"There are human settlements in the Frozen Bone Wasteland and the Ice Breath Hills, and more foreign tribes in the Cold Bone Ridge waiting for us to harvest. They will bring us greater power."

"The Ice and Snow Race has been eradicated by us, with no obstacles on the periphery of the Icefield Mountain Range."

"After the Blood Scale Legion wipes out the Seal People, continue migrating northwest, temporarily avoiding that Human Lord."

The Great Shaman's orders left Gaka somewhat puzzled.

"Honorable Great Shaman, do we need to be so fearful of that Human Lord?"

"Just follow the orders."

The Great Shaman did not explain further.

Because it was simply a danger sensed by his intuition.

"Yes, Honorable Great Shaman."

Though Gaka felt somewhat unwilling, he nodded and complied with the orders.

"Then I will convey your orders now."

Just as Gaka was about to turn around, he was suddenly stopped by the Great Shaman.

"Wait a moment."

After speaking, the Great Shaman walked into the inner cave.

A moment later, he came out holding a horned cup, handing it to Gaka,

"Drink this; it will enhance your stamina."

"This..."

Gaka glanced at the black-red liquid in the cup, swallowing hard.

Compared to Lizardman food, this color wasn't too daunting.

The key is, it came from the Great Shaman's hand.

"Drink it, for the Bloodscale Tribe, I will not harm you."

"...Alright."

Gaka, feeling helpless, took the horned cup with both hands, closed his eyes, and drank it down in one gulp.

After drinking, Gaka savored it for a moment; the taste wasn't unpleasant.

For a Lizardman's palate, it was even somewhat fragrant.

This made Gaka breathe a sigh of relief.

Gaka handed the cup back to the Great Shaman with both hands,

"Then I'll go make the arrangements."

"Hmm."

The Great Shaman smiled, watching Gaka leave.

"Fate, no one can escape it."

...

...

Luo De didn't stay long at the border outpost; he returned to Frost Leaf Town the next day.

Most of the army had retreated for rest, leaving only the severely wounded to recuperate in place.

Baron Blom also remained in the camp, recuperating with the severely wounded.

These people would need at least half a month to recover before returning.

Luo De couldn't wait that long.

The appearance of the Lizard Monsters made Luo De realize that the enemy was far from simple.

In such a world, no one knows what kind of opponent they will face tomorrow.

The manpower, military strength, infrastructure, and material reserves at Black Pine Ridge still weren't enough.

The whip had to be wielded, and the slaves needed to work harder.

Upon receiving over seven hundred refugees, Luo De felt that planning to cultivate ten thousand acres of arable land previously was insufficient.

If the war in the west continues, there will be more and more refugees from the south.

The southern population density is five to ten times that of the Desert; even a small town there exceeds a thousand people.

The land in the Southern Province can yield wheat twice a year, with some other grains in between.

Rivers don't freeze in winter, and fish in any pond can survive year-round.

The land is fertile, livestock is abundant, and there's no freezing cold that kills people.

But now that Luo De has vast land at his back, expanding the cultivated area allows him to easily accommodate these refugees.

Only with more population can infrastructure be developed, and his army strengthened.

With the blessing of the commander series terms, even raw recruits can quickly become veterans.

Luo De needs to increase

Luo De hadn't yet thanked Linda for leading the refugees here.

Coincidentally, Luo De decided to write a letter thanking Linda for her goodwill and inviting her to direct more refugees their way.

However, he was at a loss for what gift to send.

After all, Linda is no ordinary girl.

The Witch has long been immune to ordinary jewelry, seeking the extraordinary and mysterious.

For such matters, Luo De didn't want to rack his brains and directly threw the problem to Avril.

Both being Witches and, likewise, women.

He believed that Avril could offer a perfect answer.

After writing the letter, Luo De had his guard summon Durant to the manor hall.

Durant walked briskly into the hall, bowed respectfully, and cautiously asked,

"Baron, what are your orders?"

Luo De looked at Durant's restrained demeanor and casually said, "You don't need this, Durant. We can be as casual as before."

"As you command, Baron."

Despite the words, Durant stood obediently in place.

Luo De, feeling helpless, didn't dwell on it and inquired, "How's the background check on that Makulu Wheel?"

"His background is clean, Baron. He has three children in the Western Province."

Durant recalled his inquiries with the refugees and the Night Language Association's report, and slowly said,

"From the investigation, compared to other merchants, Makulu is decent, not stingy with his caravan workers."

"The only blemish is that he has two lovers."

"That's not a flaw; it's human nature to propagate. No one can like Gold Coins as Lawrence does."

Luo De's lips curled slightly as he looked at Durant,

"Even if you have a lover one day, it won't change my opinion of you."

"This..."

Durant didn't know how to respond for a moment, nodded slightly, and awkwardly replied,

"Thank you for your kindness."

Seeing Durant still reserved, Luo De stopped joking and commanded,

"Alright, since he seems okay, go bring him here."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.