This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

The hotel adopted a public-private partnership model, with the lord's mansion providing the land and some construction funds, while the partner's chamber of commerce was responsible for the hotel's staff training and daily operations. They also brought in some local businessmen to invest, sharing profits and losses, and only by sharing honors could they unite as one.

The hotel is built on a hillside on the east side of Newport, offering excellent views overlooking the entire city and showcasing the prosperity of this young city.

“If we only want to attract refugees, a full meal is enough, but if we want to attract wealthy people and get them to invest in Laguge, we must showcase something more valuable. This luxury hotel is specifically designed for them; it’s built high enough so that they can clearly see the potential here.”

"Your Excellency's insightful views have greatly benefited me. I am truly impressed!"

In the luxurious suite on the top floor of the hotel, Dick sat by the window in the living room, watching the bustling scene in the harbor, while the hotel manager stood respectfully beside him, his face beaming with a smile that almost formed a circle.

Accompanied by him, Dick toured the hotel and could confirm that the man's abilities were beyond doubt, but his overly obsequious attitude was really unbearable for him.

Just then, Rita, who lived in the next room, ran over.

Rita was previously stationed in the capital to manage the local intelligence agency for Forget-Me-Not, and she only recently returned.

The master and servant hadn't seen each other for a long time. As the scumbag maid who had personally taken Dick's virginity, no one could stop her from demanding the reward she deserved from her master.

As for the hotel manager, this shrewd man was very good at reading the room. He immediately took his leave and, as he left, reminded the staff on this side not to disturb the lord's rest.

As soon as the room door closed, Rita arrogantly sat down on the table in front of Dick. Her beautiful legs, which had brought Dick so much pleasure, were crossed. Rita kicked off her shoes and placed her nimble, soft toes between Dick's legs, teasing him with a half-smile.

"My dear master, while you were leaving me alone in the capital, you must have been having a lot of fun with your other sisters, right? Have you almost forgotten about me?"

"How could I forget how good you were to me, Rita!"

"I don't believe you unless you prove it to me."

Rita used her toes to pull down Dick's zipper, revealing his large, muscular physique. Then, she kicked him with both feet, brutally trampling on his masculine dignity, causing him to show a pained expression.

"Master must hold back until I say yes, this is your punishment for leaving me to play for so long!"

“I know I was wrong, Miss Rita.”

Dick's performance in tandem with Rita's playful games was incredibly lifelike, but the ecstasy on his face was genuine, because Rita's footwork was truly top-notch. After holding back for half a year, he was now unleashing his full power, a veritable S-type explosion.

After enduring for fifteen minutes, Dick finally got Rita's permission to perform a columnar volcanic eruption, which made Rita playfully complain.

"Seriously, do you really enjoy getting your hands on people's faces like that?"

"Rita, you're amazing."

"Hmph, glib tongue."

The young lovers had a fight in bed and then made up. Rita teased Dick a bit, and her resentment naturally disappeared completely. The two went into the bathroom to take a shower together. Dick not only diligently helped Rita wash her body thoroughly, but he also vigorously scrubbed her insides, making Rita pant softly. Her legs were draped over his shoulders, and her buttocks couldn't touch the ground for a long time.

After feeding the hardworking Rita, it was already dark outside, so the two went out to the banquet hall on the second floor. The hotel staff had prepared a top-level banquet, and Dick's entire harem was able to gather together for the first time, making the hall extremely lively.

Upon seeing Dick finally come down, the steward of the hall immediately ordered people to begin arranging the banquet.

Dick picked up his glass, intending to give a speech, but then he thought that no one would like to listen to a long, rambling speech from the leader before the meal, so he condensed everything he wanted to say into ten words or less.

"A toast to the fruits of our collective labor!"

Cheers!

Several heavy drinkers in the group immediately started chugging. Compared to the slightly reserved Jeanne d'Arc (White), Jeanne d'Arc (Black) had completely integrated into the team. Although she usually wore a grumpy face, when everyone discovered that she was actually a very nice person, they found her to be particularly adorable.

Incidentally, during this southern campaign, Jeanne Alter and Alter Alter, having fought side by side on the front lines the entire time, discovered that they got along very well and thus became sworn sisters.

While drinking, they secretly plotted their joint night raid, intending to launch a crushing attack. However, their loud discussions were overheard by Honoka, who was sitting next to them. Even their planned positions and tactics shocked the innocent high school girl.

