Cannon Fodder Plan

"What's going on?!"

"I'm not sure either. My subordinate brought back the message."

Jose's expression flickered between light and shadow. He recalled the day over two months ago when he had slaughtered centaurs on the Great Prairie to save Ergou.

After rescuing Ergou, he had hastily cleaned up the battlefield and left. He figured that after the two dragons entered the forest, the centaurs tracking their missing tribesmen must have discovered the dragons' tracks.

However, the Graytail Centaurs had remained inactive for the past two months, and now they were starting to scout the Bloodtooth Mines...

Right! Winter was approaching!

Jose found the crux of the problem – the chieftain's brother, who had been a bandit out in the world, had returned!

"Continue to monitor the centaurs' movements. Notify me immediately if you get any news."

"Understood!"

After ending the call, Jose lost the mood to play cards. He pinched his chin, which had three sharp horns, and fell into thought.

Tilly and Ergou, seeing the Red Dragon deep in thought, dared not disturb him.

The Elven Maiden's eyes rolled. She quickly gathered the cards from the wooden stump and scampered out of the dragon's lair, chasing after Ergou.

In the spacious dragon's lair, Jose muttered to himself, "It's perfect, I'll deal with both of them together..."

At night, Jose left the dragon's lair and headed towards Living Area Number Five.

Walking down the deep, sloping tunnel, he heard the sound of flowing water. It was the underground spring discovered by the Bloodtooth Kobold ancestors.

Many years ago, the Bloodtooth Kobold ancestors were mining downwards when they hit an underground spring, causing it to flood. A large section of the mine was submerged.

As fate would have it, the Bloodtooth Kobolds no longer needed to fetch water from outside. Later, the sheer number of people drawing water caused congestion in the tunnel, so they expanded it, creating a new living area.

Passing through the tunnel, Jose entered Living Area Number Five and observed the scene within.

Living Area Number Five was divided like a yin and yang symbol: half water, and the other half was land that was excavated later. On the land, there were steps carved by the kobolds for easy access to water. Kashi's lair was carved into the rock face above the water.

Jose heard snoring coming from the cave and his face twitched.

"Dinner's ready!"

"Huh... Huh?! Dinner's ready again?!" Inside the cave, Kashi woke up groggily, stood up, stretched, and walked towards the cave entrance.

Wake up and eat, eat and sleep. This little life is truly too comfortable~ All praise to boss Jose.

Thinking this, he reached the cave entrance and saw the Red Dragon on the opposite bank. His mind jolted, and he instantly sobered up.

"Boss Jose?!"

He spread his wings, glided in front of Jose, and greeted him with a smile, "Boss, why are you here?"

Jose didn't answer. He sized up his White Dragon subordinate. After two months, he had actually gained some weight.

"Come on, let's go out and get some exercise."

The Red Dragon walked ahead, with the White Dragon following. They walked and talked along the way.

"Kashi, we're being targeted. It's the Graytail Centaurs. I guess we weren't careful enough when saving Ergou, and they found us."

Speaking of serious matters, Kashi also became serious.

"Boss, what's your plan?"

"Since they want a fight! Then we'll give them one!" Jose said confidently.

If the Graytail Centaurs truly believed that a single Advanced Stage Warrior could guarantee victory, they were gravely mistaken. With the full power of the Phoenix Heart and the use of Data Vision, he could even contend with an ordinary Master-level opponent.

Sensing the confidence in his boss's words, Kashi felt inexplicably reassured.

After more than three years together, he knew his boss was extremely cautious and would never do anything he wasn't sure of.

"This time, our purpose for going out is to gather some Goblin cannon fodder," Jose continued. "Originally, I wanted to save this cannon fodder for the Moss Hide Gnolls. Since the Graytail Centaurs are coming to us, let them have a taste first."

"Oh, right. When gathering cannon fodder this time, besides violent conquest, we can also use enticement. For example, telling the Goblins that we have plenty of food here..."

As he taught Kashi how to deceive Goblins, the two dragons emerged from the Bloodtooth Mines.

"Kashi, did you figure out the location of the Goblin tribes?"

"I've figured it out."

"Very good. Let's move out. You head west, I'll head east."

Using the cover of night, the two dragons flew into the sky and flew off in opposite directions.

Leaning against the clouds, Jose looked down at the Moka Peak Forest in the dark night. As the junction between the Karakoram Mountains and the Gloomy Forest, the Moka Peak Forest wasn't too large, but it certainly wasn't small either. The combined territories of the Kobolds and the Moss Hide Gnolls only accounted for a tenth of the entire region.

Ever since he had depleted the Kobold territory, the ambitious Red Dragon had ordered the Harpies to scout the surrounding areas.

Goblin tribes, Gnoll tribes, other Kobold tribes, and even Extraordinary Beasts – they all appeared on the simple map drawn by the Red Dragon.

Now, his foresight was paying off.

Jose spotted a Goblin tribe and swooped down.

First, there was the rustling sound of leaves stirred by the wind, followed by the crackling sound of a few branches breaking, and finally, a loud bang.

The awakened goblins had no time to react before the terrifying aura of a higher being descended.

Jose smelled the fresh stench carried by the night breeze. Many goblins had already wet themselves in fear. He reined in his draconic might and scanned the area.

The kobolds at least had a mine to hide in, while most of the goblins slept in the open, with only three crude shelters made of thatch and branches.

It was obvious that those living in the shelters were the higher-ups of the goblin tribe.

"All of you, come out!" The voice was hoarse and deep, carrying an overbearing tone that implied dire consequences for disobedience.

From one of the houses, a goblin opened the door and stumbled out, trembling. Upon seeing the crimson figure in the darkness, its legs quivered uncontrollably.

"G-great True Dragon, G-goblins—Nick Green Skin serves you."

Jose looked at the goblin speaking. This goblin had emerged from a house and had a small beer belly, which was particularly noticeable among the generally gaunt goblin population.

Compared to the other goblins who were too terrified by the dragon's might to stand, this goblin possessed extraordinary courage. Not only could it stand, but it could also speak with clear logic.

This made Jose glance at it again.

But that was all.

While Jose was observing the goblins, a few more obediently crawled out of the houses. After that, there was no more movement from within the dwellings.

The absence of movement from the houses didn't mean there was no one inside.

"Disobey, and this is the consequence!"

Jose couldn't be bothered whether the goblins were scared unconscious or deliberately hiding. His long, slender dragon tail whistled through the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

All the houses were smashed to pieces by his tail, and blood flowed from beneath the wreckage, spreading outwards.

The goblins shivered in the night wind.

"Vile goblins! Congratulations! You have been chosen by the great True Dragon! You are about to become subjects of the True Dragon!" Jose spread his dragon wings, making his form appear even more imposing.

"Head west! Journey to my kingdom! My kin—the kobold tribe will accept you! There, warm tents will protect you from the biting wind! There, abundant food will save you from starvation!"

"You have my promise."

With that, Jose flapped his wings and soared into the sky.

As he ascended, he whispered in a tone only he could hear, "What you gain, you will also lose."

PS: An event will be held in the book club with a total prize pool of 30,000 coins. Please pay attention to the book club and subsequent announcements for details.