Kela Great Forest.
Inside a narrow cave.
An ugly, green-skinned Goblin was busy with a steel needle and scissors, mending a pile of rags.
In the end, it managed to sew a fitting set of clothes and a simple set of leather armor.
There was even a leather helmet.
Wearing these garments and armor, the Goblin still looked like a Goblin, but somehow it gave off a more human-like vibe.
"With this equipment, I'm a bit safer!
But against those high-level adventurers and high-level monsters, this body is still no match...
It seems I need to find a Goblin Nest or Tribe. With my current strength, I should be able to secure a place for myself!"
As daylight broke outside, Chen Yao quickly prepared his gear, slinging a bow and arrows over his shoulder and tucking two daggers into his belt.
He also carried a wooden shield and two leather backpacks filled with food and herbs.
These were scavenged from adventurers, and after a few days of study, he understood their uses.
Although they weren't the legendary recovery or healing potions, these herbs could still stop bleeding and save lives in critical moments.
Especially against poisonous creatures, these antidote pills were quite effective.
"Let's go, find the Goblin Tribe!
If I can become the tribe leader or nest leader, my safety will be much higher."
With hopeful anticipation, Chen Yao set off once more.
However, after searching for several days, he still hadn't found any news of a Goblin Tribe.
He did encounter some other lesser monsters, but for someone who had leveled up to level 5, they posed no significant threat.
Unless he ran into Demon Bears or Wolf Packs.
This was the forest's outskirts, where high-level monsters were few. If they threatened nearby villages, high-level adventurers would eliminate them.
This was the main reason Chen Yao had survived.
***
As the sun set again, Chen Yao sighed in frustration, another day wasted.
But he did manage to gather some Slimes and Uni-Rabbits.
These monsters weren't very strong, but at least they were companions, making things less lonely.
Just as he was about to find a place to rest, a white Uni-Rabbit hopped over, pointing and chattering incessantly in the distance.
"Hmm? You say there's a Goblin over there?"
After interacting with these monsters, he could clearly understand their thoughts.
The Uni-Rabbit nodded repeatedly.
"Let's go take a look!"
Chen Yao was excited, thinking that once he found the Goblin Tribe, he would be completely safe.
But when he pushed through the grass, he was met with a tragic scene.
It was a medium-sized tribe, with about 300 Goblins. They had built tents and wooden houses.
There was even a two-meter-high fence around it to fend off monsters.
But now, the tribe was engulfed in flames, with Goblin corpses strewn everywhere, blood flowing freely.
Several human adventurers stood in the clearing, their eyes cold as they watched the roaring fire.
"Fing hell!"
Chen Yao cursed under his breath and turned to flee.
"Heh, there's another one here. Almost let you get away!"
Suddenly, a demonic whisper sounded in his ear, sending shivers down Chen Yao's spine. He rolled on the ground instinctively.
Whoosh!
A sharp spike, fast as lightning, came from nowhere, grazing his throat as it passed.
If Chen Yao had reacted a moment slower, his throat would have been pierced.
But he was still injured, a shallow cut on his neck.
"Huh? You dodged?"
A tall, fiery figure appeared out of nowhere.
She wore a tight black outfit that accentuated her curves, holding two gleaming spikes in her hands.
She was an assassin with a voluptuous upper body and long, jade-like legs.
Her face was covered, and she looked at Chen Yao in surprise.
She hadn't expected her attack to be dodged by a Goblin. How was that possible?
An assassin's deadly strike was fast, ruthless, and silent.
Even if she had warned him, there was no reason he should have dodged it.
Chen Yao touched the wound on his neck. It wasn't deep, but blood kept oozing out, and he felt a wave of fear.
"You're an interesting Goblin. Try dodging this!"
With that, she attacked again!
In an instant, she was in front of Chen Yao.
Chen Yao was prepared, rolling backward as she spoke, dodging her strike once more.
Goblins were naturally small, and lying on the ground made him an even smaller target.
She was tall, completely in his blind spot, allowing him to dodge the attack.
"Hey, you dodged again, but let's see you dodge this!"
