Navigator: I have a double six-story house

The cavalry captain asked the three to wait a moment while he went in to report.

Before long, he and the mansion's steward came out to greet them.

The mansion's steward was a lean old man.

Her white hair was neatly combed, and she wore a black tailcoat with a small coat of arms pinned to her collar, exactly the same as the one on the lintel.

He greeted Wang Yao with a smile on his face, but his smile froze for a moment when his eyes fell on the green bloodstains left on Wang Yao's body.

"Our three distinguished guests have traveled a long way. The city lord has instructed me to prepare superior rooms." The old steward bowed slightly. "Three guest rooms, with hot water and changes of clothes—everything is provided."

Faced with this appropriate arrangement, Su Qing shook her head and pointed at Wang Yao.

"Two rooms are enough; he and I will share one."

The butler was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't say much in response to the guest's request, and simply nodded in agreement.

The cavalry captain stood to the side, his gaze shifting between Su Qing and Wang Yao. He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Only his pupils trembled.

Selena tilted her head, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"The captain and his senior have a really good relationship."

Wang Yao let out a muffled groan from behind his mask, it was unclear whether he was agreeing or protesting.

The butler led the three through the courtyard corridor. Selena's room was the second one on the east side, and Su Qing and Wang Yao were next to hers.

Once inside the room, Wang Yao finally removed his face armor, sweat streaming down his temples.

"Hey Su, can't you let me enjoy this alone just this once?"

He plopped down on the edge of the bed, the weight of the plate armor causing the bed to groan in pain.

Su Qing ignored him and walked to the window, using her finger to create a gap in the curtains.

Outside the window is a quiet courtyard with stone slabs paving the ground, low shrubs planted in the four corners, and a courtyard wall about three meters high.

He lowered the curtains, walked to the door, and checked the lock. It was a brass bolt that could be locked from the inside, but could be pried open from the outside with a thin blade.

This is a case of guarding against honest people but not against scoundrels.

He opened the door again, peeked into the corridor, turned left to the end of a staircase, and went down to the courtyard, which was directly opposite the main gate.

It's about forty steps from the room to the mansion gate.

Wang Yao sat on the bed watching him busy himself, without urging him or asking why. He had watched this process at least a hundred times.

From the orphanage onwards, whenever Su Qing moved to a new environment, the first thing she never did was pack her luggage, but rather check all the exits.

After checking everything, Su Qing sat down on the bed.

"We'll take turns keeping watch tonight; you'll go first for the first half."

Wang Yao unfastened the shoulder buckles of his plate armor, and the metal clanged against metal, producing a crisp sound.

"OK."

No questions asked, no discussion held.

To fall asleep in an uncertain place is like sticking your neck out and letting someone else measure you.

Wang Yao understood this principle on his own without Su Qing having to teach him.

The housekeeper brought dinner and a change of clothes. Su Qing ate a few bites and changed out of her dirty clothes.

Late at night, Wang Yao sat on a chair by the door, his shield resting on his knees, yawning but his eyes were open.

Su Qing lay in bed with his eyes closed, but he couldn't fall asleep; he was reviewing the situation.

The way those goblins acted today just didn't make sense no matter how you looked at it.

The regular troops are spread out to flank and harass, with the aim of attrition and containment. Larger units wait in the rear to advance after the frontal battle, while archers are deployed in the grass sixty meters away to provide ranged suppression.

There was even a commander with a leather whip in charge of suppressing deserters.

This is not the hunting instinct of a wild animal; it is a meticulously calculated hunting plan.

Infantry attrition, heavy assault, long-range cover, and command and control.

Su Qing opened her eyes and stared at the wooden ceiling above her.

The cavalry captain said these goblins were "getting smarter and smarter."

Does this mean that these goblins originally did not possess this intelligence, and that something suddenly happened?

The real goal of this hellish dungeon is probably not to wipe out the goblins.

Instead, find the thing behind the goblin.

In the middle of the night, Su Qing patted Wang Yao's shoulder, who was dozing off, and the two exchanged words silently.

Su Qing sat down on the hardwood chair by the window, the musket resting horizontally on her lap. Moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, swaying in the breeze.

Footsteps suddenly came from the corridor.

It was very light, but exceptionally clear in the stillness of the night.

Su Qing silently gripped the musket handle with his right hand, his thumb resting on the hammer.

The footsteps stopped for two seconds in front of the door.

Su Qing breathed as shallowly as possible, leaning forward as if she could spring up from the chair at any moment.

The footsteps continued forward.

After waiting a few seconds, he carefully opened the door a crack.

At the end of the corridor, a guard in a dark uniform was turning the corner, carrying an oil lamp in his hand.

It looks like it was just a routine patrol; I was just overthinking it.

Su Qingsong fired the musket, leaned back in his chair, turned his head, and looked out the window.

A faint blue light shone through the window of Selena's room next door.

It's this late, and her laptop is still lit up.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any means of communication with the outside world inside the instance.

What is this young lady looking at in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

Su Qing looked away, not giving it much thought.

Everyone has their own secrets, and as long as they don't affect themselves, they have no desire to explore them.

Little did he know that at that moment, Selena's laptop wasn't displaying a communication interface, but rather a cute character running around, with a small white object that looked like emergency rations following beside it.

As the first rays of gray-white light appeared on the horizon, a rhythmic knocking sounded precisely on time.

The butler stood outside the door, his posture respectful.

"Distinguished guests, the City Lord invites you to proceed to the council hall after breakfast."

Su Qing woke up Wang Yao, who was still snoring.

The two quickly washed up and went out, just as the door next door opened.

Selena changed into a light green dress, her hair was combed again, and her eyes were clean and bright, showing no signs of fatigue from staying up all night.

Good morning, Captain.

"morning."

The three followed the butler through the courtyard. A thin layer of dew covered the stone path, the air was cool, and a few birds chirped in the distance.

The butler stopped in front of the double wooden doors of the council chamber and pushed them open.

A long table runs the length of the hall, with empty chairs on both sides.

Seated in the main seat was a middle-aged man with gray hair, dressed elegantly and with his hair neatly combed.

A long spear lay before him.

A spear broken in two.

The gun was stained with dried red blood, and the cut at the break was very clean, as if it had been cut open with a single stroke.

The man looked up.

Su Qing saw his eyes.

Below his eyes were two dark bluish-black patches, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot.

This contrasts sharply with the men's clothing.

"Everyone." The man's voice was hoarse, like that of a traveler who had been thirsty for a long time in the desert.

"I am Griffin, the lord of Redstone City."

"Thank you all for your help to Redstone City."