Chapter 7

Luke gathered materials for the stone axes, his mind racing with calculations. "I'll need maybe at least a hundred stone axes to make a dent in the wall project," he muttered, frowning. "But cutting large trees would take an absurd amount of axes and strength. It would be better if I could find smaller trees or… bamboo. That would make things easier."

He sighed, frustration bubbling up. "Kghhh… this shit is really stressful. If I had better access to resources, I could—"

Suddenly, he stopped mid-thought. His eyes widened as he remembered one of his skills. "Wait a minute… Resource Detection! If I can find clay, I can make a furnace. And if I can find iron deposits, I can make proper tools. Maybe even an iron axe!"

Luke's frustration melted away, replaced by excitement. He activated his Resource Detection skill, a holographic wave spreading out from him and scanning the surrounding area. The wave highlighted nearby resources, but nothing significant stood out—just small deposits of stone and plant fibers.

"Hmm… maybe I need to look further," Luke said, scratching his head. As he pondered his next move, he noticed a goblin dragging an animal skin filled with water toward a stone pit in the village. The pit was already half-full, and the goblin dumped the water into it before turning to leave.

Luke's eyes lit up. "Water! If there's a water source nearby, there might be clay or other useful resources."

He hurried over to the goblin, who looked at him with curious yellow eyes. "Hey, where did you get that water?" Luke asked, pointing at the animal skin.

The goblin grunted, gesturing for Luke to follow. "Come. Show Lok."

Luke followed the goblin as they ventured into the forest, the moonlight casting eerie shadows through the trees. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at what looked like a small cave entrance, partially hidden by vines and foliage.

"This is it?" Luke asked, peering into the darkness.

The goblin nodded, leading him inside. As they descended, the darkness gave way to an otherworldly glow. The cave was larger than Luke had expected, its walls studded with glowing crystals that illuminated the space with a soft, bluish light.

"WOaaahhh," Luke said, his voice echoing in the cavern. "This is incredible."

The goblin pointed toward a small pond of water at the center of the cave. "Water here."

Luke's eyes widened as he took in the sight. "Damn, boy, this is a treasure trove."

He activated his Resource Detection skill again, and a holographic wave spread out through the cave. The wave highlighted multiple resources: coal, iron, copper, and the glowing crystals that illuminated the cave. The wave also revealed larger deposits of iron and coal deeper underground.

Luke laughed, the sound echoing through the cavern. "This is good. Really good."

The goblin, startled by Luke's sudden laughter, took a step back, its eyes wide with fear. "Lok… okay?"

Luke waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. This is just… amazing. We've got everything we need right here. Coal for a furnace, iron for tools, and even copper for more advanced crafting. This changes everything."

He turned to the goblin, a wide grin on his face. "You've done well. This is a huge discovery."

The goblin blinked, still unsure of what was happening but relieved that Luke wasn't angry. "Lok happy?"

"Lok is very happy," Luke said, clapping the goblin on the shoulder. "Let's head back and tell the chief. We've got work to do."

Luke and the goblin returned to the village, the feast now winding down. The chief sat on the porch of his hut, his sharp eyes scanning the village as the goblins began to settle for the night. Luke was about to approach the chief to share his discovery of the cave but hesitated.

"Hmmm… I guess any project besides the wall would be ignored for now," Luke muttered to himself. "I'll have to handle this on my own."

Before he could make a decision, a goblin came sprinting into the village, its chest heaving with ragged gasps. "Wolves!" it shouted, its voice panicked. "Wolves coming!"

The village erupted into chaos. The adults and caretakers quickly herded the children into the safety of the huts, while the hunters grabbed their newly crafted bows and spears, following the panicked goblin toward the edge of the village.

Luke's heart raced as the reality of the situation sank in. "Shit. I guess too much feasting will eventually attract these wolves. We're not ready for this."

He reached for his bow, only to remember that Grut had taken it earlier. "Of course," Luke muttered, frustration bubbling up. "Why wouldn't he?"

With no time to waste, Luke grabbed a spear leaning against a nearby hut. The weapon felt unfamiliar in his hands, but he didn't have the luxury of choice. He joined the group of goblins heading toward the village's perimeter, his mind racing with strategies.

As they reached the edge of the village, Luke activated his Scan Enemy skill, his sharpened senses picking up movement in the darkness. The holographic wave spread out, highlighting the approaching wolves—a pack of six, their eyes glowing in the moonlight.

