Chapter 678.5: Soldier Rotation, Blossoming Everywhere
Hearing Lin Ren instantly peg her as an outsider, Misha became even more curious and couldn't help but ask:
"How did you know I'm not local? I could be from Misty Swamp City too!"
Smiling as he shook his head, Lin Ren replied confidently:
"No way. Even cities from other territories follow the same learning and education process."
"No exceptions?"
"No exceptions!"
"What's the point of learning all this?"
"It's obviously useful. It teaches us to be law-abiding from an early age. That's the foundation of being a Bay Territory citizen."
"Besides that, what else do you learn?"
"Language, writing, math, physics, chemistry, crafts, machinery, magic, and Professional knowledge."
"You have to learn all that? Isn't it exhausting?"
"Not at all. Doing well in school helps us get good jobs and contribute more to the territory."
"Contribute to the territory? Don't you care about yourself?"
"The territory's policies were crafted by many intelligent people after thorough discussion. I haven't found anything unreasonable, so I naturally choose to follow them."
"That's not what I meant. Don't you want to have fun yourself?"
"Bay Territory is surrounded by enemies, and there's danger everywhere. This isn't the time for selfish enjoyment."
"Oh? So what are you going to do now? Back to studying?"
"No, I'm going to learn how to cook. I'm planning to try making braised pork."
"Cooking? Braised pork? Is it good?"
"Not sure if you'll like it, but I think it's delicious—rich and flavorful without being greasy."
"I want to try some…"
As Lola walked over, she listened to Misha and Lin Ren's conversation with growing curiosity. Smiling, she asked:
"It's lunchtime now. We don't really know what food Bay Territory has—can you take us to try some?"
Lin Ren glanced over, his eyes showing a hint of scrutiny, which made Lola feel slightly odd.
This little guy wasn't afraid at all. He was actually looking at me?
Would he dare take me?
But Lin Ren didn't hesitate in the slightest. Smiling, he beckoned them and quickly led them into the snack street, introducing everything along the way with a grin:
"That's charcoal-grilled venom spider. Burn off the toxic hairs on the surface, and you can peel it open easily. The meat inside is very tender and sweet."
Lola felt a bit queasy—was that really edible?
But Misha was full of curiosity. Her big eyes sparkled as she leaned closer to Lin Ren and mumbled something.
He walked over and bought two large grilled spider legs.
He peeled the crispy skin away, revealing a plump tube of white, fresh meat inside.
The rich aroma immediately made Misha's eyes light up.
Mimicking Lin Ren, she picked up a piece of the tender white meat and gave it a taste.
The texture was soft and silky, melting with just one bite.
It had a delicate, sweet flavor that lingered on the tongue.
"That's actually delicious!"
Misha nodded excitedly and quickly gobbled it down.
Seeing her appetite, Lin Ren paid the bill and led her to the next stall:
"These are roasted nuts. Very fragrant and crunchy, absolutely delicious."
"Best part? They're cheap and a great value. My family even has a nut tree like this at home."
Crunch!
The white nut meat was sweet and tasty.
With one bite, the rich, crisp texture filled her mouth with fragrance.
Excited, Misha nodded repeatedly and blurted out:
"I want to grow one of these trees at home too! That way I can eat them every day!"
Grinning cheerfully, Lin Ren wholeheartedly agreed with her idea and nodded without hesitation:
"Exactly. We love planting trees here in Bay Territory."
"In a bit, I'll take you to buy some saplings."
"Bay Territory's saplings are famous far and wide—high survival rate, and excellent varieties…"
As he spoke, Lin Ren led the food-loving Misha through the snack street.
"That's roasted Manhammer meat—super chewy and rich in flavor…"
"That's our specialty sweet potato chips—very nutritious and filling."
"But don't eat too many at once, or your body won't handle it."
"That's boiled squid from the sea. Add a few condiments, and the taste becomes incredibly layered…"
"This fruit's my favorite—sour berries."
"They're very sour raw, but leave them in a rice jar for a few days, and they become amazingly sweet and tasty…"
Lin Ren's smooth introductions dazzled Misha.
Her mouth worked fast, and her appetite was even faster. She was happy to try everything.
She clearly voiced her opinions on the food.
She liked sweet, spicy, and salty. Sour wasn't really her thing.
Lola, trailing behind, also sampled a few dishes.
She found Bay Territory's cooking quite impressive.
It had a unique and surprising touch.
Why did Bay Territory invest so much thought into this?
Lin Ren and Misha had only walked halfway down the street when his magic wristwatch buzzed.
He glanced at it, sighed in regret, and told the startled Misha:
"Ah, I've got training. I can't keep hanging out with you."
"Then I'll come with you to train! I'm really strong!"
"Haha, no can do. You're not a Bay Territory citizen yet."
"Then how do I join Bay Territory?"
"No rush. Let's see if your parents approve first."
"Will I get to see you again? There's still so much food I haven't tried…"
"Same time tomorrow. Come back here."
"You can even get a magic wristwatch and add me as a friend tomorrow!"
"..."
The two little ones whispered back and forth, reluctantly parting ways.
Was this the universal language of foodies?
Lola couldn't help but laugh, and was also a bit amazed by Lin Ren's composure.
That kid really had guts!
Lin Ren walked into the military camp.
He saw a large group of soldiers heading toward the underground station and immediately understood.
