Setting up Traps  

Rain could now extract five items, a significant boost compared to when he first entered the Spirit Realm.

He could open more slots with Soul Elixirs or EP, but for now, five extractions were sufficient since he didn't have enough Soul Elixirs to extract things from Earth to the Spirit Realm.

Opening the sixth slot required 12 mL of Soul Elixirs or 6000 EP. Considering his limited resources, Rain decided to be conservative with his use of Soul Elixirs.

He could open the slot anytime, so Rain wasn't worried.

After reading all he could about traps and absorbing the knowledge he needed, he set off to the Spirit Realm.

But just to be sure he had all the information at his fingertips, he brought the book with him. It had cost a hefty 10 mL of Soul Elixirs because he had brought [Traps for Idiots] and [How to Build Your First Village 101].

They weren't thick books but they still cost more than a javelin which put a tear in Rain's eyes.

"Hey, guys. Is everything fine?" Rain greeted as he arrived.

Everyone flocked around Rain, eager to announce their accomplishments while he was gone, except #4, who was still diligently guarding the statue with a no-nonsense expression.

"Oh, Chi isn't back yet?" Rain felt a pang of worry but didn't let it show on his face. He had to maintain a strong front for his troops to keep morale high.

"How's the cub?" Rain asked, changing the topic to ease the tension.

His troops made way for him, revealing the little wolf cowering in a corner, trapped within a makeshift wooden cage.

"Augh . . . Why is it caged?" Rain asked, his voice tinged with concern.

~Chirp!~

Unlike Chi, Rain couldn't understand the others, but could make out their gestures. So he checked the [Diary] to find out what had happened.

According to the diary, the little pup had been running amok, leaving the troops with no choice but to trap it inside the cage to prevent further damage to the shelter and to protect it from harming itself.

While he was at it, Rain also checked Chi's condition. According to the [Diary], Chi had located the Hobgoblins' lair and was currently making her way back to the shelter.

Rain breathed easier knowing that she was safe and on her way back.

Now to address the current issue at hand.

"Alright . . . let's leave him in that cage for a while then. Give him food and water," Rain instructed before facing the little cub. "I know that you're probably confused and scared, but don't worry, we won't hurt you. As soon as you're fit to travel, you can leave whenever you want."

Rain beamed, and the little wolf somehow understood him as it settled down, its shaking lessening.

"Hmm . . . could it understand me?" Rain thought, but dismissed the idea.

Wolves weren't intelligent humanoids, meaning they moved more on instinct rather than cognitive reasoning, and there was little to no chance they could develop speech.

"Alright. While we wait for Chi, let's make traps! Lots of traps!"

The troops cheered in enthusiasm, their spirits lifted by Rain's energy.

When dealing with Hobgoblins, setting up effective traps could make a significant difference.

While the Hobgoblins had the advantage in numbers, Rain had the brains to counter their strength . . . well, I have the books.

It said that books were more powerful than weapons. 

"Now let's see . . ." Rain ran through the pages of his book while the rest peeked over his shoulder. "It's very simple to make. We just need the resources available to us here."

Rain pulled out the magic rope from his inventory. He had bought these in the marketplace at the player association.

The rope looked like a normal white rope, but it was sturdier than the ones they had back on Earth. It cost 5mL of Soul Elixirs per roll, and the extraction cost was 1mL of Soul Elixirs.

It was quite expensive because it was in high demand, especially among newbies. Besides that, the sellers also had to consider the extraction cost.

A lot of stalls sold these ropes because they were important materials during the early stages of construction and for making traps.

Rain bet that it would be less expensive if he bought the rope in the Spirit Realm. Unfortunately, he still couldn't find any village or town around his territory.

He did, however, find the Quillwolves and the Hobgoblins' lairs.

Rain wanted to cry inside, but he had no time for self-pity, not when his troops and his life were in danger.

"Okay, first, we'll add a lot of these pitfall traps."

Pitfall traps were concealed pits covered with camouflaged materials. They were the most common traps and very effective against these types of creatures.

Creature would fall into the pit, which could be filled with spikes or other harmful elements. It was how they had managed to kill some of the Quillwolves.

"We have one at the two entrances and exits over there, but we need them scattered around. Hmm . . . we have to place them in strategic positions."

Rain pointed to a crude map he had drawn in the dirt, showing the areas where they needed the traps. "The Hobgoblins will be coming from the north, so let's put a lot over there. We'll also place some along the sides and create barricades so they can't charge all at once. We'll direct their movement over the traps. That way, we can reduce their numbers effectively."

There were all kinds of traps they needed to set up, so Rain didn't waste any more time and delegated tasks to his troops.

"Alright, team, listen up," Rain called out, capturing everyone's attention. "We need to dig as many pitfall traps as we can and camouflage them. Use the leaves, branches, furs, fabrics, and even the dirt in here, anything that can cover the pits."