It takes 24 hours for a corpse baby to be transformed into a family goblin, and Leon is too lazy to wait.

And he doesn't need goblins to show the way.

"Now we have two choices, either go to the baron's daughter first, or go to his wife. Take your pick, Witcher. ”

Geralt was no stranger to this, and there were always unexpected choices when walking with Leon.

"Since you don't need a family goblin, why waste time dealing with corpse babies?"

"Because I have a demon hunter by my side who 'protects the land and the people', even if I don't mention it, you will do it."

As he spoke, Leon looked at the baron's mansion: "Besides, the baron has a life-saving grace for Ciri, so if you meet it, you can help." ”

Geralt teased, "You don't look like a sympathetic person. ”

Li Ang also said in a joking tone: "I guess I've been with the witcher for a long time, and I've been contaminated with some warm-heartedness." ”

"Looks like I've done another good deed." Geralt boasted.

Immediately afterwards, the demon hunter said, "What did you mean just now that the baron's wife and daughter are not in the same place now?" Then I'll choose the one that's close. ”

Li Ang nodded: "Yes, let's go to the humpback mire." ”

The humpback mire is just southeast of the Crow's Nest, also in the heart of Willen, and it is not that far away. It's just that there are all kinds of monsters living in it, some of which even experienced witchers have never seen. This makes it extremely dangerous, and it is difficult for ordinary people to get in and out again.

Although Geralt was accompanied by the unfathomable power of Leon, the witcher's caution was still deep in his bones.

Therefore, he did not rush into the swamp, but first went to a village called Lower Valen on the outskirts of the swamp, hoping to get relevant information.

As soon as the two of them arrived in Lower Valen, they found it very strange.

In today's war-torn era, the villagers of Lower Valen are able to live and work in peace and contentment, with a standard of living far higher than that of other parts of Willen, including the crow's nest.

This aroused Geralt's interest, and after much inquiry, he was a little more eyebrow-raising.

The local villagers generally believe in a mysterious being called [Lady of the Forest].

To the people of Lower Valen, they are gods to rely on, but they are also demons who take their lives.

On the one hand, the Lady of the Forest rewards the devout disciples who offer sacrifices to eliminate the calamities and predicaments they face, and help them survive the calamity. On the other hand, the villagers are required to obey their wishes absolutely, and from time to time the villagers are required to sacrifice with their hair, ears, and even children.

In addition to this, the Lady of the Woods holds an annual feast, which they call the Witches' Night Party.

At that time, the villagers will receive an invitation that they cannot refuse.

They had to pay tribute to the Lady of the Woods, who had been preparing for the year, and tell them about this year's harvest and what the future looked like. At the end of the night, they will receive a blessing from the Lady of the Woods: a magic acorn.

These acorns can be squeezed into oil and sprinkled in the fields for a good harvest, or they can be given to healers to make cures for diseases.

Although most of the villagers were able to attend the night party, not all guests were able to catch a glimpse of the three ladies, and most of them could only attend the dinner by the campfire at the foot of the mountain.

The three ladies will select three beautiful guests from among the guests to their satisfaction, regardless of gender, and spend the night with them.

It's just that when the three boys and girls come back, they usually don't talk about what happened that night, and they forget their past, and they are only full of joy, as if they have been reborn.

"It sounds like these three ladies of the forest are the actual leaders of Willen, not our Baron Philip." Geralt sighed.

"You said before that the baron's wife made a deal with a witch, so I guess it's them."

Leon looked at the witcher approvingly: "Very good, we have learned to draw inferences." ”

"Since it was said that it was a deal, it was necessary to pay something, so Lady Anna became a slave and messenger of the Lady of the Forest after she ran away from home, and worked for them."

Also, perhaps out of guilt for Tia, or because she liked children herself, Anna set up an orphanage in the swamp and adopted many homeless children.

"But if you think about it, what an ironic story about two people who like children working together to kill an unborn baby."

Geralt exclaimed, "Orphanage? In the swamp! ”

Seeing Li Ang nodding, he immediately said again: "Then we have to speed up the progress, it's hard to imagine that a group of children can live under the noses of those old witches for so long." ”

There is a sweet-sounding path to the mire orphanage.

Snack trails.

But the reality is far from as sweet as it sounds.

