Countless adventurers, mercenaries, merchants, drunkards, and civilians who were exhausted after a day's work and wanted to have a drink to relax and chat with someone, were all gathered in the lobby on the first floor, talking and chatting.
From time to time, you can hear bursts of laughter, scolding, and complaints about the dissatisfaction in life.
Although the waitresses were busy carrying plates and serving food and wine to the customers without stopping, there was no joy on the face of the boss Lei Tinan. Instead, his brows were furrowed, revealing a depressed expression.
The reason is simple! How much money can you make from selling that little food and low-quality drinks?
With the continuous internal competition and industrial upgrading of various service industries in the old city docks, the number of customers on the second floor who used to make a fortune and provide special temptations has been decreasing, and it seems that the business is about to go out of business.
In addition, as Zuo Si allowed gladiatorial combat to become professional and legal, and also opened related gambling businesses, the underground slave gladiatorial combat at the Bronze Crown Hotel, which used to be packed with people, gradually became less frequented.
After all, slaves are extremely resistant to this kind of cruel competition where they risk their own lives to entertain others, so the fight is not very entertaining at all.
In addition, the professional level of slaves is generally not high, and some have no professional level at all. Apart from being bloody enough, it is a mess.
On the other hand, professional competitions held in large arenas far surpass the former in terms of scale, professional levels of the players, combat standards, and excitement of performances.
It's like combat sports like boxing; the most powerful, exciting and capable are always the champions who participate in the top international competitions.
As for the rest, those who participated in amateur competitions or even fought illegal black boxing, a large part of them were low-level street thugs fighting. The fights were so ugly that it was unbelievable and there was nothing interesting to watch.
After all, no one is stupid.
One is to be able to stand in the spotlight and enjoy the cheers and admiration of the audience, and to earn more wealth than others can earn in their entire lives by just one fight; the other is to use blood and life to please others without dignity, and it would be good enough to just keep your life, let alone make money.
Anyone who is capable and not an idiot knows how to choose.
So in fact, the Bronze Crown Inn is now in a difficult situation of operating difficulties, and even games such as dog fighting and cock fighting cannot arouse the interest of guests.
The only way to make some extra income is from the occasional quarrels between adventurers and mercenaries, which eventually lead to duels to the death.
Whenever someone entered the iron cage in the lobby on the first floor carrying a weapon, the entire tavern would immediately become boiling.
Even the most stingy guy would take out a silver coin or two to bet.
Unfortunately, this situation does not happen every day, and it is easy for municipal authorities to notice it.
You have to know that today's slums are actually different from the previous ones with sewage flowing everywhere, beggars and shacks everywhere. They should be called civilian areas.
Most of the old buildings have been forcibly demolished, and replaced by neatly arranged buildings and various shops selling cheap daily necessities.
Patrolling guards can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys.
Not to mention serious crimes like murder, even fighting will result in being sent to jail for two days and being fined a heavy amount for ordinary people.
After everyone realized the heavy price to be paid for impulsiveness and crime, the security environment in the surrounding areas improved rapidly.
Even those orphans who had lost their parents and ran around the streets all day long are now all taken in by orphanages built with funds from the municipal government.
The church of Ilmater, the god of suffering, took the initiative to take charge of the management of the orphanage.
So the entire slum is developing in a better direction, and small squares and parks have been built in some places for people to rest and relax in their spare time.
The reason why the Copper Crown Hotel has so many guests now is that the living standards of the poor have greatly improved.
Before, they had trouble even surviving, so how could they afford alcohol and food?
But now, not only can I support my family through work, but I can also come here after get off work every day to have a drink, eat some barbecue or snacks, and by the way, get some news from people coming and going as a topic of conversation after dinner.
For example, there were rumors of an affair between the Emperor of the Empire and the Iron Princess of Cormyr, or the fact that the Empire sent aerial gunboats and dragon knights to fight the Red Mage of Cyre on the Sea of Falling Stars, forcing him to seek peace.
Through these messages, the common people at the bottom of society can easily establish a sense of superiority, pride and national identity over other surrounding areas.
After all, the stronger the empire is in all aspects, the more stable their lives will be.
At this moment, no one dared to doubt Zuo Si's ability to govern the country as a monarch, and everyone was looking forward to what miracle he could create next.
