Blood tax

Chapter 9 The Living Corpse

In the faint firelight, a mad figure could vaguely see through the small window of the farmhouse.The screams came from the farmhouse immediately.

There was a rustling running sound in the darkness, like a human being, but also like a beast that had never been seen before.

Griffith couldn't help but feel a tingling in his scalp, turned over and jumped onto the nearby roof.Just as he climbed up the roof, he saw a figure flashing through the darkness and grabbed it subconsciously.This grab was in vain, and the wrist was pulled and rotated, causing the body to be lifted up in the air and fell towards the roof.

Griffith had never encountered such a throwing technique before, and he was in a hurry to stabilize his center of gravity, but he was thrown out in double-layer heavy armor, and smashed through the roof with a bang, carrying straw and beams. fell in together.

The sturdy figure also lost his footing, but his movements were undisturbed, rolling and spinning like a cat, deftly adjusted his landing posture, and stepped on the apprentice knight and landed steadily.

"Ow—!"

The pounding on the ground and the squeezing of his stomach nearly made Griffith spit out his stomach.Before he could regain his breath from the shattering fall, the figure stepping on him had already twisted his wrist and grabbed the long sword and pointed it at his throat.

The icy blade choked the air.

"Alas~ When did you run to my feet?"

The dilapidated hut was very quiet for a while.

Griffith opened his eyes, and under the pale green moonlight, Galadia was pointing her sword at herself with a serious face.

"Get up, the living corpses are about to eat our brains!" The elf took a step down from the apprentice knight's stomach. "After the goblins, there are living corpses. Could this small village be a hatchery for evil gods?"

"One adventurer was infected with this corpse plague. In addition, some villagers' corpses disappeared at midnight," Griffith hurriedly asked, struggling to get up, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, "Where have you been before?"

"Find a place to hide and rest," the elf replied casually, and then added, "I declare in advance that if you suspect that the beautiful and elegant elf is involved in this evil deed, you will be hanged from the treetops."

Griffith sighed, shook his head, and said, "I just wanted to say that if we take turns on guard and rest, maybe we can stop this."

The elf shook his head and denied the idea word by word: "We've only known a few - a - small - hours - alas!"

Griffith suddenly felt that once he and Galadia started talking, there was no end.In such a chaotic state, two people standing in a shabby farmhouse with no vision and you say a word to me is simply insane!
The apprentice knight swallowed this feeling, turned and walked out of the house.He had just pushed open the wooden door of the hut, when a dark figure suddenly squeezed through the crack of the door, grinning and biting at the wrist that opened the door.

"Dang!" A mouth full of fangs broke out several teeth on the iron gauntlet.Not far away, Galadia jumped back in fright.

Griffith only felt a sharp pain in his wrist, like being stabbed with a dagger.He raised the axe in his left hand and smashed it hard at the shadow.Hei Ying's head was hit hard, bursting open like a watermelon, and he froze on the spot.

"Get out of here!" Griffith shouted.The elf immediately followed, and the two rushed out of the house together.

A beast-like shadow is running through the village.They still maintain the outline of a human, but their forelimbs are swollen and elongated, and they often run on all fours like a jackal.Teeth and nails have turned into sharp serrations and dagger-like shapes, and they can even climb roofs and walls with ease.

These monsters are both human and goblins.At the beginning, it only appeared sporadically, and within a few minutes, it was already swarming to attack and prey.

The apprentice knight and the elf walked for a while and found that it was very dangerous to be exposed.Those monsters wandering in the dark will come out from the darkness in the corner to attack at any time. It seems that the only safe place is to escape from the village and hide in the woods.

Galadia quickly glanced at the woods, as if thinking about a way out.After a while, she hurriedly said: "Can't go out, today's moon is a green moon, and the monsters in the forest will be especially crazy and powerful!"

"Then go to the village chief's mansion, which is stronger!" Griffith shouted.He had just fought a battle at night, his equipment was severely damaged, his physical strength had only recovered by [-] to [-]%, and he was not sure to save his life while fleeing.

The two cover each other and run all the way, and the monsters they encounter along the way can be easily killed.However, it didn't take long before those hordes of monsters began to pay attention to their whereabouts, roaring and chasing after them.

"It's here!" Galadia seemed to have a good vision in the dark, grabbed the apprentice knight who almost missed the village chief's house, and pushed him into the nearby wall.

"Open the door!" Over the fence, Griffith immediately hammered the wooden door of the big house in front of him.The village chief's bald head came out from inside, and after seeing the faces of the two, he hurriedly opened the door and welcomed them in.

Several people have gathered in the spacious house, besides the village chief's family, Miss Boxer Ulan, the trainee nun, Mr. Isis and five villagers.

"The gods are above, it's great that you are safe and sound!" The village chief saw the two alive in front of him, and came to shake their hands in surprise.

"We have to block the entrance and exit until dawn." Galadia quickly avoided the village chief's hand.

