difficult
Three months have passed since Lothern officially surrendered.
It is spring at this time, the grass is growing and warblers are flying, and the mountains of Ser Wilderness are full of vitality.
Some pine tree seeds were carried by the wind and fell into the rock crevices. With a little bit of soil and snow, they pushed through the stone debris, and green branches poked out from between the steep cliffs.
Tsk!
The sound of tearing broke the tranquility of the mountain.
A giant claw covered with dark red scales embedded itself deeply into the rock wall, closed it, and easily gouged out a large piece of granite mixed with tree roots and soil.
Garos put the lump into his mouth casually, opening and closing the thick dragon jaws.
The stones and wood fibers were crushed into powder between his indestructible teeth, then rolled down his throat and swallowed whole by him.
Several mountain peaks around him have long been changed beyond recognition.
The mountain is covered with huge and ferocious gaps, as if it has been gnawed by giant beasts. Some places appear to be crumbling due to loss of support. Occasionally, gravel rolls down the steep slope, making a rustling sound.
"No matter how much you eat these things, your stomach is still empty."
Garos was thinking silently while eating.
It has been quite a while since Lain Plateau's high-intensity battle.
Since then, he has never had a good meal.
When he was most unbearable, he even wanted to bite himself twice.
However, Garos endured it with strong will.
Garos knew very well that this unsatisfied hunger was not meaningless. His body was being forced to adapt to a state of low intake, and the efficiency of food absorption in his intestines and stomach was slowly increasing.
Every time he swallowed rocky soil with no energy at all, his digestive system was undergoing subtle adjustments and strengthening.
This is the process he must go through to evolve towards a more efficient energy utilization form.
This is also a difficult process.
Hunger itself is not unbearable for Garos.
What really made him feel uncomfortable was the ensuing feeling of weakness and insufficient food intake, which directly caused the effect of his daily exercise to be greatly reduced.
Strength gains become stagnant, and muscle strengthening slows down.
For Red Iron Dragon, who is obsessed with improving strength and enjoys the pleasure of getting stronger every time, this is the most difficult part.
"Resources are no longer a problem for me now."
His sharp claws dug into the rock again and tore off another piece of food.
"What really limits me is my own efficiency in using resources."
"If I keep wasting it like this, as my size and strength grow, this weakness will only continue to be magnified, and eventually become a fatal flaw that slows down my pace."
It is based on this sober thought that Garos can force himself to continue.
This is to open up a broader path for the future.
Phew!
Red Iron Dragon exhaled a hot breath, endured the hunger in his body, and started today's exercise.
But today's workout didn't last long.
A familiar mental wave came, it was Iron Dragon Sorog.
Garos paused slightly and dug his sharp claws into the rock beneath him to stabilize his body.
He temporarily stopped exercising, and in a clinging posture, he raked some gravel with his left paw and brought it into his mouth, chewing it, while focusing most of his attention on the connections in his mind.
"Gordon, that boy, has been a little restless lately."
Sorog's voice sounded in his consciousness, "He came to me and said he wanted to experience what it was like to be a king. Of course, he meant the throne of Lothern."
"I refused outright."
Iron Dragon paused and continued, "Lothern is a kingdom where humans are the main body after all. Letting a dragon, especially a dragon like Gordon, sit in that position will only instantly ignite the fire of resistance in everyone's heart."
Garos made a vague sound of approval in his throat and swallowed the gravel.
"Well, you handled it right."
Conquer, dominate, destroy... these are completely different concepts.
The goal of Garos has never been to reduce Lothern to scorched earth.
Only a Lothern that is in good order and whose productivity is maintained or even developed can continuously deliver minerals, food, manpower and even knowledge to Aura and other Garos in the long years to come.
Gordon's idea is purely out of curiosity and playfulness, and runs counter to true governance.
"After I rejected him, I didn't block the road."
Sorog said, "I told him that although he can't be the king, his previous plan can continue, and I will give him the necessary support."
