30: Business

Compared to Vought City's belated realization, the Eternal Night Duchy of the Silent Night Forest had already dispatched an elite squad to explore the Messiah Great Forest.

It was deep into the night, yet Avilan felt no trace of sleepiness. His heart was restless; for no reason at all, he had provoked an extremist religious force like the Blood Church.

The growth in Despair Fortress's strength was good, but if war broke out in the future, other aspects could not be neglected either.

No matter which world it was, armies never marched without provisions going first.

Food was the cornerstone of any power.

During this trip to Chika Village, Avilan discovered that the Cliff Continent was now teetering on the brink of turmoil. Every nation was urgently preparing for war. Even farmers as far away as Chika Village could feel the clouds of war gathering overhead.

The suddenly emerged Despair Fortress was very likely to become the fuse that ignited a continent-wide war across the Cliff Continent.

All signs showed that the Kompno Duchy was lax without but tense within. It was not that they did not want to deploy their trump-card troops—they did not dare!

Once the Kompno Duchy mobilized the Imperial City Guards, the Roen Kingdom, Blood Church, and Eternal Night Duchy would no longer remain so lukewarm as they were now.

Within the Kompno Duchy, there were five provinces in total, and within those provinces existed quite a few great nobles and major powers.

Two dukes, five marquises, nine counts; four merchant powers and four military powers blooming everywhere.

These twenty-four forces stood at the pinnacle of the Kompno Duchy, looking down upon the winds and clouds below!

Yet these twenty-four powers turned a blind eye to the domestic unrest. Each claimed territory and ruled as king, warlords battling one another in chaos.

Now, across the entire Kompno Duchy, only the Imperial City and the provincial capitals could guarantee absolute control. As for the other cities, that was hard to say.

Early the next morning, Avilan summoned Arthur directly.

"Arthur, how much fertile land does Despair Fortress possess? How is its food production?"

Avilan looked at Despair Fortress's chief steward and asked in a deep voice.

Arthur clasped his fists in salute and gave a bitter smile. "Lord Avilan, Area Three of the South District mainly produces food through soilless cultivation. Zhou Yu has shut down many cultivation bases and has begun restoring the granaries in the north. The southern granaries are nearly too full to hold any more."

"That exaggerated?"

Avilan was somewhat surprised. There had not been such a messy situation in the game. It seemed that some issues that had never appeared before had actually been set up internally.

"That's good, then."

At that moment, Zhou Yu and Mi Yue arrived together, though neither of their expressions looked particularly good.

"What is it?" Avilan looked at the Aptitude Crystal Balls in their hands and could roughly guess the situation. He could also more or less understand what was going on.

It seemed to be similar to the Light Spirit Swordsman's case.

"Reporting to Lord Avilan, we have completed the task you assigned, but the results are somewhat unsatisfactory," Mi Yue said with an ugly expression.

"Oh? How are they unsatisfactory?" Avilan had already prepared himself mentally and asked curiously.

"Despair Fortress currently has 1,567 Horned Demons. Among them are thirty-two third-tier elites, one fourth-tier elite, and one third-tier BOSS. Aside from Aranda, whose growth value is 1.8, Mize is at 1.2, while the other third-tier elites range from 0.6 to 0.8. As for ordinary Horned Demons, they are around 0.3 to 0.5." Zhou Yu delivered an answer that left Avilan rather depressed.

Avilan did not speak. He simply turned his gaze toward Mi Yue.

"Commander Miuo of the Catfolk is at 1.4, while the other clansmen are between 0.7 and 0.8. As for the Ratkin and Goblins, they are even more unbearable to look at. Every first-tier one is between 0.1 and 0.2. Even the few clan chiefs who were granted names are only between 0.3 and 0.4." Mi Yue's answer made Avilan frown in dissatisfaction.

They were far too weak!

"Lord Avilan, the average growth values of those four members of the Human Race are quite good. I suspect that the Human Race has a comparatively high overall growth value," Zhou Yu suddenly said.

"Oh? Let me hear it." Avilan propped up his chin and looked at Zhou Yu.

"Yes. Allen and Eddie, the brothers, are currently both second-tier, yet their growth values are around 0.75. The other two are also around 0.7. Judging by the average of the Human Race, they are indeed stronger than the other races."

"Do you know why?" Avilan was greatly surprised by those growth values. If the Human Race's growth values were that high, would they not have dominated the continent long ago? What place would there be for the other races?

At that question, Zhou Yu and Mi Yue exchanged a look, then lowered their heads to the ground. They had no idea how to begin.

"Lord Avilan, this is a matter concerning human physiology. Your subordinate cannot offer a correct assessment. Perhaps Bian Que could be brought forth. With his abilities, he should be able to resolve this issue," Mi Yue finally said after a long while.

Avilan blinked. Of course he knew that NPC, Bian Que. He was Zheng Xiuqi's favorite character, Despair Fortress's greatest healer, and like Arthur, a level-one-hundred supreme BOSS. Back then, together with Arthur and Angela, he could almost challenge a fifty-player party.

"Arthur!"

"Reporting to Lord Avilan, our main funds are currently being used to restore the Demon Gate. Reviving Lord Bian Que, master of the fifth floor, requires five hundred thousand gold coins. After deducting daily expenses, at our current efficiency, it will take at least another year," Arthur estimated before reporting seriously.

Avilan hurriedly waved for him to stop, rubbing his temples with a headache.

They lacked money! Construction required money! Reviving heroes required money!

Looking at the magnificent hall before him, Avilan's eyes suddenly lit up. Brimming with energy, he asked, "If the furniture in the hall is damaged, do we have a way to repair it?"

"Yes! That is the castle servants' daily work," Arthur answered without even thinking.

Avilan blinked.

The castle had male servants? Why did he not remember that? He had seen quite a few maids, though.

"The male servants mainly maintain the castle's everyday facilities. Furniture repair and crafting are also among their duties." As chief steward, Arthur knew the details quite well.

"Oh, oh. Then what about forging weapons and equipment? They do not need to be too good—being able to make equipment around Fine Iron or silver grade would be enough." Avilan spoke excitedly. He had discovered an enormous path to wealth.

"Silver equipment?" Zhou Yu asked in confusion. "Horned Demons who have mastered forging can make silver equipment. There is no need to use the castle's resources at all."

"Good, then it's decided." Avilan immediately made the decision.

Arthur and the others were instantly dumbfounded. They were sure they had not misheard. Lord Avilan wanted to forge silver equipment.

At Despair Fortress's peak, not even the most ordinary soldiers wore that kind of equipment. What did Avilan want to make it for?

"We may not think highly of it, but that does not mean others will not. Arthur, do you remember those adventurers who broke into Despair Fortress back then?"

Arthur's eyes immediately lit up.

"As expected of Lord Avilan. You have considered every detail, far beyond what subordinates like us can match."

Zhou Yu also understood and joined in praising Avilan.

Their string of flattery left Avilan refreshed and exhilarated, making him feel as though he were floating on air.