Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 145 A Meeting After a Year: Lord Chen Mo's Arrangements

Accompanied by the High Priest of the Divine Court, Liu Shuang rode her signature unicorn, its somewhat damaged armor gleaming coldly in the winter sun.

The young girl stood on the hilltop, looking back west once more—towards the direction of Cloud Mist Ridge.

That place holds my relatively happy childhood, my less-than-pleasant adolescence, and now, my tumultuous youth.

Because her mother's mother was an elf, and an elf who hated human nobles, Liushuang received meticulous care from her mother during her childhood, but also inherited her mother's disdain for her father and brothers.

She could never learn those complicated aristocratic etiquettes.

Her mother took meticulous care of her. Perhaps because the elf's body had been excessively damaged over the long years, her mother also had congenital deficiencies. Although she had several children, they all died young.

As for Liushuang, perhaps because of her more pronounced orc bloodline, she stubbornly survived.

The mother poured all her love into this child, and despite being looked down upon within the family, Liu Shuang's childhood could still be described as happy.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away too early. After Liu Shuang gave her several foul-mouthed brothers a good beating, she was left in a corner with only Lady Linda by her side.

Yes, this kid was a fierce fighter since he was little, but he learned to pretend it later.

Therefore, Liu Shuang hates humans at heart.

She even preferred looking at skulls to looking at people's faces.

When did the situation begin to improve?
It all started when the elves of the mother tribe came to their door.

From then on, Liushuang had her own carriage, a guard, and even attendants from high-ranking professionals.

They also had an inheritance right that, while having little practical value, sounded quite prestigious.

Until the war came, Liushuang lost everything again.

What caused her to regain respect?

Because of Chen Mo, that foolish lord, just because I gave him a few pills, he wanted to send me every good thing he could find.

I wonder if he likes me even a little bit...

Then, war broke out again.

Father is dead!

Liushuang wasn't actually that sad.

Peiwen once said something that Liushuang thought was very true: an earl is a good nobleman of a country, a good lord of a territory, a good general of an army, and even a good teacher of several high-ranking heirs.

He was not a good father, except for Liu Shuang.

She went to Twilight to learn swordsmanship, while her father wanted her to get to know more noble children in Twilight.

Even before his father died, he wrote in his letters that a marriage might bring him more support.

Therefore, although her father's body was still hanging on the city wall amidst the clouds and mist, Liushuang didn't care much.

During negotiations with Green Pine, the other party tried to use this as a bargaining chip to gain concessions from him more than once, but he ignored them completely.

All they got was their mother's remains.

Everything else is up to Chen Mo's arrangement.

She didn't know exactly how much Chen Mo had paid for this, but she knew it must have been enormous, extremely enormous, so enormous that her brothers were insanely jealous, and that Xia Er and the generals couldn't believe it.

She is no longer the willful child she once was. Every time she acts willfully, it could kill people, many people!
Ahead lay a vast, unknown wasteland and harsh winter; behind her were warriors and their people, their steps faltering. She was merely a lord who knew nothing but how to wield a sword.

As dusk swallowed the last silhouettes of the column, a distant and desolate wolf howl faintly drifted through the north wind of Dongguan Ridge…

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Dongguanling is a forgotten place.

As the former eastern gateway to the Emerald Duchy, this was the only territory connecting the Duchy to the Razor Corridor, and it supported the Duchy's first formidable pass, Razor Fortress.

Under the emerald vine longsword, countless valiant warriors continuously entered Dongguan from the duchy, rushing to the front lines to fight against the orcs.

Ten years have passed, yet a century's worth of blood has been shed.

It also exhausted the future of the duchy.

The Misty Moon Divine Court was deeply moved by this heroic act, but continued to arrange for its vassals and bandits to attack Dongguan Ridge.

At its peak, more than twenty bandit gangs were active from Xianshui to Razor and then to Dongguan. Even if one gang came every day, Dongguan couldn't even get a weekend off.

The Green Pine Kingdom was also moved, but continued to wage wars of attrition every now and then, wearing down the already crumbling defenses of Dongguan.

Some people think these guys don't uphold the principles of humanity.

What a joke! Even among people of the same race and lineage, when faced with an invading enemy, there is the principle of "pacifying the internal before resisting the external," let alone when the two sides are originally enemy countries.

Therefore, Razor Fortress fell, and the flat plain of East Pass was left unprotected and instantly overwhelmed by the orc army.

Lacking natural defenses, this land, directly facing the orc army, became, like the White Deer Plain, a no-man's-land.

The only difference is that the White Deer Plain has been occupied by orcs for a long time. Because it is located in the center of the human country and is surrounded by mountains, it is easy to attack but difficult to defend, so the orcs do not like to stay there for long.

I come here a few times a year, grabbing whatever I can.

In this final negotiation, after being betrayed by incompetent teammates, Liu Shuang's departure to guard Dongguan was a situation that was acceptable to all parties.

