The Goblin Priest's eyes sparkled with wisdom. "Human, we have no ill will. We want to avoid unnecessary conflict. You can choose to leave. Or, if you wish, we welcome you to our lair and learn about our lives."
"What should we do? Should we follow them?" Chris moved closer to Merlin, and the three of them huddled together.
Merlin took a deep breath, weighing the risks and opportunities repeatedly in his mind.
He looked at Chris's tense expression and knew that her vigilance was due to her fear of the unknown, but he also felt that the goblin priest in front of him was not hostile.
Compared to the goblins they had heard of before, this one was obviously smarter, more rational, and even more humane to some extent.
"I think it wouldn't hurt to go and take a look." Merlin finally spoke, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "We can learn about their lives and perhaps find some unexpected gains. It seems that goblins are not always what we imagined."
Fate nodded in approval. "Since they have no ill intentions, maybe going to see them can help break our prejudice against goblins."
Chris hesitated for a moment, but eventually relaxed her guard and sighed, "Okay, but we must stay alert and be ready to respond to emergencies at any time."
"No problem." Merlin responded with a smile, thinking in his heart how to make good use of this group of different goblins to help him complete the exam, or... become his cattle and horses stationed in the Warcraft Mountains.
"Then please lead the way." Merlin said to the goblin priest, with a hint of expectation in his voice.
The goblin priest smiled with satisfaction and nodded. Then he waved to the other goblins to lay down their weapons and began to lead Merlin and the other two towards the nest.
Along the way, Merlin noticed the interactions between these goblins. They did not show any hostility, but instead seemed well-organized, like a trained team.
However, Merlin and his two companions did not know that on a distant hill, Carl and his four-member team were watching the scene before them with worried faces.
The magic in Carl's eyes gradually dissipated, and then he came to Alex, Shirley and Delia with a serious face. He pressed the sword on his waist and said, "Shirley, you are right. Merlin and the other three are in big trouble."
"Are those really goblins? I've never seen goblins like that, a team with warriors, archers and even magicians..." Shirley said with a worried look on her face.
"I don't know. At least I don't know of such a goblin team. I think we should report this matter to the academy." Alex shook his head. He wondered if he could withstand the attack of such a goblin team.
"If we seek help from the teachers and the academy now, Merlin and the other two will fail their final exams. I suggest that we follow them and see if there is a chance for rescue. If not, we can call the teachers." Delia expressed her thoughts.
Carl nodded. "You're right. Those goblins don't look bloodthirsty. Maybe they'll imprison Merlin and the others. So Shirley and I will follow them and take a look. Alex and Delia, you two should try to get help from other classmates. It would be best if you can find Arthur, Scarlett, and Stacy."
Alex and Delia nodded. They knew that a team of four alone could not defeat this group of goblins, so it was time to seek help from other classmates.
"There's no time. Shirley and I will follow first." Carl took Shirley and quickly headed in the direction of the group of goblins.
Delia and Alex looked at each other and ran in opposite directions. They had to find Arthur and the others as soon as possible.
After passing through a dense forest, Merlin and his companions finally arrived at the goblin's lair. The entrance to the lair was hidden in a thicket of vines and bushes. When they walked in, they were shocked by the sight before them.
At the foot of a low mountain, a spacious cave can be vaguely seen. The entrance of the cave is decorated with soft moss and vines, as if it were a gorgeous coat that nature had put on it.
Around the cave, simple caves and thatched houses are scattered in an orderly manner. The roofs are built with hay and branches, and the walls are made of mud and stones, showing a rough and natural style.
The sunlight shines through the treetops, casting mottled shadows on the outer walls of the hut, adding a touch of warmth to the entire nest.
Merlin and the other two watched all this intently, their hearts filled with disbelief. Everything here was completely different from their previous impressions of goblins.
In the nest, the goblins were busy and orderly. The adult goblins were working. Some were transporting newly cut wood, which still had fresh sap on it and gave off a faint fragrance. Others were placing food. Various kinds of food were placed in front of the thatched house, including fresh fruits, dried meat, and some seemingly carefully crafted cassava mixtures that gave off an enticing aroma.
Nearby, a dozen goblin children were playing and laughing, seemingly playing a chasing game; their laughter was shrill but one could feel the joy in it.
The small figures ran on the grass, nimbly dodging each other's pursuit. Occasionally they fell to the ground, but they just giggled and got up and continued to play the game.
Damn, at this moment, Merlin even felt pure happiness, as if he was playing in an orphanage as a child.
What was even more surprising was that several goblins were sitting around a small fire, discussing something intently.
Merlin leaned in to listen and saw that they were discussing how to improve their tools and make more effective hunting equipment.
This scene shocked Merlin's heart. It seemed that these goblins were not just survivors. They were constantly learning and improving, showing signs of civilization.
"This...this is incredible." Chris whispered, with surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, goblins actually have such a life." Fate was also amazed. If someone had said before that goblins could have their own civilization, he would never have believed it.
Merlin looked at everything in front of him, his heart filled with shock. He realized how superficial his understanding of goblins was. It turned out that in some corner of this world, they also had their own culture and lifestyle.
"How do you feel? My friend, this is our home and my territory." The priest goblin turned and looked at Merlin, he clapped his hands and continued.
"Dear guest from afar, welcome to my kingdom. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Goblint, and I'm the only king here!"
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