Internal Strife

Dressed in a simple white suit, with jet-black hair cut into a neat crew cut and a strange rune between his brows, this man was none other than Avilan, the lord of Despair Fortress and a Demon King from another world.

At that moment, he was holding Allen's daughter Amy, an expensive lollipop in his hand and a gentle smile on his face.

Beside him stood a brawny man who looked like a butler. He was Arthur, the Death Knight who had once slaughtered their party.

"Allen, you're finally back! Your captain has been waiting for you for a long time." Allen's sharp-eyed wife immediately spotted him in the distance.

But they were in poor shape. Much of their clothing had been slashed apart, and there were bloodstains on their hands and feet. Yet none of that was the most important thing.

Their faces were deathly pale, and Allen in particular was trembling uncontrollably.

Arthur stood silently behind Allen's family. Allen knew full well how terrifying Arthur was. Once Arthur made a move, his entire family would have no chance of survival.

"You're finally here. I've been waiting for quite some time." Avilan handed Amy back to Allen's wife and spoke with a gentle smile.

Allen and the others trembled even harder, because they had personally witnessed the sight of over ten thousand corpses being sacrificed. They understood only too well how terrifying Avilan was.

"Captain." Eddie called out uneasily.

"Mm. Come, let's go for a walk." Avilan nodded with a smile, draped an arm around Eddie's shoulder, and headed outside.

Arthur followed close behind, though his cold gaze remained fixed on the other three.

If they dared utter a single word of refusal, Arthur would surely leave them with their heads and bodies parted.

"Yes!"

The four followed Avilan to a secluded spot outside the village. The moment Avilan stopped walking, all four dropped to their knees and repeatedly kowtowed before him.

"Supreme Lord, we only fled back because we missed our families too much. We only wanted to see them once before returning. Please spare the other villagers of Moning Village." Allen kept smashing his forehead against the ground, his eyes filled with terror and despair.

"Missing your families..." Avilan murmured instinctively.

"How about this? Move all of Moning Village to Chika Village. It'll be more convenient for you to visit your families in the future, and I have tasks for you as well."

There was a trace of amusement in Avilan's voice, but Allen did not dare lower his guard in the slightest. He hurriedly nodded in agreement.

"Very good. This time, we'll treat it as an accident. There won't be a next time, understand?" After saying that indifferently, Avilan headed toward the forest. The trees on both sides actively parted at his arrival.

Only then did Allen and the others notice an extravagant tent standing there. Powerful elite Horned Demon guards filled the surroundings, each of them at least a Third-Tier Great Swordsman.

The moment they entered the tent, Arthur asked stiffly, "Lord Avilan, why spare these traitors and even give them another chance?"

"They simply miss home." Avilan smiled faintly. "As for chances, only those who truly fear from the depths of their hearts understand how to work wholeheartedly and set their attitudes straight."

Arthur fell silent and did not speak again.

After returning to the village, the first thing Allen and the other three did was invent all kinds of reasons to persuade the villagers to relocate. Fortunately, they were the four most accomplished people in the village and held immense prestige. With their assurances, everyone in Moning Village agreed to move.

The farmers of this world had no deep attachment to the land. All land belonged to the noble lords, and whenever they wished to requisition it, they could take it back unconditionally. In such an environment, land was an insignificant matter to most farmers.

When Avilan brought the more than forty people of Moning Village to Chika Village, Anxi and Wellington, who had received the news, had already been waiting for a long time. Many villagers had died in the previous attack, leaving many houses vacant. With only minor repairs, they could be lived in.

"Teacher, Teacher, look!" Anxi excitedly cast the Fireball she had just mastered, blasting a scarecrow in the distance into the air.

Avilan nodded in satisfaction, while Wellington began performing a set of sword techniques with considerable momentum.

"Very good. You two truly haven't disappointed me." Avilan rubbed Anxi's head and spoke gently.

"No, it's all because you taught us well, Teacher. It's just that my big brother is hopelessly stupid. He has to be told everything several times before he understands." Anxi immediately switched into betraying-her-brother mode, leaving Wellington standing there with nothing but a helpless bitter smile.

Avilan liked this pair of siblings very much. Perhaps they were the last place where he retained any rationality toward humans.

That final thread of rationality was also why he had not given the order to massacre Moning Village.

"From now on, Allen and the others are people of your village. Have them do whatever needs doing." Avilan spoke lightly, while an interesting idea sprouted in his mind.

"And now, the entire Kompno Duchy is engulfed in war. Before long, many refugees may come here. Try to take them in and expand the village."

Wellington did not quite understand Avilan's words, but the younger Anxi seemed deep in thought.

"But Teacher, if Chika Village's population grows, it'll easily attract the attention of other lords and bandits. You have to give us some armed strength." Tilting her head, Anxi said this with an innocent expression.

Seeing Anxi catch on so quickly, Avilan truly liked the little girl from the bottom of his heart.

Clever and quick-witted, strange and mischievous.

"Light Wolf and Light Tiger are both Fourth-Tier Swordmasters. Allen and the other four are all Second-Tier Adventurers. Pick some more militia from the village, and that will be enough to protect it." Avilan said with a beaming smile.

Anxi hurriedly shook her head and counted on her fingers. "How can that be enough? We also need weapons and equipment. You can't have them fighting bandits with kitchen knives, can you?"

Avilan could no longer hold back and burst into hearty laughter. This little girl actually wanted to fleece him.

"Fine, fine. When I return, I'll have someone send over a batch of weapons and armor."

"Teacher really is the best." As soon as Anxi finished speaking, she threw herself into Avilan's arms.

"You two..."

Avilan rarely enjoyed such a day of leisure and happiness.

Meanwhile, the entire Vought City municipal hall had descended into chaos.

The Sovereign had died of illness, and several princes fought over power and profit, triggering a large-scale civil war. The imperial capital was thrown into such turmoil that chickens and dogs could find no peace, making the five great provinces increasingly chaotic. Originally, the situation in Vought Province had still been barely under control.

After the Sovereign's death, when the four princes began fighting tooth and nail, the lords of Vought Province immediately declared their support for their respective princes and began waging war. The scale of the conflict grew larger each time, leaving Vought City, which was responsible for mediation, overwhelmed and run ragged.