"Guardian, can you speak?"
The goblin guardian gave a subtle shake of its head.
Meng Hao sighed in mild disappointment.
He had hoped for someone to converse with—alas, the creature was mute.
"You've got a mouth, don't you? What's it even for then?"
The guardian shrugged with a blank expression, clearly at a loss.
Wood for brains, indeed.
Still, at least it could understand him, which was something.
Meng Hao opened the barracks interface to review the creature's specifications:
Unit Type: Goblin Guardian
Rank: Tier-1 Warrior
Constitution: Essence of Wood
HP: 100
Attack: 35
Armor: 0
Magic Resist: 0
Weapon: None
Overview: A loyal sentinel with immense strength but sluggish mobility. Capable of executing simple tasks. Serves as a cornerstone of base defense. Regenerates health within forested areas—the greater the forest, the faster the recovery rate.
Daily Sustenance: 3 loaves of bread or steamed buns, 300ml of freshwater.
Meng Hao's thoughts stirred. No wonder it could recover health near trees—it was born of wood's essence.
If only I had that trait… I'd just lie down in a forest to heal.
Gazing at the eastern woodland, he was grateful he hadn't cut any trees. Resources on the base were precious—what seemed trivial today might prove invaluable tomorrow.
He patted the goblin's shoulder—it was solid, reassuring.
With food and water in abundance, its upkeep was no burden.
His farm produced one bread or bun every ten minutes—144 daily.
As for water, the seawater purifier churned out 2,000ml an hour at the cost of two wood units—amounting to 48,000ml daily.
At this rate, supporting a goblin guardian was effortless.
In theory, he could sustain up to 96 guardians.
Thanks to the 100x reward bonus, water was plentiful—but bread might become a bottleneck.
The barracks produced one guardian per hour—24 per day.
In four days, that would be 96 guardians.
But wait, Meng Hao inhaled sharply—that doesn't even account for my own consumption.
He himself required at least six loaves and 3,000ml of water daily.
Today's roasted serpent was a bit salty—he'd likely need even more water.
And the tropical heat only sped up dehydration.
Exploring new islands to expand resources was imperative.
"Big guy, know how to kill zombies?"
The goblin blinked, puzzled.
Meng Hao chuckled awkwardly. "Been a while since I've talked this much. Don't mind me. Here—take this and come with me."
He fetched a freshly forged spear from the armory and handed it to the goblin.
As the guardian grasped it, its posture straightened, a faint aura of menace rippling from its frame.
Its profile updated:
Weapon Equipped: Spear (Black Iron Tier)
New Attack Power: 35 + 15
Clearly, stronger weapons would further enhance its stats.
The presence of Armor and Magic Resist fields hinted at future upgrades—this game was becoming richer by the minute.
Meng Hao returned to the central drift platform and initiated his third voyage.
The island slowly accelerated in the direction indicated by the arrow.
With every upgrade and swallowed isle, its mass—and speed—increased.
Through fog and wave, the fortress sailed on.
This time, the acceleration halted early—the target was close.
After five minutes, a two-kilometer-wide island emerged through the mist.
It was lush, with a stunning grove of coconut trees lining the shore—each tree heavy with fruit.
The gentle sea breeze swayed the trees as if welcoming his arrival.
Just the coconuts alone are a treasure trove, Meng Hao thought. In this world of desperate thirst, even one could drive players mad.
As the base neared within ten meters, it stopped—no jolt, no sound.
The drift arrow turned gray: 0/3.
His final voyage for the day was done.
[New Island Discovered — Deploy?]
Without hesitation, Meng Hao confirmed.
The bridge appeared—two meters wide—linking both islands.
Turning, Meng Hao beckoned. "Big guy, hold this position. Got it?"
The goblin nodded vigorously, stepping to the bridge's edge, gripping its spear tightly, like a living statue.
Fierce and unyielding.
Meng Hao grinned. "If zombies charge, stab first, ask questions never. Clear?"
The goblin nodded again.
Meng Hao patted its shoulder. "It's your show now, brother."
With that, he slung his 98K over his shoulder and strode toward the new island.
Since guardians couldn't leave the base, Meng Hao planned to lure zombies back to the bridge—then let the goblin handle them.
A tier-1 warrior with a spear should manage a few undead with ease... right?
In time, once enough guardians stood guard at the bridge, he could just play bait while they did the dirty work.
Even Meng Hao couldn't believe it—his desperate survival adventure was slowly morphing into…
a tower defense game.