Chapter 77: Sacrificial Beast and Guardian Deity
Sacrificial beasts are very dangerous, but at the same time, they are also the guardian deities of the Northern Marshlands.
With the Swamp Crocodile King present, no other high-level magical beasts could exist in the Northern Marshlands.
But today, they actually saw the Swamp Crocodile King become a goblin's mount.
"This is impossible, absolutely impossible!"
"How could this happen?"
The Lizardmen found it difficult to accept that mere goblins could achieve such a feat.
Mere goblins could actually subdue the Swamp Crocodile King.
"Gobumeng, Gobumeng!"
As Li Meng approached the small island riding Yue E, the goblins on the shore shouted excitedly in unison.
They looked at their leader on the massive crocodile's back with fervent eyes.
Hearing the goblins' unified chants, Li Meng grinned.
He greatly enjoyed the goblins' fervent cheers.
Under their fanatical gaze, Li Meng felt a powerful sensation awakening within him.
It was as if some force in his body was stirring and gradually making him stronger.
Amidst the crowd's attention, Li Meng rode the giant Swamp Crocodile King ashore.
The goblins on the shore looked at Yue E, who resembled a mountain of flesh, with fear.
Though they shouted fervently, their instincts compelled them to retreat step by step.
Standing up on Yue E's back, Li Meng raised his massive iron rod with his right hand.
"Wahaha!"
Li Meng laughed heartily, his loud laughter echoing across the island.
The goblins' chanting immediately changed as they all began laughing "wahaha" together.
"Wahaha!"
The goblins on the shore surrounded Yue E, laughing joyously with a hint of madness.
Some goblins laughed so hard they rolled on the ground, while others clutched their bellies as they laughed.
Yue E, looking at the small goblins around her, showed a trace of confusion in her eyes.
She didn't understand what these goblins were doing.
In the distance, the Lizardmen silently watched and listened.
The size of the crocodile confirmed for them the identity of the Swamp Crocodile King.
After a while, the "wahaha" laughter from the island's northern shore gradually subsided.
Li Meng leapt down from Yue E, landing steadily on the ground.
He patted Yue E's massive forelimb.
"Yue E, go play nearby. The goblins and Lizardmen are my subordinates, don't harm them!"
Yue E's enormous eyes glanced at her leader, then she slowly turned her gigantic body and crawled towards the water.
"Boss, you're amazing!"
When the giant crocodile left, Gobu Zhang quickly ran forward, but Gobu Sheng was even faster.
Gobu Sheng slid to his knees and bowed at Li Meng's feet.
With a fawning expression, he kissed the top of Li Meng's foot.
"Boss, you're so powerful, I almost lost it!"
As he spoke, Gobu Sheng's body suddenly shuddered.
With an exasperated expression, Li Meng kicked Gobu Sheng over.
"Alright, go get to work!"
The kicked-over goblin scrambled to his feet and ran off into the distance.
The surrounding goblins also dispersed, each going their own way.
Thus, the once lively island quieted down relatively.
In the following days, everything in the Northern Marshlands remained as usual.
The construction of the Wooden Stockade Stronghold proceeded in an orderly manner.
Each day, visible changes could be seen on the island.
The wooden wall surrounding the island grew at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Time passed little by little, day after day.
Another new day dawned, with the sun shining brightly in the Northern Marshlands.
In the forest on the eastern shore of the Northern Marshlands, a large area of trees near the shore had been felled.
A great number of Lizardmen and goblins were working in the forest.
Although the two races couldn't communicate verbally, their long-term joint efforts had cultivated a mutual understanding.
Goblins excelled at chopping, so they handled the tree-felling work.
The Lizardmen's strong arms were suited for pulling, so they took care of sawing the wood, turning the felled trees into logs.
"Gray Scales, have you found out anything?"
In a messy clearing, Gray Scales and Black Scales were sawing wood, their saw making a "whoosh whoosh" sound as it was pulled back and forth.
Gray Scales glanced at the western marshlands and shook his head.
"The goblins won't let us leave this area, so we can't learn any news from outside."
Black Scales' face darkened, and he remained silent.
It had been nearly a month; even a fool could sense something was amiss.
So much wood was being transported deep into the marshlands.
The goblins were definitely up to something secretive.
"Be patient. The Day of Rotation is coming soon!"
Gray Scales' words of comfort made Black Scales take a deep breath.
Yes, the Day of Rotation was near.
When that day came, they would regain their freedom.
Once they returned to their tribe, things would become much easier.
"Black Scales, do you think the Black Mountain Tribe will come?"
Gray Scales' expression was complicated.
He hoped the Black Mountain Tribe would send an army to support the Northern Marshlands.
At the same time, he dreaded the Black Mountain Tribe's arrival.
The goblins in the forest were simply too powerful.
If they failed, there would be no space left for the Lizardmen in Goblin Forest.
"They will come, they definitely will."
Black Scales had no doubt about the Black Mountain Tribe's arrival.
------
Goblin Forest.
Northern Marshlands, Wooden Stockade Stronghold.
Time flew by, and two months passed silently.
Two months of construction had transformed the small island in the marshlands.
In its place now stood a massive Wooden Stockade Stronghold.
The stronghold spanned about nine hundred meters from north to south and seven hundred meters from east to west.
Seven-meter-high wooden walls towered in the marshlands.
Fifteen-meter-high watchtowers were scattered across the walls, with one every fifty meters.
Looking up at the wooden walls, numerous goblins could be seen standing guard and patrolling.
Although the watchtowers were currently empty, soon each would hold a Triple-bow Ballista.
Another new day dawned, with the sun shining brightly in the Northern Marshlands.
On the watchtower of the northern wooden wall of the stronghold.
"Has Gobu Yi not returned yet?"
Standing on the watchtower, Li Meng gazed at the interior of the stronghold.
After two months of construction, the Wooden Stockade Stronghold was 80% complete.
Looking inside, a variety of wooden houses filled the area.
There were caves for habitation, warehouses for storing supplies, and two ditches dug within the stronghold for easier access to water.
Due to the marshlands' humid air, goblins disliked staying in this environment.
After this operation concluded, the Wooden Stockade Stronghold wouldn't host a large permanent force, only a small number of goblins to guard it.
"Boss, Gobu Yi hasn't returned yet!"
Gobu Sheng responded to the boss and glanced towards the southern marshlands.
Gobu Sheng and Gobu Zhang stood behind Li Meng.
Five days ago, Li Meng had sent Gobu Yi to the White Scales Tribe.
Since only women and children were left in the White Scales Tribe, Li Meng hadn't rushed to bring them over.
Li Meng turned to look southwards, deep in thought.
The Triple-bow Ballistas were on their way and would arrive in half a month.
The Black Mountain Tribe's army would take at least two or three more months to appear.
The timing was still adequate; there was no need to rush.
Although the simulated future didn't specify a timeline, the Black Mountain Tribe's arrival in the Northern Marshlands was expected to happen after the Day of Rotation.
The estimated timing wasn't too far off.