Grom's brow furrowed as he turned to Wang Jun, his voice edged with suspicion. "A labyrinth?" he queried. "Chieftain, what is the meaning of this?"
Observing his reaction, Wang Jun sighed. He had anticipated this response, knowing well that the purpose of summoning him was not merely to discuss point distribution, but to aid him in confronting the trauma inflicted by the labyrinth, enabling him to move forward with his plan.
He understood Grom's feelings well. Witnessing the death of one's only family would undoubtedly affect the mind deeply. However, Grom was already old, and it was time to let bygones be bygones.
Wang Jun then proceeded to share all he knew about the movement of the goblin army and the possibility of a powerful treasure being hidden there. He also outlined his plan to steal it but emphasized that it would only be pursued if the treasure proved to be worth fighting for.
Grom was silent for a moment, his gaze drifting to where he had seen children observing the intense exchange between the two formidable hunters. Turning back to Wang Jun, he spoke solemnly, "If that is your wish, Chieftain, then we shall proceed as you have proposed. However, there is something to discuss. You were correct in your assessment. I am not as young as I once was, and I must not allow personal sentiments to impede the progress of our tribe. Nonetheless, I do have certain conditions."
Wang Jun sighed in relief. "What are your conditions?" he asked.
"You need to add more men for security; five is not enough," Grom said, noticing Wang Jun's hesitation, and he continued, "Do not mistake my intentions, Chieftain. This is not about personal sentiments; it is about the preservation of our tribe, and that includes you. As our Chieftain, your safety is paramount. If something were to befall you, the very future of our tribe would be in jeopardy, perhaps even facing extinction. Remember, Chieftain, you hold the utmost importance in the eyes of our tribe. While my absence may be endured, yours would cast a shadow of uncertainty upon our very existence."
Wang Jun nodded. He was acutely aware of his significance, evident in the five hunters who followed him. He could sense their pride, yet they obeyed his every word as if he were a deity. They didn't even complain. It wasn't just about the hunters. It encompassed the entire tribe. Contemplating this, the weight on his shoulders only grew heavier.
He rubbed his temple as he sat on his bed. It was like having his demanding math instructor assign him an assignment after he failed one, with a deadline of only two days. He quickly regained his composure as he drank the water Wulfgar offered him, giving him a grateful glance.
He then turned to Freya and Grom, stating, "We will go tomorrow. We need to plan first. Freya, could you instruct the hunters to halt their hunting for now? We'll need their full energy tomorrow. Oh, I almost forgot— not all hunters. Find the ones you believe are best suited for the job."
Freya nodded and left.
He glanced at the retreating figure of the woman once more. In the past few days, Freya had been unusually quiet, speaking only when necessary. Based on his understanding from their first encounter where Freya had 'challenged' his leadership, her personality should have been different. However, Wang Jun could only perceive her subordinate status, unable to discern her personal feelings.
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, and then turned to Wulfgar. "Wulfgar, could you please summon Draven?"
Wulfgar nodded and departed, his dog trailing behind him.
An idea flashed in Wang Jun's mind. I should get a pet somehow. How about a tiger?
After a while, Draven entered the room.
"So here's the plan…"
Wang Jun then laid out the plan.
…
The next day.
Wang Jun stood before a group of fifteen hunters, with Grom by his side.
"And that's the plan. Understood?"
The hunters nodded in understanding, while Jacob raised his hand and spoke up, "Chief, why do we need to retreat to another tribe, especially if they are our enemies? Wouldn't it be better to retreat to our tribe where we have more men who could help us? Together, we could defend more easily, couldn't we?"
"Well, you're indeed right," Wang Jun acknowledged, "but there is a reason why we need to retreat to a different tribe," he explained.
"By retreating to another tribe, we reduce the risk of drawing attention to our tribe. If we were to bring the fight back to our territory, we could potentially put our families and loved ones in danger," Wang Jun elaborated. "Secondly, if we were to gather at our tribe, the goblins might anticipate our movement and target us more easily. However, you don't need to worry. We won't go directly to the other tribe; we will simply show that we are their allies by retreating to their location."
The other tribe members felt reassured by their Chieftain's words and greatly admired the depth of his plan. They couldn't have conceived of such considerations on their own.
"Regardless," Grom spoke, "that's a concern for the distant future unless you fail in your duties. So, I suggest you focus on the task at hand."
The group then proceeded to enter the forest, camping at a distance from the labyrinth, and waiting for nightfall.
…
Time passed like a river, and as night fell, a figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. It stood atop a branch, its eyes scanning the surroundings intently. Though goblins occasionally patrolled near the figure's location, they failed to notice any anomaly. As they continued their patrol, one of the goblins suddenly felt a gaze upon him. He turned around but found nothing but the deep darkness, sending a chill down his spine. Quickly shrugging off the feeling, he resumed his patrol.
Not far from the goblin camp, a group waited in anticipation until a figure leaped down from a tree, landing gracefully before them.
"There are a few guards, and most of the army stays on the north side, but it seems they still haven't entered the labyrinth yet as the gate is not open," Jacob explained to the group.
"But…" He hesitated.
"What is it?" Wang Jun asked.
I have a bad feeling about this. They have an army, yet they've deployed only a few guards that could be counted on fingers, and the main army seemed a bit relaxed... Maybe the labyrinth was not their aim,"
Wang Jun pondered the situation. According to Wulfgar's friend, the goblin army had been near the labyrinth for two days. Considering they even deployed a guard at the entrance, it seemed impossible for them not to aim for the labyrinth. Perhaps they were resting? However, regardless of their intentions, Wang Jun's focus remained on the labyrinth. If the goblins were ignoring it, all the better for their plan.
"We will still proceed with the plan," Wang Jun declared, signaling to Freya, who nodded in understanding. She departed, accompanied by five more hunters, followed by Wulfgar and Jacob.
Wang Jun's group moved stealthily in the shadows, careful not to make a sound. Finally, they stopped and looked ahead. Before them stood a titanic gate embedded in the cliff. It should have been the entrance, but as Jacob had mentioned, there were only a few guards.
Four to five guards... What the heck is this? Is this a trap? Wang Jun furrowed his brows, the goblins' behavior giving him a sense of unease. Moreover, the main army's camp was located to the north of the labyrinth, whereas in Wang Jun's view, they should have been camping there. But he shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Do we need to continue? Wang Jun glanced at his group, who looked back at him with anticipation and determination. No matter. We will go. We have already wasted time. Even if there is no treasure, there still might be a useful item inside.
With that thought, he motioned to Draven, who nodded and whistled. A few seconds later, sounds emanated from a distance, resembling the shouts of humans fighting each other. The goblins were alarmed, and some of them went to investigate, leaving only two guards behind, whom the group swiftly killed and buried.
Wang Jun, along with the others, stood before the gigantic gate. They pushed it simultaneously, causing a sound to echo out as the gate opened slightly, enough for one person to enter. The gate was made of some kind of steel, so its weight prevented them from fully opening it.
Just as they were about to enter, a bark sounded from behind. Wang Jun turned back to see the dog. It was their way of communication between Wulfgar and him. Although he couldn't understand the dog, the dog could still understand him.
"Tell Wulfgar to remain vigilant and wait for us."
After watching the dog run off into the forest, Wang Jun entered inside, stealing one last glance at the outside world before disappearing into the labyrinth.