Ke Xiu Si stepped forward, unfastened the medal from the carriage wall, and with a slight infusion of fire element using a trick, a textual illusion immediately appeared within the burning flames.
“The Anzeta Branch sincerely invites your participation.”
“Gathering Time: December 1, 1723”
“Location: Strasbourg”
“Teleportation Coordinates:”
“An identity medal from the Arcane Hermitage, interesting. This gathering should be a few years from now.” Ke Xiu Si put the medal away with satisfaction.
“What about those books?” the Red Dragon asked, changing the subject.
“They’re here, all hidden away. I was afraid those idiots would use them for cooking.” Lang Pu smiled awkwardly, pushing aside piles of bones to reveal a golden nanmu chest filled with exquisitely packaged books.
“Noble Military Training Regulations – Building a Good-Looking Army”
“Fireball for Dummies”
“Spell Apprentice Encyclopedia – How to Explain the Weave to Your Son”
“Thien’s Adventure Log”
“Bard’s Court Poetry Collection”
“How to Become a True Noble”
“Teach Yourself How to Survive in the Wilderness – Complete Wild Herb Guide”
“Power and Strife – Biography of Court Struggles in the Kingdom of Arcanas”
“Appreciation of Giantess Females”
Seeing this dazzling array of absurd books, Ke Xiu Si was dumbfounded. He finally understood why the Ogre before him had such a peculiar, bard-like cadence, and he deeply felt that this noble mage apprentice had not died in vain.
Even if he hadn’t died in the Ogre’s belly, he would have died at the hands of his strange hobbies.
“Uh… not bad, keep collecting.” Ke Xiu Si was still somewhat speechless and could only give a perfunctory compliment.
Lang Pu awkwardly scratched his head. It was the first time the Red Dragon realized the word “bashful” could appear on the face of an Ogre three meters tall and weighing a ton.
“Lang Pu, I need you to build a camp and a fortress in the Giant Valley.”
“And this place will become the main base for my dependents. In the future, it will no longer be called Giant Valley, it will be called…”
The Red Dragon pondered for a moment, then chose the name of that Ke Xiu Si from his previous life.
“Let’s call it Ember Nest.”
“Yes, master.”
Lang Pu’s face was excited, and the blueprint for conquering the world reappeared in his mind. Unfortunately, his noisy Ogre kin nearby did not understand the unique sentiment of a wise man, cruelly shattering his fantasy.
“Boss, when do we eat?”
“Yeah, I’m starving. I used to not be able to see my toes, but now I can.” The Ogre called “Chang Ya” complained discontentedly, his yellowish long fangs trembling up and down.
“Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eat! Get to work!” Lang Pu swung the wooden club in his hand, his expression ferocious.
However, apart from the more outrageous ones, Lang Pu’s, or rather, the young noble’s book collection indeed contained valuable practical knowledge.
For example, “Fireball for Dummies” and “Spell Apprentice Encyclopedia” contained detailed and easy-to-understand explanations of magic application, allowing Ke Xiu Si to gain a lot and further his understanding of the Weave.
And this so-called “new era” Ogre tribe, with over thirty Ogres, plus an Ogre Mage capable of Fireball, could be considered a quite powerful force within a radius of several miles.
After successively subduing the Chimera of the Giant Mouth Cave and the Ogre tribe of the Gluttony Valley, the Red Dragon finally had its own forces, completely establishing its name.
Ember Nest.
In just two days, the nearby Earth Goblin brought over four hundred Goblins to the Giant Valley to pledge allegiance.
These Goblins were chattering and noisy, but when they saw the Red Dragon’s immensely massive body, as it appeared to them, they all fell silent. Some even wet themselves from fright and fainted on the spot.
The leader was not a Goblin, but a tall Earth Goblin warlord.
They are close relatives of Goblins, but not the same species, and are far more powerful and intelligent than Goblins.
Behind the Earth Goblin were several tall, powerfully built humanoids. They were Goblins, the officer’s personal guards.
The Earth Goblin warlord in front had reddish-brown skin and deep grey hair. Under his protruding brow were yellow eyes, and his large mouth held long, pointed yellow teeth.
He was clearly male, as he had a large red nose on his face, symbolizing the Earth Goblin’s masculinity and strength.
At this moment, he knelt before the Red Dragon, his expression humble.
Ke Xiu Si looked down at him from above.
【Based on your strength, you have gained the following information】
【Earth Goblin Officer】
Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil
Race: Earth Goblin
AC: 17 (Half Plate)
Strength – 14
Dexterity – 13
Constitution – 14
Intelligence – 12
Wisdom – 10
Charisma – 11
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 ft.
Skill Proficiencies: Domination +6, Hunting +4, Military +4, Construction +4
Languages: general language, Goblin
Traits: Martial Advantage, Military Unit
Actions: Multiattack, Greatsword, Leadership
Challenge Rating: 4 (1,100 XP)
Evaluation: “When war horns blow and catapults hurl boulders, Earth Goblins march onto the battlefield, and the ground echoes with the thunder of hundreds of thousands of boots. Settlements and inhabitants on the fringes of civilization often have to contend with these humanoid invaders, dealing with their endless desire for conquest.”
The Red Dragon gazed at the leading Earth Goblin and slowly said, “Why do you wish to become my dependent?”
The Earth Goblin still kept his head bowed, his expression unchanged: “Goblins always submit to the strong.”
His tone paused: “What’s more, you are a powerful Red Dragon, and your desire for conquest is endless.”
“And I can use my talents under you.”
The Red Dragon’s eyes narrowed slightly: “Why should I trust you, a tiny Goblin?”
The Earth Goblin did not dwell on the racial designation, but spoke each word distinctly:
“I will prove my loyalty with blood and fire.”
Ke Xiu Si pondered for a moment and decided to accept these Goblins. After all, his territory was in its nascent stage, and some Goblins were essential as cheap labor, especially since there was a rather talented Earth Goblin among them.
Earth Goblins are creatures with an extremely strong desire for conquest; their excessive warlust often prevents them from living to natural death.
Having him command the troops would be far better than the half-baked level of the Ogres who learned from “Noble Military Training Regulations.”
“Well said, but we’ll see how it goes in the future.”
“I permit you to enter my territory. Go find my dependent; he will tell you what to do.”
“We obey your command.”
Hearing that they had been taken under the wing of the powerful Red Dragon, the Goblins erupted in a fierce cheer.
These Goblins were weak, generally no more than a meter tall, and a single Goblin couldn’t even defeat an ordinary human farmer.
They could only barely establish themselves in the wilderness by gathering in groups and clinging to the strong, and now they had latched onto the thickest leg—a Red Dragon.
No wonder these Goblins were so excited.