Chapter Summaries

Luo Ning tested Carlos’s flight with Rulans, who warned him to protect the dragon from threats and unwanted attention. At dinner, Wiggins asked Luo Ning to represent him on a delivery trip to Red Mountain Town, and Luo Ning considered whether to accept.

• Luo Ning and Rulans flew Carlos and compared the dragon’s speed and stamina with griffons.
• Rulans warned Luo Ning that weapons and griffon knights could threaten Carlos and advised him to keep the dragon hidden.
• Rulans told Luo Ning about the concealment spell Light Bending Shadow and suggested buying its Magic Book from the Silva Magic Energy Merchant Association.
• At dinner, Wiggins said the convoy carrying supplies to Red Mountain Town would leave in two days.
• Wiggins asked Luo Ning to travel with the convoy and greet the Fifth Knight Order on his behalf, and Luo Ning pondered the proposal.

Luo Ning weighed Wiggins’s request to escort supplies to Red Mountain Town and considered whether the town’s iron mine could benefit Wubei Territory. Rulans reminded Wiggins to prepare a birthday gift before asking Luo Ning for help, while Luo Ning left undecided about both the trip and what gift to request.

• Wiggins asked Luo Ning to escort supplies to Red Mountain Town, but Luo Ning said the trip would require time and that he would need to consult Rulans if asked as Wubei Territory’s heir.
• Rulans pointed out that Luo Ning’s birthday was the next day and asked Wiggins what gift he had prepared; Wiggins admitted he had forgotten and promised to provide one.
• Luo Ning considered asking for a share of Red Mountain Town’s iron mine, which could supply ore for Wubei Territory, but doubted Wiggins could grant it.
• Luo Ning went to spar with Brayden, while Wiggins complained that Luo Ning no longer treated him as he once had and was startled to hear Brayden thought Luo Ning might be a Bronze Knight.
• Diane urged Wiggins to choose a good birthday gift, and Wiggins went to his study to search for something rare and valuable.

Haen watched enemy troops gather outside Red Mountain Town as negotiations over the iron mine shares faltered, and a sudden attack began. At Luo Ning’s birthday gathering, he secured Wiggins and Cabir’s help in sending workers to Wubei Territory, then hinted that his second request could earn Wiggins a profit.

• Haen learned that another camp had appeared outside Red Mountain Town and said Coren’s five Knight Squads would arrive the next morning.
• A flash of cold light appeared across from Haen, and furious roars and Battle Qi Armor erupted below.
• Luo Ning welcomed his nephew Martin at his birthday gathering while Cabir reflected on his family’s cautious rise in Wushan Ridge.
• Luo Ning asked Wiggins to arrange workers for Wubei Territory, and Wiggins agreed to gather ten or twenty thousand people with Cabir’s help.
• Luo Ning said his second request could bring Wiggins profits, prompting Wiggins to ask him to explain.

Luo Ning negotiated a favorable iron ore supply deal with Wiggins and celebrated his birthday at Wushan Castle. The festivities continued while Wiggins received an urgent letter from Coren of Boulder City that left him furious.

• Luo Ning asked Wiggins to sell him iron ore from Red Mountain Town, and Wiggins agreed to supply two hundred thousand jin annually at six copper coins per jin, with Luo Ning arranging transport.
• Wiggins offered lower prices for larger future orders, and Luo Ning said Wubei Territory might need more as its population grew.
• Luo Ning attended his birthday banquet, where Rulans gave him a birthday letter from Blanche and McKinney asked him to dance.
• Wiggins left the banquet for his courtyard, where Carolina delivered an Advanced Rank urgent letter from Coren of Boulder City.
• Wiggins read the letter and angrily exclaimed that he could not believe what had happened.

Wiggins announced that the Poland Thief Group had captured Red Mountain Town, killed Vice Regimental Commander Haen, and devastated the Fifth Knight Order. He called for troops to retake the town and asked Luo Ning to represent the Wushan Family in the campaign, but Luo Ning proposed consulting his grandfather first.

• Carolina brought Wiggins into the banquet, where he summoned Toru, Cabir, Luo Ning, Albert, and Curry to the side hall.
• Wiggins revealed that Red Mountain Town had fallen and that more than half of the Fifth Knight Order had been killed, with Coren retreating toward Boulder City.
• Cabir and Toru questioned how the Poland Thief Group had overwhelmed the town, while Luo Ning urged them to mobilize quickly to defend Boulder City.
• Wiggins decided to issue a War Order and asked Luo Ning to represent the Wushan Family and command the campaign.
• Luo Ning said Wubei Territory could provide few soldiers or supplies and suggested they first hear his grandfather's opinion.

After the Poland Thief Group defeated the Fifth Knight Order, Rulans ordered Wushan Territory to mobilize for war and asked Luo Ning to consider commanding the campaign. Rulans warned him that the enemy might have powerful backers, and Luo Ning left to decide whether to go to the front or handle logistics.

