Chapter Summaries

Zhou Xu assigned Wang Pengfei to inspect the Ratmen troops and ordered preparations to study Crystal Weapons and strengthen the Lizardmen. He recruited Diak’s centaur tribe to help fight the Ratmen and promised to take them back through the energy passage in a few days.

• Zhou Xu sent Wang Pengfei to observe the Ratmen as a military inspector, with Chongshan assigned to protect him.
• Zhou Xu ordered Li Ce to summon Diak and notify Zhuo Ge and Shilke of their rewards; Li Ce traveled to the plains on a raptor.
• Li Ce delivered the rewards to Zhuo Ge and Shilke, who accepted the Lizardmen’s surrender without seeking vengeance.
• Zhou Xu ordered Sharp Crystal and battlefield Crystal Weapons collected so he could study whether they could be used to forge magic weapons.
• Zhou Xu explained the Ratmen threat to Diak and asked for help defeating them.
• Diak agreed to send centaur troops after his people had rested, and Zhou Xu promised to take them back through the energy passage when it opened.

Zhou Xu finalized troop deployments and prepared to bring Lizardmen artisans and farmers back through the energy passage. Zhou Chongshan headed for the southern battlefield, while Zhou Xu and the others waited at World Edge for the passage to open.

• Diak confirmed the territory promised to his centaur tribe and left to prepare for their migration.
• Zhou Xu ordered Zhou Chongshan to lead cavalry and the remaining Lizardmen forces to reinforce the southern battlefield, while Li Ce stayed in command with Soros assisting him.
• Zhou Chongshan led the assembled cavalry toward the battlefield, while Shilke’s Elf Cavalry remained behind to recover and support the plains.
• Zhou Xu had Soros gather 297 Green Lizard Weapon Artisans and five farmers, intending to bring them back to assist Great Zhou.
• Zhou Xu, the Lizardmen, and the centaurs waited at World Edge for the energy passage to open.

Zhou Xu returned to Great Zhou with Diak and the Lizardmen as winter set in, then brought the Lizardmen to Black Moon Village. He announced their submission to Great Zhou and promised they would be treated equally, leaving the villagers cheering their arrival.

• Zhou Xu emerged from the energy channel into the snowy Great Zhou grasslands, where soldiers escorted him and his companions to the military encampment for warm clothes.
• Zhou Xu invited Diak to stay at his residence until the snowfall stopped, and Diak accepted.
• Zhou Xu left Diak and the centaurs with Ye Jinghong and Zhuo Ge at Grassland Village, then took the Lizardmen and their resources to Black Moon Village.
• Zhang Xiaoshan welcomed Zhou Xu and the Lizardmen at Black Moon Village, where villagers and Grassland Elves gathered to see them.
• Zhou Xu announced that Great Zhou had defeated the Lizardmen and that they had submitted, promising to treat them equally as citizens.

After returning to Black Moon Village, Zhou Xu inspected the village and found the Military Equipment Forging Department organizing more than two hundred Lizardmen artisans. He explained how Sharp Crystal might improve weapon sharpness and ordered the department to experiment with different alloy ratios.

• Zhou Xu left the Lizardmen’s resettlement to Zhang Xiaoshan and rested after returning to his residence.
• Zhou Xu toured Black Moon Village and saw Wang Dachui arranging more than two hundred Lizardmen artisans at the Military Equipment Forging Department.
• Wang Dachui had the Lizardmen artisans test their grinding skills by sharpening iron arrowheads at the testing grounds.
• Zhou Xu told Wang Dachui that Sharp Crystal could increase weapon sharpness when used as an auxiliary forging material.
• Zhou Xu proposed smelting Sharp Crystal with iron and instructed the Forging Department to find the right ratio through experimentation.

Zhou Xu and Wang Dachui began testing ways to smelt Sharp Crystal into a new weapon material while assessing the Lizardmen craftsmen’s grinding skills. Impressed by their work, Zhou Xu decided to establish a separate Polishing Department under the Military Equipment Department for them.

• Zhou Xu told Wang Dachui to use Enchanted Weapon molds and try crushing or grinding Sharp Crystal before smelting it.
• Zhou Xu explained that he wanted the new material to make weapons sharper while keeping their strength close to that of iron weapons.
• Zhou Xu ordered the Sharp Crystal ground into smaller grains and suggested borrowing a stone mill from the Agriculture Department.
• Zhou Xu and Wang Dachui examined the Lizardmen craftsmen’s ground arrowheads and recognized that their polishing skills were outstanding.
• Zhou Xu decided to establish a Polishing Department under the Military Equipment Department and have Xiaoshan build it a separate workshop.

