"That’s right, draw a card and place it down," Shire said, standing behind a Fulu and guiding it. "Now, play a card. That two-leaf one will do. Your hand is full of bird tiles."
The Fulu aimed one eye stalk at its own tiles and the other at the center of the table. After a moment of thought, it discarded the tile painted with two green leaves.
Shire then scurried over to the Fulu beside it and instructed it on which tile to play.
After a few more rounds like this, one Fulu finally won. It swept up the little stones the other Fulu had wagered, and all its tentacles flushed a joyous light pink.
"Another round!" Shire said, a brilliant smile on his face.
The last time he went exploring to the west, these big round discs had been dead set against leaving the Fortress, no matter what he said. If he’d had a Fulu with him, he might have been able to detect that powerful Druid sooner. At the very least, he could have found a way to establish Mind communication with those goblins and come up with a better plan.
So ever since he got back, he had been trying to figure out how to spark some initiative in the Fulu.
But the creatures just spent their days drifting about curiously, looking here and there. They were either pestering the little goblins or gathering around to watch Agatha, until Shire discovered that the Fulu loved to collect pretty little stones.
He immediately sent an order form to Mary, having her purchase a batch of seashells with utmost urgency.
The seashells didn’t cost much. They were just items some sailors had brought from the coast near Torch City to sell in Yangjiao Town, hoping to earn enough for a bit of Light Beer. Shire bought the whole lot in one go.
He then presented these white "White Stones"—which reflected an iridescent light—to the Fulu, and the big round discs took an immediate liking to them.
"Bandit is a good person. These stones are pretty."
"So pretty! Are they for me?"
"Don’t call him Bandit. Call him Lord Hero."
Shire nodded. Putting on a profound air, he announced that because they had made many contributions to the Fortress, he would agree to distribute these "stones" among them.
Once all the Fulu had received an equal number of White Shells, he brought out several round, furry cushions. He’d had Mary specially commission them from a furrier. They looked like cat beds, with a soft base and a raised rim, and were just the right size for a Fulu to nestle on.
"There aren’t many of these cushions, but I can sell them to you," Shire said. "They only cost a few of those little stones I just gave you."
After all the Fulu had a chance to try them out, some were indeed willing to make a "payment." Not only did he sell all the cushions, but he even took a few backorders.
Finally, Shire brought over a few square tables and revealed his "fangs."
"This game is a great test of Intelligence, strategy, and luck," Shire said with a smile as he placed some bone tiles on the table.
He had modeled the game after mahjong, but had replaced the traditional patterns with images of flowers, leaves, birds, and fruits.
The Fulu were intelligent and erudite creatures, brimming with curiosity. So, under Shire’s guidance, it wasn’t long before they were hooked on this "Forest Tiles" game.
They gathered around the square tables, playing with immense enthusiasm. The other Fulu floated behind them, watching intently. In fact, the spectators were even more excited than the players.
After a few rounds of Forest Tiles, White Shells were being tossed onto the tables as betting chips.
With winners came losers. Shire watched a few Fulu float away from the tables, venting puffs of air, their tentacles turning a deep, sorrowful blue.
"Oh, right! I have something," Shire called out to the Fulu. "In a few days, I need to go exploring to the east and could use an assistant. I was wondering if any of you could help. I can pay the Fulu who helps 50 White Stones."
The Fulu clustered together, whispering among themselves. Before long, one of them floated over. "Bandit, are you really offering 50 White Stones?"
"That’s right," Shire confirmed with a nod.
The Fulu hovered in place, pondering for a moment. "Will it be dangerous, Bandit?"
"Of course not. I definitely wouldn’t let you get into harm’s way. If there’s any danger, you run first," Shire said, his tone earnest.
The Fulu continued to ponder.
"How about this: I’ll add a fieldwork bonus of 10 stones, for a total of 60 White Stones," Shire offered.
"Okay, Lord Hero." The Fulu finally bobbed its two eye stalks in agreement.
"I’ll let you know when we’re leaving," Shire said with a grin.
’With a Fulu, he might be able to detect evil creatures in advance or even communicate with ants. That would make it much less likely for him to stumble into danger.’
’Besides,’ he thought, ’I’ll arrange some jobs for the Fulu in the future, create little gadgets for them, maybe even upgrade the White Shells to little gold nuggets or Gemstones. That way, there will always be a Fulu willing to take on a commission. That last Fulu, for instance, had bought a cushion and then gambled away all its stones.’
He had also prepared for the expedition by having Agatha purchase a large quantity of Blazing Fire Glue. Everyone would carry four or five of them. If they ran into danger, they could just start throwing.
Blazing Fire Glue didn’t just explode; it also stuck to enemies and burned them. ’A giant spider, you say? Three vials of Blazing Fire Glue will turn it into a giant roasted spider.’
If he could just capture and Control a few more Giant Ants, the construction project for the Tree-man Race could finally begin.
...
Little John stood at the ship’s rail, gazing out at the sea. The vessel was about to head up the Darren River, all the way to Yangjiao Town.
