Sui Xiong had no idea about Veye's worries. He was busy at the moment.
After bidding farewell to the diplomatic mission that had departed in regret after failed negotiations, he decided to undertake something major.
First, he lifted Black Rye Fortress, which he had finished renovating not long ago, from its original location south of Black Rye City and transported it farther south.
The fortress had originally guarded Black Rye Gorge, but the lands beyond the gorge had now joined the Republic, rendering that natural barrier meaningless. So Sui Xiong decided to move it farther south, where it could serve both as an interesting landmark for people to come and see, and as the central structure of a refugee settlement.
He was not worried about the safety of the Northwest Republic. This war would mainly be fought between humans and orcs, with the principal battlefield likely to be the plains where the Orc Empire and the Radiant Kingdom met in the northeast of the continent, perhaps extending at most to the fortress clusters in northern Eagle Kingdom. It would not spread anywhere else.
Therefore, this war had little to do with the Northwest Republic.
Of course, to ensure safety, once the war began, he would tighten the management and restrictions on the portals. No military personnel, nor anyone transporting military supplies, would be allowed to pass through them.
Otherwise, it would amount to putting his thumb on the scales.
Since Sui Xiong had decided to remain neutral, he would not hang up a sheep's head while selling dog meat. He had already made up his mind that in this war, he would provide only humanitarian aid.
Prevent massacres and rescue refugees—that was all he intended to do.
And what he needed to do now was prepare to settle those refugees.