• Wiggins proposed summoning the nobles, reinforcing Boulder City, and retaking Red Mountain Town, with Luo Ning as commander.
• Rulans ordered a report from Coren and approved Wiggins's mobilization plan; Wiggins began arranging troops, supplies, and the War Order.
• Rulans asked Luo Ning whether he would accept command, and Luo Ning acknowledged that he lacked battlefield experience.
• Rulans advised Luo Ning that he could instead serve as Transport Officer and warned that the Poland Thief Group had a complicated background.
• Luo Ning asked whether the Count of Moonlight Valley backed the Poland Thief Group and whether Vera Workshop backed the Black Gold Brotherhood; Rulans said these were suspicions without proof.
• Rulans left the choice to Luo Ning, who departed to consider whether to lead the army or support it from the rear.

Luo Ning chose to join the campaign to retake Red Mountain Town after weighing Rulans's suggestions, and Wiggins offered him command in exchange for helping secure the town's iron-mine rights. Luo Ning accepted the opportunity but kept his concerns about the mine profits and the Poland Thief Group to himself.

• Luo Ning decided to go to the battlefield rather than serve as a quartermaster, confident that his strength and allies could protect him.
• Holwart brought Luo Ning to Wiggins's study, where Wiggins asked what Rulans had instructed him to do.
• Wiggins urged Luo Ning to command the campaign and promised to recommend him for Red Mountain Town's Operating Rights if they won.
• Wiggins proposed taking a share of the iron-mine income, and Luo Ning accepted the command opportunity without agreeing to the proposed division.
• Luo Ning left the study, deciding to pursue the opportunity while remaining wary of the Poland Thief Group.

After the Poland Thief Group captured Red Mountain Town, Wushan Castle issued a conscription order and began preparing a coalition campaign to retake it. Luo Ning learned that he would go to the front with support from Toru, Cabir, and Marvin, then returned to Wubei Territory to prepare.

• Carolina sent letters reporting the capture of Red Mountain Town to nobles and knights across Wushan Territory.
• Wiggins’s conscription order began mobilizing the nobles, while Toru sent Philip Kent and five Knight Squads to Boulder City.
• Coren’s letter described Haen’s defeat during a nighttime attack and Coren’s retreat to Boulder City with the surviving troops.
• Luo Ning speculated that the Poland Thief Group had seized Red Mountain Town to take its iron mine.
• Rulans arranged for Toru, Cabir, and Marvin to assist Luo Ning and said Melonica would help protect Wushan Castle.
• Luo Ning stayed at Wushan Castle for two days, gathered intelligence from Rulans, and rode back to Wubei Territory to prepare for war.

Luo Ning returned to Swamp Town with Carlos, learned that Jenny had become an Advanced Mage, and began preparing for the campaign to retake Red Mountain Town. As the nobles of Wushan Territory prepared to answer the conscription, a letter from the southeast disrupted their plans.

• Luo Ning landed Carlos behind Swamp Castle under Light Bending Shadow, but Elrond sensed them and recognized Luo Ning when he revealed himself.
• Elrond told Luo Ning that his Magic Potion research was stalled by missing materials, and explained that Rydal and the other knights were eager to join the war.
• Luo Ning congratulated Jenny on becoming an Advanced Mage and gave her the Level 3 Magic Books Ice Arrow and Frost Imprisonment.
• Aileen gave Luo Ning her first Water Gathering Spell Spell Scroll as a belated birthday gift, and he praised her work.
• Luo Ning told the knights to train and prepare, then had Rydal gather supplies for their departure to Wushan Castle in half a month.
• The nobles of Wushan Territory prepared their forces for the conscription until a letter from the southeast disrupted their plans.

Luo Ning learned that the Black Gold Brotherhood had massed troops near Wushan Territory while the Poland Thief Group held Red Mountain Town, making Count Wiggins’s plan to retake it uncertain. He decided to deploy Wubei Territory’s Knight Squad and prepare its soldiers for battle.

• Luo Ning and Rydal considered whether the Black Gold Brotherhood was coordinating with the Poland Thief Group or was acting independently.
• Rydal warned that the Black Gold Brotherhood’s renewed strength suggested it had powerful backers, and Luo Ning clarified that Red Mountain Town remained his target.
• Luo Ning reviewed the Knight Squad’s equipment and ordered Wilson to increase Ironwood Workshop production before the campaign.
• Luo Ning decided to send twelve extraordinary individuals and the territory’s cavalry, infantry, and archers to fight, and promised rewards to those who participated.

Luo Ning prepared the Wubei Territory's first campaign while overseeing silkworm farming and the new treadle loom. As the nobles' June 12 meeting approached, he rode Carlos to Wushan Castle under cover of night.

