Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 273 Sunny Day
This world isn't so great.

This kingdom is not worth saving.

"Then let's make it at least somewhat presentable, for the sake of those around us, and for my own comfort."

Sometimes, Rean really wanted to curse; he knew he had been tricked.

And the one who schemed against himself knew he would find out, even though it was a bit convoluted, it was a blatant conspiracy. You, Li Ensu, just can't stand this rotten world.

I, Li Ensu, knew that you, Li Ensu, this "germaphobe," couldn't stand seeing a pile of garbage around you and would personally clean it up.

If you are given the power, you will do it, because you are Lee Eun-suk, you are "Lee Eun-suk who cannot tolerate the filth around him".

"I'll do a little, I'll change a little, I'll make what I see a little cleaner."

Rean always considered himself a chameleon, an ordinary person who could adapt to his environment.

But reality told him that he was able to adapt to and tolerate the environment before only because the night wasn't dark enough and the environment wasn't as bad as hell on earth.

Rean thought he was very magnanimous and indifferent, simply because he hadn't witnessed the era when beasts and scum ran rampant.
"Give me power and I'll change the world? Haha, do you think I'm some arrogant fool? How can an individual reverse the course of history and change the world? I'm just an ordinary coward who only wants to live comfortably."

Even without power, Rean could still laugh at himself.

"Uh, it seems like I really am an idiot."

Even with his newfound power, Rean continued to mock himself.

"I don't need to change much; I just need to make the people around me a little more comfortable, that's enough."

Rean continued to tell himself this, even though he knew that if his greedy self actually achieved this "small goal," he would most likely create new "small goals."

"No rush, no rush. We will slowly guide the power of nature and nurture it into a natural land."

While the makeshift rescue team was engaged in fierce fighting, another team was even busier.

Their work was also quite arduous. "Ulda the Bull Demon" died, but the "sapling" of the World Tree was not completely destroyed.

"Cuckoo."

The World Tree sapling, half-corrupted and half-disintegrated, is constantly throbbing. It looks half like a heart and half like a plant, and its shape is quite distorted.

All around it, however, were various kinds of mushrooms.

The power of the mushrooms, along with the spiritual strength of the hundreds of mushroom people, is catalyzing the power of this "Heart of the World Tree" into the source of this nature.

These "alchemy druids" are connecting with this nature.

The ground here has begun to be rewritten. The originally dangerous, demonized plants have become harmless vegetation, and the surging power of nature will make the land fertile.

Meanwhile, another group of mushroom people are transplanting "glowing moss" brought from the underground world onto the walls and ceilings here.

These special plants are growing rapidly in this rich natural area, giving this underground space a light that seems to shine on the ground.

"With sunshine, fertile soil, and water, life can survive and continue."

The only thing that seems to be poor in terms of basic living conditions here is water? In fact, the group of people came along an underground river.

With a little guidance and modification to the river channel, creating a looping tributary stream, the water source here would be enough to support the consumption of a small town of a thousand people.

This was a suggestion that Mushroom had made to Rean: if they killed the Ulda Bull Demon, they could establish a living land in this underground area.

Rean believed him and, based on that premise, carried out the entire plan.

"I have already made a deal with Dania and the City Lord. If the Land of Life is established, it will become my fiefdom."

Rean was just a knight and was not entitled to a fiefdom.

But if he rescues the hostages and performs a great service, he can be made a baron.

He conquered this land, and when the time comes, he will use the terms of the Land Reclamation Knights to demand ownership of this rotten land, and Dania and the others will naturally not refuse.

"At that time, those escaped slaves who cannot live in the dock area can move here."

This actually exploits a legal loophole. Theoretically, the entire city belongs to the city lord's family, and other families cannot acquire any piece of land within it.

But this is the "underground world," outside the city. When the new land (not the territory) that Rean conquered as a "Reclamation Knight" was incorporated into the kingdom, he naturally had priority in obtaining the fiefdom. Some things are quite feasible as long as they are legally sound.

