三个女人的秘密工作生活

Chapter 136: Raiding the Mountain Monkey's Lair part 7

"What do you mean by this?" Gnarlak pointed at one of his kins tied with a rope inside the hut.

Kayn replied embarrassingly. "Don't worry, I didn't harm him. Though I did threaten him a bit,"

He approached the Goblin and quickly removed the rope that tied his body.

The instant the Goblin was untied, he immediately ran to the back of the Gnarlak.

Kayn sat on the chair at the table and invited Gnarlak to come to sit with him. He then beckoned the other Goblin to guard the door which the latter followed after seeing Gnarlak giving him a signal that everything is fine.

"How familiar are you with the Mountain Monkey's Lair?" Kayn initiated their discussion.

"I've basically lived my whole life in here. Although some things have changed over the years, I am still confident in my familiarity with this place,"

"That's good. So, are you familiar with the boss of this Monster Lair?"

Gnarlak slightly shivered. "Mountain Gorilla,"

"Exactly!"

"Wait… are you telling me that you want us to fight against that beast? That would be… impossible…"

"You and you people will fight that beast. But it would be alongside us,"

"Even so… I still don't think it is possible to defeat the Mountain Gorilla,"

"We don't have to defeat it. We only need enough manpower to distract it so that I can steal an item that I need,"

"If you put it that way, I believe it's possible. But, I just have some concerns, if it's okay?" Gnarlak slightly hesitated.

"You can freely state your conditions and concern, and we'll discuss them," Kayn gestures with his hand.

"You could probably guess it already, there are women and children amongst my people. If it's okay with you, I don't want them to participate in this fight,"

"They'll just be liabilities, so I agree. What else,"

"I want to assign five men with them as an escort, and while the rest of us come with you, I want them to get out of this mountain first,"

"I am afraid that can't be possible,"

"Why?"

"The only reason why you even bothered to have this discussion with me is that you want to protect your people. Once they get to safety, I highly doubt that you'd still stick with your words,"

This isn't the first that he had discussed establishing alliances with people from other races. So, he could easily understand the underlying meaning and the hidden agenda behind their lines.

"Then what do you propose?"

"You can assign five guards, but we will be putting all of them under protection," In other words, imprisoning them.

"Do you mean just like the wall you've constructed to protect us from the fight?" Gnarlak glimpses at the remnants of the wall. "Then how can we be certain that you will truly set them free and not use them to threaten us once we complete what you've asked us to do?"

"I guess all you can do is trust us," Kayn smirks. His side obviously has the upper hand in this discussion from the very start, so he plans to have it remain that way till the very end.

"That would be…"

"Look, I don't know if you're underestimating me because I am young or perhaps you still don't understand your current situation clearly. But let me put it bluntly for you; you don't have any other choice but to accept," Kayn said solemnly.

"Our side is already being generous and merciful enough that we even bothered to have this conversation with you. If it was any other people, they would have immediately eliminated all of you right off the bat and be done with it,"

"The only leverage you hold here is that we need your assistance in distracting the Mountain Gorilla. If you can't do it, then there's no use in keeping all of you alive,"

"Do you understand now?"

"I do…" Gnarlak finally decided to abandon what he was planning deep inside. He initially plans to betray and abandon Kayn and the others in the fight against the Mountain Gorilla if the latter had accepted his condition of letting his people escape first. But it's very evident right now that Kayn is not to be underestimated. This young man is not foolish and ignorant as he thought.

"If you want to keep your people alive, just put your faith in us, and as long as you perform accordingly, we will not kill you. If you don't believe me, take that kin of yours," Kayn pointed at the Goblin standing at the door. "As an example. I told him that as long as he doesn't do anything stupid when I get back, I will let him live. See, he is well, fine, and most importantly, still breathing,"

"Can I talk with my people?"

"You have until the end of the day. If you still can't give me an answer by then, we will do what he intended to do from the start,"

Gulp!

Kayn suddenly hears a gulping sound outside the door.

