Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 535 The Population Surge in the Black Forest Territory
The tremors in Maleiburg did not subside with the departure of the Hessian leader's troops. Instead, like a boulder thrown into a still lake, the ripples continued to expand, eventually evolving into a colossal wave that swept across the entire city.

The reaction from the city lord's mansion was the most intense. After his initial rage and shock, Lord Joachim quickly summoned his core advisors and loyal generals.

"Disgrace! This is an unprecedented humiliation in the history of Maleiburg!" Joachim slammed his fist on the heavy oak table, his voice hoarse with anger. "The city gates were forcibly breached, the chieftain's residence was pelted with the enemy's head, and our city defense troops were treated like puppets, at the mercy of others! Su Li... he has declared war on us!"

The staff fell silent, only the city defense commander forced a report: "Sir, it's not that the soldiers are cowardly, it's just that... the enemy's strength is too overwhelming. A legendary knight personally led the charge, and the charge of twelve and a half griffins is something no ordinary city gate guard could withstand. We didn't even have time to deploy the heavy crossbows on the city walls..."

"An excuse!" Joachim interrupted him rudely, but beneath the anger in his eyes lay a hint of helplessness. How could he not know the difference in strength between the two sides? That team had displayed an overwhelming strength far exceeding that of ordinary defensive forces.

"Strengthen the city's defenses! Double the number of troops at all city gates, no, triple them! Patrol the city walls day and night, and put all ballistae and magical devices in place! If a similar incident occurs again, the city's garrison commander will be beheaded!" He ordered sternly, trying to salvage some dignity.

However, a deeper worry crept into his heart. The Black Forest Territory's actions not only damaged his prestige but also made him realize how futile his strategy of using political means and the Electoral Council to limit Su Li was in the face of the opponent's absolute military might. What troubled him even more was the rumor about his wife, Bayonetta… This humiliation, intertwined with both public and private matters, brought his hatred for Su Li to its peak.

He had to contact the Elector and gain more support! Su Li's current strength was beyond what he could handle alone!
The enormous head stood out starkly in front of the Electoral Council's residence. Inside, chaos reigned; the officials were both horrified by the Blacksin Territory's arrogance and furious at the trampling of their own authority.

"We must respond with the harshest measures! This is an open challenge to the imperial order!" An old-school bureaucrat waved his arms excitedly.

"Counterattack? With what means?" another relatively sober councilor coldly retorted, "Send our symbolic guard to attack the Black Forest Territory? Or do we expect Lord Joachim to risk his life against Su Li for our sake? Don't forget, Litanel's head is right here—a border threat that we've all found troublesome in the past, resolved by Su Li. It's morally untenable for us to accuse him now!"

The obese Baron von Kleist slumped in his large, high-backed chair, a symbol of power and status, but at this moment the chair seemed to have become a scorching torture rack.

His entire body was trembling uncontrollably, and the sweat on his forehead was no longer fine beads of sweat, but a greasy, cold sweat that flowed like a waterfall, soaking the collar of his expensive silk shirt.

His fat face, which usually carried arrogance and calculation, was now deathly pale, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single clear syllable.

"How...how could he...how dare he..." He finally managed to squeeze out a faint voice from deep in his throat, his eyes unfocused, as if he was still immersed in the horror brought by the death mission.

The enormous head belonging to Litanel, the cold, pungent smell of sulfur and preservatives, seemed to penetrate the thick walls, lingering in the luxurious office and choking him.

“Your Excellency! We must immediately seek help from the Council! We must report everything that has happened here truthfully!” A slightly bolder adjutant suggested, barely suppressing his fear, but his voice was also trembling.

"Request for help? Report the truth?" Von Kleist jolted as if pricked by a needle, his face revealing a despair and absurdity deeper than fear. "How do you expect me to report? Tell the lords in Aldorf that they sent us to stabilize the border and curb the rise of local powers, and what happened? A monster named Su Li swept through the entire northern province in just three or four years, beheaded the swamp lord appointed by the Electoral Council, and even threw his head at our gate?!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his voice growing shrill and trembling with emotion, almost as if he were crying:

"And what is the root of all this? It's because of us! It's because of us fools who, strictly following the 'imperial noble standards' and the 'not-so-honorable procedures,' rated this powerful lord, who had effectively unified a province, as... rated him as 'unqualified', not even meeting the lowest level of the Kingdom Knight standard!"

He suddenly grabbed the copy of the rejection opinion on the application for promotion to the Black Forest Territory that he had deliberately suppressed on the table, his hands trembling violently, almost crushing the expensive parchment.

"The lords entrusted us with the task of curbing local powerful clans, and what did we do? Not only did we fail to do so, but we also used our damned bureaucratic procedures to turn a potential, carefully appeased, powerful figure into an irreconcilable enemy! A pioneering lord who unified a province was deemed 'unqualified' by us... Haha... Hahaha..." He let out a few nervous, desperate laughs. "This is simply the biggest joke since the founding of the empire! And the most fatal dereliction of duty!"

