Yesterday, he had acquired two maps at the tavern in Pearl City.
He intended to select the closer one for exploration.
Unlike the natives, who typically avoid perilous locations, the adventurers are driven by the treasure chest reward system, providing ample motivation for daring exploits.
The greater the risk, the larger the potential reward.
Exploration and adventure invariably yield returns.
The two maps indicated Bandit Camp and Water Hole Monster.
Comparing their locations, he discovered that the Bandit Camp lay to the southwest of Pearl City, while the water hole monsters lair was situated to the north, conveniently positioned between Fong Ho's territory and Pearl, making it more accessible for exploration.
Anja Fongo called out.
What is it? She replied.
Prepare yourself.
We have a new map to explore together.
Where to? Is it one of the two maps we obtained yesterday? Anja inquired.
Her curiosity peaked.
Indeed, it is called the water hole monster.
The enemy may consist of creatures dwelling within the water.
We should bring more archers and spearmen.
Fong house speculated based on his deductions.
He possessed no specialized troops for underwater combat.
Although skeletons do not require breathing, their capability for engaging in battles beneath the water remains uncertain.
Should the pool prove to be deep, and should the enemy choose to conceal themselves beneath the surface, they would indeed present a formidable challenge.
Therefore, it is prudent to make thorough preparations.
"All right," Ana acquiesed, then departed to arrange the accompanying forces.
10 minutes later, five bone dragons, 1,000 skeletal trolls, and 50,000 skeletal soldiers assembled outside the territory.
Upon returning to his chamber and invoking divine presence, Fong Ho led the formidable army towards the direction of the pool.
As they approached the southern region, the forest grew increasingly lush.
Previously, Fongo had explored the northern and eastern sides of his territory where scattered orc tribes were prevalent and villages often vanished amidst the chaos of battle.
Reclining on a cart, Fongo directed his army's swift advance.
Along the way, numerous human villages came into view.
Upon witnessing such a massive undead legion, the inhabitants rushed back to their homes, hastily securing their doors and cautiously observing the movements of the undead army from a distance.
Naturally, Fong Hao paid no heed to these ordinary settlements, striving to avoid disrupting the lives of the indigenous people as much as possible while maintaining their course.
Two hours later, the main force finally neared the location of the pool and came to a halt.
Standing at top the cart, Fungha declared, "Stop.
" As the army ceased its advance, Ana rode up, inquiring, "What is it? We almost there.
I will utilize the giant bats to scout the situation," Funha replied.
"Never mind.
Let me go.
If it is weak, I can deal with it myself and save us the trouble," Anya suggested.
Funhow shook his head, advocating for caution.
Let me gather information first.
You will be the main force in the ensuing battle, so there's no need to rush.
Anya pouted, but ultimately agreed, saying, "Fine.
" Funo dispelled his divine presence and reattached himself to the accompanying skeletal giant bats.
As the sole fire within the eyes of the skeletal giant bats ignited, he took flight with several of them toward the pool.
In the heart of the dense forest, he beheld the vast body of water.
A stream fed into the pool while another river flowed westward carrying water elsewhere.
Fawnhouse circled above the pool with a few giant bats, searching for the monsters mentioned on the map.
The air was thick and humid with droplets cascading from the verdant leaves of the branches.
The environment here was indeed conducive to plant growth.
Surrounding the pool were numerous modeled, rugged gray boulders cloaked in moss and adorned with a variety of colorful fungi.
Suddenly, as Fongo searched in vain, he felt an object slicing through the air towards him.
He quickly scanned his surroundings, but found no creatures attacking him.
Was an illusion? Funho pondered, perplexed.
Whoosh! Just then, he sensed a shift in the airflow, controlling the giant bats to look back.
His heart sank in alarm.
What was happening besides himself, there were five other giant bats.
Where were the others? Had they fallen behind? Had they been attacked? Even after being swiftly eliminated, one would expect to find remnants of bones scattered around.
Yet there's not a single trace.
Whoosh! In the next moment, he finally comprehended the fate of those colossal bats.
Below him, a gray stone yawned open, revealing an enormous mouth from which along.
Scarlet tongue shot forth like a piercing arrow, ins snaring the bats he commanded and dragging them into its maw.
Fong Hoa awoke in alarm, his heart racing from the rapid succession of events.
After taking a sip of water, he lay back down once more, emerging from the skeletal army that had been his temporary encampment.
As the fire of his spirit ignited, and Jia approached him, "What did you find? Is there any danger?" "Danger manifests as a stone that devours living beings," Fong How replied.
The event had unfolded so swiftly that he had scarcely glimpsed the creature's name.
"What is it? an earth elemental.
No, it is merely a stone with a mouth so wide and a tongue so long that it consumed the bats I had under my control.
Fongo described even mimicking a slurping motion to convey the horror he had witnessed.
Could be a giant lizard.
That's how they hunt their prey.
Chapter 162.
I beg you, spare the living.
After a brief exchange with Injia, Fongo commanded the army to advance once more.
Although specific information about the enemy remained elusive, it was clear that their objective was the creatures masquerading as boulders.
Regardless of their strength, these beings had already drained a nearby pond under the onslaught of tens of thousands of undead.
Fong Hao, accompanied by Inja, ascended upon the skeletal dragon, once again circling above the pond.
The boulders beneath them were peculiar.
Fong Hao pointed towards a strange rock adorned with fungi below them.
The rocks varied in size, the largest measuring 5 to 6 m in length, while the smallest were merely the size of ordinary stones.
Everything seems normal and jarramar, observing the peculiar rocks without sensing any anomaly.
However, as soon as she spoke, a crimson tongue shot forth from below, wrapping around the rib cage of the skeletal dragon, attempting to draw the dragon into its maw.
How gluttonous.
Even the skeletal dragon is not exempt from your appetite.
Fong how muttered in annoyance.
Soon after, three or four more tongues emerged, launching themselves at the aerial skeletal dragon.
The skeletal dragon's massive form dwarfed that of the skeleton bat, and in response to the encroaching tongues, it merely swayed slightly, dragging the boulders below it along the ground in a rapid motion.
As the creature's m gaped open, Fawn discerned its true identity.
Stone Toad, level seven.
No wonder its tongue was so extraordinarily long.
Noticing the persistence of the toad below, Fong Hao issued a command.
Dragon's breath, the skeletal dragon ceased its high flight and dove down, unleashing a torrent of deathly breath straight into the toad's open mouth.
The toad's body began to swell rapidly, and with a resounding explosion, it burst apart, scattering bones and flesh.
This approach is untenable.
It will obliterate the bones.
Do not spew it out.
Instead, unleash your breath upon all the boulders surrounding the pond.
Several skeletal dragons began to circle the sky, unleashing their deathly breath to cleanse the area of the disguised stone toads.
Against the onslaught of the level 10 skeletal dragons, the toad's tongue attacks proved utterly ineffective.
The ground became a chaotic scene as the toads were dragged along, their appearances pitifully disheveled.
The stone toads with their gray skins were indeed not true stones, but rather a form of camouflage.
Enveloped in the deathly breath, their flesh began to melt away while the surrounding flora rapidly withered.