"What was the result?"
"He was very happy and agreed on the spot."
Sorog seemed to smile, "Lothern is surrendered on the surface, but deep down he may not be convinced."
"Gordon's approach slowly penetrates and subtly changes Lothern's ideas. It does not conflict with our strategy and can even complement each other."
"Find him something serious to do so that he doesn't get into trouble when he's idle."
Garos nodded slightly and asked, "So, the person for the throne has been chosen?"
"It's decided, we'll choose the most sensible one among the sons of King Lothern who are still alive."
Iron Dragon said in a calm tone, "You are not old and have a weak personality, but the important thing is that you are obedient enough and understand who gave you this position."
"Lothern Royal House's side... the reaction was calmer than expected."
"At least the crown is still on the head of their family and the bloodline has not been cut off. This seems to give them some comfort, or in other words, a reason to convince themselves."
Garos is noncommittal about this.
The royal family's obedience is expected, and the fragile sense of honor is vulnerable in the face of absolute power.
He thought for a moment and then asked, "What is the current attitude of Lothern civilians and those nobles?"
Sorog pondered for a few seconds, organizing his words: "This country's... heritage is indeed much deeper than that of Theo."
"The shame of Lothern's defeat is very strong, and there is generally a suppressed unwillingness among the people."
"Especially many veterans and old nobles have a clear hatred for Aura and us. Some angry complaints can often be heard in the tavern about the glory of the past and the humiliation of today."
"But it's not unsolvable."
Iron Dragon changed the topic and his voice was full of determination.
"How long can human hatred last? One generation? Two generations? Three generations?"
"The generation that has personally experienced the tragedy of war and lost their loved ones in their homeland will gradually grow old and die. The memory of blood and fire will fade with their passing, and the historical truth will be buried in new narratives."
"Fifty years, one hundred years, two hundred years... time will make these short-lived species forget everything."
"At that time, Lothern will only remember how powerful Aura is and be proud of it..."
The likes and dislikes of ordinary civilians are the least important, because they are often the easiest to guide.
During the "honeymoon period" between Lothern and Aura, many Lothern businessmen, scholars, and civilians yearned for Aura's scenery, but on the eve of the war, almost all Lothern regarded Aura as barbarians.
Was this transformation spontaneous?
No, that is the result of Lothern Royal House and the nobles manipulating public opinion.
Now, it's Aura's turn to take the dominant position.
"So, you plan to copy the methods used in Theo to Lothern?"
Garos asked, digging out another rock under his claws.
"Not only copy, but also deepen and perfect."
Sorog's mood obviously improved a bit, "Moreover, the conditions now are better than before."
"Lothern's ruling class must obey our will openly, regardless of whether they are willing in their hearts. With their cooperation, the resistance will be much smaller and the results will be much faster."
"What exactly?"
Garos chewed a stone and asked with interest.
"The first is education, which is the foundation."
Iron Dragon has obviously thought deeply about it and said, "History must be rewritten."
"Lothern's past glory can be preserved and even written about in a big way, but the direction of explanation must be completely changed."
"Its decline will be attributed to arrogance, isolation, and self-improvement. It is the old and decadent aristocratic system that has dragged down the entire kingdom. But now, with the help and guidance of Aura, Lothern has been able to set things right, regain a new life, and integrate into a stronger and more advanced order."
"No matter what happens in private, all teaching materials and official records must follow this tone."
"Secondly, it is the shaping of the cultural level."
"I have ordered that all folklore, epic ballads, drama scripts and even nursery rhymes in Lothern be collected."
"Anything that depicts Dragonkin or other Aura symbols as evil villains is prohibited."
"At the same time, I will encourage the creation of new cultural works, such as praising you as the sun, praising the power and order of Aura, and depicting Dragonkin as a symbol of strength, wisdom and protection."
"We want Lothern people to unknowingly accept our narrative after dinner."
Garos chuckled, and gravel fell from between his teeth. "I think carefully, but the emotions of intelligent creatures are complex, and I'm afraid it's not reliable enough to rely only on preaching and stories."