The other bureaucrats in the office were also pale-faced. They knew better than anyone the imperial high command's tolerance for such things. The gentry of the Electors' Council would never admit that their policies or standards were flawed; therefore, all blame would inevitably fall on the implementers—these "frontline officials" of the princes on the border.

"My lords... what will my lords do with us?" A young clerk's voice was trembling with tears. He could already imagine the cold orders coming from Aldorf and the gallows erected in the square.

"Dispose of?" Baron von Kleist said bitterly, his eyes vacant. "They don't need to 'dispose of' us specifically. They only need to issue an order in a fit of rage, declaring us derelict in our duties, incompetent, and tarnishing the dignity of the Empire, and then discard us like trash... That monster Su Li doesn't even need to lift a finger. Just maintaining the current pressure will be enough for the Empire to quell his anger, or to find scapegoats, to hang us all on the walls of Maleiburg without hesitation, as a warning to others!"

He could almost see the terrifying scene: his own obese body swaying under the noose, below which lay the city where he had once ruled with impunity, while the young lord named Su Li coldly watched it all.

“Report it…it must be reported…” Von Kleist finally collapsed, as if all his bones had been removed, muttering to himself, “But how do we write it…how do we write it so that the lords’ anger won’t burn us to ashes immediately?”

Panic spread through the room. Everyone knew they faced not only the external threat of Su Li's military might, but also a potentially more ruthless purge from the imperial system behind them. They were trapped in a bureaucratic web of their own making, with the Black Forest army's sharp edge on one side and the cold noose that the Electoral Council might lower on the other.

The city council bureaucrats, after their initial shock, quickly turned to a secretive excitement. Speaker Vigo and others clearly saw that the main targets of this operation by the Hessian Territory were Joachim and the Electoral Council, which inadvertently weakened the two forces that were suppressing them.

"The opportunity has arrived!" Speaker Vigo could not hide his excitement at the secret meeting. "Joachim is in dire straits, and the council's prestige has been tarnished. We must seize this opportunity to consolidate our power within the city. At the same time... perhaps we can try to make some... informal contact with the Hessian territory."

They began to work covertly, trying to win over nobles and merchants who were dissatisfied with Joachim, and quietly spreading rumors that the incompetence of the Electors' Council was the root cause of this humiliation, attempting to shift public pressure towards the council and the city lord.

The public's reaction was more complex. In addition to fear, ordinary citizens also harbored a secret worship of the powerful and dissatisfaction with the old order.

"See that? Those old men usually act all high and mighty, but when they encounter a real tough guy, they don't dare to utter a single word!"

"The knights of Blacksend are truly impressive... They even beheaded a monster like Litanel..."

"I heard that although the tax checkpoints in the east are strict, you can pass through safely once you pay the money. That's much better than some officials who take money but do nothing."

Various discussions circulated in pubs, markets, and streets, and the power structure and social mentality that had persisted in Maleburg for many years were quietly loosening in this storm.

……

While Maleiburg was thrown into chaos and division by a single head, the center of power in Hessen was a scene of orderly activity. Su Li was not blinded by victory; he knew that long-term governance after conquest was far more important than military triumph.

The cleanup work in the swamp territory proceeded efficiently under the direction of Erstein and the provincial council director Oliver.

Firstly, regarding the military operations and the restoration of post-war order, Hessen's army, organized into large battalions, conducted a final, sweeping operation across the vast swampy region, eliminating the remaining sporadic resistance forces of the swamp demons and their bandit gangs. Simultaneously, permanent military outposts and garrisons were established in newly captured strategic locations, such as the Pale Cavern and the Blackwater Whirlpool, to ensure the restoration of order and effective control of the territory.

With the military campaign over, the next step was dealing with the vast number of prisoners and conquered people. This was a crucial test of governance and best reflected the cruelty and order of this world.

This war brought an astonishing number of prisoners of war and conquered people, totaling more than 6!

The largest group consisted of swampland human soldiers and dependents, who served under Litanel's rule out of fear or necessity. They were numerous and were the primary targets of assimilation.

Then there are the various humanoid creatures and hybrids. Besides pure-blooded swamp demons, the swamp is also home to a large number of humanoid creatures affected to varying degrees by chaotic energy or those with mutated ancient bloodlines. They are less intelligent and more bestial, but can barely be classified as "intelligent beings." They are perfect materials for wizards to study. Finally, there are the pure, incurable fallen ones and mutants! These are deep victims of chaotic energy, their bodies and souls irreversibly twisted, filled with hatred for order and life.

All prisoners and the population gathered from various parts of the swamp were first driven to a temporary concentration camp guarded by tall wooden palisades and elite soldiers for initial screening.

