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overlord_ Welcome the Birth of the King_chapter_0150
Chapter 152
Chapter 150: The Rare Lizardman Race, The Hunting Squad's Encirclement
On the shore of a clear lake.
A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the water, and the bonfire flickered.
Under the cover of night.
Three large lizardmen slipped into the water from the other side of the lake. They followed the current, swimming silently toward the opposite shore.
The dark green, scale-like skin on their backs blended perfectly with the night-darkened surface of the lake as they cut through the water.
At the same time!
Aside from the three lizardmen who had entered the lake, more lizardmen appeared from three other directions. In groups of three to five, there were a total of 16 lizardmen.
They surrounded their target from all four directions in a slow, silent hunt, closing in on the bonfire by the lakeside.
"Kuchi!"
The cry of a bird rang out in the night.
This was a type of bird that preyed on fish, one of the species the lizardmen hated most. It was also the most numerous type of bird around this lake.
Therefore, the call of this bird blended inconspicuously with the other birdsongs coming from different directions in the night.
About one hundred and fifty meters directly in front of the bonfire by the lake.
Four lizardmen lay prone in the tall grass, their gazes sharp as they peered through a gap in the foliage, fixed on the human figure beside the bonfire.
"Chief, they're all in position," the lizardman carrying a bow and arrow whispered to the Hunting Chief beside him.
"Tell them not to make any rash moves. Wait for my command," the Hunting Chief lizardman instructed, his expression both serious and excited.
This was the first time they had ever hunted a human!
Among all the Hunting Chiefs in the tribe's history, he was likely the only one.
Even if the target was a magic caster, he was confident he could take them down.
The strongest magic caster he had ever seen was the tribe's priest elder. Bare-handed, it was only natural he couldn't beat a magic caster, but with a weapon, he was certain he would win in close combat.
It was said that other tribes had even stronger priests, but the Hunting Chief lizardman believed this was likely just boasting from the lizardmen of those other tribes.
Moreover, to capture this human alive, they had mobilized all 16 members of the Hunting Squad!
"Kuchi." The lizardman with the bow and arrow nodded, constricted his throat to let out a bird call, and then whispered, "Chief, when do we make our move?"
This wasn't a hunt for an ordinary wild beast, but a rare human. If they could capture it alive, it would surely cause a sensation in the tribe.
No!
It would probably cause a sensation in the other four tribes as well.
"The target is a magic caster. He might have some kind of warning magic. And that wolf-like monster beside him is also tricky."
"When dawn is about to break, that should be when the human and that monster are at their most relaxed."
Although the Hunting Chief lizardman was inwardly excited, he also knew to be careful.
For that human to dare appear alone in the Great Wetland, he must have some strength. They had to be cautious.
On the shore.
Tang Zheng placed a skewered five-jin fish, one that resembled a grass carp, over the bonfire to roast. A faint, fragrant aroma began to drift out as its surface gradually turned golden brown.
The Ghoul Dog lay beside Tang Zheng. It sniffed the air, glanced at the fish on the bonfire, then looked away again.
It knew that this fish was probably not for it.
"No wonder the lizardmen like to eat fish. The fish in this lake taste pretty good."
Tang Zheng looked at the nearly-done roasted fish, and with a flip of his hand, took out some salt and chili powder, sprinkling them over its surface.
These were spices he had purchased when leaving the Royal Capital. He had only managed to buy three types: besides the most common salt, there was also sugar and chili powder.
The price of salt was relatively cheap, but the prices for sugar and chili powder were calculated in silver coins and were very expensive. It was said there were other kinds of spices, but they weren't sold in the shops.
Tang Zheng knew that in this world, there was a specific type of magic for creating spices, but obviously, he wasn't going to waste skill points on something like that.
【Experience Bar: 132725/70000】
He glanced at the experience on his stat panel.
In less than two days, he had gained around 5,000 experience. Although the level of the monsters in the Lower Lake region wasn't high, there were a great many of them.
A pity!
After he had cleared out a few, these monsters learned he was not to be trifled with and started to hide.
"The lizardmen should be making their move by now. I just don't know which tribe it is."
Tang Zheng looked at the roasted fish, its aroma growing richer with the sprinkled salt and chili, a satisfied expression on his face as he spoke softly.
The entire Lower Lake area of the Great Wetland was considered lizardman territory, but their numbers were too few. Scattered across the Great Wetland, finding them was still somewhat difficult.
He remembered.
In the future, the Bone King would send a regular Undead Legion of 5,000 to wage war against the lizardmen.
In the end, the combined forces sent by the five lizardman tribes only numbered around 1,300, and this even included combat-capable female lizardmen. Even if you added the old, weak, sick, and disabled to round out the number...
Tang Zheng estimated that the total population of the five lizardman tribes was at most just over two thousand, which averaged out to only 400 people per tribe.
