I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 200 Seeds of Doubt
……

……

"do not worry."

Rod looked at Vika, his expression calm.
"I will not let your people die, even if half of their bodies are bitten off by the frost."

“My doctors will prolong their time of death, keeping them conscious.”

Rhodes described it casually, as if he were talking to Vika about the dim starry sky that night.

Vika's throat bobbed, and he swallowed hard.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally threw away the bone blade in his hand.

"Put them all down."

"Leader, we are not afraid to die!"

The lynx man next to him shouted hurriedly.

"We're not afraid, but I can't watch them get eaten alive by a monster!"

Vika let out a cold, low growl.

The other tribesmen were helpless, but could only throw away their weapons.

Rhodes casually tossed a piece of dried meat to Frost and waved it to her; the latter then twisted her body and left the cave.

The Winter Guards stepped forward and bound the lynx people who were no longer resisting, then brought Vika to Rhodes.

"Human lord, you are even more ferocious than the lizardmen."

"Snapped!"

No sooner had Vika finished speaking than Rod slapped Vika across the face.

Did I force you to come to Black Pine Ridge?

"Did I put my longsword to your lynx-men's necks, threatening you to come here and assassinate my knight?"

Rhodes stared into Vika's vertical pupils.
"Since you are the servants of the lizardmen, we are their enemies, so don't say such foolish things."

Rhodes waved his hand.
"Durant, take them away and interrogate them properly."

"After asking, they were sold to slave traders and sent to the human world as pets."

Rhodes deliberately spoke these words in a broken foreign language, and Vika's eyes widened upon hearing them.

But Durant didn't give him a chance to speak, and pressed down on his neck and forced him out.

After the lynx people were all taken away, Vivian leaned close to Rhodes and whispered, "..."

"Your Excellency, you didn't mean to..."

Vivian wanted to ask Rhode why he wanted to sell these lynx people to slave traders if he didn't intend to subdue them.

But Vivian immediately shut up when she saw Chris walking over.

Vivian suddenly realized that Chris, who was being watched by the lizardman, was also behind her.

"Lord Lord."

Chris sheathed his sword, walked up to Rhodes, and knelt on one knee.
"Thank you for the sharp blade you bestowed upon me, and thank you for sending these elite soldiers to help me."

"Get up."

Rhodes waved his hand at Chris, "Protecting the knights is the lord's responsibility, and I will not abandon any of my men."

Are you getting used to living here?

Rod smiled as he watched Chris get up.

“It’s a habit, my lord. I’ve never experienced such a relaxed and leisurely life before.”

Chris lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly, "It's just that I can't do anything for you, and it would be unfair to the Knights to keep enjoying this honor."

"You've always been doing things."

Rod looked at Chris and said, "If you hadn't attracted these cannon fodder here, how could we have captured slaves that could sell for ten gold coins each?"

"Oh, I see..."

Chris looked surprised, not expecting the Lynx Man to be so valuable.

"correct."

Rod raised an eyebrow and met Chris's gaze.

"Please pass on a message to that old lizardman in the Icefield Mountains."

"Keep going, don't stop."

……

……

noon the next day.

"Your Excellency, can these lynx people really be sold for ten gold coins?"

On the way back to Frostleaf Town, Vivian asked curiously.

"No, that's nonsense."

Rod replied calmly, "I know what you wanted to ask last night."

“Chris is there as a passive scout. I can’t let the lizardmen behind him know that I want to subdue these lynxmen.”

"Otherwise, they might destroy the Lynx tribe and slaughter their cubs."

"Also, I can't let those lynx people know that I want to subdue them, otherwise they might become arrogant and take advantage of my favor."

"Ah, so that's it."

Vivian had thought of the first layer, but she didn't expect that Rhodes was also calculating the psychology of the Lynx people.

"It's so complicated."

Rhodes smiled and turned to Durant on horseback, asking, "What did you get out of the interrogation?"

Durant nodded. "That Chief Vika told us everything, without holding anything back."

"Oh?"

Rhodes was slightly surprised.

But he reacted quickly.

"It seems that these lynx people are indeed coerced and have no loyalty to the lizard people at all."

