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Volume 1 – Chapter 10: The Elder’s Proposal

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After the goblin elder finished speaking, he was left slightly gasping for breath and strenuously moved his obese body as he raised his tea water with both hands and took a drink, then once again laid against the couch and closed his eyes to rest.

His son Gerd, who was also the incûmbent head of the Lulu race promptly pulled out a blanket to cover the elder before turning around and resentfully glaring at the prisoners.

The lifespans of goblins were only about a third of humans, his father was already forty years old, you could say that he is an extremely long-lived goblin. But he was already a dried up oil lamp and could give out at any time and become dust at any moment. After forcing himself to speak to the prisoners for so long, he had used up a lot of his energy.

However, Gerd understood in his heart why the goblin elder had to treat the prisoners so leniently. The reason was because in the Scarlet Gobi, there just so happened to be an elf Race drifting city lingering nearby.

The drifting cities were all very courteous toward preparatory apostles, but on closer inspection, there were also some disparities. After all, the drifting cities of Shattered Starry Sky belonged to all sorts of intelligent races, among them were those of the gentle Elf Races, the unstable Elemental Lifeforms, the naturally violent Large Devils, and so on. Not every single preparatory apostle would immediately be approved and be admitted into a drifting city.

The more similar the drifting city’s race and the preparatory apostles were, and the closer their worldview and system of values were. To ensure that in the future, the apostle’s association toward the drifting city would be higher. Even if the apostle becomes formidable, they would accept and consider the drifting city as their second home. This is the type of apostle the drifting cities welcome the most and gave the best basic benefits.

Although humans and the Elf Race were not considered to be of the top races, they were both extremely similar in form and is already considered a very ideal target to do reception with. After all, drifting cities would sometimes go through several years where they could not find any apostles, and would then refuse almost nobody, not at all being picky anymore.

Once they deliver the twelve humans from another space and time to the Elf Race’s floating city, the Lulu Race would receive an extremely generous payback. If they took in account the base from another world as a type of harvest and add in all the savings they’ve done these dozens of years, they would possibly be able to reach the ultimate dream of all “Scavengers”.

That was letting an outstanding child of the tribe, obtain formal settlement right within a drifting city. The drifting cities were small-scale kingdoms built by some of the intelligent races and occupied a ruling hierarchy and had a lot of small and weak vassal races.

However, vassal races don’t have formal settlement rights, so only when they are met with great disasters could they temporary enter a drifting city to receive short-term asylum.

The vassal races that obtains formal settlement rights, inevitably had to have made an outstanding contribution to the drifting city. This is something equal to civil rights, the drifting city will have a responsibility to supply and foster these members. Education, residence, a job and a series of privileges to survive. Their children would also directly get the formal settlement rights after they were born.

So to speak, getting the formal settlement rights to a drifting city also means obtaining the single spark that could continue to be passed down within the race. With regards to the Lulu Race, this kind of Scavenger tribe, it was a type of ultimate dream.

Of course, the Lulu Race could not take the preparatory apostle’s thoughts into consideration and forcefully imprison them, selling them off as if they were slaves to the Elf Race of the drifting city. After all, these twelve preparatory apostles in front of Gerd, the biggest one might just be completely wiped out while on an otherworld mission, and not single one might survive.

However, all events have a contingency, just in case any among these twelve human apostles, do end up maturing and bear a grudge to the Lulu Race in their heart, that result won’t be something the Lulu Race wishes to see happen. Even if they managed to get formal settlement rights, it wouldn’t help much if the other members were assassinated by the apostles.

This is also why the goblin elder, in spite of being in danger of dying, would personally answer the prisoners and eliminate the main cause of hesitation within their hearts. The Lulu Race and drifting cities were the same, they were all betting on their future, that these apostles that have not developed would turn out to have unlimited potential.

After obtaining the answers they wanted, the prisoners were nevertheless silent, the atmosphere in the large tent was somewhat strange.

Relying on their heart and opinions, the prisoners don’t have any other options. If they want to continue surviving, they had to rely on the assistance of the aboriginal races Otherwise they wouldn’t even be able to walk out of the Scarlet Gobi, not to mention the future other-world missions. However, being considered as goods to sell around, the savage death row prisoners were somewhat unhappy.

“I know that my guests are somewhat discontent, however, please believe in this rotten old man. The drifting city of the Elf Race at the present time is your best choice. So long as everyone is willing to leave for the drifting city, the Lulu Race will be willing to apologize to each person after this, and even give a great compensation.”

After the prisoners digested the information before them, the goblin elder once again opened his eyes, slowly opening his mouth: “These compensations can help you blend into this world faster, and are good implements for preparations for otherworld missions…”

The prisoners glanced at each other; the final proposal from the goblin elder finally moved them. Although these goblins decided their fate without their permission, when all was said and done, it was still favorable for their survival. If it could also take care of everyone’s ego and face, then listening and obeying this arrangement would not harm them.

“Can we choose the compensation for ourselves? For example: Your weapons and motorcycles!” Hanson’s low voice rang out from among the prisoners.

“You naturally can, but in order to guarantee everyone’s safety, we can only give you the weapons and motorcycles in front of the drifting city.” The old goblin elder’s face finally piled up a smile, “The other types of compensating can be given immediately though. This world’s currency, food, fresh water, even the Scarlet Gobi’s special minerals…”

“Elder, those minerals… “ Gerd was startled and suddenly stood up.

