novelraw Chapter 210: Goblins Have Grown in My Black Oil Field
Chapter 210: Goblins Have Grown in My Black Oil Field
After the small-scale conflict with the Gold Fang Tribe on the riverbank began, Iron Dragon Sorog did not personally join the battle; the main combatants were the cavalry and the Flying Dragon Group.
However, Sorog was far from idle.
In the Iron Dragon’s inherited treatise, The Prince, there was a saying regarding warfare:
"Look closely at every pattern on the enemy’s shield, and the sword’s edge will find the crack."
The more you understand your enemy, the higher the chance of victory.
Taking advantage of his ability to soar at high altitude, Iron Dragon Sorog concealed his presence and movements as much as possible while silently observing the goblins' activities, not limiting himself to the riverbank stronghold.
During this time, he discovered something strange.
The Gold Fang Tribe’s alchemical golems were used without restraint.
They practically squandered the alchemical golems, completely disregarding the enormous consumption these constructs required. These golems basically ran on black oil, and during operation, consumed vast amounts of black oil every single second.
At first, the Iron Dragon didn’t understand why but felt it was odd.He investigated this point further and then found other unusual things.
For example, the Gold Fang Tribe’s supplies, soldiers, and raw ore transportation did not use normal tribal methods but relied on steam wagons powered by black oil energy, similar to the alchemical golems. Although these wagons were of an old design, they were genuine alchemical freight vehicles.
In contrast, the Molten Iron Tribe’s transportation was quite primitive, mainly relying on beasts like armored rhinos to pull carts, faster methods being cavalry galloping on four legs or expedited air transport by flying dragons.
In fact, the Molten Iron Tribe was not incapable of using more advanced alchemical freight vehicles.
The old wagon blueprints were widespread—perhaps not aesthetically pleasing or delicate, but structurally simple and straightforward, far from complex. If they purchased core parts from merchant guilds and built basic components themselves, they could obtain them without excessive cost.
The key problem was the power supply.
Black oil fields were basically under the control of the Lothrian Federation. The black oil that the borderlands purchased from the southern Federation came at a heavily inflated price, making it impossible to support such consumption.
The Molten Iron Tribe had close connections with gemstone merchant guilds but still struggled to acquire black oil cheaply.
The black oil fields were abundant but tightly controlled. Unless one had deep background within the Federation, ordinary merchant guilds had to buy black oil at a premium.
Other tribes in the borderlands were in a similar situation.
In short, the Gold Fang Tribe’s behavior of using black oil like water to supply mecha golems and a large number of other alchemical creations was extremely abnormal.
Other tribes were insensitive to black oil because they had little demand for it.
But the Molten Iron Tribe was different. Because the Redwing Lord favored black oil, from Dragon Valley down to ordinary dependents, everyone was very sensitive to black oil. Hearing those two words would immediately raise ears and draw special attention.
Iron Dragon Sorog was no exception.
After clearly realizing this, he carefully did the math.
With their current resources, the Gold Fang Tribe’s high-intensity expenditure was absolutely unaffordable.
Yet, in reality, they could squander it.
Either they had channels to purchase black oil at low prices, which was basically impossible—the borderlands tribes were considered primitive barbarians by the Federation, and only unscrupulous merchants interested in profit traded with them.
Want Federation black oil in the cursed borderlands? Dream on!
Besides, there was another possibility:
The Gold Fang Tribe had their own black oil reserves and did not need to pay a high premium.
To verify this suspicion, every time Sorog dispatched soldiers to raid goblin strongholds, he took advantage of the goblins' distraction to personally scout their airspace carefully.
About a month later,
Iron Dragon Sorog approached the truth.
About a hundred miles east within the Gold Fang Tribe’s territory, there was an unremarkable plain—not a critical pass or strategic location—but the tribe stockpiled and stationed a considerable number of troops there, even maintaining aerial defense lines.
Sorog dared not approach recklessly.
He patiently observed from the outskirts and found that from this plain as a center, convoys frequently came and went, transporting sealed barrels of unknown substances to other strongholds.
Sorog tracked a convoy heading toward the riverbank.
