Chapter 22: Crisis Averted, Discovery of Strange Little Greens

"Lord, stay close to me later," Asheena whispered, gripping Field's arm tightly. "I'm confident we can break through."

Field nodded, understanding her intention. "I will, but I don't want to run unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Leave the carts here. Load the crossbows and get ready," Field instructed, learning from past mistakes and ensuring they were prepared with crossbows this time.

"Roar!" A gnome-like monster with elongated arms climbed over a broken wall, landing on a guard and starting to bite. "Squeak! Squeak!" Even the armor screeched under the pressure.

The guard, startled, tried to shake off the monster but couldn't. Luckily, Asheena swiftly drew her long sword and sliced the creature in half.

"Is that a corrupted monkey?"

With its long limbs and tail, it certainly looked like a monkey.

As if receiving a signal, the entire village of Lamm erupted. Gnome-like creatures were everywhere, jumping and swarming like a flood of filth.

Field forced himself to stay calm, quickly scanning the small map and calculating their next move. One wrong step could spell disaster for everyone. "Run, head southeast. There's a large courtyard!"

One, two, ten—more and more gnome-like zombies poured over the ruins of Lamm, entering Field's line of sight.

"Fire!" At Field's command, the guards released their crossbows, sending a volley of bolts that turned the approaching creatures into pin cushions, their bodies piling up like discarded rags.

"Clear a path," Asheena ordered. Her dragon wolf moved ahead, spewing deadly flames while advancing rapidly.

Asheena herself took the rear, swiftly cutting down five leaping monkeys in one smooth motion. The flash of her cavalry sword left the creatures bisected, blood spraying as they fell.

Seeing another creature crawling quickly along the ground, ready to pounce, Asheena stomped on its head with her elegant white leg, crushing it with a "pop."

With the time Asheena bought, Field led his men into the large courtyard. The guards quickly barricaded the entrance with stones and rotting furniture.

"This place isn't safe. Keep moving back and use the buildings for defense," Field instructed, noting on his map that the wave of red markers was seemingly endless. The only consolation was that the monsters weren't targeting them but moving in another direction, merely passing through Lamm.

"Barricade the doors and rotate the guards. They're just passing through; they'll leave soon," Field reassured everyone.

With the dragon wolf, Asheena, and the army, holding the gate wasn't difficult.

Soon, the corrupted monkeys launched a frenzied assault. Unfortunately for them, Field's troops were a resilient dam. Armored guards, wielding heavy shields, held the gate firmly, and the monkeys couldn't break through.

Asheena's dragon wolf was like a flaming tank. Even when swarmed by the corrupted creatures, its armor didn't yield. However, Asheena had to dismount and fight on foot again.

Field panted, his heart racing. The reputation of the Cursed Land was well-deserved, and surviving this long had a lot to do with luck.

"We need to build tall walls quickly," Field thought, relieved the monsters weren't heading towards the Great Wine Estate.

The group, covering each other, held out for half an hour before the horde slowly dissipated.

"Whew, that was exhausting."

Asheena sheathed her blood-stained sword, her face pale. Despite being The Chosen, her strength was finite. This was the largest horde she had faced since arriving at Nightfall Domain. Fortunately, the last corrupted monkey was slain, and the surrounding area was cleared.

"You did great." Field felt a pang of sympathy seeing Asheena sweating and exhausted. She not only held the line but also relieved others' defensive pressure. Thanks to Asheena, none of the guards were killed.

In truth, everyone was dragging Asheena down, but training the guards was essential.

Asheena blinked playfully. "Heh, no meal is earned without effort."

"Thank you, Lady Asheena," the guards awkwardly expressed their gratitude, their eyes no longer wary but filled with pure reverence.

Unlike Earth, where strange preferences abound, people here were naturally resistant to humanoids, viewing them as unclean hybrids of beasts and humans.

"Rest for half an hour, then we move out," Field ordered, prodding the creatures' corpses with his sword, curious about their makeup and migration purpose.

Lamm Village had been decaying for a decade. Most houses had collapsed, windows shattered. It was more of a large garbage heap than a village. Field didn't hold much hope.

After the break:

"Groups of five, search for loot. Take anything useful."

Nightfall Domain lacked everything: pots, pans, even wooden planks were valuable.

Placing the fog-repelling lamp in the village center, Field surveyed Lamm, considering if it could be a new base.

Asheena returned after a tour around the village. "Lord, I noticed a peculiar plant in a farmhouse yard, glowing green. I sense magical power."

"Oh? Let's check it out." Field sprang up, the mention of magic piquing his interest. "Could it be some magical treasure?"

They arrived at a house on the village's west side. The main structure had collapsed, but the stone-walled yard remained intact.

Field immediately saw a small patch of glowing green plants. They looked like they were shimmering with life. He eagerly knelt to inspect them.

"These look like tiny cabbages just sprouting." Field prodded one with his finger.

A strange odor filled his nostrils.

"Achoo!" Field sneezed violently.

Asheena laughed softly. "Lord, don't touch strange things carelessly."

"Wait, are you alright?" Seeing Field become dazed, his eyes unfocused, Asheena panicked and rushed to check on him.

The veins on Field's forehead throbbed violently, sweat pouring from his skin. His body responded instantly.

He caught a whiff of Asheena's scent and couldn't control himself, reaching out to grab her wrist.