And because this area has the lowest housing prices in the entire Azkatla, it has also become the first stop for many migrant workers pouring into the city.
If I have to use one word to describe today's slums, it would be crowded, very, very crowded.
Many houses with an area of only 40 or 50 square meters are often home to more than ten people.
They are basically outsiders who come here from other economically backward areas to work, and they save money in order to save up some capital as quickly as possible so that they can return to their hometowns to start their own small businesses.
Moreover, in the eyes of these people, a house like this that can shelter from wind and rain, has a bed and quilt, and a free public pool downstairs for bathing is already very good.
At least it is much better than the thatched hut or shack where he lived before.
Of course, none of this has anything to do with Lei Tinan, the owner of the Bronze Crown Inn.
His mind is now full of thoughts about how to find a business that can make money quickly, preferably one that is not illegal.
Otherwise, the meager profits from selling wine and food would be unbearable for him, who had long been accustomed to making quick money.
However, the thoughtful Lei Tinan did not realize that at this moment, the bartender he hired was standing in front of the bar, communicating with a lady covered in a cloak using notes.
This lady was none other than Jaheira, who was absent from the battle against Kangas.
As a harpist, the first thing she did after escaping was of course to find a way to get in touch with the organization.
But due to the agreement reached between Zuo Si and Elminster, the forces of the Harpist Alliance have almost completely withdrawn from the ruling area of the West Coast Empire, leaving only one or two secret bases in major cities to transmit messages.
It took Jaheira a long time to find this person through the contact code.
no way.
In order to deceive Zuo Si's numerous spies, Elminster took all the original harpists to the north when he evacuated.
The guy who is currently disguising himself as a bartender is a new member who was developed afterwards.
While Retinenan was distracted, the bartender lowered his voice and whispered in the ear of the half-elf druid: "The superiors hope that you will continue to keep a close eye on Aberdair. We suspect that Soth has some unknown intentions for the Blood Throne left by the Son of Bhaal and the God of Murder."
"But he has told me his intentions, and I don't think that is a bad thing," Jaheira responded in an equally low voice.
"How can you be sure that he is not lying or deliberately misleading? Don't forget, his true identity is the lord of the ninth layer of Baator Hell, a unique form of great devil with power comparable to that of a god.
What's more, the struggle between the Sons of Bhaal is much more complicated than expected.
Many evil gods have begun to intervene and support their favorite puppets.
If this matter is not handled properly, it may turn into a war between gods.
Please do not forget the oath you took when you joined the Harpers, and the responsibility you shouldered."
After saying this, the bartender picked up a bottle of raspberry wine and pretended to fill the empty glass in front of him, then gently pushed it in front of the other person.
Jaheira was silent for a moment, with a complicated look in his eyes. He picked up the cup and drank it all. After a long while, he couldn't help but ask, "What about the situation in the North? I heard that the organization's power in the North has also been suppressed?"
"Alas - it's more than just suppression, we are facing the crisis of losing our living environment.
Many towns that joined the trade alliance tasted the sweetness and became wealthy at a very fast speed.
As the locals became richer and more and more keen on enjoying life, their ideas gradually went against ours, and they began to advocate the idea that civilization can transform and reshape nature.
In many places they began to conflict with local druids, rangers, and elven villages.
Including but not limited to serious conflicts in mining, logging, domestic sewage discharge, and water diversion canal construction.
The top management sent people to try to mediate, but they all failed in the end.
Relying on the mutual military support of the trade alliance, these towns unceremoniously developed the land and resources they believed to belong to them, and would directly use force when faced with sabotage and resistance.
The conflict between the towns and villages of the North and the wilderness and forests has never been more acute than it is now. "
The bartender told all the information he knew in one go.
In his opinion, all this was closely related to the Emperor of the West Coast Empire, the man whom Elminster regarded as his strongest opponent.
Because Zuo Si took advantage of the weaknesses in human nature and completely disrupted the originally simple folk customs of the north, everyone began to become more and more greedy, no longer satisfied with the simple life of working from sunrise to sunset.
Instead, they began to pursue beautiful and fashionable clothes, specialties from all over the world, all kinds of luxury goods, and taste more food flavors that they had never experienced before.
But all of this requires one thing, and that is money.
So people try every possible way to make money in order to improve their quality of life.
