Chapter 162: Western Territory

Chapter 162: Western Territory

The castle of the Western Territory was built against a mountain pass. A heavy and towering wall stood at the pass, where the howling wind twisted unwillingly into whirlpool after whirlpool at its base.

Lily stood on the battlements, her disheveled hair flying. The Little Fairy Lijia grabbed a strand of her hair and began playing a game of flying a kite. Little Bear hid behind her, trying hard to curl into a ball.

Beyond the wall was also an endless grassland. The Northlanders called that place—the Bloody Plains. That was where the Demon Clan had suddenly appeared all those years ago, sweeping in through this pass with countless slaves.

The war had erupted at the moment when the Northlanders were at their weakest.

No one liked to speak of those past events because the losses for the Northlands were too severe. Judging by the exchange ratio of the war, the Northlands didn’t seem to be at a disadvantage, but population size had always been the Northlands’ most fatal flaw.

After holding their ground, the Northlands had maintained a posture of small-scale offensives, but this couldn’t change the overall situation of the war. The Demon Clan swarmed forward and swarmed back, always holding the initiative. The Northlanders’ clearing actions were merely a form of retaliation during the lulls in the fighting.

They captured a few outposts, ambushed a few patrols, and created a stretch of empty no-man’s-land. But what could that change? When the main Demon Clan army pushed forward, the Northlanders could only withdraw behind the walls.

For a long time, the two sides had been locked in a stalemate this way, with neither able to overcome the other.

Beneath her feet, teams of the Insect Swarm passed through the city gates one after another, in an endless stream. The front ranks had already entered the grasslands, like a drop of water falling into a pond, sending out faint ripples in all directions before quickly vanishing.

The Insect Swarm would be commanded by several Insect Kings, pushing forward, exploring, and reporting back in all directions.

The Insect Swarm gradually moved into the distance, and a faint scent of blood was carried on the wind.

The Bloody Plains—it was both a curse and a vow for the Northlanders. The Northlanders would eventually soak this land with the blood of their enemies.

…

Bran had received Lily’s message, all of it—the war had begun. He believed victory would surely belong to the Northlands. As for this war with a foregone conclusion, he really couldn’t muster any interest. Given Lily’s current strength, it was also hard for him to feel worried.

Compared to the war, he was more concerned—what was over there? Were there paths leading to other Continents?

And right now, he had a more troublesome matter to resolve. Fairy Whisper had sent him a message.

Lily’s fairy companion had gotten a name, and this seemed to have provoked Whisper. She had also given names to her own two children—Rando and Langa. She demanded that Bran keep them by his side at all times and discipline them strictly.

Look at these names she chose. Was she trying to compete?

This gave Bran a headache. The Little Fairy following him had already been spoiled rotten and was growing more mischievous by the day. Trying to impose discipline now would not be easy.

He sent a reply to Whisper, sharing some of his current thoughts, hoping the fairy could help him manage the city. The Ancient Tree by his side was lost in grandiose dreams of traveling the World and wouldn’t wake up anytime soon, so he also hoped Whisper could provide a new sapling.

A real sapling, the kind that couldn’t run away for the next eighty or a hundred years…

After sending the message back, Bran refocused his mind on his own city.

The people of Sandstone City had paid the price for their careless gossip. Although Bran couldn’t be bothered with them, that didn’t mean others would let them off. These idle busybodies were now serving forced labor. Upon learning of this act of contribution to the city, Bran expressed his support.

The clear roads made everything gradually become more orderly. Efficiency steadily improved, and all sorts of garbage and debris were swiftly removed from the city, which gradually became cleaner and tidier.

Driven by Bran, the city’s Rules began to be re-established. From traffic flow to construction site planning and storage of materials, everything gradually got on the right track.

…

While Bran was busy building, Lily was busy destroying. She stood in a pool of blood, watching the Insect Swarm clearing the battlefield.

She held her position behind the Insect Swarm, constantly monitoring their movements. Through the swarm, she observed the changes on the grassland. Where obstacles appeared, where powerful enemies emerged, and then she responded accordingly.

So far, she hadn’t encountered any strong opponents. The main force of the Demon Clan had retreated. What remained here were only lackeys of the Demon Clan, a bunch of low-powered wastes.

But it was fine. They were good training targets, perfect for solving the Insect Swarm’s food problem and relieving the fatigue from their journey.

And she believed the news from here would soon reach the ears of the Demon Clan. The real battle would arrive very soon.