The Giant

This time, Xiao Yu was troubled over what equipment to craft for himself. He had killed quite a few adventurers over the past two days, and the materials he had saved up were just enough to make one piece of equipment. But considering that he already had the Goblin Elder's Scepter as a weapon, Xiao Yu decided to make himself a robe to wear.

Since he was not a boss yet, Xiao Yu could not have equipment named after himself and could only choose from the equipment he had already unlocked. This equipment was connected to his monster title and the story events he had participated in. At present, he had only three choices.

The Diviner's Long Robe was a drab gray robe unlocked by advancing to goblin diviner. It required Adventurer's Remains Fragments ×25 to craft.

The Goblin Chieftain's New Clothes was a wolfskin coat unlocked by completing the "Taking Office as Chieftain" story event. It required Adventurer's Remains Fragments ×40 to craft.

The Evil God Sacrificial Robe was a brightly colored red robe unlocked by completing the "Evil God Sacrifice" event. It required Adventurer's Remains Fragments ×45 to craft.

Xiao Yu decisively chose the third one.

[Name: Evil God Sacrificial Robe]

[Category: equipment - mage robe]

[Quality: excellent]

[Effects: armor +10, fire damage +4]

[Chance of dropping upon death at an adventurer's hands: 23%]

[Note: A sacrificial robe that seems to have been worn by a priest serving an evil god.]

It was the best piece of equipment he had unlocked so far.

Xiao Yu put on the robe and examined himself. It seemed he was looking more and more like a wicked servant of an evil god. But characters like that generally came to a pretty miserable end. He hoped he could be an exception.

On the third day, Xiao Yu returned to the campfire early in the morning. From a long way off, he saw a huge monster sitting beside it. Fortunately, this time he had not eaten the goblin cook responsible for tending the fire. Instead, he was holding a branch and gnawing on its tender twigs and leaves.

Xiao Yu was both surprised and delighted. The campfire had attracted a giant today.

Giants were enormous, standing three and a half meters tall, even taller than ogres. They were extremely stupid, even dumber than ogres and almost no different from wild beasts. But unlike meat-loving ogres, giants were omnivores who ate more plants, and they were relatively docile and easy to control.

[System notification: Your campfire has attracted a giant. Recruit him? Yes/No.]

[Monster name: Aduo (giant)]

[Monster category: giant (large humanoid)]

[Monster tier: level 13 normal]

[Monster skill: Giant Wood Strike. Break off a tree to use as a weapon, increasing attack power and changing the attack type from melee to siege. Deals double damage to buildings.]

[Skill 2: Giant Wood Sweep. Can be activated after equipping a giant piece of wood. Sweeps a cone-shaped area within eight yards in front of the user, damaging enemies in the area and knocking them back or sending them flying (the exact effect depends on the target's size).]

[Recruitment cost: 600 food, 7 population capacity]

[Upkeep cost: 30 food per day]

[Note: A wandering giant whose extremely low intelligence prevents him from clearly explaining where he came from.]

Although he was a normal monster, his fighting power was no weaker than that of an ordinary rare elite. After all, he had a racial advantage.

This guy was perfect for the coming attack on Nightwhisper Village. All right, you're the one.

When the giant saw Xiao Yu, he said in a slow, simple voice, "Food-Aduo eat-help you-" He seemed unable to think of the next word, so he simply made a smashing gesture.

All right, this guy really is stupid, but I like that. At least I don't have to worry about him robbing me. Xiao Yu nodded. "In that case, big guy, join our tribe. Starting today, you'll be my mount and part-time bodyguard."

[System notification: Aduo the giant has joined your tribe. You may now issue him commands as chieftain.]

With the giant recruited into the Mud Hole Tribe, and the goblin drillmaster finishing the last batch of goblin warriors and goblin scouts that afternoon, the entire tribe's military strength had reached its peak.

One giant, three Blackrock Orcs, one goblin drillmaster, four goblin overseers, thirty goblin scouts, thirty goblin warriors, more than twenty goblin laborers, and three players including Xiao Yu-a force totaling a full 200 population. That was all the strength Xiao Yu had at his command.

But with so many people, food consumption naturally became enormous. Even though the twenty-plus goblin laborers worked from morning till night every day, with the goblin overseers' whips cracking nonstop, the food reserves still dwindled by the day. They had to attack Nightwhisper Village within three days, or the tribe would be eaten into ruin before the fighting even began. By then, his subordinates would probably revolt.

Xiao Yu thought that whether tonight's alliance meeting succeeded or not, he would have to move out. Of course, he was fairly confident about the meeting. As long as the leaders of the other factions were players, there would be no problem. But right now, he had no way of knowing whether the leaders of those monster factions were players.

Everything was ready; all he needed was an east wind.

That evening, Xiao Yu set out with Aduo the giant, the three Blackrock Orc brothers, his two player subordinates, and ten goblin warriors.

After all, the monster factions were currently neutral toward one another, with a hostile leaning. When they suddenly met, the other side's names would all be yellow, and a fight could break out at any moment. If he brought too few people and the others simply robbed him, that would be bad. Battles between monsters had an instant-death effect.

The party marched out of the goblin camp in a grand procession. Fortunately, monsters grew much stronger at night, and players generally did not come out to level, so they were unlikely to be discovered.

Xiao Yu rode on Aduo's shoulders. The nearly four-meter-tall monster was quite suitable as a mount. From up there, Xiao Yu could bombard enemies like a turret, and anyone who wanted to get close to him would have to get past Aduo first.

His high vantage point naturally let him see farther, and from a long way off, he spotted the abandoned tower.

Night Whisper Forest had once been territory directly governed by the human Kingdom of Stormwind. After the Scourge swept across Azeroth, the garrison in this region had been wiped out. The Scourge was later driven away, but the forest had already been corrupted, and the Kingdom of Stormwind had no interest in reclaiming the lost territory. As it happened, the night elves had joined the Alliance and wanted to find territory on the continent of Azeroth for a secondary base, so the Kingdom of Stormwind assigned this area to them, and they established Nightwhisper Village. But the night elves disliked human architecture, so the tower was abandoned and became something of a landmark. This alliance meeting had been arranged here.

Leaving his men outside the tower, Xiao Yu entered with the three Blackrock brothers.

He had to admit that these monsters were quite punctual. In less than ten minutes, all the parties had arrived. Hogger, the gnoll leader; Big Gold Tooth, the kobold leader; and Black Rod, the human bandit leader, entered the tower one after another. Each had also brought quite a few men and left them outside the tower, where they happened to guard the four directions: east, west, south, and north. Each leader brought only two or three bodyguards inside.

The monster leaders formed a circle and sized one another up.

Hogger, gnoll leader, level 13 elite: He had a fierce face, wore a disheveled suit of leather armor, and carried a large, bloodstained cleaver.

Black Rod, bandit leader, level 12 rare elite: He wore black leather armor and a black hood that concealed his face. Beneath the hood, his eyes shone like cold stars, giving him a cool look.

Big Gold Tooth, kobold leader, level 9 rare elite: He cowered at the tower entrance, looking ready to bolt at any moment.

Last was the organizer of today's meeting, Eric the goblin pyromancer, level 12 elite. Although he wore a bright red mage robe, he still gave off a thoroughly sleazy impression. It couldn't be helped; perhaps that was another hidden talent of the goblin race.