In the xxth year of the Glory Era, a half-orc tribe from the grasslands ambushed the camp.
The half-orcs surrounded us and set up camp here. The soldiers stationed here and undergoing training were caught off guard and suffered heavy losses.
Even the lords of the Guardian Knight camp died in battle.
All we could do was wait for Sir Golden Flower's rescue.
After waiting for half a month, more than half the soldiers in the camp had been lost. The half-orcs' attacks grew fiercer and fiercer, leaving fewer than three hundred soldiers in the camp. The half-orcs had already begun climbing the walls.
Just as we fell into despair, a cavalry squad charged out from behind the half-orcs, temporarily breaking the siege.
Just when we thought Sir Golden Flower had brought troops to rescue us,
I heard that they weren't reinforcements at all, but people who had fled from the Golden Flower Territory. The half-orcs had not only besieged us but had surrounded the Golden Flower Territory as well. In other words, no more reinforcements would come to save us.
To stay alive, I decided to flee.
Before escaping, I chose to steal a map and some of the cavalry squad's gold coins.
The XXth year of the Glory Era.
I escaped before the camp was breached. Later, I heard that the half-orcs had overrun the camp and everyone had died in battle. Even the Golden Flower Family's territory had fallen. There were no human territories left here.
Poor me was also captured by the Underground City's Slaver Squad and was about to be taken underground.
Before leaving, I will record everything. If anyone finds this, please remember me.
Anubi, elite spearman of the Golden Flower Family's Ninth Camp.
The contents of the letter were not complicated.
It recorded some events involving a deserter named Anubi.
Fang Yuan had no interest in this deserter.
But the letter revealed that on the road northeast toward the Golden Flower Family Frontier, there was a Military Territory.
This camp was most likely a large military station established by the Golden Flower Family for stationing troops, training, patrolling, and resting.
Places like this were called Military Territories by lords.
After being occupied, they could not only increase a territory's influence value, just like Resource Territories,
but also increase its prosperity when upgraded.
Most importantly, a Military Territory itself was a large barracks and stronghold.
A typical Military Territory could often produce several types of soldiers, while some advanced Military Territories could even produce high-level special units.
Most importantly, the soldier units produced by a Military Territory consumed no resources whatsoever.
It produced a fixed number every day until that number reached the maximum population limit.
In other words, obtaining a Military Territory meant having a constant stream of soldiers.
Moreover, Military Territories were often located in strategic positions.
After being occupied, they could also form defensive barriers.
To a lord, their value was sometimes far greater than that of a Resource Territory.
And with such high value, Military Territories were naturally scarce.
Many High-level Lords could only dream of obtaining one.
There were plenty of seventh- and eighth-level
and even tenth-level lords who had no Military Territory.
Fang Yuan had never expected that he might actually obtain one.
"If we had a Military Territory, to say nothing of anything else,"
"we could make money just by selling mercenaries!"
"After all, they cost no resources to produce, and we wouldn't feel bad if they died in battle."
"But first, I have to find it."
"And according to the letter, even if I find it, the half-orcs have probably already occupied it."
"I'll have to wipe out the half-orcs before I can take the Military Territory."
"Judging from Anubi's letter, there won't be few half-orcs, and they probably won't be weak either."
"Next, I'm afraid we'll have to expand part of our army and mobilize all our forces to head northeast."
As Fang Yuan pondered,
Lilith, who was nearby, also finished reading the letter in his hand.
But Lilith's attention was not on the Military Territory.
It was on—
"Lord, this unlucky Anubi was actually captured and taken into the Underground City."
"Judging from the time, this happened before the Great Calamity."
"Based on what I know, surface slave raids from Underground Cities usually only occur in newly established Underground Cities."
"And they're especially common in the Underground Cities of the Dark Elves—in other words, the Drow Elves."
"Lord, the Underground City near our main city is very likely controlled by the Drow Elf faction."
"These saucy women are very troublesome."
"They're a matriarchal clan society. The Matriarchs control everything, and they are extremely hostile toward other races, especially human men."
"Anyone they catch will be tortured to death."
"Of course, if Lord can conquer them,"
"the Drow Elves will kneel and lick your toes."
"Even if you violated their Matriarch right in front of them, the Drow Elves wouldn't resist."
Hearing Lilith's words,
Fang Yuan's heart stirred faintly.
Then he gave an "ahem" and changed the subject.
"So Anubi is dead?"
Lilith nodded.
"After capturing a human male, the Drow Elves usually throw him to the Cave Spiders first. Once the spiders finish eating, the corpse is ground into powder and used as fertilizer for the Glimmer Mushrooms."
Fang Yuan shuddered.
"Could these Drow Elves come burrowing out of the underground?"
Lilith shrugged.
"I'm not sure, but I just conducted an investigation."
"The Underground City beside our territory should only be an Outpost Camp."
"The true main body of the Underground City is still deeper underground."
"The ones stationed there for now are mostly Lizardman patrol soldiers. I haven't seen any high-level underground creatures yet."
Fang Yuan's eyes lit up when he heard this.
"Oh, then can we wipe out these Lizardmen"
"and occupy this Underground City's Outpost Camp?"
Lilith shook her head instead.
"If Lord is prepared for a great battle, I can immediately send Fire Elementals to kill the Lizardmen."
"If not,"
"please endure for a few more days. We need to observe longer, until we see an upper-ranking Drow Elf appear before making a decision."
Fang Yuan pondered for a moment before sighing.
"Indeed, I'm not ready yet."
"Then keep monitoring it for now."
"But Lilith, we now know the location of the Golden Flower Family's support mission."
"The next step should be to focus on completing this mission."
"Before completing it, we can take the Military Territory to the northeast."
"That way, not only will we have enough troops, but the Military Territory we capture can also serve as a supply point, ensuring that we don't get lost in the jungle along the way."
Lilith agreed.
"I am willing to go northeast in search of the Military Territory."
Fang Yuan had been thinking the same thing.
"Good."
"I'll produce one hundred Hunters and put you in command of them as you head northeast to explore."
"This mission is mainly exploratory."
"Don't put yourself in danger for now."
"Let the Hunters explore first. Once they begin suffering casualties, lead the Flame Mages to investigate the cause."
Lilith's eyes showed a hint of delight at Fang Yuan's arrangements.
"Thank you, Lord."
"That will give me time to study the Underground City more thoroughly in the territory."
When Fang Yuan heard the word "study,"
he immediately remembered the Construct Core.
He quickly took it out and handed it over.
"Lilith, do you recognize this?"
The instant the black stone appeared,
Lilith was immediately drawn to it.
"Oh my god, Lord!"
"This—this is the Energy Core of a Tenth-Tier Construct!"
"Y-you—where did you get it?"
"The magical runes on it haven't even been completely damaged."
"With a little repair, this core might even still be usable!!!"
Before you continue