"Slow down, slow down... *huff*..."
Tang Ruan quickly said, "Everyone, slow down! The Lord can't take it anymore."
"Okay." The women slowed their pace.
Gu Qing even moved to support Zhao Chi.
Zhao Chi felt a warm, soft sensation on his arm.
'It was a feeling he could get lost in.'
But he couldn't possibly let Gu Qing support him like this.
Zhao Chi gasped, "*Huff*... Who... who said I... couldn't take it anymore? We're going to fight... We can't expend too much Physical Strength. We need to run slower... and conserve our energy... *huff*..."
Tang Ruan asked, puzzled, "We haven't used that much Physical Strength, have we?"
With 8 points in Constitution, of course she wasn't tired.
Gu Qing gently pulled Tang Ruan aside. "The Lord is concerned for us and... thinks on a deeper level. Whatever he says, goes."
Tang Ruan nodded. "Oh."
The other women also nodded.
They were, in fact, all a little out of breath.
However, Gu Qing and Tang Ruan, with their 8 points in Constitution, were barely even breathing hard.
Zhao Chi wiped the sweat from his forehead.
'I should have brought some water.'
Though three kilometers wasn't far, they were running on grass and through a forest.
They not only had to watch where they were going to avoid tripping or twisting an ankle, but also constantly change direction to dodge trees. It was practically a light cross-country run.
Running like that was exhausting.
After a short rest, everyone's Physical Strength recovered.
Zhao Chi said, "We're very close. Don't run from this point on. Walk slowly, and watch your step. The Goblins may have set traps."
The women immediately began looking all around, carefully examining the ground.
The area was still covered in green grass, with the trees growing more sparsely.
"Keep moving. Report anything you see or hear."
"Yes!" the women whispered in reply.
Tang Ruan walked at the very front.
Gu Qing was behind Zhao Chi, protecting him.
The other women were even farther back.
After another hundred-plus meters, they could see a pristine white wall appear ahead between the trees.
It wasn't a real wall, but the Wall of Fog, composed of white mist.
This Fog Wall soared into the clouds, and there was no end in sight to the left or right.
That was the edge of the territory.
Zhao Chi's entire territory, or rather the Territory World of every Lord, was surrounded by this type of Fog Wall.
The fog was very thick.
A pristine white, just like a cloud.
But it was very dangerous inside.
Once you entered, you would get lost.
Chief Instructor Li Ruanyu had repeated this point many times over.
Entering the fog would affect a person's senses.
Sight, hearing, and perception would all go haywire.
You might hear a sound coming from straight ahead, but it could actually be coming from your left.
You might be certain you were walking in a straight line, even leaving marks, only to find you were actually walking in circles on the same spot.
You might feel a pat on your left shoulder, when in reality, your calf had just bumped against a stone.
These were all firsthand experiences of people within the fog's buffer zone.
Thus, anyone who truly entered the fog would be trapped inside, completely unable to find their way back.
Moreover, it wasn't safe inside.
Legend had it that there were Magical Beasts in there as well.
But that was only a legend.
After all, no one who had gone deep inside ever came back out.
The Wall of Fog was extremely dangerous.
However, it also had a buffer zone of several dozen meters.
If you entered by mistake and immediately turned back, you could make it out safely.
As for exactly how many meters this buffer zone extended, no one knew.
Anyone who found out never made it back.
In any case, staying far away from the Wall of Fog was absolutely the right choice.
But the strange thing was, the refugees who appeared in the territory each day all came out of the Wall of Fog.
And yet, they had no memory whatsoever of their time in the fog.
"Lord, there are some Buildings up ahead. They must belong to the Goblins."
Tang Ruan whispered, hiding behind a tree and pointing ahead.
Zhao Chi looked over.
Up ahead was a clearing, the ground nothing but bare dirt.
The whole place was strewn with garbage, an absolute mess.
In the clearing stood 2 low tents made of Beast Hide and wood, so crooked they looked like illegal structures.
Next to them was a low wooden shed, which likely stored their Supplies.
