Riverclaw Leader, Reporting for Duty!

Goblins are homebodies and also a bunch of lazybones. The concept of "homebody equals lazybones" is perfectly embodied in this race.

Although their combat ability and growth are mediocre, they actually possess quite outstanding abilities in other aspects, such as digging. Many lords with mines on their territories or some major mine owners really like to use goblins as miners. As long as there is a sound supervision system to prevent these guys from slacking off, their performance will be excellent.

However, when no one supervises them, they become extremely lazy. Even for their nests, they would rather find naturally formed caves, pits, or the like, rather than bother to dig one.

If they absolutely have to dig a nest because they can't find a suitable one, they will also be very casual about it. The nests they dig only need to have the functions they require; they won't dig an extra inch to beautify it or make those functions more complete.

And these problems become particularly apparent when they face a crisis.

This mountain, or rather, this hobgoblin nest, originally had multiple entrances. However, at Landen's instruction, the Minotaur Butler sealed off most of them, leaving only two. One was the one Aila was using to drive smoke into, and the other was the one the Minotaur Butler was currently sitting at.

Moreover, Landen specifically instructed the Minotaur Butler to seal those entrances very tightly, not allowing even a sliver of air to escape and making them very thick. Even hobgoblins, who are expert diggers, would take a considerable amount of time to dig through them, let alone their... laziness.

They weren't so lazy that they didn't dig at all, but after a few attempts and finding they couldn't break through, they quickly lost patience, changed their target, and after going in circles, their final target became the Minotaur Butler's... backside.

It wasn't that his backside was easier to dig than the rocks, but rather that it was soft. Compared to hard objects, it gave them a false impression, an illusion that it would be easier to dig through here.

Thus, very soon, all these hobgoblins gathered here, each holding their various weapons and began attacking the Minotaur Butler's backside.

The Minotaur Butler's words naturally had some exaggeration. The terrain in the mountain consisted of a series of tunnels. The widest tunnel could only accommodate less than a dozen hobgoblins standing in a row. Even if they piled up on top of each other, it would be impossible for dozens of hobgoblins to attack him simultaneously.

Landen knew this, of course. He had been having the Minotaur Butler wait precisely for the three hobgoblins with Black Iron strength, who were the leaders of this race, to appear. Their appearance here basically meant that almost all the hobgoblins had gathered here.

So, when the Minotaur Butler felt an extremely powerful attack, Landen immediately issued the real attack order.

The release range of Mind Storm was only a maximum of 50 meters, with a coverage diameter of 100 meters. Enemies within this range would suffer extremely ferocious psychic assault damage.

As soon as Landen's order was given, the two Mind Flayers faithfully followed his command, hurling two Mind Storms into the cave.

The poor Minotaur Butler, however, was stunned for a moment by Landen's "..." order, and in that instant, he almost lost his life. When he heard the strange, roaring sounds from the mouths of the two Mind Flayers, his face turned green. Forgetting all about etiquette and decorum, he used all his strength, displaying his High-tier Black Iron strength, and lunged forward.

The two Mind Storms grazed the Minotaur Butler's heavily attacked backside and flew into the mountain cave.

In an instant, countless screams echoed from within the cave. However, the two Mind Flayers seemed oblivious. One after another, they lowered their heads and walked into the cave. Upon entering, the two Mind Flayers unleashed two more Mind Storms.

The two Mind Flayers themselves possessed strength close to the peak of High-tier Black Iron, far surpassing those two hobgoblins with Black Iron strength. Furthermore, low-intelligence creatures like hobgoblins had inherently weak defenses against psychic attacks. Therefore, in the first two Mind Storms hurled into the cave by the two Mind Flayers, the two strongest hobgoblins had already fallen unconscious. The remaining ones, not covered by the Mind Storms, were just minor pests.

These minor pests either fell unconscious from the subsequent two Mind Storms or were so terrified that they didn't even dare to flee, cowering in place.

"Alright, come in," Moa said, dispersing the third Mind Storm he had almost prepared, and spoke to the outside of the cave.

Landen was the first to enter, followed by the Minotaur Butler and the two Dark Elves. Looking at the hobgoblins lying on the ground, all unconscious but not dead, Landen nodded with satisfaction and said to Ibaka, "Go and call Mikhail and the others."

Ibaka acknowledged the order and left. The Minotaur Butler, who was feeling heartbroken about his Great Yak leather armor, which had been poked with several holes, looked at the situation in the cave with immense surprise.

The cave was indeed filled with smoke, but this smoke was even much lighter than the smoke from simply burning firewood. Standing in the smoke, he could hardly feel any discomfort. Yet, this very smoke had driven the hobgoblins to the brink of madness, making them abandon the nests they had lived in for so long and rush out en masse.

Landen glanced at the Minotaur Butler, noticing his surprise, but had no intention of explaining. As the supreme Lord, did he need to explain to a subordinate that this smoke contained alchemical agents specifically designed to deal with goblins, making them feel extremely weak and uncomfortable?

Soon, several Dark Elves brought Aila back like a prisoner. Landen waved his hand and said, "Tie them all up!"

In any aspect, hobgoblins were naturally no match for Mind Flayers, especially a group of hobgoblins who had already become prisoners.

Landen didn't even bother to waste words with them. He simply threw out a "Surrender or die," and then casually took a dagger and held it to the neck of the hobgoblin with Mid-tier Black Iron strength. All the hobgoblins immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly. Their devout appearance was even more devout than the most loyal followers...

With the hobgoblins dealt with, listening to the familiar system notification in his ear, "Quest (First Batch of Permanent Residents) Complete. Green Territory Talents will arrive within 24 hours," Landen felt ecstatic.

However...

24 hours and 30 minutes later...

"Why aren't they here yet? What's going on? Is the system standing me up?" Landen stood at the entrance of the bunker, almost turning into a statue of longing, yet still no sign of any green talents...

Just then, "My Lord, be careful!" a low growl sounded, accompanied by the Minotaur Butler, who was waiting like an idiot, rushing forward and shielding Landen behind him, assuming a combat stance.

Almost simultaneously, another voice sounded from not far away.

"Riverclaw Lord, reporting for duty!"