Zhang Ying rushed to the far end of the room. The goblins could sense the fear in others and target those who are afraid or panic first. Running away from the crowd will give him enough time to look for a proper meat shield.
As if it’ll be that easy.
Everyone was looking for powerful people to support them. Those who were strong looked for reliable or desirable people. Unfortunately, he didn’t fall into either category.
Alana might have found him cute, but that was because of his submissive attitude. The quality she found desirable was laughable to the others.
As for reliability, Zhang Ying didn’t have that either. Reliable people were those who could fend for themselves. Zhang Ying, who didn’t even have a weapon, didn’t fall into this category either.
In his last life, people were lining up for his help as he was a priest. But now, people turned away when they saw him running their way. Even Liang Mei was busy hugging Gao Rong’s thigh. She only glanced at him once before turning away.
But Zhang Ying didn’t want their help. Not in this life.
Just then, Zhang Ying noticed a burly man standing ahead with a sword. Zhang Ying was quick to use the [Inquire] skill on him.
+++
[Name: Ping Fan]
[Title: None.]
[Age: 21]
[Nature: Hardy]
[Job: Street Brawler]
[Strength: 21]
[Agility: 6]
[Stamina: 21]
[Intelligence: 6]
[Endurance: 30]
[Luck: -1]
[Magic: 0]
[Evolution: N/A]
+++
“Hey!” Zhang Ying called out. “Hey, you! The one with the sword!”
Ping Fan casually looked over, pointing at himself.
“Yes, you! Help me out, please!”
“Can you fight?” Ping Fan asked.
“Yes. But I need help first.”
Ping Fan seemed to hesitate at first, but then suddenly his expression changed.
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[User has enough Persuasion stat.]
[Targets with low intelligence can be influenced.]
[Persuasion was successful!]
“Get behind me!” Ping Fan urged, raising his sword.
Zhang Ying smiled with satisfaction. Who needs arrogant assholes when he could manipulate fools into doing his bidding? Unfortunately, he couldn’t even sigh in relief before two goblins jumped at Ping Fan.
“Watch out!” Zhang Ying shouted.
Ping Fan turned and clumsily swung the blade. Zhang Ying realized Ping Fan did not know how to wield the blade. He kept wildly swinging the blade, his lack of skills baffled even the goblins.
But their fun could only last so long. One goblin ducked under Ping Fan’s wild swings and stabbed his leg with a dagger. Ping Fan cried out, stumbling backward. The second goblin took advantage, leaping onto him and driving its dagger into his chest.
“Fuck!” Zhang Ying yelled.
The goblins forced Ping Fan on the ground and kept stabbing him. A pool of blood formed around him as he struggled in vain. Soon, the sword slipped and fell from his grasp.
With the goblins busy, Zhang Ying jumped towards the sword. He might not have the stats, but he had the experience. As long as he got a weapon, he’d deal with the goblins.
But as soon as he touched the blade, it turned to dust and crumbled.
“What the hell?” Zhang Ying exclaimed.
[The User can only wield class-specific weapons.]
“What are those!?”
[None. A tamer’s weapons are his pets.]
“...”
The commotion attracted the goblins’ attention to Zhang Ying. With a smirk, the two turned towards him. Zhang Ying panicked, causing the goblin’s smile to widen.
But something felt off. One goblin stopped the other as if saying only one of them was enough for Zhang Ying. The other goblin shrugged and stepped back.
Zhang Ying clenched his fists, ready to face the goblin with his fists. But then the goblin lunged at him. Zhang Ying raised his fist, but then someone kicked him from behind.
“Oof—“
Zhang Ying fell to the ground, with the goblin before his eyes. In that split second, Zhang did the only thing he could—he squeezed his eyes shut and braced for the end, hoping he would reincarnate again.
He waited for the blow. And waited... and waited... but the blow never came.
Slowly, Zhang opened his eyes. The goblin, who’d been eager to kill him, stood frozen before him with its hand on the side.
“What’s going on?” Zhang Ying mumbled.
[Due to the user’s incompetency, the system auto-used the skill:
[Congratulations! You have captured a Goblin.]
+++
[Name: Unnamed Goblin]
[Gender: Female]
[Rank: Grunt]
[Type: Wild]
[Level: 3]
[Exp: 12/150]
[HP: 69]
[Mana: 0]
[Nature: Nimble]
[Job: None.]
[Strength: 11]
[Agility: 21]
[Stamina: 11]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Endurance: 9]
[Luck: 2]
[Magic: 0]
[Evolution: possible]
[Abilities: 3]
+++
Zhang Ying was stunned. The class he had been cursing out till now suddenly didn’t seem useless.
Meanwhile, the goblin kept staring at Zhang Ying like a dog waiting for his command. The goblin’s partner sensed something and screeched, looking at the goblin, but she didn’t reply.
It infuriated the other goblin, who lunged at Zhang Ying. But then his newly tamed goblin reacted and jumped before him with surprising speed. She screeched back, blocking the goblin’s attack with her dagger.
For a moment, Zhang was too stunned to react. He had a goblin fighting for him. Not a human, but a goblin.
The fight between the two goblins was quick. Zhang Ying’s tamed goblin was faster and outsmarted the other. With a spin kick, she sent the other sprawling onto the ground.
Wasting no time, Zhang Ying’s goblin jumped on top of her fallen foe. The other goblin screeched, clawing and slashing desperately, but in vain. Zhang Ying’s goblin pinned the other’s arms with her legs, then she raised the dagger, repeatedly stabbing the goblin who dared attack her master.
[Green goblin slain!]
[You gained 20 EXP.]
[
“Woah...” Zhang Ying mumbled, staring at the notifications.
Meanwhile, his goblin got off her fallen brethren and approached him. Blue blood dripped from her face and hands. She quickly wiped the blood off her face before lowering her head towards Zhang Ying, as if awaiting praise for her work.
Zhang Ying looked at her and smiled. This was enough, something he could work with.