"Of course not enough."
Iron Dragon immediately answered, "So there is a third step, which is also the most critical step, the bundling of interests."
"We want Lothern's ruling class and aristocratic class to have their interests deeply bound to Aura, so that everyone will be prosperous and everyone will suffer."
"For example, loyalists will receive mineral mining rights, trade charters, tax exemptions, and will be encouraged to intermarry with Aura's People."
"The families of the resisters will be marginalized and their deprived property will be distributed to the collaborators."
"In just a few generations, the upper-level existence of Lothern will be deeply bound to Aura. Their interests are our interests. To resist us is to resist themselves."
Education shapes cognition, culture affects emotions, and interests determine stance.
This set of combined punches is enough to silently transform a hostile defeated country into a submissive or even dependent territory.
"Very thorough."
Garos opened his mouth with praise, "Your wisdom makes me trust you. Sorog, this set of procedures can become a model for us to deal with similar situations in the future."
"This is all thanks to your initial reminder, my dear brother."
Sorog humbly returned the praise, "It was you who allowed me to see beyond power the true essence of rule. You are the wise man who leads the way."
After a brief mutual affirmation, Iron Dragon turned the topic to other surrenderers.
"Let's not talk about those small principalities for now, Ribos, Matena, Cambrook, these three kingdoms are very interesting."
"They signed the new covenant we drafted, officially recognizing Aura's... special leadership position in Romanian Plains. The terms of the covenant are very straightforward. There is no equality at all. Resource extraction, military access rights, trade preferences... are all beneficial to us."
This trick was learned from Lothern, but it also has many characteristics of Aura.
Iron Dragon paused briefly and raised a question, "Garos, I'm a little confused."
"Since we have essentially taken control of the situation, why not simply follow what Lothern did back then and form a New Federation with Aura as the center? It seems that management will be more convenient if all countries are nominally integrated."
Garos stopped chewing.
He slowly raised his head, looking across the Ser Wilderness mountains to the higher sky.
"Look at the sky."
He did not answer directly, but said something that seemed irrelevant.
Elsewhere, Iron Dragon Sorog heard the words and subconsciously raised the dragon's head and looked at the sky.
The sky is clear during the day, the sky is vast and blue.
A few thin clouds drifted leisurely.
"Remember, there is not nothing above us, there is a real empire there."
Garos A faint whisper sounded.
Iron Dragon's expression immediately became solemn.
Yes, there is also Holden. He has been busy dealing with Romanian States recently, and almost forgot that there is a real behemoth outside this plain.
Floating City of Holden is still in the sky.
"I was negligent."
Iron Dragon said in a deep voice, his tone regaining his composure.
"It's okay, but you need to be alert." Garos's voice softened a little and said, "A loose system connected by a covenant and a tight Federation have completely different levels of stimulation in Holden's eyes."
"We don't need to actively touch that line now."
Sorog Understood.
This is Garos's consistent style.
Before the power is enough to subvert the rules, use everything carefully to hide yourself from the enemy's eyes.
Iron Dragon smiled lowly, "Okay, let's maintain the status quo first."
"Anyway, I'm waiting for the day when you can knock down that Floating City with just one stone."
A small joke diluted the solemn atmosphere.
"There is one more thing I need to discuss with you."
Sorog returns to the topic, "About Lain Plateau."
"Its geographical location is much superior to that of Ser Wilderness. It is almost located in the center of Romanian Plains. It has fertile land and rich resources. With a little development, it can be connected in all directions."
"I think it's time to officially plant the flag of Aura on that plateau."
Garos is not surprised by this.
In fact, he thought even further.
"More than just occupying Lain Plateau."
Garos expressed his decision, "I plan to move Aura's royal city there."
"Move the capital?" Sorog was obviously stunned for a moment.
"Times are changing, and we need to adjust accordingly."
