Chapter 61: Reg Land
A long al was drawn from Silvermoon River.
It flowed gently down a slope into the bustling wilderness.
On both sides of the al, t reeds were cut down, and their roots ected to the ground were dug up with sharp hoes.
Despite stubborn roots remaining underground that would eventually regrow into the farmers’ most despised weeds,
The workers didn’t care. They dug a trench around the area, piling up the soil into a small emba, enclosily one acre of nd.
They tio dig on both sides of the emba, cutting down more reeds and weeds iches.
However, they didn’t pletely clear the reeds and weeds from within the enclosed acre—that would have been too much work.
"Everyone, fetch a bucket of water! If any embers fly out, put them out immediately," ordered a seasoned middle-aged farmer.
Ten or so lit torches were thrown into the reed thicket at his and.
Small embers quickly turned into r fmes, radiati and light, dev the dry reeds around them.
Whoosh!
Crackle, crackle!
The fmes’ glow bathed the face of the weathered farmer, who was over 60 years old, making his wrinkled face gleam with joy as he felt the warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Suddenly remembering something, he turned his gaze to the vast expanse of wilderness beyond, and asked Captain Sean again:
"A team of 100 people—oal for the year is 2,500 acres? And if we exceed the 2,500 acres, 30% of the excess gets distributed among us?"
Captain Sean, his eyes also refleg the fmes with a hopeful gleam, recited the rules he had memorized:
"That’s right, you personally get 10% of the excess."
"Of course, this is a perma lease—the nd will always belong to the lord."
"However, the nd be passed down through geions, with taxes fixed at 20%."
The old man waved dismissively, his once-cloudy eyes nht, and said excitedly:
"Of course, the nd belongs to the lord…"
"But what if… we mao recim 1,000 more acres?"
Raising an eyebrotain Seaed the anticipation in his voice.
Without any hint of impatience, because his own father had asked him the same question three times, he smiled and replied:
"Even if you recim over 2,000 extra acres, you still get 10%, which is 200 acres."
"The top three teams in ion will also receive extra rewards. I heard the third-pce team gets 100 acres of nd…"
The old farmer's eyes widened in astonishment, and he immediately turned around and shouted with a booming voice:
"What are you waiting for? The rest of you, move on to the acre! No one’s leaving until we’ve finished 10 acres today!"
Captain Sean, who had been about to offer some motivational words, was momentarily stuhen smiled brightly ahe soldiers on their patrol.
Ses like this pyed out tinuously along Silvermoon River near Bay Vilge.
Hidden eyes were quietly these ges, stirring a cealed otion before quickly falling silent again.
Dark Forest.
Leon patrolled the area around the lumber mill with ten soldiers.
He watched as the wooden walls rose higher and noticed how the kobolds grew stronger and more reliable by the day.
Guarding the loggers, seleg trees for felling, and keeping the wild beasts at bay.
Suddenly, a distant series of shrill cries echoed, and Leon immediately reized the kobolds’ arm calls and rushed toward the noise.
Around thirty well-built gnolls were chasing after forty or so kobolds.
Seeing how sy the kobolds were, Leon immediately realized they weren’t from their own group. He slowed his pad whispered to two of his panions:
"Go inform the lord at once."
He had no iion of being a hero. On the first day of his leadership, Old John had given him this advice:
"Your mission is to protect all Bay Vilge personnel and the safety of your soldiers. Bringing them back safely is more important than any reward for victory."
Ten mier, Matthew received the news a aside the spell scroll he was studying, temporarily pausing his magic practice.
He rubbed his temples, feeling a slight ache, then opehe carriage door and exhaled deeply:
"Perfect timing, let’s clear out some monsters. sider it a break."
Learning spells gained experience, but so did clearing monsters—bang work aio him in good spirits.
Yaya, who had been sleeping soundly, instinctively opened her eyes. Hearing there was a fight to be had, she immediately perked up.
Goldfang and Silverfahe charge, their presenspiring hundreds of kobolds to follow with high morale.
Knight Ange led the soldiers at the front, jogging briskly, their movements coordinated and disciplined.
Matthew watched with satisfa as his soldiers, who had grown stronger, now showed a oo two-point increase in strength and stitution, and looked forward to the uping battle.
To fully realize the results of their training, real bat was necessary.
When they reached the site, Leon came forward ahem east. After about five mihey stopped before a rge pile of rocks.
"Gibberish shouts" echoed from the distance, almost triggering a chorus of kobold replies.
Fortunately, Goldfang and Silverfang had established effective discipline, and a single scolding silehem.
Yaya climbed to the top of a tree, surveying the chaotic battlefield below.
Through her vision, Matthew saw an iing se:
Over a hundred muscur gnolls were besieging a kobold ir, with the kobolds at the entrance bravely defending.
The ground was littered with the corpses of more than a hundred kobolds and a dozen bloodied gnolls.
Even a ered rabbit would bite—let alohe sharp-toothed kobolds.
The gnolls had suffered a small loss in the face of the kobolds’ desperation.
One gnoll in a gray-bck robe, holding a pitch-bck staff, was shouting in a sharp, bizarre voice.
Faint magical waves spread through the air as the gnolls’ howls rose in iy.
"Zero-Tier Spell: Phantom Sound!"
It ell-casting gnoll sentry!
Moreover, this gnoll sentry kactics"—though crude, it represented a special possibility.
The snarling kobolds were visibly intimidated, and their morale tio drop.
Matthew's breathing deepened slightly as he noticed somethiraordinary in the gnoll sentry's abilities.
Advaalent: Quick Casting!
FAL