As one of the only two newcomers in the team, Honoka comes from an R18 Dead or Alive doujinshi. However, sometimes the more it is a work like this, the more likely the character will be given a mysterious setting: "pure and innocent in personality but extremely sensitive in body, therefore very easy to fall into evil".

Unfortunately, this is exactly what Honoka is "set up" to be.

This made Honoka very conflicted. She was both afraid and curious about that kind of thing, but she could never make up her mind to make what might be the most important decision of her life. So for a long time, she intentionally avoided Dick.

Chapter 296: Honoka with No Way Out

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they began to experience the various services offered by the hotel. Aside from some rather vulgar entertainment, there were actually quite a few things to do. Following the menu provided by the staff, everyone split into small groups to experience what interested them.

As a genius female fighter, Honoka's hobbies include watching wrestling matches, watching fighting movies, and taking baths. Although the hotel doesn't have a wrestling ring or a movie theater, it does have a very nice hot spring.

The hot spring area is located in the northeast corner of the hotel and consists of eight private baths and a large outdoor pool that is comparable to a swimming pool.

Honoka went back to her room first, and when she changed into her swimsuit and came to the large public bath, she happened to see Ayane and Momiji, who were from the same world (worldview) as her. They had always had a good relationship in private, but Honoka was closest to Momiji, who taught her Hayabusa-style ninjutsu.

Honoka originally used the so-called "Honoka-ryu fighting style," which is a wild style of kung fu created by imitating and mixing other fighting styles.

Hongye described her as a rare "wild fighter" who, without systematic training, relied solely on her extraordinary talent to reach a first-class level.

All I can say is that Raido, the main villain in the DOA world, is truly awesome; both of his daughters are fighting prodigies.

However, a scumbag is a scumbag, and Lei Dao hardly cared about the upbringing of his two daughters. But on the other hand, while letting a gem like Sui Xiang grow up unchecked was certainly a waste of talent, it was also thanks to his lack of interference that Sui Xiang was able to grow up to be so upright and kind.

The women present were all ultimate bath enthusiasts, the kind who felt uncomfortable if they didn't soak for at least half an hour a day. So while others were still debating whether to try a Thai massage or a foot massage first, they charged straight for the hot springs without hesitation.

However, what puzzled Honoka was that when Momiji saw Honoka coming over, her smile was a little awkward, as if she didn't really want her to come and take a bath too. Ayane, who was standing next to her, showed a hint of mischievousness on her face, and then appeared behind Honoka with a ninjutsu teleportation.

"My dear sister, you've finally arrived! Let's take a bath together."

"oh oh!"

Ayane's sudden enthusiasm left Honoka somewhat bewildered.

In terms of bloodline, Ayane and Honoka are half-sisters. However, because Ayane hates the half of her bloodline that comes from Raido, she doesn't like her sister very much when she first learns that Honoka is also a daughter of Raido after she joins the party.

However, as they spent more time together, Ayane discovered that Honoka was not a bad child. She didn't even know that her father was the madman Raido, and therefore she was never influenced by him.

Honoka only learned from Dick's "spoiler" that her talent, comparable to the Sharingan, actually came from the bloodline of a villain.

After that, Ayane and Honoka's relationship improved somewhat, but they were by no means very close.

Dragged into the water by Ayane without her noticing, Honoka's naturally naive and clueless personality, typical of anime heroines, began to take over, making her completely unaware of the approaching danger. Like a person whose IQ suddenly drops by half when immersed in hot water, a naive and innocent smile appeared on her face.

"気志ちいい!"

However, at that moment, Honoka suddenly heard a strange cry. She looked in the direction of the sound and found that it came from behind the artificial rock behind Miss Momiji. Momiji's expression became more and more embarrassed. She quickly made a shushing gesture and waved her hand to signal Honoka not to come closer.

It was only then that Honoka belatedly realized that there were more than just the three of them in the pool!

In an instant, the innocent girl seemed to understand Momiji's gaze, but unfortunately it was too late. Ayane had already put her arm around her shoulder and touched her, and Honoka missed her last chance to escape.

"Honoka, I'm going to show you something really cool, do you want some?"

"Huh!?"

At this moment, Ayane's expression changed from that of the glassesless Jie-ge. She pulled Honoka and walked behind the artificial hill. With the help of the water vapor on the pond, the two quickly saw the erotic scene behind the artificial hill.

"It's Miss Xia!"

