Chapter 437: Chapter 343: It Was All My Doing

Shire desperately wanted to know who had reported the Goblin Kingdom’s location to the Holy Order Army. This place was deep within the Nightmare Forest. Although it was situated on the shore of Darren Lake, it would still take Adventurers several days to reach.

He had once suspected the human merchants who did business with the High Priest, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Reporting these goblins or the Evil God brought a merchant no benefit, and they would lose a valuable source of forest goods.

But the Holy Order Army had come straight for the Goblin Kingdom, not even taking a single wrong turn along the way. It was obvious to anyone that they were targeting the Evil God and the goblins.

So, Shire decided to capture as many of them alive as possible, then find a way to get his answer.

After all, these Paladins would be imprisoned in giant air bubbles at the bottom of the lake. Even if they wanted to resist, they’d first have to figure out how to swim from the lakebed to the shore.

In the water, human Paladins were no match for the Naga Race.

The previous Combat Technique was very successful. Relying on the sprawling underground network and the pre-placed Rune Language: Door, they had managed to wear down this Holy Order Army force. But this Combat Technique couldn’t be used long-term. The enemy wasn’t stupid; they would inevitably become more careful and cautious after encountering it a few times.

So, Shire set up a "second half" for his opponents. He would use a Whac-A-Mole-style strategy to harry the Paladins, running them ragged until they were too exhausted to even lift their swords.

If they started to retreat halfway through, Shire would lead a pursuit. The path from the southern edge of the city ruins to the shores of Darren Lake cut through the entire city. The route was riddled with holes in the ground, and there was no telling where a goblin carrying a Rune Ah Pi Chicken might pop out and strike at the Paladins.

However, Shire didn’t think they were likely to flee. He knew the temperament of these fanatics. They were exceptionally devout—so devout they bordered on arrogant. They looked down on ordinary Adventurers and Low Level Knight Orders, to say nothing of a bunch of goblins. If they gave up midway, they would be mocked by the entire world. The shame of "the great Paladins, chased off by goblins and forced to flee ignominiously in a small boat" would be so great that these Paladins would probably sooner draw their swords and end their own lives.

Still, he had to be wary. The Paladins might chase for a while and then give up, choosing instead to charge directly toward the stone tower in the center of the city. And indeed, at this very moment, the lead Paladin was signaling for the others to halt.

"We can’t let these goblins lead us by the nose anymore. It seems they’re deliberately toying with us, trying to lure us away from these buildings." Lingard gasped for a few quick breaths, then scanned the Paladins before him. He could see that the chase had left everyone more or less winded. Some of their helmets were askew, and quite a few seemed to have twisted their ankles. After all, the uneven ground in this area was a real headache. "The goblins must be protecting their hibernating Evil God. We should ignore the goblins and attack the Evil God directly."

"Vice Commander, where is that damned Feathered Serpent Evil God?" a Paladin asked, casting Healing Magic on himself as he spoke. He must have just twisted his ankle.

"I believe it’s in that large clearing we passed earlier," Lingard said, slowly exhaling to steady his breath. "I noticed a half-collapsed stone tower at the edge of the clearing. It must be the tallest structure in these ruins."

"A stone tower?" several Paladins echoed.

"That’s right. I took note of that stone tower. A good portion of it has collapsed, and there’s a huge, dark opening at its base." Lingard straightened his posture, trying to maintain his image. "I believe the only thing around here that could knock down half a stone tower and still pass through an opening that large is the Feathered Serpent Evil God."

The Paladins murmured amongst themselves for a moment before quickly reaching a consensus. "We’ll follow your lead, Vice Commander."

Lingard frowned. ’I wish they’d call me "Commander,"’ he thought, but now didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up. "Good. We’ll go and slay the Evil God directly. The fact that these goblins are scheming so desperately means that Feathered Serpent must be in hibernation. This battle will be incredibly simple."

He gave a fierce grin and pumped his fist. "Once we’ve killed the Evil God, these goblins will scatter. Then it will be time to settle the score."

"I’m going to hack those goblins to pieces," a Paladin said venomously.

"Smash their heads in."

"Mince them."

The Paladins viciously stabbed their weapons into the earth, as if skewering the corpse of a goblin.

Seeing how furious everyone was, Lingard couldn’t help but smirk. ’This anger will be useful. Even if the Evil God happens to wake up, I can let these enraged Paladins take the brunt of the attack.’

Then, at his command, the entire unit did an about-face and marched straight toward the city’s center.

"Very clever," Shire said, lowering his telescope as he watched the Paladins depart. "They know they can’t afford to waste their stamina like this, and they haven’t forgotten their objective. They immediately changed their Combat Technique and are now heading straight for the target. These Paladins are indeed troublesome."

"Straight for the target? You mean they’re going after the Feathered Serpent Evil God?" Pazani, beside him, straightened up and shaded his eyes to look into the distance. "Then they’re doomed. Didn’t you already set something up in the Feathered Serpent Evil God’s lair...?"

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