Chapter 23: Children

Hearing his father's words, William's whole body shuddered; he never thought that just by guessing, his father had already figured out the truth.

He knew that his father could ask this question, which showed that his father now firmly believed he was a reincarnated person; perhaps his father had long suspected him.

When was it exposed? Was it when he could use martial arts before awakening his magic, or when he tentatively mentioned goblins afterward? Or perhaps it was his day-and-night trap-making.

Probably all of them.

Yes, given his father's meticulous thinking, he likely had already pieced together all the inexplicable things that happened to him; otherwise, his father wouldn't have ignored those matters before.

William nodded, not uttering his father's words about dying in battle to protect the village.

But just doing that, his intention was already obvious.

David looked at his son with a complex expression, unwilling to speak of his own death's truth, and gently ruffled William's messy black short hair, smiling: "In that case, I trust your arrangements; I'll leave these matters to you, William."

William raised his head, seeing his father's trusting gaze, and for the first time since his rebirth felt not so lonely; he nodded firmly and said, "Don't worry, Dad, I will surely complete my task smoothly; I'll entrust the village folks to you."

David nodded and said, "You'll definitely manage; you're my son after all!"

At this moment, father and son were of one mind, no more need for extra words; David immediately led Bulande running toward the village.

William and John then headed to the place they had previously scouted; when they arrived, the companions who had gone to fetch the traps were already there. Seeing William and John arrive, they immediately stood up and said, "William, all the touch-hair style damage traps are here, over four hundred of them; the remaining excite-hair style traps we placed in the wheat field."

William nodded, told everyone the number of goblins they had discovered, then ordered: "I will go ahead to scout the goblins' movements; William will relay my messages; the rest of you, follow the second-stage plan and begin setting up the touch-hair style damage traps."

Several children, hearing that hundreds of goblins were about to attack Bigen Village, were all shocked, but they immediately obeyed William's orders, each carrying dozens of traps, scattering to place them on the goblins' necessary paths within the Magic Forest.

John closely followed William again, cautiously moving toward the goblins' direction; William turned back and said, "Don't stay too close to me, otherwise if the goblins spot us first, I won't be able to get you away."

"Okay." John nodded in agreement, slowed his pace, keeping a distance from William that allowed him to just barely see William's hand signals, and followed behind.

In the Magic Forest, the goblin army's side, after waiting a long time without seeing any of their scouts return, an elite goblin beside the goblin chief said, "Chit-chit-chit-chit-ga, ga-chit-chit-chit-chit-ga." (The scouts are probably all dead; our tracks must have been exposed.)

The goblin chief, with a stern face, ordered the troops: "Ga-ga!" (All troops, advance!)

"Woo-woo-woo!"

A huge horn blast sounded, and the goblin army launched an attack toward the human border outside the Magic Forest.

Not far away, William and John heard the huge horn blast coming from the forest ahead, immediately stopped advancing, concealed themselves, and William signaled John far behind with hand gestures.

John immediately understood William's meaning, nodded at him, then turned back the way they had come.

After the few setting traps saw John appear, they asked, "John, how's the situation? We just heard the huge horn blast."

John said: "The goblin army has already begun its attack,

Don't continue placing traps forward; start here, setting traps while retreating."

The few children nodded to show understanding; John then immediately turned back toward William's direction.

In Bigen Village, David and Bulande went straight to the office of village chief Old Bulande; David told Old Bulande everything about William and the others discovering the goblin army appearing outside the Magic Forest; after listening, Old Bulande's face showed utter disbelief.

"It's true, Father; I saw it myself. Hurry and gather the villagers to evacuate to Mobius Town, or we'll be too late." Bulande, seeing his father find it hard to believe David's words, immediately urged him.

Old Bulande, seeing his son say the same, confirmed David wasn't joking, and immediately told the young secretary beside him, "Ring the great bell at the village entrance; quickly organize everyone to evacuate!"

The young aide hurried out of the village chief's office, sprinted all the way to the village entrance, picked up the small trumpet iron hammer placed beside the great bell, raised his arm and rapidly kept striking the great bell.

"Dang-dang-dang-dang-dang-dang!!!"

A series of urgent bell rings; the villagers of Bigen Village, whether resting at home or working in the wheat fields, all lifted their heads toward the village entrance, for the great bell there is only rung for important matters, meaning a call to gather quickly.

The villagers promptly put down their tasks and headed toward the village entrance; once they arrived, Old Bulande immediately informed them of David's report that the goblins were about to attack Bigen Village.

At first the villagers were somewhat doubtful, but just then, from the distant Magic Forest came the huge horn blast only armies possess, and the villagers all panicked.

"Don't panic! Don't panic! Evacuate in order! Adults are responsible for bringing their elders and children, don't get separated!" Old Bulande stood on a wooden table and shouted loudly at the villagers.

Immediately afterward, several voices rose from among the villagers; someone suddenly said, "My child is missing—has anyone seen my Xiao Lin?!"

Upon hearing that, another person also said, "My child too—has been missing since this morning; who's seen my child?"

As they spoke, everyone realized that the several missing children were those who often played alongside William and Bulande; all eyes turned to David and Bulande standing beside village chief Old Bulande.

Bulande, upon hearing this, said, "Mrs. Merlin, don't panic; those few are with William in the Magic Forest setting traps, to buy more time for everyone's evacuation."

Upon hearing this, the villagers all looked at David in astonishment; seeing him nod to confirm it, their hearts were instantly filled with shock and worry.

Xiao Lin is Mrs. Merlin's grandson; Mrs. Merlin worriedly said, "But Xiao Lin is after all just a child—will placing traps before the goblin army arrives put him in danger?"

A nearby villager cheered, "Mrs. Merlin, don't worry; don't forget David is a silver-rank adventurer—I often see members of the White Eagle Squad training William, and with William leading those kids, they'll surely be fine."

Mrs. Merlin still wanted to say something, but since these children were buying time for the villagers' safe evacuation, they were now the heroes in the villagers' hearts; after thinking, she swallowed her worried words.

Village chief Old Bulande said, "Alright, no hesitation—everyone, act now; just take some clothing, don't take any belongings that would slow you down, for nothing is more important than life!"

Under the young secretary's direction, the villagers immediately began the evacuation; Old Bulande turned to his son beside him and said, "All right, Bulande, you should also evacuate with your mother."

"Father......" Bulande wanted to speak but held back.

Old Bulande looked at his son's hesitant expression, understood his meaning, and after much thought said, "Well then, hurry to join your companions; they need you."

Bulande, seeing his father agree to let him stay and fight alongside William and the others, nodded happily and said, "Don't worry, Father; I will surely be safe."

Old Bulande looked at David, patted his shoulder, and said, "My son and the other few children are now in your care."

David nodded and said, "I will guarantee their safety with my own life."

Old Bulande sighed and said to David, "Our sons have grown up in the blink of an eye!"

David thought of the reborn William and said, "They must have gone through many things to have grown up this way."