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The moon hung low over Dragon's Rise Village, casting a silver glow on the newly fortified walls and the Hero Altar, which pulsed with an otherworldly light. Lin Feng stood beside it, still reeling from his latest hero summon: Diao Chan, the legendary dancer of the Three Kingdoms, whose jade fan twirled lazily in her hand as she surveyed the village with a coy smile. Her presence had already set off a chain reaction—Li Mei's icy glares were practically sub-zero, Zhao Yun was offering her his flask like a lovesick puppy, and the villagers were whispering about their Lord's growing "collection" of beauties. Lin Feng, level 6 and armed with his disguised Immortal Rank talent, was starting to realize that managing a harem might be trickier than fighting Void monsters.
**[Host, congratulations on summoning Diao Chan. Her Jade Fan Dancers are speed demons with illusion tricks, perfect for outsmarting enemies. But heads-up: Harem Candidate #1 (Li Mei) is one frost spell away from turning you into an ice statue. New Quest: Diffuse the harem tension. Reward: 150 EXP, Charm Boost (Temporary). Failure: I'll make your next battle soundtrack a love ballad on loop. You've been warned, Lazy Emperor.]**
Lin Feng groaned. "A love ballad? You're trying to kill my vibe, aren't you?"
**[My vibe is chaos, and you're my canvas. Also, check your village: That goblin chieftain you captured last chapter? It's plotting something.]**
Lin Feng's head whipped toward the makeshift cage, where the goblin chieftain—still netted and tied to a post—glared at him with beady eyes. Its tusks twitched, and it muttered something in goblin-speak, probably cursing his entire bloodline. The villagers had dubbed it "Grumpy," and someone had stuck a straw hat on its head, making it look like a disgruntled farmer. Lin Feng smirked. "Plotting? That guy's got the IQ of a moldy turnip."
"Don't underestimate goblins, my Lord," Diao Chan said, her voice like a gentle breeze. She stepped closer, her fan brushing his arm, sending a shiver down his spine. "They're cunning in their own crude way. Perhaps I could… persuade it to talk?" Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and Lin Feng swore he heard Li Mei's frost wolves growl from across the village.
"Uh, let's hold off on that," Lin Feng said, stepping back. "I've got enough fireworks to deal with."
As if on cue, Li Mei stormed over, her blue robes billowing like a winter storm. "Lin Feng, what's the plan? Or are you too busy flirting with your new *dancer* to care about the next Void rift?" Her tone could've frozen the sun, and her frost wolves bared their teeth at Diao Chan, who merely smiled and waved her fan.
Zhao Yun, leaning against a nearby tree, chuckled. "Kid, you're in deep. Want my advice? Run."
**[Harem tension at critical levels. Diffuse this, or I'm picking the sappiest ballad I can find.]**
Lin Feng raised his hands like a peacekeeper. "Ladies, chill—literally, in Mei's case. We're a team. Mei, your ice spells saved us last rift. Diao Chan, your dancers are gonna mess with the next wave's heads. We're stronger together, yeah?"
Li Mei huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine. But if she tries any of her 'charming' tricks on you during battle, I'm freezing her fan."
Diao Chan's laugh was like tinkling bells. "Oh, dear Frost Empress, I only charm those who deserve it. Our Lord is safe… for now." She winked at Lin Feng, who felt his face heat up despite himself.
**[Quest progress: Harem tension reduced by 20%. Keep it up, Harem Hoarder, or it's ballad time.]**
Before Lin Feng could respond, Fatty Zhang jogged over, his face red from hauling stone for the village's new watchtower. "Feng-bro, we've got a problem! Grumpy's been chewing through the net, and some villagers swear they saw goblin tracks outside the walls!"
Lin Feng's smirk vanished. "Tracks? I thought we mopped up all the goblins last rift."
**[Told you, Host. Grumpy's got friends, and they're not happy about your scarecrow stunt. Side Quest: Investigate the goblin tracks. Reward: 100 EXP, Goblin Intel. Penalty: Grumpy stages a jailbreak.]**
Lin Feng sighed. "This is what I get for trolling. Alright, team, let's check it out. Zhao Yun, sober up. Mei, Diao Chan, you're with me. Fatty, guard the village and keep an eye on Grumpy."
Fatty saluted, his stone golems lumbering behind him. "On it, Feng-bro. Don't let the ladies fight over you out there."
Zhao Yun drained his flask and grabbed his spear. "Let's hunt some goblins. Maybe they've got wine."
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The forest beyond Dragon's Rise Village was dense, its trees twisted by Void energy. Lin Feng led the way, his Celestial Command aura boosting his team's morale. Zhao Yun's dragon knights scouted ahead, their spears glinting. Li Mei's frost wolves prowled the flanks, while Diao Chan's Jade Fan Dancers—five lithe women in green robes—moved like shadows, their fans ready to cast illusions. Lin Feng couldn't help but notice how Diao Chan's dancers kept glancing at him, giggling behind their fans.
"Focus, Lin Feng," Li Mei snapped, her breath visible in the chilly air. "Or are you too distracted by *her* minions?"
Diao Chan smiled sweetly. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Empress. Our Lord needs all his allies, not just your wolves."
**[Harem tension rising again. You're terrible at this, Lazy Emperor.]**
"Enough, both of you," Lin Feng said, spotting tracks in the mud—small, clawed prints leading deeper into the forest. "Goblins don't leave tracks this neat. Something's up."
Zhao Yun crouched, sniffing the air. "Smells like trouble. And… sulfur? That's not goblin stink."
