantage in numbers, and the persistent threat of the Poison Mushroom Monsters made the humans hesitant to push forward.
The humans, on the other hand, relied on their higher levels, superior organization, equipment, and skills to firmly hold the core area in front of the post house gates, gradually wearing down the monsters’ numbers.
Bai Xuan watched with fascination from the second-floor window.
This was the first time he had observed team combat in this world from such a close distance.
Bai Xuan’s grip on the iron rod loosened slightly; the situation seemed to be under control.
“It’s a shame I can’t gain experience. Otherwise, I’d definitely go down and snag some.”
He mused, “But is this adventurer squad accepting a temporary commission from the post house?”
“If I had the status of an adventurer, could I also accept commissions?”
After some thought, he decided not to get involved for now and to just keep watching.
The battle continued for about another fifteen minutes.
After the adventurer squad rotated their skills a few more times and coordinated with the guards to clear most of the Poison Mushroom Monsters using fire, the monster pack’s offensive significantly weakened.
More than half of the wolverines were dead or wounded, and the survivors began to show signs of hesitation.
“Counterattack! Drive them out!” Seeing the opportunity, the scar-faced captain swung his longsword and charged out first.
The adventurer members and the guards, their morale boosted, launched a counter-charge, completely routing the remaining monsters.
When the final wolverine’s howl faded into the forest, the space in front of the post house was left in a state of ruin, filled with the heavy scent of blood.
The human side had also paid a price: two workers were dead, and several others were injured, including the guard who had been severely poisoned.
Bai Xuan slowly stood up from beneath the window, gently stretching his body, which had become a bit stiff from maintaining one position for so long.
This battle had given him a direct understanding of how adventurers fought and the importance of teamwork.
Confirming that the danger had passed, he straightened his somewhat messy white robe, put away his iron rod, and calmly walked down the stairs.
Rate on N.U.
