139: Hand-to-hand combat

In the gloomy tomb, nine human bandits either sat on the edges of stone coffins with overturned lids or stood in pairs within the stone chamber.

Most of the Kobolds were forced by them to stay in the narrow passage behind the secret door, occasionally firing cold arrows deeper into the tomb.

"With such a hidden tomb, you can imagine how much treasure is hidden inside!" a burly man said, the flickering torchlight casting constantly shifting shadows on his face.

"But the leader wants us to reach Gorebest for the siege in three days," a young archer said. "Yet, we've already been delayed here for more than half a day."

"I don't believe these bumpkins can hide in there forever!" a man with a sinister expression wiped bloodstains from the grip of his longbow. "Shh! I think I hear movement above... Could it be other Black Claw legions coming to snatch our spoils?"

The white mist surging up the stone steps was faster than his warning.

"How is this mist... I can't see anything!" several people cried out simultaneously. "Ouch... Ah..."

As screams echoed from within the mist, not long after, eight of the nine bandits fell.

Within the mist, Ryan, Edeline, and Miri were harvesting the bandits' lives, while only Koudor was turning around, roughly dismantling the makeshift traps the Kobolds had set at the staircase entrance.

Only one tall, thin bandit, who seemed to be blind, was unaffected by the mist.

He relied on his ability to discern positions by sound, parrying Edeline's throwing dart.

Then, he swiftly fled towards the secret door.

Ryan flicked his wrist, and his Twin Flying Swords pursued the tall, thin man.

"Clang!"

The tall, thin man's longsword blocked one flying sword, but the other pierced his thigh.

"Ouch..."

Enduring the severe pain, the man limped around the corner, his roar echoing in the passage: "Shoot! Shoot! Stupid Kobolds, behind! Shoot arrows into the mist behind!"

A crimson waterfall of flaming arrows poured out, illuminating the stone chamber like a purgatory.

Ryan's back was pressed against the cold, damp rock wall when a warm mass suddenly brushed his knee—a silhouette of obsidian-like fur emerged from the shadows.

"Ryan!"

"Black Little Leopard!" Ryan, leaning against the stone wall, knelt down in surprise and embraced the magical beast. "How are things inside?"

"Two guards and two villagers died today," Black Little Leopard lowered his head, "but we killed more bandits! I killed seven myself!"

"Well done, Black Little Leopard!" Ryan stroked his head. "Can the guards inside still hold the entrance?"

"They're doing well!" Black Little Leopard tilted his head and said, "But their arrows... are almost used up."

Ryan took out three "ammunition shoulder straps" filled with arrows from the Qiankun Ring and secured them on Black Little Leopard. "Black Little Leopard, take these arrows inside to the guards. As long as the bandits dare to show their heads, increase the firepower."

"Okay!" Black Little Leopard, carrying the arrows, stepped into the shadows and vanished.

His Shadow Plane Traversal skill was becoming increasingly proficient.

When the arrow rain from the bend in the passage behind the secret door lessened, Ryan again expanded the mist's area, enveloping the remaining two human bandits and over twenty Kobold archers.

Deprived of their sight, the bandits immediately couldn't shoot in the correct direction, some tripping over each other, others shoving each other.

Miri the priest cast Aid and Bless on Ryan, Edeline, and Koudor.

The three's resilience and endurance were enhanced, increasing each person's maximum and current hit points by 5 for 8 hours.

At the same time, they would also achieve better results when making attack rolls or saving throws.

Then, the three dodged the sporadic arrows still being shot, crouching low as they quickly entered the passage, approaching the bandits around the corner.

The blind bandit seemed to hear their movement, turning his arrow to shoot at the three in the corner ahead.

Ryan promptly activated the "Charm Person" spell on his cloak, casting it at the blind bandit.

"Clang!"

When Koudor blocked that arrow with his buckler, Ryan again activated the remaining two "Charm Person" spells on his cloak, casting them at another human bandit and a slightly larger Kobold.

Once the three enemies were charmed, the manipulated bandit suddenly turned his bow and crossbow, and poisoned arrows successively pierced the eye sockets of his compatriots.

As the huddled bandits massacred each other, Ryan had the other three stand by, while he himself activated the Bloodthirsty Twin Flying Swords mode, and with the cooperation of Dragon King Wind Blade, almost every single sword or both swords simultaneously pierced a Kobold, quickly harvesting the enemies' lives.

When only the three charmed bandits remained on the field, Ryan stopped.

He dispelled the mist and led the others into the passage. "The bandits have all been eliminated by me. Are the people inside okay?"

"The Lord has returned!" Black Little Leopard led the way out of the passage from inside.

The guards inside nervously watched the bend, and the moment they saw me walk out, over a dozen Inferno Fist Guards cheered: "It's the Lord! The Lord has returned to save us!"

The gloomy underground dome trembled with cheers, and the villagers, originally hidden deep within the treasury, surged out like a broken dam.

The lame old man's crutch tapped the blue brick ground, and women holding infants didn't even have time to wipe away their tears. Everyone was shouting the same name with hoarse throats.

Three children squeezed through the crowd, their dust-covered little Hands gripping the folds of Ryan's cloak.

The eyelashes of the smallest girl still held ice crystals—frost flowers from long hours of huddling in the cold underground. "Lord, we thought you didn't want us anymore..."

Ryan knelt on one knee, took out a cloth to wipe the children's faces, and the woolen fabric immediately absorbed three dark water stains.

After a brief reassurance, Ryan instructed the Flame Fist to go into the passage and tie up the remaining three bandits for custody.

He then sent people to the surface to find some wooden pillars and fabric to set up a simple Wizard Shack on the spot in what was formerly Ellie's study.

At this time, Ryan, having undergone urgent training by Tyrantier, drew magic runes faster and with better results.

The small Wizard Shack was inscribed with more magic absorption runes by Ryan.

Magical light gradually illuminated it like a star chart.

During the three hours waiting for the system to assimilate this Wizard Shack, Ryan and the other four professionals ate the food enthusiastically prepared by the villagers, then rested and busied themselves.

Miri the priest was treating the injured Inferno Fist Guards and villagers.

Ryan instructed the village chief that the nearby area was not peaceful these days, telling him to lead everyone to hide in the strongholds until spring, then return to the surface to start planting.

Once the teleportation gate in the study was built, he would send Dragon King to check regularly, and if an irresistible crisis occurred, he would send people to provide support.

He then left a good supply of arrows and healing potions for the guard team.

The two Anm Trade Companies encountered at the village entrance had just entered the village, and the Inferno Fist Guards brought their managers to see Ryan.

Ryan explained the general situation of Gorebest to the two, then bought almost all their goods with refined salt and gold coins.

He also informed them that Gorebest now had a permanent mall, so they no longer had to wait until the Midwinter Festival to trade at temporary markets; they could go to the Black Panther Mall for procurement and sales anytime, as it was open 365 days a year.

Three hours passed quickly, and Ryan found that just today, his lordly prestige had increased significantly.

Then, with the respectful farewells of Chief Hand and Eileen Village's Inferno Fist Guard Captain Titan Evonwood, Ryan and the other five, escorting the three bandits, stepped into the glowing teleportation gate within the Wizard Shack.

One step later, the eight returned to the Mage Tower in Gorebest.

Except for Ryan, the other four felt a wave of dizziness, but fortunately, the adventurers' physical constitutions were relatively strong.

In the hall, in front of the teleportation gate, Randall stood not far away, looking at Ryan as he stepped out, and said, "Lord!"

"Randall! You're back!" Ryan wiped the fatigue from his face and walked towards the tall Holy Knight.