Garos explained, his vision became far-reaching, "Ser Wilderness and Permafrost Tundra are located in the plain Northern Frontier, with the cold Northern Ocean behind them. In the past, this location was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and there was an escape route. It was suitable for the start-up Aura."
"But now, our territory and influence have expanded significantly southward and into the hinterland of the plains."
"This location seems a bit remote and lagging."
What's more, the threat from Ocean is increasing.
"White Calamity is wreaking havoc in Ocean, beware of her possible attacks."
"The Orc fleet has traveled across the ocean. Although the sword is aimed at the Orotara Continent, it is possible to send a vanguard force to the Atlant Continent. They will not start a war with the Holden Empire at the same time. Then, there is a high probability that they will choose a weaker place to land."
Garos said calmly.
He has always had an extremely keen sense of real danger.
His ability to get to where he is today depends on more than just his strength.
Prepare for a rainy day and nip problems in the bud.
For truly powerful enemies that are not yet fully understood, Garos has always adopted the prudent strategy of "seeing the king without seeing the king" to avoid unnecessary head-on conflicts as much as possible.
This caution accompanies him step by step from Hatchling Dragon to Red Emperor, which makes the entire plain tremble today.
Nowadays, his strength is no longer what it used to be, and the shadow of his wings covers the sky, but his original intention has not changed, and he has not become arrogant or arrogant, nor has he lost his caution.
Strength brings arrogance, but wisdom lies in restraining arrogance.
Garos Always remember this.
"I understand." Sorog's voice sounded again, convinced.
"Moving the capital to Lain Plateau is indeed a far-sighted move."
"This matter requires careful arrangements, and I will start making preliminary preparations."
"You are solely responsible for these specific matters."
Garos interrupted him and gave him the greatest trust.
"Yes." Sorog responded briefly.
Soon after, the spiritual connection was finally severed.
Garos brings attention back to reality.
The hunger in his belly was still lingering, and the mountain peak groaned under his heavy body.
He stared at the south, where Romanian Plains was gradually the only voice left.
However, above the head is the seemingly empty sky, but in fact the shadow of the empire is suspended; in the distance is the vast Ocean with undulating waves and unknown crises.
The road is still long.
Garos withdrew his gaze and stopped thinking about those distant threats and plans.
Right now, there is one more important thing.
Huh. Garos took a deep breath, and dense bloodshot eyes instantly appeared. He closed his eyes slightly and repeated deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, there were still a few strands of bloodshot eyes, and it took him a few seconds to completely suppress them.
"Frenzied Flame, it is burning more vigorously during this time."
Garos thought silently.
For some reason, Frenzied Flame became more difficult to control during this period. The psychic resistance he had evolved before was gradually failing, and whenever he looked to the west, Frenzied Flame would sway more violently.
And the west is the direction of the Orotara Continent.
It was fine before, why did it suddenly change like this?
Considering the origin of the epileptic fire and the recent changes in the Orotara continent, it is not difficult for Garos to think that the meteor shower that swept across the Orotara continent and was classified as a natural disaster by the Nausir Elf Empire may have something to do with the epileptic fire.
"I don't know if it's good or bad."
Red Iron Dragon looked solemnly, thinking.
Meanwhile, Orotara Continent, Eastern Border.
Reinhart was walking on a dusty road leading to an ordinary village.
He comes from the Atlant Continent. In order to stay away from troubles and emotions, and to heal old wounds, he simply set foot on this strange land.
Not long after, a human village appeared in front of us, peaceful and peaceful.
The dried grains are golden, chickens and ducks are pacing by the fence, and a yellow dog lies lazily in the sun in front of the door.
His arrival attracted some attention, but the villagers' eyes were honest, full of curiosity and goodwill.
An old man greeted him warmly, the girl brought him clear water from the stream, and the villagers made a clean guest room for him. The air was filled with the smell of cooking smoke and earth, and everything seemed peaceful and stable.
In the Orotara Continent, Elf is Overlord.
The humans living here are more united.
