Green Monster Epic

“At that time, Stone single-handedly held off the gnolls that charged into the village, giving me time to set fire to the village and block their pursuit. Later, it was also because Stone stalled them long enough that I had time to lead the tribe's children out and hide them in the lake, waiting until the gnolls took their forces back before I dared to bring the children back,”

“It was our failure to fulfill your instructions, Chieftain, that allowed the gnolls to breach our village. We're sorry, Chieftain.”

“……”

After venting her emotions, Tea Flower recounted the days she had spent recently.

“As long as you're all right, that's all that matters.”

Alan was relieved by Tea Flower's cleverness. He could accept any other losses, even if the entire village was burned to the ground, as long as one more member of the tribe survived, they were a precious treasure.

“Then where's Stone? Why hasn't he come to see me?”

More hobgoblins emerged from the ruins. Alan searched among them for a long time, but couldn't find that familiar figure, so he asked curiously.

“... Chieftain, Stone, in order to hold off the gnolls, was surrounded by five or six strong gnolls and eventually died in the village...”

Tea Flower hesitated, and finally, with a troubled expression, told Alan the news of Stone's death.

Alan's face fell instantly, all joy vanished, and he didn't know what to feel, just a tightness in his chest. Stone, as Alan's closest companion in the tribe, had been by his side like a little follower for more than two years. Their relationship, though not blood relatives, was not much different. Suddenly hearing this news felt unreal.

“He's dead? How could that idiot die! Didn't I teach him that the first thing to do when something's wrong is to save your own life? Why did he have to fight the gnolls to the death! What a fool!”

“You're dead, but you promised me you'd catch a ground dragon for barbecue. How could you go back on your word!!!”

Alan murmured to himself for a long time, not knowing how he walked into the village ruins. When he came back to his senses, Tea Flower was beckoning the surviving females of the tribe to take a bag of grain from the cart and start a fire to prepare their lunch. Around them, the hobgoblin pups, like little tagalongs, drooled as they stared enviously at the aroma of the grain gradually rising from the only iron pot in the tribe.

Alan walked alone out of the village and went to the Green Lake to grieve for a while, but before he could spend too much time alone, his keen intuition sensed a figure slowly approaching from the shadows, causing him to glare warily into the darkness. Only when the figure stepped into the light and revealed its face did he relax.

“I don't know what relationship you had with that Stone you mentioned, nor do I know what to say to comfort you, but there's one thing I need to tell you.”

The figure that approached was the exhausted goblin Jack. Perhaps only he would care about Alan at this moment, and notice his action of walking out of the village alone.

“What is it?”

Alan replied absentmindedly.

“I'm leaving. It's been over a month since I came out, and I'm a little homesick.”

Longing flickered in Jack's eyes. After witnessing the experiences of Alan's tribe, Jack felt a longing for life in Thunder Town, as well as those familiar faces and relatives.

“Oh, then I won't keep you. As you can see, we have a lot of things going on here right now, and they're very troublesome. Thank you for your help these past few days. If we have the opportunity in the future, my tribe will definitely repay you.”

Alan nodded, expressing his gratitude.

“... That, the reward you promised me before, is it...”

Jack looked at Alan, scratching his head with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Speaking of which, this mission was too easy for Jack. Apart from some physical fatigue, he hadn't put in too much effort, so he still felt a little lacking in confidence when asking Alan for the reward, as his skin hadn't become too thick yet.

“Ah, look at my brain...”

Alan slapped his forehead, saying self-deprecatingly.

“The things in the village have distracted me, sorry, sorry.”

As he spoke, Alan took out a money bag from his pocket and handed it to Jack, while making a friendly gesture to pat the other's considerably shorter head. Along the way, Alan had learned that the goblin boy in front of him was only 16 years old, so after many days of contact, Alan, appreciating the other's abilities, naturally hoped to befriend him, as they might have contact again someday, which would make communication easier.

Jack took the wallet Alan handed him, but lightly shifted his feet to the side, just enough to let Alan's arm pass over his head, causing Alan's gesture to miss.

Alan's face stiffened, feeling somewhat awkward, but he quickly readjusted his mindset and put on a kind smile again.

“Sorry, I'm not used to being in close contact with people.”

Jack also put on a polite smile, but the vigilance in his eyes reminded Alan, letting him understand the reason for the other's behavior.

“Heh, heh, heh, it's my problem.”

Alan smiled casually, seemingly relieved, and looked back at Jack.

“Do you want to have lunch outside the village before you leave?”

Seeing that the luggage behind the other party was bulging and not placed in the village, Alan knew that Jack was probably preparing to leave, and politely asked a question, finally receiving the expected answer: “No, I'm preparing to leave now, let's say goodbye here, I hope everything is well when I pass by your tribe next time.”

“Yes, it will be, not only well, but also stronger and stronger, maybe you will be tempted to settle in our village by then!”

Alan replied boldly, even with a bit of slyness, giving Jack a humorous smile.

“That sounds good, as long as your life here is better than Thunder Tribe, I might really settle here!”

Jack naturally heard the meaning of wooing in Alan's words, but the Green Field Tribe now had nothing to make Jack feel attached to except for being of the same race. He would naturally not be moved by Alan's slight sincerity, but simply treated it as a joke, leaving a little thought in Alan's heart.

“Then it's settled!”

Alan was also generous, as if this matter was already a certainty, and immediately made an agreement with Jack, but if they really wanted to be able to be safer than Thunder Town with the current strength of the Green Field Tribe, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

“Okay.”

Jack left a word, then turned and went back in the direction he came from. Alan watched the other party's departing figure until it disappeared on the horizon, then sighed and withdrew his gaze. If there was a thief profession like Jack in the tribe, the help it would provide to the tribe would be far more useful than a powerful warrior profession.

Having personally experienced the role of intelligence, Alan secretly made up his mind that he must cultivate an excellent thief in the tribe to help the tribe collect information about the surrounding area, so as not to be as ignorant as before.