"How about it? This is the first time you've seen Kasumi like this, isn't it? Oh wait! You should have overheard her at the villa in the mountains before. Her ninjutsu movements are quite good, but her ability to conceal her presence is still a little lacking."

Ayane's words revealed that Honoka had previously spied on her, and that she had known all along but had simply pretended not to notice.

As Ayane spoke, she hugged Honoka from behind and groped her. She planned to help her master take down this guy who had the desire but not the courage tonight, so she needed to get her into the "situation" first.

Once she actually got her hands on the girl, Ayane discovered that not only were the girl's breasts bigger than hers, but she was also more sensitive. Just a few gentle teasings on her private parts were enough to make half of her body go weak.

At this moment, Dick, who was in the sprint stage, also noticed the two suspicious bystanders who were sneaking up on him.

Dick wasn't surprised that Ayane would come to join in the fun, but Honoka's appearance really surprised him.

This team-building trip during the holiday was essentially a chance for the hardworking and dedicated female team members to relax. Therefore, in order to show consideration for his subordinates, Dick also considered himself part of the "service".

Although the female ninja team did not appear on the front lines during this southern campaign, they were always active in the intelligence front behind the scenes. It can be said that without their efforts, Dick and Red Jade Eyes would not have been able to obtain timely and accurate intelligence and thus could not have made their strategic plans.

So when three beautiful and hardworking female ninjas invited Dick to bathe with them, how could he, as a man, bear to refuse?

Soon, Dick and Xia both reached their climax. With the infusion of rich magical essence, Xia let out a high-pitched and joyful cry. The magic emanating from the succubus's body was like an intoxicating aroma of wine, causing the other three goddesses present to feel a moment of dizziness and to feel the most primal desires.

Honoka had felt something similar before, but each time she had backed down because of fear. This time, however, Ayane had blocked her way out.

Having dealt with Kasumi, Dick simply waved to her. Without Ayane pushing her from behind, Honoka instinctively leaned in herself, and that's how her first kiss was taken away so naturally.

The moment their lips touched, Honoka was completely captivated by the wonderful experience. The pleasure of their lips and tongues meeting, along with the magical touch, made it a true enjoyment!

Through her own experience, Honoka finally understood the other members of the group's obsession with this kind of thing, and couldn't help but regret her initial restraint and timidity. Now that she had tasted this flavor, she was quite certain that she would never forget it.

Chapter 297: Tax Increase

We've had a great time relaxing at the hotel for seven days.

Unfortunately, such good days cannot come often. After resting and relaxing, it's time to get back to work.

September is the harvest season in the north, and the busyness is no less than that of spring plowing. Fortunately, this year's Laguge is another bumper year, with grain output reaching a new high and the self-sufficiency rate exceeding 300%.

What was once a harsh and cold land has now become a rich granary of black soil.

However, despite his joy, Dick did not let his guard down. The fjord defense line he had built at great expense was becoming increasingly vigilant, especially at this critical moment. The troop strength of each bunker was temporarily increased and the frequency of daily patrols was increased. If the orcs dared to invade, they would be made to return without ever coming back!

It is worth mentioning that the troops stationed at the major forts of the fjord defense line received a batch of brand-new magic firearms this year. They look exactly the same as the standard weapons of the Royal Guard, but their internal structure has been improved in many ways and they also use new ammunition, so their overall shooting performance has been significantly improved.

The deployment of these muskets was extremely discreet, with no fanfare, but they significantly increased the long-range firepower density of the entire defensive line. In the unique terrain of the fjord, direct-fire weapons could effectively kill swimming troops.

The entire defensive line stretched for eight hundred miles, with riflemen setting up sniper rifles everywhere!

In addition, a new gun that can be rotated and fired continuously using a joystick has been tested at a secret firing range. Soldiers responsible for using this new weapon must pass a series of extremely rigorous tests before receiving training to ensure their absolute loyalty to the lord.

This secret unit, which is not yet ready to be exposed to the public, is codenamed the "Compassionate Force".

Thanks to the Forget-Me-Not spy planted within the enemy ranks, Dick had an almost complete understanding of the development of the Wasteland Orcs. It was the elves of the Dead Tree Party who were providing Ramon's Orc Kingdom with various technologies, and based on this list of technologies, it was not difficult to deduce the Orcs' plans.

What is certain at present is that the orcs have already jumped from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. Although the quality of the things they make is still very poor, at least the output has increased.

