Chương 32: The Ghoul and the Grate

Recap: You're in the Stonehollow sewers at 5/17 HP. A Sewer Slime and an unknown predator are nearby. You voted to AMBUSH THE PREDATOR. Patience is a virtue. Hunger is a necessity. But survival? Survival is letting someone else do the heavy lifting before you clean up the mess. I settled into the sludge. My Ironband weight (120 lbs) made me sink slightly, anchoring me against the flow of the sewer water. My Camouflage was active, but the grime helped.

I looked like just another piece of debris that had fallen through a grate. The predator stepped into the bioluminescent glow. It was a Sewer Ghoul. Level 3. Humanoid but hunched. Skin gray and peeling. Claws long enough to pick locks or pick teeth. It hissed at the Slime. The Slime pulsed. It felt the threat. It launched a glob of acid. Splash. The Ghoul screeched. Smoke rose from its shoulder. But it didn't stop. It lunged. Claws raked the Slime's gelatinous body. Shlorp. The Slime split.

Half of it oozed away into the drains. The other half… dissipated. The Ghoul had won. But it was panting. Acid burns sizzled on its chest. It was weakened. Now, I thought. I saved my Stamina. I didn't Slam. I didn't need to show off. I just needed to bite. I launched myself out of the muck. My iron bands cut through the water like a boat hull. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Skill Used: Bite Cost: 2 Stamina Current SP: 14/22 Damage Roll: 6 (Ironband Strength Bonus) My teeth sank into the Ghoul's thigh.

It wasn't like biting goblin flesh. It was cold. Stringy. Like biting into frozen leather. But my Strength 7 stat crunched through the tendon. The Ghoul shrieked. It clawed at my lid. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Taken: 3 HP (Claw Attack) You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Defense Applied: -11 DR Net Damage: 0 HP Yes! The Ironband Defense worked! Its claws sparked against my iron seams. It couldn't penetrate.

It tried to scratch the wood between the bands, but the angle was wrong. I clamped down harder. I pulled. The Ghoul stumbled into the water. I engulfed the leg. Then the torso. I didn't chew. I vacuumed. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Target Consumed: Sewer Ghoul (Level 3) XP Gained: 15 XP Current XP: 70/120 (Level 2) HP Regeneration: +5 HP (Meal Consumed) Current HP: 10/17 Status Effect: Undead Flesh (Temporary) Effect: -1 MP Regen for 1 hour (Cold Stomach) Better. I was at 10 HP.

Still not full, but no longer one sneeze away from death. The taste was awful. Like eating a battery that had been buried in a swamp. But my stomach gurgled happily. I slid back into the shadows. The remaining Slime glob was oozing away. I could eat it too… but acid hurts. Maybe later. Then, the vibration changed. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Above me. On the street level. Boots. Multiple pairs. They were stopping. Right above my location.

"Did you hear that?" a voice muffled by stone and iron grates asked.

"Sounded like a fight," another replied.

"Ghoul in the drains again?"

"Check the grate. If it's loose, someone's down there." Someone. They thought it was a person. A criminal. A rogue. A shadow blocked the light from the grate above. Metal scraped on metal. They were lifting the grate. If they looked down, they'd see a chest. A dirty, iron-banded chest sitting in a sewer.

"Hey!" a voice shouted down.

"You there! Identify yourself!" I couldn't identify myself. I was a box.

"Nothing down there but trash," the first voice said.

"Wait… is that a chest?"

"Who throws a chest in the sewer?"

"Smugglers. Maybe it's full of stolen goods."

"Hook it. Pull it up." A chain lowered. Heavy iron links. It dangled in front of my lid. If they pulled me up, I'd be in the street. In daylight. Surrounded by guards. If I stayed, I'd be hauled into a evidence locker. If I fought… I'd be a wanted criminal chest. Current Stats (Level 2 - Ironband Mimic): HP: 10/17 (Regenerated from Ghoul) Mana: 6/12 (Tremorsense upkeep + Undead Flesh penalty) Stamina: 14/22 (Bite cost) Inventory: 2 Pebbles, Metal Items (Fused). Status: Filthy, Fed, Chain Lowered. What do you do?

A) ATTACH THE CHAIN (INFILTRATE) Let them hook you. Allow yourself to be pulled up. Once on the surface, create chaos and escape. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: Surface Access. Risk: Surrounded by Guards.) B) CUT THE CHAIN (AMBUSH) Wait for the guard to lean over. Bite the chain or the hand holding it. Pull them down into the sewer. (Cost: 2 SP. Gain: Weapon/Armor Loot. Risk: Alerting entire patrol.) C) HIDE DEEPER (FLEE) Detach from the spot. Slide away into the dark tunnel before they hook you. Leave them confused.

(Cost: 3 SP. Gain: Safety. Risk: They might drop torches/firebombs.) D) REGURGITATE THE COIN (BRIBE) Spit the silver coin you ate earlier onto the chain. Make them think it's treasure. Distract them while you hide. (Cost: 1 SP. Lose Silver Coin. Gain: Greed Distraction. Risk: They might still take you.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 31! Option B (Ambush Predator) was a success!

You ate the Ghoul and regained HP, but now the Town Guard has found your location!