Overlord: Start from the Goblin Lair.

Chapter 3 To survive!

"Good day, I guess I should call you... Warlord?"

Ron flattered him tentatively. The hobgoblins were born for war and had a strict and clear military hierarchy, from the highest warlord to the lowest soldier.

"First of all, it's already afternoon. Secondly, I'm Karad, Captain Karad."

The hobgoblin leaned on the "throne" made of leather, bones, some gems and precious metals, looking down at Ron below the steps.

Although he tried his best to appear majestic and fierce, Ron could still tell that he benefited greatly from what he had just said.

Warlord Kalade, how pleasant it sounds...

Kalade broke free from his brief reverie and spoke fluently in the common language: "You are the guy who suddenly appeared. I heard that you came to question my decision? And you said that this would lead to the death of all of us?"

At this point, Kalade's ferocious nature reappeared. He would never allow any soldier to question his judgment - let alone prisoners!
"Yes," Ron looked directly at the other party. He knew that he could not hesitate at this moment, otherwise the slaughterhouse would be his grave. "I don't think there is a priest or scholar here to point this out to you?"

"You are right. No priests were born here," Karad said without hiding the fact. "Are you a priest or a scholar?"

"I don't study theology, but I am indeed a scholar," Ron nodded, "I heard that it hasn't rained here for a long time, and even the rivers have dried up."

"Drought," Kalade concluded succinctly.

"And your hunters' prey is becoming increasingly difficult to find?"

"We're hungry. But we still have some food, so I plan to migrate north and find a new base before the food runs out."

"Then let me be frank: Captain Kalade, you will only find frozen deer and starving hunters in the north. Because neither drought nor famine is accidental."

"If you want to listen to a long story, I can explain the principle to you; but I guess you prefer a simpler one."

"No," Kalade raised his hand, a cunning light flashing in his yellow eyes, "I want to hear you explain the principle."

"Or maybe you are not a scholar at all, and you are just trying to deceive me in order to save your life?"

I have a lot of thoughts...

Ron was very troubled by this, but fortunately he did have some knowledge.

"The principle is very simple. The warm climate before caused the melting of glaciers in the north," Ron said. "Ice is water, and it is fresh water, which has a different salinity from seawater."

"A large amount of glacier melt has entered the sea, causing the salinity of the seawater to decrease, and the decrease in salinity will lead to a decrease in density, which will make it impossible to support the warm current from the north to here."

"Usually, warm currents contain tremendous heat, which can raise the temperature and humidity over a large area, making it conducive to the growth of all things."

"Then you can think about it, if such a warm current suddenly disappears, what changes will it bring?"

"meeting……"

"It will bring about a significant drop in temperature," Ron interrupted Karad and answered his own question. "Cold and drought will follow. According to the documents I know, this has happened in history. The temperature in the northern part close to the pole dropped by nearly ten degrees in just three years, and the temperature in the southern part will also drop by four to eight degrees. Please note that this is not a seasonal change, but a year-round temperature drop."

"Under low temperatures, plants that once relied on warm climates to grow will be delayed or even unable to germinate, deer and rabbits will have no grass to eat, and hunters who hunt them will also starve to death - unless they are first frozen into popsicles in the biting cold wind."

"I'm done. Can you give me some water to drink? Oh, I forgot. You guys have been cut off from water."

"So you're saying... the weather is getting colder because the weather is getting warmer?" Karad looked at Ron in disbelief. "That's too outrageous!"

"That's it in a nutshell," Ron smiled. "As for outrageous, don't you think it's more outrageous that I suddenly appeared in your base?"

"This... No way! I don't believe your judgment!" Kalade stood up suddenly, "What warm ocean current... We don't know how far away from the sea we are!"

"Besides, the prey is clearly migrating northwards. Are we going in the opposite direction?"

"So you've decided to die with your prey, Captain?" Ron retorted. "Or are you not really a captain, and you don't even want to be a hobgoblin warlord, but just a... I don't know, a deer herder?"

"I pointed out the possible risks to you, but you insisted on going to die?"

"No, I will naturally become a warlord," Karad wavered. "Well, if we don't go to the north, then where should we go? Stay here and die of starvation and thirst?"

"I can't just tell you this," Ron shook his head, "otherwise wouldn't my only value be as food?"

"I can help you show the way, but you have to let me live. It's a deal, deal?"

"I knew you wouldn't be so kind," Karad said with his big mouth cracked, "but I don't agree."

"You should understand the current predicament better than me. If you are just a guide and can't do anything, your value is not even as good as your flesh and blood.

"You have to give something more valuable in exchange for this life."

"What if I say I can make potions?" Ron was not panicked at all, and played his trump card as if he had expected it. "No one can be sure what they will encounter on the migration route. Your army doesn't have priests, so the value of a doctor should be heavier than my weight, right?"

"There happens to be a witness here who has seen what I am capable of."

Geology is just an elective hobby, and pharmacy is Ron's main profession.

If he remembered the DND group rule book correctly, a bottle of healing potion was worth fifty gold coins, and a member with relevant skills could reduce the cost by half!
The social level of goblins is far lower than that of humans, elves or dwarves, etc. To them, Ron's skill will only be more valuable!
"You mean - are you serious?!" As expected, Karad looked at Ron in shock, "Do you really have this ability? Driver?"

"Yes, Boss. He just picked some bitter herbs and cured my Big White!" Driver quickly testified.

"I am more capable than that," Ron smiled. "You can bring some better herbs and alchemy tools. I can verify my words in person."

Compared with the previous geological questions, Ron is quite confident in his profession - even in this goblin nest that lacks experimental equipment!
"We don't have that kind of reserve." Karad pondered for a while and finally compromised. "Okay! Considering your previous explanation, I will tentatively believe that what you said this time is also true."

"You can survive, and the direction of our future migration will be determined by you. But if I find out that you don't know how to treat it——"

Karad walked up to Ron, bared his fangs, and breathed hot and stinky air on Ron's face: "I'm going to eat you alive!"

"It's a wise choice," Ron looked at Kalade and smiled sincerely for his survival. "But before the migration begins, I have a request for you."

"Speak." Karad stared into Ron's dark eyes.

"I want to borrow the half-elf in your prison. I need her to lead the way to other nearby settlements to purchase supplies and gather information. At the very least, I need a map that covers a larger area."

"No!" Karad refused. "You want to escape? And you want to take a prisoner with you? Don't expect that. My patience is limited."

"What if I'm willing to bring a goblin who can speak the common language to supervise us?" Ron's eyes rolled, "Like a defeated adventurer team. The goblins can wrap themselves up tightly and no one will recognize them."

"If the half-elf and I tried to escape, we would be killed instantly—and I want to live very much, as you can see."

"Hmm..." Karad groaned, "Well, if you are sincere, then I can be merciful and make an exception for you. I can even give you some coins to trade."

"As for the person to guard you, Driver, you speak the Common Tongue well, so you will be in charge."

"Don't worry, boss. I will definitely take good care of him!" Driver patted his chest loudly.

"As for the half-elf, go find her yourself. Unless she voluntarily wants to be turned into excrement, she will agree to your request."

As Kalade spoke, he dragged out a broken wooden box from behind his "throne" and opened it, which was full of various coins.

"Come on, grab a handful. Captain Kalade, the future hobgoblin warlord has granted you the use of his treasure for me and my army!"

Ron used both hands to take out a handful of copper coins, silver coins and a small amount of gold coins, asked Kalade to take a cloth bag to put them in and tie it up tightly, and then showed a sincere smile to the hobgoblin captain:
"For survival!"

(End of this chapter)