Chapter 16 – 016
【016】 Unless Meals and Lodging Are Included
Andre and the other goblins noticed their chieftain’s piercing gaze and instinctively tried to hide the items in their hands behind their backs. For some reason, their faces showed a hint of guilt.
“Where did you go?” Chief Morgan asked sharply, his keen eyes scanning the group, exerting immense pressure on them.
The goblins exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how to respond.
Finally, Andre stepped forward and said, “We were captured by humans and locked up for a few days. Then, out of nowhere, they released us today.”
“They released you? And what’s that in your hands?” The mention of humans caused Chief Morgan’s expression to darken, and his tone turned accusatory.
Andre hesitated briefly before replying, “These are items we bought from the human settlement. You can trade wood for them. After they released us, they didn’t restrict our movement within their territory. So, we wandered around to gather some intelligence about their settlement and, while at it, purchased a few things to bring back.”
Andre quickly came up with an excuse.
The other goblins’ eyes lit up upon hearing his explanation.
Yes, exactly! They were just gathering intel about the human settlement!
Hearing Andre’s account, the goblins back at the gathering place couldn’t suppress their curiosity.
“Andre, was the human settlement lively?”
“How much wood are we talking about? We have plenty! Can we buy things too?”
“Are the clothes you’re wearing new? They look so warm!”
“They’re beautiful too. Looks like they’re made from rabbit fur.”
“What’s that fragrant thing you’re holding?”
“…”
“It’s lively. There are lots of people there. They have tailor shops, dining halls, blacksmiths, residential houses, and even military camps. Most impressive is their wall—it’s entirely built from stone and looks very sturdy.”
“The food is delicious.”
“The clothes are great too. And they’re so cheap! I haven’t worn new clothes in years.”
“Son, Daddy brought you some tasty treats too!”
“…”
The back-and-forth chatter quickly turned the scene lively.
Listening to the conversation, Chief Morgan’s eye twitched uncontrollably.
Were his clansmen truly this brainless?
Andre glanced at Chief Morgan, noting the veins bulging on his forehead. Understanding his chieftain’s frustration, he quietly stepped aside, watching his foolish comrades while saying nothing.
“Silence!”
Finally, as he saw the goblins growing increasingly restless, Chief Morgan couldn’t hold back and barked a reprimand.
The sharp command immediately quieted the entire gathering.
The goblins all turned their eyes toward Chief Morgan, their expressions filled with confusion.
“Have you all forgotten the deep-seated hatred between humans and our tribe? Do you really think they would be so kind-hearted? They must have ulterior motives! Do you want to become slaves to the humans just for a bit of food and clothing?” Chief Morgan snapped sharply.
The goblins immediately began to ponder his words.
Seeing their contemplative expressions only made Chief Morgan angrier.
These fools.
Did this even require any thought? Of course, the answer was to refuse!
“Andre! What information did you gather from the human settlement? What are their intentions toward our gathering place?” Chief Morgan asked, turning his attention to Andre.
Andre was considered one of the smarter young goblins in their tribe and was one of Chief Morgan’s chosen candidates for his successor.
Hopefully, he really had been gathering intelligence, as he claimed.
Hearing this, Andre recalled the words of the human soldier captain he had first encountered and the scenes he had witnessed in their military camp. Straightening his posture, he replied, “They’re after our minerals and iron tools. Although the human settlement has blacksmith shops, the weapons they use are made from wood and stone. They’re in dire need of iron ore, which we have in abundance in our gathering place. They’ve likely been watching us for some time, and capturing us was their way of… intimidation.”
Andre’s explanation shed some light on their concerns.
Humans were cunning and deceitful. There was no way they went to such lengths without a purpose.
Knowing their intentions gave Chief Morgan a slight edge in preparation.
Iron ore and iron tools!
Chief Morgan let out a deep sigh.
The goblins’ innate talent for mining and crafting had always been both their greatest strength and the source of their suffering. Yet, their tribe depended on it for survival.
Now that they had drawn the humans’ attention, trouble was bound to follow. Especially considering the human settlement, as described, was not only well-developed but thriving. Having such a human settlement as a neighbor was far from ideal.
As these thoughts weighed heavily on him, a deep worry flickered in Chief Morgan’s eyes.
Fight? They might not win. So, what could they do now?
At that moment, another goblin rushed in, panting.
“Chief! Bad news!”
“Speak! What happened?” Chief Morgan demanded quickly.
“Human soldiers have appeared outside our gathering place!” the goblin reported in a panic.
“What?”
“What are they here for?”
“Are they declaring war?”
“Quick! Grab your weapons!”
The goblins began to panic, but they quickly prepared themselves to face the humans in battle.
Chief Morgan of the goblins asked, “How many of them are there?”
“Just one squad, about seven or eight people!” the goblin quickly replied.
“Seven or eight? That’s not enough to attack us. I’ll go take a look.” With that, Chief Morgan led the way forward at a brisk pace.
Moments later, on the outskirts of their settlement, they saw a human squad casually wandering outside as if patrolling their own territory.
Chief Morgan’s expression darkened immediately.
