Translator: AnubisTL
Chen Mang didn't say much. He simply took the Soaring Dragon Assault Rifle Biaozi handed him, pressed the muzzle against the goblin merchant's skull, and gently squeezed the trigger.
Tutututu
The crisp sound of gunfire echoed through the depths of the Doomsday Abyss.
The goblin merchant, draped in a golden cloak, collapsed into a pool of blood. Behind him, the tightly sealed pouch slowly opened, revealing several items radiating a soft white light, like veiled beauties subtly exuding a deadly allure.
Just then—
"You cunning human!"
A severely wounded goblin, previously unconscious, suddenly woke up. Though his body remained paralyzed, his face twisted in a ferocious grimace as he glared at Chen Mang. "Human, I never expected you to be so cunning! To set a trap at the bottom of the Doomsday Abyss!"
"I thought traversing six thousand meters underground was safe enough, but I still fell for your trick!"
"The goblin merchant ultimately died at your hands!"
"So be it! So be it!"
"I will never forget this defeat. Tell me your name, human. You will become my greatest enemy in this lifetime! I will return!"
"..."
Chen Mang raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. A monster with intelligence, the ability to communicate, and even speaking Mandarin? That was a rare find indeed.
Chen Mang knew that many monsters possessed basic intelligence. For example, the Corpse King in the zombie horde could command the horde to form a siege around the train. Or the man-eating spider, which, though intelligent, was primarily driven by hunting instincts. But a goblin like this was a first for him.
His interest piqued, he rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the goblin, and carried it inside the train for interrogation.
The goblin stood only about a meter tall, its body small enough for Chen Mang to lift with one hand without much effort.
Inside the Train.
Chen Mang sat at the control panel, gazing at the heavily wounded goblin before him. Its exposed green skin, covered in coarse fur, and its striking, sturdy feet, resembling potato-like tubers, were all unusual. It wore what looked like children's clothing woven from hemp cloth.
"Cunning human, what do you want?!"
The goblin's eyes flickered with panic as it snarled, its face contorted in a grimace. "Kill me quickly! The great goblin clan never fears death! Only weak and foolish humans fear death!"
"Of course."
The goblin licked its lips. "You're different from other foolish humans. You're a cunning human, or you wouldn't have captured me."
"Are you complimenting me?"
Chen Mang leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, studying the small goblin before him with amusement. He had already begun to suspect something, based on the goblin's words.
"Of course."
The goblin snorted coldly. "Praising your enemy is praising yourself, you cunning human. Don't you even understand that?"
"Hmmph."
Chen Mang nodded indifferently before speaking softly. "Tell me, why do you possess the ability to resurrect?"
"How... how did you know?" The goblin stammered, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. "How did you learn this information?"
"I am a seer of humanity. I can see the thoughts in others' minds."
"A... seer?"
"No wonder. No wonder you were waiting for me in the Doomsday Abyss, a place no one ever visits. It was all planned by you. Did you even foresee this?"
The frail goblin seemed to recall something, his expression drifting as he murmured, "Once, the goblin clan also had a seer. The old man died the moment the apocalypse struck."
"Scared to death."
"I lived a bit longer, dying in the second year after the apocalypse."
"When I awoke again, I was already here. My former clansmen had become mindless, like walking corpses. Yet we had gained the power of Infinite Resurrection. After death, we simply needed to slumber in a dark space for a time before reviving."
"I tried to communicate with my clan, but they all ignored me."
"Their Souls have been devoured by demons."
"Every time, a different voice in my head tells me to escort the goblin merchant to a different location."
"The mission locations always change. This time it was the Mohe Hills. I failed repeatedly at first, but after I built the Goblin Train, I never failed again. I never expected to fall to you."
"But..."
"I will return for revenge. Next time, I'm sure I can complete the mission successfully. I already have a grander plan in mind!"
Chen Mang remained silent, quietly processing the information from the goblin.
It was clear that while this goblin possessed intelligence, it wasn't particularly sharp. This goblin likely originated from another planet that had been destroyed by an apocalypse, leading to the complete extinction of the goblin race. The goblin then became a goblin monster on this planet.
However...
It seemed a glitch had occurred, allowing this unique goblin to awaken its past memories, setting it apart from the other goblins who had completely lost themselves and become mindless monsters.
"Do you receive any rewards for completing these escort missions?"
"No."
"Then why are you so fixated on completing this mission?"
The goblin froze, its brain momentarily crashing. After a moment, it finally responded: "Because I must prove the greatness of the Goblin Clan once more! Even if I am the last goblin left, I will make those foolish humans understand that the goblins who live underground are the greatest!"
"Goblins are certainly great. What I mean is, since you live underground, you must be skilled at mining, right?"
"Hmph."
The goblin snorted coldly, puffing out its chest proudly. "We goblins are known as the Kings of the Underworld. Of course we excel at mining! We are the most diligent and united race!"
"Then..."
Chen Mang stared intently at the goblin, his voice tinged with excitement. "Do you know the coordinates of other goblins? I mean, could you gather them? You wouldn't have to be monsters anymore. You could work for me, mining on my train."
"You mean... surrender to you?"
A dangerous glint flashed in the goblin's eyes as it spat out each word: "The great Goblin Clan will never..."
"I will help you revive the Goblin Civilization, and you shall be the next goblin king."
...
The goblin stood frozen in place, as if struck by a heavy hammer. His eyes were filled with a mixture of confusion and a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of hope as he stared at Chen Mang. After a long moment, he suddenly shook his head with a wry smile.
"Cunning humans," he said, "you're still as skilled at making deals as ever."
"But..."
"I am the last of the Goblin Clan. Even I am no longer a true goblin. I am like a ghost, inhabiting this body, clinging to the remnants of my memories from before death. The Goblin Clan is utterly extinct."
"Besides, you humans can barely save yourselves right now. How could you possibly have the strength to rebuild the Goblin Civilization?"
"I am not like them."
"How are you different?"
"I am a cunning human. They were foolish humans."
...
The goblin raised his head and stared intently at Chen Mang. After a moment, he rasped out, word by word: "Cunning human, you truly are cunning. I admit you've almost convinced me. Though my people have become mere walking corpses, I must defend their rights."
"If we surrender to you, can you guarantee their workday will be no longer than eighteen hours?"
"Can you guarantee eight days of rest each year? The Goblin Clan celebrates the first eight days of the year, when all our people must lay down their work and celebrate."
"Can you guarantee a full meal and water every day?"
"And..."
"If there's ever a chance to rebuild civilization in the future, will you truly support me as the goblin king?"
Chen Mang grinned, helped the goblin to his feet, and brushed the dust from its shoulder. "Let me take you to get your wounds treated and grab something to eat. We can talk while we eat."
"By the way, I have to ask—what was that even greater plan you mentioned earlier?"
"Next time, eight thousand meters underground."
"Very well."
Chen Mang sighed softly. "You truly are the smartest of your clan. Come with me."
(End of the Chapter)
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