Showing Importance

After being frees, the goblins gradually left Lance be as they attended to their own matters.

Lance stood at the edge of the goblin camp, his arms crossed as he surveyed the camp. He had heard the goblins mention something about burning the bodies of the dead goblins, he could only wonder if that was how they took care of their dead instead of burying them. It wasn't anything knew though, since such methods also existed back on earth. 

Goblins hurried back and forth, their movements frantic yet purposeful as they patched wounds, salvaged supplies, and whispered anxiously about the inevitable return of their enemies.

Lance's mind was filled with thoughts as he tried to piece together the strange reality he now inhabited. The goblins here weren't what he'd expected at all. They were not the twisted, monstrous creatures from the stories and games as they were depicted back on earth, not in the slightest. The female goblins, especially, were far from the grotesque monsters he'd once imagined.

In this strange world, the female goblins were beautiful. In fact, most of them were more beautiful than most of the girls he knew from earth! It was absurd! Not only were they beautiful, even their bodies were alluring! If Lance wasn't preoccupied with trying to survive, perhaps, his eyes would have indulged in the beauty all around him.

Lance couldn't deny it, and he felt a pang of guilt for noticing it so keenly. It was made worse as their figures were accentuated by their sparse clothing—little more than tattered scraps of leather and cloth, more for practical purposes than modest.

But beneath their beauty lay a feral edge, a wildness in their movements and expressions that reminded him of their dangerous nature. Their sharp teeth flashed when they spoke, their nails curved like claws on some, and their amber eyes burned with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine. 'They are beautiful, but they are not beauties.' He thought to himself.

"Enjoying the view?" Out of nowhere, a voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Lance turned to see Lia, the leader of the goblin tribe, standing behind him, her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"Not exactly," Lance replied, forcing himself to focus. "Just… observing."

"Good." Lia stepped up beside him, her piercing gaze fixed on the camp. "If you're going to help us, you'd better learn quickly. We don't have the luxury of patience."

As the day wore on, Lance began exploring the camp in earnest, taking note of every detail he could. He did find ways to escape, but he figured that if a goblin tribe resided here, it meant there were no humans close by, and certainly, such wild forests would have their own beasts. He couldn't only imagine what was out there in such a world where goblins and different races existed. One thing was for sure, he didn't want to find out.

That aside, Lance noticed that the goblins' resilience was impressive—despite their losses, they worked tirelessly to rebuild. Their weapons and armor, though crude, were crafted with notable skill, even to his untrained eyes, and their resourcefulness in making the most of their limited supplies was nothing short of remarkable. Still, their vulnerabilities were glaring.

The camp's defenses were rudimentary at best. A low wooden barricade surrounded the perimeter, more a psychological barrier than an actual deterrent. Beyond it lay dense forest, offering cover for any approaching attackers. The goblins had no watchtowers, no traps, and no clear lines of communication. If the enemy attacked again, they'd be slaughtered.

'At least, the years I spent watching television and playing games didn't go to waste.' Lance thought to himself in happiness, knowing fully well how much time he spent on those things.

"Your camp is wide open," Lance said bluntly as he stood with Lia near the barricade.

She scowled at him. "You think we don't know that? We've done what we can with what we have."

"I'm not criticizing," Lance said, holding up his hands. "But if you want to survive the next attack, you'll need to do better."

Lia's glare softened slightly, and she nodded for him to continue.

"First, the barricade. It's too low and too thin. It won't hold up against a charge, let alone a siege. We need to reinforce it with heavier wood and add spikes to the outside."

Lia tilted her head, considering his words. "We can gather more wood, but spikes will take time."

"Then focus on the entrances," Lance said. "Narrow the gaps where they can get through. Funnel them into choke points."

Lia frowned but didn't argue. "Choke points… What else?"

"The forest," Lance said, gesturing to the dense trees beyond the camp. "It's both a blessing and a curse. It hides the enemy's movements, but it also gives us a chance to set traps. Pits, snares, even deadfalls. Anything to slow them down and break their morale."

At that, Lia's lips curled into a faint smirk. "I like the way you think, human."

"Hahaha…" Lance chuckled drily, 'thank you, Ranbo!'

As Lance continued his observations, he asked questions of the goblins he encountered, piecing together a clearer picture of their enemies. He made sure to make contact and communicate purposefully, so it at least looked like he was working. Outside the knowledge from movies and games, he really didn't know much else apart using general knowledge and common sense.

The particular male goblins that attacked the camp, he learned, were a nomadic clan known for their brute strength and savage tactics. They traveled in small raiding parties, targeting weaker groups like Lia's tribe to pillage resources and abduct captives, mostly females to satisfy themselves. For this part, they usually don't discriminate and would rape females from any race, they were truly daring, even a dragon might not be safe, if given the chance.

"They're like animals," one of the elders growled as she sharpened a spear. "No honor, no loyalty. Just greed and violence."

"And they're coming back," Lance said, his tone grim.

The elder nodded. "Always do. It's only a matter of time."

'At least they're not interested in men… I still have a chance at escaping in case of any uncertainties. Then again, I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams, that a goblin would speak of honour and loyalty…' he thought to himself. In all the games, goblins were known to be sly and cunning monsters that attack and run away and even ambush their opponents… hearing one talk about honour was a testament that he was in a different fantasy world truly.

Lance spent the day gathering little information from time to time, piecing together the best plan he could, while making sure to construct his sentences so he sounded intelligent, so he could increase his importance. Though he had heard one goblin talk about honour, he preferred to air on the side of caution. The way he saw it, his head could still go flying before their enemies arrived, if he made a wrong move.

Lance had quickly pieced together that the male goblins relied heavily on brute force, charging headlong into battle with little regard for strategy. Their confidence bordered on arrogance, and they underestimated their opponents. That overconfidence could be exploited as he saw it.

"We need to break their morale," Lance said aloud as he and Lia discussed plans near the campfire. "If they think they're walking into an easy fight and get caught off guard instead, it'll rattle them."

Lia frowned. "You mean scare them?"

"Exactly," Lance said. "They're stronger than you, sure. But strength doesn't mean much if they're too afraid to use it."

Lia's eyes gleamed with interest. "What do you have in mind?"

"Psychological warfare," Lance said, his mind racing. "We make them think this camp is more dangerous than it really is. Make them paranoid. Use the traps in the forest to pick them off one by one, and leave their bodies where the others can see. Light torches at night to make the camp look bigger, more fortified. Spread false trails to confuse them."

Lia's smirk returned, this time wider. "For a human, you think like a goblin."

'Nope, I'm pretty sure you think like a human instead.' Lance thought to himself.

"Uhm, what are we having for dinner?"