“We have different beliefs, so we definitely can’t be loyal,” Vivian added.

Vivian's words stirred something in Rhodes' heart.

It seems that if I want everyone in my territory to be united in the future, I need to make everyone's beliefs the same.

but……

Rhodes was a little confused again.

These alien races are truly a mess; some believe in gods, while others believe in their ancestors.

That seems normal, since "other races" is the general term humans use to refer to them.

These races are inherently very different, and perhaps in their words, humans and other races are also alien races.

The alien races are different from the savages. The savages are a large collective, just with different branches.

Without thinking further, Rod asked Durant to explain in detail the information that Vika had revealed.

As Sherry said, the Lynx people originally lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, with a sense of being detached from worldly affairs.

The Lynx people are good at hiding, and even if the Lizardmen want to attack them, they generally have a hard time finding their dwellings.

They can easily traverse the forest to hunt, and although their tribe is small, they don't lack food.

However, the lizardman shaman found a treasure associated with their lynx clan—the ancestral casket.

Imprisoned inside are fragments of the lynx ancestor's soul—similar to a part of the three souls and seven spirits in the folk tales of Rhodes's past life.

This ancestral casket contains many ancient stories about the Lynx people, and even their innate magical abilities.

Simply put, if the Lynx people obtain the Ancestral Casket, they might be able to restore the glory of the Lynx race.

Rhodes nodded.

He has now discovered that no other race can resist the allure of tribal heritage.

"Have you felt it?"

Rhodes suddenly spoke up, asking, "Since I came to Black Pine Ridge, one extraordinary thing after another has happened."

"What a coincidence."

“I’ve only been here for less than a year, and the lizardmen have already started trying to revive their ancient beliefs.”

"Now the Lynx people have discovered some ancestral caskets."

Rhodes paused, not continuing.

Because in his heart, Rod felt that the current situation was very similar to the signs of a spiritual revival described in a novel from his previous life.

After Rod finished speaking, Vivian and Durant both turned their attention to him.

The two men stared intently at him, prompting Rod to laugh and ask in return,

"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong?"

“You are right, Your Excellency,”

Durant coughed lightly and spoke cautiously.

"But compared to the lizardmen, there is someone in the northern wastelands with even more extraordinary power..."

Durant paused for a moment, then said, "You're the one."

Vivian nodded in agreement.

"Many things suggest that you are the most mysterious one."

Durant's voice was very low.

"You are able to forge exceptionally sharp weapons and tame wyverns."

"You possess all sorts of extraordinary ideas and amazing knowledge;"

"Furthermore, it contains a variety of unusual ideas and a wealth of knowledge;"

"You also gained control of the savage tribes, becoming the lord of their legendary sacred land."

"Of course, there's also the fact that in less than a year since they arrived, they've already made sure everyone has enough to eat."

Durant said with a hint of helplessness, "Compared to you, the behavior of these lizardmen is nothing to worry about..."

Vivian nodded repeatedly, "We also discovered an underground wizard tower, just like the chosen one in a legendary novel."

"Exaggerated."

Rhodes never expected that the idea of ​​"spiritual energy revival" would ultimately fall on him, and he quickly changed the subject.

"I am merely the holy lord of a savage tribe, not the chosen one of destiny."

Rhodes knew that everyone was now pondering his mysterious aspects, which all boiled down to the title of Lord of the Holy Land, and that it could be combined with wizarding knowledge in the future.

Therefore, Rhodes must repeatedly solidify this title.

"If I were truly the chosen one, I wouldn't just be a minor lord in the northern wastelands right now,"

Rhodes said with a hint of self-deprecation, "Even if he's not a duke, he should at least be the eldest son of a duke or something."

“Then you might as well say you’d just become the emperor of the empire,” Vivian replied casually.

"That won't do; we can't rebel."

Rod laughed and retorted to Vivian.

At least you can't say it like that.

"Back to the topic."

Rod stopped smiling.

"I originally thought that the lizardmen had kidnapped the lynx people's people, which is why they made the lynx people work for them."

"That way I can help them rescue their people and then subdue them."

