The Hobgoblin Knight training plan had begun in full swing.
Those three days of "training" had clearly been very effective. When Landen stood before the hobgoblins, their eyes were filled with loyalty. But when Hogg stood before them, their eyes were filled with fear. Sometimes, fear was far more useful than loyalty.
With Hogg supervising them, the hobgoblins immediately transformed from the laziest shut-ins into the most diligent soldiers. Whatever Hogg told them to do, they didn't dare disobey in the slightest. They obediently did as they were told at once. Some hobgoblins had even started doing extra work to curry favor with Hogg. For the goblin race, this was practically a miracle.
Even Landen himself hadn't expected such a change.
Every race had its own corresponding professions, while some higher races would create professions beyond those of their race. Humans, for example, had countless professions. But for a race like goblins, if no one else helped them create new professions, they would never give birth to any others.
Therefore, Landen didn't even need to look closely to determine that all these hobgoblins were hobgoblin warriors, without exception. With such a low-level profession and the low-level race of hobgoblins, it was truly no easy feat for their leader to reach mid-tier Black Iron. Landen estimated that this fellow's profession level had already surpassed level , which also meant that continuing to improve would become extremely difficult. Especially given the goblins' laziness, it was practically impossible.
But things were different now. Not to mention whether they could successfully change professions into Hobgoblin Knights, their original profession levels at least had some hope of improving through such unremitting training.
How should they train?
It was simple. Landen tossed the question directly to Hogg. As the leader of the Riverclaw Jackalmen, Hogg had considerable expertise when it came to training her subordinates. However, Landen had also given Hogg a set of things beyond that. Those were the key to whether the hobgoblins could successfully change professions.
It was a complete set of mounted-combat techniques. When changing from a warrior to a knight, the two most important points were, first, compatibility with one's mount, and second, mounted-combat techniques. Riding a mount and wildly swinging a weapon didn't make someone a knight.
This set of things hadn't come from the Lord System. Landen had put it together based on his memories. Those memories came from Dekang back in his previous life. In that game, he had also been a powerful figure who had once summoned wind and rain and become wildly famous. Producing these things was as easy for him as producing a pile of alchemical formulas that even Ella, a professional Alchemy Apprentice, had never seen before.
Hogg's training was indeed highly effective. In just a few days, the hobgoblins' strength had visibly improved. Of course, this improvement was built on the foundation that their original strength had been far too weak. By comparison, the two hobgoblins with Black Iron strength seemed not to have improved at all.
Landen didn't really care about that. He believed that with his set of combat techniques and Hogg's training, he would definitely accomplish his goal. And during this process, there was still a great deal for him to do.
"Very good, Old Niu. Although you only brought back one Rock Lizard today, you've made me especially satisfied." Landen nodded as he looked at the Rock Lizard before him.
This was the th Rock Lizard the Minotaur Butler had brought back over the past few days. According to Landen's orders, all these Rock Lizards were over meters long, making them more than adequate for the hobgoblins to ride. But today's Rock Lizard was the first among them to possess a Flame Qi Cluster inside its body.
The Rock Lizard was a giant lizard that liked to live near volcanoes. The "rock" in its name didn't refer to stone, but magma. This creature's digestive system was somewhat weak, so it often consumed rocks formed from partially cooled magma to aid digestion. These rocks had not completely cooled and still carried considerable heat. As this heat accumulated inside the Rock Lizard over the years, it eventually formed a Flame Qi Cluster. In battle, the Rock Lizard could spit out the Flame Qi Cluster and attack enemies with scorching flames.
The formation of a Flame Qi Cluster was not easy. A Rock Lizard capable of forming one had to have grown for at least years. Such ancient Rock Lizards were not easy to capture.
"As a reward, you don't have to capture any more Rock Lizards today. Come out with me and take a walk to clear your minds."
Landen naturally wasn't going out to clear his mind. He didn't have that much time for such things now. His purpose on this trip was to help Hogg find a mount.
As the commander of the knight regiment, how could Hogg not have a mount? Surely she couldn't have the hobgoblins charge atop Rock Lizards while she ran after them from the side?
What surprised Landen somewhat was that Hogg seemed to have thought of this problem long ago. When he brought up the subject, Hogg answered very directly, "I already have a target, Lord, but I need help."
How could a Beast-eared Cutie follower in need of help possibly be ignored by Lord Landen? Thus, following their previous conquest of the hobgoblins, the "Landen Lord's Guard" once again went out in full force. Poor Ella had been allowed to return to the Alchemy Workshop, but it was still hardly any different from being imprisoned. Being able to accompany them outside this time made him extremely happy once again.
Withered Wood Lake was one of the dungeon's several sources of drinking water. It was located beside the Blackwater River, less than half a day from the dungeon. Aside from the Dark Elves who often came here to fetch water, it was also a watering hole for various other creatures. Some creatures traveling along the Blackwater River would occasionally choose this place as a temporary stopping point.
The Lord System's map still contained a record Landen had added not long ago. Some time earlier, an unknown creature had appeared beside Withered Wood Lake. Judging from the scales the Dark Elves had brought back, it should have been some kind of snake or lizard. More importantly, that thing was huge!
At the time, the Minotaur Butler had used this as a reason to restrict Landen from going outside. Now, Landen hadn't expected that the place Hogg's target was located would actually be Withered Wood Lake.
"Could Hogg's target be that thing?" Landen wondered as he toyed with the object in his hand. It was the scale Mikhail had brought back when he went to fetch water—a huge scale half the size of Landen's palm!
"Hogg, do you know what your target is?" Landen asked her.
"I don't know." Hogg shook her head.
"And you still want to capture it as a mount?" Landen asked in astonishment.
"We Riverclaw Jackalmen live by the water, so our mounts naturally come from the water as well. As for it, I can sense that it's the only one here worthy of the status of the leader of my Riverclaw Clan and the commander of your knight regiment, Lord!" Hogg said solemnly.
"Is this tsundere behavior...?"
Landen complained inwardly, but on the surface, he said with complete seriousness, "Mm, I think so too!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and patted Hogg on the shoulder.
Indeed, with such wonderful tactile sensations, how could touching her just once possibly be enough...?
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