Chapter 97: Saiwen

“What on earth did you summon!”

If Lvqi weren’t an ally right now, he would have fled from this disgusting old man immediately. That dog-like Goblin was truly nauseating.

“Don’t underestimate it. This little thing doesn’t just track scents—it sniffs out Magic Power. The Magic Power of you Elves can’t escape its nose.

If we follow it, we’ll find those Forest Elves.”

Seeing Zhai Guangyi’s look of disdain, Lvqi raised an eyebrow contemptuously. This was his latest masterpiece—clearly, this guy had no appreciation for it.

The Humans here were barely holding their ground against that Goblin Legion. Left alone, they’d likely be wiped out soon. He wondered if the Magical Beasts he’d teleported into the city through his True Body were in danger, as they hadn’t come to support the Castle yet.

As for Hong Ren, still fighting on the Castle’s top platform, Lvqi said not to worry about him. Hong Ren disliked being interrupted during evenly matched battles, so Zhai Guangyi naturally saw no reason to offer support.

From his recent interactions with Xiong Da, Zhai Guangyi had also heard some stories about Hong Ren. If his one-on-one fights were interrupted on the battlefield, he’d get so angry he’d even attack his own allies. With that in mind, there was no need to invite trouble.

Following the green Goblin dog—a four-legged creature dragging a large belly on its skinny frame—Zhai Guangyi and his group began making their way toward the bottom of the Castle.

Xiong Da’s exhaustion was immense. Zhai Guangyi had considered using Fruit-bearing to create a Magic fruit to help him recover, but fearing Xiong Da might recognize his True Body, he dismissed the idea. That Elf’s head could bear fruit, after all.

Still, Zhai Guangyi’s strength remained considerable. Carrying Xiong Da was no trouble at all, though the sight of his small Elf body—dressed in a light blue Long Dress—lifting the tall Xiong Da was somewhat peculiar.

“Thank you. I’m a bit sleepy.”

Xiong Da leaned on Zhai Guangyi’s shoulder. Honestly, this body was too small—his own head was larger than Zhai Guangyi’s shoulder—but he truly had no energy left. His head felt dizzy, having overused his Special Skill.

Resting against Zhai Guangyi’s back, he found it fragrant and warm, and he drifted off to sleep peacefully.

“It’s fine. Get some rest.”

Holding the Flying Staff in one hand and supporting Xiong Da with the other, Zhai Guangyi followed behind Lvqi, avoiding any sight of that strange dog.

Soon, they encountered Xiong Batian and the Former Black Bear Race Clan Leader, who were on their way back to offer support, followed by a group of Magical Beasts.

Delighted to see Xiong Batian, Zhai Guangyi handed Xiong Da over to her. Flying while carrying a large man was indeed uncomfortable, and with Xiong Da unconscious, it made more sense for his own mother to take care of him rather than a Mage like himself.

Xiong Batian naturally slung Xiong Da over her shoulder like a sack, holding an ornate longsword in her other hand. Zhai Guangyi immediately recognized it as Seta’s Purple Quality Equipment. It seemed Seta had been dealt with by Xiong Batian, leaving only Rui Jielude as the city’s remaining high-tier combatant on the rooftop. He trusted Hong Ren could handle him alone.

“The Humans above are mostly dealt with. Let’s follow that disgusting dog and find the Forest Elves.”

The former Black Bear Race Clan Leader, who had been brimming with excitement moments before, now felt a deep sense of disappointment. He had thought a fierce battle awaited him, only to find he was merely here to clear out some minor foes. He wondered if such meager achievements would be enough to earn a Blessing from the Lord Divine Tree.

The scene at the castle gate was even more shocking to Zhai Guangyi. Although the System’s prompts had been echoing in his mind, he never expected to see a mountain of corpses piled outside. Blood mixed with rainwater, staining the entire ground a dark crimson.

How many soldiers had rushed to reinforce the castle only to die at the hands of Zhai Guangyi’s Followers? After all, the powerful fighters had been deployed inside the castle, while large numbers of soldiers were stationed on the outer city walls, leaving the city’s interior relatively vulnerable.

Batch after batch of soldiers who had rushed from the outer city to provide support had perished in this torrential downpour. Now, it seemed the pile of bodies had grown so large that many soldiers hesitated, choosing to preserve their own lives rather than march to certain death.

Mark, who clearly understood the disparity in strength, had wisely chosen to hide in his home instead of joining the fight. It was a sensible decision; otherwise, he too would have been part of that mountain of corpses.

Following the wolf-dog Goblin, even in this heavy rain, it led the group forward without hesitation, arriving at a winery next to the castle.

This winery was extremely well-hidden. Without careful observation, one would hardly notice its existence. The wolf-dog Goblin stopped at the winery’s entrance, emitting sharp, piercing barks.

It was indeed strange that Seta had placed the Forest Elf here instead of inside the castle.

“Hmm? There’s a Defensive Magic set up here.”

Lvqi had just raised his hand to push open the door when, as a Demigod Mage, he instantly sensed something amiss. However, to him, this kind of Defensive Magic was child’s play.

Lvqi summoned a Thief Goblin and ordered it to open the door. The Thief Goblin obeyed Lvqi without question. The main door was layered with many Restrictions; forcing entry would have unpleasant consequences for everyone.

The Thief Class possessed Skills for dismantling Defensive Magic Arrays. Although the Thief profession might not sound particularly respectable, it held a crucial position within an adventuring party.

Thief Skills were quite varied, many leaning toward support and puzzle-solving. Not only did they require extensive knowledge of trap disarming, but they also bore responsibility for the party’s logistical support. Essentially, a Thief was an indispensable member of any adventuring team.

The Thief Goblin soon had the winery door open. Inside, a faint flicker of firelight illuminated the space. An elderly man, well past sixty, sat at the winery’s bar, leisurely reading a newspaper. Hearing the door open, he slowly turned to look at the group.

Upon seeing the leading Goblin and the horde of Magical Beasts behind it, he immediately collapsed to his knees, trembling.

“H-how did you get in?!”

The Defensive Magic inside the winery hadn’t activated; not even a barrier had been raised. The old man at the bar was startled, but then it dawned on him: this must be trouble caused by the Forest Elf brought by City Lord Seta, the Honored One.

His own question just now had been utterly foolish.

“Don’t kill me, don’t kill me! I’m just the gatekeeper. I’ll show you the way.”

Zhai Guangyi didn’t let his guard down either. He used Appraisal on the little old man.

Although this old fellow looked quite cowardly, his strength was not weak at all. Saiwen was Level 55, with decent Basic Attributes—it was just that he was a bit old. How could he be so obedient?

“With your strength, aren’t you going to resist?”

“No, no. At my age, I still want to live a few more years. You’re here to rescue those Forest Elves, right? They’re all fine.”

Saiwen immediately noticed Zhai Guangyi, who had spoken—a very beautiful Forest Elf. Judging by his demeanor, he must hold a relatively high position, and with so many powerful Demon Humans surrounding him, he surely held no low status.