The Zerg Empire?
Lin Tian's expression grew grim.
By all rights, the Zerg Empire hadn't participated in any external wars for thousands of years.
Perhaps they wouldn't directly affect him.
As for seizing the Zerg Queen or Ant Queen as top-tier tools for goblin production—now was not the right time.
Improving his high-level combat forces took priority.
Ultimately, to be on the safe side, he planned to use the Life Simulation System to assess their attitude after returning.
"I understand.
Let's head back and enjoy ourselves for now.
I'll handle the rest," Lin Tian replied to the Flame Dragon Mother.
The army began its march back to the Goblin Empire.
Or rather, it was all part of the Goblin Empire anyway—they were just going home.
Although many territories had been conquered, no garrisons were stationed.
There was no need for it.
The aim was to complete unification, allowing for stable development, with the ultimate goal of breaking through the Uninhabited Zone together.
Many empires, apart from their capital cities being razed, had their smaller towns left untouched.
This was because they could be useful later.
For example, as reserves for food or production tools.
However, they would periodically check if there were any thoughts of rebellion, and if there were, the entire city would be exterminated.
In the following days, everyone indulged in carefree revelry.
Gobu Yue and the others, who were usually busy, leisurely basked in the sun.
When the time was right.
After his enjoyment, Lin Tian decided it was time to use the system to check the Zerg Empire's future actions.
If they didn't make any major moves within a year, he could afford to leave them alone for now.
[Life Simulation System starting.
Current scenario: Unification of the wilderness.]
Under your leadership, the wilderness's enemies have finally been eradicated.
However, one final and greatest threat remains—the Zerg Empire.
Whether they are friend or foe remains unclear, so you decide to meet with the Zerg Queen under the guise of cooperation.
You aim to test her intentions.
However, things don't go smoothly.
You lack the qualifications to meet the Zerg Queen and are blocked by several magic insects.
Just as you're about to leave, the Zerg Queen herself invites you inside.
Upon seeing this massive creature, you are shocked.
You express your desire to peacefully coexist with the Zerg Empire and develop together in harmony.
Upon hearing this.
The Zerg Queen flies into a rage, accusing you of disrespecting and insulting her.
Several royal insects appear and begin furiously attacking you.
Soon, you are killed within the Zerg Empire, your body tossed into the sewers to rot.
In the days following your death, the Ant Tribe falls into civil war, with the Ant Queen dying as well.
The Zerg Queen purges all pro-Ant Queen factions among the Zerg.
Thus, the Zerg Empire is unified, and immediately, tens of millions of magic insects and over a hundred million Zerg soldiers are mobilized.
With unstoppable force, they sweep through the Goblin Empire.
The Troy Empire is also completely wiped out.
The wilderness is fully unified, and they begin to develop elites, preparing for a war with demigods…
Upon seeing this, Lin Tian's expression darkened, and he didn't want to keep reading.
"Damn it, I'm supposed to be the protagonist!
How did it turn into the Zerg's storyline?"
He cursed.
He then quickly ended the life simulation.
[Summary: The Zerg's power is overwhelming.
You have no ability to resist.
Score: 49/100
Reward: 40 Life Points
This life simulation has concluded.
Time progression: 48 days.]
Looking at the summary.
Lin Tian began to think rapidly, and soon came to a conclusion.
Indeed, the Zerg had developed for thousands of years and were extraordinarily powerful.
Currently, he didn't have the strength to fight them.
However, the speed at which the Goblins were developing was something they couldn't possibly anticipate.
One year.
In one year, it would be enough to contend with hundreds of millions of Zerg soldiers.
However, another trip to the Zerg Empire was necessary, but this time not to meet with the Ant Queen—he had to face the Zerg Queen directly.
He needed to analyze the combat capabilities of the magic Zerg.
"Boss, are you there?
Come quickly!
Those human city-states we didn't raze sent loads of envoys—and plenty of stunning beauties!
Hehehe!"
Outside the grand hall.
Gobu Kuang pushed the door open with a grin.
Lin Tian, frowning deeply, replied, "They're yours.
I still need to head to the Zerg Empire.
Let everyone else know when you get the chance."
Gobu Kuang was stunned for a moment.
"Boss, if you're not enjoying them, I won't either!
I'm coming with you!"
"Forget it.
You'd only hold me back.
That's that," Lin Tian said, getting up and summoning the Purple-Gold Dragon Mother, preparing to set off immediately.
What he had to do in the Zerg Empire was crucial.
It wasn't something that could be accomplished with a large group; in fact, too many people might cause problems.
Returning to the Zerg Empire, the Purple-Gold Dragon Mother waited for him in the distant forest.
When Lin Tian looked at the massive and majestic city, he couldn't help but feel a surge of awe.
He muttered, "No wonder they are considered the strongest.
They've developed for thousands of years without engaging in any wars.
But unfortunately, you've now met me…"
With that, he stepped into the city.
This time, the locust soldiers didn't dare to block Lin Tian's way.
"Goblin?!
Please, come in, come in!"
"Take it slow, sir!"
With the lesson learned from the Green Locust Tribe, these locust soldiers were much more obedient.
They didn't even charge Lin Tian a toll.
One of them even said, "Goblin sir, would you like us to send word to the Ant Queen for you?"
"No need, I'm here to see the Zerg Queen.
Just show me the way," Lin Tian replied.
Upon hearing this, the two locust soldiers' faces changed drastically.
"What?!
You're going to see the Zerg Queen?
No, no, Goblin sir, we have work to do!
Please spare us!"
They immediately knelt down, frantically kowtowing.
