Super Magician: The Magic Network Collapsed Again at the Start

Chapter 24 Kou Tao the Fishman
"Which way?" Blatt casually tossed the keys onto the counter.

"Don't worry." Anser turned to Finn. "How is the situation?"

"The fortress has fallen, the flood is huge, the city is in chaos, monsters are everywhere, and many people have died..." Finn was monitoring the city's situation in real time. His voice was hoarse. Such a disaster would be hard for anyone to remain indifferent to.

Listening to Finn's intermittent report, Anser slowly pieced together a picture in his mind.

The southern section of Feilong Bridge and the river embankment collapsed, blocking half of the river channel. However, due to the high elevation of the urban area, the floodwaters broke through the river embankment from the northeast corner of the dock area and flowed south along the eastern edge of the urban area, with little impact on the main urban area.

However, the public was unaware of the situation, and the appearance of a large number of subterranean creatures at the bridgehead caused panic. People frantically ran south, resulting in a massive stampede. Many people were hit by the floodwaters, resulting in heavy casualties.

Based on the topography, these floods are likely to flow out from the southeast of the city, bypass Livington, and flow southwest into the Sword Sea, forming a tributary. The entire city will be trapped in a huge triangular area formed by the Chongsa River and its tributary.

"Too late!" Finn forced a smile, his expression stiff.

The flood was moving too fast, and the guild was near the city center. Even if they ran eastward as fast as they could, they couldn't possibly leave before the flood hit.

"Alas—" Anser sighed to the heavens.

Disaster always seemed to be one step ahead of me, but only one step ahead!
"Flame Fist Fortress...is teeming with subterranean creatures." Finn said with a stern face, stroking his beard haphazardly.

"Luckily, I didn't stay in the fortress." Blatt suddenly felt a lingering fear.

“Commander Flame Fist must have planned this all along, which is why he drove everyone away.” Anser sighed, realizing he had underestimated them.

Thinking he's smarter than the real commander just because he had access to more information in his previous life is too naive!
The explosives must have been planted after the main force of the Flame Fist was defeated. The quantity was large enough that it was feared that it would not be able to be blown up. Unfortunately, a torrential rain caused the south river embankment to collapse. Otherwise, the plan would have been perfect.

This was clearly done to prevent subterranean creatures from moving south and to protect the tens of thousands of people and farms that had evacuated to the Livington district. These were the foundation of Baldur's Gate. Without people, even if the city was recaptured, this trading capital would be ruined, and reconstruction would be a distant prospect.

The reason why the slave trade was rampant and difficult to eradicate on the continent of Faerûn was because population was too important.

The plan was good, but those responsible for its execution were indecisive and reluctant to abandon the Flying Dragon Bridge. If the northern section of the bridge had been blown up earlier, the current situation wouldn't have occurred.

As the group arrived at the entrance of the hall, screams and shouts could be faintly heard on the wind, and a faint smell of blood lingered in the air.

"Prepare for battle, and have Grayhawk keep a close eye on the situation in the city." Staying here, who knows what might happen? Anser hates being passive.

They have all the necessary supplies, so going to the farms in the west of the city or to the wilderness would be a good option. There are many fishing villages on the west coast, so there's bound to be a way to leave.

Bratra pulled up his hooded robe, held a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, his expression cold and stern.

Finn drew his longbow, strung it, adjusted the quiver, and then nodded slightly to Anser.

"Walk--"

Anser stepped out of the guild gate and plunged headlong into the wind and rain.

Blatt and his companion quickly caught up and shielded him from the front and back.

They lingered at the guild for a while, and the flow of people in the middle street decreased significantly, but there were still waves of people rushing south.

The entire city was in chaos, with debris everywhere. Many people didn't even know what was happening and instinctively followed the crowd blindly.

The group waded through the puddles, walked north along Zhongjie Street for about 100 meters, and then turned left into a side street.

After walking a few steps, a series of chaotic footsteps and shouts quickly approached.

"Run! There's a monster..."

"Help--"

"..."

