Hearing Jerald's report, Su Li laughed excitedly.

A large number of captives is the best news for the leader right now!

And the Magic Tide Pearl is one of Su Li's most important pieces of information in the past few days. Besides the Magic Tide Pearl, the recent intelligence also helped Su Li locate two hidden locations of River Giants, counter a wolf pack invasion, and ambush two groups of Roaring Beasts.

Additionally, there has been a large migration of animals in the summer, and the territory successfully intercepted over two hundred sheep and more than a hundred Uros Bulls.

These bulls are an important food source for the mountain nomadic tribes, which made the territory tense for a few days.

Because mountain people often raid farms and fertile areas in the Border Prince's Territory during food shortages.

Finding Uros Bulls here implies that the Gray Mountain Range, as a branch of the Black Mountain Range, might also have mountain people.

So by the time of the summer harvest, they may very well come down to raid.

With less than a month until the summer harvest, Su Li must take early precautions.

He hopes the mountain people will wait until his Holy Relic of Glory, the Phoenix Wing Talisman's abilities are restored before coming.

And another treasure, the Eye of the Drowned, is also held in high regard by him.

Jerald presented the Eye of the Drowned to Su Li, who leaned down to examine it closely. Despite its fearsome name, this pearl actually looks quite beautiful.

It is a smooth, water-blue sphere about three fingers wide, coated in a film formed by condensed water mist, with a fine wave pattern carved on its surface, giving an overall gentle sensation of waves slowly moving.

Each time Su Li sees these Holy Relics of Glory, he can't help but be amazed, as if they are truly alive with energy flowing.

Su Li asked, "Besides allowing one to dive underwater, what other effects does this pearl have?"

Knight Oerstein replied, "We consulted the priests at the Goddess Convent, asking the Goddess about it. The main effect of the Eye of the Drowned is to reduce and slowly purify the corrosion and diseases afflicting the army. In emergencies, it forcibly opens a path through water, allowing the army to cross chasms and evade pursuit, although this lasts only three minutes. After three minutes, the following troops will be like goblins, unable to dive underwater."

It's actually this powerful?

Simply reducing plague is remarkable. In military campaigns, the worst fear is a sudden outbreak of plague among the troops.

Not only does it affect combat effectiveness, but it also causes severe casualties.

And this treasure can even reduce the corrosion suffered by the army!

Its application in this world is truly invaluable.

In this world, many places are subject to magic and spiritual energy corrosion. For instance, winter isn't just cold; if an army enters a frigid area, the cold and snow will bring magical erosion to the invading troops.

Places with such corrosive forces are quite common, with forests, miasmas in swamps, the heat poison in deserts, and the land of death inhabited by vampires, all causing serious non-combat casualties to invading armies.

In short, the habitable environments for humans in this world are plains, river valleys, and mountain valleys. Entering forests, gobi deserts, wastelands, or snowy regions results in increased erosion the deeper one goes.

If this Eye of the Drowned can reduce the erosion afflicting the army, compared to this passive effect, the active ability to forcibly open an escape route is merely an insignificant additional feature.

However, this pearl has also lost all its abilities and is in a cooldown period.

Su Li then put the pearl away, deciding it would no longer be called the Eye of the Drowned but would be given a new name, the Water Repelling Pearl.

Then Su Li asked, "How's the situation in the forest? Can we ensure the guild can enter to harvest Blood Pine Wood?"

Since spring, when the centaurs were rampant, Master Kote set off for Marle Castle to not only contact Count Draken but also to recruit and replenish the workforce for entering the forest.

When he returns to Hesse Territory, he needs to enter the Blood Pine Forest for logging. They must finish logging before autumn and then return to the West Highlands.

According to the security agreement reached by both sides, Su Li must ensure that they won't encounter major threats in the forest. Even if an accident occurs, the territory's army must be able to repel strong foes.

Jerald confidently replied, "There's no problem anymore, my Lord. To the west of the Blood Pine Forest, the main forces are divided into three parties: the Green-skinned Warband represented by the Broken Finger Tribe, various forest bandit groups, and the powerful centaur tribe."

"The green skins are currently in a brawl among themselves; they haven't selected the biggest and strongest leader yet, so they won't form alliances to pose a threat."

"The Forest Robber Gangs have suffered heavy losses, and not only have we been hitting them, but they're also dying and getting injured during the rampage of the Green-skinned Tribe and Centaur Beast Group. Now, they've hidden themselves in secluded valleys and caves to lick their wounds and regain their strength and won't easily come out."

"Next, as long as we fully defeat that Centaur Beast Group, there won't be much threat from the west side of the Blood Pine Forest, at least for the next one to two months, allowing safe entry and exit."

