Chapter Thirty-Four: Goblins, Women, and Dogs (Part One)

In truth, Jenn’s plan was not only related to them—it was deeply intertwined. One could even say that in this scheme, Enoia, Vilna, and Elise were the protagonists.

The reason was simple, as previously mentioned: goblins are creatures that bully the weak and fear the strong. The old, frail, sick, and pregnant are their favorite targets. The duergar all appeared robust and formidable, hardly the sort to be easily preyed upon. Using them as bait to lure goblins was hardly a straightforward task.

But the three young women were different. Vilna was perhaps less obvious, but Enoia and Elise were the very picture of vulnerability, easy prey in the eyes of goblins. If the goblins spotted them, they would undoubtedly rush out drooling—indeed, it wasn’t just goblins; few races could resist taking action upon seeing these three beautiful maidens.

Jenn’s plan was to use the three girls to draw the attention of the main goblin horde, and once they were lured away, he would lead the others straight to the goblins’ lair. Enoia, Elise, and Vilna only needed to play the part of the weak, and once the goblin force was drawn into the duergar’s ambush, they would join forces to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Should any goblins escape, it mattered little; given their cowardly nature, they would surely flee back to their lair. At that point, Jenn only needed to wait in ambush and finish them all.

None of the three objected to this plan. Enoia, as Jenn’s adjutant, would obey his orders without hesitation, even if it meant braving fire and blade. Vilna, being a dark elf, had no difficulty dealing with goblins. As for Elise, it went without saying—a high-level mage unable to deal with a bunch of goblins might as well hang herself.

Torg also offered no objections. Against such pitifully weak creatures, elaborate strategies were unnecessary. If not for the need to prevent their escape, there wouldn’t even be a need for tactical discussion; they could simply march to the lair, roll up their sleeves, and get to work.

With their roles decided, Enoia, Vilna, and Elise each took a team of dwarves to set up ambushes and prepare to lure the goblins, while Jenn led Torg and the other duergar quietly to a corner of the tunnel, waiting in silence. Having already scouted the area, Jenn knew the terrain intimately. He not only knew the location of the goblin lair, but even when the goblins would venture out and which paths they would take. The route Jenn now chose allowed them to evade goblin patrols, monitor their movements, and reach the lair swiftly—a triple advantage, the optimal choice.

Of course, not everyone shared Jenn’s confidence.

“Tell me, mage, are you really certain the goblin lair is around here?”

Torg gripped his massive iron axe, peering into the dark, damp tunnel as he voiced his doubt. It was understandable—Jenn and his companions were at the edge of Brandon Stone City’s patrol range. While not particularly safe, duergar patrols often passed through. Torg found it hard to believe that the cursed goblins would build their lair so close.

“I’m telling you, our patrols have combed these tunnels many times, and there’s never been a sign of goblin activity. If those damned mongrels lived so near, why haven’t we discovered them after all these years?”

“I sent my most precious hunting dog to investigate, so I can confirm their lair is here…”

Jenn sighed as he spoke. Although he had known the lair’s location, he hadn’t understood its true nature until after his investigation. Even Jenn had to marvel—this shadowy realm was indeed full of hidden dangers. That such a foolish race as goblins could survive here without becoming slaves or vassals to other species spoke to their unique cunning.

But alas, their luck had run out.

“Hunting dog?”

Torg snorted upon hearing this.

“I don’t see you bringing any hunting dog.”

“In fact, it’s been here all along.”

As he spoke, Jenn glanced behind Torg. Noticing Jenn’s gaze, Torg hesitated, then turned to look. His eyes widened in shock, and he stepped back, raising his axe defensively.

“By the stones! What in the world is that?!”

There, barely two meters away, a massive xenomorph crawled silently along the cold, dark wall. Torg, the duergar captain, had not sensed a thing—no warmth, no sound, no scent. If his eyes hadn’t seen that terrifying, alien creature before him, he would have thought it a dream.

The xenomorph paid no mind to Torg’s reaction; even with the sharp axe inches away, it remained unfazed. It merely lowered its head, letting out a faint, guttural hiss unique to its kind, then turned and climbed upward. Before Torg could react, it vanished into the darkness.

“Hiss…”

Witnessing this, Torg involuntarily drew a sharp breath. As a duergar, he lacked the cunning of his kin, which relegated him to commanding a ragtag unit. Yet as a duergar warrior, his confidence in his own strength was unshakable. He was among the rare high-ranking fighters—otherwise, Kardek would never have let him live this long. Their mutual dislike meant Kardek often assigned him dangerous tasks. If Torg died or was injured, it was of no consequence to Kardek. This assignment was no different; Kardek’s sending Torg to assist Jenn was motivated by similar reasoning.

Torg was no stranger to battling evil creatures in the Underdark. Goblins were nothing; even basilisk lizards and terror claws he had encountered, and ambushes were countless.

Yet never had he witnessed such a terrifying beast—by the stones, if that creature had truly wished for his life, he wouldn’t have had time to react!

That mage could command such horrors…

Torg swallowed hard. Truth be told, he had already been uneasy about this mission, and now he felt even less secure.

“Squeak! Caw! Caw, caw, caw!”

Suddenly, a shrill cry echoed from afar, breaking Torg’s train of thought. He turned quickly, signaling his men, who promptly extinguished their torches and watched their surroundings warily.

The chaotic shrieks grew louder; Torg knew well that this meant the goblins had spotted their quarry and were in hot pursuit. The mage’s plan was working. As for the fate of those women, it mattered little to Torg. The mage had his reasons; Torg only needed to follow orders.

Soon, the clamor faded. Once Jenn confirmed the goblins had fully departed, he led the other duergar warriors silently forward.

It must be admitted that stealth was a challenge for duergar. No matter how quietly they moved, the clanking armor rang sharply in the silent tunnels. Jenn did not mind; he had already sent his xenomorphs to scout, and from their reports, he was certain there was no trouble nearby—save for the goblins.

“Mage, where exactly is their lair?” Torg asked as they advanced. He had led patrols here many times and knew the route well. While remote, it certainly didn’t seem to have the space to house hundreds of goblins.

“Just keep quiet and follow me.”

Jenn gave no direct answer, but led the duergar through winding passages until they reached a relatively open tunnel. Unlike others, here the sound of rushing water was clearly audible.

Hearing it, Torg wrinkled his nose in disgust. Underground streams were not uncommon in the Underdark, but duergar detested them. A duergar would sooner drown in a barrel of ale than let his body soak in a pool. Any liquid other than ale touching their skin was considered an insult. Forcing a duergar to bathe was akin to ordering a knight to slay an unarmed infant—utterly unacceptable.

Thus, duergar generally avoided such places to prevent unnecessary trouble.

Jenn, however, paid no heed to their discomfort, leading them to the end of the tunnel where a pond appeared.

It was more of a shallow pit, barely half a meter deep. Thanks to the underground stream above, water dripped from the ceiling, forming a small waterfall along the stone walls. The air was moist, green moss grew thick, and many duergar warriors looked upon the scene with disgust, as if being asked to march to their deaths.

“This is the place,” Jenn declared, surveying the surroundings. Without further ado, he strode into the pond. As he reached the waterfall at the wall, the duergar saw his figure blur, and in the next instant, Jenn vanished from their sight!

What had just happened?