Shadow Snake stepped out of the mist, grayish-green blood dripping from her deep blue fang.

Her eyes were as calm as usual, though her breathing had quickened slightly.

“Lord!” Zhao Hu's eyes lit up when he saw Lin Feng. “Is everything settled on your end?”

Lin Feng nodded and pointed at the boss's corpse dissipating on the ground. “Level 18 Elite. It dropped something good.” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He looked at Shadow Snake. “How many did you kill on your side?”

Shadow Snake was silent for a moment before saying flatly, “Four.”

Zhao Hu grinned. “The rest of us combined only killed two...”

Tie Dun's eyes went wide. “Holy crap! Sister Shadow Snake is amazing!”

Arrow Eye silently stowed his longbow, a hint of awe appearing in his gaze toward Shadow Snake.

Wang Wu remarked with emotion, “A rare class is truly on another level.”

Su Yurou stepped forward and asked softly, “Sister Shadow Snake, are you hurt? Do you need a Healing Spell?”

Shadow Snake shook her head, glancing at Su Yurou with eyes that softened for a brief instant. “No need.”

The corner of Lin Feng’s mouth curled into a smile.

“Alright, clear the battlefield. Let's see what dropped.”

The corpses of the six Goblin Warriors had completely dissipated, leaving behind six white energy crystals and two pieces of Green-quality equipment.

A pair of leather greaves ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) and a bronze short sword.

Lin Feng scanned the attributes:

【Warrior Greaves (Green)】 Defense +18, suitable for the front line.

【Sharp Short Sword (Green)】 Attack +22, suitable for agility-based classes.

He tossed the greaves to Tie Dun. “Yours. Replace those broken ones you're wearing.”

Tie Dun caught the greaves, grinning from ear to ear. “Thank you, Lord!”

He then tossed the short sword to Shadow Snake. “A spare weapon, or for someone you train in the future.”

Shadow Snake took the short sword and nodded.

“Lord, that thing on your head is...” Zhao Hu noticed a red forehead band on Lin Feng's brow.

Lin Feng touched the band. “Dropped by the boss. A Blue accessory. It adds defense and resistance to negative statuses. I happened to be missing headgear, so it'll do.”

The group showed looks of envy, but no one said anything; it was only natural for the Lord to take the best equipment.

“Alright.” Lin Feng pulled back his smile and looked deeper into the gray mist. “Tonight's harvest is good, but we've only just begun.”

He looked at Shadow Snake. “What else is up ahead?”

A spectral light flickered in Shadow Snake's eyes. “Nothing detected within fifty meters for now.”

Lin Feng nodded.

“Rest and reorganize for ten minutes. Replenish your stamina and check your gear.”

Everyone sat down, taking out dry rations and water skins.

Su Yurou drank a small blue potion to silently recover mana, while Zhao Hu and Tie Dun checked each other's shields for blade marks.

Wang Wu and Arrow Eye counted their arrows, while Shadow Snake, as usual, vanished into the mist to keep watch.

Lin Feng leaned against a boulder, watching the churning gray mist with a glint in his eyes.

The first night in the Crying Rift Valley had only just begun.

“Continue.”

The ten-minute rest ended, and the team pushed deeper.

Shadow Snake remained ahead scouting, while the other six maintained a combat formation and advanced slowly.

The gray mist swirled, and visibility remained at about twenty meters, but with their previous experience, everyone had adapted to this eerie combat environment.

The battles in the latter half of the night were more frequent than the first half.

It seemed monsters from deep within the Rift Valley were wandering toward the outskirts, or perhaps previous battles had alerted more enemies.

Nearly every time Shadow Snake returned to report, there was a new discovery.

Three solitary Goblin Warriors.

Two stray Goblin Archers.

A small squad of four Goblin Warriors.

There was even a Level 16 Goblin Shaman.

That battle took a bit of effort. The Shaman could release a dark green toxic mist with a wide range and long duration.

Zhao Hu and Tie Dun held the front line and were poisoned, their health continuously dropping.

Lin Feng seized an opening and pierced the Shaman's throat with his spear.

Shadow Snake prowled the edges of the toxic mist, picking off the three Goblin Warriors trying to protect the Shaman one by one.

When the battle ended, the Shaman dropped a green energy crystal.

Around two in the morning, Shadow Snake reported: an unusual Goblin had been spotted ahead.

It was a Fire Goblin, similar in height to a normal Goblin Warrior, but its skin was dark red and it was surrounded by faint sparks.

It wandered alone among the rock piles, holding a cluster of dancing flames in its hands, occasionally tossing them at rocks and causing bursts of sparks.

“Level 16 Elite, fire type,” Shadow Snake whispered.

Lin Feng quickly formulated a tactic: “Wang Wu, Arrow Eye, attract its attention from range.

Zhao Hu, Tie Dun, rush in during its casting intervals. Shadow Snake, circle to the back. Yu Rou, focus on healing.”

Everyone took their positions.

Wang Wu fired first, the arrow striking the Fire Goblin right in the shoulder!

-95!

The Fire Goblin let out a sharp screech, spun around, and raised its hands.

A fireball whistled through the air, heading straight for Wang Wu's position!

Wang Wu was prepared and rolled behind a boulder. The fireball smashed into the rock, exploding in a shower of sparks and stone fragments!

“Go!” Lin Feng barked.

Zhao Hu and Tie Dun charged from the flanks, shields held before them!

The Fire Goblin swung its hands repeatedly, firing two more fireballs!

Boom! Boom!

Zhao Hu's guardian round shield was struck by a fireball, sparks flying! -50! He let out a muffled grunt but didn't stop his advance!

Tie Dun's greatshield also took a hit, -51! He gritted his teeth and continued charging!

Su Yurou's Healing Spell landed on both of them simultaneously, +50! +50!

Lin Feng charged from the front, his Wildfire Spear thrusting out! The Fire Goblin retreated hastily, simultaneously condensing flames in its hands to form a fire barrier in front of it!

Lin Feng's spear tip flickered as the 【Blazing Spear Light】 shot forth! The crimson light pierced the fire barrier, aiming straight for the Goblin's face!

The Fire Goblin tilted its head to dodge, but Shadow Snake had already emerged from the shadows behind it—Puchi!

-170! (Backstab! Stealth Strike!)

The deep blue fang sank into its lower back!

The Fire Goblin screamed and turned, its hands erupting in raging flames as it lunged at Shadow Snake! But Shadow Snake had already vanished into the mist.

Lin Feng seized the opportunity, thrusting the Wildfire Spear through its heart from behind!

Puchi!

-181!

The Fire Goblin's body stiffened, the flames in its hands instantly extinguished, and it collapsed to the ground.

【Assisted in killing Level 16 Elite · Fire Goblin, gained +700 EXP!】

The corpse dissipated, leaving several items: two green crystals and a headpiece glowing with a faint green light.

It was a simple cloth forehead band, dark red, with a flame pattern embroidered in the center.

Lin Feng picked up the headpiece and scanned its attributes:

【Flame Forehead Band (Green)】

Type: Head Equipment

Defense: +8

Intelligence: +2

Requirement: Intelligence ≥ 8

Lin Feng turned and tossed the headpiece to Su Yurou. “Yours.”

Su Yurou caught it, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. “Intelligence equipment!”

She immediately put it on. The dark red of the band complemented her white mage robes, making her look a bit more spirited.

On her attribute panel, her intelligence increased by two points, and her maximum mana rose accordingly.