The territory was preparing to send more troops to the Catachan demi-plane.
"Lin, come here."
A gentle voice rang out. Lin Ren looked over with delight and spotted the burly Gater.
Gater had just planned to check on Lin Ren's training progress when the boy suddenly said:
"I spotted two suspicious individuals!"
Gater's gaze sharpened. After hearing Lin Ren out, he smiled and nodded, then immediately reported it to the inspection team and patted the boy's shoulder:
"Well done! But next time, be more careful!"
Lin Ren nodded firmly, his eyes filled with resolve.
No doubt, if he encountered something like that again, he wouldn't just stand by.
When this amusing little incident reached Matthew's ears—
He didn't react much to the Cole Elves' probing, but instead accelerated the pace of large-scale soldier enhancement training.
In the days that followed, battle in the Dark Forest reached a fever pitch.
Bay Territory's adventurers, after witnessing their comrades fight—
Began stepping up, eager to join the fray.
"If they can do it, why can't we?"
Led by Bay Territory's trolls and Catachan warriors, many adventurer teams began taking the initiative.
Some succeeded, others failed.
But most of them avoided any real losses.
This massively boosted their morale.
With little risk involved, why not give it a shot?
In this secure, morale-rich environment, Bay Territory's adventurers actively joined large-scale warfare.
Their strength and mindset transformed at a stunning pace.
As they engaged in larger battles, they also gained a deeper understanding of the resources needed.
And they developed completely new perspectives on Bay Territory's strong production capacity and institutions.
"Didn't think much of it before, but now the territory always has enough resources prepared for us and delivers them quickly and completely—it's amazing…"
"Hehe, the territory's policies are also carried out super well. No corrupt officials in sight—it's just excellent."
"Bay Territory's production is just insane! So many supplies, all swiftly deployed across the Dark Forest…"
"Storage gear is the best. Everyone can carry loads of materials, saving a ton of hassle."
"I heard the territory stopped selling space crystals. Probably saving them all for us, right?"
"Most of the top-tier gear is definitely going to the soldiers."
"What we get isn't bad either—way better than other adventurers."
"Hehe, we're totally satisfied."
"Nothing beats Bay Territory—missions are smooth, battles are satisfying."
"Exactly! Why else would everyone work so hard?"
"Alright, enough talk. Let's go review the battle footage and prep the next plan."
"The trolls are coming soon—they've got a lot of ranged attack methods..."
"We need to make more preparations..."
"..."
As adventurers continued to grow through warfare,
Bay Territory launched a new wave of expansion!
Soldiers trained in various camps were quietly deployed across the territory.
They received brand-new combat assignments!
At pre-selected resource points and key locations, they began building camps, cities, and fortresses.
They had already trained for these specific missions.
Most obstacles in the target areas posed no threat to their advance.
Usually within an hour or two—
The battles would be over.
Civil engineers swiftly chopped trees, cleared weeds, leveled mountains, and filled ravines.
In just a few hours—
Simple city walls would rise from the ground.
With Bay Territory soldiers guarding them, the new camps, cities, and fortresses would be developed based on local conditions.
Railways and golem trains would advance.
Teleportation arrays would be built.
Major factories would be constructed and set up, quickly bringing life to the once-empty sites.
As the cities were built, people would soon follow.
Many trained and educated residents eagerly moved to these zones for better settlement policies.
Ambitious workers led them in development and labor.
Following Bay Territory's planning, they would reclaim and cultivate the surrounding regions.
Building camps, cities, and fortresses didn't just strengthen territorial control—
They were the key hubs for Bay Territory's expansion.
In less than six months—
These buildings, built with considerable investment, would begin generating continuous output through control and development.
In about three months—
They'd break even and start steadily accumulating wealth.
Contributing to Bay Territory's growth.
Every region of Bay Territory was expanding actively.
Its control and territory continued to spread.
More resources, more factories, more population placements—
All were fueling Bay Territory's rise.
And all of this happened quietly.
Whether it was chaos in the Catachan demi-plane or turmoil in the Dark Forest—
It all served as cover for the expansion.
June 27th.
Catachan demi-plane.
Asu Volcano Fortress.
Fiery red light lit up the sky.
Two to three dozen fire dragons flew through the sky, crying out joyfully.
Right on time, Onyxia took the lead and descended.
Mealtime!
The young dragons, still noisy in the air, became obedient as soon as they landed.
Well, they'd been disciplined quite a bit for this!
Blackshell the dragon turtle, glowing red, watched them line up with a cheerful smile.
He handed out food with practiced ease while praising Onyxia:
"Thanks to your leadership. Without you, these little guys would've gone wild."
Onyxia, far more well-behaved now, took her share of treats and nodded calmly.
She munched contentedly, snacking on ruby gems filled with elemental energy, feeling herself grow stronger.
As her eyes scanned the wobbly baby dragons in line, Onyxia couldn't help but frown.
If she had a choice—
She definitely wouldn't want to lead these little dragons.
Even if they weren't food, they were obvious dead weight!
But before she could think too much, Yaya's crisp voice reached her ears, sending a chill down her spine.
"Hehe, come play already!"
"The new test is ready!"
Swallowing the gem with a grim face, Onyxia—
Looked at the feasting baby dragons, and suddenly thought:
"Maybe taking care of these little guys… isn't so bad."