The same number of chapters has now been released as on other platforms, so daily publishing will begin at 10:00 p.m. (UTC+0). This means the next chapter will be released in Two hours and fifty minutes, and subsequent chapters will be released daily at the same time.
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Chapter 530: Blockade
Boom!
A fiery cannonball landed in front of the fortress.
It smashed a deep crater, bouncing forward until it hit the wall and left a small dent.
Feeling the slight tremor, Leon gripped his weapon, coldly watching the pirates' show of force. Suppressing the soldiers' frustration, he said in a booming voice:
"Ignore them. Bring the cannonballs from below the wall and report this situation to the territory."
As soon as he finished speaking, several five-masted ships on the sea spewed plumes of smoke from their sides. With flashes of fire, they fired several more cannonballs.
The soldiers exchanged glances, anger flickering in their eyes. Rage brewed in their hearts, waiting for a future explosion.
The pirate ships made no move to approach.
The robbers on board laughed and jeered, waving flags and shouting incessantly.
Seeing this scene, Leon calmly turned away, slowly relaxing his clenched fingers.
His mind echoed the lord's words:
"If you're not strong enough, you'll get beaten."
"Whether it's an individual or a territory!"
Leon was confident he could lead the Bay Territory soldiers to defeat any opponent on land.
But unfortunately...
Bay Territory.
Lord's residence.
The gathered administrators silently studied the map.
This sudden attack left everyone feeling ashamed.
Consecutive victories had made them overconfident.
This sense of helplessness would force them to calm down and think more objectively.
Compared to the group's worry, Matthew remained composed, gesturing for Angela to speak first and discuss a solution.
Angela, always calm, pointed to the eastern coastline bordering the Bay Territory and said thoughtfully:
"The other side's ten or so pirate ships can transport at most about 4,000 soldiers."
"Given our territory's defenses, even a surprise attack won't cause significant damage."
"At the same time, we can deploy agile cavalry scouts to keep an eye on them day and night."
"As long as we keep watch, they won't dare stray far from the harbor!"
"Therefore, they can't pose a substantial threat to us. They're mainly trying to block our exploration of the sea."
"As we connect with the coastline, we'll inevitably need to develop a navy in the future."
"Building large ships depends on good ports and technology. If they block us…"
Everyone understood Angela's implication.
To deal with pirate ships, the Bay Territory had to develop armed vessels.
The enemy acted first precisely to hinder this development.
Such a tactic didn't seem typical of mere pirates.
Something was off.
However, having toured Sevinton and witnessed the Netheril Empire's capital, the group now had broader perspectives.
It was natural for them to suspect that these unusually organized pirates were someone else's tool.
The term they learned from their lord was "black gloves"—a vivid and evocative phrase that highlighted the charm and subtlety of Eastern culture.
At the same time, they quickly realized:
These pirates were blocking their future.
If they were thinking that far ahead, it meant the enemy was watching the present closely.
Perhaps the enemy had already begun their move.
At this realization, Adam Smith, who rarely attended meetings, suddenly understood and said:
"No wonder people have been pestering me lately. They were testing us!"
"And some territories have already indicated they won't renew their contracts with us after this round."
"It seems this was planned all along."
Stroking his stubbly chin, Arnold reflected on this familiar situation and sneered:
"It's just like before—using various refusal-to-cooperate tactics to blockade the Eastern Province and curb our expansion to the east and north…"
Everyone exchanged glances, surprised that the Bay Territory could find itself "targeted."
Ralph, the quiet steward, spoke softly to the group:
"It's foreseeable that as time goes on, the blockade against us will intensify."
"So prepare yourselves. The heavier the pressure, the more weight will rest on your shoulders."
Hearing this, everyone instinctively looked up.
What force could blockade the Bay Territory?
Behind them stood the renowned archmage Cronorman!
Unless!
Seeing the heavy expressions on their faces, Ralph, after ensuring they felt the weight of the situation, announced the lord's orders for the next steps:
"Starting today, we must raise our alert level, strengthen key factories, facilities, and environments, and make targeted arrangements."
"Meanwhile, intensify soldier training and continue building up military strength."
"Only with sufficient power can we deter certain parties from entertaining inappropriate ideas."
With the meeting's tone set, the military commanders, led by Angela, began discussing strategies with a slightly heavier heart.
After the meeting.
The once-quiet Bay Territory immediately took on a different air.
Many "hidden" individuals were identified and captured before they could react.
None escaped Matthew's "gaze," especially as his powers of fate had advanced further.
These "red-named" individuals stood out like bonfires in the dark.
If not for the sudden circumstances, Matthew would have preferred to keep them around longer to extract more information.
However, to prevent unexpected incidents, Matthew decided to eliminate most of these disruptive elements.
Some would be kept, but only a few.
After this sweep, the remaining "hidden" individuals should be better concealed.
Matthew believed that when they did make their move in the future, they'd deliver more surprises.
After all, if this blockade was truly backed by the Cole Elves, it was essential to be prepared.
It was time to show them a thing or two!
The operation moved swiftly, catching nearby adventurers and residents off guard.
