Our Family Has Fallen

CRACK—BOOM!

A sound of something breaking startled Lance back to awareness. He looked up just in time to see Boudica's figure being flung away.

Previously at the front, Boudica now lay behind the rest of the team—her War Halberd broken in two, clutched in her hands.

"AGH!" A cry of pain as she hit the ground—the impact aggravated her wounds, sending a spurt of blood from her mouth.

Ringing in the ears, blurred vision—the end was nigh...

"Enemy assault! Pull back!" Lance shouted. Without hesitation, he raised his hand, casting Bless and Strengthening, sweeping away the fatigue from the team and his dog.

He then channeled Flesh Reconstruction towards Boudica. He sensed her internal organs had ruptured from a single strike, bringing her to the brink of death. What kind of enemy could inflict such devastating damage?

But with him here, even the gravest injuries were minor issues. Even Death would have to face his punishing blows.

Flesh rewove itself, pain was instantly soothed, and the broken body regained its Life Force. Physical pain could be erased, but the aftereffects of near-fatal wounds couldn't vanish instantly; the body needed some time to buffer and recover.

"HEEHEEHEE!"

This sharp, bizarre laughter drew Lance's attention.

Before him loomed a giant of exaggerated proportions. Though hunchbacked and stooped, it visibly stood at least two, nearly three, meters tall. The giant's face was contorted and grotesque, its eyes shut tight as if blind. It was hairless, with most of its body exposed, save for a few parts wrapped in bandages. Around its neck hung a profane necklace: a peculiar ornament strung together from a row of human toes.

Like other parasitic hosts, it was covered in mushrooms and pustules. The notable difference was that the mushrooms clustered mainly on its back; its emaciated skull had yet to be consumed by the fungi. Amidst the dense field of small mushrooms on its upper back, two enormous, wing-like mushrooms sprouted.

The giant's physique showed no exaggerated muscles; it even seemed somewhat gaunt for its size. But Lance, familiar with these corrupted parasites, knew well that these were not muscles but fibrous tissue far stronger than any muscle. The giant's terrifying strength was evident from the bucket-thick tree trunk it wielded. Boudica must have had a very profound understanding of this.

Yet the source of the laughter was not the giant, but the one hiding behind it.

It was a short, white-haired crone, appearing especially diminutive next to the giant. She had a flat nose and a protruding mouth, and her dark, coarse skin spoke of a life spent in the harsh wilderness. She wore a filthy, old, dark robe and a hat made of branches resembling deer antlers. A belt around her waist held several pouches of varying sizes, along with a vibrant fox-tail pendant.

She was now raising the spherical Incense Burner in her hand, shouting at the team, "Damn mercenaries! You dare disrupt the ritual? Then you'll stay and become fertilizer!"

"BANG!"

A gunshot interrupted the old crone's words. Although it missed, it definitely deflated her arrogance.

Lance stood with his gun. He was slightly disappointed not to have hit the old crone; the giant's massive body provided too good a shield.

"Child, smash them all to pieces and turn them into fertilizer!" the crone shrieked at the giant.

"AWOOO~"

A low growl sounded. The Corrupt Giant moved on command, lifting the thick tree trunk in both hands. Every movement of its massive body exuded an oppressive force.

Lance quickly assessed the situation with a glance. There were no more parasitic hosts in ambush nearby. It seemed this old crone was very confident in her own strength. That was good news for him.

"You attack that old hag! Watch out for her witchcraft. Leave the Corrupt Giant to me," Lance ordered, pointing directly at the old crone to mark her. "Wang Cai, go!"

The Wolf Spirit surged out, possessing Wang Cai, who instantly entered a Berserk State. Its thick fur bristled, making it look even larger, and its bared teeth revealed its hidden savagery.

William also sensed the enemy's strength and dared not hold back. He took a special kind of dog food from his pocket and fed it to Fergus.

"Girl, the hunt continues!"

With a few CRUNCHES, Fergus devoured the special dog food. Its demeanor changed instantly from docile to frenzied and aggressive. When William gave the command, it charged out alongside Wang Cai.

The old crone naturally heard Lance's words. Seeing the two frenzied beasts charging at her, she showed no sign of panic; instead, a wicked expression appeared on her face.

She raised the Incense Burner in her hand. The next moment, thick yellow smoke billowed from its openings, emitting an intensely foul stench.

Fergus, with its keen sense of smell, was immediately affected. A human-like expression of disgust appeared on its face, and it retreated as if struggling to breathe.

Even Wang Cai was affected. However, the Wolf Spirit Possession granted it strong resistance to negative effects, allowing it to endure the affliction. Despite this, it still struggled to approach the enemy shrouded in yellow smoke.

This stuff was utterly repulsive; not just the dogs, even humans couldn't stand it. Lance felt a strong wave of nausea, and the stench made his head spin.

Fortunately, his strong constitution allowed him to endure it, but the others were not so lucky. Boudica was already severely injured. Although her body had recovered, she was still in a fragile state. The stench made her vomit immediately, leaving her even more weakened and haggard than before.