A rustle in the bushes made everyone tense. Lin Feng signaled, and Diao Chan's dancers moved first, their fans glowing as they cast an illusion: a fake Lin Feng appeared, waving a shiny sword. Seconds later, a dozen goblins burst from the undergrowth, screeching and swinging clubs at the illusion. They were uglier than Grumpy's crew, with red tattoos glowing on their skin—Void-enhanced.
"Now!" Lin Feng shouted. Li Mei unleashed a frost wave, freezing half the goblins in place. Zhao Yun's dragon knights charged, spears piercing the rest. Diao Chan's dancers wove illusions, making goblins swing at empty air or attack each other. One goblin, confused, hugged a tree and sobbed, "Mama?"
Lin Feng laughed, drawing the Goblin King's Cleaver from last chapter's loot. He didn't need it—his team was overkill—but he wanted to look cool. He sliced through a goblin, then tripped over a root, landing face-first in the mud.
**[Critical hit to your dignity. Harem Candidates are judging you. Hard.]**
Li Mei snorted, barely hiding her smirk. Diao Chan offered a hand, her fan brushing his cheek. "Careful, my Lord. The forest is treacherous."
Zhao Yun cackled. "Kid, you fight like I drink—sloppy but effective."
Lin Feng scrambled up, wiping mud off his face. "Laugh it up, team. We're not done yet." He noticed a larger goblin hiding behind a tree, clutching a sulfurous pouch. "You! Spill it, or I let Mei freeze your toes off!"
The goblin squeaked, dropping the pouch. "Mercy, great one! We's just following orders from Grumpy! He say summon big boss for revenge!"
"Big boss?" Lin Feng frowned. "What, Grumpy's got a manager?"
**[Warning: Void energy spike detected. That pouch is a summoning catalyst. Brace for impact.]**
The ground split open, and a Void rift tore open, smaller than the last but oozing malice. A creature emerged—not a goblin, but a **Goblin Shaman**, level 10, with a staff topped with a skull. Its robes glowed with red runes, and it chanted, summoning a swarm of fiery imps—goblin-tier minions with a nasty bite.
"Free Grumpy, or burn!" the shaman hissed, its voice grating like nails on a chalkboard.
Lin Feng grinned. "Burn? You picked the wrong day to mess with my village." He activated Celestial Command, boosting his team's strength by 20%. "Mei, ice the imps! Zhao Yun, take the shaman's left! Diao Chan, mess with its head!"
The battle was a glorious, hilarious mess. Li Mei's frost wolves tackled the imps, turning them into ice cubes. Zhao Yun's dragon knights flanked the shaman, but one knight slipped on a frozen imp and slid into a bush, cursing. Diao Chan's dancers cast an illusion, making the shaman think it was surrounded by dancing Lin Fengs, each one taunting, "Yo, your staff's tacky!" The shaman swung wildly, hitting air.
Lin Feng saw his chance. He grabbed the sulfur pouch, tossed it into the rift, and yelled, "Mei, freeze the rift shut!"
Li Mei's eyes widened, but she complied, unleashing a blizzard that sealed the rift in ice, trapping the shaman's magic. The shaman shrieked, its staff fizzling. Zhao Yun finished it with a spear toss, pinning its robe to a tree.
"Stay there and think about your life choices," Zhao Yun slurred, toasting with his flask.
The imps vanished, and the surviving goblins fled. The team looted a chest from the shaman, finding a **Shamanic Totem** (Boosts summon speed by 10%) and three more **Void Shards**. Lin Feng hit level 7, his stats climbing.
**[Side Quest: completed! Reward: 100 EXP, Goblin Intel (Grumpy's gang is part of a larger clan). Main Quest: updated: Interrogate Grumpy. Reward: 150 EXP, Mystery Item. Nice teamwork, but your mud dive was peak comedy.]**
Lin Feng wiped his face, grinning. "Worth it. Let's drag this loser back and grill Grumpy."
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Back at the village, Grumpy was indeed chewing through its net, but Fatty Zhang had reinforced the cage with stone bars. The goblin chieftain, glared as Lin Feng approached, holding the shamanic totem like a trophy.
"Talk, Grumpy," Lin Feng said, tossing the totem at its feet. "Who's your boss, and why the revenge party?"
Grumpy snarled, but Diao Chan stepped forward, her fan glowing. "Speak, or I'll make you see nightmares of endless dances." Her dancers hummed, their illusions flickering.
The goblin cracked. "Big Boss Urgok! Clan King of Ur Goblins! He want you dead for shaming us! More come soon!"
Lin Feng smirked. "Urgok, huh? Sounds like Jerk-OK. Thanks, Diao Chan." He turned to his team. "We've got a goblin clan to crush. Mei, you in?"
Li Mei sighed, then nodded. "Only if you stop calling me Mei-Mei."meime."
"Diao Chan smiled, "I'll keep our Lord focused, Empress.", Empress."
Zhao Yun raised his flask. "To smashing goblins and surviving the harem wars!"wars!
Lin Feng laughed, checking his stats. With two heroes, a feuding harem, and a goblin clan to troll, Dragon's Rise was thriving. The 30-day Void descent loomed, and Abyss-level was still his goal. But first, he'd turn this goblin rebellion into another legend—and maybe dodge Li Mei's next ice shard.
**[Harem tension at: 30%. You're skating on thin ice, Lazy Emperor. Prep for the goblin clan, or Grumpy's cousins will paint your village green.]**
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**To be continued…**
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