Zhou Xu inspected Black Moon Village’s farming and medical departments after returning, then attended court to discuss Great Zhou’s plans for the coming year. The court debated whether to pause the war against the Ratmen or press on, with no decision yet reported.

• Zhao Geng showed five Lizardmen farmers the farming division’s oxen and land-reclamation methods, then assured Zhou Xu that the newly acquired crop seeds had been stored for planting in spring.
• Zhou Xu arranged for the Military Equipment Department to borrow the Agriculture Department’s stone mill to grind crystals.
• Zhou Xu visited the Medical Department and saw Ye Yan studying medicinal herbs from the tropical Rainforest without interrupting him.
• At court, Zhang Xiaoshan argued that the prolonged war had drained Great Zhou’s resources and manpower, and urged a truce and recovery.
• Li Shitou opposed a pause, arguing that Great Zhou should exploit the Ratmen’s losses and eliminate the threat while recruitment continued in the Mountain Region.

Zhou Xu chose to keep Great Zhou prepared to fight the Ratmen while avoiding a major campaign unless an opportunity arose, and prioritized logistical support for the Lizardmen. He then went to Grassland Village and led Diak and the centaurs toward their new tribal lands.

• Zhang Xiaoshan urged Great Zhou to recuperate, while Li Shitou argued that the weakened Ratmen should be attacked before they recovered.
• Zhou Xu ordered Great Zhou to maintain a wartime footing, avoid large-scale troop mobilization, watch the fighting, and strike if an opening appeared.
• After handling reports in Black Moon Village, Zhou Xu rode to Grassland Village to strengthen ties with Diak's centaur clan.
• Zhou Xu enthusiastically offered to take Diak to the tribe's lands, and Yoseph said the centaurs had not been in much of a hurry to leave.
• Diak gathered the centaurs, whose reluctance to leave their comfortable stay turned into anticipation for settling on their own lands.

Zhou Xu assigned Diak’s centaur tribe a new territory and helped them establish a camp, asking Diak to teach Zhuo Ge and the others the centaur tribe’s inherited skills. The tribe settled in with supplies from Great Zhou, while Diak resolved to focus on building their own life rather than comparing themselves with Grassland Village.

• Zhou Xu showed Diak the grassland he had chosen for the centaur tribe and offered help establishing their camp.
• Zhou Xu asked Diak to teach Zhuo Ge and the others the centaur tribe’s inherited skills, and Diak agreed.
• Zhuo Ge and his people brought supplies and helped Diak’s tribe clear the snow and put up tents.
• Zhuo Ge gave Diak bedding, coal, and food, and told him he would teach them the inherited skills.
• Diak felt melancholy when he compared the new camp with Grassland Village, then shook off the feeling and focused on his tribe.
• Yoseph remembered that he used to be lining up at the canteen at that hour, and Diak sent him to help prepare food from their limited winter supplies.

The Centaurs struggled with the cold and scarce food at their new camp while Diak prepared to teach Zhuo Ge and the others the tribe’s inherited skills. He explained how High-Speed Charge and War Charge worked, leaving them with a clear answer about why the skills could not be combined for extra speed.

• The Centaurs slept poorly in the freezing tents, and Diak told Yoseph that food was limited and a hunting party would go out.
• Diak assigned Yoseph to lead the hunt and ensure the Centaurs did not harm Great Zhou’s livestock.
• Diak greeted Zhuo Ge and the others, then began teaching them the Centaurs’ inherited skills, High-Speed Charge and War Charge.
• Zhuo Ge asked whether High-Speed Charge could boost War Charge, and Diak explained that War Charge already included its effect, so using both would not increase speed.

Zhou Xu returned to Black Moon Village, resumed directing Great Zhou’s affairs, and upgraded the Lizardmen’s combat enhancements to help them withstand the Ratmen’s attrition tactics. The chapter ended with news that the Forging Department had completed the first sample of a new metal weapon he had commissioned.

• Diak asked Zhuo Ge when they would set out against the Ratmen, and Zhuo Ge explained they had to wait for the energy passage to open and that Zhou Xu might remain in the rear.
• Zhou Xu returned to Black Moon Village and handled reports and decisions, improving the speed of Great Zhou’s internal operations.
• Zhou Xu upgraded Lizardmen Comprehensive Strengthening to level three and unlocked strength, speed, and stamina enhancement projects.
• After waiting eight days for his True Word power to recover, Zhou Xu raised Lizardmen Stamina Enhancement to level one to counter the Ratmen’s attrition tactics.
• A servant told Zhou Xu that Vice Minister Wang’s Forging Department had produced the first official sample of the new metal weapon.

