Leopard Head was the first to clasp his hands in a fist salute and say:
"My name is Leopard Head, but the moon told me that this name didn't quite fit, so I thought about it and came up with a more formal name for myself: Lin Chong."
Hupo's embarrassment was still evident.
What kind of evil magic is this? Why does it even involve the novel "Water Margin"?
The cultivators who escorted them chuckled secretly; these guys did indeed have a knack for comedy.
After Lin Chong, the Leopard Head, finished speaking, the Kobolds behind him took a few steps forward and said something.
"My original name Kobold No. 1225, but that's hardly a name, so I gave myself a different name: Gou Huo)."
"Pfft"
Hupo almost choked halfway through her drink.
"Your name... you're reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
The Kobolds nodded.
The woman, who was actually Tree People spirit, had just stepped forward when Hupo quickly guessed what was going on.
"Is your name taken from Dream of the Red Chamber or Journey to the West?"
The woman shook her head. "No, my name is Old Firewood."
Hupo's vision went black; the sky had fallen.
What a terrible name.
"Alright, now that we've seen the person, can we start talking?"
The squad leader brought over a few chairs and had everyone sit down. However, even after the woman sat down, she still fidgeted from time to time.
"Old... Wood, what's going on with you?"
Hupo had discovered it a long time ago, and I really couldn't help but ask.
"Miss Hupo, I used to have extra arms and legs, but now that I've become like this, some of my phantom limbs are causing me discomfort."
"Yeah, yeah, my butt's a little itchy too. It's so uncomfortable not having a tail."
Lin Chong reached out and scratched himself, and the way the people around him looked at him changed.
So Shapeshifting Technique has this kind of flaw? How true!
"So, could you tell me how you got here?"
After all that rambling, we've finally gotten back to the main topic.
The three of them looked at each other, and finally it was Gou Huo who spoke.
"We came here following the Snail People's warship."
"The three of us belong to the warship's reconnaissance unit, specifically the cannon fodder division. Our purpose in coming to Earth Star is to conduct reconnaissance, to investigate the Earth Star life forms, planetary composition, and the current level of civilization, etc..."
Upon hearing Gou Huo Huo's words, the cultivators present quickly began taking notes.
"You mean you came with the Snail People?"
The squad leader's words became serious; since it involved extraterrestrial life, he couldn't help but take it seriously.
"Yes, the Snail People are the de facto rulers of several nearby star sectors; these star systems all belong to their territory."
Hearing Gou Huo said, it seems that the Snail People are quite powerful.
"How did they find us? Are all the civilizations in these star systems under their surveillance?"
This issue needs to be clarified. If this is indeed the case, it means that Divine Land has been monitored by aliens from the very beginning.
"We shouldn't normally be qualified to know this, but there are rumors circulating among us Kobolds."
Gou Huo sighed.
" The Snail People have highly advanced space technology. They can detect large-scale spatial anomalies within nearby star systems, such as spatial explosions. Once other civilizations begin to venture into this field, they will send troops to strike in advance."
"Our civilization is said to have fallen because of this, and we ultimately became their vassal."
Hearing what the Kobolds said, the cultivators exchanged glances.
Fortunately, things weren't quite as they expected; at least until now, the Snail People hadn't noticed them.
However, this matter is related to space, which they cannot determine. The spatial gate has been in use for some time, and who knows what caused it to break?
The squad leader thought for a moment and changed direction.
"When did you set off? Where are the Snail People's warships now?"
Gou Huo thought for a moment and said:
"Based on Earth Star's calendar, we set off about ten years ago. We've made several jumps since then, though I can't quite remember the exact number. The warship is currently anchored near Uranus, but it has extremely strong cloaking capabilities and is generally invisible."
This information is crucial enough, and relatively speaking, it's quite urgent.
"You guys keep asking, I'll report it and have the higher-ups investigate the cause."
The squad leader pulled away and hurriedly went out.
Let's not delay this; report it first and investigate.
After the squad leader left, the office was quiet for a short while, and then a unified exhale could be heard.
Hupo looked up and saw that not only the three who were tied up, but also the monks who were escorting them, breathed a sigh of relief.
This guy has a pretty strong presence.
"You just said you're a cannon fodder battalion? Is that the cannon fodder I know?"
Hupo recalled Gou Huo's self-introduction and couldn't help but become curious.
"Yes, that's exactly what it means. We're just cannon fodder in the Snail People's wars against other nations; we're sent wherever there's a need to fill in the gaps."
Gou Huo shook his head and said with some grief and indignation.
"From a young age, we grew up in the Snail People's incubation chambers. If our bodies didn't meet the standards, we were directly eliminated and sent to the cannon fodder camp to be used as expendable resources."
"And what about your civilization?"
Hupo asked the question, only to realize later that she had asked a pointless question.
"Of course it no longer exists. The cannon fodder camp contains many species, most of whom are remnants of civilizations wiped out by the Snail People. Our original civilization has long since perished."
"Fortunately, we met you, Miss Hupo. You are our savior. From now on, we will follow you closely, ready to risk our lives for you."
Just moments before, Hupo was feeling a pang of sadness over the passing of civilization, but then she was taken aback by the guy's sudden shift in tone, his declaration of loyalty.
The civilization has been gone for a long time. If it weren't for the stories passed down orally among the Kobolds, the events of the past would probably have long since vanished into the annals of history.
For the three of them, the disappearance of their own civilization didn't evoke much feeling, because by their generation, the concept of that civilization had simply vanished.
Only those who have had something and then suddenly lost it will cherish the memory of what they lost; conversely, those who did not experience that era will naturally have little emotional connection to it.
On the contrary, now that they are in enemy territory, Hupo is the only one who has ever been kind to them. At this moment, their only hope of survival is to cling to Hupo.
"What are you talking about? We live in a civilized society now; we don't care about these things."
Hupo definitely wouldn't raise any younger brothers; she could barely support herself, let alone three living people. However, she could still sense their fear and tension from their words.
Just like when I was a child and came to visit a strange relative's house with my parents, I held my parents' hands tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.
Hupo felt a certain empathy for this feeling.
"What will happen to the three of them after that?"
Thinking of this, Hupo couldn't help but ask a question.
The squad leader was absent, and the remaining cultivators didn't know much, but they at least had a general idea of how to proceed.
"Don't worry, after undergoing the Transformation Technique, regardless of who they were originally, from this moment on, they are qualified to become citizens of Divine Land. In particular, the information they brought is very important, and with you here, they are cooperating well. They should officially become citizens of Divine Land later, and there won't be any problems."
Hupo breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, these guys weren't all that bad at heart. This was a good way to handle things.