Anser and Blatt exchanged a glance, secretly alarmed. Just how many underground creatures had come? How come they were all in the city center?

A group of civilians suddenly darted out from a small alley ahead. They turned around and saw Anser and his companions carrying the illuminating staff. Overjoyed, they rushed towards them.

"Back off, back off, keep your distance." Anser waved his hand, quickly retreated with the crowd, and threw his backpack into a corner.

The situation was unclear, and he was unwilling to engage in close combat with monsters in the street.

Just as the group retreated a dozen meters, six or seven short, dark figures rushed out of the dimly lit alley. They were about four or five feet tall (1.2-1.5 meters), with hunched backs and large heads.

Anser stared intently, then his heart skipped a beat. 'The Koto Fishmen! How did they get involved with the Grey Dwarves?!'

The Koto fishmen were once found all over the coasts and islands of the surface world, but were driven into the underground world by humans and other surface races long ago.

Like the grey dwarves, they were once enslaved by mind flayers for a time, but unlike the grey dwarves, they were abandoned and probably... useless.

"Drink!" Blatt, not recognizing any merfolk, roared, stepping to the side with his shield at the forefront, his right hand poised to strike with his longsword.

"call out--"

An arrow pierced the night sky, its tip cutting through the drizzle. The swirling wind formed a tiny cone of mist, which precisely struck a fishman's head.

With a thud, the fishman fell backward, his blood staining the puddles red.

""

Colorful Ball - Lightning!

Anser waved his staff, and a blue energy ball, trailing a beam of light, crashed into the swarm of fish.

The leader of the merfolk raised his iron fork and held it horizontally in front of his chest. The next moment, the energy ball suddenly exploded, lightning pierced through his body, his skin was covered with scorch marks, his muscles stiffened, and he fell straight down.

With a loud bang, the energy ball leaped again, slamming into the side of another merman and exploding with a roar.

Lightning traveled from the fish-men's bodies to the sewage beneath their feet, the electric light spreading, causing all the fish-men to freeze and stumble.

'Idiot, don't you know metals conduct electricity?' Anser's lips curled up slightly.

[You cast Chromatic Orb on Koto Murloc... Koto Murloc is hit, takes 18 points of lightning damage, critical strike, target dies, gain 50 combat experience]

[You cast Chromatic Orb on Kou Tao Murloc... Kou Tao Murloc was hit, taking 12 points of lightning damage, current health 5/17]

With a series of splattering sounds, boots kicked up puddles, and Blatt seized the opportunity to launch a charge.

"Shhhh-"

Two arrows flew past him, one after the other, and struck the fallen fish, eliciting a cacophony of piercing screams.

Just as the two surviving murlocs got up, Blatt arrived, smashed them away with his shield, and thrust his longsword through the dead fish eye of the other murloc, exiting from the back of his head.

[Target dead, gain 21 combat experience]

Anser stopped casting his spell, and before he could finish off the enemy, the battle was over.

Of the seven fishmen, he killed one and seriously injured another; Finn killed three; and Blatt finished them off with the last blow, all cleanly and efficiently.

After checking and confirming that no monsters were alive, Blatt turned around and gave Anser a thumbs up.

For the first time, he understood why spellcasters were so revered; a single first-level spell could take advantage of the right time and place to control the battlefield, making what would otherwise be a difficult battle so simple.

"Haha, just a bunch of small fry. Let's deal with them..."

As they were talking, Anser felt a chill down his back and caught a glimpse of a dark blue figure brushing towards his neck from the side.

He tensed up, his soul nearly leaving his body, and instinctively activated his shield spell.

As the cold light drew near, at the critical moment, an invisible force field shield appeared before the blade.

"clang--"

The shield flickered and shattered with a bang.

Anser lunged forward, rolling awkwardly in the mud, creating a two-meter gap between himself and the enemy. His heart was pounding; he could even feel the cold touch of the dagger slicing through his cloak.

There was no time to feel relieved. He turned his head and saw a short figure wearing a cloak appear in the previously empty place, holding a strange, dark blue dagger in his hand.

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(End of this chapter)