Before everyone could answer, Wu Lan said dissatisfiedly, "If it wasn't for waiting for you, we would have blocked this door long ago."

Such a big temper... Griffith saw that the elf was about to respond, and hurriedly said: "The physiques of these monsters are very alienated, and it is useless to shrink. We must try to rescue more people."

Before Wulan could attack, there were bursts of heavy knocks outside the door, mixed with terrifying roars.A group of living corpses flung themselves outside the gate, trying to break in.

The villagers were in chaos. Griffith drew his long sword, opened a crack in the sturdy wooden door, and stabbed the sword out without waiting for the elf to stop him.

The sword's edge felt through the flesh, and at the same time, the strong impact was about to knock open the door.

Griffith pressed his body against the door and stabbed the outside with his sword in his right hand.The flesh and black blood of the living corpse flew everywhere.

After a few minutes, it was quiet outside the door.One body after another formed a low wall outside the door.

Griffith felt that his strength was draining a lot, and he hurriedly retreated and closed the door.

The big room regained its calm, and everyone who had not been helpful all the time looked at the blood-stained apprentice knight with various expressions.Finally, the village chief said, "Maybe we should close the door and wait until dawn."

"It will be dawn in a few hours. What the village chief said makes sense." Mr. Isis also made a comment, and then pointed to the chimney of the house. "I think it will be blocked there as well."

Okay... Griffith nodded tiredly, walked to the side and sat down.The villagers ran over immediately, blocking the door with tables, chairs and cabinets.

……

Groups of roars echoed outside the house, and I don't know how many creatures have been transformed into walking corpses.

Everyone hiding in the house did not dare to light the oil lamps, and sat down silently.

Isis took care of the wounded, Ulan was sitting with nun Pacifica, and the village chief was huddled with the villagers.Everyone just sat there in silence and waited for the dawn.

Griffith sat not far from the elf.As a Sequence Nine Extraordinary, although his physical strength exceeds that of ordinary people, it is hopeless to not be able to rest in such a continuous battle.Unconsciously, he fell asleep.

I don't know how long it took, the groggy Griffith was shaken awake.He heard a gentle gnawing sound in the darkness, like a rat chewing on the corner of a table, the troubling sound was amplified in the silence, making people feel very strange.

And there were murmurs that were indistinguishable, as if someone were speaking, and like a curse.The voice seemed to be some ancient secret language, the meaning of which was incomprehensible.

"Wake up quickly."

There was a clear whisper in his ear, and Griffith felt his arm being patted, and a faint fragrance of forest grass was gently beating on the tip of his nose.

Griffith looked up and found Galadia kneeling beside him, pulling his arms with both hands.

"Come with me, take it easy."

The apprentice knight obediently got up quietly and followed the elf to the kitchen near the living room.Galadia carefully checked the corner of the wall and the bottom of the table, closed the door and whispered:

"We're in big trouble. The living corpses in the entire village seem to have gathered around and surrounded us."

what!Griffith's eyes widened: "Could it be that all the villagers have been killed and only us are left."

"Probably not. I can sense more than 100 humanoid creatures walking outside. Judging from their footsteps, they seem to be some villagers and goblins." Galadia's agile eyes almost expressed her worry, "Live The corpses should have no intelligence, only the instinct of devouring and killing. I suspect that someone is manipulating these resurrected corpses."

"Who will it be? Who is the target?" Griffith blurted out, but immediately had his own answer, "The target is you?"

"It can't be you, those adventurers or villagers, right? The resurrection of the deceased requires forbidden black magic or sealed objects, which is difficult for even the senior mages of the Arcane Council," said the elf after hesitating. He came out, "I came to this village because according to the prophecy, I had to leave the clan to investigate alone in order to find a clue that is very critical to my promotion sequence. This operation should be kept secret."

Griffith said seriously: "If it is based on this assumption, then it makes sense, to hunt an elf ranger, there must be enough people.

"As far as the current situation is concerned, the master behind the scenes has spent a considerable price. I have never heard of the creation of goblins and living corpses in the core territory of mankind. If only one or two villages are to be slaughtered, the cost and gain It's absurd by comparison."

"It's not easy for me to slip through the chimney now," Galadia bit her lip, "I'm too careless~ By the way, there is one more thing."

"what?"

"Be careful of those adventurers," the elf raised a finger to his mouth and made a silent gesture, "Did you hear that? With this slight chewing sound, that girl dressed as a boxer has gone crazy."

Like a rat chewing, the rustling sound wandered in the darkness, making the scalp numb.There was also the faint sound of crunching bones.

"Are you sure?" Griffith asked. "Maybe she was just frightened."

"Your human reason is just that. It is not uncommon for you to become a believer and a puppet of the evil god when your mind is destroyed under the unknown and fear," Galadia said with a serious tone, "I heard that a brave prince once witnessed many times. After his own people were transformed into living corpses by the plague, they fell into irreparable madness, slaughtered the residents of an entire city, and murdered their own father. In the end, he even became a cultist's minion."

