A Seventy-Thirty Split

Making skeleton parts required bones to remain in a certain state of completeness.

After two months of working overtime to make them, the Armory Camp had run low on usable bones.

There were no nearby sites where bones could be excavated in large quantities, so Medivh had some time on his hands.

With his free time, Medivh planned to switch to the Knight Breathing Technique to strengthen his foundations.

After comparing his options, Medivh ultimately chose the Earth Battle Qi Breathing Technique.

The earth nurtured history, making it a perfect fit for an Archaeologist like him.

Earth Battle Qi was renowned for its powerful defenses. A mage who stacked enough defense was invincible.

The blood of Bloodthirsty Mosquitoes, along with the essence refined from it, was rich in vital energy.

During the Mosquito Plague, Medivh had taken special care to collect some for his Battle Qi cultivation.

To practice the Earth Battle Qi Breathing Technique, he used the blood and essence of magical beast-level Bloodthirsty Mosquitoes.

With his blood and vital energy surging, Medivh quickly completed the transformation, converting his ordinary Battle Qi into Earth Battle Qi.

The Earth Battle Qi felt weighty, and Medivh could clearly feel his defense soar when he cloaked himself in it.

As a Necromancer, getting personally involved was beneath him. The skeletons should do the fighting; his job was simply to stack his defenses and improve his chances of survival.

He didn't rush to practice the three earth-element combat techniques. They weren't something he could master in a short time.

Leaving the secluded chamber, Medivh climbed the stairs.

He now lived in the High Tower at the center of the Castle District. The Brick Cottage was a thing of the past.

When he reached the seventh floor, Medivh saw Audrey leaning against the terrace railing, gazing out at the construction in the Wall District.

A breeze swept by, fluttering her skirt and accentuating her alluring figure.

"Audrey, don't turn around. It's me!"

Audrey felt a pair of hands rest on her shoulders. She was about to turn and greet Medivh when she heard his quickened breathing.

She understood at once. This scene was exactly like one of the many fantasies she'd had.

She deliberately said the opposite of what she meant, playing up the mood and giving Medivh a full sense of conquest.

Feeling the powerful pressure, Audrey couldn't hide the smile in her eyes or at the corners of her mouth.

She continued to shout, her defiant words spurring Medivh on.

"You're such a little fairy!"

Much later, Medivh smiled knowingly as he watched Audrey nestled in his arms like a Little Cat.

This girl, whose mind was full of strange fantasies, always knew how to give him the most exquisite pleasure.

"Heehee!"

Audrey lifted the corners of her mouth in triumph.

Pleasure went both ways. She was quite satisfied with Medivh's wholehearted efforts in response to her brilliant performance.

A mischievous glint shone in her eyes. She was already planning which fantasy to bring to life next time.

"Marquis Justin, the Bloodthirsty Mosquito Swarm has ravaged the Odyssey Region, and a great famine will soon follow. The Vincent Family has a shipment of grain in Zaun City. Transporting it to the Odyssey Region to sell would bring in a handsome profit."

"You know how desperate the mobs can get. To ensure the sale goes smoothly, we hope you'll send troops to help."

While Medivh was lost in pleasure, someone in Winter Fortress was plotting to bleed the Odyssey Region dry.

The mobs, short on food, would surely surrender for the sake of a meal.

They wouldn't need to do much. A single shipment of grain would be enough to reap the wealth of the Odyssey Region.

"Then what do I get?"

Marquis Justin, the highest-ranking commander of Winter Fortress, stared at the Vincent Family's negotiator, his gaze deep and unreadable, waiting for him to show his sincerity.

"The proceeds from the grain sales will be split nine-to-one between you and the Vincent Family."

The Vincent Family's negotiator put an offer on the table, waiting for Marquis Justin to bargain.

"Nine-to-one? No. It should be one-to-nine."

Marquis Justin shook his head impassively. Not a single grain would be sent from Winter Fortress to the Odyssey Region for a one-to-nine split.

"Marquis..."

The Vincent Family's negotiator began haggling with Marquis Justin.

He knew Marquis Justin wouldn't pass up such a lucrative opportunity.

"Seventy-thirty. That's my bottom line. Don't forget, I'm not the only one in charge of Winter Fortress. If we deploy troops, the other families need their share."

After an intense back-and-forth, Marquis Justin stated his final offer.

This wasn't a deal he could make alone. Of his seventy percent, he would have to give forty percent to the other families in Winter Fortress and reward the soldiers carrying out the mission.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Marquis. The grain will arrive at Winter Fortress in seven days."

The Vincent Family's negotiator knew this was the best deal he could get.

They weren't the only ones doing business; other families could ship in grain as well. If they wanted to make a profit, they had no choice but to give the garrison of Winter Fortress a cut.

The grain wouldn't leave Winter Fortress right away.

Only once the mobs in the Odyssey Region were starving would they understand the value of food and hand over every valuable thing in their pockets.

"Suixiang, are you missing home?"

As Medivh and Audrey wandered around the camp, they saw Suixiang standing on the Armory Camp's wall, gazing into the distance.

Audrey gave her a light, teasing pat and asked why she was standing there lost in thought.

"Mm. I'm worried about the Spirit Cat Clan."

Suixiang didn't lie. She admitted it plainly. She had lived through the Mosquito Plague as a child, and the Bloodthirsty Mosquito Swarm had once been her nightmare.

The famine that followed the plague had left a deep impression on her. She worried about her people, whether they had enough food stored, and whether desperate mobs or Alien Tribes would attack the Spirit Cat Clan.

"If only you'd conquered the Spirit Cat Clan!"

Suixiang looked at Medivh and sighed.

She wasn't just trying to show her loyalty. It was truly how she felt.

After seeing Medivh's ability to restore history, Suixiang believed he was the future of the Spirit Cat Clan, the hope of its return to greatness.

"It's not time yet."

Medivh smiled and shook his head.

The Armory Camp had some strength, but conquering a clan with a long heritage would be difficult.

Its lost traditions were certainly tempting, but without the ability to defend itself, possessing them would be like a child carrying gold through a crowded market.

Without enough military strength to intimidate the Spirit Cat Clan, Medivh would become their captive, not their lord.

Suixiang was perceptive. She had secretly told Medivh about the Spirit Cat Clan's situation.

Once the Armory Camp had grown stronger, Medivh would consider granting her wish: conquering the Spirit Cat Clan and making it a subordinate people of his territory.

After the Bloodthirsty Mosquito Swarm fled back to its birthplace, the situation in the Odyssey Region quickly grew tense.

The mobs and Alien Tribes with established territories were all reinforcing their camp defenses, preparing for the starving hordes.

As they strengthened their defenses, these forces sent out fighters to scour the area and gather as much food as possible, stockpiling supplies for the coming great famine.

The roaming mobs robbed everyone they encountered. Those who stockpiled more food now would live in greater comfort later.

The Hoarder Rat refugees who weren't short on food were digging tunnels to hide in.

They planned to live like moles, waiting out the worst of the famine in the Odyssey Region underground.