And the Lower Lake area of the Great Wetland was vast. Finding this group of lizardmen was no easy task.
Tang Zheng was quite interested in this group of lizardmen—for example, their Four Great Treasures, magic technology, and so on.
The smell of the roasted fish spread in all directions on the night wind.
It made the hidden lizardmen swallow hard one by one. Although they had mastered the skill of making fire, they preferred to eat their food raw.
Now, suddenly smelling the roasted fish with added spices, many of the lizardmen grew restless.
However, in order not to startle the human, all the lizardmen could only wait in silence.
The night grew deeper.
The light of the bonfire on the lakeshore began to dim, then died out completely.
The entire Hunting Squad of lizardmen remained motionless, all of them awaiting the Hunting Chief's command.
Time passed, bit by bit.
A sliver of dawn's light appeared in the eastern sky.
The Hunting Chief lizardman, prone in the grass, felt a jolt of alertness. He shot a sharp glance at the lizardman with the bow and arrow beside him.
"Kuchi."
The archer lizardman immediately constricted his throat and let out a bird call.
In an instant!
All the lizardmen sprang into action.
The first to move were the three lizardmen who had been waiting in the lake. They broke the surface, quickly locking onto Tang Zheng and the Ghoul Dog on the shore.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The three lizardmen simultaneously raised the harpoon-like weapons in their hands and hurled them fiercely at Tang Zheng, accompanied by the sharp sound of splitting air.
On the shore.
The Ghoul Dog lying beside Tang Zheng twitched an ear. It shot up, blocking Tang Zheng's back as it saw the harpoons thrown from the lake.
"Roar."
The Ghoul Dog bared its sharp, vicious teeth. The chains on its body shot out, striking down the three harpoons flying through the air.
"The three of us will hold this monster back!"
The three lizardmen in the lake were not the least bit surprised to see this. With a loud roar, they charged toward the shore.
The three of them were meant to deal with this monster, which was why they were the first to make a move and attack.
Almost at the same moment the Ghoul Dog moved away from Tang Zheng's side, a dense volley of projectiles once again split the air.
Arrows flew from three directions, all aimed squarely at Tang Zheng.
"They really picked a good time."
Tang Zheng, still sitting cross-legged on the ground, let out a yawn. He calmly swept his gaze over the dozen or so lizardmen emerging from three directions.
A scroll appeared in his palm, and he casually crushed it.
Light converged!
A Flame Archangel materialized from thin air, spreading its broad wings to shield Tang Zheng.
All the incoming arrows struck the Flame Archangel's radiant armor, creating a "ding-ding-dang" sound as they were all deflected.
The thirteen lizardmen charging from three directions trembled when they saw their arrows so easily blocked.
"Use the grappling hooks!" a shout came from among the lizardmen.
Swish! Swish!
Grappling hooks attached to ropes flew through the air, easily latching onto the Flame Archangel. The ropes quickly went taut.
"Magic casters are as dangerous as they say!"
"But we have the advantage in numbers! Daben, AJie, you two lead your teams and hold back that summoned creature. I'll take care of the spellcaster."
The Hunting Chief lizardman roared, gripping his axe with both hands and charging forward.
According to his plan!
The three lizardmen from the lake would hold back the monster beside the human, while the grappling hooks would restrain the target's summoned creature, forcefully pulling it away from the human's side.
Thus, the fragile magic-casting human would be exposed before him. As long as he could get into close combat quickly, he could end the fight.
Even if something unexpected happened, their numerical advantage could compensate for it!
In the eyes of the Hunting Chief lizardman, their victory in this hunt was sealed from the very beginning. The only question was how to capture the human alive while minimizing injuries to their comrades.
And everything before him was proceeding exactly according to plan!
However!
The Hunting Chief lizardman had only charged a short distance, the triumphant excitement still lingering in his eyes, when a look of astonishment crossed his face.
The ropes wrapped around the Flame Archangel were pulled taut, straight as a board, yet the Flame Archangel showed no sign of being moved in the slightest.
"How can this be?"
The Hunting Chief lizardman was shocked. The comrades pulling the ropes were the strongest members of the Hunting Squad.
Suddenly!
The Flame Archangel flapped its wings and shot straight into the sky. The several lizardmen holding the ropes had no time to resist and were easily dragged up into the air.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
Screams echoed from the sky, and then the lizardmen plummeted from mid-air, hitting the ground with heavy thuds.
The sudden change brought a moment of silence!
"Ahhh—"
An agonized scream shattered the quiet atmosphere once more. This time, the scream didn't come from the lizardmen on the ground, but from the three who were besieging the Ghoul Dog on the shore.
This monster, whose physique didn't even look as strong as their female lizardmen, had just easily torn off the arm of one of their comrades.