The Sunfire Cult's battle priests and inquisitors, holding glowing holy symbols, moved among the crowd. Their eyes were sharp as eagles, and relying on their faith and keen insight into the chaotic aura, they conducted the initial, life-or-death judgment.

For humans deemed "salvageable" and a few relatively stable, non-hostile humanoid beings, the Black Forest Territory implemented a strict but orderly assimilation policy, overseen by the Saint of the Sun, Dantin.

The first step is the refuge and purification ceremony, which is the first and most important step.

All those placed there were required to attend daily sermons and prayers led by the Sun Priests. They were forced to memorize the Sun Cult's fundamental tenets and to kneel before the statue of the goddess Violet.

At the same time, everyone must undergo one or more "purification rituals"—being sprinkled with holy water from Lake Reveryn, exposed to the light of the goddess's emblem, and having exorcism prayers recited by a priest. This process is both to cleanse potential chaotic contamination and a form of spiritual imprinting and taming. Those who resist are whipped, fasted, and even reclassified as "suspicious individuals."

To prevent the formation of new rebellious cores, prisoners from the same tribe or region were deliberately dispersed and mixed into groups, managed by overseers and low-ranking officers dispatched by the Hessian lords. They were organized into labor corps, performing the most arduous tasks: clearing battlefields, burying corpses, building roads, draining water and reclaiming wasteland, and constructing fortifications for the garrison. Their labor was exchanged for barely enough food to fill their stomachs and the most basic necessities for survival; they were practically slaves, but at least their lives were spared.

After undergoing the initial phase of labor reform and faith testing, those who performed "well" and were deemed to have initially converted to the Lieyang faith were assigned to newly planned settlements. These settlements were often located on the edges of partially drained swamps or near strategic locations where the environment had improved.

They were permitted to form families and were allocated a small plot of barren land to cultivate, but were burdened with heavy taxes and corvée labor. The settlements implemented a system of collective responsibility, where if one person rebelled, the entire team or even the whole village would be punished. Soldiers and tax collectors from the Hessian territory loomed over these new communities like a shadow.

Strong, exceptionally obedient, and devout young men, after undergoing more rigorous screening, have the opportunity to be recruited into the second-line troops of the Hessian Territory or the provincial legions, undertaking the most dangerous auxiliary work and frontline attrition. This is one of the few ways for them to escape their lowly status and gain "citizen" status, but it also means a higher casualty rate.

However, not all conquered are qualified to embark on this arduous path of assimilation. For those explicitly labeled by the Sun Inquisitors as "deeply corrupted," "incorrigible fallen," and "stubborn Chaos worshippers," only the most utter end awaits them.

This group is staggering in size, with preliminary estimates exceeding ten thousand. Among them are individuals whose bodies have undergone severe and irreversible mutations, often resulting in dislocated limbs or organs, skin covered in scales or pustules, and emitting a strong, foul odor.

This also includes the Fallen whose souls have been completely twisted by chaos. Even if their bodies appear intact, their minds are completely insane, filled with destructive desires, incapable of any rational communication, and even capable of instinctively using low-level dark magic.

Finally, there are the core fanatics of Litanel, those human followers who, even during the trial, still fervently worshipped Litanel and the swamp witch "Mia," their souls already dedicated to darkness.

The execution of these fallen ones was officially called the "Great Purification" by the Black Forest Territory. It was a public, ritualistic mass execution aimed at demonstrating the wrath of the sun and the iron fist of the Black Forest Territory.

In several specially selected, open, and elevated locations (usually ancient sacrificial sites or ruins of important strongholds in the former swamp territory), massive piles of firewood were erected, resembling small hills. More often, however, were hastily dug, enormous burial pits.

On the day of execution, the army of Blacksin Territory deployed its forces, driving tens of thousands of fallen souls to the execution ground. Clerics of the Sunfire, clad in solemn robes, chanted hymns praising the Sun Goddess and denouncing chaos and evil. Paladins and battle nuns, wielding greatswords or whips ablaze with golden flames, maintained order; their gazes upon the fallen showed no pity, only a cold, resolute determination to carry out their sacred mission.

The methods of execution varied depending on the degree and type of "contamination," with burning at the stake being the most typical. This was used to deal with deeply mutated individuals and chaos wizards who were believed to possess intense chaotic energy and potentially pollute the land. They were bound to pyres while the priests chanted prayers, and the church priests themselves set them ablaze. The piercing screams mingled with the crackling of the flames, and the acrid smell permeated for miles. To the believers, the burning flames were a purifying holy fire.

For the majority of the fallen, ordinary people, efficient mass executions were carried out by soldiers of the provincial legion. They were driven in batches to the edge of the mass grave, where they were shot or stabbed to death by rows of crossbowmen or spearmen. Their bodies were then kicked or thrown into the huge pit, sprinkled with lime and holy salt, and finally covered with soil. The whole process was cold and efficient, like handling a batch of defective goods.