His observations over the past few days had finally borne some fruit. On the other hand, he had killed those lackeys from the Public Security Bureau, which had sent the whole of Torch City into a manhunt. He’d had no choice but to leave for a while.
"I wonder how the boss and Mary are doing, especially with the Storm Brotherhood around. Those guys are supposed to be tough. I hope they don’t find the Fortress," Little John muttered to himself.
He knew Shire had sent him away on purpose, to keep him from getting caught up in the trouble. Little John was grateful for that. He was glad he’d made the choice he did back then.
"A goblin can be a good employer, too," Little John said with a smile.
"Pardon the interruption, but did I just hear you mention goblins?" A clear, feminine voice spoke up beside him. A young woman with a round face and red hair styled in a braided bun approached him.
"Ah, yes. Can I help you?" Little John asked, a hint of wariness in his voice.
"Well, I’m with the Earth and Life Church. I’m on my way to Yangjiao Town, and then into the forest. From the looks of you, you’re an Adventurer, right?" The young woman covered her mouth and yawned. "I was wondering if you’ve seen a high-level Druid in Yangjiao Town?"
"A Druid?" Little John thought for a moment. He had seen Druids from the Church before, but they were all rather unremarkable.
"AHH—!" A scream pierced the air. Little John and the young woman turned simultaneously to see a Skeleton Soldier in tattered clothes, brandishing a scimitar, clamber over the ship’s rail and land in front of a female passenger.
"These Undead Sailors," the young woman sighed. "Always interrupting my naps."
With that, she lunged forward. With a "MROWL," she transformed into an agile black panther and swatted the Skeleton Soldier away with a single swipe of her paw.
Meanwhile, Little John drew the Great Sword from his back, his eyes scanning the perimeter. More Skeleton Soldiers were clambering over the rail. Soon, the observation deck was swarming with Undead Sailors. The other passengers had grabbed chairs and long poles before retreating into the ship’s cabins.
"BANG!" A sweeping strike from Little John sent two Skeleton Sailors flying, but more were still climbing aboard. The young woman from the Earth and Life Church had now transformed into a hulking Owl Bear and was tearing through the crowd of skeletons, swinging her massive forepaws.
’She’s incredible,’ Little John thought, watching her effortless display with a touch of envy. He cut down a Skeleton Soldier, then focused his mind. His eyes flashed red, and the five Undead Sailors in front of him froze in place, dazed.
’I’m getting better at this.’ He grinned and swung his Longsword, knocking the stunned Undead Sailors to the deck.
"Hmm?" The roaring Owl Bear trotted over, gave Little John a curious look, and then charged back toward the other Skeleton Soldiers.
Soon, thanks to their combined efforts, the pack of Undead Sailors was wiped out. The young woman reverted to her human form and approached Little John. "I’m surprised. Your Swordsmanship is pretty good, and you even know dazing Magic."
Little John couldn’t explain how he had this Ability himself, but he said modestly, "No, I’m no match for you. You could have easily handled these Undead Sailors on your own."
"I could have, but they might have rushed the cabins and hurt the passengers. If you hadn’t been guarding the door, there likely would have been casualties." The young woman gave a polite, shallow bow, then yawned again. "My name is Sofia. What should I call you?"
"You can call me Little John." Looking at the blackish-gray skeletal remains scattered across the deck, Little John frowned. "Why are creatures like this around Torch City?"
"Who knows," Sofia shrugged. "It’s probably the work of officials from the Second Prince and Third Prince’s factions. I’ve had to deal with quite a few of these Undead Sailor incidents lately."
"The officials are behind this?" Little John asked, surprised.
"Each side wants to push the other out and monopolize the entire harbor. It’s a gold mine, after all." Sofia gazed at the bustling port in the distance and shook her head. "Politics are such a pain."
"Don’t they even consider the civilians on these ships?"
"Oh, they considered them," Sofia said with a smile, kicking a Bone at her feet. "That’s why these Skeleton Soldiers stop moving the moment they’re shattered. It’s just intimidation tactics."
Little John fell silent. The words of that old commoner back in Torch City suddenly seemed incredibly profound. ’Politics and profit are just games for the nobility.’
"So, you’re heading to Yangjiao Town to find a high-level Druid?" Little John changed the subject.
"Mhm. A renegade Druid hiding in the forest. He’s extremely dangerous. If you see him, run away immediately and don’t look back." For the first time, Sofia’s expression turned serious. "But I’m also there for other business, of course."
"Other business?" Little John looked at her, his mind already racing. ’I need to get back and tell the boss as soon as possible. There’s a powerful Druid in the forest; we have to be extremely careful.’
"The Church discovered that the Main God has blessed a region of the Nightmare Forest. That should be impossible—there aren’t any churches or Divine Halls for the God of Earth and Life in that forest," Sofia said, rubbing her drowsy eyes. "So I have to go see what’s going on."
"Heh," Little John chuckled. ’All sorts of strange things happen in that forest.’