They knew all too well about Lin Tian's ruthlessness and the Zerg Queen's terrifying power.
It was truly a difficult situation for them.
Seeing how well-behaved they were, Lin Tian didn't make things harder for them.
"Heh, interesting…"
With a sneer, he walked into the city.
He roughly remembered the location of the Zerg Queen's palace from his view of the Zerg Empire's full layout earlier.
However, as he wandered through the towering, peculiar, and numerous insect-like buildings, he began to feel utterly lost.
"Damn it, might as well find the Ant Tribe…" Lin Tian muttered, dizzy and frustrated.
But before he could finish his thought, a voice sounded beside him.
"Are you lost?
Where do you need to go?
I can take you there."
Hearing this, Lin Tian turned to look but saw nothing.
"Hello, are you lost?" the voice echoed again.
The voice was so close—it felt as if it was right in front of him!
A chill ran down Lin Tian's spine, his skin crawling.
"What the hell… Is this place haunted?"
Though he had seen real ghosts before, encountering one in a dark alley was still unnerving.
"Look down, I'm right here…"
For a moment, Lin Tian looked down.
There, a chubby, gray-green caterpillar was gazing up at him with an innocent, cute face.
What the hell!
This was scarier than seeing a ghost!
What kind of uncanny valley effect was this?
A giant cabbage worm, with the face of a pure, adorable baby!
"Shit!
What kind of monster is this?"
Even though Lin Tian himself was a goblin, he couldn't help but curse at the sight of this bizarre creature.
He took a few steps back, immediately pulling out the Spear of Zeus, ready for battle.
Hearing his reaction, the fat caterpillar looked a bit crestfallen.
"I-I'm not a monster… I'm just from the Green Caterpillar Tribe… Did I scare you?
I'll leave right away, sorry…"
It slowly and laboriously began to turn around, inching away.
But upon closer inspection, Lin Tian found the little creature rather cute.
About a meter long, with a dirty, greyish hue—it wasn't particularly frightening.
He called out, "Hey, wait a second.
Do you know where the Zerg Queen's palace is?"
"The Zerg Queen's palace?
I know, but it's off-limits and very dangerous.
You really shouldn't go there," the caterpillar replied, turning its head with a pitiful expression.
Lin Tian's eyes lit up.
"As long as you know, that's good enough.
Take me there."
"Um… okay," the caterpillar reluctantly agreed, starting to lead the way.
Although it moved slowly, Lin Tian saw it as an opportunity to learn more about the Zerg Empire along the way.
As they wound through the twisted and complex streets of the Zerg Empire, they encountered a variety of insect people—scorpions, centipedes, mantises, fleas, and more.
All of them were mutated, magical versions of their original insect forms.
Their combat abilities varied widely, depending on their species.
The power structure seemed to follow the natural hierarchy of the insect world.
For example, a mantis could easily defeat locusts or caterpillars.
Curious, Lin Tian asked, "Hey, little guy, what species are you from?"
Although he could easily use the system to check, he was bored and thought some conversation might be nice.
Upon hearing his question, the caterpillar hesitated noticeably.
"I… as you can see, am just a fat worm that can't even stand up.
I'm from the lowest tier of creatures in the Zerg Empire…"
As they spoke, a massive locust humanoid came out of a nearby building, dumping a heap of vegetable leaves and tree root scraps onto the street.
Seeing this, the caterpillar lit up like it had found treasure, immediately rushing over to munch on the discarded scraps.
Its face was puffed up as it chewed eagerly.
Its tiny, stubby antennae looked like they were hugging a gourmet meal.
But in reality, it was just a rotten tree root.
Lin Tian frowned.
"What are you doing?
Can you even eat that?"
"Of course!
It's delicious!
Super tasty!
Do you want to try?
But I don't think goblins are vegetarians…" the caterpillar said as it dug through the pile, picking out the best-looking leaf—the only one that resembled actual food.
It handed the leaf to Lin Tian.
Lin Tian shook his head and asked, "Does the Green Caterpillar Tribe not have any development as a group?
How could you survive on this kind of stuff for so long?"
The Zerg Empire had a history spanning thousands of years.
By now, every tribe had become very stable, and the different groups took care of one another.
There was no way they could have survived for millennia just by eating scraps thrown away by others.
"You're right.
I used to live with my tribe in a lush green forest, where we had an endless supply of leaves, tender roots, and tree sap," the caterpillar explained.
"But three years ago, the Mantis Tribe occupied our territory to lay their eggs and slaughtered my people.
Maybe now, I'm the last remaining Green Caterpillar.
These years, I've survived by eating the food scraps others throw away," the caterpillar continued, as if recalling a painful memory.
Tears welled up on its cute face.
It stuffed a few wood chips into its mouth, trying to stifle its sobs.
Lin Tian frowned.
"Goodness, how did you get so fat just by eating scraps?"
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Finally, the caterpillar couldn't hold back anymore and began sobbing loudly.
"Y-You heartless goblin!
Is getting fat really the issue here?
Waaaah!
No more food for you!"
With that, it stuffed the best-looking leaf into its mouth.
Just like that, the crying stopped.
Lin Tian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He then spoke more seriously,
"Maybe I don't have much sympathy for you, because I've seen too much of this kind of thing.
But tell me, will you evolve into Rayquaza someday?
If so, I'd be happy to help you."
"Rayquaza?
What's that?
We don't seem to evolve.
Everyone in my tribe looks just like me," the caterpillar responded, full of confusion.
Lin Tian's mouth twitched—damn, he had been too hasty.
He thought this green caterpillar might evolve into Rayquaza.
...
Rayquaza is a pokemon.