"But the current situation is that it is an ancestral casket that no one has ever seen and whose whereabouts are unknown."

Rhodes frowned, looking at the lynx-man prisoners ahead.
"What should I do?"

……

……

Back in Frostleaf Town.

Rod instructed Durant to separate and guard the Bobcats.

As long as they don't gather together, and an individual doesn't know where their kind are, they won't easily run away. Rhodes went straight back to the manor.

Avril had already brewed hot tea for Rhodes, and it was already placed on his seat when he returned.

Rod picked it up and took two sips, which dispelled some of the chill on his body.

"Are there any enslavement spells, or scrolls for controlling slaves?"

Rhodes asked Avril.

There is no better way.

Rhodes had no choice but to take some shortcuts.

It's a pity that Avril shook her head with a confused look in her eyes.

"Those are all very advanced spells, which can only be used by formal witchcraft."

Avril picked up the teapot and refilled the cup with tea. "Even the puppet scrolls that destroy the will of the enslaved cannot be made."

Rhodes nodded slightly. "Okay."

Given Avril and Vivian's shared memories, it's easy to see what Rhodes is planning.

"Perhaps we can have Gonle and the others bring all the Lynx people to Frostleaf Town."

Avril suggested, "Just like you did with Chris."

"I've thought about what you said, but it's easier said than done."

Rhodes took a sip of tea and sighed, "Those lizardmen can't find the lynx people's habitat, how can we find it so easily... wait?"

Rod suddenly stared at Avril and asked, "Do you think those lizardmen definitely don't know where the lynx people live?"

"Hmm?" Avril was a little confused, not understanding why Rhodes asked that.

"No, that's not important."

Rhodes murmured to himself, answering his own question.

"As long as Vika has doubts in his mind, that's enough."

……

……

Frosty Leaf Town.

In the cell, Vika huddled in a corner.

Head bowed, awaiting their fate.

He didn't expect that all the tribesmen he brought out this time would be captured.

These are the best hunters.

Vika suddenly felt it wasn't worth it for an unknown ancestral casket.

More importantly, most of the remaining people in the tribe are children and the elderly, with only five or six young people who can protect them.

squeak-

As Vika lowered his head in thought, the wooden door outside the cell was pushed open.

The guard, who was munching on dried meat, quickly stood up and respectfully bowed to the newcomer.

It was Rhodes.

Rhodes was accompanied by Vivian, followed by the Winter Guards and the Snow Rabbit Sherry.

Rhodes didn't look at Vika, but instead patted the guard on the shoulder.

"The food was good."

"It's all thanks to your generosity, Lord, that we're able to save up work points to buy some dried meat to eat."

The guard listened to his chest and answered loudly.

"It's delicious to eat, and you'll grow stronger if you eat more."

Rhodes glanced at the guard's table. "Hmm, not bad, no wine."

"Article Thirteen of the Soldier's Code states that drinking alcohol is prohibited while on duty!" the guard reported loudly again.

"well said."

Rhodes praised him with great satisfaction, "After you change shifts tonight, go to Frostbreath and order the most expensive drink, it's on me!"

The guard's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Lord!"

Despite not liking the mixed drinks, the guard was still very happy.

This is the lord's appreciation; he can brag about it for a while.

Rhodes nodded, then turned to look at Vika.

“Since you are not a slave of the lizardmen, your relationship is just a one-time transaction.”

Luo De said calmly, "Then I can generously forgive you and spare your lives."

He took a step forward, his boots making a dull thud on the stone pavement.

"I won't sell you out either."

"Then it's impossible for you to leave here."

Rhodes sat in the chair the guards had brought, watching Vika in the corner.

"From now on, you will be like those slaves, working and doing hard labor for me."

"You don't need to complain, the slaves in Frostleaf Town are fed quite well."

Rhodes looked at the wooden bowl on the ground. "You should have experienced it by now."

Vika nodded and said nothing more.

The food they eat is indeed better than what their tribe has.

Vika never expected that this human lord would let her leave.

It's already quite good that they're not sold to humans as pets.

"Alright, I'm not going to waste my breath on you."