"Alright, listen up!" Luke shouted, trying to take charge. "We've got six wolves incoming. Archers, take positions behind the spike traps! Spear users, form a line in front of them! We need to hold them off until we can drive them away!"

The goblins hesitated for a moment, unused to taking orders from someone other than the chief. But Grut, Rok, and Zog stepped forward, nodding in agreement. "Lok smart," Grut said, raising his bow. "We listen to Lok."

The goblins quickly followed Luke's instructions, the archers taking positions behind the spike traps while the spear users formed a defensive line. Luke stood at the front, his spear gripped tightly in his hands.

The wolves emerged from the shadows, their growls low and menacing. Luke's heart pounded as he activated his Scan Enemy skill again, analyzing their movements. "Hold your ground!" he shouted. "Wait for my signal!"

The wolves charged, their speed terrifying. Luke waited until they were within range of the spike traps before shouting, "Now!"

The archers let loose a volley of arrows, their aim shaky but effective enough to hit a few of the wolves. One wolf yelped as it stepped on a spike trap, its leg impaled. The others hesitated, their advance slowed.

"Spear users, forward!" Luke commanded, leading the charge. The goblins followed, their crude spears thrusting at the wolves. Luke's Melee Proficiency skill kicked in, guiding his movements as he struck at one of the wolves, driving it back.

The battle was chaotic, but the goblins held their ground. The wolves, realizing they were outmatched, began to retreat, their growls fading into the night.

The goblins cheered, their voices filled with relief and triumph. Luke leaned on his spear, catching his breath. "We did it," he said, a tired smile on his face.

Grut clapped him on the back, his grin wide. "Lok strong! Lok smart!"

Luke nodded, his mind already shifting to the next steps. "We need to hurry with that wall. This won't be the last time they come."

As the goblins dragged one of the wolf corpses back to the village, Luke stayed behind, his mind racing with ideas. He activated his Blueprint Creation and Analysis skill, the holographic panel flickering to life in front of him.

"Is it possible to design a wall with just branches?" he muttered, dragging wooden branches and plant fibers into the workspace. "It's going to be brittle, but it's better than nothing. At least it'll stop the wolves and funnel them into one path."

He lined up the branches vertically, weaving plant fibers horizontally to hold them together. Then, he added another layer of branches on top, creating a tall, makeshift wall. The system analyzed his design, and a notification appeared.

**[Branch Wall

Durability: 90

Resources Needed:

24x Wooden Branch

10x Plant Fiber

Functional Custom Blueprint Created!

+5 Tech Points Earned.]**

Luke nodded, satisfied. "I guess this will do for now. We're gonna need tons of branches and plant fibers to make this project into fruition."

Before he could start gathering materials, a goblin approached him, panting. "Lok! Chief call you!"

Luke followed the goblin to the center of the village, where the chief stood, his massive frame towering over the others. The chief's sharp eyes locked onto Luke as he approached.

"Lok," the chief said, his deep voice carrying across the village. "When wall be made?"

Luke took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "Tomorrow, Chief. But the wall will be made of branches instead of tree logs. Our tools aren't sturdy enough to cut down large trees yet."

The chief grunted, nodding. "Chief understand. Goblins try cut tree. Impossible."

Luke nodded in agreement. "Exactly. But I have another idea. I'll build a ditch—a trench—around the village and fill it with spikes. It'll slow down any attackers and give us time to defend the wall. But I'll need more goblins to help me. Can you issue an order?"

The chief's eyes narrowed as he considered Luke's suggestion. After a moment, he nodded. "Chief order. Goblins help Lok. Make village safe."

Luke felt a surge of relief. "Thank you, Chief. We'll get it done."

The chief raised his hand, addressing the village. "Goblins! Tomorrow, work with Lok. Build wall. Build… trench. Protect village!"

The goblins cheered, their guttural voices rising in unison. Luke felt a sense of determination as he looked around at the tribe. They might be primitive, but they were willing to work together to protect their home.

As the village settled down for the night, Luke opened his Goblin Village Management panel, reviewing the resources they'd need for the wall and the trench.

**[Goblin Village Management

Population: 47

Morale: High

Resources: Low

Defenses: Minimal

Upgrades in Progress:

Branch Wall

Resources Needed:

24x Wooden Branch

10x Plant Fiber

Spike Trench

Resources Needed:

30x Wooden Branch

20x Plant Fiber

50x Stones]**