"Two thousand four hundred and thirty-one Wild Demonfolk." Wild Demonfolk were actually Wild Men, but they felt the name Wild Men was too low-class and beneath their status, so they had asked Avilan to grant them the name Wild Demonfolk.
The Wild Demonfolk chieftain was named Tian Ye, a fourth-rank warrior. After advancing, he had actually become a Barbarian Warrior, which came as quite a pleasant surprise to Avilan.
"Five thousand six hundred and fourteen Goblins." The Goblin chieftain was a Goblin rogue. Even after receiving a name, he was only at the third rank, though he was just one level away from entering the fourth rank, making him slightly better than Mole Xiu, who had only just broken through to the third rank.
"Twenty-five thousand nine hundred and seventy-three slaves." Finally, Eddie, who was in charge of overseeing the slaves, called out the figure in a trembling voice.
In the past, these people had been scattered throughout the South District, especially the Ratkin, who had already been sent to develop the West District, so the population of Despair Fortress had not seemed particularly apparent. But hearing these numbers today made Eddie realize Despair Fortress's terrifying rate of growth.
Despair Fortress now had nearly seventy thousand people, no worse than many small cities. Most terrifying of all was the scale of Despair Fortress's army.
Compared to human cities, a city of a hundred thousand people would already be impressive if it could muster one soldier for every twenty people. Yet among Despair Fortress's seventy thousand people, they could pull together at least twenty or thirty thousand soldiers. And they were not militia who had just put down their hoes and picked up weapons, but battle-hardened elite troops, with equipment continuously pouring out of the workshops.
Eddie did not dare think any further. He was afraid he would fall into despair because of it.
Despair Fortress was thriving, and so the other races took pride in being its subjects. The captured slaves worked desperately to prove themselves, hoping to cast off their lives as slaves as soon as possible.
That night, Eddie finally discussed with his three brothers how to flee Despair Fortress, this demon stronghold. They would take their wives and children away as soon as possible and escape to the northern part of the Kompno Duchy. Surely Despair Fortress would not be able to capture them there!
Stars dotted the night sky as four agile figures swiftly moved through the South District. Familiar with every sentry post and patrol rotation there, they easily avoided the patrols. When they escaped the South District without incident, they never imagined that Zhou Yu had watched their entire escape.
She sat inside the Magic Watchtower in the South District, watching a massive water screen that displayed Eddie and the others fleeing.
The Magic Watchtower was a simplified version of a mage tower. It was not difficult to build and had low requirements, making it a powerful defensive installation Despair Fortress used for surveillance. It could attack units on the ground and in the air.
Ten Magic Watchtowers had been built throughout the South District, covering almost half of it. Like the Heavenly Eye System of Avilan World in his previous life, they could monitor every movement in the South District at any time.
"Humans truly are ungrateful curs," Zhou Yu said coldly.
"Lady Zhou Yu, Bat requests permission to hunt down these traitors." The Flame Demon had completely restrained his flames, transforming fully into a tower-like burly man.
Bat was only level 48 in human form, but once he evolved into his Flame Demon form, he directly became a terrifying level 58 existence.
"Mm, leave it to you." Zhou Yu nodded, then seemed to recall something and said with a smile, "No rush. Have someone trail them and wait until they return to their village before acting. Capture every human in their entire village and bring them here. Do not harm their lives; I have a great use for them."
Bat scratched his head in confusion, but he did not ask why. After respectfully bowing, he withdrew.
The next day, Zhou Yu personally reported that Eddie and the others had escaped.
Avilan's expression did not change much. He said impassively, "How do you plan to handle it?"
"Perhaps we can establish a settlement centered on humans in the Satellite Town outside the South District. After all, that is where it will be easiest to make contact with humans," Zhou Yu said with a smile.
"Oh!" Avilan nodded, tacitly approving Zhou Yu's suggestion.
Avilan was quite satisfied with Zhou Yu's judgment. That was also why he handed so many matters over to her.
After that great summoning, the number of Horned Demons had surpassed eight thousand, and the speed at which weapons and equipment were forged had increased considerably. In less than a week, they delivered the remaining goods in full. Essin City also hurriedly sent over the remaining gold coins, allowing the Demon Gate to be repaired ahead of schedule.
The Demon Gate could now produce two Horned Demons every hour. Though that only amounted to forty-eight per day, over time the number would become terrifying. Besides, the Demon Gate was only level one now, and its effects doubled with every level gained.
During this period, Despair Fortress had also entered a healthy phase of development. The only thing that dissatisfied Avilan somewhat was that the Dark Elves of the Silent Night Forest had massed heavy forces at Oldwood Fortress on the border, giving the impression that an army was pressing down upon them.
"Now that our development is on track, it is time to kill a few people and establish our authority. Let them know who the true master of this forest is." In the conference hall, Avilan drove his knight's lance heavily into the ground and spoke with killing intent.
Everyone in the hall subconsciously raised their heads. Compared to the frightened other races, the demon race members born in Despair Fortress were all flushed with excitement.
They had come to this world to conquer. As for the other races, they merely feared the Elves' long-standing status as the rulers of the forest.
"Most exalted supreme one, if we launch an attack on the Eternal Night Duchy, what if we alarm the Forest of Life behind it?" Carter asked somewhat nervously.
The Forest of Life was the second-largest forest on the Cliff Continent and also the sacred land of the Elf Race. More than seventy percent of the continent's Elves lived there. The so-called Eternal Night Duchy was merely a nation founded by one of its tribes, its true purpose being to station itself throughout the continent and conveniently monitor the situation across it.
The Elf Race was now unquestionably the ruler of the continent, rather like America, the world police force, in Avilan's previous life. They loved interfering in international affairs.
"How far away is the Forest of Life from here? And if they wish to send an expeditionary army over such a distance, would the countries along the way really let them swagger across their borders? If they merely send top-tier experts, I do not think we need fear them." Mi Yue immediately stood up to refute him. She was a representative of the war faction, and when it came to the Elf Race in particular, she was even more eager.
Because she had already fallen in love with Elven blood. Elven blood had even made her skin smoother and more delicate, making her wish she could turn every Elf into her blood meal.
"Since blood is life, and blood is youth, then let me drink even more blood!"
As she said this, Mi Yue let out a chilling laugh, causing quite a few people to shudder unconsciously.
Carter withdrew. He had done all he could, and he could also see just how terrifying Despair Fortress was.
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