“Gerd, shut up! No matter the value of those minerals, the crucial point is to have our guests see our sincerity!” the old goblin drew back his mouth and smiled meaningfully, “Weapon, motorcycles, minerals, everything within our Lulu Race camp, you can choose from them as you wish. If our guests would like someone to attend to them, our Lulu Race can offer a few young and pretty female clansman…”

After the prisoners came out of the goblin elders large tent after what seemed like a lifetime, they all silently separated to the direction of their own tent. The information they gained today was just too much so they need to carefully digest it. The goblin elder seemed to know that they need a bit of time to reflect on it and told them to come alone tomorrow to find him for their compensation.

After Qin Lun’s three-person group returned to their tent, they quickly found a corner for themselves to rest in. However, from the occasional turning and moving from the other two people, Qin Lun knew that they were like himself, also unable to fall asleep.

Drifting city, apostles, otherworld missions, continent war… all kinds of numerous and confusing thoughts were like riding a horse to turn off the light[1], spinning around in his mind, not until the dead of the night, did Qin Lun slowly enter dreamland.

……

“Elder brother…” a faintly discernible soft call from the outside was heard, Qin Lun’s whole body trembled and suddenly opened his eyes, waking straight up from his dreaming. He immediately discovered that Lin Feng and Xiao Lian had woken up long ago and were currently discussing in a low voice.

“Did you guys call me?” Qin Lun’s complexion was ugly as he heavily asked them.

“We haven’t! What’s wrong?” Lin Feng and Xiao Lian looked at him in complete loss.

“Nothing!” Qin Lun’s face was somewhat sluggish, and he shook his head hard, as if trying to throw out the thoughts that were in his mind.

“This… Boss Qin Lun, what do you think we should ask for!” Lin Feng very cautiously asked.

“What do you want?” Qin Lun turned around and looked at the playboy.

“I want one of their horn guns, perhaps it can be useful to us in some otherworld mission. What do you think?” Lin Feng sweeten his face as he asked.

Qin Lun slightly narrowed his eyes, looking at Lin Feng with a smile that also wasn’t a smile. The playboy’s mind was very easy to see through, after entering the drifting city, the lives of everyone was ensured, so the youths no longer needed to adhere to the serial killers as previously constrained by circûmstance. Being able to have a weapon for self-protection, they will feel more free from their anxiety.

“The thing you want, you will decide. I will not involve myself or interfere!” Qin Lun’s gaze flashed, and shrugged his shoulders, gently smiling.

“Thanks Boss! Then I’ll go find the goblin elder right now!” Lin Feng very delightedly, and flew out of the tent, disappearing from the two people’s sight.

Fool! Seeing the back figure of Lin Feng, a sneer floated up to the corners of Qin Lun’s mouth, but after he turned his head, the gentle smile returned to his face as he asked Xiao Lian: “How about you? What do you want to ask for from the goblins?”

“I… I don’t know!” Xiao Lian pouted, the infant fat small face was unhappily dropping, making her appear quite listless, “If we really can’t return to our world, then I want to stay with you guys!”

“Are you not afraid Joey will harm you?” Qin Lun raised an eyebrow and looked at the small nurse somewhat unexpectedly.

“I am afraid! But, I don’t want to be by myself!” Xiao Lian nodded once, looking somewhat anxious before suddenly her eyes brightened, as if she recalled something, “At most when you are changing, you can warn me and let me have some time to run!”

“This, I cannot help you with!” Qin Lun’s gaze was becoming increasingly gentle and quietly said. “If you have not thought of what you want yet, then I can give you a suggestion. Don’t choose a weapon or motorcycle, don’t chose the currency of this world, go find the goblin and ask for the stuff they own exclusively!”

“Are you talking about the ore that they have?” Xiao Lian inquisitively asked.

“It may not necessarily be ore, as long as it is some special goods owned exclusively by the goblins…” Qin Lun’s grinned and laughed lightly, the smile on his face would make someone feel as if they were being bathed in the spring wind.

“Ok, then… I’ll go now!” Xiao Lian hesitated for a moment, before going out.

Qin Lun slightly smiled. There were some food a goblin delivered to the tent along with some water. The food was still something that looked like mashed potato, the normal menu of these goblins were not very abundant. Washing his face, Qin Lun sat on the ground, not urgent to go out as he slowly filled his stomach.

After a while, Lin Feng and Xiao Lian both returned. Lin Feng rubbed the fingers on his left hand, an excitement that could not be suppressed written on his face. It looks like he had obtained the stuff he had wanted to get. Xiao Lian’s expression could not be made out, it’s just that her two pockets were packed until they were bulging, it was unknown what kind of stuff she had in there.

Qin Lun lift opened the tent and raised his head to glance at the color of the sky, he felt it was about time. Soon afterward, he walked over to the goblin elder’s large tent.

Yesterday night, the goblin elder wanted them to go alone to get compensation not only to give them time to reflect, but also with another layer of a deeper intention.

When Qin Lun returned to their tent and carefully reflected, he noticed that that old fellow yesterday night had monopolized the power of speech the entire time.

Although this was because the prisoners urgently thirsted for understanding and information of this world, but they also had to know, that among them, there were four serial killers with unstable mental states. The reason why the goblin was only capable of using words and not have the serial killers raise any questions was only due to one thing.

This really is too interesting! A smiling expression flashed through Qin Lun’s eyes and under the attentive gazes of the goblin guard, he lifted open the cloth of the large tent…

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Footnotes:

[1]Overworking to do something really simple

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