At night, under cover of darkness, centaurs and the Flying Dragon Group launched a surprise attack on a goblin riverbank stronghold but were repelled by especially fierce mecha golems and heavy crossbow artillery.
Although they paid some price,
Sorog confirmed one thing amid the goblins’ cheers—the Gold Fang Tribe had almost certainly uncovered a black oil field.
And it was definitely not a recent event.
They most likely rose to power relying on black oil.
Other tribes in the borderlands were insensitive and uninterested in black oil. The Lothrian Federation had no troops stationed in the borderlands and lacked attention toward the tribes, so the black oil field’s existence went unnoticed.
“Based on current findings, it is basically certain that there is a black oil field within the Gold Fang Tribe’s territory.”
Iron Dragon Sorog said slowly.
Through his narration, Garoth roughly understood the situation and specific circumstances.
The Gold Fang Tribe had deployed heavy guards to the black oil field and set up vigilance and cover.
But perhaps due to the long-term lack of reaction from other borderlands tribes, they had become somewhat careless, squandering black oil, which caught the attention of the black oil-sensitive Molten Iron Tribe.
“Sorog, you are mistaken.”
The Red Iron Dragon slowly stood up, his scales as dark as the night, spikes on his sword-like forest standing slightly erect.
He said, “It’s not that the Gold Fang Tribe has a black oil field. It’s that my black oil field has grown the Gold Fang Tribe.”
The Red Iron Dragon’s fangs gleamed sharply as he said, “These worm-like creatures dare to encroach on my black oil field and squander my black oil so recklessly.”
Even though the black oil had been mined and used by the Gold Fang Tribe for some time, its value was still immeasurable.
Because it concerned his own future development, the Red Iron Dragon was burning with restless heat, itching to fly into the sky and charge toward the Gold Fang Tribe, beating those goblins to their knees, forcing them to surrender and obediently offer him the black oil field.
He took a deep breath to temporarily suppress his boiling greed.
The Gold Fang Tribe was deeply entrenched, with the black oil field located deep in their territory and heavily guarded. Flying there directly might not end well.
He needed to remain calm.
When dealing with the Gold Fang Tribe, he could not show rash strength.
He was the absolute core, but the Molten Iron Tribe’s strength also needed to be leveraged.
The Red Iron Dragon looked up at the wall of numbers and asked the brass-silver dragon lying on a rock slab, “Deborah, the war between the Molten Iron Tribe and the Gold Fang Tribe is about to escalate. Will you help me?”
The brass-silver dragon’s brow twitched, and her gaze flickered.
She overheard Garoth and Sorog’s conversation and felt that Garoth intended to plunder the Gold Fang Tribe’s black oil, which was an evil act.
The justice code of the Metal Dragons made her feel conflicted and struggling.
“The Gold Fang Tribe is trying to monopolize the riverbank near the Estonian Great River at the borderlands, completely controlling borderlands trade.”
The Red Iron Dragon said, “If they succeed, with goblins’ cunning and greed, they will definitely exploit every bit of value from this land and destroy the borderlands’ peace.”
He declared righteously, continuing, “We are punishing the Gold Fang Tribe for the borderlands, for the many creatures here, for peace and justice!”
Finally,
Garoth added, “After it’s done, I will give you ten high-quality magic gems as a reward.”
The brass-silver dragon was silent.
She originally wanted to refuse Garoth since war for plundering did not align with Metal Dragon principles.
But on the other hand, goblins were creatures of the evil faction, and punishing evil and upholding justice was what she, as a Metal Dragon, should do.
As for the naturally evil Red Dragon and Iron Dragon’s son... he was different.
Under Garoth’s gaze, the brass-silver dragon nodded firmly and said, “I will fight the evil goblins without hesitation!”
After receiving her answer, Garoth nodded ever so slightly,
[Dragon Taming Technique: Chapter of the Brass Dragon]
[Only one reason, one excuse, one reward is needed... The chaotic good natured Brass Dragon is happy to participate in an 'unjust' war.]
The Red Iron Dragon silently refined his Dragon Taming Technique.