The successive, unexpected events left everyone present stunned.
(end of chapter)
On the shore of a clear lake.
A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the water, and the bonfire flickered.
Under the cover of night.
Three large lizardmen slipped into the water from the other side of the lake. They followed the current, swimming silently toward the opposite shore.
The dark green, scale-like skin on their backs blended perfectly with the night-darkened surface of the lake as they cut through the water.
At the same time!
Aside from the three lizardmen who had entered the lake, more lizardmen appeared from three other directions. In groups of three to five, there were a total of 16 lizardmen.
They surrounded their target from all four directions in a slow, silent hunt, closing in on the bonfire by the lakeside.
"Kuchi!"
The cry of a bird rang out in the night.
This was a type of bird that preyed on fish, one of the species the lizardmen hated most. It was also the most numerous type of bird around this lake.
Therefore, the call of this bird blended inconspicuously with the other birdsongs coming from different directions in the night.
About one hundred and fifty meters directly in front of the bonfire by the lake.
Four lizardmen lay prone in the tall grass, their gazes sharp as they peered through a gap in the foliage, fixed on the human figure beside the bonfire.
"Chief, they're all in position," the lizardman carrying a bow and arrow whispered to the Hunting Chief beside him.
"Tell them not to make any rash moves. Wait for my command," the Hunting Chief lizardman instructed, his expression both serious and excited.
This was the first time they had ever hunted a human!
Among all the Hunting Chiefs in the tribe's history, he was likely the only one.
Even if the target was a magic caster, he was confident he could take them down.
The strongest magic caster he had ever seen was the tribe's priest elder. Bare-handed, it was only natural he couldn't beat a magic caster, but with a weapon, he was certain he would win in close combat.
It was said that other tribes had even stronger priests, but the Hunting Chief lizardman believed this was likely just boasting from the lizardmen of those other tribes.
Moreover, to capture this human alive, they had mobilized all 16 members of the Hunting Squad!
"Kuchi." The lizardman with the bow and arrow nodded, constricted his throat to let out a bird call, and then whispered, "Chief, when do we make our move?"
This wasn't a hunt for an ordinary wild beast, but a rare human. If they could capture it alive, it would surely cause a sensation in the tribe.
No!
It would probably cause a sensation in the other four tribes as well.
"The target is a magic caster. He might have some kind of warning magic. And that wolf-like monster beside him is also tricky."
"When dawn is about to break, that should be when the human and that monster are at their most relaxed."
Although the Hunting Chief lizardman was inwardly excited, he also knew to be careful.
For that human to dare appear alone in the Great Wetland, he must have some strength. They had to be cautious.
On the shore.
Tang Zheng placed a skewered five-jin fish, one that resembled a grass carp, over the bonfire to roast. A faint, fragrant aroma began to drift out as its surface gradually turned golden brown.
The Ghoul Dog lay beside Tang Zheng. It sniffed the air, glanced at the fish on the bonfire, then looked away again.
It knew that this fish was probably not for it.
"No wonder the lizardmen like to eat fish. The fish in this lake taste pretty good."
Tang Zheng looked at the nearly-done roasted fish, and with a flip of his hand, took out some salt and chili powder, sprinkling them over its surface.
These were spices he had purchased when leaving the Royal Capital. He had only managed to buy three types: besides the most common salt, there was also sugar and chili powder.
The price of salt was relatively cheap, but the prices for sugar and chili powder were calculated in silver coins and were very expensive. It was said there were other kinds of spices, but they weren't sold in the shops.
Tang Zheng knew that in this world, there was a specific type of magic for creating spices, but obviously, he wasn't going to waste skill points on something like that.
【Experience Bar: 132725/70000】
He glanced at the experience on his stat panel.
In less than two days, he had gained around 5,000 experience. Although the level of the monsters in the Lower Lake region wasn't high, there were a great many of them.
A pity!
After he had cleared out a few, these monsters learned he was not to be trifled with and started to hide.
"The lizardmen should be making their move by now. I just don't know which tribe it is."
Tang Zheng looked at the roasted fish, its aroma growing richer with the sprinkled salt and chili, a satisfied expression on his face as he spoke softly.
The entire Lower Lake area of the Great Wetland was considered lizardman territory, but their numbers were too few. Scattered across the Great Wetland, finding them was still somewhat difficult.
He remembered.
In the future, the Bone King would send a regular Undead Legion of 5,000 to wage war against the lizardmen.
In the end, the combined forces sent by the five lizardman tribes only numbered around 1,300, and this even included combat-capable female lizardmen. Even if you added the old, weak, sick, and disabled to round out the number...
Tang Zheng estimated that the total population of the five lizardman tribes was at most just over two thousand, which averaged out to only 400 people per tribe.