When the time comes, as long as the lord grants a general amnesty, those "runaway slaves" will become legal citizens of the "cultivated areas".

If the slave market wants to take over, it will be tantamount to trying to abduct Rean's new subjects, which is legally equivalent to waging war against "Rean the Pioneer Knight".

"Hurry, hurry, let's set up a living area first, and the first batch of residents will move in soon."

Rumors of so-called "Hope Town" and "Sleeping Cow Town" have already spread in the dock area, and there are "water armies" responsible for guiding refugees. Naturally, slaves and refugees will soon escape into them, and they will bring in new people.

Rean was in a hurry; they were eager to finalize certain matters before the various factions could react.

What do these townspeople eat?

“In this land of life, even a radish seed can grow taller than your calf if you throw it in. Why would I worry about them starving to death? Moreover, this place will become the outpost for underground exploration and an integral part of the entire underground exploration project. I plan to place a Great Mirror Demon here, making it a second frontline city.”

To avoid being eliminated and being seen as an enemy by the general environment, one must create value.

Once the land becomes a fief, Rean will pay taxes to the royal family, including not only resident taxes but also taxes on the trade of extraordinary materials. At that time, the royal family will take care of him, and these "townspeople" will naturally have a new way to make a living.

The key to everything is always speed.

Once Rean rescues the hostages, Dania will immediately be granted a title and land, and a large number of runaway slaves will enter the new area, becoming free citizens after being exempted by the "lord".

By then, when they realize what's happening and try to cause trouble, Rean can immediately take action against them.

Even if they wanted to start a war, Dania could stop them in the name of the royal family. As for private battles, who's afraid of who!

But before that, the "slaves" were legal fugitives, and it was really difficult for them to be caught.

For Rean to act legally, it's based on "going with the flow" and "picking up the scraps," not on launching a conspiracy to rob someone. So, it's also quite important for Talia to avoid making any mistakes.

"I think I've figured it out. Senior Rean, you've always disliked slaves."

Larry was somewhat puzzled. Among the knights, she was the most accustomed to the existence of the "slave market," and this mechanism had been operating stably since she became aware of it.

Knights and nobles have their own logic: inequality is normal; the weak are born to serve the strong, and in return, the strong have a responsibility to protect the weak.

This can actually be considered a "virtue of the classical aristocracy".

Even though they were in the minority in the overall situation, their understanding still differed greatly from Rean's.

"Yes, if I don't like it, I'll naturally remove it."

Rean was too lazy to explain any of that nonsense, he just said, "I don't like it." I'll probably feel better after I unplug it.

"Yes, I'll help you, senior."

In this era, those with strength and power can do whatever they want.

Feudal times were rife with evils, but there was one good thing: as a lord, you could really do whatever you wanted.

As long as you can ensure your people live well, even enacting laws such as "women are only allowed to wear shorts," it can be seen as benevolence. Some people will even travel thousands of miles to join you. Compared to some inhuman cannibalistic nobles, warmongering lords, and religious fanatics like Blood Earls, what does it matter if he is a little lecherous? No matter how "capable" he is, his time is limited, and the number of people he can harm is also limited.

"Heroic spirits, Li Ensu, you think that after I, Li En, gain power, I will do something. Well, you are right."

With the power he gained, Rean did indeed rekindle his ambition; he had his own plan, and this was just the beginning.
"Let's go rescue them first. If we fail this time, everything else is meaningless, and I'm afraid all the slaves will have to attempt a great sea voyage."

Unbeknownst to him, Rean had taken on the burden of many other people's lives.

"coming."

This time, the makeshift team finally encountered a monster.

There was only one, yet it gave off a tremendous sense of threat.

"A manticore?!"

A large, brownish-yellow lion blocked the road, feasting on flesh and blood. The torn pieces of cloth indicated that some of the victims were cultists, while others were the captured prisoners.

"Kill! Kill your way out and clear the sky."

(End of this chapter)