With the help of the elves, the orcs discovered at least three iron mines and one coal mine in the wasteland. However, the coal and iron mines were far apart, and the inconvenience of transportation forced the orcs to start building roads.

According to the undercover agent, with the widespread use of iron weapons and the imminent depletion of human slaves, the orcs, who have been preparing for war for two years, are very likely to launch another invasion this winter.

Orcs are naturally resistant to cold but not to heat, giving them an advantage in winter warfare. Moreover, the Central Mountains are often snowbound after winter sets in, preventing the Empire's interior from sending timely reinforcements to the north, which presents them with a perfect opportunity to strike.

Ironically, before the orcs could invade the north, the capital city was invaded first!

In early October, the temperature in the north began to drop significantly, and a messenger from the capital arrived in the main city of Laguge along with the Frost's Descent.

Dick only glanced at it before he was so angry he laughed.

"Although I expected taxes to rise this year, how dare the cabinet ministers bring it up! They've doubled the amount; why don't they just rob us!?"

Dick slammed the letter onto the desk, glanced at the trembling messenger in front of him, and without bothering the insignificant man, waved his hand to have him taken away, giving him a full meal and some hard-earned money.

This letter was merely a notification, intended to give the northern lords a heads-up; the actual tax collectors were likely still on their way.

The letter also specifically emphasized that each fiefdom should prepare to receive the collection team.

In previous years, during the tax season, the tax collectors from the capital usually didn't travel around, but stayed in the relatively developed Marquis Richard's territory, demanding that the northern lords voluntarily send their taxes there. While the tax collectors were certainly arrogant, there were many ways to manipulate the situation.

In addition, the North was already extremely poor, and the tax revenue it could provide to the Empire was less than one-tenth of that of the South, so the officials at the top naturally didn't pay much attention to it.

However, this year's situation is unusual. First, war broke out in the south, and a large number of laborers were drawn into the war, resulting in land being abandoned and a sharp decline in grain production.

The empire gained absolutely nothing from this war; it suffered a massive financial blow. The bureaucrats are now desperately in need of recouping their losses to fill the huge financial hole.

But the solution these people came up with was to impose additional taxes on the north!

In fact, while the officials in the capital were indifferent to the north, they weren't entirely deaf and blind. They had their own intelligence network and had heard some news. After all, in the past four years, the population of Lagug had increased from 50,000 to 800,000, and Dick had been quite active in his campaigns in the north and south; this size had long since become impossible to hide.

However, if these guys think they can take advantage of him, Dick, they're sorely mistaken.

Soon, other allies of the Northern Alliance also sent people to inquire about Dick. They had also received tax documents from the capital and realized that this time, the enemy was really sharpening their knives and coming for them. No one wanted to sit idly by and wait for their doom, so they habitually asked the Northern Alliance leader for his opinion.

Dick thought about it and realized that it was indeed necessary to hold a meeting. So, before the tax collector arrived, he invited the seven main members of the Northern Alliance to his place to "eat hot pot" together.

After all the lords had gathered, and since there were no outsiders present, Dick had just dismissed his servants when one of the impatient old men asked a question.

"Alliance Leader, you went to the South to assist in the war recently. Unlike us who only know through hearsay, you must know more. Just how big of a mess have those kings in the capital made? Is it serious enough to try and squeeze money out of us poor northerners?"

"It's not that serious. Although the South has reduced its grain production this year, it still has enough to eat. What's really lacking is money, specifically the military pay for the troops! What's really troubling the cabinet ministers is who should come up with the money!"

"What do you mean?"

"There are countless rich people in the capital, and those princes and nobles are all incredibly wealthy, but these bastards are also the most stingy. They can spend money like water on themselves, but asking them to give money to the soldiers is as painful as killing them."

"Got it, those bastards!"

With Dick as the leader, everyone's venomous tongues finally found their place, and they unleashed a torrent of insults.

At this moment, Earl Banner's eldest son spoke up. He was attending the meeting in place of his father, who had strained his back. The old Earl had already guessed Dick's intentions, so he instructed his son to speak first at the appropriate time, saying what the leader of the alliance should not say, in order to show the Banner family's stance.

"Gentlemen, in terms of seniority, I am the youngest here, so I'll say the unpleasant thing. This time, the Cabinet's outrageous tax increase is completely unreasonable. Our Banner family will not pay this money. What do you all think?"

Chapter 298: The Locust Swarm