Reinhart likes the atmosphere of this village.
He even felt that he could take a short rest here for a few days.
However, this tranquility was completely broken in the afternoon.
At first it was just a sharp quarrel between children, over a pebble with a strange pattern by the stream.
This is a common and trivial matter in this kind of village.
But soon, the atmosphere suddenly changed when a father intervened. The man's voice was extremely rough, and the accusation instantly escalated to an accusation of "theft."
The other parent naturally retorted angrily.
Reinhart was resting in front of the house. When he heard the voice, he frowned slightly.
He originally planned to observe temporarily and mediate if necessary.
But things developed faster than normal.
He noticed that the quarrel's eyes were filled with bloodshot eyes at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The voice became louder and louder, as if it was not because of the stones, but because of some deep hatred. The content of the abuse became vicious and widespread, extending from the individual to the family and even the ancestors.
What is even more frightening is that this Rage is spreading rapidly like Plague.
The face of the person trying to stop the fight also turned red and he joined the fray; the onlookers' pointing turned into loud voices of agreement and incitement.
In just a few minutes, dozens of people gathered in the open space, spitting and glaring at each other, and the spark of reason seemed to have been completely extinguished.
Reinhart stepped forward quickly and said in a calm voice, "Everyone, please calm down! It's just a pebble..."
"Shut up, outsiders!"
"What do you know!"
"Their family has long disliked us!"
The anger turned to him easily, suspicion and malice rushed towards him, and then, I don't know who pushed him first. The suppressed volcano suddenly erupted.
The pushing and shoving turned into fists and kicks, and someone picked up the wooden sticks and farm tools nearby.
There were screams, roars, and the sound of broken objects and explosions.
The girl who had handed him water had a distorted face, screaming and stabbing the neighbor woman with a sharpened wooden stick; the old man who had been smiling kindly yesterday was now waving his cane and attacking everyone around him like a mad tiger; chickens and ducks flew away in fright, and the originally docile yellow dog had tightened its chain, drooled, barking and biting at the figure crazily.
The entire village fell into an abyss of rage and chaos in an instant, and blood began to splash on the soil.
"Is this some kind of curse?"
Reinhart no longer hesitates at all.
An invisible pressure spread out around him, and a soft but irresistible halo enveloped the open space.
He opened up the field.
Within the domain, all the waving weapons, attacking figures, roaring villagers, and even the barking dog were gently but firmly suppressed by a force.
They couldn't move.
However, their chests heaved violently, their eyes were bloodshot, and their throats still made squealing sounds like trapped animals, full of the most primitive hatred and hostility. They glared at each other, as if they wanted to eat each other alive.
In the middle of a messy open space, only Reinhart is independent of this strange scene.
He frowned and glanced at the ferocious faces that were both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Enough!"
He roared angrily, and his voice contained the majesty of the Legendary Realm level, trying to penetrate the fog of anger and awaken these lost souls.
The moment the drink came out, Reinhart felt a little irritated and angry.
He looked at these stubborn villagers struggling in vain in his territory, and a violent thought suddenly occurred to him.
"This is simply unreasonable! A bunch of ignorant idiots, just..."
Before the thought was finished, Reinhart was shocked.
He gathered his mind for a moment and looked inside himself. Sure enough, an extremely weak trace of heat and hostility was trying to penetrate his tough will defense, and a bloodshot thread quietly crawled into his eyes.
He is infinitely close to the powerful Legendary Realm of Crown Rank!
How could the out-of-control anger of these ordinary villagers infect him like Plague?
"That's not right..."
Reinhart took a deep breath, forced down all the waves in his heart, and his eyes became extremely sharp and solemn.
He once again looked at this village and town shrouded in invisible Rage.
The sun was shining, still warm and warm, but it made him feel chilly.
In order to stay away from the disputes of Romanian Plains, Reinhart came here to seek opportunities, but at this moment, it seems that Orotara Continent seems to be hiding something more weird and troublesome.