Chapter Thirty-Six: Goblins, Women, and Dogs (Part Two)

From the moment the Xenomorphs launched their assault, the fate of the goblins was sealed. Compared to the duergar, the Xenomorphs’ attacks were far more savage, blood-soaked, and efficient. They could crush one goblin underfoot while impaling another with their tails, and their sharp teeth and claws were formidable weapons. Though Xenomorphs themselves were not particularly armored, the rusty, poorly-maintained weapons wielded by the goblins were utterly ineffective against them.

Accompanied by roars, the Xenomorphs charged into the masses of goblins like elephants rampaging through packs of jackals, scattering bodies in their wake. Their tails, stretching two or three meters long, were like death’s scythes, reaping goblins in swathes as if harvesting wheat.

Among them, two enormous Xenomorphs stood out. One was tall and pitch-black, but its lower body, instead of powerful hind legs, was a serpentine form. Its muscular snake torso allowed it to weave agilely through obstacles and narrow gaps, and the inner jaw protruding from its mouth was twice as long as the others—like a javelin, thrusting out and retracting in a blur. In an instant, the goblins surrounding it stumbled and collapsed, their necks severed, nothing remaining above their shoulders.

The other was diminutive, shorter even than Janen, its frail figure making it resemble a human more than a Xenomorph from a distance. Its hind legs, unlike the others, were forked and more akin to a goat’s hooves. On either side of its elongated, spindle-shaped head, two curved bone spikes extended from its arms, forming sharp horns that resembled scimitars. Judging from the torn and impaled goblin corpses littering the ground, its lethality was undeniable.

Moreover, this Xenomorph moved with astonishing speed, darting through the goblin ranks like lightning, leaving only blood and soaring goblin heads in its wake.

Everything proceeded smoothly.

Janen withdrew his gaze, silently conceding the remarkable strength of Xenomorph “evolution.” The two spawned from the tiefling chieftain and the serpent captain had perfectly absorbed their hosts’ adaptations—even their fighting styles were beginning to take shape. Of course, this owed much to the hosts’ formidable power. It seemed wise to select strong hosts for future parasitism, so the resulting Xenomorphs would grow even more powerful.

While Janen was lost in thought, the battle drew to its close. Unable to flee, incapable of fighting back, and with their elder slain, the goblins plunged into unspeakable panic, descending into chaos and ignoring the imminent threat of blades and claws. This was a boon for Tog’s duergar warriors, making their slaughter all the easier.

The combat lasted less than ten minutes before it was nearly complete; hundreds of goblins were almost entirely butchered by the Xenomorphs and duergar. Everywhere one looked, the ruins of goblin huts and the stench of blood filled the air.

Janen strolled amidst the carnage, stepping over slippery limbs and viscous blood. Such scenes were not foreign to him. Though he had never participated in war on Earth, in the Abyss, conflict was omnipresent. Blood, death, corpses, steel, weapons—these were the hallmarks of the Abyss. Armies clashed, millions fell, often for no more than a quarrel at a banquet, a chance collision in a corridor, or simply to win some lady’s favor.

Yet the Abyss only grew stronger for it. Janen understood this well: no matter how vast the war, only the cannon fodder died. To the archfiends, these wars were no different from routine military exercises in the human world. Only the elite survivors caught the archfiends’ attention, and only through these battles could one gain greater power and status. The demons used this method to weed out the weak and cultivate the strong. Even if only one in ten thousand survived, it was enough. As for the fallen—their souls would be reborn elsewhere, soon to join another “elimination round.”

But such matters had little to do with Janen.

Pulling his thoughts away from the blood-red skies and earth of the Abyss, Janen turned back to the cavern before him. The goblins had been all but eradicated; only scattered screams and squeals remained, signifying that even those who escaped would not last long. The duergar might spare them out of indifference, but the Xenomorphs would not be so foolish—they relished the harvest of life, tirelessly so. Without Janen’s command, the duergar themselves might have become their next victims.

Now, it was time to see how Enoia’s group fared.

With this in mind, Janen raised his head and gazed into the distance. Soon, his expression grew deep and shadowed.

A petite, slender figure flashed through the darkness.

Elise turned, glancing behind her as several arrows whistled toward her. With a graceful spin, she avoided the goblins’ attack. Though a mage, Elise was also a half-vampire, inheriting the blood and physique of her vampiric lineage—hardly as frail as ordinary spellcasters.

The plan was going perfectly.

Upon seeing Elise and her companions, the goblins charged at them like bulls provoked by a red cloth. They cared little for the girls’ beauty—differences in aesthetics across races meant that, while the three might be considered exceptional among humanoids, goblins were far more interested in their clothing and glittering ornaments. These treasures held far more appeal than the girls themselves.

Perhaps because Elise seemed easier to prey upon, the largest group followed her. Yet this caused her no trouble. A mere few dozen goblins—if she unleashed her magical flames, she could wipe them out in a single exchange.

It should be about time.

Peering ahead as she walked, Elise slowed her pace. If she remembered correctly, the duergar’s ambush was set at the next crossroads. All she needed to do was lure the goblins into the trap; the rest would be handled by her allies… No, something was wrong!

Just as Elise was about to round the corner, she abruptly halted, her eyes widening with suspicion and caution. As a half-vampire, she could distinctly sense the blood in the air. But how was that possible? Had something happened to the duergar?

These thoughts flashed through her mind as the goblins’ footsteps sounded behind her. Elise considered for a moment, then pressed onward.

After rounding the bend, Elise entered a relatively open area—the designated spot for the duergar ambush. But she quickly realized something had changed.

The duergar warriors who should have been lying in wait were sprawled across the ground, blood streaming from their bodies and soaking into the earth. It appeared there had been a fierce battle, and regrettably, they had failed to defeat their adversary.

But who could it have been?

Staring at the corpses, Elise frowned. She saw the wounds left by sharp weapons and sensed a peculiar energy lingering in the air. The enemy was strong. Elise had parted from the duergar barely ten minutes ago, and from the scene, it was clear they had spotted the intruder first and launched the attack. To lose despite holding the advantage meant their opponent’s strength was extraordinary… Could her father have sent someone again?

“Squeak, squeak, caw caw!”

The chaotic cries snapped Elise from her thoughts. She turned to see the goblins had arrived, following her to the site. By all rights, this should have been the moment for the duergar to strike.

If nothing went wrong.

“Ah…”

Elise sighed softly, raising her right hand as chaotic magical force surged within her. With a gesture, a thought, it would become blazing flames, incinerating the wretched creatures before her. Her concern was not whether to destroy them, but how to explain matters to Janen afterwards. She wondered if Enoia and Verna had encountered similar problems—if so, it would be easier. But if she was the only unlucky one, she could imagine how the dreadful, fierce dungeon lord would treat her upon her return.

At this, Elise shivered involuntarily. Sometimes, she even despaired enough to think it might be easier to let him ravage her—at least then, she’d only have to lie in bed and submit, rather than face this… Uncomfortably rubbing her thighs, the warmth of her skin unsettled her, yet at the same time, a strange, tingling current coursed from her inner thighs through her body, making her shudder.

“Squeak!”

The goblins advanced eagerly, shouting with excitement as Elise gave up fleeing, brandishing their crude weapons as they raced toward her. Elise watched them calmly, calculating the time and distance. One strike—she was confident, just one…

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, dazzling white light erupted, enveloping Elise and the goblins. The abrupt change startled Elise, who instinctively stepped back. Soon, several figures strode from the brilliance, shouting battle cries and raising their swords as they charged at the goblins.

Who were they?