"Back then, we killed three Pign right here, skinned one and took it with us, and just left the corpses behind," Tadiff said, identifying the scene. Lance crouched down to examine the ground closely. There were no bodies, only blackish-purple bloodstains splattered on the ground, mixed with the soil and dried up.
There were also unmistakable drag marks. It’s impossible for sothing weighing two hundred pounds not to leave a trace.
"It seems these monsters don’t mind cannibalism, but since there aren’t any bones left, it’s likely they didn’t choose to eat on the spot," Lance mused. "Why bother dragging them back? Could these creatures have a habit of storing food?"
Geralt had reported that during his first encounter with the Pign, he witnessed them eating part of a corpse, and quite a few remnants had been left at the scene.
"I reckon we’ll know everything once we barge in," Boudica said nonchalantly. With the enemy’s location already confird, what was the point of dawdling here?
Lance understood this logic. He was doing this rely to test Tadiff’s abilities; soone who could observe their surroundings and deduce situations from traces was a valuable asset. His knowledge could be used to form a reconnaissance unit. The expansion of the conscription plan was also paired with the specialization of troops, and lately, more training materials needed to be compiled. However, Boudica had a point. Now that they were here, there was no need to dwell on such matters.
"Let’s go!" Lance led the team, and they quickly and stealthily approached the abandoned old camp. The devastation wrought by a savage force was evident. Venturing further, they finally saw the collapsed cave entrance and the large iron gate they had previously considered impenetrable.
The gate’s fra was as thick as a forearm, and its iron bars were as thick as a thumb. It was entirely forged from black iron, its ends embedded into the brick and stone walls of the tunnel. It wasn’t sothing that could be easily opened, which was why Lance had decided to withdraw previously to handle more urgent matters.
But now, most of the black iron gate had collapsed. Only a portion of the fra remained embedded in the wall. There was a clear indentation on it, where the iron bars were snapped and splintered, as if struck by so colossal creature.
"Whoa! What kind of strength would it take to break steel this thick?!" Dismas exclaid, feeling a surge of pressure as he looked at the damage. If sothing like that hit , wouldn’t I be smashed to pieces?
"I reckon it’s a Big Guy!" Boudica declared.
Boudica was brash, not stupid. She seed to realize that the enemy wasn’t so simple.
Even Lance couldn’t help but frown, a look of disgust on his face.
The air wafting out from inside carried an intense stench. He didn’t know if it was because of the daylight, but the hot weather made the sll several tis stronger than when they were last here. It was obvious the conditions inside were terrible, which made Lance even more uncomfortable.
But Tadiff showed no sign of nervousness or fear.
Taking money to solve problems for others—Tadiff’s professional ethics were comparable to Geralt’s. He squatted down, examining the traces on the ground, and calmly analyzed the situation for his employer.
"These traces aren’t fresh; they are at least half a day old, which ans they were made around dawn. Previously, Geralt and I speculated that a significant reason the Pign haven’t spread is their long-term existence in the dark underground. They aren’t accustod to daylight, so they only erge at night. If we wait longer and they adapt to sunlight, I’m afraid they’ll roam this land and beco incredibly difficult to eradicate. The wind blowing out indicates this isn’t the only exit. There must be other openings—entrances or exits—at higher elevations or functioning as air vents to allow for such airflow. The sounds suggest the space inside is vast and complex; otherwise, it wouldn’t produce such a howling. A space like that would also be necessary to house these unknown monsters."
As he spoke, Tadiff stood up, observing the incredible marks on the iron gate. No one could see the expression hidden beneath his helt.
"We’ll find out once we go in. Wear these; they’ll help prevent disease," Lance said. Walter was right; Tadiff truly is talented. Transitioning from a Gang to the Bounty Hunters profession takes more than just strength.
Lance distributed the anti-sickness masks Grendel had prepared. They were essentially cloth sewn with so herbs and spices, similar in principle to Paracelsus’s Beak Mask. However, Grendel’s version was undoubtedly more effective and also had the benefit of refreshing the mind and keeping one alert.
Lance put one on. Most of the foul sll was blocked, and a cooling, mint-like sensation seeped into his nostrils, clearing his head, which had beco muddled from the stench. It felt like a lifesaver.
The others also realized the effectiveness of these things, and with their stress lessened, the team’s morale was boosted.
"Need torches?" soone asked.
"No need," Lance replied. "Carrying torches inside will make us living targets, easily spotted by the enemy first. Going without torches carries greater risk, but it also ans we won’t be imdiately on the defensive. I’ll take the lead."
With Spiritual Vision, Lance wasn’t concerned about the brightness; he was unlikely to be ambushed while leading.
This was the first ti Tadiff had experienced an employer taking the lead. Previously, if an employer was present during a mission, they usually required protection, much like when he had escorted Walter back. So, Tadiff had been prepared for this when he joined the mission. It wasn’t the employer he was protecting, but the Gold Coin! But along the way, he’d also realized that his employer’s strength was likely considerable, and his courage was extraordinary. Leading the way in such a dim environnt, even with Tadiff’s own confidence and assurance, required him to be on full alert.
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