For example, opening up more farmland, raising more cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks and other livestock and poultry, cutting down more trees to make furniture, hunting more animals for their skins, and developing minerals buried deep underground.
All of the above are opposed by the elves, druids and rangers who worship nature.
The most terrifying thing is that this time, unlike the previous ones that only satisfied the greed of the upper ruling class, it is a collective behavior in which all the people can enjoy the dividends and voluntarily invest madly in it.
The Harpers cannot solve their problems by assassinating or eliminating individuals.
Because the next leader who comes to power will lead the people in this direction without hesitation, and may even become more radical.
It can even be said that the Harpists in the North are like mice caught in a bellows, being bullied from both ends.
The traditional allies, elves, druids and rangers, accused the higher-ups of inaction, allowing the greedy and foolish townspeople to destroy the forest and nature crazily. Some even announced in anger that they would abandon their identities as Harpers. The towns, on the other hand, accused the Harper Alliance of harboring a group of thugs who attacked civilians, and gradually stopped trusting it.
In addition, evil organizations such as the Cult of the Dragon and the Zhentarim are frequently causing trouble, and the hordes of monsters and barbarian tribes in the wilderness are also ready to make a move. Elminster is now in a state of panic.
He had never expected that Zuo Si himself had not yet made a move, and the trap he had set up was enough to make him overwhelmed.
Because if the Harpers stood on the side of the elves, druids, and rangers to protect nature, then the entire organization would be isolated and even regarded as an enemy by the civilized world centered on cities and countries, and would lose the positive image that they had worked so hard to establish.
But if they were to side with the towns and suppress the elves, druids, and rangers, an unprecedented split would inevitably occur within the clan.
After all, the Harpers were originally a decentralized organization held together by lofty ideals and common beliefs.
Due to the lack of solid common interests, when there is serious conflict between ideals and beliefs, turning against each other is almost inevitable.
Not even Elminster himself could undo it.
As a druid who worships the forest goddess, Jaheira certainly understood what the bartender wanted to say, and he sighed with a wry smile, "It sounds like we are in unprecedented trouble.
This trouble is not just about the situation, but also involves thinking, ideas and values.
I have long warned the top brass that being an enemy of Soth is not as easy as they imagined.
This guy always manages to launch a series of desperate and deadly attacks in the most unexpected ways.
He has long since become an absolute monster, both physically and mentally."
"yes.
Who would have thought that a mere trade alliance could produce so many chain reactions?
Moreover, no matter how great an advantage he holds, he will never isolate himself, but will try his best to unite all the allies he can.
Just thinking about facing such an enemy gives me goose bumps.
Sometimes I can't help but wonder what the higher-ups were thinking.
But it's no use saying these things now. All we can do is do our own job well.
No matter what the future holds, life must go on.”
After muttering something in a low voice, the bartender quickly noticed that Lei Tinan had cast his gaze in this direction, and quickly shut his mouth and continued to work on his own, leaving Jaheira sitting alone at the bar in a daze.
It was unknown whether she was thinking about the future of the Harper, or remembering her dead husband, or pondering the future relationship between herself and Aberdare.
Although the half-elf druid had thought about asking Zuo Si to help resurrect Khalid.
But when she thought that the most dangerous adventure of the Son of Bhaal was about to begin and that she might face stronger enemies and more dangerous situations in the future, she decisively chose to give up.
Just as Jaheira was drinking raspberry wine from the cup, he suddenly saw a young girl with long brown hair, wearing a wizard's robe and a slightly luxurious cloak, running in from outside, panting.
She looked to be only about sixteen or seventeen years old, and was obviously well educated. Her face looked very haggard and anxious, with very noticeable dark circles under her eyes, as if she had not had a good rest for a long time.
As soon as she walked in, the young girl quickly patrolled the entire lobby on the first floor of the Bronze Crown Hotel, as if she was looking for someone.
Out of kindness, Jaheira could not help but turn around and ask, "Child, are you looking for something?"
"Ah! Sorry, ma'am, I'm looking for adventurers who can help. My family's castle has been attacked by monsters."
The young girl was obviously startled and hurriedly explained at a very fast speed.
"The castle was attacked by monsters?
Shouldn't this kind of thing be dealt with by the City Hall, the army, or the Knights of the Burning Heart? I remember that the West Coast Empire has always been decisive and quick in dealing with such things.