For some particularly powerful individuals whose souls must also be destroyed (such as swamp nymph officers), the chosen knights under Hilde or high-ranking paladins of the Sun Cult would personally behead them using weapons imbued with divine power to ensure their complete annihilation.

This "Great Purification" lasted for several days, annihilating tens of thousands of lives. The lingering smoke and stench of blood signified the complete end of the old order and the absolute will of the Blackwood to establish a new one using iron, fire, and faith. In the world of Warhammer, mercy towards chaos is cruelty towards order, and the Blackwood, in the most blatant way, practiced this iron law of the Dark Ages. The stability of the new territory is built upon this brutal "purification."

Before the smoke and blood of the "Great Purification" had completely dissipated from the newly occupied territories, the administrative machinery of the Hessian Territory was already operating efficiently, transforming this military victory into tangible population and wealth.

Inside the newly renovated and more imposing council chamber of Hessenberg, the provincial councilor Oliver held a heavy parchment scroll and was giving a detailed report to Su Li, who sat on the lord's throne.

The territory's iron-fisted prime minister stated the encouraging figures in a calm and clear voice:
"My lord, according to the final statistics, the conquest and subsequent clearing of the swamp territory have brought us unprecedented and enormous benefits in terms of population."

"First, there are the 'newly added population' that can be directly incorporated into the system of governance and taxation. The total number of people who have undergone preliminary screening, purification rituals and registration, as well as some humanoid dependents with stable forms who are willing to convert to the faith of the blazing sun, is about 53,000."

"This population will be dispersed and resettled in various settlements of the newly established provinces, in accordance with the established plan, to engage in land reclamation, road construction, and basic production activities. It is expected that within the next two years, it will provide stable tax revenue and labor for the new territory and gradually replenish the provincial army's manpower."

This number is enormous, meaning that the population base directly controlled by the Hessian Territory has seen a leap in growth, providing the most fundamental human resources for future development.

However, the dean's report did not end there. He turned a page and continued in that businesslike tone:

"In addition, we have adopted a more... efficient approach to the disposal of another group of 'special assets'."

He paused slightly, seemingly choosing his words, before continuing:

"A total of approximately 11,000 prisoners, whose characteristics made them unsuitable for direct rule or who possessed high 'commodity value,' have been disposed of through various channels. These mainly include: swamp monster prisoners of war with special physical characteristics who could be used for dangerous labor; some relatively 'docile' ogres who could be tamed into gladiators or guard beasts; and a small number of captured elite human warriors who originally belonged to Litanel's command—they refused to convert, but their physical qualities and combat skills were still acceptable, and they had a certain market value."

“These ‘assets’,” Dean Oliver used the term, “we have sold in batches to various farm owners and mine owners within the territory who urgently need strong labor, as well as… slave trading guilds from the Empire, Arabi, Kisliv, and even more distant countries. The gold coins, magical materials, and some of the supplies we urgently need from the transactions have now been stored. Preliminary estimates suggest that their value is equivalent to nearly half a year's regular maintenance costs for our main army.”

This huge sum of money obtained through human trafficking will undoubtedly greatly alleviate the strain on the finances of the Hessian Territory caused by continuous warfare and large-scale construction, and can be quickly transformed into stronger military strength and development momentum.

The dean closed the file and concluded: "In summary, sir, this military operation has not only greatly expanded our territory, but also yielded unprecedentedly rich returns in terms of population and finances. The assimilation and integration of the new territories now have a solid material foundation."

Su Li listened quietly, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair. He didn't have much moral reservation about the slave trade; in this dark and cruel land, it was simply a common way of utilizing resources. The Blazing Sun Cult might care about the purity of souls, but as a lord, he needed to consider the practical interests and stability of his territory.

“Well done.” Su Li finally spoke, his tone calm. “Ensure the smooth resettlement of the 50,000 new people, and do not relax the conversion and surveillance of the Blazing Sun Sect. As for that fund…” He paused for a moment, “Prioritize its use for the repair and expansion of key fortresses in the newly occupied territories, as well as the replenishment and manufacturing of war machines.”

"Yes, sir." The provincial governor bowed and accepted the order, his face remaining completely expressionless, as if he had only just reported on grain production rather than the fate of tens of thousands of people. In his eyes, all of this was merely ordinary figures and necessary means in the management of the territory.

Then Su Li turned his gaze back to the vast area on the map that had been stained with the color of the Black Forest Territory, and asked, "Does this newly conquered territory have enough fertile land and food to supply these settled slaves? I don't want to send food all the way from the Black Forest Territory here, and I certainly don't want a large number of slaves to flee."

(End of this chapter)