At this moment, Red felt like his choice of sparing Tob’s life was the best choice. He didn’t forget to reward Tob as well, ensuring the little guy would remain loyal to him. Another attempt on Darla, and it seemed like they were the same kids from back then as well.

The question was how they evolved ahead of him? The evolution was what gave them the confidence to fight him, as well as his issue with the Matron.

Red was confident that he had absorbed more cores than any kids from his generation. He had killed a lot of beasts and kobolds. So why didn’t he evolve?

He checked his status, afraid that he had missed something. But there was nothing that was out of place, or something that might offer him an evolution. This bothered him. He told himself that he was taller than the hobgoblin, and maybe he was born a hobgoblin?

’Is it possible?’

’Later, let’s think about it later. I still need to get rid of my enemy.’

Red put the mystery back of his head and focused on the upcoming problem. The two hobs planned the action after dinner. They were quite smart for that because they didn’t want to disturb the food distribution.

Darla was in charge of everything, from cooking to the garden affair. If she missed during the work hour and found that they were the culprit. The other hobs and goblins would kill them for it.

He wished they would take action now. If he caught them red-handed now, he had the justification to beat them or even kill them. That way, he could leave the village at ease.

Time was not on his side since the Chief ordered him to leave the village to scout the jungle again. The reason why the Chief was strict with his questioning was that Matron sent a message courier to the King’s tribe. The Chief wanted to make sure that he was not lying, or else the King would punish the Chief.

The Chief wanted Red to show that the threat was real by bringing seven hobgoblins with him. The kobold’s area of activity was deep in the jungle. It would slow him down with seven hobs following him.

’I just need to show them the threat is real. That means I just need to find one or two groups of kobolds.’

’It also helps me know when they will take action, but I must return before dark.’

If he was not wrong, Darla usually would go back after finishing the share for dinner. She was usually already back at home by the time he returned. A plan formulated in Red’s mind.

His eyes went cold as he made up his mind to leave the home. He headed to the main kitchen, where he found the seven hobs. The seven hobs were enjoying their food at the table near the counter. Bowls were piling up on the table, a sign that they liked the food.

That was thanks to Darla, who made the improvement. The reason her status elevated among the goblins.

"Tell me when you guys are ready to leave!" He said to the seven hobs.

The hobs just waved their hand at him casually, telling him not to bother them.

He shrugged and approached the counter, but his eyes looked at the table in the corner, where two hobs and six goblins gathered. One of them was Tob, pretending to mingle with the group.

Red entered the kitchen. Ten female goblins were assisting Darla in the kitchen. Cutting the meat, cutting vegetables, washing the dishes, and two were close to Darla, sitting before the big pot. They helped her by stirring the big pot.

He pulled Darla out of the kitchen, which spooked her. She was at the edge after the morning, but at ease when she saw Red. They left the kitchen through the back door.

"Stay here... night..." He told her to stay in the main kitchen until night. That was just to be safe in case he didn’t return in time.

Darla’s expression strained, "You." She pointed at his chest, then she pointed to herself, "Want me to stay here until night?" She said it slowly.

"Yes. Stay... here night."

She took a deep breath, nervous, "May I know why?"

Red responded with a confused expression. She said too fast that he didn’t understand everything, only the word "I".

"Why?" She repeated.

"Danger... You... danger..."

Darla quickly caught on to what was going on. Red was called early in the morning, the Chief’s return with the hobs. She saw more women in the cave as well. She thought of asking Red to allocate a few women under her. She changed her mind, realizing that Red’s position in the village might be in danger.

"Don’t worry... I protect you..."

She was at ease after hearing that from Red’s mouth. Even though the words sounded broken, it was relieving when someone was on her side. She understood the assignment; she was asked to stay as long as possible in the kitchen.

It meant the one who targeted her or Red could not take action openly. That meant she just needed to be around a lot of goblins and other hobgoblins, even though they terrified her.

They returned inside, and Red had a few bowls until one of the hobs approached him, telling him it was time to leave. He would like two more bowls, but then the faster he left, the quicker he would return.

Red departed with seven hobs following him. He didn’t plan to scour the area nearby, heading straight to where the kobolds were. The kobolds were still in the Dire Lupus’ territory, and he hoped they would still be there.

He was in the front, and the seven hobs were three steps behind. They were well equipped, with armor on their shoulder and wrists made of metal, but not on their chest. They didn’t even wear leather armor like him, but they had something to cover their thighs and knees.

Two of them were carrying axes, a big one. Three of them were carrying mace, a hammer, and a massive, long staff. The remaining two were carrying a shield and a blade. He didn’t know what to say about their equipment.

’Do they survive outside there with that kind of equipment? Maybe I can survive outside too if they could.’

Red wanted to ask about what kind of world was outside there, but he kept it for himself. As they entered the jungle, he climbed the tree.

"Where are you going? We can’t follow you if you are on the tree!" one of the hobgoblins raised his voice.

"I will go ahead and scout the area first. Just follow my voice and instructions! It’s more effective this way!"

Red went ahead by himself, leaping between the trees while remaining hidden. He would return after scouting twenty tree areas ahead of the team. He told them to enter the jungle instead of following the established path.

Fortunately, the hobgoblins were not the hard-headed type and listened to his instructions. It was much slower than what he usually did, as he had to go back and forth. However, it didn’t take long before he discovered the first group of kobolds.

A group of seventeen kobolds was heading toward where his group was. He didn’t hesitate to turn around and go back. The kobold was walking slowly, giving him more time to report the situation.

A group of seven hobgoblins was waiting, sitting behind the tree, waiting for his report. He jumped off the tree and landed next to them. That startled them, raising their weapon at him, but he didn’t care.

"I found the kobolds!" Red pointed in the direction where the kobold was.

The seven hobgoblins had a surprised look on their faces, quickly throwing away the curses they were about to say at him.

"A group of seventeen kobolds with four archers, twenty trees ahead of us. Only four of them are well-equipped."

"We should go back and report it to the Chief! We are not far from the village." One of the hobs suggested escaping after hearing the number. That was a sensible decision, but not with Red here.

"No! We kill them! We will set up an ambush and kill them all!"

That shocked the seven hobs, not expecting to hear that from Red.

"We can kill them all if you listen to me!" He said with confidence, and it convinced the hobs.

Red found a good spot for an ambush, the terrain with tall roots that could be used as a hiding spot for the hobs. They listened to the plan and agreed to the ambush.

He brought them to the spot and instructed them where to hide. The spot was where four trees grew close to each other, which caused the roots to come out on the surface taller than the others. They would hide where, and he would be the bait to lure the kobolds here. That was why they agreed, because he put himself as the bait.

Red quickly sprang into action and found the group of kobolds within ten trees where the ambush was. He scanned the group and quickly identified the high-level kobold. They were his first target, not the archer.

He took a deep breath before pulling an arrow, nocking it on his bow, and aiming at the kobold that wore full plate armor and a helmet. He used a new arrow, too.

They were walking slowly, not too hard a target. He released the first shot. Then took the second arrow, aiming at the second target in the middle of the group.

The metal clanked and resounded in the air as one of the kobolds fell to the ground with an arrow in the head. That shocked the group, but Red was not done as he was ready with the second shot. The second shot hit the head as well, and the kobold with a sword fell.

That was when the kobolds reacted, looking around, trying to find the attacker. By that time, Red was ready with his third shot. The third shot hit the archer, who was still in the open. That was when the kobold spotted where the arrow came from.

The kobold pointed at the tree where Red was. Red purposely revealed himself, turning around and running. He had taken down three kobolds; fourteen remaining.