Goblin Subjects

"Bloodlust."

Watching the Bugbear get back up again and seeing the changes in his body, Lin Lei could hardly believe his eyes.

Bloodlust was practically synonymous with Ogres. Every adult Ogre mage could use the spell, but Lin Lei had never heard of a Bugbear using it.

The Bugbear grew even larger after casting Bloodlust, at least a quarter bigger than he had been before. His eyes turned bloodred, red energy coursed faintly through his body, and he moved much faster.

The battle had once again become unpredictable. The Bugbear was like a weakened berserker, and he didn't even suffer from the loss of reason that usually came with such a state.

He began chasing Lin Lei around the battlefield, attacking him relentlessly. Lin Lei quickly fell onto the defensive, while the Goblins in their camp cheered one after another. They believed their leader's victory was all but assured, and that they would soon have plenty of food.

"Bang!"

After being suppressed for so long, Lin Lei failed to dodge in time and could only use his greatsword to block the Bugbear's club.

The tremendous force sent Lin Lei stumbling backward, his boots carving a long furrow in the ground.

"Hmph!"

Lin Lei snorted. Even a clay doll had a temper, let alone a powerful man like him who had made a success of his career. After being beaten down by the Bugbear for so long, he was furious.

He released his grip and flexed his hands, then seized the hilt tightly again. Dragging the long blade behind him, he charged straight at the Bugbear without hesitation.

"Bang!"

The Bugbear had been on the offensive and didn't react to Lin Lei's sudden move in time. He could only raise his bone club over his head to block Lin Lei's unexpected attack.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Lin Lei pressed his advantage. Taking aim at the gap in the Bugbear's defenses, he brought his blade down five more times in succession, each strike landing on the bone club.

The Bugbear had already been unsteady on his feet after Lin Lei's first blow. Now he dropped straight to his knees, the ground beneath him driven down a full body's depth below the surrounding earth.

Seeing the exhausted Bugbear and the bone club slipping from his grasp, Lin Lei pulled back the Green Dragon Crescent Blade instead of striking again.

Lin Lei could have landed a killing blow on the Bugbear with his third or fourth strike, but he wanted the Goblins to submit to him. So he kept his blade aimed at the bone club, leaving the Bugbear with only minor injuries.

"Respected human warrior, I, Furell, have lost. As agreed, our Goblin camp will submit to you."

Furell struggled to his feet and spoke to Lin Lei.

Hearing him, Lin Lei smiled.

These savage, brutal races might be crude and violent, but when it came to keeping their word, they were several times more trustworthy than humans.

Luo Ji had now brought the soldiers over as well, and he gazed at Lin Lei with admiration.

The Goblin elder Vix also hurried over with a group of Goblins, their faces tense.

In front of all the Goblin leaders, Furell announced that their people would henceforth accept the rule of Lin Lei, the human baron.

Lin Lei watched the other Goblins' expressions. They stirred briefly, then accepted their leader's command. He couldn't help but marvel at Furell's standing among his people.

Even the Goblin elder didn't object or try to back out.

Furell then led Lin Lei and the others into their camp. Calling it a camp was generous; it was even worse than the Lower City of the small town Lin Lei had once lived in. Bones and feces were strewn everywhere.

Lin Lei looked into the distance and even spotted several Goblins asleep. Something this momentous was happening outside, yet they were so calm that Lin Lei couldn't help but admire them.

Furell's submission was entirely sincere. He told Lin Lei the full extent of his forces. The Goblin camp had a population of over two thousand, including two hundred Boar Riders with strength equivalent to bronze rank. With proper training, however, the boars' charging power could even bring them up to silver rank.

There were fifty Bugbears, each with the strength of a silver-ranked warrior. Furell himself was at gold rank.

There were ten Goblin mages, all elder Goblins. They were at silver rank, and Vix was close to gold rank.

Everyone else was a Goblin Spearman. Their strength varied according to their physical abilities, from unrated to bronze rank.

After learning the Goblins' true strength, Lin Lei felt a lingering fear. It was fortunate he hadn't planned on simply burning, killing, and looting. Even if he had survived, Luo Ji and the other soldiers would have been wiped out.

"Furell, do you recognize this kind of wood?"

After touring the Goblin camp, Lin Lei finally asked the question that had been the main purpose of his trip.

Furell took the wooden spear from Lin Lei and glanced at it.

"Baron, isn't this the kind of wooden spear my people use for hunting? Most of the trees on the back mountain are like this. I'll take you there."

Following Furell, Lin Lei soon reached the back mountain. Sure enough, Wind Fragrance Wood covered the slopes as far as the eye could see.

"Huh? Why is it so filthy?"

Lin Lei suddenly stopped and looked carefully at the surroundings.

Good grief, Goblin feces covered the mountain from end to end, and the stench was overwhelming. There wasn't a single place to set foot. Compared with this, the Goblin camp was nothing.

