Chapter 55: First Encounter with Humans

Chapter 55: First Encounter with Humans

"Shhhhhh!"

A sharp, clear whistle echoed in the depths of the forest.

"Whoosh!"

Almost simultaneously, a piercing sound tore through the air.

Three harpoon bolts with long tails shot out from the forest, soaring skyward.

In less than 500 meters, their trajectory abruptly ended.

One harpoon bolt missed its target, scraping past the bow of the airship and flying higher into the sky.

The other two harpoons struck the ship's hull.

"Boom!"

With a loud "boom," wooden debris scattered everywhere.

A two-meter-long harpoon bolt pierced through the ship's body, crashing out from the deck.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed as wooden fragments flew.

One unlucky soldier on the deck was struck by the harpoon bolt as it emerged.

The massive force drove the harpoon bolt through the soldier's body, launching him over 10 meters into the air before he crashed heavily onto the base deck.

The airship trembled violently under the impact.

"What's happening?"

"What's going on?"

The sudden attack threw the soldiers on the deck into chaos.

"We're under attack!"

The harpoon bolt that grazed the bow of the ship had torn through the sails, tangling with them as it fell.

The web-like thread instantly tightened.

The pulling force from below caused the airship to jerk sharply.

"Ah!"

Another scream rang out, this time prolonged.

A soldier fell off the deck, his harrowing scream fading quickly into the distance.

"Captain, we're under attack!"

A soldier lying flat on the deck spotted the harpoon bolt embedded in the boards.

The soldier impaled by the harpoon bolt was a gruesome sight.

Blood gushed across the deck under the immense pulling force.

The soldier, pierced through his abdomen, was still alive but struggling. He reached out to his comrades for help as blood and crushed organs spewed from his mouth.

"Lower the sails! Lower the sails! Stop moving, quickly!"

The officer snapped out of his shock and rushed forward, throwing his sword.

The blade spun through the air, severing the web-like thread tangled with the sails.

With the thread severed, the bow's downward tilt corrected itself immediately.

Hearing the creaking of the ship's frame, the soldiers' faces turned pale.

If this continued, the airship would surely disintegrate.

The soldiers scrambled to their feet and rushed toward the mast.

Meanwhile, below in the forest, two ropes emerged, connecting the airship to the forest floor, resembling kite strings.

The finger-thick web-like threads creaked under the strain.

At that moment, the airship's sails suddenly dropped.

The powerless airship drifted to a stop in the sky.

As the ship stabilized, soldiers hurried to the ship's edges, scanning the forest below for enemies.

Upon looking, they quickly spotted goblins in the forest.

"Captain, it's goblins! Goblins are attacking us!"

"What? Goblins?"

The officer couldn't believe his ears.

He rushed to the edge of the deck and looked down at the forest.

Sure enough, he saw goblins.

In three cleared areas of the forest, goblins were operating some kind of weapon.

"Are those… siege crossbows?"

The massive contraptions in the forest left the officer in shock.

Siege crossbows were military-grade equipment, usually reserved for the kingdom's city walls.

How could goblins possess such military weapons?

"Quick, cut the ropes!"

Three soldiers hurried toward their fallen comrade impaled by a harpoon bolt.

He was already dead, having bled out completely.

The deck was almost entirely stained with blood.

"High Priest, are you alright?"

The officer shouted toward the rear deck.

"Still alive, but the ship won't hold for long. Hurry!"

Inside the cabin, a soldier found the harpoon bolt embedded in the ship.

He spotted the web-like thread attached to it and swung his sword, aiming to cut it.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, wooden debris exploded from beneath his feet.

With a deafening crash, another harpoon bolt pierced through the ship.

The soldier was incredibly lucky; the bolt barely missed his nose.

But he was also incredibly unlucky; the ship's structure beneath him collapsed, and he plummeted.

"Ahhh!"

The sense of weightlessness overwhelmed him as his terrified scream faded into the distance.

The harpoon bolt that struck the airship penetrated the hull, sending the soldiers on the deck tumbling.

"Damn it! What's going on?"

Even if these were siege crossbows, their power was too terrifying.

The airship hovered at an altitude of at least 500 meters, yet the bolts struck with such force.

"Final shot! Bring it down!"

In the forest, Li Meng, operating a massive triple-bow crossbow, grinned toward the sky.

Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

"Whoosh!"

The harpoon bolt tore through the air like a black flash, heading skyward.

The 500-meter distance vanished in an instant.

"Boom!"

This shot struck the airship's keel directly.

With a loud explosion, wooden fragments flew.

The airship split into two, breaking apart at the center.

The broken bow and stern plummeted toward the ground.

If one listened closely, terrified screams could still be heard.

If one looked closely, silhouettes could be seen falling alongside the wreckage.

"Are those humans?"

In the forest, Li Meng gazed at the sky, watching the catastrophic scene unfold.

"They fell! They fell!"

The goblins erupted in cheers, their cries resounding through the forest.

Goblins perched on treetops danced and shouted in excitement.

After falling for more than ten seconds, the wreckage crashed into the depths of the forest.

"Let's go take a look!"

With a flash, Li Meng dashed into the forest depths.

Benben followed with heavy strides, chasing after their leader.

The goblins in the forest swarmed toward the airship's crash site.

About 700 meters to the northwest, Li Meng found the airship wreckage.

The bow and stern were over 100 meters apart.

"Humans, indeed!"

In the dim forest, Li Meng kicked over a corpse lying on the ground.

As the body flipped, a blond-haired, blue-eyed man came into view.

He resembled a European from Earth but only somewhat.

His hair and eyes matched, but his face was a blend of East and West.

His skin was pale, and his face was scruffy with a beard.

"Humans! They're humans!"

Figures flickered through the surrounding forest.

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One by one, goblins emerged from the dim shadows.

Upon seeing the corpses on the ground, greed flashed in their eyes.

But with their leader present, they dared not act, merely watching from the sidelines.