What your emperor hates most is monsters who do not engage in production and only know how to destroy and plunder. "
Jaheira asked back with a puzzled look on his face.
Based on her understanding of Zuo Si, let alone a monster besieging a castle, even if the monster approached a town or village, it would be subject to a genocide-style massacre.
“I can’t do that.
Because Isiah forged a document by some unknown means, announcing to the public that my father had agreed to marry me to him, and he also forcibly imprisoned me.
In fact, I sneaked out after getting the news.
Once in a place like City Hall, he would immediately appear and take me away by force as his fiancé.
I think this is most likely a conspiracy he deliberately planned.
De Arnisbourg and my father are in danger right now. If you have any way, please help me.
I promise to provide a generous reward after the success."
Obviously, the crying girl was none other than Sir Deanis’s only daughter, Nariya.
Although Am's future had already changed beyond recognition due to Zuo Si's intervention, she still could not escape the disaster.
After all, the seeds of this incident were planted from the moment Sir Deanis adopted Isaiah.
Looking at the young girl immersed in panic and fear, Jaheira's sympathy began to overflow uncontrollably, and he finally decided to help her.
However, she did not bring Nalia back to the Mage Tower. Instead, she asked her to eat something here. After a while, she got up and went back to call Aberdare and others to take on this task together.
But what Jaheira didn't know was that as soon as she left, the shapeshifter hiding in the Bronze Crown Inn sent all the information out at once.
Needless to say, both Leitinan and the Harper Alliance's liaison officers are always under the close surveillance of the Imperial intelligence system.
Askatra held no secrets for Zuo Si.
…
About a few minutes later, when Zuo Si, who was listening to the financial report in the imperial meeting, received the news from the Bronze Crown Hotel, he immediately pursed his lips and revealed a playful smile.
"Is it finally starting? I thought these guys would be a little more patient than I thought."
"What do you mean?"
Vera put down the documents in her hand and looked up with an interested expression.
Zuo Si replied with interest: "Do you remember the list I submitted to the six-member council?
After their failed attempt to take control of Baldur's Gate, the mind flayers who call themselves the Lurkers have once again returned to Amn.
However, this time they did not choose to enter the city, but instead prepared to capture a castle in the border area.
They took advantage of Isiah's twisted desire for revenge to cover up the news and launch a surprise attack. It is estimated that De Arnisburg should have fallen by now.
I'm very curious about what the mind flayers are planning by taking such a huge risk to capture a castle within the empire.
Could it be that he wanted to use the captured soldiers and servants in the castle to transform more new mind flayers and then create a mastermind out of thin air?"
"Perhaps the strategy you formulated has greatly squeezed their living space, and they have no choice but to take such a risky behavior." Vera also analyzed.
As a member of the last powerful family in Amn, she certainly couldn't be unaware of the underground war that the Council of Six had launched in rage.
However, this underground war did not ultimately determine the winner, but ended with the Mind Flayer's voluntary retreat.
After this, the mind flayers migrated to Baldur's Gate in the north, and even secretly funded Sarevok's seizure of power.
However, everything they had worked so hard for was declared bankrupt with the establishment of the West Coast Empire, and they could only escape from the sewers of Baldur's Gate once again, and no one knew where they went.
Originally, Vera thought that after suffering a series of blows, the other party would choose to flee far away and take root in cities with weak defense capabilities.
But no one expected that these guys were actually quite courageous and came back after going around in circles.
"Your Majesty, do you need me to take people to kill all these ignorant mind flayers?" A general stood up and asked murderously.
Zuo Si smiled and waved his hand: "No, there is no need for this for the time being.
Because this matter is still at the level of Isaiah trying to seize the Deanis family property, there is no need to make such a fuss.
Now that Jaheira has accepted the task, let the Sons of Bhaal handle it.
A little more killing and fighting would be good for their growth.
The main task of the cabinet at this stage is not to wage war, but to build, build and build.
I want to turn the entire country into a huge construction site and drive economic growth through massive investment in infrastructure.
As long as the Empire can become the largest consumer market in the entire Faerun, other city-states and countries will have to act according to our wishes."
"Please don't worry about this.
We have already launched more than 40 infrastructure projects, directly employing half a million people.