With a dark expression, Lin Lei ordered Furell, "Your Goblin camp is the first subordinate force of Crouching Dragon Ravine. The first thing you need to do is improve sanitation. Clean up all the garbage, bones, and feces in the camp, and establish proper standards..."

Lin Lei didn't elaborate. In his eyes, the Goblin camp had great potential, and he would certainly make long-term plans for it. Sanitation was only an insignificant part of that.

Lin Lei barely made it through a stench-filled day at the Goblin camp. The next day, he left with a large haul of monster hides and ore, departing from what was now Green Goblin Town, part of Crouching Dragon Ravine.

On the way there, Lin Lei had been accompanied by Luo Ji and twenty-five soldiers. On the way back, Furell and twenty Bugbears had joined them. Lin Lei left the rest of the Goblin forces behind in Green Goblin Town.

The Goblins were short on food, but they weren't short on wealth. Their stockpile of monster hides and the ore they had collected over the years filled three large carts. The loads were heavy enough that the wheels sank deep into the dirt.

After Lin Lei left, Vix, the Goblin elder, was discussing matters with the other elders in the Green Goblin Town hall.

"Elder, do we really have to submit to these humans? Even if he's stronger than our leader, our overall strength is far greater than theirs. Look at the soldiers behind him. One charge from our riders and they'd scatter."

A mage below spoke. Judging by his appearance, he was a rare Bugbear mage.

"And then what? What would defeating them accomplish? Humans are the strongest force on the continent now. If we defeat them, won't another human lord come after us?

"Even if we win again, could there be a third, a fourth? Wouldn't our Emerald Goblins' strength be steadily worn away?"

The Goblin elder spoke, his face rough as tree bark. Her hand rubbed the staff as if she were reminiscing while she spoke.

"Our Emerald Goblins can't survive another war. Furell acted that way at my request. We have to live under human rule if we're to recuperate."

"But we can't choose some greenhorn! Look at that human noble—he hasn't even shed his baby fat..."

The Bugbear mage argued.

"Silence! He will be our lord from now on, so show him respect. For someone with such strength to be so young only means he has even greater potential. Anyone who objects can leave the clan. We won't stop you."

Vix was furious, issuing her command like an aging lion.

The Goblins below exchanged glances and stopped talking. The mages around the Bugbear mage also stopped him from continuing to argue.

After they all took their leave, Vix was left sitting quietly in her chair.

"Gork and Mork above, I hope I made the right decision."

At the entrance to Crouching Dragon Ravine.

Lin Lei returned to his territory with a great deal of wealth. Allen and the others were delighted, though they were puzzled by the foreigners accompanying Lin Lei.

To the people of the Aize Continent, the belief that those who weren't of their race could never share their hearts had been taken to the extreme. They rarely welcomed other races, including the honest Dwarves and the beautiful Elves.

Lin Lei didn't share that prejudice, and the others' reactions didn't surprise him.

In the hall of the Lord's Mansion, Lin Lei firmly explained that the Goblins would become their allies and the vassal force of Crouching Dragon Ravine.

Since Lin Lei had built everything from nothing and had the final say in the territory's affairs, the others, though somewhat unhappy, didn't try to resist the Goblins.

"Aier, how are the preparations for the school? Have the teachers from Flower Territory arrived?"

A few days earlier, Lin Lei had decided to establish a school. He had also drawn on Aierlan's connections and funds to invite more than a dozen literacy teachers from Flower Territory.

"They arrived today. They've already started teaching the soldiers."

"Good. Arrange for Furell and his Goblin soldiers to learn to read tomorrow as well."

As he spoke, Lin Lei pointed at the green-skinned giant beside him, Furell.

Allen nodded in agreement.

Lin Lei continued, "The purpose of this hunt was to ease the budget deficit. I didn't expect to welcome a Goblin tribe into our territory as well. Tomorrow I'll lead a group to Flower Territory to sell the hides and ore we brought from the Goblins. I'll need you to manage the territory for me."

"Yes, my lord."

"All right, everyone may leave. Allen, arrange accommodations for Furell and the others."

After everyone had left, Lin Lei rubbed his tired eyes and headed toward his private residence.

As he passed the pavilion in the courtyard, Aierlan, who had been sitting there, stopped him.

"Have you forgotten about our wedding? It's been nearly a month, and my father has been writing to urge us to hold it soon."

Aierlan spoke shyly.

Lin Lei had always remembered the wedding, but the affairs of Crouching Dragon Ravine had kept him so busy that he hadn't had time to marry Aierlan. His territory's infrastructure was still incomplete, too, so he had put the matter off.

"..."

Lin Lei thought for a moment. He felt that it couldn't have been easy for Aierlan to bring up the matter so boldly, and he should put her mind at ease.

"Next month. Prepare the invitations and send them out. We'll hold the wedding on the first day of the month. By then, the territory should be running smoothly."

"Mm!"

Aierlan nodded firmly, the corners of her mouth turning up.

Seeing how pleased Aierlan looked, Lin Lei swept her into his arms.