Chapter 360: Recruiting Sailors
It wasn't until the tribes in the Northern Marshlands and Black Mountain Marshlands gradually stabilized that Bai Ling felt her efforts were worthwhile.
With the intervention of the king, the swamp-dwelling Lizardmen in Goblin Forest had been unified once more.
Though this unification was under goblin rule, the king had resolved their most critical issue—food.
Without food shortages, the lives of the tribes improved significantly.
Many Lizardmen no longer resisted breeding offspring for the goblins.
After all, breeding goblin offspring was relatively easy compared to the painful process of normal gestation for their own species.
---
"Bai Ling, send a team to guard the Goblin River where it borders human territory and monitor human activity."
"This time, the human expeditionary force will likely attack via Goblin River."
Morris and his wife were actively preparing for war at the Garrison Fort, and the border lords were rallying their forces there.
The process of assembling troops and launching an invasion would take time.
Given the lack of high-tier combat power, Li Meng remained cautious.
While magic was powerful, military war mages weren't fools.
In this era, defensive magic far outclassed offensive magic, with a substantial difference in magical energy consumption.
Cities equipped with magic towers were protected by formidable magical barriers, making it nearly impossible to annihilate an army with god-level magic.
Even in field battles, accompanying war mages would ensure the army wasn't vulnerable to large-scale magical attacks.
Defense always took precedence over offense, as protecting the army's vital forces was paramount.
The swamp-dwelling Lizardmen were particularly suited for waterborne reconnaissance.
If the human expeditionary force planned to attack via Goblin River again, deploying scouts at the river bordering human territory was essential.
"Understood. I'll make arrangements tomorrow."
Bai Ling understood human nature all too well.
Until humans fully dominated the southern continent, they wouldn't stop expanding.
A war between the savage tribes in the outer regions and humanity was inevitable.
If not for the king, humanity's enemy would have been the demon race.
But now, the demon race had been driven out of the southern continent by the king, and the savage tribes were under his rule.
Peace wouldn't last forever; war would eventually come.
---
Time passed slowly, and the night deepened.
After returning from the Ogre Mountains, Li Meng had immersed himself in work.
The magic cannon of the airship was merely a prototype until he inscribed runes within its rifling, transforming it into a true weapon of war.
In the future, the airship fleet would become a crucial tool for siege warfare.
Before the human invasion began, more airships needed to be built in preparation for battle.
---
Half a month later, in the morning, Throne Tribe
"My king, these are my daughters."
In the throne hall, Margarita smiled warmly as she presented her daughters.
Her daughters appeared shy, glancing curiously yet nervously at the king.
Seated on the throne, Li Meng observed Margarita's daughters.
As a centaur, Margarita was naturally fertile.
Without any contraceptive measures in this world, procreation was the primary form of nightly entertainment for the savage tribes.
As for feeding the children, they dealt with it after they were born. Survival was uncertain.
Margarita had three daughters, each bearing a resemblance to her.
They all had waist-length coffee-colored hair and wore tight brown leather armor.
Their ample chests and the snowy valleys between them were plainly visible.
"Lia, Lina, Lisa, greet the king!"
Margarita's daughters were meeting the king for the first time, so their shyness was expected.
Seeing her daughters remain silent, Margarita prompted them.
Startled, the three quickly bowed their heads.
"My king!"
Their soft, melodious voices echoed through the hall.
The daughters were puzzled. Wasn't the king supposed to be a goblin?
But the figure on the throne was clearly human.
Scanning them briefly, Li Meng grinned.
"You'll stay in the palace for now. From today onward, you're my queens."
The king's blunt words made the three daughters blush.
However, their mother had already explained the situation before their arrival.
Whether they liked it or not, they had to accept the king's blessing.
"Yes!"
The three replied in unison.
Li Meng turned to Margarita.
"Take them upstairs and get them settled."
Margarita nodded and led her daughters out of the hall.
---
"Gobu Mo, come in!"
Li Meng called out loudly.
Moments later, a massive figure scurried into the hall, sliding to a stop before kneeling.
"My king, I'm here!"
"Pick some clever goblins and teach them how to operate the airships."
"You're not very busy, so this will be your task from now on."
Gobu Mo nodded enthusiastically, his large head bobbing up and down.
"Start training as soon as possible. We need combat readiness quickly."
---
Over the following days, Gobu Mo began selecting goblin sailors.
Within two weeks, the riverbank port became bustling with activity.
Where once the airships had sat idle, green-skinned goblins now swarmed the decks, chattering noisily.
On the decks, overseer goblins wielded whips, occasionally lashing their subordinates.
The yelps of the whipped goblins rang out incessantly.
---
A month later
The first airship finally left the port and soared into the sky.
One ship, then two, then three, then four—more and more airships took to the skies.
The ascending airships remained near the Throne Tribe, conducting training in the surrounding airspace.
---
A New Day, Afternoon
The weather was perfect, with clear blue skies.
Thousands of meters above ground, a massive airship roughly 120 meters long sailed through the air.
Its white sails made it strikingly visible against the sky.
The airship's immense size and 120-meter length gave it an imposing presence.
On the deck, goblins bustled about, operating the ship.
"Haha, we're flying!"
The goblin warrior steering the ship's wheel laughed excitedly.
"Boss, you should say we're flying!"
Beside him, a group of goblin soldiers nodded in agreement.
"The king said that we fits us goblins better."
The goblin soldiers on the aft deck nodded in unison.
"Haha, yes, we're flying! Boys, we're in the air!"
The goblin warrior laughed heartily, his joy echoing across the deck.