Chapter 197: Demon Goblins
In this world, humans are like locusts, displaying an intense obsession with territory.
Humans are also highly reproductive, surpassing 90% of intelligent species on the continent in this regard.
Although Twilight Forest is a newly developed territory under the Irisis Principality, decades of development have filled the forest with numerous human villages and towns.
"It seems I'll need to send some goblins to investigate human territories," Li Meng thought to himself while gazing at the sand table beneath his feet.
The Goblin army couldn't enter the Irisis Principality blindly; essential intelligence had to be gathered in advance—such as the locations of towns and the distribution of military forces.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
At this moment, a Lizardman maid came running over hurriedly.
"Your Majesty, the Ghost Beastman has given birth!"
Before the maid's words had fully registered, the sound of wailing baby goblins echoed through the hall.
Several maids quickly carried the newborn goblins out of the hall.
"Wait!"
Li Meng stopped the Lizardman maids in their tracks.
They froze at the doorway, turning to face the approaching king.
Li Meng lowered his gaze, examining the tiny goblins cradled in the maids' arms.
Their pupils were pale gold, their skin dark with a reddish hue.
[Demon Goblin]
[Level: 4]
[Strength: 34]
[Defense: 27]
[Agility: 41]
[Magic Power: 17]
[Demon King Pact: LV1]
[Abnormal State: Weakness]
"A Demon Goblin?"
Li Meng frowned, his expression contemplative.
"Xiaobai, what are demons?"
As an ancestral dragon, Xiaobai possessed a deeper understanding of this world.
"They are dimensional beings, also known as dimensional demons. They do not belong to this world. In the era when ancient dragons ruled, these beings invaded many times but were always repelled by the dragons."
"What's the relationship between demons and the demon race?"
"The demon race is a new power that emerged nearly ten thousand years ago. I'm not very familiar with them."
A new power that emerged nearly ten thousand years ago?
Li Meng felt speechless. A span of ten thousand years sounded like ancient history, but Xiaobai spoke of it as if it had happened yesterday.
"Xiaobai, do you have split entities elsewhere?"
"No. When I signed the master-servant pact with you, all of them perished."
"Why?"
"Because only new split entities can share the master-servant pact."
"Your Majesty, may we... may we leave now?"
Li Meng's prolonged silence left the Lizardman maids exchanging uneasy glances. One of them mustered the courage to ask.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Li Meng waved his hand.
"Send them all to Gobu Sheng for disposal."
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
The Lizardman maids turned and carried the baby goblins out.
Li Meng followed them to the doorway and summoned a Gatekeeper Goblin with a gesture.
The goblin hurried over, its face brimming with sycophantic eagerness.
"Inform Gobu Sheng to dispose of those goblin babies."
The Gatekeeper Goblin froze, a confused expression crossing its face.
Weren't those babies the king's offspring? Why would he want them disposed of?
"What are you waiting for?"
Seeing the goblin standing motionless, Li Meng snapped.
Startled by the rebuke, the Gatekeeper Goblin jolted to attention.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty! I'll get it done!"
The goblin rushed off in a panic.
Li Meng stood at the door, his face expressionless as he watched the Gatekeeper Goblin's retreating figure.
Agatha's offspring could not be allowed to remain.
Although the Demon Goblins had formidable base stats, they would contaminate the goblin bloodline.
Moreover, the existence of the Demon King Pact would make them slaves to the demon race.
Li Meng would never permit such a thing to happen.
Turning back, he returned to the throne hall.
---
The next morning.
At the eastern gate of the Throne Tribe.
"Goblin, our bet has been fulfilled!"
Outside the gate, Agatha smiled seductively. Her alluring figure leaned close to Li Meng.
Her tongue flicked across her lips provocatively as she gazed at the hideous goblin face so near to hers.
"Next time you want my body, it'll require an equivalent exchange," she teased, flashing a flirtatious wink.
She then stepped back, her curvaceous form slipping free of Li Meng's grasp.
With a sway of her hips, she turned toward the forest.
As she walked, she waved a hand over her shoulder.
"Goblin, don't forget your promise to my brother!"
Her words trailed off as she disappeared like an arrow into the forest.
Li Meng smirked as he gazed at the barren wilderness. Leisurely, he turned back toward the tribe.
With Agatha gone, the war was drawing closer.
"When will Margarita arrive?"
Walking along the main road toward the inner district, Li Meng pondered.
When he left the demon camp, Margarita had nodded at him.
Though unspoken, her gesture meant she had agreed to his request.
Li Meng had expected her to arrive personally at the tribe.
Yet a month had passed with no word.
"Could it be because of Agatha?"
The thought of Agatha crossed his mind.
If Agatha were in the tribe, Margarita would certainly avoid coming.
After all, Margarita, as the centaur queen, secretly meeting him could cause her significant trouble if discovered by the demon race.
"Xiaobai, do you know about human crystals?"
On the Augus Continent, all races derived their power from gods.
Only humans drew power from "crystals."
And crystals seemed to have some connection to "Heaven."
"Of course. Human crystals are creations of the Abyss. Demons and angels both originate from the Abyss. In a sense, they are dimensional beings and opposing forces from the Abyssal Plane. What demons wish to accomplish, angels will do everything to prevent. In the era of ancient dragons, angels allied with dragons, fighting demons with unparalleled zeal."
"So, human power comes from the Abyss?"
Demons, angels, and the Abyss—these concepts felt strangely familiar to Li Meng.
With Xiaobai around, this world no longer felt as foreign.
"In a way, yes. Crystals were brought to this world by angels. They can draw power from the Abyssal Plane to sustain their existence and seal dimensional rifts, preventing demons from reappearing."
Wait... wait!
Li Meng halted mid-stride on the main road, his expression shifting unpredictably.
From Xiaobai's words, he had just uncovered an earth-shattering revelation.