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Volume 1 – Chapter 11: The Legendary Goblin

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The situation within the large tent was somewhat different from yesterday. The goblin elder was lying on an old couch like before and while his son Gerd wasn’t around, there were two additional robust goblin guards.

On the couch, the elder was sitting with some packages that were piled up and organized by category. The two goblins guards were in charge of looking after these things. They were probably the compensation items that the other prisoners had chosen from the elder.

“Welcome, my guest. Please, take a seat!” the complexion of the goblin elder was much better than yesterday. If looked like his mood had become much more cheerful after dealing with the biggest uneasy factor in the camp, “It is almost noon now, you are the last one among them all to come look for me for compensation. Looks like you had a hard time deciding what you wanted, would you like me to choose for you?”

“I came late on purpose, so I wouldn’t need to fight over it with someone else!” Qin Lun faintly smiled, making it seem like he was actually a somewhat shy young man, “However, I would really like to know what my other companions choose.”

“I’m sorry, my young esteem guest, this information is not something I can disclose. After your companions finished choosing, they all specifically told me to not give away the item they chose!” A thread of craftiness appeared in the goblin elder’s muddy eyes as he said with a somewhat contented smile.

“However, you should be able to guess. Most of them chose weapons and motorcycles, while a few selected currency and ore. Some others also chose our Lulu Race ‘specialty products’.”

The old goblin had already begun observing this group of people from another space-time since last night. And he had seen that there was no trust between them. And that was why he let them come by on their own to chose their items. He even specifically sent some people to explain the circûmstances to the two who didn’t participate, “Fireworks” Rand and the young man that was with him.

For the Lulu Race, as long as they could settle the twelve preparatory apostles and also smoothly complete the transaction with the drifting city, a little bit of compensation was not even worth mentioning.

This old fellow was using some good tactics. Just a little bit of compensation made the twelve prisoners turn from a whole entity into a sheet of loose sand![1] Qin Lun’s smile became increasingly bright, however, he no longer pressed the goblin elder to tell him.

Although all the other serial killers might have understood the old goblin’s trick, since he was doing it openly, they could not really refuse him. Plus, how could the other prisoners be willing to let the others know what they had obtained.

Regardless if it were the prisoners who had chosen currency and ores, or the ones who had chosen weapons and motorcycles, they would all be scared of being killed by the other death row prisoners for their property. Don’t think that everyone can live a smooth and steady life after settling down in the drifting city. The prisoners were criminals in the first place, the Earth’s Federal Laws were useless against them, so how could they behave after they arrive at the drifting city?

“Alright then, my esteem guest. Allow me to hear what you would like?” the goblin elder leaned against the couch, his narrowed eyes somewhat sizing up the somewhat shy-appearing young man in front of him. But there were no contempt to be seen in his eyes at all, “Or perhaps you can listen to my suggestions. How about a premium gun made by the Dwarf Race?”

Along with the goblin elder’s words, the two goblin guards behind him opened up a bundle that was on the ground. A horn-shaped firearm was taken out and placed on the small table between the two.

This short handle horn gun appeared glossy and brilliant, the trigger also had the luster of engine oil. It looks like it should be a new item that the Lulu Race preserved.

“This kind of magic bullet gun is simple and convenient. The recoil is light and has great power at close range, it is a very good self-defense weapon. Even a newcomer that had never used a firearm before would find it easy to use!” the old goblin slightly leaned forward, his voice full of temptation, “If you chose this gun, then I will also give a Soul Force Field Watch to you!”

Soul Force Field Watch? Qin Lun eyes lit up as he immediately thought of the small pocket-watch that allowed the two sides to communicate at the soul level. This is indeed a good thing. However, he only smiled and soon after was shaking his head.

“Then, some common currency of Shattered Starry Sky? A pretty motorcycle filled with fuel?” Looking at the young man who was repeatedly shaking his head, the goblin elder finally slightly frowned, “Then what do you want?”

“I want something the drifting city would not prepare for me!” Qin Lun seemed somewhat embarrassed as he hung down his head and quietly said, “All these things you are giving us, the drifting city has already prepared for us, right?”

The old goblin’s face went rigid, the wrinkles on his face faintly trembled and a thread of light flashed through his muddy eyes. He sized up the young man in front of him once more. It looks like after meeting the other eleven preparatory apostles, this final young man who was wearing a smile would probably take up a lot of his energy.

“My young guest, you have more brains than the great majority of your companions!” The old goblin meaningfully said. “Then I suggest that you choose ore. The ore our Lulu Race extracted from the Scarlet Gobi is of enormous value, these are things that the drifting city is unable to provide you all with!”

Facing Qin Lun’s questioning eyes, the gold goblin immediately gave a simple explanation.

As a matter of fact, all the weapons and equipment our Lulu Race gave to everyone can only be used within Shattered Starry Sky. It cannot be brought to another world by the apostles, nor can weapons of another world be brought into Shattered Starry Sky. The magic of the two worlds are different. And If they were to think about the Particle Rifles and modern instruments that failed to work, they would know this at once. On this point, most of the prisoners all have misconceptions.

What apostles genuinely needed were weapons and equipment that are Spiritual Equipment and were certainly somewhat related and joined with their souls. So that it is capable of following their soul and law body to travel from Shattered Starry Sky and another world. The special ore extracted by the Lulu Race could be further extracted for the metal materials needed to manufacture Spiritual Equipment. This is also the survival fundamental of all Scavenger tribes.

