Overlord: Start from the Goblin Lair.

Chapter 82: Footprints of the Ghoul
"But why do you firmly believe that there is a more powerful force behind this?" Ron didn't understand. "Couldn't it be the power you discovered?"

"Baron Saran Lane has done tests. He is a very smart man and he had anticipated that there might be problems with the power itself, but the result is that there are none."

That was why he boldly carried out such a capture plan, because in the view of the baron at that time, it would not be very dangerous to just use himself as bait.

"Perhaps, the kingdom ahead of you also found something similar underground..." Ron stroked his chin, "The difference is that they released a deadly plague, and the Corruptor is believed to be their last queen herself."

Just as Axuri said, names and events themselves have no power, what has power is the existence behind them. An adult golden dragon might attract attention and interference from the other party, but Ron and You would not be noticed at all.

"If I fish like this, will I starve to death?" Sera scratched her head. "Is it going to take me hundreds of years to eat one meal?"

"It's a feast every few hundred years, but it's bound to be a big feast. And as it devours more and more forces, more relics and treasures will be left on this land, and more 'fish' will be attracted to take the bait." Ron said.

"This piece of land is one of the few 'pure lands' in the southern city-states. Just as Kalade said before, as long as someone gains a foothold here, a large number of people will come here with their elderly and children, thus accelerating development and shortening the time the underground beings have to wait for meals."

"From the two samples we have now, it seems that the enemy will not personally attack, but will use plague and corruption to carry out its will. This actually gives us room for maneuver. If we are well prepared, we may be able to resist the enemy's erosion. However, in order to achieve this goal, we must collect more information."

"I want to go too!" You quickly expressed, "I know a lot and can definitely help!"

"Besides, I am an undead creature. I don't need air, food, or sleep. I will definitely not be a burden to you!"

"Hmm..." A certain half-undead creature remained noncommittal. You's appearance might obviously put her at risk of being kicked to the second team. After all, Sylvia's knowledge had been almost drained by Ron.

"Then let's rest here for one night and set off again tomorrow morning."

Ron didn't notice Sylvia's little emotion. To Ron, she and You were completely irreplaceable - You couldn't make up for the lack of arcane firepower, and Sylvia couldn't pass through entities.

After spending a night in the newly built village, Ron led everyone to the mine marked by the golden dragon.

That area was one of the few relatively dry areas in the Delusion Land. When they walked out of the mud and stepped on solid stone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is this the mine? It looks like it has collapsed." Sera looked around, and her eyes finally fell on a hill in front of her that was almost entirely made of stone.

"After the ancient queen came out from underground, she ordered all mines to be closed," Ron recalled the information in the scales. "And that era was too long ago, so there probably won't be any living creatures here."

"I wouldn't say that if I were you," You wandered around and soon made a discovery, "Look here! Fresh footprints!" That was the transition area between the mine and the swamp. A large group of footprints came out of the swamp in a messy manner and headed towards the direction of the mine.

"Barefoot, with long nails," Driver carefully identified the footprints, trying to find more information, "about the same height as you, and hunched over."

"I can understand that they are only one person taller than you, but how do you know that these creatures are hunched over?" Ivy looked at Driver in confusion.

"Look at the footprints, the center of gravity is leaning forward." Driver pointed at the footprints that looked almost identical to Ron and said, "They would walk like this, I'll teach you how to do it."

As he spoke, Driver began to bend his waist, stretch his neck, and limp forward. However, he was not used to this way of walking, so he fell after only two steps.

"Ghoul!" Victoria recognized the creature that Driver was imitating at a glance because the goblin's imitation was so similar.

These undead creatures' insatiable hunger for humanoid flesh drives them to roam the night in swarms, like maggots and carrion beetles, thriving in places of decay and death.

"There really are all kinds of things in the swamp!" Sera showed a look of disgust, stretched out her hand to grab Driver's collar and lifted him up, "Don't learn those things again! I can't even eat when I think of them!"

"Why?" Ivy tilted her head and looked at Sera, "You have them in the north too?"

"That thing is everywhere!" Sera frowned. "Ghouls will appear in places where they can eat dead flesh and rotten organs. You know, the flesh and blood of dead bodies are difficult to rot and bury in the snow. These monsters will wander in groups in the wind and snow!"

"We have stories to scare children: Never go outside the tribe to play on a snowy day! When you are lost in a blizzard, don't try to approach any figure for help, because it is likely to be a ghoul!"

"It's really scary," Sylvia showed a horrified expression. Although she was a vampire, it didn't mean that she was close to these distant relatives of the undead creatures. "Sera, have you ever encountered a ghoul yourself?"

"Yes, it was after a hunt!" Sera said in a deep voice, "I once made a bet with someone after drinking that I could hunt a mammoth alone!"

"I succeeded, but it was dark - winter in the north is very cold. To avoid the wind and snow, I cut open the mammoth's belly and crawled in. When I slept comfortably until midnight, I suddenly heard rustling footsteps outside, and then something began to tear and gnaw the mammoth's flesh and blood."

"I thought to myself, which blind predator dares to steal my prey? At that time, I held the axe tightly in one hand and opened the mammoth's belly with the other hand. What appeared in front of me were the disgusting, terrifying, and rotting faces of five ghouls!"

"At this time they also discovered me and rushed up immediately. We fought together. They were driven by endless hunger and had fangs and claws as weapons; while I had anger and my old friend!" Sera proudly weighed the giant axe in his hand.

(End of this chapter)