And the Lower Lake area of the Great Wetland was vast. Finding this group of lizardmen was no easy task.
Tang Zheng was quite interested in this group of lizardmen—for example, their Four Great Treasures, magic technology, and so on.
The smell of the roasted fish spread in all directions on the night wind.
It made the hidden lizardmen swallow hard one by one. Although they had mastered the skill of making fire, they preferred to eat their food raw.
Now, suddenly smelling the roasted fish with added spices, many of the lizardmen grew restless.
However, in order not to startle the human, all the lizardmen could only wait in silence.
The night grew deeper.
The light of the bonfire on the lakeshore began to dim, then died out completely.
The entire Hunting Squad of lizardmen remained motionless, all of them awaiting the Hunting Chief's command.
Time passed, bit by bit.
A sliver of dawn's light appeared in the eastern sky.
The Hunting Chief lizardman, prone in the grass, felt a jolt of alertness. He shot a sharp glance at the lizardman with the bow and arrow beside him.
"Kuchi."
The archer lizardman immediately constricted his throat and let out a bird call.
In an instant!
All the lizardmen sprang into action.
The first to move were the three lizardmen who had been waiting in the lake. They broke the surface, quickly locking onto Tang Zheng and the Ghoul Dog on the shore.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The three lizardmen simultaneously raised the harpoon-like weapons in their hands and hurled them fiercely at Tang Zheng, accompanied by the sharp sound of splitting air.
On the shore.
The Ghoul Dog lying beside Tang Zheng twitched an ear. It shot up, blocking Tang Zheng's back as it saw the harpoons thrown from the lake.
"Roar."
The Ghoul Dog bared its sharp, vicious teeth. The chains on its body shot out, striking down the three harpoons flying through the air.
"The three of us will hold this monster back!"
The three lizardmen in the lake were not the least bit surprised to see this. With a loud roar, they charged toward the shore.
The three of them were meant to deal with this monster, which was why they were the first to make a move and attack.
Almost at the same moment the Ghoul Dog moved away from Tang Zheng's side, a dense volley of projectiles once again split the air.
Arrows flew from three directions, all aimed squarely at Tang Zheng.
"They really picked a good time."
Tang Zheng, still sitting cross-legged on the ground, let out a yawn. He calmly swept his gaze over the dozen or so lizardmen emerging from three directions.
A scroll appeared in his palm, and he casually crushed it.
Light converged!
A Flame Archangel materialized from thin air, spreading its broad wings to shield Tang Zheng.
All the incoming arrows struck the Flame Archangel's radiant armor, creating a "ding-ding-dang" sound as they were all deflected.
The thirteen lizardmen charging from three directions trembled when they saw their arrows so easily blocked.
"Use the grappling hooks!" a shout came from among the lizardmen.
Swish! Swish!
Grappling hooks attached to ropes flew through the air, easily latching onto the Flame Archangel. The ropes quickly went taut.
"Magic casters are as dangerous as they say!"
"But we have the advantage in numbers! Daben, AJie, you two lead your teams and hold back that summoned creature. I'll take care of the spellcaster."
The Hunting Chief lizardman roared, gripping his axe with both hands and charging forward.
According to his plan!
The three lizardmen from the lake would hold back the monster beside the human, while the grappling hooks would restrain the target's summoned creature, forcefully pulling it away from the human's side.
Thus, the fragile magic-casting human would be exposed before him. As long as he could get into close combat quickly, he could end the fight.
Even if something unexpected happened, their numerical advantage could compensate for it!
In the eyes of the Hunting Chief lizardman, their victory in this hunt was sealed from the very beginning. The only question was how to capture the human alive while minimizing injuries to their comrades.
And everything before him was proceeding exactly according to plan!
However!
The Hunting Chief lizardman had only charged a short distance, the triumphant excitement still lingering in his eyes, when a look of astonishment crossed his face.
The ropes wrapped around the Flame Archangel were pulled taut, straight as a board, yet the Flame Archangel showed no sign of being moved in the slightest.
"How can this be?"
The Hunting Chief lizardman was shocked. The comrades pulling the ropes were the strongest members of the Hunting Squad.
Suddenly!
The Flame Archangel flapped its wings and shot straight into the sky. The several lizardmen holding the ropes had no time to resist and were easily dragged up into the air.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
Screams echoed from the sky, and then the lizardmen plummeted from mid-air, hitting the ground with heavy thuds.
The sudden change brought a moment of silence!
"Ahhh—"
An agonized scream shattered the quiet atmosphere once more. This time, the scream didn't come from the lizardmen on the ground, but from the three who were besieging the Ghoul Dog on the shore.
This monster, whose physique didn't even look as strong as their female lizardmen, had just easily torn off the arm of one of their comrades.
The successive, unexpected events left everyone present stunned.
(end of chapter)