Annie watched Matthew with curiosity, hesitating before asking:
"Who are they? Why do they dare do this? Will it affect the Bay Territory?"
Annie's underlying question was clear.
What was the reason behind their actions?
Could it be that the Bay Territory's dealings with the Ail Elves had been exposed?
Would it impact the Bay Territory's production capabilities?
Other concerns weighed on Annie's mind.
If the Bay Territory faced problems, the Ail Elves' war effort would undoubtedly be affected.
If the Bay Territory faltered, she would need to prepare in advance.
This wasn't about friendship—it was just the cold reality of the situation.
Matthew understood Annie's implications and was satisfied that neither side openly acknowledged their true motives.
Though caught off guard, Matthew felt no panic.
After his trip to Sevinton.
Matthew had gained deep insight into the struggles within the upper echelons of the Netheril Empire.
Despite Archmage Cronorman's fame.
His influence was limited, no match for the other two factions.
As a result, the opposition had no qualms about "pressuring" them.
Beyond the overt actions.
Matthew could already anticipate the other moves the enemy might make.
Though a bit frustrated, Matthew remained unworried. Instead, he smiled and reassured Annie:
"Don't worry. The blocked material sources are only because the Bay Territory didn't have production plans in place."
"Steward Ralph has already ordered the establishment of 20 new raw material processing factories to ensure the supply of war materials."
The Bay Territory had no shortage of resources.
Steel was already self-produced.
The demand for other metals was minimal and could be met by purchasing from Blood Moon City.
In the future, they could even find ore veins in the underground world.
As for the more complex golems and puppet core components.
With Magus Duncan and his team on board, the Bay Territory now had independent production capabilities.
The only thing the Bay Territory lacked was food.
However, thanks to the Bay Territory's policy of spending millions of gold coins each month on stockpiling supplies.
The Bay Territory had already accumulated enough grain to feed 4 million people for two years.
With a population of 1.8 million, the Bay Territory could sustain itself for at least four years on these reserves.
Additionally, the Bay Territory's agricultural expansion was progressing smoothly.
Thanks to improvements and increased production from agricultural golems.
By the end of this year, the Bay Territory will not only complete the planned reclamation of 30 million acres but will exceed that target by over 10 million acres.
Next year, even if the 40 million acres of land experience some yield reduction due to poor soil fertility and insufficient fertilizer supply,
they will still produce at least 16 million tons of grain!
Even if solely reliant on grain, it could support a population of 32 million!
At that point, the Bay Territory won't just cease importing food—it will have surplus grain for export.
Such an explosive pace of development
is owed to the Bay Territory's monthly investment of over one million gold coins.
To the hard work of hundreds of thousands of reclaimers.
And to the diligent breeding and cultivation efforts of over a hundred druid researchers.
In large-scale planting and harvesting,
the Bay Territory is still somewhat behind the fully automated, mechanized farms Matthew saw in his original world.
However, the convenience of golems and magical engineering machinery has accumulated enough technology.
All Matthew needs to do is channel the energy from thousands of years of prior technological research into agricultural development.
The technological outlook is entirely competitive.
With food and production capability,
the Bay Territory will remain stable.
Matthew can also seize this opportunity to unify the territory's thoughts and consciousness, laying the groundwork for future independence from the Netheril Empire.
They're the ones who started this!
Sensing Matthew's confidence, Annie, recalling the expanding factories and the nonstop production lines, felt a slight sense of relief.
However, Annie couldn't accept the Ail Elves' indifferent attitude toward the Bay Territory's crisis. With restrained patience, she asked Matthew:
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
Annie had only intended to show her support, but to her surprise, Matthew had been waiting for this question. He promptly nodded:
"We need food—lots of it!"
Caught off guard, Annie was momentarily stunned.
Food?
But isn't the Bay Territory well-stocked?
Matthew merely gave a mysterious smile.
He certainly wouldn't tell Annie that
while they had enough now, shortages were imminent.
Sure enough,
as soon as November began,
more overt and covert blockades quickly encircled the Bay Territory's supply lines.
Many territories that had frequently traded with the Bay Territory now refused to sell ore, magical materials, or other resources.
The Bay Territory wasn't surprised by this.
The only silver lining was that they still wanted to buy Bay Territory products.
The goods were of high quality, low cost, and helped deplete their resources.
To the surprise of these lords, the Bay Territory didn't retaliate. They didn't even raise prices symbolically, acting as if nothing had happened.
This peculiar behavior immediately alerted the hidden masterminds.
They soon discovered that the Bay Territory was making extensive food purchases in Blood Moon City.
Some grain merchants even traded food for a batch of potions from the Bay Territory.
As a result, food prices in Blood Moon City rose by more than 20%.
It wasn't that the merchants didn't want to hike prices further; they simply didn't dare!
The Harley Knights and the 343th were not known for mercy.
Even so, the Bay Territory's food procurement channels were quickly cut off.
They were forbidden from selling grain to them.
Many lords near Blood Moon City, although their relations with the Bay Territory had improved, dared not make any moves.
Not everyone had an Archmage Cronorman backing them like Matthew did.
Recognizing this "weakness" exposed by the Bay Territory, the masterminds devised an excellent plan.