Business

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

It was already late at night, yet Avilan felt no trace of sleepiness. He was deeply irritated that he had somehow provoked an extremist religious force like the Blood Church.

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

No matter which world it was, the army could not move before supplies were prepared.

Food was the foremost priority for any faction.

During this trip to Chika Village, Avilan discovered that the Cliff Continent was now on the brink of turmoil. Every nation was urgently preparing for war, and even farmers in distant Chika Village could sense the clouds of war gathering.

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

All signs indicated that the Kompno Duchy was relaxed outwardly but tense within. It was not that they did not want to deploy their trump-card forces, but that they did not dare!

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

Within the Kompno Duchy, there were five provinces, and each province contained quite a few great nobles and major powers.

Two dukes, five marquises, nine earls, four merchant clans, and four military clans flourished throughout the land.

These twenty-four forces stood at the pinnacle within the Kompno Duchy, looking down upon the changing tides!

Yet these twenty-four powers turned a blind eye to the domestic unrest, each claiming territory as its own and engaging in warlord conflicts.

Now, throughout the entire Kompno Duchy, only the imperial city and the provincial capitals could guarantee absolute control. As for the other cities, that was difficult to say.

Early the next morning, Avilan directly summoned Arthur.

"Arthur, how much fertile farmland does the Despair Fortress possess? What is the grain output like?"

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

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

"That exaggerated?"

Avilan was somewhat surprised. After all, the game had never contained such a messy situation. It seemed that problems that had never appeared before had actually been accounted for in the internal settings.

"That's good, then."

At that moment, Zhou Yu and Mi Yue arrived together, though neither of them looked very well.

"What is it?" Seeing the Aptitude Crystal Balls in their hands, Avilan could roughly guess what had happened and understood the situation to some extent.

It seemed the situation was similar to that of the Light Spirit Swordsman.

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

"Oh? How unsatisfactory?" Avilan had already been mentally prepared and asked curiously.

"The Despair Fortress currently has 1,567 Horned Demons, including thirty-two third-rank elites, one fourth-rank elite, and one third-rank BOSS. Other than Aranda, whose growth value has reached 1.8, and Mize, whose is 1.2, the other third-rank elites are between 0.6 and 0.8. As for ordinary Horned Demons, they are around 0.3 to 0.5." Zhou Yu delivered an answer that left Avilan somewhat depressed.

Avilan said nothing and simply turned his gaze toward Mi Yue.

"Commander Miuo of the Catfolk has a score of 1.4, while the other Catfolk are all between 0.7 and 0.8. As for the Ratkin and Goblins, they are even more unbearable to look at. Every first-rank one is between 0.1 and 0.2, while 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 Humans are quite good. I suspect that the Human Race's overall growth values may be relatively high," Zhou Yu suddenly said.

"Oh? Let's hear it." Avilan rested his chin on his hand and looked at Zhou Yu.

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

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

At this question, Zhou Yu and Mi Yue exchanged glances, then lowered their heads to the ground, utterly unsure how to respond.

"Lord Avilan, I am unable to offer a correct opinion on matters concerning human anatomy. Perhaps Bian Que could be brought forth. With his abilities, he should be able to solve this problem," Mi Yue said after a long while.

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

"Arthur!"

"Reporting to Lord Avilan, our funds are currently mainly being used to repair the Demon Gate. Reviving Lord Bian Que, the master of the fifth floor, would require five hundred thousand gold coins. After deducting daily expenses, at our current efficiency, it would 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. With high spirits, he asked, "If the furniture in this hall is damaged, do we have any way to repair it?"

"Yes! That is part of the castle servants' daily work," Arthur answered without hesitation.

Avilan blinked.

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

"Male servants are mainly responsible for maintaining the castle's daily facilities. Furniture repair and manufacturing are also among their duties." As the chief steward, Arthur knew this rather clearly.

"Oh, then what about forging weapons and equipment? They do not need to be too good, just equipment around the Fine Iron and silver tiers." Avilan spoke excitedly, having discovered an enormous source of wealth.

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

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

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

At the Despair Fortress's peak, even the most ordinary soldiers would not wear such equipment. Why did Avilan want to make it?

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

Arthur's eyes immediately lit up.

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

Zhou Yu also understood and joined in praising Avilan.

The string of flattery left Avilan feeling refreshed, and he nearly began to float.