Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 515: Chapter 323: Reinforcement_2

Now that he saw it, he understood that the object carried on its back was not a weapon at all, but something akin to a ceremonial staff.

But how could such a thing have fallen into the hands of Pigmen?

Unlike the others, Lance recognized this peculiar Pigman.

The Pigman Drummer, with abilities similar to a Shaman’s, used the drum before it to unleash an evil power that affected and interfered with surrounding enemies, while also directing other Pigmen with its beat. This eerie power made its presence highly threatening, and it was usually a priority target.

Yet, when faced with a group consisting of two Pigman Butchers, one Crippled Pigman, and finally, the Pigman Drummer, Lance marked the Crippled Pigman.

”Dismas, take out the Crippled Pigman first!”

Dismas didn’t hesitate for a moment, raising his musket and firing.

The instant that order was shouted, the axe in Lance’s right hand vanished, replaced by a musket. He fired almost simultaneously.

However, his target was that tall, lean figure—the Pigman Drummer.

Why choose? Lance wanted them all!

Two gunshots, almost simultaneous, reverberated through the cramped space. The deafening roar startled even the Pigmen.

Both sides were already in motion, and the sudden gunshots and flashes of light threw the Pigmen into chaos.

Then, a peculiar thing happened: both shots missed their intended targets. However, they didn’t miss entirely. Instead, they struck the two Pigman Butchers positioned in front.

It couldn’t be helped. The space was too confined. The two large Pigmen blocked the way, and the startled movements of the monsters left no clear line of fire. In such conditions, one might say it was better to be lucky than skilled.

Even their robust bodies couldn’t withstand the power of the shells. Thick pigskin was torn as the projectiles burrowed into bulging muscles, sending sprays of blood and Flesh.

One must understand, Lead Bullets were fingertip-sized and heavy. Being made of a softer material, their most horrific aspect was deforming upon high-speed impact within the body. This caused a devastating cavitation effect, turning Flesh into a pulpy mess. Thus, in some respects, the damage inflicted by a Flintlock Gun’s projectile entering the body was even more gruesome than that of modern firearms. The most common treatments for such wounds were amputation or simply waiting for death.

Treating gunshot wounds was still one of the challenges Paracelsus had yet to research and overcome.

However, these injuries, though fatal to humans, weren’t deadly for the massive Pigman Butchers. They didn’t even lose mobility; instead, their fury was stoked. They let out piercing screams and attacked like madmen.

”Damn it!” Dismas cursed, quickly fumbling for his pre-packed cartridge, biting open the paper and pouring the gunpowder into the barrel for his second shot.

”Be careful!”

As the Chain Hammer flew towards him, Lance couldn’t continue shooting. He blocked with his shield and charged forward, deflecting the descending cleaver with a backhand swing of his axe.

Boudica seized the opportunity to engage the other Pigman Butcher, excitedly swinging her War Halberd.

But this slight delay gave the Pigman Drummer its chance. It energetically waved the white bone in its hand, striking the drum’s surface.

A dull, yet indescribably eerie sound filled the air, echoing continuously throughout the confined space. Those who heard it felt an inexplicable palpitation. The rhythm of the drumbeats mimicked a heartbeat, as if it wasn’t a drum being struck, but their own hearts.

For a moment, an unsettling expression flickered across almost everyone’s face. Only Lance remained completely immune to the drum’s influence.

But Dismas and Tadiff had both endured the Heretic Priest’s Soul-Entangling Curse. Compared to that, this drumming felt somewhat less potent, causing only a momentary falter before they recovered.

As for Boudica, she was protected by the Tribal War Patterns on her body. Encountering such a spiritual attack, she opened her mouth wide and unleashed a tribal roar.

”WAAAGH!!!”

Her adrenaline surged, nullifying the strange sensation in her body. The Tribal War Patterns on her face blazed with power, and like a roaring lioness, she unleashed her Supernatural Power, directly confronting the Pigman Butcher before her.