Rod pulled Sherry over. "You should know the Snow Rabbit. Her name is Sherry. She will help you get used to life here."

"But don't even think about running away, I will separate all your people."

Rod looked at Vika seriously and said, "If even one person escapes, everyone will suffer."

"Okay, no more words."

Rhodes stood up, as if to leave.
"Oh, right."

"You don't need to worry about your people either."

Rod's tone suddenly became relaxed as he teased Vika.

"I'll capture them when the lizardmen send catmen to attack Chris again."

"Then you will be able to reunite."

Vika suddenly looked up at Rhodes, her expression turning serious.

“I have failed. They will not come again. There is no one in my tribe who can carry out assassinations.”

"I instructed them to protect their people."

"Oh?"

Rhodes raised an eyebrow slightly, a look of surprise on his face.

"So, in that case, you're no use to the lizardmen, right?"

He sighed, looking at Vika with a hint of regret.

"Given the lizardmen's ferocious nature, your people are probably in deep trouble."

Vika's pointed ears twitched slightly, clearly moved by Rhodes' words.

Seeing this, Rod spoke up again first:
"To be honest, I've confirmed that those lizardmen need a lot of flesh and blood to resurrect their master."

"So even if the lizardmen don't eat your people, they'll turn them into corpses for food."

"What a pity."

Without waiting, Rod got up to leave after he finished speaking.

"Will not."

Vika shouted,
"They can't find my people!"

"They don't know where my people live!"

Vika's tone was firm, but his pale face beneath his beard betrayed his unease.

Rod turned around, squinting suspiciously at Vika.

"Don't you know? How can you be so sure?"

He took a step forward, crouched down, and moved closer to Vika.
How did they initially contact you?

Vika's pupils contracted sharply, and he wanted to retort but stopped himself.

"Let me remind you, life always leaves its mark over time."

Rhodes casually said, "You must have been in the deep forest before, frequently changing your residence, so you wouldn't have been discovered so easily."

"But if you don't go back soon, will your people easily change their place of residence?"

“I can find your trail, and maybe the lizardmen will find it too.”

Vika's body stiffened.

Rod's words struck him like a hammer blow, shattering his confidence.

"It doesn't matter, I was just chatting with you, don't overthink it."

Rhodes sighed softly, his tone tinged with amusement.

"There's nothing you can do. Rest for a day and you'll be back to work tomorrow."

After finishing speaking, Rod didn't look at Vika again, stood up and walked outside.

I've said everything I needed to say.

Seeing Vika's expression, Rod understood.

The seeds of doubt have been sown; now it remains to be seen whether they will take root and sprout.

Saying anything more would be pointless.

After Rod left.

Sherry crouched down, looked at Vika, and whispered words of comfort.
"Don't overthink it, just stay here and get to work."

"Life here is good; as long as you work hard, it's more comfortable than in the mountains."

Vika looked up at Sherry.

Vika knew that the Snow Rabbit people were kind and honest, so she became less wary of them.

“Why are you here?” Vika asked.

"We hid in Black Pine Ridge to escape the lizardmen's capture, but then we ran out of food and our tribe went hungry, so I went to find the lord."

Sherry smiled.

“The lord took pity on us and thought we knew how to dig holes, so he let us stay and work here.”

"And then, I've been doing it ever since."

Xue Rui smiled and looked down, subconsciously pinching her stomach.
"I have less work now, and I'm mainly responsible for arranging everyone's work. I've all gained weight."

Vika frowned as he stared at Sherry, his eyes full of doubt.

"Don't worry, I'm not lying to you. You can ask the yak people if you don't believe me," Xue Rui said hurriedly.

"Are there yak people here?" Vika pressed.

"Ah."

Sherry nodded vigorously, "Yes, it was the lord who rescued them from the lizardmen."

"Saved?"

Vika leaned back, clearly not believing Sherry's words at all.
"Would a human lord like him save the yak people? Don't humans all say we're an evil 'other race'?"

"No, no, no, that's not it!"

Xue Rui quickly waved her hand.

"The lord said that as long as people are willing to build Frostleaf Town and live honestly, he is willing to accept any race to live here."

(End of this chapter)