The Female Assassin was incredulous, throwing her spikes straight at Chen Yao's forehead.
She was sure this Goblin couldn't dodge, and the fight would be over.
But just then, shadows appeared, blocking her spikes.
"Hmm? Uni-Rabbits?"
Seeing her spikes impaled on two Uni-Rabbits, the Female Assassin was stunned.
What was going on?
Why did it seem like the Uni-Rabbits were protecting the Goblin?
Uni-Rabbits weren't smart enough to understand protecting a Goblin.
But their intent was clear.
What was happening?
In her moment of confusion, Chen Yao sprang up and ran, using Shadow Step to its fullest.
He vanished in an instant.
"You've piqued my interest, Goblin. I'm not letting you go today!"
The Female Assassin smirked, ready to give chase.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
But before she could move, a dozen Slimes leaped from the grass, charging at her.
"What is this?"
The Female Assassin was baffled, slicing through the Slimes with ease.
But as she prepared to pursue, another dozen Uni-Rabbits charged out.
"Hmm?"
The Female Assassin was even more confused. These lesser monsters had a clear purpose: to protect that Goblin.
But that was impossible.
Why?!
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Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Her spikes were lightning-fast, killing the charging Uni-Rabbits and Slimes.
But Chen Yao had already disappeared without a trace.
"He's fast! But I'm an expert tracker. Let's see where you can run!"
The Female Assassin chuckled, finally interested in this mission.
Just as she was about to pursue, someone called out to her.
"Camia, where are you going?"
The Female Assassin paused, turning to see who it was.
Four adventurers approached, led by a Warrior with a sword and shield.
They were the Adventurer Squad that had saved Gret.
"There was a strange Goblin. I was about to chase it." Camia was annoyed at being interrupted.
"It's just a Goblin. If it ran, it ran. We'll kill them all eventually!"
The Warrior slung his sword and shield over his back, looking at the Slime and Uni-Rabbit corpses with a smile. "Why kill so many low-level monsters? I thought you despised bullying the weak?"
"They attacked me first. I didn't want to kill them! These guys seemed to be following that Goblin's orders. If they hadn't interfered, I'd have killed that Goblin by now."
"Really? How could a Goblin command Uni-Rabbits and Slimes? Are you making excuses for your failure?"
A handsome Archer crouched down, examining the Uni-Rabbit corpses closely.
"Bullshit!"
"Am I that kind of person?" Camia retorted angrily.
"Alright, alright, you two stop arguing. We have a mission!
Let's rest well tonight and continue searching for the Goblin Tribe tomorrow. We must kill all the Goblins!"
***
In the depths of the Great Forest.
Chen Yao panted heavily, having discarded all his gear during his escape.
But he still had a bow, a few arrows, and some healing herbs.
Chen Yao was covered in wounds, and the injuries he had initially sustained had reopened, with scabbed wounds bleeding again.
"Damn it! This is too unlucky. Why do I keep running into such powerful adventurers?!"
This group was stronger than any adventurers he'd encountered before. Where did they come from?
Chen Yao couldn't understand.
This was clearly a Novice Sanctuary, with no powerful monsters.
But why were such strong adventurers in a Novice Sanctuary?
If not for the Uni-Rabbits and Slimes buying time, he'd probably be dead by now.
"No, no! I can't stay here. I need to run. Their target must be the Goblins..."
They easily destroyed a tribe of hundreds of Goblins, let alone just him.
After a quick bandage, Chen Yao dared not linger and took off running.
Fortunately, he had reached level 5, with increased strength and endurance, making him much stronger than before.
He ran for over ten kilometers before daring to stop and rest.
But before he could catch his breath, he heard a low growl.
In the darkness, green eyes appeared—it was a Wolf Pack!
"My God, will you give me a break?!"
Chen Yao cursed, activating Shadow Step and running up a tree trunk to the branches.
Several Demon Wolves leaped up, nearly biting his backside.
"That was close..."
Perched on a branch, Chen Yao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Fing hell, this was too unlucky.
Looking down, the Demon Wolves hadn't given up, surrounding the tree, dozens of them.
What should he do now?!
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan