Everyone a Soldier

"Two thousand four hundred and thirty-one Wild Demonfolk." Wild Demonfolk were actually Wild Men, but they felt the name Wild Men was too lowly and beneath their status, so they asked Avilan to grant them the name Wild Demonfolk.

Their chieftain was called Tian Ye, a fourth-tier warrior. After advancing, he had actually become a barbarian warrior, quite a pleasant surprise for 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 tier, though he was just one level away from entering the fourth tier, making him slightly better than Mole Xiu, who had only just broken through to the third tier.

"Twenty-five thousand nine hundred and seventy-three slaves." Finally, Eddie, who was in charge of overseeing the slaves, called out tremblingly.

In the past, with so many people scattered throughout the South District—especially the Ratkin, who had been sent to develop the West District—the population of Despair Fortress had not seemed particularly striking. But hearing those numbers reported today made Eddie realize the terrifying speed at which Despair Fortress had developed.

Despair Fortress now possessed 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 one hundred thousand being able to muster one twentieth of its population as soldiers was already impressive. Yet among Despair Fortress's seventy thousand people, they could pull together at least twenty or thirty thousand soldiers. And they were not militiamen who had just put down their hoes and picked up weapons, but elite soldiers hardened in a hundred battles, equipped with gear continuously produced by the workshops.

Eddie did not dare think any further. He was afraid he would fall into despair because of it.

The whole of Despair Fortress was flourishing, so the other races took pride in being its subjects. The captive slaves, meanwhile, struggled desperately to prove themselves, hoping to cast off their slave lives as soon as possible.

That night, Eddie finally discussed escaping this demon stronghold, Despair Fortress, with his three brothers. They would take their wives and children away as quickly as possible and flee to the north of the Kompno Duchy. Despair Fortress should not be able to capture them there, right?

The sky was studded with stars as four agile figures swiftly moved through the South District. They knew every sentry post and shift change in the district, easily avoiding the patrols. When they escaped the South District without incident, they never imagined that Zhou Yu had watched their entire escape.

Sitting inside the South District's Magic Watchtower, she watched the massive water screen, which was displaying Eddie and the others' escape.

The Magic Watchtower was a simplified version of a mage tower. It was not difficult or demanding to build, and was a powerful defensive installation Despair Fortress used for surveillance. It could attack targets on both the ground and in the air.

Ten Magic Watchtowers had been built throughout the South District, covering nearly half of it. Like the Heavenly Eye System in the Avilan World of his previous life, they could monitor every movement in the entire South District at any time.

"The Human Race truly is an ungrateful wolf," Zhou Yu said coldly.

"Lady Zhou Yu, Bat requests permission to hunt down those traitors." The Flame Demon, whose flames had been completely restrained, had thoroughly become a burly man like an iron tower.

Bat was only level 48 in human form, but once he evolved into his Flame Demon form, he became a terrifying level 58 existence.

"Mm, leave it to you." Zhou Yu nodded, then seemed to remember something and said with a smile, "No rush. Have someone follow them. Wait until they return to their village before making a move. Capture all the humans in their village and bring them back. Do not harm their lives; I have great use for them."

Bat scratched his head in confusion, but did not ask why. After respectfully bowing, he withdrew.

The next day, Zhou Yu personally reported the news of Eddie and the others' escape.

Avilan's expression did not change much. He said impassively, "How do you intend to handle it?"

"Perhaps we can establish a Satellite Town outside the South District with the Human Race as its foundation. After all, that place will make it easiest to come into contact with the Human Race," Zhou Yu said with a smile.

"Oh!" Avilan nodded, indicating his agreement with Zhou Yu's suggestion.

Avilan was quite satisfied with Zhou Yu's judgment. That was also why he entrusted so many matters to her.

After that great summoning, the Horned Demonfolk had surpassed eight thousand in number, and the speed of forging weapons and equipment had accelerated 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 Demonfolk every hour. Although that amounted to only forty-eight in a day, over the years, that number would become terrifying. What was more, the Demon Gate was still only level one; with every level it rose, its effect doubled.

During this time, Despair Fortress had also entered a healthy period of development. The only thing that dissatisfied Avilan was that the Dark Elves of the Silent Night Forest had amassed a heavy force at Oldwood Fortress along the border, carrying the momentum of an army pressing down upon the border.

"Now that our development has also gotten on track, it is time to kill a few people and establish our might. Let them know who is truly the master of this forest." In the conference hall, Avilan drove his knight lance heavily into the floor as he spoke with murderous intent.

Everyone in the hall subconsciously raised their heads. While those other races were anxious and uneasy, the Devil Race born in Despair Fortress flushed red with excitement.

They had come to this world for conquest. As for those other races, they merely feared the Elves' long-standing status as overlords of the forest.

"Your Supreme Majesty, if we launch an attack on the Eternal Night Duchy, what if we alert the Forest of Life behind it?" Carter asked somewhat timidly.

The Forest of Life was the second-largest forest on the Cliff Continent, as well as the sacred land of the Elf Race. More than seventy percent of all Elves on the continent lived there. The so-called Eternal Night Duchy was merely a nation established by one of its tribes, its true purpose being to plant itself throughout the continent and conveniently monitor the situation across the entire land.

The Elf Race was now the undisputed overlord of the continent, somewhat like America's world police in Avilan's previous life, exceedingly fond of meddling in international affairs.

"How far away is the Forest of Life from here? And if they wish to send an army on a long expedition, would the countries along the way really allow them to swagger across their borders? If they only send top-tier experts, I do not think we need fear them." Mi Yue immediately stepped forward to refute him. She was a representative of the war faction, and where the Elf Race was concerned, she was even more eager.

Because she had already fallen in love with Elven blood. It had even made her skin smoother and more delicate, making her wish she could treat every Elf as blood food.

"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 smile, making quite a few people shudder unconsciously.

Carter stepped back. He had done all he could, and he could also see the terror of Despair Fortress.