If all is completed, not only will the vast plains north of the entire Cloudy Mountains become the largest grain-producing area in the continent of Faerun, but a huge nationwide high-speed transportation network will also be established.
By then, both tax revenue and the output of various commodities will increase by dozens of times.
Coupled with the technology provided by the Church of Gund, the God of Craftsmen, and the massive number of apprentices being trained in magic academies across the country, we will see explosive growth in the next few decades.
And you will surely become the greatest emperor in Faerun's history and be remembered by historians."
Prime Minister Shaud Tarovin made a summary in a proud tone, while not forgetting to flatter the emperor of the empire.
Although when he first surrendered to King Sean VII, his goal was to gain a large sum of benefits and become a powerful official or a treacherous official, which he eventually did.
But after Zuo Si came to power, in order not to become the chicken killed to scare the monkeys, his attitude took a 180-degree turn. His only purpose was to keep his position.
But who would have thought that pretending would actually lead to some achievements.
Judging from this situation, he might even be recorded by historians as a famous example of a wise minister.
Therefore, Xiaode Tarovin is now very motivated at work and really enjoys the feeling of holding great power and carrying out construction everywhere.
Most importantly, he believed that as long as he maintained his current growth rate, the West Coast Empire would inevitably grow into a daunting behemoth by the time he retired or died.
As one of the founders of the empire, he would surely gain immense fame and praise from thousands of people. Even hundreds of years after his death, the entire family would benefit from it.
Facts have proved that there have never been absolutely treacherous or loyal ministers in this world.
There are only the needs of the monarch and the influence of the political environment.
"Haha, in that case, please do your best.
Remember, every decision you make is making history, and every construction you undertake will benefit countless citizens of the Empire.
Because before this, there had never been such a large and highly centralized country in the continent of Faerun.
If we do well, then all future countries in this world will inevitably use us as the standard for evaluation.
But if we fail, then the road to a centralized empire may come to an end.
I once promised the gods that I would show them some different visions and possibilities.
So let us, as mortals, work together to create miracles that will shock and amaze the gods."
After saying that, Zuo Si turned his gaze to the map made with high-level magic not far away.
Through this map, you can clearly see every road under construction, every airship connecting cities in the sky, and every light spot representing a ship dotted across the sea and rivers.
There are also water conservancy and irrigation projects under construction and public schools rising from the ground.
There is no doubt that the act of building is addictive and produces an incomparable sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Looking at the shining eyes of the cabinet members at this moment, you can tell that they, like Zuo Si, have become avid fans of this game.
…
At the same time, far to the east on the other side of the Falling Star Sea.
The gunboat commanded by Yalusel has arrived at the Alaur Province, which originally belonged to Sel but has just been ceded to the West Coast Empire.
After looking at the two empty islands that were ravaged by pirates and only had a bunch of abandoned old, weak and sick people left, she couldn't help but sigh and complain: "If I had known that I could take ownership of these two islands, I would not allow those pirates to come here and rob without restraint. Now, even if I want to rebuild, there are not many people available."
“It doesn’t matter.
There has never been a shortage of population in this area.
Mulhorand and Unther on both sides of the Aranbor Sea in the south are both standard slave states.
I believe that as long as you set the conditions and announce that any slave can obtain the status of a free man after coming to the province of Alaur, there will definitely be many slaves willing to fight for the rest of their lives.
In addition, you can give orders to pirates to attack towns and villages along the coast of Mulhorand, free local slaves and bring them back, and give rewards according to the number of people rescued. "
A higher-level female dragon knight gave her own advice.
From the eye-catching marks on her armor, it is not difficult to tell that she should be the supreme commander of all the dragon riders on the airship and also the adjutant of the Iron Princess.
"Reward? That's going to cost a lot of money, right?"
Yalusel was obviously somewhat skeptical about this costly method of rapidly increasing the population.
After all, she was born in the Kingdom of Cormyr, and her father, King Arsan IV, was a warmongerer, so the country's finances were always tight.
So whenever I hear that a large amount of money is required, I subconsciously want to avoid it.
But the female dragon knight shrugged her shoulders and said, "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that the empire has no money?
Or do you know how much money His Majesty Soth spent to build our Dragon Knight Corps?
In his eyes, wealth has long become a string of meaningless numbers.