For the Divine Court, with the ties to Dongguan, Chen Mo will have no choice but to confront the orcs head-on, greatly increasing the likelihood of him aligning himself with Wuyue in the future.

For Green Pine, having completely occupied this fertile plain, and with the warning of an orc attack to the east, was perfectly acceptable.

As for Chen Mo and Liu Shuang, Green Pine allowed them to take away all the soldiers and civilians who were willing to migrate with Liu Shuang, and released a group of prisoners of war veterans, which was a condition they could not refuse.

Because of Liushuang's formidable reputation for traversing the clouds and mist, more than 40,000 people were unwilling to live under the iron heel of the enemy country and instead chose to follow this young lord across Yuheng Mountain to Dongguan Ridge.

By the way, the moment the Flowing Cloud Banner enters Dongguan, this land will be officially renamed "Cloud and Mist Territory".

The former Cloud Mist Territory is now called "Enemy-Defeating Territory".

On the second day after entering the new Cloud Mist Territory, Liu Shuang broke away from the group and led only a dozen riders to advance quickly. At the Han Hai Outpost on the edge of the desert, she met Chen Mo, who had come all the way there.

The Hanhai outpost was less of an outpost and more of a large, temporary camp enclosed by a wooden fence. However, the orderly watchtowers and sentries, scattered near and far, gave this simple camp a somewhat desolate atmosphere.

When Liu Shuang arrived with a dozen or so riders, weary from their journey, the setting sun was casting a dazzling crimson-gold hue over the desolate landscape.

The two veterans, Lynn and Charles, exchanged a knowing glance, then, under the pretext of "setting up defenses," led all the guards away, leaving the reception room in the center of the stronghold to the two young lords.

Liu Shuang took a deep breath, pushed open the wooden door, and it creaked softly.

The room was simply furnished with a rough wooden table, a few chairs, and some supplies piled up in the corner. Chen Mo was staring intently at a simple map hanging on the wall when he heard a noise and turned around.

Their eyes met.

Chen Mo looked thinner than before, and his body carried an undeniable weariness, but the smile on his face was still the same as before, gentle and with a touch of shyness.

Liu Shuang performed a knightly salute that looked perfect at first glance, but upon closer inspection, was riddled with flaws.

"Sit down, sit down first..." Chen Mo's voice was a little hoarse. He pointed to the chair by the table and sat down first.

Chen Mo cleared his throat, his gaze falling on the map, and pointed to the location of Dongguan Ridge: "This place is now called Yunwu Territory. But the situation is not optimistic." He must have been preparing for this for a long time before, and he went straight to the point: "In the past few years, the orcs have come several times a year. Raids in spring and autumn are the norm, and sometimes there are also some small tribes that suddenly move south."

"Without the protection of Razor Fortress, the entire East Pass Ridge is an open hunting ground. With so many people, you need a safe foothold first."

Picking up a charcoal pencil from the table, Chen Mo drew a circle on the map at the northwest edge of Dongguanling: "This area, the foothills of Yuheng Mountain, is relatively high. There used to be a city here. I sent people to check it out. A lot of the city walls are still there. We should be able to build a basic defense during these winter months."

“I will fully support you. The Seven Luminaries Garland will also send supplies over. In addition, I will leave Lynn behind to oversee the construction project. Just give the orders.”

Liu Shuang listened attentively, but there seemed to be a hint of disappointment in her amber eyes.

This meeting is a little different from what I imagined... Men just like to talk about business, right?
Chen Mo was clearly unaware of the little girl's emotions. He continued tapping on the map: "Holding this place is the first step. Settle the people and resume production. As for me, I'm studying how to rebuild Razor Fortress."

"If we can re-block the exit from Qishan, then you can freely arrange planting on the land in Dongguan... oh no, I mean Yunwu Territory, without having to hide in the city in fear."

"This will take time. Before that, I have a plan to stir up internal conflicts among the orcs."

"Orc tribes often attack each other. I plan to add more fires to their camps to delay them as much as possible..."

As Chen Mo spoke, he finally sensed something was amiss.

I've been drawing on the map for so long, what's with you staring at my face? Look at the map!

The little girl propped her arms on the table, her hands tightly clasped together, her toes unconsciously shuffling on the floor as if she had carved out a room. Liu Shuang's eyes were somewhat unfocused until she noticed Chen Mo stop talking and look at her with a dazed expression, at which point she suddenly snapped out of her reverie.

"I...I don't understand, I'll just do whatever you say."

"That won't do!" Chen Mo smiled. "You're my lord!"

"No! Now you are my lord!"

Well, this isn't really flirting between the two; their current relationship is indeed a bit complicated.

Originally, Cloud Mist Territory was a count's territory under the Emerald Duchy, and Vast Ocean Territory was a pioneering territory under Cloud Mist Territory.

However, Cloud Mist Territory was gone, swallowed up entirely by Green Pine, and the hierarchical relationship in between was broken.

