After a brief cleanup of the area, Lance lifted his torch and moved forward, re-entering the cave they had just exited.
The place had been dug out, its original features and layout almost completely obliterated by the extensive damage. The space was vast; no wonder it could accommodate so many Pign. Amanda's recent tactic had indeed been brilliant; most of the Pign had surged into the passage, directly facing the light source, which allowed the flash to envelop them all. Otherwise, with the light scattering in such an excavated cave, its effect wouldn't have been nearly as potent.
Lance initially raised his torch, intending to get a clear view of the ceiling. However, after taking a few steps inside, he seed to discover sothing and lowered the torch.
The ground was firm and dry. Based on past experience, in a filthy Beast Lair, such conditions were typically found in only two types of locations. One was a ritual site, and the other was where the Pign ate their als.
Pign value cleanliness, such refined little piggies, eh?
"Boss, look! What's this thing?"
Boudica, walking at the front, had found sothing. Since there was no need to maintain formation at this point, Lance went straight over, using the torchlight to see what it was.
It was a crudely assembled wooden cart. Inside, various remains were jumbled together; one could vaguely make out parts of human tissue, while other remains were difficult to identify. These items were piled onto the cart, resembling a disgusting feeding trough, with trickles of blood still seeping and dripping from the cracks.
But sothing feels a bit off, doesn't it?
Suddenly, as if realizing sothing, Lance pulled off his disease-resistant mask. Only then did he confirm his suspicion.
"No wonder I couldn't sll any stench of rot."
He had found the missing piece: the reason his nose hadn't reacted to what should have been a powerfully bloody and foul stench.
I've been in here too long; my sense of sll seems to have beco desensitized.
His words startled the others, who seed to realize it only then as well.
"Huh! I really can't sll anything either!" Boudica exclaid, removing her mask and tentatively flaring her nostrils.
Her sense of sll was usually very keen, especially her sensitivity to the scent of blood—an ability that allowed her to confidently track prey in the Mountains. But now, it seed useless.
"Boss, what's going on?" Boudica subconsciously raised a hand to her nose, a hint of unease in her expression. The mory of being poisoned in the wilderness and going blind for a period was still vivid.
"It's nothing serious, just the body adapting to the environnt. You'll be fine once we get out," Lance said. He had only ant it as a casual remark and hadn't expected Boudica to react so strongly.
"Huh? Why do I sll alcohol?" Boudica hadn't slled blood, but she now detected another, familiar scent. She even wondered if she was hallucinating due to alcohol withdrawal.
"You're not wrong."
Lance, also seeming to have discovered sothing, moved the torch to one side. The torchlight revealed sothing else that was utterly out of place in the Beast Lair.
It was a common oak barrel resting horizontally on a wooden rack. Judging by its ancient appearance, it was impossible to tell how many years old it was. It was covered in gri, and adorned with grotesque skulls and strips of hide.
"There really is alcohol?" Boudica imdiately shed her earlier unease and approached, a curious look on her face.
"Even if there is, you can't drink it." Lance, knowing exactly what she was thinking, lightly tapped her on the head as she leaned in.
"OW!" Boudica yelped, snatching her head back and rubbing it with an innocent look. "Why'd you hit , Boss?"
"Oh, co on, I barely touched you," Lance said, half-laughing, half-scolding. "You'd actually dare to drink wine brewed by Pign? Do you have any idea what ingredients they use? Aren't you afraid of getting sick? Wasn't the last lesson enough for you? That's not being brave; that's being suicidal!"
Hearing his reprimand, Boudica could only offer a sheepish grin. Seeing her expression, Lance couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation.
"Stop grinning like that. If you want to drink, I'll let you have your fill when we get back. But for now, stay focused."
"Got it, Boss! I'll listen to you," Boudica imdiately bead, her expression showing she was anything but foolish.
Amanda felt a pang in her heart as she watched this exchange, feeling even a little envious. Neither her teachers, the Elders, nor the people from her organization had ever shared such an easygoing relationship with her. More importantly, the unconditional trust they shared made her deeply envious.
Why couldn't it be ?
No one seed to notice what she was thinking; the others remained focused on the Pign's creations around them.
Soon, they discovered a nearby table constructed from stacked stones, with remnants of food still visible on its surface.
"Hmm... We've seen sothing like this before. This must be where the Pign eat. That's the food cart, and over there should be the alcohol brewed by the Pign," Lance briefly explained his deductions. "There are a few interesting points here. Both the wheeled food cart and this stacked-stone table suggest that these Pign might have a more developed social structure than we initially thought. Moreover, they've learned to use tools, likely mimicking humans.
"Additionally, many details in the wear patterns indicate a clear hierarchy. For example, the height of this tabletop suggests that only Pign of normal stature can sit at it; deford or crippled Pign wouldn't be permitted."
Lance gestured to indicate the table's height, then lowered the torch to illuminate so marks on the ground, continuing his explanation.
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