Zhou Xu inspected the finished saber forged from Sharp Crystal and iron, then confirmed that its enchantment recovered power over time. He named the new metal crystal iron, declared the saber a successful Enchanted Weapon, and ordered mass production.

• Zhou Xu selected the toughest of three test samples and inspected the finished saber Wang Dachui had forged from Sharp Crystal and iron.
• Zhou Xu activated the Basic Weapon Buff and used some of its power to test whether the blade could replenish its enchantment.
• Two days later, Zhou Xu discovered that the saber had regained some of its brilliance, confirming that it could absorb Natural Energy and store True Word power.
• Zhou Xu named the new metal crystal iron, named the weapon the crystal iron saber, ordered mass production, and awarded the research team and Wang Dachui.
• Wang Dachui celebrated the successful development and immediately led the Forging Department into mass production.

The Lizardmen main force suddenly lost its strength and collapsed under the Ratmen’s assault, forcing Bolevin to absorb the retreating troops and prepare for a desperate defense. As the Ratmen reached the border, Jikum recognized the dark-red-scaled figure riding a Shield Dragon and realized that the old immortal was still alive.

• The Lizardmen main force inexplicably lost its strength during battle and was swallowed by the Rat Tide, while Jikum held back his main force in case the rout was a trap.
• The famished Ratmen Slave Soldiers fought over and devoured the fallen, allowing scattered Lizardmen to escape toward their border defenses as their General Commander disappeared.
• High Priest Bolevin arrived, absorbed the Lizardmen forces, and blamed Soros for their defeat and divine punishment.
• Jikum led the Ratmen in pursuit until they reached the Lizardmen border, where Bolevin prepared the Blue Lizard Sword and Shield Soldiers and Shield Dragons for a desperate stand.
• Jikum saw a dark-red-scaled figure seated on the central Shield Dragon and exclaimed that the old immortal was still alive.

Bolevin bluffed the Ratmen into retreating, though he feared his reputation would not hold for long. Both armies sought orders and reinforcements, while Li Ce and Soros expected Zhou Chongshan's cavalry to have reached the southern battlefield.

• Jikum recognized Bolevin and, unsettled by his return, ordered the Ratmen army to retreat.
• Bolevin pretended confidence, pursued the retreating Ratmen, then sent Wyvern Riders to request reinforcements from their king.
• Jikum sent a subordinate to report the situation to Claw and left the decision to attack to him.
• The Wyvern Riders returned to inform Soros, who explained the crisis to Li Ce.
• Li Ce said the energy channel would open in about two days and estimated that the king's reinforcements could not arrive for at least half a month, while Zhou Chongshan's cavalry was likely already at the southern battlefield.

Bolevin and the Lizardmen received a renewed divine blessing that eased their fear of the Ratmen, while Zhou Xu learned of the southern army’s losses and prepared to lead reinforcements to the front. Before departing, he approved a conscription test for qualified labor convicts and inspected the growing supply of crystal-iron weapons.

• Zhou Chongshan’s cavalry reached the southern border, where Bolevin welcomed them into the Lizardmen camp.
• A new blessing empowered Bolevin and the Lizardmen, who credited the Great King and regained confidence against the Ratmen.
• After reading Li Ce’s report, Zhou Xu ordered that he would lead troops to the front line when the energy channel next opened.
• Zhou Xu approved a conscription test for labor convicts who had met the requirements to enlist and earn military merit.
• Zhou Xu inspected Wang Dachui’s Forging Department, where workers had completed a thousand crystal-iron swords and two thousand war spears.

Zhou Xu inspected the forging work, reassured Wang Dong that Great Zhou’s education plans were moving forward, and prepared for another campaign. After improving the Lizardmen Stamina Enhancement project and recovering, he left Black Moon Village for Grassland Village to contact the Centaur tribe before the energy channel opened.

• Zhou Xu inspected the crystalstone war spears and considered how crystal iron weapons compared with ordinary iron and the Elf Knights’ Silver Steel Swords.
• Zhou Xu visited Wang Dong, who was resentful about being assigned enchantment work instead of education duties, and promised to arrange a school for Great Zhou’s children.
• Wang Dong warned Zhou Xu that a ruler should focus on stabilizing Great Zhou rather than repeatedly leading campaigns, and Zhou Xu acknowledged the strain his previous expedition had placed on the realm.
• Zhou Xu raised the Lizardmen Stamina Enhancement project to level two and rested for several days to recover his True Word power.
• Zhou Xu departed from Black Moon Village for Grassland Village to establish contact with the Centaur tribe before the energy channel opened again.