As mentioned earlier, Lady Lin Zhong would ask the villagers to sacrifice their children, and this is usually the way to send them into the swamp.

Dim sum is actually used to describe children.

Leon and Geralt followed the trail further and soon found several houses made of wood and thatch.

At the same time, a cheerful nursery rhyme reached the ears of the two.

"The puppy snuck into the kitchen and stole a big piece of meat."

“.”

"The cook is a stupid murderer, and he shouldn't have eaten puppies."

"Now let's make a fire and cook him!"

When five or six children had finished singing a nursery rhyme, Leon and Geralt came to the thatched hut.

"It's an interesting song." The witcher complimented very insincerely, and then went straight to the point: "We're coming to a lady named Anna, have you seen her?" ”

"Grandma?" One boy asked, "Why are you looking for her?" ”

The girl next to him tugged at his clothes: "Grandma won't let us talk to strangers. ”

"We don't know you, go away!"

Li Ang squatted down and looked at the children: "Then you go and find grandma, we can talk to her." ”

The little boy scratched his head and finally asked a completely unrelated question.

"You look so pretty, are you a girl? Grandma used to say that she was beautiful when she was young, but we didn't see each other. ”

Another boy in a hat immediately retorted: "He's not!" Girls have patience! ”

"The last time the army came, an old man said, 'Hide the girls in the woods!' Otherwise, their patience is dangling, and those poor lads can't stand it! ”

"That's what he said."

When the blonde girl heard this, she looked down at her flat little breasts.

"Then why didn't I?"

The boy in the hat didn't know how to reply, "This."

Leon, who was full of black lines, reluctantly got up, and then met the witcher's playful gaze.

As if to say, you also have today!

"Although the child's words are unscrupulous, it also shows from the side that the saplings watered with silt and stinky water will grow crooked, and they should leave here and go to a better place."

Leon's suggestion, Geralt agreed.

"We'd better send them to a more formal orphanage."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gray-haired old woman came out of the thatched hut: "They won't go anywhere!" ”

"Who are you, no outsiders are allowed here, only children, my children!"

"Why are you still carrying weapons? Could it be a robber! ”

Geralt's expression was a little solemn: "You are Anna?" ”

According to the Baron's description and the portrait on the bounty announcement, Anna was supposed to be a beautiful woman of about forty years of age, with green eyes and long black hair.

The woman in front of her looked at least 60 years old, with loose skin, cloudy eyes, and wrinkles on her face as deep as a knife.

The old woman looked at the witcher suspiciously: "My name is Anna, do you know me?" ”

Li Ang explained at the right time: "Lady Linzhong's labor induction spell is actually to use a curse to suck her life force dry, causing the fetus in her womb to shrink and finally miscarry, and at the same time make her age rapidly. ”

"I see." Geralt gave a thoughtful expression.

Anna's face changed dramatically.

Regarding the deal with Mrs. Linzhong, only she knows the truth, not even her own daughter.

"Who the hell are you! Who sent you? ”

Leon ignored her and bumped the witcher on the shoulder, "Look at the children, I'll go to the house." ”

Before Geralt could say anything, Anna shouted hysterically:

"No, I won't allow you to go in, Lady Lin will punish you!"

Li Ang didn't care about this, easily bypassed the old woman, kicked the door and walked into the thatched house.

Anna tried to chase after her, but was stopped by Geralt.

"You two robbers, you don't have to die well!"

Several of the children also shared their hatred and cursed the villains who broke into their homes.

Although Anna was anxious and angry, she still had her senses, and she didn't really do anything to a witcher, and at the same time restrained several children from being impulsive.

A few minutes later, Leon came out of the room with a tapestry under his arm.

Seeing this, Anna began to shout and curse again, but she could repeat the words.

What lady in the forest will punish your Yunyun.

"I wish they were coming to me." Leon threw the tapestry directly on the ground.

The tapestry then unfolded, embroidered with three young girls with beautiful figures and outstanding appearances.

Geralt looked at it with interest for a moment: "This is the Lady of the Woods?" Listen to the villagers of Valen, they seem to be immortal, and there are magic potions to help them stay young forever? ”

Leon said meaningfully: "The beautification version does not represent the final quality. ”

Then he turned to Anna and said, "Invite your three masters out, I have something to talk to them." ”

"Don't even think about it!" Anna stopped the children behind her and said viciously.