"He might just have no other choice," Griffith shook his head. "That's not the point. As long as the corpses don't rush in, we can hold off until sunrise."

"Sunrise may not be effective for them, and it's not the sad group of vampires!" Galadia shook her head, "I have an idea, the people behind the manipulation of these goblins and living corpses are in this big room. ."

"How?" Griffith hurriedly glanced at everyone in the living room, "Why do you say that?"

"It's very simple~" Galadia patted his head, "After the living corpse appeared, I kept moving and changing positions. There are so many farmhouses in the village, but these monsters can accurately surround them, which shows that there are people behind the scenes. He knows my whereabouts like the back of the hand."

At this moment, a heart-piercing moan interrupted the conversation between the two.Everyone who was resting in the living room woke up with a start.

A strange sound came from the throat of the boxer girl Ulan.Then she stood up and staggered toward the door, uttering indecipherable words.

"Ulan, what's the matter?" the apprentice nun asked in panic.Immediately afterwards, she saw that her companion began to frantically push open the desk cabinet that blocked the door.

"Stop her!" Mr. Isis reacted and shouted in panic, "She's going to put the living corpse in!"

Galadia opened her strong bow like lightning, and the arrow pointed at the crazy Ulan.

"Stop!" Apprentice nun Pacifica was taken aback and hurriedly stood by her companions, "What are you doing? Stop!"

The village chief and the villagers were stunned. When they woke up from a drowsy sleep and saw such a scene, they didn't know what to do for a while.

"Oh!"

The sharp arrow was shot from the strong bow, and at such a distance, even if someone blocked it, it could not hinder the elf's archery.

Galadia pierced Ulan's shoulders and stumbled to the ground with the one she shot.

"No!" Seeing that her companion was injured, the nun screamed and hit the elf with the wooden staff in her hand.

Before she could swing her wooden staff down, a strong hand had already grabbed her wrist, knocking her unconscious to the ground with ease.

At this moment, there was a dense scratching sound outside the house.Hundreds of living corpses let out a low and terrifying roar, and began to attack the doors, windows and walls of the mansion.

"They're outside!"

"They're rushing in!"

The terrified villagers let out a miserable cry together and ran towards the most powerful elf.In the chaos, Griffith suddenly turned around and rushed towards Isis in the crowd.

"Wow!" The mage apprentice shouted and was knocked out and smashed heavily on the wall behind.

Before the village chief and others could ask what was going on, Griffith's big hand wrapped in iron armor had already picked up the thin Isis and strangled him by the throat.

"Let me break your neck, or do you stop the living corpse outside yourself," the apprentice knight asked coldly.

"You, what did you say? I don't understand?" Isis slapped and grabbed his arm, struggling desperately.

"It's you who deliberately asked for help on the only way to disperse the support forces and lure some of the reinforcements to the trap," Griffith said quickly, "Goblins and living corpses are not strong, and they are not strong in organized adventurers and There is no chance in front of the villagers.

"You know the exact location of Galadia, which is why the living corpses besieged here. She is your prey."

"Isn't that the boxer?" Isis shouted, "She wants to let those monsters in."

"Perhaps, you are all suspected," Griffith's blade-like eyes flashed a trace of cruelty, "Kill all of you, then there will be no problem."

"..."

Isis, who was struggling frantically, suddenly flashed a ferocious look in his eyes, grabbing something in his right hand and stabbing at Griffith's arm.

"Oh!"

A sharp arrow pierced his wrist and nailed it to the wall.A knife smeared with green liquid fell out of Isis's hand.

The living corpse outside the house was about to tear down the wooden door and small window, and the rotten and rotten arm got into the cracked gap.

"One last time, stop the corpse." Griffith said coldly, the hand that locked Isis's throat could twist his neck at any time.

The pale mage apprentice suddenly raised the corners of his mouth.Immediately afterwards, he bit something hard and chewed it.

"Don't let him take poison!" Galadia reacted immediately.

Griffith squeezed Isis's chin like lightning and twisted it hard.The mage apprentice screamed and his jaw was dislocated.

Spies and conspirators of all races have a habit of hiding poison in their teeth.When they were caught, just smashed a false tooth, and the deadly poison could save them the rest of the pain.

As a member of the Eastern Corps, Griffith has been involved in the capture and interrogation of spies many times, and wringing their jaws is the only effective way.However, having a lot of experience does not mean that you will be able to make it every time.

Isis's face suddenly turned blue-purple, and white foam poured out from the corner of his mouth.His poison was so deadly that it worked in an instant.

Galadia rushed over, checked the situation of the mage apprentice, and glanced at Griffith regretfully.

At the same time, the commotion outside the house suddenly subsided, and the roaring living corpses stopped attacking.There were messy footsteps outside the house, going in different directions.

(End of this chapter)