I once visited a warehouse when I was selecting armor and weapons. It was filled with countless gold bars, gems, and neatly arranged standard magic equipment.
Therefore, as long as he can achieve the set goal, he won't even blink an eye even if it costs millions of gold coins."
"Well, maybe you're right."
The corners of Yalusel's mouth twitched slightly uncontrollably. For the first time in his life, he felt what it meant to be wealthy.
But she didn't quite understand why Zuo Si sent her to do this job that obviously belonged to the Internal Affairs Department, and even gave her the title of governor.
She is obviously just a military commander who can only lead troops to fight.
Needless to say, the reason why Zuo Si did this was actually to cultivate the Iron Princess's ability to govern the country.
After all, she would return to inherit the throne of the Kingdom of Cormyr in the future, and then, together with Sembia, would become a staunch ally and satellite state of the West Coast Empire in the Fallen Star Sea.
If the level of governance is too poor, how can she be crowned as queen legitimately?
After circling over the two islands on his young dragon, Yalusel was suddenly surprised to find that although the pirates had looted the wealth here and killed countless Cel people who tried to resist, they did not carry out large-scale arson and destruction.
Not only have the houses on the island remained largely intact, but a huge dry dock dedicated to shipbuilding and repairs can also be seen near the port.
This means that the province of Alaur has extremely strong shipbuilding capabilities.
As long as we gather those craftsmen together and purchase the corresponding wood from neighboring countries, we can continuously build various warships and merchant ships here.
After realizing this, Yalusel quickly ordered an inventory and identification of the surviving population on the island, and at the same time ordered the pirates who were looting to bring back more slaves.
In this way, the two small islands standing in the southern waters of Serre began a vigorous large-scale production and construction campaign.
With the help of professionals, the Iron Princess developed a simple plan to increase the island's population from its current few thousand to at least fifty thousand.
The first step to be taken now is to build a wizard tower and a stable portal to ensure that support from the rear can be obtained at any time in case of unexpected situations.
She had no idea that her every move was actually being seen and remembered by the red-robed wizard of Sel across the sea.
Sazastan, who had always been extremely hostile and wary of Zuo Si, was now looking through the magic crystal ball at countless laborers digging the foundation under the command of a dozen wizards, and then placing hard granite stones one by one.
Judging from the scale of the foundation and the labor force mobilized, it is not difficult to judge that this is definitely a large or even giant wizard tower.
After several minutes, he finally interrupted the spell, looked up at the other chief, Demetra Flass, who was sitting opposite him and drinking tea leisurely, and asked directly, "Do you have anything to say about this mission and negotiation?"
The latter put down the teacup and shook his head gently: “No.
According to Kalaya's report, the Emperor did not make things difficult for her or embarrass her.
He agreed to our conditions very readily.
This can be seen from the fact that Cyre's ships can now leave the harbor without being attacked.
I think you're overreacting."
"Overreacting? No, I'm not overreacting.
If you get to know Soth, he's more cunning and deceitful than any enemy we've ever faced.
Never be fooled by his sensible, harmless facade.
I fell for this guy in the first place, but in the end, I got nothing after paying the price of two artifacts.
Moreover, do you think that in Sel's current state, he is really capable of resisting the huge threat from outside? Aznar Srull and his allies are simply a bunch of idiots, who have repeatedly ruined my plans by thinking they are smart.
At this point, I believe it is time to initiate a revolution that will reshape the Red Order and Cyre as a whole."
While saying this, Sazastan did not try to conceal the murderous intent boiling in his heart.
Aznar Sruul's series of small actions led to the cession of the Alaur province and the complete loss of more than 90% of the naval warships. He was completely fed up with it and planned to end the ridiculous and incompetent political system of the Chief Council.
By observing the rise of Zuo Si and the West Coast Empire, the legendary lich realized the importance of centralization.
Only when power is concentrated in their own hands can Searle and the Red Mage Organization completely put an end to the endless infighting and mutual harassment, and concentrate their strength to realize a grand plan.
Since Zuo Si has successfully established a huge magic empire on the west coast where the state is the emperor, Sazastan also plans to follow suit and establish an equally powerful magic empire on the east side of the continent.