Currently, there are two representatives: one is the regime controlled by the Third Prince, who has been renamed Kediling, and which has surrendered to Green Pine; the other is the regime declared by the Second Prince in Emerald City, which possesses a full set of official seals and can be regarded as the Cloud Mist Exile Government.

In theory, Chen could accept any of them as his superior, but he would not acknowledge any of them.

What the hell?
Therefore, Chen Mo meant that he regarded the new Cloud Mist Territory as the spiritual successor to the original Earl of Flowing Cloud. From this perspective, it is not wrong to say that Flowing Frost is his lord.

Although Liu Shuang didn't understand politics very well, along the way, the old generals like Xia Er had been reminding their young master, either openly or subtly, that the Cloud Mist Territory of today was completely different from the Cloud Mist Territory of the past.

The Jade Kingdom did not recognize it, and the legal heir directly rejected the legitimacy of Liushuang, even labeling him a traitor. It can be said that apart from the same name, the new territory had absolutely no connection with Yunwu.

Therefore, Xia Er and his colleagues believed that the new Cloud Mist Territory needed to be absolutely aware of the facts: it was a new territory established entirely with the support of the Lord of the Vast Ocean, and legally, it should belong to a subordinate territory of the Vast Ocean.

Both make sense!

The two of them didn't dwell on the issue. Chen Mo continued to briefly explain his plan and also expressed his difficulties.

"Dongguan is not a safe place either, but Hanhai can't support so many people, so we'll have to trouble you to stay here for now."

"Well, it's up to you!"

"I have a feeling that the war will continue, and it may be fought every year from now on, so surviving is the most important thing..."

"Well, it's up to you!"

"Do you have any people here who are willing to go to the Vast Ocean? Pick a few for me. Those guys in the Divine Court are wicked, and I'm a bit short-handed right now!"

"Okay, I'll do as you say!"

Looking at the little girl who was like a yes-man, Chen Mo couldn't help but tease her: "By the way, you've become quite famous now, Valkyrie, Thunderfury, I've heard so much about you!"

In an instant, the little girl's face turned as red as a ripe berry, and she buried her head again with a "thud," wishing she could crawl under the table.

Chen Mo quickly changed the subject: "Um, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Liu Shuang kept her head down, her expression hidden, but her pointed ears were tinged with a pinkish blush.

In a voice barely audible to herself, she muttered, "I...the money you gave me...they took it all...I...I can't get it back..."

Judging from her voice, she sounded so aggrieved she was about to cry.

That's right. The young princess couldn't possibly carry all her valuables with her while fighting in the Cloud Mist, so she temporarily deposited them in the Emerald Duchy's bank within the pass. Then, after this "rebellion incident," her brother, in the name of the Cloud Mist lord, reported to the Emerald Duchy and had them seized.

The Jade Kingdom didn't say whether it would give the money or not; it just withheld it under the guise of an investigation. As for the officials and refugees from Liushuang's territory who were staying in the pass, without economic support, they naturally either left or scattered.

The old scribe led a group of people out of the pass again and went to Liushuang. The Jade Kingdom did not make things difficult for them, probably because they felt that what they had done was a bit too shameful. Before leaving, they even sent some food supplies.

"It's alright, it's alright!" Chen Mo went up and patted her shoulder: "What you took from me, you'll have to give back someday, with interest!"

"They can't run away!"

Liu Shuang raised her tear-filled eyes and nodded vigorously.

"Well, it's all up to you!"

After a brief meeting, Chen Mo had to return to Hanhai to take charge of the work.

As for Liushuang, as the spiritual leader of these exiled soldiers and civilians in Yunwu Territory, she also had to go back.

As he was leaving, Chen Mo looked at the little girl's slightly red eyes and suddenly, out of nowhere, he opened his arms.

Come here, give me a hug!

Liu Shuang was taken aback for a moment, and then the blush that had just receded returned to her cheeks.

The little girl closed her eyes and threw herself into Chen Mo's arms.

Chen Mo gasped.

"Ouch...it hurts! Relax, relax, relax a little!!!"

A few minutes later, Liu Shuang, looking uneasy as if she had done something wrong, was escorted by her guards, turning back every few steps, and rode away on her unicorn.

Only when the riders disappeared on the horizon did Chen Mo's forced smile crumble instantly, and he grimaced in pain, almost unable to stand.

"Bring...stretcher! Quickly!"

Lynn quickly performed a rapid examination and whispered reassurance, "My lord, don't worry, the bones in my ribs are fine, it's just that the soft tissue might be a little injured. I'll get some treatment later and it'll be fine!"

"..."

What the hell is this!

As dusk settled, the wasteland was completely plunged into darkness, and the distant hoofbeats were long since swallowed by the wind.

A gust of cold wind swept by, and Chen Mo felt a slight chill on his face.

"Is this...snowing?"

Indeed, under the cover of night, snowflakes fluttered down from the sky, and the last snow of the year of the storm arrived late.

The road ahead is long, winter has arrived, and the boundless road lies ahead, awaiting our departure.

(End of this chapter)