Tower Defense Lord, random Wishing Tower at the start of the game.

Chapter 161 Return, The Newly Joined Clan

"My territory." Lin Chuan's gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of space, looking towards the distant east. "There lies a wider sky, more fertile land, and more complete laws. You will find a new home and protection there, and you will serve me." He paused, then added, "I'll give you one month to prepare. Pack all the supplies you can take, and appease your people. One month later, open the portal, and everyone will migrate. Antonia will assist you with the specifics and maintain order."

"Yes, my lord!" Katis bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly. He knew that one era had ended, and another unknown era was about to begin.

The order to migrate spread like wildfire throughout all the Dragonblood Clan camps. Anxiety and discussion filled the air around campfires and inside tents.

In a makeshift tent on the edge of the Cadis family camp, the young dragonblood warrior Karen Cadis sat blankly on his camp rug. Before him lay a worn leather bag containing all his belongings: a few changes of patched leather armor linings, a small bag of coarse salt and dried meat, a plain iron sword with a slightly brittle blade, and an amulet, supposedly passed down from his grandfather and engraved with a faint dragon pattern, strung on straw rope.

His fingers unconsciously traced the cold amulet, his eyes gazing blankly at the busy tribesmen outside the tent. The firelight illuminated his young yet weathered face, his brow furrowed.

"Leave—to that alien lord's territory?" Karen muttered to himself, his voice filled with confusion and worry. He had never left this grassland and the fragments of the secret realm passed down from his ancestors. What was the outside world like? Was the legendary "lord's" territory truly, as Lord Reiss said, "a wider sky"? Or was it just another unknown prison?

"I heard it's huge, many times bigger than our entire grassland plus the temple ruins!" A similarly young soldier beside him said optimistically as he struggled to roll up the heavy leather tent. "Didn't Mrs. Reis say there would be new houses and better fields? Maybe—we won't have to worry about going hungry in the winter anymore?"

His greatest fear was losing his identity and dignity. On this grassland, they were members of the Kattis family, dragonblood warriors guarding their ancestral land. Although life was hard, and they sometimes faced the threat of ferocious beasts, at least they knew their place and why they fought. In a strange place, could they still retain that pride? Would they be treated as outsiders, aliens, or even—slaves?

"And," Karen picked up the rolled-up iron sword, his fingertips tracing the rough hilt, "will our power—the power of dragon blood—remain the same in this unfamiliar place?" He had been taught from childhood that the power of dragon blood was inextricably linked to this land. Would their power diminish after leaving this secret realm that nourished their dragon blood? Would they become like ordinary people? What value would their prized combat abilities hold then? Without their power, what could they do under that unknown lord?

Outside the tent came the suppressed sobs of women and the innocent questions of children, adding to the sorrow of parting. Karen saw an elderly warrior from her tribe kneel silently at the edge of the camp, grabbing a handful of soil still smelling of grass, carefully wrapping it in a clean piece of leather, and placing it close to his body. This scene deeply pierced Karen's heart. The pain of leaving one's homeland was an emotion flowing in her blood.

"Karen! What are you daydreaming about! Pack up!" A gruff voice interrupted his thoughts. It was their centurion, an old soldier with a scar on his face. He carried a large wooden crate, his steps faltering, but his eyes remained sharp. "Hurry up! This is the lord's order! Lord Reis said everything will be alright in the new place! Don't act like a baby!"

Karen snapped back to reality and quickly replied, "Yes, Captain!" He took a deep breath and began to pack his things swiftly. Worrying couldn't change reality; orders had to be carried out. He solemnly put the amulet around his neck; the cool touch against his skin seemed to bring a faint sense of security. Perhaps Lord Reis was right? Perhaps that powerful alien lord could truly offer them a better future? At least—they wouldn't have to worry about the evil god's minions that might emerge from dimensional rifts at any moment? They wouldn't have to fight ferocious beasts for a clean water source and a small patch of barren farmland?

He carefully wiped the rolled-up iron sword clean. Although it wasn't valuable, it was his reliable companion. Then, he carefully slid it into its animal-hide scabbard and fastened it to his waist. This action seemed to reflect his turbulent emotions.

A month flew by in a flurry of activity, tension, and the bittersweet emotions of parting. The camp was gradually dismantled, and the mountains of supplies were sorted and packed. The matriarch of the Cadis family, a dignified but slightly weary middle-aged woman, methodically arranged everything with the help of Reis and Antonia. Sometimes she would sigh as she gazed at the empty camp, and other times she would tell the young children about her beautiful dreams of their new home, striving to calm the hearts of the children.

Finally, the day to set off arrived.

In the center of the grassland, on a specially cleared area, a massive spatial portal had been opened. An energy vortex composed of countless mysterious runes slowly rotated, emitting a ghostly blue light, connecting to an unknown other side. A portion of the selected black orc legion had already departed through other teleportation points; now only the Dragonblood Clan members, about to migrate, remained on the grassland.

Karen stood in the long line, carrying his simple bag and with an iron sword at his waist. He took one last look back at the grassland where he had lived for twenty years. The morning light was faint, the grass swayed in the wind, and the ruins of the temple in the distance were just a blurry outline.

An indescribable bitterness welled up in my heart, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger sense of unease about the unknown and a faint expectation.

"Come on, kid." The sergeant beside him patted him on the shoulder, his voice deep. "Don't look. Remember what this land looks like, keep it in your heart. Then—look ahead. Our path lies ahead."

Karen nodded, took a deep breath, and gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, as if drawing strength from it. He strode forward, following the group, step by step toward the portal radiating a ghostly blue light. Just as his figure was about to disappear into the light barrier, he seemed to hear a faint dragon's roar carried on the wind, distant and desolate, like a farewell, or perhaps a blessing.

The light engulfed him. After a brief moment of weightlessness and dizziness, Karen's feet touched solid, unfamiliar ground. He opened his eyes to a vast, meticulously planned plaza. In the distance, the silhouettes of undulating, strangely shaped buildings stretched out, their towering structures reflecting the morning light. The air was fresh, carrying the fragrance of earth and plants, a stark contrast to the desolate and bloody atmosphere of the grasslands. Further away, he could faintly hear the sounds of a river and the clamor of a crowd.

Is this the lord's territory?

Karen instinctively tightened his grip on the sword hilt, but this time, it wasn't out of unease, but rather a wariness of facing a new challenge and—a hint of curiosity and anticipation that even he himself didn't realize. He straightened his back.