Defeat the Murlocs and Liberate the Kobolds!

Shawn was about to go crazy listening to him.

Old Grian was something else. How could he be so talented at everything? Not only was his skin thicker than a city wall, but his lips were thinner than foam. He spun one tale after another, sentence after sentence. He was ten times better at making things up than Shawn, and in the blink of an eye, he had invented more than a dozen stories and ruined the reputations of more than a dozen people...

Yes, Shawn didn't believe a single word Old Grian said.

But deep down, Shawn had already begun to sigh.

Although everything Old Grian said was false, it was all possible.

Shawn was, after all, an ordinary, kindhearted person.

For the people of Westfall, for the familiar faces there, and for Old Saldean, he had to do something. As long as he was careful, he wouldn't end up getting himself killed.

Old Grian might stop at nothing, but he really was thinking of the people of Westfall!

After thinking it over, Shawn interrupted Old Grian and nodded.

Just as Old Grian thought Shawn had fallen for his spiel and was about to pour out his heart, then hand over all his trump cards, Shawn spoke up.

"Um, Lord Grian, if I find a way to get the kobolds and murlocs to fight each other first... what do I get out of it?"

Looking at Shawn's completely sincere face, with not the slightest hint of shame over what he'd just said, Old Grian felt nothing but admiration and respect for the half-elf boy before him.

To ask for benefits so shamelessly... That little guy's skin was at least half as thick as his own!

After thinking for a moment, Old Grian held up one finger.

"Half of all the profits?" Shawn's heart filled with wonderful fantasies.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, boy." Old Grian waggled his raised middle finger in front of Shawn's face. "Ten percent. Ten percent of the Jangolode Mine's profits, paid once a year. I'll handle the mining; you just collect the money. How does that sound? Pretty generous, right?"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Generous? What's so generous about it? How about I handle the mining and give you ten percent?"

The Jangolode Mine produced far less ore each year than the Deadmines, but it was still the second-largest mine in Westfall. Its annual gold output was an astronomical figure. Otherwise, why would Old Saldean and the other farmers agree to put up five thousand gold coins in exchange for forty percent of Jangolode's future gold profits and forty percent of the spoils from the Gold Coast?

Strictly speaking, ten percent of the Jangolode Mine's profits was already a hefty amount. But right now, Old Grian needed him, so Shawn had to bargain for as much as he could. If he regretted it later, there'd be no way to buy his way out of it!

At Shawn's words, Old Grian cried out, "Shawn! Ten percent of the profits, and you still think it's too little? Old Saldean and all those other farmers only have forty percent between them. Split among all of them, each gets far less than you! Shawn, listen to your uncle: learn to be content!"

Shawn pursed his lips. "Old man, I'm perfectly content. Ten percent of the Jangolode Mine's profits is fine, but I want to be paid once a week. Also, after we win this battle, I want every magical item among the spoils!"

Shawn had seen right through the catch.

Once a year?

No chance!

The key was that Old Grian would be in charge of the mining! Who knew what tricks he might pull? What if the mine brought in ten thousand gold coins, but he claimed it had only made a thousand? Who could Shawn go to for justice then?

That was why weekly payments were safer. With only a week between payments, it would be much harder for Old Grian to cook the books. And if he really did, Shawn would discover the problem a week later. The sooner he found it, the sooner he could deal with it.

Besides, a share of the Jangolode Mine's profits would be a steady, long-term income, while the spoils from this battle were a big windfall he could get right away. No matter what, Shawn had to secure that cut.

When Old Grian heard Shawn's demands, he immediately realized that the shrewd little fox had seen through his plans. There was nothing for it but to agree. He was definitely going to cook the books; he'd just have to find someone who knew what they were doing and make sure they did a better job, so the little fox wouldn't catch on...

As for all the magical items among the spoils...

Old Grian thought it over, then finally nodded with great reluctance.

There was no choice. Shawn's demand was perfectly reasonable!

He was the only spellcaster among their side's participants in this battle, and he would make an irreplaceable contribution. Asking for all the magical items among the spoils was only right!

Unable to come up with a reasonable argument against it, Old Grian could only let Shawn lead him by the nose.

The negotiations ended in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, with complete success. Shawn and Old Grian discussed their long-term cooperation in depth and sincerely wished for their deep friendship to endure.

Afterward, Shawn and Old Grian went their separate ways. One headed alone for the Jangolode Mine, while the other made straight for the Gold Coast.

This was one of the terms they had agreed on.

Shawn would use his own methods to get the kobolds of the Jangolode Mine to raid the murlocs at the Gold Coast, but his methods and plans had to remain entirely private. Old Grian wasn't allowed to steal the skills that belonged exclusively to Shawn in any way; otherwise, the agreement would be void immediately.

Shawn didn't trust Old Grian's promises, so he went with the simplest and most effective way to avoid any trouble.

He rode his Domesticated Wild Boar at full gallop.

Yes, the simplest way was to reach the Jangolode Mine and send the kobolds to raid the Gold Coast before Old Grian even thought to act. That way, any schemes would have to bow before overwhelming strength.

After all, a Domesticated Sow charged much faster than an ordinary warhorse!

When Shawn returned to the Jangolode Mine, he felt remarkably calm. He knew the place like the back of his hand, and his overall strength had multiplied countless times over.

He picked up the Kobold War Horn, struck what he thought was a very cool pose, and blew it. The kobolds guarding the Jangolode Mine and the many more deep inside the mine came pouring out. Several hundred kobolds gathered before him, making Shawn feel like he was giving a speech in the school auditorium.

With the War Horn in hand, Shawn began his pre-battle speech.

Kobolds had very low intelligence, not even as much as a young child. Shawn easily roused them, fired up their emotions and enthusiasm, and told them that murlocs were the kobolds' eternal enemies. Only by wiping out the murlocs could the kobolds live happy, comfortable lives.

Seeing that the War Horn's effect was about to wear off, Shawn quickly wrapped up his speech, squeezed his legs against the boar's belly, and charged toward the Gold Coast.

Close behind him, hundreds of kobolds shouted, "Defeat the murlocs and liberate the kobolds!" as they charged toward the Gold Coast.

These were all the kobolds from the Jangolode Mine, but they weren't all the kobolds in Westfall.

After the previous battle, large numbers of kobolds had been sent out to camp near the Gold Coast as a precaution against the murlocs' revenge, serving as vanguards and scouts.

When Shawn and the kobold army passed by, all the scattered kobolds gathered together.

Rivers flowed into the sea.

By the time they reached the Gold Coast, their force had grown from a few hundred to more than a thousand.

And at that moment, the battle finally began!