In the center was a campfire.
A dozen or so Goblins sat around the fire, roasting meat.
The smell of charring meat wafted over.
Nearby lay the better part of a skinned wild deer.
The deer carcass had been thrown directly onto the dirt.
Its blood stained the earth a reddish-brown.
Two mongrels were tied up nearby, sniffing this way and that.
It was unclear if they were sniffing the aroma of the meat or something else entirely.
"Lord, should we charge?" Tang Ruan asked, her face full of anticipation.
A complete departure from her State just moments before.
Zhao Chi whispered, "There are 17 of them in the camp, and there may be more in the tents. Everyone be careful."
The women nodded, but made no sound.
To avoid being heard by the Goblins.
Gu Qing supplemented, "Everyone, fight without holding back. If you get injured, I will provide Treatment immediately."
The women nodded again.
Zhao Chi continued, "The Goblins have poor Morale. Once we have the upper hand, they'll rout quickly, and we can take prisoners. Those two mongrels are tied up. Don't attack them; we'll capture them too. Understand?"
The women continued to nod.
Zhao Chi said, "This is your first battle, so you may lack experience. But don't worry, I'll be the first to charge in. Just follow me. The enemy is very weak, so fight boldly. If you run into any trouble, call for me immediately."
The women nodded yet again.
"Good. Follow me!"
Zhao Chi charged out.
Leading the charge, setting an example.
The women followed close behind him.
But 2 seconds later, Zhao Chi saw long, pale legs flash past on both sides of his vision.
The next moment, those pale legs were pounding the ground, swinging forward.
In just a second, every single one of the women had passed him.
Their faces showed anticipation, excitement, and... a hint of glee?
Stunned, he watched the women run farther and farther away.
Leaving only their pale, retreating figures in his sight.
Gu Qing took a moment to look back and reassure him, "Don't worry, leave it to us."
Then she charged forward, her two soft watermelons bouncing as she ran.
At that moment, the mongrels started barking furiously.
The Goblins were startled and grabbed the Wooden Spears by their sides.
"The dogs are barking. Are there enemies?"
"Where?"
"The south, the south."
"Is it a wolf pack?"
"Not a wolf pack, it's Human women!"
"Whoa, Human women?"
"Whoa, whoa, it really is women! There are more than a dozen of 'em!"
"Great! They're edible! Tender meat!"
"They're so pale... and pretty! Let's have some fun first! Then we eat!"
"Yeah, have our fun, then eat!"
The Goblins were all dumbfounded.
They watched the charging women with delighted surprise.
They couldn't figure out why such a wonderful prize would deliver itself right to their door.
But gifts that deliver themselves to your door are rarely a good thing.
The women smiled at them.
The next moment, a rain of bloody blades fell upon them.
Tang Ruan charged out in the lead, but was quickly overtaken by Gu Qing.
Facing a stunned Goblin, Gu Qing smiled and swung her knife.
"Fly!"
SQUELCH!
A head flew into the air.
First Kill!
Tang Ruan arrived right after, mimicking Zhao Chi's fighting stance as she chopped down.
CRACK!
Second Kill!
The other women charged in as well.
A series of dull thuds echoed as blades met flesh.
SQUELCH! CRACK! THUD! THUD! SQUELCH! CRACK!
Eight kills!
In the span of a few breaths, 8 Goblins collapsed, screaming in agony.
The difference in their Attributes was too great.
These Goblins had no strength to fight back whatsoever.
The remaining Goblins didn't hesitate for a second before turning to run.
A few Goblins ran out from the tents, but upon seeing the women's ferocious will to Attack, they ducked back inside.
They lifted the bottoms of the tents and tried to crawl out from underneath to escape on the other side.
But Tang Ruan pinned one down with her foot.
The soles of her feet were very soft.
But when she pressed down hard, the Goblin couldn't move an inch.
Tang Ruan asked quickly, "Do you surrender?"
The Goblin looked up at the Firewood Knife above its head. "I... I surrender."