After casually dispatching a Fierce Wolf, Fang Zhou shook his head slightly.

Based on his hunting experience over the past three days, the massive commotion the Skeleton Army made while marching easily attracted keenly perceptive Demons.

It seems I need to accumulate some Skill Materials and attempt to devise a Skill to cover my tracks.

Luckily, it wasn't long before Fang Zhou encountered the Kobolds he had been hoping to find.

WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

Just as he climbed a small hill, a burst of barking suddenly reached Fang Zhou's ears.

Upon hearing the distinctive cries of the Kobolds, his spirits rose.

What an effortless find after searching high and low!

Following the barking, Fang Zhou led his Skeleton Army swiftly in the direction of the sound.

After passing through a grove of trees, he soon discovered a group of Kobolds engaged in a fierce battle with a group of Goblins.

Fang Zhou calmly observed the battlefield, noting that the Kobolds, with their numerical superiority and iron weapons, clearly had the upper hand.

He hesitated for a moment before hiding in a downwind position, deciding not to intervene in the battle between the Demons.

This group of Kobolds were all male, so it definitely wasn't a complete tribe.

There must be a larger tribe behind them. Moreover, the iron weapons in their hands indicate that this Kobold tribe has occupied at least one iron ore vein. By following them and tracking the source, I might just find the Refining Stone vein I've been looking for.

Having formulated a plan, Fang Zhou held his forces back, silently observing the chaotic battlefield.

As he expected, the Kobolds, with their excellent equipment and high morale, quickly defeated the Goblins. Only a few Goblins managed to escape, while the rest fell under the Kobolds' weapons.

The victorious Kobolds howled wildly at the sky a few times before marching north with their spoils.

Fang Zhou followed silently behind, maintaining a safe distance to avoid alerting them.

After half an hour of tracking, Fang Zhou finally discovered a Kobold camp hidden deep in the forest. The camp was simple yet sturdy, built with wood and stone and surrounded by basic defensive structures. In the center, several blazing bonfires illuminated the area.

The Kobolds busied themselves around the fires; some were cooking food, some were repairing their battle-scarred weapons, and others were celebrating their victory. Yapping and barking filled the air, creating a bustling, lively scene.

To find the Refining Stone vein, I must first get a clear picture of this Kobold tribe's situation.

Hiding in the shade of a large tree, Fang Zhou used the shadows for cover as he carefully observed the camp's layout and the size of the Kobold force. After a moment, he frowned slightly and lowered his night-vision binoculars.

The Kobolds he could see alone numbered at least a hundred. At the moment, they were busy reinforcing the defenses all around the camp.

In the very center stood a stone structure that was clearly different from the others, though it appeared to be unfinished.

A unique-looking Kobold, holding a Magic Staff, wearing a Head Ring, and dressed in a relatively clean robe, was loudly shouting orders, directing its kin as they worked.

That must be the Warlock leader of this large Kobold tribe.

In Fang Zhou's Soul Realm, this Kobold Warlock leader's soul aura was incredibly dazzling, stronger than all the Apprentice Middle-rank Demons he had encountered before.

Could this be an Apprentice Upper-rank Kobold Warlock?

Fang Zhou's expression turned grave. Since delving into Cave No. 1, he had hunted many Apprentice Middle-rank elite Demons. However, this was his first time encountering an Apprentice Upper-rank leader Demon.

Not to mention, this Kobold Warlock leader was protected by hundreds of other Kobolds and possessed a degree of intelligence. By comparison, it was a much tougher opponent than the other solitary Demons rampaging through the Demon Caves.

Fang Zhou surveyed the large Kobold camp again and soon spotted more than a dozen elite Kobolds with dark red skin who were several times larger than their kin.

Based on past experience, at least a third of the Kobolds were likely Stone Throwers. Although their attack methods were primitive, with low accuracy and pitiful damage, their sheer numbers could still form a threatening web of firepower.

Fang Zhou could use the Skeleton Shield to protect himself, but his summoned Skeletons had limited Defense Power and wouldn't be able to withstand several rounds of concentrated fire.

He paid particular attention to the two wooden Arrow Towers on either side of the camp's entrance. Though they were currently unmanned, the ranged units on those towers would pose a significant threat to enemies below once a battle began.

Fang Zhou shook his head slightly, quickly dispelling the thought of a frontal assault. Even if the Kobolds' average strength was weak, if hundreds of them swarmed him, it would surely be a pyrrhic victory even if he won.

That would be too reckless, not a path a wise man would choose.

Fang Zhou hesitated, pondering how to handle the current situation.

Since a frontal assault is out of the question, should I launch a probing attack to gauge their strength? Or should I make a strategic retreat for now?

「Cave Fortress, Command Hall.」

The instructors were closely monitoring Fang Zhou's exploration progress.

Seeing the heavily guarded Kobold camp on the live broadcast, one instructor couldn't help but shake his head. "A Kobold camp this size poses too great a threat to the Trial Students. We'll have to mark it for cleanup after the hunt is over."

The female instructor who had previously been optimistic about Fang Zhou laughed, "Maybe we won't even need to. Fang Zhou might be able to handle them himself."

Hearing this, the other instructor shook his head and chuckled, "How could that be possible?

"An Apprentice Upper-rank Kobold leader, and a Warlock at that—they're very troublesome. Add to that more than a dozen Apprentice Middle-rank elite Kobolds, plus hundreds of regular Kobolds with well-crafted weapons.

"Compared to the other scattered, lone Demons in the Caves, this Kobold tribe is practically a professional army.

"I can't imagine how Fang Zhou could possibly defeat them while they're holed up in such a sturdy camp. Unless all the Trial Students attacked together, there's no way they could flatten it."

The female instructor fell silent. She also knew it was unlikely for Fang Zhou to obliterate such a large group of Kobolds on his own. If he had ample time, he could leverage his mobility and use guerrilla tactics to slowly wear down the Kobolds' defenses. But now, with less than half a day left in the Cave Hunting, he didn't have time for a war of attrition.

Just then, Su Xinyan spoke up, "Hey, hey, hey, are you all missing the point? Fang Zhou only needs to find the Refining Stone vein. He doesn't have to annihilate this Kobold camp! He's already secured first place, so he doesn't need these Hunting Points."

Standing nearby, Lu Hu glanced at the live broadcast, rubbed his chin, and said with some uncertainty, "Heh heh, why do I get the feeling this kid, Fang Zhou, is about to give us a surprise?"

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