Chapter 30: Carapace

Wood was a professional. Whether viewed from the perspective of a "guard" or an "adventurer," he was the most experienced member of the entire party. Even during a brief, temporary rest along the road, he would meticulously set up comprehensive warning traps in the surrounding area. However, there were many times when, perhaps because he was too professional, the traps he set were overly rigorous and detailed. Often, when Xia Nan and the others noticed the warning sound and tensed up in preparation for battle, they would discover that all that had triggered the mechanism were a few harmless woodland creatures.

While Xia Nan sometimes felt weary because of this, he didn't actually harbor much resentment, nor did he let his guard down due to the frequency of the alerts, as one might in the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" fable from his past life. Being a little tired was better than dying silently under the claws of some magical beast. The scene of the gnome Erki’s skull being crushed during a goblin ambush was still fresh in his mind.

"Snap... jingle-ling!"

At dusk, amidst the dense, mist-shrouded shrubbery, a branch suddenly snapped, followed by a sharp and rapid metallic ringing. The trap had been triggered!

Xia Nan sprang to his feet, gripping his executioner's sword tightly. His eyes scanned the direction of the sound while he remained vigilant of his surroundings, terrified that something might circle behind him. There was no room for slack. The half-elf and his guards were the same. The moment the bells rang, Haian picked up the wooden longbow at his feet, drew an arrow, and aimed the sharp tip toward the swaying bushes in the distance.

Wood, whose figure had been quite visible to Xia Nan, suddenly dimmed as if draped in a blurry shadow; his presence seemed to plummet instantly. In contrast, the reactions of Larry and Doris were a beat slower. After all, one was a plump young master from a wealthy family, and the other was a frail girl who had been frightened repeatedly. Having walked through the Misty Forest all day, they were exhausted and spent. Fortunately, their basic attitude was serious enough. Even though they knew in their hearts that the culprit was likely another rabbit or deer, they still grabbed their weapons and rose into a combat stance.

"Crackle."

The campfire flickered, and the air seemed filled only with the faint sound of burning firewood. As night approached, the lingering mist grew thicker, making the dim twilight appear particularly feeble. Visibility was far worse than during the day. Given the complex environment, none of the party members rushed forward, choosing instead to stand their ground in a defensive posture.

"Patter... patter..."

Xia Nan leaned against a large tree, his expression taut. His black pupils reflected the outline of the distant bushes, and his nostrils flared slightly with each breath. This time, it seemed different. Based on previous trap triggers, those timid herbivores were usually startled by the bells and would flee in a panic. In the camp, one would usually hear a short burst of footsteps fading into the distance, occasionally accompanied by a shrill, panicked cry.

But the current situation was the exact opposite. After the bells rang, the movement in the grass paused for only a moment before starting up again. It was as if the creature had sensed the group's position and was heading straight for them. The crisp sound of branches and grass being crushed, the strange, heavy footsteps, and even the grating noise of some rough object rubbing against the ground—it was like the increasingly intense, sharp background music before a "thrilling" scene in a horror movie. Xia Nan stared at the shaking bushes ahead, his heart beating faster and faster.

Finally, accompanied by a sharp, ear-piercing hiss characteristic of insects, four crawling, hideous figures appeared before them. Their bodies were encased in rough, thick, wavy shells like stone, with four sturdy, powerful chelicerae extending to the sides, their joints covered in sharp spikes. Their compound eyes, like mung beans, reflected a faint light, and their divided mouthparts opened and closed amidst the hissing. Through the pale, glinting fangs, one could vaguely see the contracting esophagus and viscous saliva within. Most striking were the feather-like antennae extending upward from the sides of their heads and the fin-like, bifurcated tails that trailed behind like swimming fish.

"Rust Monsters!"

Wood’s low, astonished growl reached his ears. "Damn it, how are they here..."

"Prepare for battle!"

As the words fell, a wooden arrow tipped with white feathers tore through the air, spinning through the mist. As an archer, Haian had already finished aiming the second the warning bell sounded. With Wood’s signal, he executed the party’s first strike. However, the dim, blurry environment caused the half-elf's arrow to go slightly astray. Even though he had deliberately aimed for the Rust Monster’s tiny eyes hidden beneath its thick shell, he failed to hit them accurately.

"Clang!"

The metal arrowhead collided violently with the yellowish-brown chitinous shell, sparking in the twilight. It grazed and ricocheted, leaving only a dark brown scratch on the monster's rough surface.

The battle was about to erupt! The four five-foot-tall Rust Monsters charged toward the party amidst shrill hisses.

The first to face them was Larry, who was the closest. Whether it was the courage provided by the blonde girl behind him or the embarrassment of his pathetic performance during the insect swarm earlier in the day, this wealthy young master displayed unexpected bravery. He raised his one-handed hammer high and, ignoring the pale, soft flesh exposed by his tight-fitting clothes, lunged forward. The iron hammer, glinting with a metallic luster, smashed down toward the Rust Monster’s narrow head.

"Bang... Ah!"

The sharp sound of hard objects colliding erupted in the forest, followed by a scream filled with pain. Faced with the hard iron, a crystallization of human wisdom and craft, the Rust Monster’s yellowish-brown chitinous shell developed a web of fine cracks almost the moment it was struck. But... that was all. The next second, the intense recoil from the hammer traveled from his fingertips to his arm and even his chest, numbing the entire right side of his body as if he had lost all sensation in an instant. The hammer slipped from his grip and fell into the meadow; Larry’s face twisted in pain as he stumbled back in a panic.

But how could two legs outrun four chelicerae?

"Hiss—"

The ear-splitting insect drone created invisible waves in the air. The sharp mouthparts opened and closed, and the scent of death grew stronger. At this critical moment, Doris, who had been hiding behind Larry, summoned all her strength and hurled another one-handed hammer!

"Clang!"

By a stroke of luck, the hammer struck the Rust Monster’s fragile mouthparts, causing its entire body to falter. Larry scrambled back on all fours, seizing the chance to retreat. Thick, dark green saliva dripped from the Rust Monster’s smashed mouthparts, splashing onto the hammer.

"Sizzle..."

Accompanied by acrid smoke, the metal head of the hammer, which had been strong enough to crack the insect's shell, seemed to meet its natural enemy, instantly softening and charring.

"Watch out! The Rust Monster’s venom can corrode metal!" Wood, who had long since vanished from sight, shouted an urgent warning.

"Ah!?"

Xia Nan, holding his polished executioner's sword and ready to charge forward to provide support, immediately slowed his pace.