At this moment, Andre caught up from behind, glanced at the squad leader Alex, and whispered to Chief Morgan, “Chief, all of us who were captured were taken by them. That leader is a professional archer. He and his archers were the ones who blocked my path. He even told me himself that they’re after our weapons and equipment.”
Hearing this, Chief Morgan turned his gaze toward the human soldiers. When he saw the equipment and weapons they carried, his pupils constricted.
“Those weapons…”
Andre rubbed his nose awkwardly. “They’re ours from before.”
Chief Morgan’s eyes grew deeper, the humans’ ambitions now blatantly clear.
“While you were detained, did they question you about anything?” Chief Morgan asked.
“They didn’t ask anything. They treated us well, fed us delicious meals every day, with different dishes each time. The food was genuinely incredible…” As Andre spoke, he couldn’t help but feel his appetite being rekindled.
Chief Morgan shot Andre a deep look before saying, “Now, when it comes to dealing with the humans, we have two choices.”
“What are the two?” Andre, sensing this was a teaching moment, quickly asked. Though he had some ideas, he couldn’t quite pinpoint them.
“First, we wait for the humans to fully understand our settlement’s situation and attack us, forcing us into a bloody confrontation.”
“Second, we take the initiative to seek cooperation with them. But we don’t know whether their goal is limited to our weapons or includes us as well.”
“Which one would you choose?” Chief Morgan laid everything out plainly for Andre.
“I…” Andre pondered for a moment. Recalling the scenes he had witnessed in the human settlement—especially how the shopkeepers treated him without any sense of disdain, as if he were an equal—his thoughts gradually became clearer.
“I think we should choose the second option. If their goal includes us, we can always resist. If not, it’s beneficial to us. Their strength surpasses ours, and most importantly, the next beast tide is approaching. Every tide costs us many lives in the settlement. We cannot fight both the tide and the humans at the same time.”
Chief Morgan paused and looked at Andre. “It seems you received some… special treatment in the human settlement.”
In his heart, Chief Morgan preferred to call it manipulation.
A goblin who had harbored hatred for humans suddenly changed his stance after being captured once. Something must have happened in the human settlement.
Perhaps this was part of the humans’ strategy to lure and capture the goblins.
It seemed even they didn’t want a direct conflict.
But what Chief Morgan couldn’t determine was whether seeking cooperation with the humans would lead them to a new path… or into an abyss.
After some thought, he finally said, “Let’s wait and see!”
Let’s see how much patience these humans have!
As it turned out, Alex and his team, following Gu Qing’s orders, were exceedingly patient. They routinely patrolled near the goblin settlement without provoking any conflicts.
At first, the goblins were wary of their presence. But over time, as they grew accustomed to the humans, their tension gradually eased.
When the goblins who had experienced life in the human territory returned, they were sternly warned to stay far away from it. Initially, they timidly agreed, but over time, their curiosity and temptation grew stronger.
Especially with the abundance of wood they had accumulated from ironworking, every time they saw the towering piles of wood, their minds couldn’t help but convert it into visions of delicious food and fine clothing.
Finally, one day, they couldn’t resist anymore.
A group of goblins gathered together and silently set off for the human territory.
Without much trouble, the goblins reached the outskirts of Qingyun Village. While they hesitated outside the territory, they didn’t realize their movements had already been noticed.
“Village Chief, the goblins have indeed appeared,” a soldier reported to Ulysses after spotting them from the watchtower.
“Make sure the gate guards don’t make any mistakes.”
“Understood.”
Shortly after, one goblin was chosen to act as a representative. It cautiously approached the village walls and slowly made its way inside.
Surprisingly, it encountered no resistance at all. The goblin headed straight for the canteen, successfully bought food, and then returned to the gate, excitedly waving to its companions outside.
The other goblins, using their simple reasoning, quickly followed. They eagerly used their wood to start purchasing goods in the territory.
This successful venture caused a ripple effect. News of the event spread through the goblin settlement, and soon it became unstoppable.
More and more goblins began visiting the human territory.
The villagers, having been briefed in advance, treated the goblins kindly. While some were initially uneasy, over time, they discovered the goblins were surprisingly… naive—no, simple-minded. Gradually, they got used to their presence.
Meanwhile, as the goblins and humans coexisted peacefully, Chief Morgan noticed something strange.
“Andre, where is everyone? It’s a critical time. Why aren’t they training? Where have they gone?” Chief Morgan asked sternly.
Andre stammered nervously under the questioning.
“Answer me! Where did they go?”
“They… went to the human territory!”
Moments later, Chief Morgan followed Andre to the human territory. Like the others, he encountered no resistance and smoothly entered.
What he saw inside left him stunned.
“I was here first, don’t cut in line!”
“Move aside, I’ve been waiting for ages!”
“Who are you fooling? I just saw you buying clothes at the tailor’s shop!”
“Then buy one for me too! I’ll give you some wood.”
“No way! If everyone does that, what about the rest of us?”
“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of steak today. One at a time!”
“Oh no, I ran out of wood! I spent it all!”
“It’s fine. Just join the human team to gather more. I collected a bunch yesterday.”
“Me too. Not just wood—stone is worth more, you know!”
“…”
As the constant chatter of the goblins filled Chief Morgan’s ears, he was deeply shaken.
Could goblins truly live openly in human territory? Could they really coexist peacefully with humans?