• Luo Ning chose Rydal, Macken, Elrond, and several professional knights and mages to join his campaign against the Poland Thief Group, while Horn stayed behind to oversee defenses and silkworm farming.
• Luo Ning inspected the silkworm eggs in Purple Fruit Village and instructed Horn, Lia, and the farmers on feeding and caring for the silkworms after they hatched.
• Master Craftsman Darn showed Luo Ning the territory's first successfully improved treadle loom, and Luo Ning told him to develop versions for linen and wool as well.
• Luo Ning assigned Finance Officer Chahar to study whether opening a weaving factory would be more profitable than selling the looms, and urged him to learn business management.
• On the eve of the nobles' June 12 meeting, Luo Ning rode Carlos to the back mountain of Wushan Castle under cover of night.

As nobles gathered at Wushan Castle for the June 12 assembly, Luo Ning explained to Brayden why neighboring forces kept targeting Wushan Territory. He met Viscount Sandro Riv, who was surprised to learn Luo Ning planned to bring a full Knight Squad into battle and doubted its readiness.

• Luo Ning told Brayden that nearby territories backed raiders to weaken Wushan Castle and seize its land and resources.
• Luo Ning and Brayden met Viscount Marvin and Viscount Sandro Riv at Wushan Fortress.
• Sandro praised Luo Ning for rescuing Princess Blanche and defeating Baron Leysen, then asked how many men he would bring on the expedition.
• Luo Ning said he would bring a full-strength Knight Squad, crediting Marvin with helping him obtain warhorses.
• Sandro doubted Luo Ning's squad had enough experienced Professional Knights and privately judged the young viscount too hot-blooded.

Nigan Golden Lion confronted Luo Ning at Wushan Fortress over Selena’s suicide, but Luo Ning calmly defied his intimidation and challenged the Hyde Family to handle the Black Gold Brotherhood. Aran defused the confrontation and led the nobles into the fortress to hear the marquis’s instructions.

• Luo Ning saw Nigan arrive with Aran Hyde and learned about the Hyde Family’s powerful relatives and talented younger generation.
• Nigan blamed Luo Ning for Selena’s suicide and said he regretted not sending him to prison.
• Luo Ning provoked Nigan, resisted his intimidating aura, and suggested the Hyde Family fight the Black Gold Brotherhood without help.
• Marvin backed Luo Ning’s challenge, while Aran told Nigan to behave and affirmed the Hyde Family would answer the call against the bandits.
• Aran led Nigan and the gathered nobles into Wushan Fortress, and Luo Ning privately admitted he could not match Nigan’s strength.

At the Noble Assembly, the nobles settled commanders and troop assignments for campaigns against the Black Gold Brotherhood and the Poland Thief Group. Luo Ning secured Wushan Castle’s logistical support for his Western Front expedition, and the assembled forces set out for war.

• Wiggins outlined the war’s objectives, and the nobles agreed to prioritize the Black Gold Brotherhood in the southeast and retake Red Mountain Town in the southwest.
• After the Hyde Family challenged Cabir’s appointment, Aran dueled Cabir for command of the southeastern campaign and lost.
• The nobles appointed Luo Ning commander of the Western Front, with Toru and Marvin as his deputies, then assigned most of the powerful knights to the Eastern Front.
• Luo Ning questioned the Western Front’s limited number of Golden Knights, and Wiggins added two Silver Knights to his force.
• Wiggins promised to provide food, horse fodder, and other logistics for Luo Ning’s expedition, and the nobles departed to prepare their territories.
• As June neared its end, the nobles’ forces marched toward their respective battlefields.

Luo Ning delayed joining the campaign while inspecting Wild Rice and making the first sheet of paper, then caught up with Rydal's troops and met the other noble forces. As the allied army gathered near Boulder Territory, Luo Ning found its forces much weaker than expected and learned that Viscount Vitorino had not arrived.

• Luo Ning inspected the marshes, found Wild Rice growing at five of fourteen marked locations, and transplanted nearby barnyard grass before planning an August harvest.
• Luo Ning made the first sheet of paper and taught Gallon how to prepare fibers and pulp while he was away.
• Luo Ning rode Carlos out of Wubei Territory and caught up with Rydal, who reported that the troops from Pasture City and Lakeside Town were following behind.
• Luo Ning slowed the march toward Boulder Territory, where Viscount Marvin and Baron German caught up and agreed to buy sixty sets of Lamellar Armor each.
• Luo Ning saw that most of the allied noble forces were poorly equipped or too small, including Baron Cona's force of only three men, and asked why Viscount Vitorino had not come.

Luo Ning learned that Viscount Vitorino would not join the campaign against the Poland Thief Group, though Pointed Horn City still sent the largest noble force. After Rognar explained why the nobles were holding back, Luo Ning prepared to coordinate the allied forces before they entered Boulder City.

