721: 246.
Code na “Pangolin”_3 721: 246.
Code na “Pangolin”_3 But the good news is, these guys managed to “loot” the Gladiator’s weapon storage on their way out, equipping them with basic armor and weapons.
They even took so jerky as travel rations.
“Good, good!”
Hog stood up, shaking his short tail.
He moved forward, flanked by a group of elite gnolls, taking in the sight of the disheveled wolf people who were gladiators, among them a few gnolls looking pitiful after being stripped of their candles by the players.
The “well-off” gnolls under Hog’s command stepped forward imdiately, kindly sharing the smallest, thinnest of their own candles with their kin.
After all, a gnoll without a candle of its own was truly pitiful.
“Your being here ans you have made up your minds to flee the vampire city.
I will lead you out through the underground.
We will return to our wilderness,”
declared Hog loudly.
“But I will only lead my kinsn out!
If you want to leave, you must join us, join the Bloodclaw Clan!”
“I don’t like this na.”
Complained a Barbarian Soldier dangling his arm defensively,
“Sounds like sothing a vampire would co up with!
I hate vampires.”
“That’s because it is related to vampires, my kinsman.”
Hog huffed, pointing towards the ceiling and said,
“Don’t forget the place from which we escaped.
Any humiliation we suffered from vampires we must repay a hundredfold!
Having this na reminds us never to forget the vampires’ maltreatnt!”
“Alright, I’ll join.
My clan’s gone anyway.”
With a sigh, the Barbarian Soldier continued,
“I saw my chieftain’s head chopped off by a vampire lackey.
His head is now displayed in the Blood Rat Gang’s warehouse where they’re planning on using it to create a magic artifact.”
“We’re in the sa boat.”
The other gladiators, scared and anxious to escape, had no objection to joining Hog’s clan.
Soon, Hog’s clan swelled to over 30 mbers.
Apart from Hog himself, all of them were experienced from surviving three battles in the gladiatorial arena, although their number was small, their quality was top-notch.
“Let’s move out!
Leave this place.”
Hog waved a hand, leading his clansn to run quickly along the river channel of the underground cave, diving first into the swift currents below, holding his breath in search of the confird underground tunnel.
He quickly found it.
After all, it was the place Lady Adel had repeatedly described to him while he had a map in hand.
The vampires even thoughtfully locked a skeleton in a peculiar position at the entrance of the tunnel as a marker.
The bewildered wolf gladiators were swept into it one after another by the current, moving forward through the dim, damp, underground path covered with moss.
They dared not stop, only able to hasten their pace.
After several tense minutes, they reached the final exit.
Scaling the steep cave, the quiet wilderness under the night sky and the tranquil Kaderman River were now in sight.
“Hah, we’ve made it out!”
Excited, Nash bellowed out loud.
He waved his claws, revealing the brand on his shoulder representing the gladiator slave.
Similar shaful marks could be seen on the bodies of other wolf people and gnolls.
Hog had one too.
But it was branded on by Miss Doris herself; it was a necessary symbol for him to lead these fierce gladiators.
“Good news, I’ve been here before.”
Hog feigned wisdom as he surveyed the surroundings from higher ground, as if distinguishing the terrain, then said to his clansn,
“The Andma Hills are right in front.
Crossing the river will lead us to our people.
Let’s go!
We need to get there before dawn…”
“Hog!
There’s soone ahead!”
Old Blind Eye quickly noticed movent in the abandoned village near the riverbank.
Clutching his crossbow, he yelled,
“Looks like it’s our people, a migrating clan.
Do we go over and check?”
“Of course we do.”
Hog’s eyes flickered and he issued an order:
“Prepare for battle…”
“Huh?”
The other wolf people looked in bewildernt at their chieftain.
Hog explained,
“We’ll be laughed at if it becos known that we’ve been slaves.
We need to keep that a secret.
Plus, look at how destitute we are right now!
Do you think these clansn will spare us, looking like beggars?
It’s survival of the fittest for wolf people!
Either we assimilate them and give ourselves more soldiers and servants, or they assimilate us and turn us into their slaves.
The choice is yours!”
“There must be females in that clan…
a wolf man without a mate is a laughing stock.”
Nash grinned in the darkness, covertly pointing out another fact, making the other wolf people howl in anticipation, their eyes shining like actual wolves.
“Heh, let’s go, two for each man!”
Hog slung his arm forward.
With that, the wolf gladiators duly followed.
“All the candles on the gnoll servants over there are yours!”
Hog also called out to the gnoll elites in his clan and they too beca excited.
Candles!
Ah, candles, wonderful candles…
A beacon in the darkness, it was a captivating treasure.
For it, gnolls would give everything, just like the hungry and thirsty wolf people right now.
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