With a smile, he added. "I think someone doesn't want that either,"

After saying that, Kayn stood up and left first to meet up with Friedrich and the others.

Friedrich immediately asks. "How did it go?"

Gilbert said in concern. "Did they try to do anything stupid?"

"Was he able to understand you?" Chastine wonders.

"Of course he can," Jude felt stupefied.

"I was just asking," Chastine coldly harrumph.

Kayn explains. "Everything is fine. I gave them until the end of the day to give me an answer. If they still don't, you all know what to do,"

"I kinda prefer that to happen," Natasha licks her lips.

"Me too," Jackson muttered.

"Okay, that's enough. Let's start setting up our camp so we can take a rest," Friedrich interrupted.

…..

Not sure if it is really evening or morning because they are deep underground, but after a few hours of patiently waiting, Gnarlak came to find Kayn in their campsite.

Gnarlak was blocked by Charles before he was let inside just to make sure that he isn't carrying any harmful objects that could endanger Kayn's life and safety.

Inside the tent were Gilbert and Jude, the former being Kayn's personal bodyguard and the latter the party leader.

"You can sit first," Kayn pointed at a pillow opposite from him.

Gnarlak did as he was asked.

"So, have you come to a decision?"

"Yes, but I have… no, the children and women want me to inform you of their request,"

"Let me hear it,"

"They agree to be temporarily imprisoned while the rest of the men fight alongside your warriors. But, they want you to give them weapons,"

"Why?"

"No matter how hard I persuade them, they are still suspicious of you and your people. They don't believe yet that you would really let them out once everything is done. So, in case something bad happens and you don't stick with your promise, they want to at the very least be able to fight for their lives,"

"That's truly admirable," Kayn clapped his hands a few times. "What do you two think?"

"I don't have any problem with that," Gilbert smiled.

"Regardless, we intend on keeping our word once we are done with everything," Jude nodded his head.

"You heard them. We will begin distributing the weapons they need before we begin making our way for the boss fight. In the meantime, go and prepare your men and tell them to rest well because they will be going through a hard battle tomorrow,"

"Thank you," Gnarlak expressed his appreciation before leaving the tent.

As soon as Gnarlak left, Friedrich and Chastine got inside the tent. They sat on a chair with solemn looks on their faces.

"What do you two think?"

"You've handled it quite well," Friedrich still can't believe that Kayn was able to make the Goblins cooperate with them.

"You truly deserve the recognition of Old Chief George!" Chastine expressed his amazement.

"Enough with your compliments. So, is it alright for the two of you?"

"Giving them a weapon or not giving them a weapon doesn't matter much for us. All we need is their assistance in dealing with the boos. Once that is over, they can go wherever they want to go and whatever they please,"

Chastine agrees. "That's right. It would even be better if we can defeat the Mountain Gorilla with their help,"

"I doubt that," Kayn isn't confident in that part.

He had seen and even experienced fighting against Mountain Gorillas in the past.

Although their side has the numerical advantage, the Mountain Gorilla is not the same as Earth Gorillas.

Unlike Earth Gorillas who aren't still proficient in the use of their Gifts and natural ability, the Mountain Gorilla is talented in both. Not to mention, it possesses intelligence comparable to theirs, or higher depending on their life experiences.

If they were fighting against a Mountain Gorilla just now, all of those strategies they've used would barely affect it.

Flooding using the Springwater Source Bonsai? It would simply create a wall around it so that the water won't be able to reach it.

Whirlpools? It would cover the holes so the whirlpools would stop.

Kiting? It would chase, but not to the extent of falling into a trap.

<<Blaze spell>>? It would definitely run away just like them and not receive the attack directly.

The best way to deal with the Mountain Gorilla is none other than to clash with it directly.

Find its weakness and take advantage of it.

Slowly chip away at its health.

And fight head-on.

They can use strategies, but they should expect the Mountain Gorilla would do something to counter it.

"We'll see about that tomorrow,"