The brute had just drawn near, not even having time to throw its Chain Hammer, when it was stunned and left dazed on the spot.

Boudica showed no mercy, lifting her War Halberd and striking down with all her might.

Slaughter!

The War Halberd, a heavy weapon, ended the Pigman Butcher’s life in a single strike—an efficiency even greater than Lance’s.

Why did you have to provoke her?

However, Boudica’s valiant display caught the Pigman Drummer’s attention. Its pig-like eyes fixed on her unblinkingly. The rhythm of its drumming changed, and it lifted its bone stick, pointing it towards Boudica at the head of the charge.

Boudica might not have realized it, but Lance saw the spreading black ripples suddenly converge and hurtle towards her.

Lance didn’t even have time to shout a warning to Boudica before he felt a strange sensation; his own body grew heavy, his steps rigid.

And at that moment, the Crippled Pigman seized the opportunity. It propped itself up on its arms, like a howitzer aiming at Boudica, its mouth agape. Its distended belly pulsed, clearly indicating its intent.

”Dodge quickly!”

Lance’s warning finally came, but Boudica, weakened by the drumming, was too slow to evade...

BANG!

A musket shot abruptly shattered the tense, paused-like stillness, and the scene snapped back to life.

While the Crippled Pigman aimed at Boudica, Dismas, in turn, was aiming at the Crippled Pigman. The moment it pushed itself upright, presenting a much larger target than when it was crawling, a shell whistled directly into its open mouth. The Crippled Pigman had just risen when it pitched backward, lifeless.

Youth has its advantages; it had barely fallen before it was ’asleep’.

”I never miss,” Dismas said, blowing away the wisp of smoke rising from the musket’s muzzle.

He had just fired a shot that struck a vital spot, instantly killing the Crippled Pigman and simultaneously neutralizing the threat to Boudica.

Meanwhile, Tadiff, realizing the Drummer’s threat, wanted to act. However, he was in the third position, and the narrow corridor offered no space for him to advance. The Pigmen blocking the Drummer were also a threat to him.

But now, with Lance engaging one Pigman and the other two already dead, the path to the Pigman Drummer was clear.

The Drummer didn’t notice Tadiff’s intent. But with two of its companions dead, it realized the direness of the situation and began to frantically beat its bone stick, the urgent drumming sounding like a death knell.

But Tadiff was a hardened warrior. He bravely advanced, ignoring the intense drumming, and flung out his hook. This move was clearly well-practiced; he had yet to miss with it, and this time was no exception.

The sharp, sickle-like iron hook instantly snagged the Drummer’s shoulder, eliciting a piercing shriek of pain.

A Pigman’s anatomy, particularly its short lower limbs, was ill-suited for standing. Considering the small contact area of their hooves, supporting their body and walking was fundamentally contrary to their physiological structure. With just a slight tug, Tadiff upset the Pigman Drummer’s center of gravity, causing it to stumble forward several steps before regaining its footing.

The drumming, however, had been disrupted. When the Drummer steadied itself and looked up, it saw Tadiff’s armored form, like an iron tower, looming before it.

SCREECH!

A sharp cry began, only to be cut short the next second as Tadiff’s axe bit into its neck, decapitating it after a few swift swings.

Meanwhile, Lance had also dispatched the tenacious Pigman Butcher. It was clear the squad had won another encounter.

The darkness demanded constant vigilance, which was mentally exhausting. Not to mention, the encounters were sudden and at close quarters, further fraying their nerves.

With the battle over, everyone finally let out a collective sigh of relief, able to catch their breath in the oppressive atmosphere.

But just then, unsettling pig-like squeals echoed from both ends of the corridor.

”Damn it! The drumming—it was calling for reinforcements!” Lance realized instantly, but it was too late.

The weary team, with no time to rest, now faced an encirclement from both front and rear.