His plan was to first eliminate those chiefs who opposed him one by one through assassination and frame-up and replace them with his own confidants, then send troops north to swallow up the nearby Slayman, and then turn west to take over Cesk, Giant Valley, and Nafir.
This way, Cell would be able to keep pace with the West Coast Empire in terms of land area and resources.
Although there may be some shortfall in population, the shortfall can be made up in the number of slaves.
After completing the integration of resources, we can consider whether to continue to encroach westward, or to seize the opportunity to go directly south and destroy Mulhorand, the former overlord of Sel.
Anyway, the gods who once ruled this country have returned to the outer planes, and due to the departure of the gods, internal conflicts have become increasingly acute. Perhaps it won't be long before the country will be torn apart like Unther.
Demetra Flas undoubtedly knew about Sazastan's ambitions, and took a deep breath and asked tentatively: “Have you really made up your mind?
You have to know that once this kind of thing starts, there is no turning back.
We either win and become rulers of Cyre, or we lose and are driven out; there is no other way.
And once the fighting expands, the provinces will be drawn in and it will turn into a full-scale civil war."
"Yes, I have made up my mind. Sel needs to be reborn like a phoenix. Otherwise, it will just rot and deteriorate in the constant internal friction."
Sazastan gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.
While expressing his feelings, he was observing the other party's reaction, trying to confirm whether this woman would stand on his side.
"In that case, let's start this good show with the death of Aznar Sruul."
Demetra Flass followed suit and expressed her position without any hesitation.
Since she could become the chief, she was definitely not an easy person to deal with. She also knew that if she hesitated for a moment, she might be on the kill list of the chief of the undead faction in front of her.
The Red Robe Wizard's political struggles are always accompanied by blood and killing, and he will never show any mercy.
Sazastan nodded with satisfaction: "Very good. You go back and make preparations now. When the time is right, I will personally inform you of the specific plan."
"As you wish!"
Demetra Flas stood up and bowed gracefully, then cast a teleportation spell and disappeared from the spot.
Just a second later, she returned to her lair and said to the disciples waiting there with a serious face: "Kalaya, immediately pass the message to Sos and tell him that the civil war in Sel is about to begin."
"What? Civil war!"
Kaleya's eyes suddenly widened in an expression of extreme horror.
Although she had heard her mentor mention this matter repeatedly, she still felt a little nervous when it really happened.
"Yes, it's the Civil War.
Sazastan's patience has reached its limit, and he will probably launch an assassination attempt against Aznar Sruul soon.
And this assassination will trigger conflicts among all the chiefs.
In short, no matter what the situation eventually becomes, we must first find a way out for ourselves.
I won't be like the others who know they can't win but still cling to the land of Cyre."
After saying that, Demetra Flas waved his hand, turned around and disappeared into the corner of the corridor leading to the underground floor.
As Kalaya stood there digesting this information, she suddenly felt a piercing chill enveloping her whole body.
He turned his head suddenly and found that the vampire Xie Lisha was standing less than two centimeters away from him, with an undisguised bloodthirsty light flashing in her eyes.
moment!
The young red-robed wizard almost had a heart attack. She asked in a low voice with a look of fear and nervousness: "You...when did you come in? Didn't I tell you that this is the mentor's residence, full of all kinds of magic traps and alarms?"
"Relax, little cutie. Do you think those cheap magic traps and alarms can stop me? What's more, I have obtained the certificate of legal residence here now."
As she spoke, Sheleisa opened her collar to reveal a red mark branded on her left breast.
Kalaya obviously knew what this mark represented, and exclaimed in disbelief: "You joined the family led by the spiked vampire?"
"No, to be exact, I recruited him.
Now, all the vampires in this building are considered my descendants.
Of course, to the outside world, I am still a newly transformed vampire.
Not only me, but several other Talisman Masters have also used the information you provided to infiltrate other chiefs.
After all, we are the most professional in lurking, infiltrating and weaving secret intelligence networks."
The corners of Xie Leisa's mouth slightly raised, revealing two sharp canine teeth. She moved closer and licked along the large artery on Kalaya's neck all the way to her earlobe.
Under the extreme fear of being targeted by a top predator, the latter's entire body was shaking uncontrollably, fearing that the other party would go crazy and be sucked dry by him alive.
The more times like this, the more she can recall Zuo Si's kindness...
(End of this chapter)
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