Chapter 135: A Year Later with the Ratmen Tribe
A year later.
North Bank Forest of Goblin River.
Throne Tribe, morning.
"The boss is back!"
"It's the boss!"
"That's great!"
Early in the morning, Li Meng returned to the tribe amidst the cheers of the goblin underlings.
Although he hadn't returned to the Throne Tribe for a year, not much had changed. The goblins were still the same goblins. The newborn goblins that had grown up did not stay in the Throne Tribe but followed their boss to establish new branch tribes elsewhere.
When the familiar Throne Cave Dwelling came into view, Li Meng stopped in front of the gate.
"Gather all the higher goblins to see me!"
The goblin guarding the gate hurriedly ran off into the depths of the forest.
"Benben, what's wrong?"
Seeing Benben lying on the ground, staring at him intently, Li Meng asked with some confusion.
Could it be that Benben didn't recognize him anymore? Impossible. Ogres weren't fish.
"Boss, you feel... strange."
Benben scratched his head and muttered gloomily.
"Strange feeling?"
Li Meng grinned and flexed his arm muscles.
"Maybe it's because your boss has gotten stronger again."
Benben sat down heavily on the ground to the right of the gate, occasionally glancing at the boss.
Before long, the tribe became noisy.
Hundreds of higher goblins gathered at the entrance of the Throne Cave Dwelling.
"What I'm about to say must be remembered. If anyone doesn't listen, I'll eat them!"
Faced with their boss at the gate, the higher goblins all shrank their necks. After a year, the boss's oppressive presence was even more intense, as if a terrifying beast was standing before them, its monstrous jaws open wide, ready to swallow them at any moment.
"First, from February to April, Ground Mouse hunting is prohibited!"
"Second, from July to December, Sow hunting is prohibited."
"Third, from May to September, forest deer hunting is prohibited."
"Fourth, from April to July, Gale Rabbit hunting is prohibited."
"Fifth, from January to April, Ground Dragon hunting is prohibited."
"Sixth, ..."
For the next half-hour, Li Meng's voice echoed throughout the tribe. The higher goblins grew increasingly dazed as they listened. Finally, Li Meng stopped.
"Did you all understand?"
Faced with the boss's fierce glare, the goblins looked at each other nervously. If they said they understood, wouldn't they be lying? And if the boss asked later, wouldn't they get eaten?
Gobu Tian shook his head vigorously, and the other goblins followed suit.
Their reaction made Li Meng grin.
"Good. Not knowing is not knowing. You can learn if you don't know. But if you lie to me, you won't get a second life."
The boss's menacing smile sent shivers down all the goblins' spines.
"Later, Gobuge will deliver the 'Goblin Codex' to you. You must follow the rules in it. If you don't understand me, I won't blame you, but if you can't figure out the codex, you might as well eat dung."
Although goblins had their own language, they lacked a written script. Thus, the Goblin Codex consisted of animal illustrations. Li Meng had already taught the higher goblins Arabic numerals and how to read a calendar. The higher goblins would relay commands verbally to the lower goblins.
"Boss, we understand, we understand!"
The higher goblins nodded vigorously.
"Go back and wait. You have three days to understand the contents of the Goblin Codex. If you have any questions, come ask me. Five days later, the tribe leaders can return. Higher goblins with over two hundred underlings should come see me in seven days."
After being away for a year, the tribe needed a new round of development. There was much to do, and it would proceed step by step.
"Dismissed!"
The higher goblins outside the Throne Cave Dwelling scattered, running off in all directions. The large and small green figures disappeared into the depths of the forest.
"Benben, go find some yellow clay and water!"
Benben stood up, his massive frame thudding as he walked into the forest. He had done this before and knew where to find yellow clay.
Watching Benben's towering figure disappear, Li Meng turned and entered the wooden house.
Inside, the thirteen female Lizardmen were still present. Li Meng neither knew nor cared about their status in the Yue Clan Tribe. To him, they were simply tools for reproduction.
The arrival of Li Meng caused the female Lizardmen to show expressions of fear, but Li Meng ignored them and went straight to the sand table.
Sitting by the sand table, Li Meng stared at it intently. A year had passed, and it was time to expand the map.
Over the past year, aside from investigating the ecology of the Goblin Forest, Li Meng had traveled to every corner of it, gaining a general understanding of its geography.
The Goblin Forest was located in the southeastern corner of the continent. To the south and southeast lay coastlines, while the northeast ended in a wasteland, from where the Pigmen originated. To the west were steep, barren mountains.
The Goblin Forest spanned about 700 kilometers from north to south and over 1,100 kilometers from east to west. The source of Goblin River was in the western mountains, with two branches at the estuary: one at the northeastern wasteland boundary and another near the southwestern mountains.
Besides magical beasts, Li Meng also discovered the Savage Tribe.
"Those things are truly ugly, even more so than goblins!"
Li Meng recalled a Savage Tribe he had encountered beyond the western mountains. They resembled giant upright rats, as if mice had been enlarged and stood upright.
The system identified them as "Ratmen."
Their individual attributes were slightly stronger than goblins, averaging between 10 and 20, with some particularly strong mutated individuals being rarer.
After discovering the tribe, Li Meng secretly observed them for half a month before leaving. The Ratmen not only looked like mice but also shared their penchant for digging. Their lairs were underground, making their settlements invisible on the surface. They only emerged for hunting.
Unlike goblins, who ate only meat, Ratmen were omnivorous, consuming meat, plant roots, leaves, and fruits.
"Strange, where did those tribes go?"
Li Meng furrowed his brows, his eyes flashing with confusion.
In addition to the Ratmen, Li Meng had noticed something odd. Over the past year, many Savage Tribes had been discovered in the Goblin Forest, but all of them had been abandoned for a long time, leaving only ruins and signs of their presence.
Furthermore, the further west he ventured, the more it seemed that goblins scattered across the Goblin Forest had disappeared.