Chapter 24: Where Is the Turning Point?

[The annihilation of the White Scale Tribe and the Gray Scale Tribe terrified the Black Scale Tribe. They fled long ago, migrating elsewhere.]

[You decided to pursue the Black Scale Tribe, but their traces disappeared at the riverbank.]

[You established control over the northern swamp and became the King of the Swamp.]

[You implemented a "Twelve-Tax," requiring the White Scale Tribe to contribute two-tenths of their population annually for rotational labor.]

[With female Lizardmen, the population lost in wars was quickly replenished.]

[Your tribe flourished and grew exponentially.]

[To address the food demand, you taught the White Scale Tribe the knowledge of farming, turning the swamp into your fishery.]

[Your hunting party ambushed a group of Pigmen.]

[The Pigmen launched a large-scale counterattack. Please choose an option:]

[1. Launch a preemptive strike.]

[2. Build a massive wooden fort and prepare for defense.]

[3. Abandon the breeding grounds and retreat to the caves for shelter.]

"It seems the swamp isn’t the turning point to change the future!"

Looking at the wooden stick in his hand, Li Meng thought silently.

No matter if he chose to attack the Black Scale Tribe or the Gray Scale Tribe first, the outcome wouldn’t change much.

"I choose option three, retreat to the caves for shelter!"

The other two options in this phase were death traps.

The third option might offer a glimmer of hope.

[You chose to retreat to the caves, temporarily avoiding confrontation.]

[The Pigmen army discovered the caves.]

[Your Goblin army fought the Pigmen army in the caves.]

[You achieved victory, repelling the Pigmen forces.]

[You received news from the swamp. The fleeing Black Scale Tribe returned with a massive Lizardman army, forcing the White Scale Tribe to surrender.]

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[Bai Ling betrayed you. The Lizardman army learned that your tribe possessed the ability to forge iron weapons.]

[Please make a choice:]

[1. Continue advancing east to completely destroy the Pigmen tribe.]

[2. Lead the Goblin army to the swamp to confront the Lizardman army.]

[3. Retreat to the tribe and build wooden forts to defend against the Lizardman attack.]

"As expected, the Black Scale Tribe took over as the guide this time."

This result was within Li Meng’s expectations.

However, from this predictive simulation of the future, Li Meng obtained a crucial piece of information.

It confirmed that other Lizardman tribes existed in the Goblin Forest.

"I choose option three, build wooden forts to defend against the Lizardman attack!"

[You chose to build wooden forts to defend against the Lizardman attack.]

[One day, a massive Lizardman army reappeared in the swamp.]

[On the same day, a large Pigmen army emerged in the western forest.]

[Your tribe faced a pincer attack from the Lizardmen and Pigmen.]

[The wooden fort was breached. You died, and your tribe was annihilated.]

[Simulation of life ends.]

[Future line unchanged. No rating, no rewards.]

"An invalid simulation of life?"

The system’s notification made Li Meng furrow his brows.

This was the first time he encountered an invalid simulation of life after so many attempts.

No rewards if the future line remained unchanged?

Li Meng pondered over past experiences.

"Does this mean I must be at the turning point and make a choice to change the future?"

If this was indeed the system's logic, Li Meng could understand.

After all, he had two simulation opportunities each month.

If used consecutively, the second simulation wouldn’t deviate much from the first one.

The overarching direction would have been set by the first simulation.

Unless he was present at the turning point and altered the predicted future.

"Where will the turning point be?"

Li Meng didn’t rush.

He decided to follow the predicted future path for now.

He would wait for the turning point and alter the future line forecasted by the simulation.

Time passed little by little, day by day.

Since settling in the northern forest, the tribe had grown steadily.

With the birth of the first batch of newborns, the tribe had finally taken its first significant step forward.

One morning, over a month later.

The tribe was bustling with activity, the chirping noise of Goblins echoing through the forest.

In the forest, hundreds of Goblins gathered before the largest wooden house.

The Goblins varied in size; most were immature young ones.

The young Goblins were the noisiest, playing and chasing each other.

They only quieted down for a short while when scolded by adult Goblins.

Closer to the wooden house stood a group of larger Goblins.

Their number was small, just over ten.

They varied in size, but the differences weren’t significant.

At that moment, a sturdy green-skinned Goblin appeared at the doorway of the wooden house.

"The boss is here. Quiet!"

The boss’s appearance silenced the chaotic noises outside.

The young Goblins, under the scolding of the adult Goblins, prostrated on the ground with reverence.

Looking at the dense crowd of green-skinned Goblins outside, Li Meng grinned.

"All the big Goblins, come in!"

After leaving this instruction, Li Meng turned and entered the wooden house.

The big Goblins outside the house hurriedly ran inside.

The wooden house was in disarray, with sawdust piled high on the floor.

In the corner, a large bundle of spears was stacked.

"These are newly forged weapons. Distribute them."

Hearing this, the big Goblins greedily eyed the spears piled in the corner.

Iron weapons were far superior to the wooden clubs in their hands.

They had long known that the boss had sent a group of Goblins to the caves to forge iron weapons.

Over the past few days, they often saw Goblins carrying weapons into the boss’s wooden house.

But without the boss’s permission, they could only watch enviously.

"Mine, mine!"

As soon as Li Meng spoke, the big Goblins rushed forward, scrambling to grab the spears.

Watching his subordinates bicker over the weapons, Li Meng sighed inwardly.

These Goblins were indeed as foolish as ever.

He told them to distribute the weapons, and this was how they did it?

"Stop! All of you, stop!"

Li Meng’s stern shout startled the big Goblins mid-scramble.

All the big Goblins quickly dropped their weapons.

They bent over, looking at the angry boss with fear.

"Gobuqiang, you handle the distribution!"

Gobuqiang’s face lit up upon hearing the boss’s words.

The boss asking it to distribute meant all the weapons were essentially his?

This was great!

Gobuqiang hurried to the doorway.

"Gobuqiang, I told you to distribute, not hoard!"

Li Meng’s scolding glare stopped Gobuqiang in its tracks.

Seeing its expression, Li Meng immediately knew what it was thinking.

Forget it, I’ll do it myself.

Sighing in exasperation, Li Meng walked to the corner.

"Come back. I’ll handle the distribution!"

Inside the wooden house, Li Meng began distributing weapons to his Goblin subordinates.

"Only when everyone has their share is it called distribution. Understand?"

As he distributed the weapons, Li Meng lectured his subordinates about fairness.

Whether they understood or not didn’t matter; they needed the concept of sharing.

Even if they didn’t comprehend, the Goblin subordinates instinctively nodded.