After a while, the echoing laughter in the tribe finally subsided.

Almost instantly, all sounds vanished.

Because the leader at the entrance of the throne cave stopped laughing.

"Boss, boss, they're all here!"

Gobu Sheng hurried over, a flattering smile on his face.

Li Meng glanced at the male Lizardmen not far away.

"Have them bring all the axes and saws, let's move out! Head to the Northern swamp!"

With that, Li Meng strode forward, heading out of the tribe.

Wherever he passed, the Goblin underlings made way.

They looked at the towering figure of their leader with nothing but awe.

Nearly a thousand Goblins followed Li Meng like a wave sweeping out of the tribe.

At the gate, Bai Ling got up from the ground.

She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

The female Lizardman who had returned with her quickly stepped forward to support her.

"They're heading to the Northern swamp?"

Watching the departing Goblins, Bai Ling thought to herself.

She had just heard what the master said.

She was certain the master's destination was the Northern swamp.

Why was the master heading to the Northern swamp at this time?

"Could it be that reinforcements from the Black Mountain tribe have arrived?"

This possibility brought a hint of joy to Bai Ling's heart.

But it was quickly followed by worry.

Unless the entire Black Mountain tribe attacked, there was no chance of defeating the master.

"High Priest, go back and rest!"

Two female Lizardmen helped Bai Ling into a wooden house.

The commotion in the tribe lasted only a short while.

Soon, the tribe quieted down.

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In the following days, Li Meng led the team westward.

They traveled during the day, hunted in the first half of the night, and rested in the second half.

On the third day, in the forest north of the Goblin River.

"Where are the Goblins taking us?"

"This direction... could it be to the Northern swamp?"

In the dim forest, a large group of Lizardmen moved westward.

Around them were many Goblins communicating with "wa wa" sounds.

Green-skinned figures of various sizes filled a large part of the forest.

Gray Scale and Black Scale exchanged glances as they walked through the forest.

The rotation period was approaching, giving them a sense of foreboding.

Time passed bit by bit, day after day.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, in the forest east of the Northern swamp.

"We're finally back!"

Looking at the endless swamp before them, the Lizardmen on the shore looked at each other.

After nearly a year, they had finally returned.

This was a place they were familiar with.

As long as they dived into the water, they could escape the Goblins' control.

But they dared not, and could not do so.

Because their families were still in the hands of the Goblins.

Because their home was in the Northern swamp.

"Wa wa!"

At this moment, a group of Goblins rushed over, shouting.

They snatched the axes and saws from the Lizardmen.

And began chopping trees in the forest by the shore.

Another group of Goblins prodded the Lizardmen with long spears.

Driving the Lizardmen to cut down trees.

For a time, the "thud thud" of logging echoed in the forest.

Occasionally, there was the "crash" of trees falling.

Meanwhile, Li Meng led a group of Goblins into the swamp.

In the vast swamp, Li Meng and his Goblin underlings ventured westward.

On the afternoon of the third day.

On the eastern shore of a piece of land not submerged by water.

Li Meng and his Goblin underlings set foot on the land.

"Well, this place isn't bad!"

Standing on the soft ground, Li Meng gazed into the distance.

Along the way, they encountered many similar islands.

But those islands were either too small or had rugged terrain.

The island before them was a flat expanse.

It risked being submerged at high tide.

Such a place was ideal for Lizardmen to live.

"This is it, we're going to build a wooden stronghold here!"

A hint of disappointment flashed in the eyes of Gobu Yi, Gobu Zhang, and Gobu Sheng behind Li Meng.

They had originally thought the boss was taking them out for a fight.

They hadn't expected to be doing hard labor.

"Gobu Yi, do you know where the Gray Scale tribe is?"

The map in the throne cave clearly marked the locations of the three Lizardmen tribes.

Although Goblins were rather foolish.

They had a great sense of direction and never forgot a place they'd been to once.

Gobu Yi looked around.

He pointed southwest with his right hand.

"Boss, in that direction!"

"Good, go, head to the Gray Scale tribe and bring all the Lizardmen here."

With that, Li Meng gave a sinister smile.

"If they resist, then kill them until they can't resist anymore!"

Gobu Yi grinned, resting his spiked club on his shoulder.

"Alright, boss, I'll bring them back."

Then Gobu Yi hurriedly led his Goblin underlings southwest.

The Goblins on the island watched as Gobu Yi departed.

"Gobu Zhang, you go to the Black Scale tribe and bring all the Lizardmen here!"

Gobu Zhang nodded and continued walking.

The Goblin underlings quickly followed behind him.

"Gobu Sheng, return to the forest immediately and transport all the timber here."

Transporting timber was much easier where there was water.

After all, timber floats.

Gobu Sheng turned with a grim face and headed back the way they came.

Once the three Big Goblin underlings left.

Only a dozen Goblin underlings remained behind Li Meng.

"Three months left, just enough time!"

Li Meng took a deep breath.

Inhaling the swamp's air with a hint of decay, he looked pleased.

The purpose of building the wooden stronghold was singular.

To gather all the Lizardmen from the three tribes together.

This way, the Black Mountain tribe's army would lose the chance to contact the Northern swamp.

Even if they found the wooden stronghold, it wouldn't matter.

Li Meng didn't mind engaging in a defensive battle with the Black Mountain tribe's army.

He had enough forces to guard the Northern swamp's wooden stronghold and the tribe.

Li Meng's goal wasn't to annihilate the Black Mountain tribe's army.

But to make them retreat in defeat, leaving empty-handed.

At the same time, he couldn't push the Black Mountain tribe too hard.

To avoid them summoning the Barbarian God "Aqua."

As for the human adventurer couple, avoiding their appearance was easy.

The adventurer squad line was the easiest to resolve.

Let them complete their mission and leave obediently.

As long as he didn't interfere with the adventurer squad, no further events would be triggered.

"Simply perfect!"

Li Meng grinned with some pride.

With the Life Simulation System, avoiding dangerous future lines was relatively easy.

"Letting the adventurer squad go won't trigger some unknown event, will it?"

Li Meng suddenly recalled four words.

The "butterfly effect."

Letting the adventurer squad go didn't mean the event was over.

It might lead to a bigger event.

"Just have to wait and see, solve the immediate problem first."

Shaking his head, Li Meng muttered to himself.

He wasn't a perfectionist.

Achieving the most perfect ending wasn't so easy.

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