As a matter of fact, the value of anything that is capable of attracting apostle’s attention in Shattered Starry Sky is very high. So much so that some floating continents even go to war for these mineral resources.

“How about it, clever young man. If you have made your decision, I can help you choose a few pieces of the best quality ores.” Noting the light of interest in Qin Lun’s eyes, the old goblin’s face shook a bit and he grinned heartily.

“I don’t want it!” Qin Lun’s reply was brief and to the point, the refusal was exceedingly firm, letting the smile on the old fellow’s face immediately become rigid.

Perhaps the value of these ores was really high, but with Qin Lun’s physique, how much could he take? How much spiritual material could be extracted by a couple tens of pounds[2], 100 grams? Or 200 grams? Besides, the material and finished goods were different. If he just used these ores and exchanged it for money at the drifting cities, why won’t he just ask for some common currency right here and now!

“Then what do you want?” the goblin elder finally felt a bit uneasy and rubbed his somewhat aching forehead.

Qin Lun was silent, not speaking a word while his face carried the same smile from before. A pair of bright and clear eyes closely stared at the goblin elder.

While he was in prison, Qin Lun had read extensively and self-studied an entire set of clinical medical science and psychology. Besides, the prison itself was a place that hid dirt to conceal corruption and was full of all kinds of ugly scenes, which allowed him to progressively grasp a special skill. He was capable of thoroughly reading another person’s psychology to a great degree.

It can be said that ever since Qin Lun was exposed to psychology at eighteen years old, he had already slowly grown into becoming a Master of Psychology.

However, because Qin Lun had been separated from society all year round, he was not used to dealing with people using words. This was also why he had been able to see through Hanson’s small trick, yet almost lit a fire with Disciple back then.

Last night, besides slowly digesting the goblin elder’s information, most of his mind was focused on the old fellow himself. This old goblin’s fiery and pure youthful[3] worldly wisdom had done some fine and delicate control during the talks which had allowed him to open his eyes. It was as if the profound knowledge had turned into a giant sword of the Asura Path in his mind.

Qin Lun had sensed that even if all the prisoners ignored the goblin elder’s compensation that was currently being prepared, the old fellow must still have some other trump card that could settle everyone.

In fact, Qin Lun did not have much interest in what he could ultimately obtain. He just wanted to see what kind of means the old goblin would use to make him leave!

This was also the reason why he would choose to come find the old goblin last, he knew that if he executed this badly, he would cause a large ruckus. Rather than comparing what he could get being the last one, Qin Lun would rather see how the old goblin would confront him, this kind of oily, salty and hard crop that would not advance.[4]He wanted to see what kind of show he would get!

One was old, one was young; the one a human, the other a monster. A pair of large eyes staring at small ones. There were two completely different people faced each other and the atmosphere in the large tent started feeling slightly frozen.

The goblin elder’s muddy eyes were wide open. It was unknown when they were completely opened, and light shone all around his eyes. The senile look from before completely vanished.

When the old goblin had been young, not only was he an unconventional member among the Lulu Race, his body was also sturdy with wisdom that far exceeded his other tribesmen. He was also filled with a spirit that tried to improve himself and take on risks. He was different from the large majority of his tribesmen and had left his hometown when he grew to adulthood in order to go adventure outside.

He had followed many formidable apostles and left behind many tracks in many Floating Continents and Drifting Cities. He was a legendary person among the Lulu Race and even all the other Scavenger Tribes. He had even gained the respect of many powerful Intelligent Races.

When the goblin elder came to such an old age that he could no longer continue to adventure outside, he called together many of his tribesmen and formed a Scavenger Tribe in the Scarlet Gobi. the Lulu Race was weak individually, but to be able to have a “Scavenger Paradise” in this Scarlet Gobi, it was all because they were relying on the old goblins immense popularity of the past.

However, the old goblin had been getting increasingly old, and he knew that he was about to die soon. When that happens, he was just afraid that the Lulu Race’s easy and comfortable life would come to an end; it was why he spared no price to obtain formal settlement rights in a drifting city. However, the Elf Race probably still won’t accept the Lulu Race just by relying on his own prestige. They need another opportunity.

The twelve preparatory apostles in front of the goblin elders are the opportunity that he had been waiting for persistently. He would not permit anyone to come and destroy his life’s goal.

Apart from this, when the old goblin first saw the prisoners, he had sensed that these groups of otherworldly humans were different from the preparatory apostles from before. They had the smell on them, and some of their bloody scents were even stronger than official apostles. The young man in front of him that appeared shy and not good at words was one of these.

Perhaps he really was old, to not even be able to deal with such a young man and even have to go through such a thorny problem! The light in the goblin elder’s eyes was slowly restrained before he took out a small pouch from his bosom. From the pouch, he took out small orange-yellow colored crystal fragments around the size of rice and placed them on the table.

“Take it, that’s what you want. However, you must vow on your soul, to never reveal what you have acquired today!”

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Footnotes:

[1]Unable to cooperate together.

[2]Youthful also means green, so a slight pun on his green skin

[3]Says Jin, 1 Jin = 1.1023 Ib, so I roughly converted it

[4]A pain in the butt that you can’t make happy so you can get rid of them

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