One to two months' safety is already enough; achieving long-term stability in this world is something even the Empire's Capital can't accomplish.

The fringes of the power center are always filled with various kinds of monsters. Even if Hesse Territory's army clears the west side of the Blood Pine Forest back and forth several times, this blank area will quickly be overrun by various Bandit Groups, the Green-skinned Warband, and Roaring Beast Herds.

The growth cycle of these monsters is very short; green skins are spawned from spores, and wherever the green skin lads pass, the spores on their bodies scatter. After a rain, the ground would grow various green skin monsters like mushrooms after a rain. First, it's goblins, then green skin lads, and finally, the terrifying green skin big guys.

And the Roaring Beast Herd is even scarier as a mutated monster; if a human expeditionary army is wiped out in the forest by beastmen, then with enough blood feast, beastmen can breed a large number of horrifying monsters in just one or two months of continuous rainy weather.

These beastmen are idle, wandering everywhere, living in forests, employing ambush tactics, hostile to all advanced civilizations, living just for the sake of plundering, burning, and smashing, setting up primitive Celtic shrines like Demon Rock and worshipping primitive shamanism.

They represent the dirty, chaotic, and muddled side of nature, deliberately destroying anything beautiful or orderly. Each beastman harbors bitterness and resentment within, and a little provocation will transform it into wanton wrath. The sound of battle always attracts beastmen's keen hearing, and a fight or brawl on forest paths can quickly draw dozens of beastmen from all directions.

Thus, wanting to enter the forest without the luxury of safety fantasies, constant preparedness for battle is the only way to survive.

This also means Su Li must take advantage of the empty time on the west side of the forest brought by this great victory and defeat the Centaur Beast Group soon.

Perhaps once this hurricane and heavy rain are over, it's time for the territorial army to move.

In response to Tal's disaster, the construction of reservoirs and levees around Bjorn Shallow Bay is of utmost importance.

Then Su Li said, "Since the forest has been swept empty by us, we should prepare to head into the forest. First, come with me to Bjorn Shallow Bay to check on the situation of the Light-Scaled Fish."

When Su Li, along with Knight Oerstein and Vandar, arrived at the territory's reservoir, a group of Armed Attendants and mercenaries from the guild were already gathered around.

They were gathered here for the same reason as Su Li, to take a look at the breeding status of the Light-Scaled Fish, hoping that Su Li would distribute another batch of fish meat. Even a bowl of fish soup would suffice.

But this time, they were hoping for too much. As the territory gradually grew, with towns and villages rising, Su Li wouldn't distribute these Light-Scaled Fish freely anymore.

Of course, he wouldn't sell them outside either.

He plans to distribute it to his own direct legions and Knight Order, with any surplus fish meat being auctioned off in advance. Those under the territory, fragmented knights, armed attendants, free people who need it should come for the auction themselves.

As the rewards for military merit are completed, the territory already has plenty of knights with their own properties; many knights have purchased newly built houses in Hesse Town's city hall and won't stay in simple dormitories when not on duty in the barracks.

The Frederick Clan even gained a territory; Su Li allotted them an 800-acre plain on the Bloody Highlands, which they can use as pastures or farming land.

Approximately eight households can cultivate 800 acres; if pasturing, fewer people are needed.

The family will start operating a small piece of territory from the scale of eight households, then develop it into a village, build wooden walls, and if everything goes smoothly, they could potentially become a small town on Bloody Highlands with their own castle.

However, although the family moved over, Knight Frederick remained in Su Li's cabinet as a Court Judge, handling territorial affairs which he handed over to his son, William.

Similarly, another war hero, Knight Oerstein, was richly rewarded by Su Li. Besides receiving 160 Golden Crowns, Su Li also gifted him a Destiny Talisman.

This talisman is of perfect quality. Lady Ingrid only crafted two, and then ran out of materials. She sold it to Su Li at 200 Golden Crowns, which was completely a friendship price, as this item would fetch at least 400-600 Golden Crowns if sold in Marle Castle.

An Elite Knight clad in a suit of Vibranium Rune Armor and equipped with powerful talismans can easily defeat 3-5 Same-tier Knights wearing excellent quality equipment. That's the gap between elite armored warriors and commoners.

It is precisely these generous rewards and extremely high honors that all knights in the territory maintained an intense enthusiasm for war and glory, along with extreme respect and support for Su Li.

Su Li arrived by the reservoir, and all the knights and Armed Attendants respectfully straightened their chests immediately, then pounded their right fists on their chests, saluting and saying, "Greetings, Lord, may the Goddess bless you with a good day."

Su Li smiled and waved his hand, letting them relax, then looked forward at the fish pond.

Having spent a few days as a recluse, not leaving the castle, the changes here are indeed striking.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.