Li Ang pouted: "In that case, then I can only use my method to invite them out." ”

With that, he threw out a blazing fireball and set the tapestry on fire.

The air suddenly resounded with a sizzling sound, mixed with a few screams, and between the flames jumping, billowing black smoke rose and the foul smell filled everywhere.

The children covered their mouths and noses in disgust, and Anna collapsed on the ground, muttering, "It's over, it's completely over." ”

This seemingly shabby, filthy tapestry is actually a medium used by the Lady of the Forest to cast spells.

They seldom see people as they really are, and most of the time they possess Anna through tapestries.

Li Ang thought that burning the tapestry would force the three old witches to show up, but he didn't think that they would be able to bear it.

"Geralt, protect the Baroness and the children, and be careful not to be taken advantage of."

After explaining, Li Ang spread his wings and flew into the sky.

Then it turned into a pitch-black demon dragon tens of meters long, like a strategic bomber, spewing black light dragon breath towards every inch of the hunchback mire.

The Lady of the Forest has been around for too long to verify, but what is certain is that they are from another world, like many species. The long years have made them live in symbiosis with the land full of miasma and mire under their feet. Like the druids who drive the forces of nature, the Lady of the Forest also has a powerful magic that comes from the land itself.

Therefore, to destroy the land is to weaken them.

A raging rain of fire fell from the sky, hot magma gushed out, the water vapor of the mire was gradually evaporated, the white mist rose, the earth cracked, and only the color of fire seemed to be left between heaven and earth.

Many of the people of Willen today see and hear as much as they see the burning of the golden tree in the borderlands.

The children were already scared and crying, and Anna was even more unbearable and fainted directly.

Geralt, who felt that the sword in his hand was about to melt, was equally dumbfounded.

As for engaging in such a big battle?

At this moment, a strange yin wind swept up, as if trying to extinguish the raging flames that burned the sky and the earth.

It's a pity that the sky does not fulfill people's wishes, and the wind borrows the fire, but it becomes even worse.

Geralt scolded Leon eight hundred times in his heart at this time, can't he and the children leave first and then burn it.

However, there are others who can't help it before him.

Another gust of wind blew, and three strangely shaped female lifeforms appeared in front of the only thatched hut that had not been affected by the dragon's breath.

"Grandpa Long, Grandpa Long, don't burn it, let's come out!"

"Evil, evil, what a good place, you are going to be burned to the ground!"

"Please spare our lives!"

Hearing the howl of a pig, Li Ang turned back into his human body and slowly fell to the ground.

"It's not easy to see you."

And Geralt now finally understands how big the 'beautification' water in Li Ang's mouth just now.

The three ladies in the forest are the Weaver Woman, the Cooking Woman, and the Murmur Woman.

Among them, the weaver woman is the youngest one, but she is as ugly and evil as her two sisters.

She weaves tapestries all the time, made of tribute-paid hair, through which the old witches can control and force followers like Anna to obey orders.

She is the second in line, but she is the first in size, and she is the best at concocting various magic (curse) potions, as well as boiling human broth. Half of the children who had paid tribute went into her bloated belly.

She wasn't just old, she had been around since humans first landed on this continent.

In the stories whispered by the swamp dwellers throughout the ages, she would be heard if she spoke too loudly, because she liked to use human ears as sacrifices, hang them on all the trees of the swamp, and listen to them with spells, so that she would know everything that happened in the swamp.

Li Ang felt sick to his stomach just when he saw them, and he wanted to torture a few words, but now he is not in the mood.

But the cause of death still has to be told to them.

"Two questions."

"First, are you secretly in touch with the King of the Wild Hunt?"

"Second, have you ever caught Ciri and tried to drink her blood?"

"Just answer yes or no."

Old witches, look at me, I look at you, I don't know how to answer.

What should I do if I get it wrong? They didn't want to be burned alive.

But when they saw that Li Ang's face gradually showed impatience, the old witches quickly unified their voices and decided to carry it to the end.

"It's not!"

"Nothing like that!"

"I don't know anything!"

Li Ang shook his head: "The answer is wrong." ”

As soon as the words fell, the monstrous flames in all directions instantly surged towards the three ladies in the forest.

Year-end surprise overtime, sorry for being late

(End of chapter)