mousepad-d2 Chapter 25 Leaving the Village, the Rotten Wood Forest
Chapter 25 Leaving the Village, the Rotten Wood Forest
Lin Tian rode the giant wolf at breakneck speed, the wind whistling past his ears, and the scenery on both sides rushing past.
The giant wolf runs smoothly and powerfully, its speed far exceeding that of a player on foot, and even surpassing the sprint speed of many agile classes.
What would normally take half a day was reduced to about half an hour with the giant wolf's [Speed] skill, and a gloomy and eerie forest appeared before them.
[Ding! New map discovered: "Rotten Wood Forest"!]
The tall trees were twisted and grotesque, their branches and leaves displaying an unhealthy, rotten gray color. The air was filled with a faint, mixed smell of rotting wood and mold, and the light had become dim and oppressive.
Lin Tian controlled the giant wolf to stop, just about to observe the surroundings.
"Chirp chirp—!"
"Hiss—!"
A sharp, piercing screech suddenly rang out! From the shadows of the withered tree canopy ahead, more than a dozen incredibly swift black shadows pounced out!
With a wingspan of nearly a meter, their bodies are covered in dark purple short down, their scarlet eyes gleam with a cruel light, and their sharp fangs drip with sticky saliva. They are the "masters" of this forest—the Shadow Bats!
Shadow Bat
[Level: 10]
[Rank: D]
【HP: 1000】
Attack Power: 80
【Speed: 80】
【Skill:
Ultrasonic Impact: Consumes 20 mana, deals 150% physical damage to a single target, and has a chance to inflict [Tinnitus] (Speed -30%).
Shadow Strike: Costs 30 mana, deals 120% physical damage to a single target; if the target has [Tinnitus], the damage is increased to 180%.
Ten shadow bats, like highly trained assassins, instantly locked onto Lin Tian from different angles. Without the slightest hesitation, several bats simultaneously opened their mouths, unleashing an invisible [ultrasonic shockwave] that distorted the air itself!
Meanwhile, the others transformed into blurry shadows and launched [Shadow Strike], their sharp claws aimed straight for Lin Tian's throat and the vital points of the giant wolf beneath him!
If an ordinary level 9 player team were here, they would probably be wiped out instantly in the face of this sudden attack!
However, they were facing Lin Tian.
Faced with an attack that would have overwhelmed even ordinary players, Lin Tian didn't even dismount from the wolf's back. His eyes were indifferent, and a disdainful smile played on his lips.
"Noisy."
With a casual flick of his hand, the Wolf King's Bone Staff lashed forward, and the fire element at the staff's tip instantly coalesced violently! A blazing white fireball, more condensed than before and with molten lava flowing within, took shape almost instantly!
"Fireball"
Boom! ...
Like a miniature sun exploding in the forest! The deafening explosion drowned out the cries of all the bats! A terrifying wave of fire swept outwards from the point of impact, spreading wildly! The Class A fireball, with its area expanded by 50%, had an astonishing blast radius of seven or eight meters!
The blinding white light and scorching heat instantly engulfed the five bats at the forefront, as well as the three huddled together behind them!
The crimson damage numbers surged forth like a fountain:
-4940!
-1520！-1520！-1520！-1520！-1520！-1520！-1520！
Just one strike!
Eight level 10 Shadow Bats didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to charred remains and ashes flying everywhere in the devastating flames! The strong smell of burning and the stench of burnt protein instantly filled the air.
The remaining two bats, being a bit further away and on the verge of the explosion, were lucky enough not to be instantly killed, but they were charred black and emitting wisps of smoke.
Lin Tian didn't even bother to look at them a second time.
[Ding! Shadow Bat defeated (killed a higher-level enemy)! Experience +50!]
[Ding! Talent 'Enhancement' triggered! Gain 1 'Enhancement Points'!]
……
The notification sound started flooding the screen.
"Tsk, a level 10 monster? That's all?" Lin Tian curled his lip, patted the giant wolf beneath him, which was also slightly agitated by the explosion's shockwave, and said, "Let's go, buddy, the appetizer is over, let's go find the treasure!"
. . . . . .
Deep within the decaying woodland, the light grew increasingly dim, and the stench of decay was so thick it seemed to permeate the air, as if even the air itself carried a viscous malice.
For Lin Tian now, level 10 Shadow Bats are nothing more than mobile experience packs and improvement points.
"Fireball!"
Boom—!
-4940! -1520! -1520! ...
Another group of blind bats turned to ashes.
[Ding! Shadow Bat defeated (killed a higher-level enemy)! Experience +50!]
[Ding! Talent 'Enhancement' triggered! Gain 1 'Enhancement Points'!]
Lin Tian rode on the broad, sturdy back of the giant wolf, but his mind was absorbed in the ancient-looking treasure map.
The unique coolness and faint pulse of the map's leather resonated in my palm, like the heartbeat of a sleeping giant, steadfastly pointing westward.
The blurry, distorted lines on the map eerily overlapped with the direction of the morbid forest before them in their mental perception, eventually focusing on an area shrouded in a thick, almost solidified gray fog.
The mist churned, carrying a strong sense of repulsion and deathly stillness, as if rejecting the approach of all living beings.
"This is it!" Lin Tian's eyes were sharp as a hawk's as he put away the map. The giant wolf beneath him pawed at the ground uneasily, letting out suppressed growls, its wild instincts filling it with fear of the gray fog.
Lin Tian patted the wolf's neck reassuringly, his gaze sweeping across the misty entrance to the valley.
The entrance was far from smooth; jagged black rocks, like jagged fangs, were interlocked, and gray mist flowed through them, obscuring the view. He urged the giant wolf to move slowly along the edge of the valley entrance, his sharp eyes not missing any suspicious gaps.
Finally, in a corner half-hidden by giant vines and weathered rock pillars, they discovered a hidden, downward-sloping crevice, barely wide enough for a giant wolf to pass through! The crevice was dark and deep, from which a colder wind, carrying the scent of dust and rusting metal, surged out, making one's hair stand on end.
"This should be it," Lin Tian said softly. The giant wolf growled and carried him, with utmost caution, as they squeezed into the rift that seemed to lead to the underworld.
Darkness instantly swallowed the light, with only the giant wolf's crimson eyes and the faint glow from the tip of Lin Tian's staff providing illumination. The passage was narrow and long, with a steep slope, slippery ground covered with gravel and unknown sticky moss.
The rock face bears traces of human excavation, but these traces have long been distorted and covered by time and some kind of corrosive force, leaving behind indistinct scratches and dried, dark stains that resemble splashed ink.
The air was thick and murky, filled with a strong smell of mold, rust, and a faint, lingering stench of blood.
Deathly silence was the dominant sound here, with only the heavy breathing of the giant wolf and the sound of Lin Tian's heartbeat echoing in the cramped space.
The dark tunnel seemed endless. After descending for an unknown amount of time, the slope finally began to level off. Ahead, a faint light pierced the thick darkness and quickly expanded.
The moment the giant wolf carried Lin Tian out of the tunnel, the sight before them made both of them instinctively hold their breath!