Chapter 34: The Cave
Marcus went to the spot where Hale ntioned the cave could be. And he arrived there after a ten minute ride. He hopped off from his JLTV Oshkosh and then scanned the place.
The entrance to the cave was two ters tall and one ters wide. And there is a sign next to it with a drawn figure of a goblin, warning those who may wander inside it.
"Okay, how should I handle this?" Marcus thought to himself as he thought of ways. Obviously, he won’t enter that cave blindly as there could be traps inside. He needed sothing that can scout the inside of the cave without him actually being there.
An idea popped up. He recalled that there is a small drone used by the military to conduct reconnaissance on enemy positions. It was so small, about the size of a bird.
He opened his system.
The interface appeared in front of him.
Marcus went straight to the drone section.
He scrolled for a bit until he found what he was looking for.
[Micro Recon Drone – 8,000 MC
Size: Handheld
Flight Ti: 30 minutes
Cara: Day/Night vision
Control: Remote interface]
Marcus nodded.
"...That works."
He tapped it.
[Purchase confird! Item is now transferred to your inventory!]
His balance updated.
[Balance: 12,801,540 MC]
Marcus reached into his inventory and pulled it out.
A compact drone appeared in his hand, along with the console needed to operate it.
He crouched near the entrance of the cave.
Then set the drone down.
"Let’s see what’s inside."
He powered it on.
The rotors spun up with a low hum.
Marcus lifted the controller and the screen ca alive.
A live feed appeared.
He pushed the control stick forward.
The drone lifted off and moved toward the cave entrance.
The mont it crossed the threshold, the light dropped.
Dark.
Then, the feed adjusted.
Night vision activated.
The image shifted to a green tint.
The inside of the cave ca into view.
Narrow passage.
Rock walls on both sides, just like a cave.
Marcus guided it deeper.
Careful not to hit the sides.
The drone moved about ten ters in.
Nothing moved.
But the signs were there.
Scratches on the walls.
Deep in so places.
Clusters of them.
Like sothing kept passing through the sa spots.
He pushed the drone further in.
The tunnel widened.
Marcus slowed it before entering.
He tilted the cara first, checking the opening.
Then moved forward.
The space opened up into a large chamber.
Not just a small pocket—this was wide. Almost like a hall.
The ceiling was high. Uneven rock pillars ford naturally across the area.
And inside, goblins.
A lot of them.
Marcus kept the drone steady.
They were everywhere.
Moving.
Talking in their own rough sounds.
So were sitting near piles of bones. Others were carrying scraps—wood, tools, even pieces of cloth.
Weapons were scattered around.
Crude spears.
Sharpened sticks.
Rusted blades.
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"...That’s more than fifty."
He adjusted the angle slightly.
More ca into view at the edges.
Easily over forty in this chamber alone.
And deeper inside—
More tunnels.
So this wasn’t the whole nest.
Marcus leaned forward slightly.
Then he saw it.
At the back.
One goblin stood apart. It was taller, wearing a white cloak, and held a staff. That must be the shaman.
And just as he was observing, one of the goblins stopped moving and looked up, and saw the drone.
It let out a screeching sound enough to alert the goblins around and all eyes were now on the drone.
"Shit, they found out."
Marcus pulled the controls back.
The drone reversed imdiately.
Inside the chamber, the goblins erupted.
Screeching.
Weapons raised.
So started rushing toward the tunnel.
Others threw whatever they had—stones, broken tools.
One passed close to the cara.
Marcus didn’t slow down.
He guided the drone back through the narrow passage.
"...They’re chasing."
The drone burst out of the cave.
Marcus dropped it low and cut power imdiately.
"...Alright."
He moved.
System.
The interface appeared instantly.
He went straight to heavy weapons.
[M134 Minigun Sentry – 120,000 MC]
He didn’t think twice.
"Two."
[Purchase confird!]
The balance dropped.
[Balance: 12,801,540 MC → 12,561,540 MC]
Two sentry systems appeared beside him.
Tripod-mounted.
Compact rotary barrels.
Ammo feed attached.
Marcus grabbed the first one and set it up to the left of the cave entrance.
Angle—about forty-five degrees.
Covering the opening but slightly offset.
He locked the tripod into the ground.
Stabilized.
Then moved to the second.
Placed it on the right side.
Mirrored angle, it would be a crossfire.
Anything coming out would be caught between both.
Marcus powered them on.
The systems humd to life.
Targeting modules active.
Barrels slowly rotating into idle.
"...Good."
Then he moved back.
He ran to the JLTV.
Opened the door and got in. He turned the engine on and repositioned the vehicle forward directly to the center of the cave’s entrance.
He stopped the vehicle.
Shifted to neutral then operated the infotainnt system of the vehicle to control the mounted turret on top of the vehicle.
He would be inside just in case goblins managed to survive the sentries. Their weapons would be no match against the composite armor of the Oshkosh.
Now, he has no idea where the goblins might be, but he was sure they were coming. After all, they were alerted by the drones, thinking there was soone who intruded their territory.
They are territorial by nature and so they wouldn’t let that pass.
The cave entrance stayed quiet for a mont.
And monts later, there were movents.
A shadow flickered inside.
One goblin appeared first.
Then another.
Then more behind them.
They began to gather near the opening, weapons in hand.
So crouched low, peeking outside.
Others pushed forward, crowding the narrow exit.
Marcus watched through the feed, finger resting on the trigger control.
He didn’t fire.
Not yet.
More kept coming.
Stacking at the entrance.
Waiting.
As if sothing behind them was pushing them forward.
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"Good, just align yourself properly, you’ll get your freedom rounds each."
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