5: Section 5

A broken, narrow rail track came into view!

Regrettably...

The tracks on the ground had long since been torn to pieces, with signs of violent destruction everywhere!

Rounding a mountain bend...

Finally...

A circular basin spanning several thousand meters abruptly entered Su Ming's field of vision.

The entire basin was surrounded by hills several hundred meters high. Deep within the basin, on a clearing backed by a mountain ridge, rows of abandoned houses with intact structures were neatly arranged.

Additionally...

A small river crossed the entire basin.

Abandoned ore-washing equipment and decaying old tools filled a corner of the riverbank like a pile of trash.

Seeing this scene...

Su Ming's eyes were glowing.

No analysis was needed; the traces of civilization here were one hundred percent the work of humans.

Of course, that wasn't important.

What was important was...

In Su Ming's eyes, everything before him was a series of ready-made resource points!

Su Ming couldn't wait to give his home a massive upgrade!

But...

"This broken place... looks familiar no matter how I look at it!"

"Whatever!"

"The priority is to kill these Kobolds first!"

Disregarding the minor issue of being outnumbered, there was no way a Kobold's pickaxe could be a match for a bristle-tusk spear.

Besides...

Against these few Kobolds still lingering outside the mine...

Su Ming was full of confidence!

At full speed, he charged with his spear held high.

The sudden commotion caused the Kobolds to let out sharp shrieks of warning.

The three Kobolds closest to Su Ming even swung their pickaxes, charging toward him with wild coordination.

The distance was less than a hundred meters.

And they were moving toward each other.

In less than four seconds, Su Ming had closed the distance.

Taking advantage of his superior reach, he didn't stop his stride, clearing the way with a wide sweep.

Two Kobolds, unable to brake in time, plunged right into the attack range of the bristle-tusk spear.

With two thuds, they collapsed on the spot.

Su Ming stepped forward and thrust the bristle-tusk spear.

The third Kobold instinctively swung its pickaxe to parry.

Clang!—

The sound of clashing metal rang out.

Under Su Ming's brute strength, the pickaxe in the Kobold's hand went spinning away.

With the target's guard wide open, Su Ming didn't hesitate.

The spear swept past, accompanied by the whistling of air, and simultaneously sliced open the Kobold's throat!

Side-step, circle around.

Pick up speed, charge!

The sound of spurting blood was left behind him.

He had just sprinted twenty meters when a Kobold stepped off a roadside rock, howling as it flew through the air, clearly aiming to crack Su Ming's skull open.

However...

Puchi!—

A spray of blood blossomed.

With a flick of the spear, the Kobold's short body was tossed five meters away like a tattered sack.

Su Ming indeed had no formal training with cold weapons.

His experience in melee combat was even more pitifully scant.

But... with such a large target leaping at him, it would be a disservice to the opponent's flamboyant posture not to give them a spear thrust.

Chapter 6: On the Application of Gathering in Combat

The subsequent battle could be described as unremarkable.

The Kobolds did have strength in numbers.

But their coordination was lacking, and their tactics... well, a Kobold's brain simply couldn't handle high-level play like tactics.

Coupled with their positioning constraints...

Having endured the torture of various Souls-like AAA masterpieces, Su Ming would never let more than three Kobolds besiege him at the same time!

As a result...

Even with Su Ming's messy fighting style, he wiped out these nine Kobolds one by one without much effort.

However...

It wasn't over yet!

The faint clinking and clanging sounds previously heard from the mine beneath the ridge had stopped!

In their place was a series of chaotic footsteps!

As expected.

The Kobolds inside the mine were the main force!

But!

Su Ming had anticipated this!

Gripping his blood-stained spear, Su Ming stood at the mine entrance, waiting calmly.

This entrance, which only allowed three people to pass at a time, was his reason for daring to hold this position and wait for them to come to him!

"Come on!"

"Just in time for Ge Men to earn some more experience."

"My Gathering skill is still waiting to level up!"

Well.

Even with such a massive advantage.

Even though Su Ming realized he didn't dislike fighting—on the contrary, he enjoyed it...

Even though he was currently growing into a natural-born warrior...

Still...

Su Ming continued his nervous muttering.

"Woof..."

A Kobold howled as it rushed out of the mine, and Su Ming, who was slightly nervous just a moment ago, instinctively thrust his spear!

Precise and sharp!

The Kobold's cry came to an abrupt halt.

Puchi!—

The sharp spearhead was pulled from the Kobold's neck.

Chichi!—

The blood pressure within the Kobold's body pushed a fountain of crimson plasma high into the air.

Two more Kobolds charged out as a team.

However...

Su Ming delivered a horizontal sweep.

Crack!—

The sound of breaking bones mingled with the Kobolds' screams.

Puchi!—

Puchi!—

Two spear strikes flashed in succession, cleanly ending their lives.

Finally.

The thick smell of blood, combined with the lethal intent waiting in the light, forced the Kobolds to stop their mindless, suicidal charges.

They huddled in the shadows of the mine.

Pairs of cunning eyes locked onto the biped standing in the light.

After a brief silent exchange, the Kobolds actively made way, and an elderly Kobold stepped out from the shadows.

A wooden staff!

Ornaments!

Firelight!

Su Ming's pupils constricted.

"Holy crap!"

He cried out and hurriedly dove to the side, avoiding the direct path of the mine entrance.

The next instant.

Boom!—

A fireball the size of a washbasin flew out of the mine, exploding on the ground with a roar and kicking up clouds of dust!

"Shit! A Kobold Spellcaster?"

The ringing in his brain didn't hinder Su Ming's urge to complain.

This is a starter village!

I'm a total newbie!

Throwing this kind of high-level madness at Ge Men right away, you're treating me like some protagonist in a death game, aren't you!

He stood up using his spear for support. As expected, the Kobold grunts had taken the opportunity to swarm out of the mine, attempting to surround him and hack him to death!

A drop of cold sweat slid down his temple.

Frankly speaking.

The combat power of ordinary Kobold grunts wasn't worth mentioning.