• Luo Ning learned that Vitorino and his elite knights were injured fighting a Sword Shark and could not join the war, though Vitorino sent three hundred men to Boulder Territory.
• Rognar reported that Mahamet Love led Pointed Horn City's force with a small number of knights and no cavalry.
• Rognar explained that Vitorino and other nobles expected Wiggins to claim Red Mountain Town's iron mine, leaving them little to gain from the campaign.
• Luo Ning concluded that Wushan Castle's Knight Orders and the forces from Wubei Territory, Pasture City, and Lakeside Town would make up the main strength of the army.
• Luo Ning told Rognar to notify the force leaders that they would enter Boulder City and meet with Toru, Coren, and Philip the next day.
• Luo Ning summoned Rydal, Macken, and Elrond, recognizing that Wubei Territory's strongest fighters would likely have to reveal themselves.

Luo Ning used Energy Essence to strengthen his subordinates, raising Elrond to Archmage so he could eventually help save Rulans. Elrond gained a powerful healing spell and knowledge of a potion that could boost a knight’s strength, and Luo Ning planned to seek the ingredients in Boulder City.

• Luo Ning assigned 1,620 Energy Essence to Elrond, 351 to Rydal, and 28 to Macken, prioritizing Elrond and Rydal while reassuring Macken.
• Elrond advanced to Archmage, greatly increasing his magic capacity and spell power.
• Elrond described a memory of an apparently unkillable being that could be destroyed by piercing it and flooding it with Supernatural Power.
• Elrond revealed that he had learned Potent Healing Spell and how to make Burst Potion, which increased a knight’s strength by fifty percent for one minute but caused a day of weakness.
• Elrond explained that Burst Potion required fresh blood from a powerful level-six Demon Beast, so Luo Ning considered asking Carlos for dragon blood.
• Luo Ning told Elrond to look for the remaining ingredients in Boulder City and try to make one or two bottles before the war if possible.

Coren discussed the arriving Noble Coalition Army with Brisso and prepared to welcome its commander, Luo Ning, despite his contempt for him. In Red Mountain Town, Amicus prepared the Poland Thief Group to defend the town while maximizing its iron ore stockpile in case they had to retreat.

• Brisso told Coren that Toru had taken control of the Fifth Knight Order's remaining Knight Squads, and Coren lamented the loss of his command.
• Coren dismissed Luo Ning as an ignorant young man but said he would obey his orders to avoid being blamed for another defeat.
• Coren ordered Brisso to prepare to welcome Luo Ning and the coalition forces into Boulder City the next day.
• Amicus ordered Haldan to keep the Poland Thief Group ready to fight and asked Warwick whether the mined iron ore had been sent to Riverside City.
• Amicus instructed Warwick to keep the miners working and fed enough to maintain production in case the group had to withdraw from Red Mountain Town.

Luo Ning organized the Noble Coalition Army’s march to Boulder City and began reviewing its sanitation and troop strength. After the army reached Boulder City and Coren welcomed its leaders, Luo Ning learned that the coalition had only eleven Bronze and Silver Rank Knights among its counted forces.

• Luo Ning had the forces march in sequence and sent Jenny and Krami to record each unit’s leaders and numbers.
• Rydal kept order with a powerful roar, while German and Marvin praised Luo Ning’s handling of the march.
• Luo Ning discussed camp sanitation with Marvin and concluded that the problem would need further consideration.
• The Noble Coalition Army entered Boulder City, where Coren welcomed Luo Ning and pledged to follow his plans for the war.
• Coren hosted the leaders at Boulder Fortress, and Jenny gave Luo Ning a report listing fifty-three forces, 1,855 combatants, and 7,421 logistics personnel.
• Luo Ning saw that the coalition’s counted forces included only three Silver Rank Knights and eight Bronze Knights.

Luo Ning rejected Betty, whom Coren had sent to tempt him and damage his reputation, then focused on organizing the Noble Coalition Army. At a commanders’ meeting, his detailed plan impressed Toru and Marvin, while Coren looked for a flaw to criticize.

• Betty told Luo Ning that Coren had sent her to attend to him, but Luo Ning dismissed her and ordered Tom and David to escort her out with the fruit platter.
• Coren learned that Betty had failed to seduce Luo Ning and decided to ruin his reputation by letting the coalition suffer a crushing defeat in the coming war.
• Elrond reported that Boulder City lacked the materials for Burst Potions, including Blood Hemp Grass, while Luo Ning spent the evening planning the army’s camp and organization.
• Luo Ning presented a detailed plan for assigning units, leaders, and duties, and Toru and Marvin praised his work after reading it.
• Coren read the plan and, despite being impressed, claimed that one part was inappropriate; Luo Ning invited him to explain his objection.