Zhuo Ge proposed that the struggling centaur tribe trade live wild horses to Great Zhou for food, and Ye Jinghong agreed to the exchange. The chapter ended with Ye Jinghong realizing Zhou Xu had predicted Zhuo Ge would arrange the trade.

• Zhuo Ge suggested that Chieftain Diak trade live prey to Great Zhou for potato flour because winter hunting had left the centaur tribe short of food.
• Diak worried that Great Zhou might not have provisions to spare, so Zhuo Ge went to ask Ye Jinghong about a trade.
• Ye Jinghong offered two carts of potato flour for each healthy wild horse and said he would provide a list of other foods they could trade for.
• Zhuo Ge hurried to tell Diak the offer, while Ye Jinghong recalled Zhou Xu's prediction that Zhuo Ge would help his fellow tribesmen trade for food.

Zhuo Ge helped Diak’s tribe learn to capture wild horses alive in exchange for food, then trained with Diak’s guidance to master the True Words. The chapter ended with Zhuo Ge growing close to a centaur girl while Diak worried that his tribeswomen would soon be carried off.

• Diak sent the tribe’s hunters to capture horses alive so they could trade them to Great Zhou for food.
• Zhuo Ge showed Diak and the hunters how to use lassos and horse-catching poles to subdue wild horses without injuring them.
• The centaur tribe began trading captured horses for food, and Diak repaid Zhuo Ge’s help by teaching him to control the True Words’ power.
• Zhuo Ge practiced War Charge but lost control and tumbled onto his back, exhausted.
• A centaur girl brought Zhuo Ge water, and Diak saw them leaning close together and worried that the tribe’s girls would soon be carried off.

Zhuo Ge brought food to Nina at the centaur camp, where Diak caught them together and then shared a meat pancake with him. While they talked, Zhuo Ge explained why he had submitted to Great Zhou and urged Diak to imagine a better life as its citizens.

• Zhuo Ge visited Nina at the centaur camp and brought her breakfast, while the other centaurs watched enviously.
• Diak dispersed the onlookers, caught Zhuo Ge and Nina together, and took Zhuo Ge away to train.
• Zhuo Ge offered Diak a meat pancake, and Diak accepted it and praised its taste.
• Diak asked how Zhuo Ge had joined Great Zhou, and Zhuo Ge said he had voluntarily submitted because life there was good and the king treated humans and centaurs equally.
• Zhuo Ge told Diak that becoming citizens of Great Zhou would make the centaurs' lives even better.

Zhuo Ge persuaded Chieftain Diak to consider joining Great Zhou by describing the houses, salaries, and plentiful food his people could receive. Diak gathered his tribal leaders to discuss the choice, but Yoseph argued that accepting the king’s rule was worth the comfort, leaving Diak speechless.

• Zhuo Ge told Diak that joining Great Zhou would bring paid work, a proper house, and food such as grilled fish whenever they wanted.
• Diak asked how his tribe could join Great Zhou, and Zhuo Ge said they could swear allegiance to the king.
• Diak spent the day wrestling with the idea, then summoned Yoseph and other important tribesmen to discuss it.
• Diak explained Zhuo Ge’s proposal, and Yoseph immediately urged the tribe to submit.
• Yoseph argued that the tribe would gain warm houses and plentiful meals, and that obeying the king was fair in return; Diak could not answer him.

Diak decided to lead the Centaur tribe in submitting to Great Zhou, and Zhou Xu accepted them and arranged for the tribe to join the campaign against the Ratmen. As Zhou Xu and Wang Dong assessed the Centaurs, Diak’s impressive abilities surprised Zhou Xu, and Yoseph’s attributes left him even more astonished.

• Diak told Zhuo Ge he intended to lead the Centaur tribe in submitting to Great Zhou.
• Diak bowed before Zhou Xu and offered the tribe’s allegiance, and Zhou Xu accepted and appointed him Second Lieutenant.
• Zhou Xu determined that fifty Centaurs could join the army and asked Wang Dong to inspect their attribute panels.
• Zhou Xu examined Diak’s attributes and recognized him as a versatile officer with strong combat ability, endurance, command, and spirit.
• Zhou Xu looked at Yoseph’s attribute panel and reacted with surprise.