I started with a portal, then turned around and handed it over to the nation.

Time passed second by second.

The birdsong in the woods seemed to have disappeared, leaving only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the sound of everyone breathing.

Finally, faint footsteps came from the woods ahead.

They're one of our own.

The two teams emerged from the morning mist, their formations complete, their steps steady, carrying a hint of gunpowder, yet appearing perfectly orderly.

Long Fei's voice rang out again on the public channel:

"Condition?"

The snow wolf squad leader, leading the way, strode into the defensive line and responded in a deep voice:

"Safety."

Without further hesitation, Long Fei issued the order.

"Organize your gear, regroup, and prepare to return!"

"Snow Wolf is ready!"

"The eagle is ready!"

"The tiger is ready!"

Three clear responses rang out almost simultaneously in the headset. Long Fei turned to look at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo nodded heavily.

He raised his hand and made a light gesture in front of him, confirming an instruction that only he could see.

"Command confirmed: Open portal."

The next second, space began to distort in the open area in the center of the Tigers' defense.

A ball of white light appeared out of thin air, rapidly expanding to form a square light gate taller than a person, emitting a steady glow.

Inside the portal, everything was milky white, obscuring the view on the other side; only an aura of another world emanated from it.

"Tiger Team, advance and establish defenses! Snow Wolf Team and Eagle Team, take all supplies and enter in alternately!" Long Fei's orders were concise and efficient.

"yes!"

The Tigers immediately sprang into action, forming a circular defensive line centered on the portal, with all guns pointed outwards, keeping watch for any movement in the forest.

The Snow Wolf team and the Eagle team began an orderly withdrawal.

Carrying their equipment, mechanical dogs, and backpacks full of samples, they walked into the portal one by one.

The figure vanished instantly upon contact with the white light.

From a distance, Renn, hidden behind the boulder, could see everything clearly.

He covered his mouth tightly to keep from crying out.

The portal that appeared out of nowhere overturned his understanding.

He watched as the warriors walked into the portal and disappeared one by one. The whole process was quiet and swift, without the slightest delay.

Renn's breath caught in his throat.

He finally realized that these people, like goblins and minotaurs, came from another world.

But they are different.

They are good people.

Just as Lin Mo, as the last person, was about to step into the portal, a sudden change occurred.

boom--!

An explosion came from a distance, in the direction that the Snow Wolf Team and the Eagle Team had been moving in.

Immediately afterwards, several more explosions were heard.

Boom! Boom!

The sound of the explosion echoed through the valley, startling countless birds in the forest.

The sudden loud noise startled Renn, who looked up sharply and saw wisps of black smoke rising from the direction of the explosion.

His heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

Have the goblins caught up with us?

They started fighting?

Lin Mo stopped in front of the gate of light and looked back. Long Fei also frowned and looked into the distance.

"It was the tripwire of the stun grenade, the defensive line we set up during our evacuation."

The Snow Wolf squad leader explained over the comms channel, "Looks like those brainless bastards really did chase after them."

Long Fei nodded and waved to Lin Mo.

"Walk!"

Lin Mo took one last look at the forest before turning and stepping into the portal.

As his figure disappeared, the white light gate rapidly contracted and vanished completely after a slight spatial fluctuation, as if it had never existed.

In the mountain valley, only trampled grass and the lingering smell of gunpowder in the air remained.

Raine peeked out from behind the rock, looking at the empty valley and then at the rising black smoke in the distance, his face full of confusion.

gone?

They just left like that?

What happened with that explosion over there?

He stopped hiding, crouched down, and ran towards the direction of the explosion.

Raine was a skilled hunter in the village and knew the forest very well.

Instead of taking a straight route, he chose a more concealed path, moving quickly through the shadows of trees and rocks.

He hadn't run far when a strong smell of blood filled his nose.

He slowed his pace and pushed aside the bushes in front of him.

A goblin's corpse lay in an open space not far away, with several fist-sized holes in its chest, and dark green blood flowing all over the ground.

Raine immediately recognized that the wound was not caused by a sword or arrow.

He crouched down, looked at the wound, and recalled the scenes of those steel monsters spitting fire.

He looked up at the direction where the goblin had fallen, then looked back at the location of his village, his brows furrowing deeply.

He seemed to understand something.

He didn't linger and continued towards the direction of the smoke.

This time, he was more careful, as the distinctive stench of goblins in the air grew stronger.

Soon, he climbed up a rocky slope and quietly peeked out.

The sight before him left him stunned.

The hillside below was a scene of utter devastation.

Several large, dark craters were blasted into the ground, and more than a dozen goblins lay on the ground, missing limbs and howling in pain. Several others were bleeding from their seven orifices from the shock and lay motionless on the ground, their fate unknown.

The remaining goblins were in complete chaos. Some covered their ears and spun around in circles, while others fled in terror away from the village.

Renn lay on the rock, watching the chaotic scene, his mind blank.

He recalled the direction in which the two groups of soldiers had left the village, the spot where they had disappeared into the forest, and then looked at the deliberately created battlefield before him…

A thought made him understand instantly.

Feint to the east while attacking in the west.

Before they left, they deliberately took a long detour to provoke the goblin patrol.

Then use those weapons and explosions to lure the monsters away from the village!

They did all this simply to protect the village's safety, so that these villagers, whom they had only met briefly, wouldn't be discovered and harassed by the patrol team after they left.

He watched the goblins flee in a sorry state, then looked back towards his village, and his eyes welled up with tears.

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He has to wait.

Waiting for these heroes to return.

He must thank them properly! With the highest level of courtesy from Fernwall Village!

but……

Renn's brow furrowed again.

He remembered the soldiers' masks and the language he couldn't understand.

Apart from the young man named Lin Mo, it seemed that no one could understand what they were saying.

How should I express my gratitude?

He scratched his head in frustration.

Suddenly, he remembered Lin Mo writing on the ground, and he also remembered how curious they were about the village's herbs, minerals, and food.

Ryan's eyes suddenly lit up.

He has found his direction!

He wanted to prepare a special thank-you gift for them!

"Next time, get them some things they've never seen before, and give them to them as gifts!"

"Okay, it's settled then!"

Raine muttered to himself, no longer glancing at the goblins. He turned and, without looking back, silently crept back towards Fernwall Village.

He was going to prepare a belated thank-you gift.