C8 Choice 4

He rose and made his way to the door, noting the sky outside had begun to dim. Lin Yuan pushed the door open and, before stepping out, left them with a choice:

"If you seek strength, venture out and hunt goblins. You stand a good chance against a goblin squad. But if safety is what you desire, stay put. Your future is yours to decide."

With that, Lin Yuan departed, leaving a hush in his wake.

Minutes ticked by until Liu Sanli rose from his seat, gripping a goblin's wooden club with determination etched in his stride.

"Liu Sanli, it's dangerous out there!"

Lee Xia's warning rang out, but Liu Sanli turned with a grin that teetered between joy and sorrow.

"I need to find my family—my parents and sister. I must grow stronger!"

The door swung shut behind him as he stepped out.

Young Master Soong glanced at his twisted arm, pondered briefly, then stood to collect a pair of wooden clubs from the ground. With a reassuring nod to Yang Yang, he beckoned her to join him.

Brushing tears from her cheeks, Yang Yang rose, accepted a club, and together they stepped through the doorway, bound by a shared resolve.

Before long, the hall stood nearly empty, save for Hu Guangcheng. He surveyed the desolation, then without a flicker of emotion, retreated to the auditorium's cramped storage room and secured the door behind him. Soon, muffled sobs seeped through the locked door.

Armed with a rapier and carrying a bow and arrows, Lin Yuan roamed between buildings, hunting for stray goblin squads.

At Seventh Rank Dark Iron, he needed to slay hundreds of goblins to reach the Eighth Rank. With the goblin army still intact, he had to make do with picking off smaller groups for experience.

Outmatching ordinary goblins with the strength of thirty-five men, Lin Yuan dispatched five-member squads in under a minute.

As night enveloped the land, he tallied his day's work: fifteen goblin squads and six elite archers in two hours—a modest count. Advancement hinged on the morrow's outcomes.

Tapping on the sizable notch in his Zhanmadao with his finger, Lin Yuan couldn't help but shake his head in dismay. The issue with his weapon needed immediate attention—going into battle against thousands of goblins without a reliable weapon was tantamount to suicide!

Peering through the cracks between buildings, Lin Yuan caught sight of the massive bonfire blazing in the field. An idea struck him as he watched the resting goblins. Why not take a risk?

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he acted. Lin Yuan sheathed his Rapier and gripped the Zhanmadao, stealthily making his way to the field under the cover of moonlight.

The Rapier, while sharp, was only effective in small skirmishes. In a melee with countless foes, the delicate blade would likely snap within minutes.

Young Master Soong was gasping for air, a gaping wound on his head exposing bone.

Tears streaming down her face, Yang Yang wrapped his head with bandages scavenged from the infirmary. The rest of the group bore their own injuries.

Despite this, spirits were high. Young Master Soong's once twisted left arm was now securely splinted, his fingers moving freely again, showing significant healing.

This was the advantage of reaching the Second Rank. He had estimated that reaching the Fourth Rank would likely restore his left hand completely.

The rest of the group, now First Rank Dark Iron Superpowered, felt their morale and energy surge with their enhanced abilities.

Lin Yuan had been correct; with the right choices and perseverance through the initial hardships, their situation would only improve. These goblins were a boon from the new world.

"The night has fully set in. Do we keep going?" Lee Xia asked, wiping sweat from her brow as she looked to Young Master Soong.

As a Second Rank Dark Iron, Young Master Soong was the linchpin of their six-person squad.

After a moment's consideration, he nodded in agreement.

"We'll rest briefly and then continue. Lin Yuan mentioned the goblins will withdraw by ten tomorrow. Advancing won't be this straightforward in the future."

"We must capitalize on every chance to enhance ourselves. Before ten tomorrow, we'll do everything we can to level up. It will be immensely beneficial for our future survival."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Two hours of fierce combat had transformed them all, as they gradually adapted to this brutal new world.

"Boom!"

A fiery explosion erupted in the distance, followed by a thunderous roar. Those who had just settled down leapt to their feet. Everyone took cover behind the buildings, cautiously peering out at the field.

Charge!

Lin Yuan stealthily moved thirty meters before targeting a Goblino commander. He charged forward with determination.

With a "ding," Lin Yuan's blade rose and fell, cleaving the Goblino commander—who was greedily devouring meat on the ground—in two, armor and all.

Before the other Goblins could react, Lin Yuan executed a Whirlwind Slash. Green blood sprayed in all directions, the area around him instantly cleared.

Seizing the moment, Lin Yuan snatched the massive dagger, the Jungle Blade, from the Goblino commander and spun around, ready to unleash his Charge skill.

"Crash!"

Out of the darkness, a colossal siege hammer smashed down. Lin Yuan hastily raised his twin blades to defend, but the overwhelming force sent him flying into the blazing bonfire.

Burning logs scattered wildly, sparks showering the chaos. The Goblins shrieked and scrambled to avoid the flames. A few less fortunate ones, unable to escape, were set ablaze and writhed on the ground, rolling and howling in agony.

Charge!

From within the bonfire, Lin Yuan burst forth like a fiery dragon, slicing through the crowd to slay the Goblins on the periphery before diving into the sandpit at the edge of the field.

"Pop! Pop! Pop!" The sound of tiny explosions filled the air as the blisters on Lin Yuan's burned skin burst open.

The Goblins swiftly closed in. Several squad leaders, armed with double-bladed spears, approached the sandpit. They prodded the bulging mound of sand, wondering if their foe had been burned to death.

With a "boom," the sand mound exploded. Lin Yuan, smoking and still flickering with embers, swung his blades in rapid succession. The squad leaders' eyes bulged as they clutched their necks and slowly collapsed.

"Gurgle!"

As Lin Yuan charged out, the ordinary Goblins recoiled in horror. The figure before them, shoulders alight with small flames and body riddled with black and yellow blisters, resembled a freshly resurrected ghoul.

"Charge!"

Lin Yuan bellowed, bursting from the sand pit to strike at the towering three-meter-tall Goblin Vanguard!

It was this very creature that had sent him crashing into the bonfire, leaving him in excruciating pain.

With a resounding "clang," his blade sliced deep into the Goblin Vanguard's thigh, exposing bone before it snapped in two!

The Vanguard, unfazed by its gaping wound oozing blood, swung its massive battering ram down at Lin Yuan with brute force.

Ducking swiftly, Lin Yuan rolled away as the ram hit the ground with a thunderous crash, leaving a crater and sending shards of concrete flying like shrapnel. Goblins toppled over, their cries of agony filling the air.

"Kill!"

Lin Yuan charged, closing the distance in a crouched sprint. With a swift backhand grip, he viciously flicked his blade upward, sending a spray of the Goblin Vanguard's blood and entrails into the air!

With a pained roar, the Vanguard collapsed to its knees. Lin Yuan's sword swept through, and the creature's massive head tumbled to the ground.