Within the Demon King's hall, a clear voice echoed as the young Elven King approached the presence of the Great Demon King.
"What prompts Your Majesty to summon me?"
Zhang Nu casually inquired, "How have matters been progressing in the various cities and tribes lately?"
"Everything is proceeding well!" responded the Elven King with a cheerful tone. "Ever since witnessing the grandeur of the Darkness City and the miracles performed by Your Majesty, any lingering concerns about the establishment of the Chaos Federation have dissipated."
"Though the establishment of the Chaos Federation is recent, conflicts and disputes among the various clans have notably diminished during this period."
"These are developments that were once deemed inconceivable!"
Nancilia was the staunchest supporter of the unification of the Chaos Forest and firmly believed that only through unity could the divisions and conflicts between the cities and tribes be effectively reduced. Reality had proven her right. Seeing the forest change day by day, the young Elven King felt genuinely delighted.
"However, this is merely the beginning. We must not become complacent. We need to proceed with the integration quickly...Come with me to the altar."
There were too many cities in the Chaos Forest. Cities with a permanent population of over a hundred thousand were classified as large forest cities, and there were a total of twelve such cities. Additionally, there were about fifty-two medium-sized cities with a population between a hundred thousand and thirty thousand. Altogether, there were sixty-four areas that could be considered cities.
If we also counted small towns and settlements with populations ranging from twenty to thirty thousand, then the number of what could be deemed as cities increased to at least one or two hundred. As for the tribes with populations ranging from a few thousand to ten thousand, they were even more scattered, and some of them remained unconquered until then.
Zhang Nu believed that this situation was not conducive to effective management. His subsequent plan was to create a single central city for each of the major forest races. Each race would have a single main city. For instance, the future elven main city would be Giantree City, the future orcish main city would be Berserk Beast City, the future dwarven main city would be Ironheart City, and similarly for others.
This plan involved the dissolution of some cities and the relocation of certain tribes. Each race would establish villages and settlements around its main city. This approach would concentrate the population and facilitate unified management while promoting a more organized system of production.
The Chaos Federation had just been established, and its current operational logic was quite simple. Zhang Nu controlled various forest races such as elves, dwarves, giants, orcs, and trolls, numbering in the millions. Each race possessed its own unique strengths, such as the elves' expertise in herb cultivation, dwarves' mastery of forging and metallurgy, and trolls' skill in alchemy and potion-making. Even those without specialized production skills could contribute by participating in the development of forest resources or engaging in other forms of labor.
With the assistance of himself, the Demon King, this process could generate significant value. While a significant share of the profits would be attributed to the Demon King, a portion of it would also be allocated among the diverse races. The Demon King's substantial earnings in terms of profits and gold could be reinvested to improve the territory, construct beneficial infrastructure for the people, maintain a stronger military, and acquire more external resources. As a result, the citizens would gain more opportunities for development.
Although the share of profits allocated to each race was relatively small, it still constituted a substantial income. This income far surpassed what they could achieve individually, motivating them to maintain the federation with even greater determination. This positive feedback loop would lead the Chaos Federation to become increasingly prosperous and powerful, while the Chaos Forest itself would gradually shake off chaos and transform into a realm of order.
This was just the beginning phase, and Darkness City had a multitude of tasks ahead. Apart from actively promoting the construction of primary cities for each race, establishing clear laws and order was also imperative for Darkness City. Basic principles of reward and punishment must be firmly in place to foster a stronger sense of cohesion. However, instilling laws and regulations deeply into the hearts of individuals would be far from easy.
Zhang Nu recalled the cornerstone of the Azure Water Federation---the Azure Water Covenant! If the Chaos Federation possessed such a potent covenant, wouldn't establishing fundamental laws and order become a matter of minutes? Unfortunately, such potent covenants were exceedingly rare and hard to come by globally. For now, Zhang Nu could only exert influence through both benevolence and authority.
On one hand, he employed the Holy Grail of Blood to forcibly control city lords and chieftains, ensuring they would not dare to defy him. On the other hand, he offered the baptism of the Sacred King, aided in constructing industries, and provided food to sway them. Given the relatively small scale of the Chaos Federation, this approach was currently effective.
The Great Demon King arrived at the Demon King's Altar with the Elven King. Zhang Nu had summoned Nancilia for no particular reason other than the fact that the cooldown period for the Elven King's blessings had elapsed.
The Demon King's Baptism, costing a mere 1 million gold each time, yielded a remarkable boost in the abilities of his subordinates. The greater their inherent potential and talent, the more pronounced the improvements became. It was akin to a beneficial program for them. Given the Demon King's ample wealth, the cost of 1 million gold per baptism was insignificant, prompting Nancilia to undergo the process once again.
The Elven King distinctly sensed her bloodline and latent abilities being rekindled once more. Furthermore, her training progress soared at an astonishing pace, propelling her from the early stages of the Level 5 to a level closer to the mid-stages. The rapid advancement left Nancilia awestruck. Under normal circumstances, transitioning from the Level 4 to the Level 5 and further progressing from the early stages to the mid-stages would require several decades at least. However, with the Demon King's aid, this transformation was achieved within a matter of weeks. Her strength experienced a substantial surge, accompanied by no apparent adverse effect either.
Though Nancilia could not fathom the mechanism behind these changes, she understood that such potent enhancements could not come without a price. As this realization set in, a sense of humility washed over her. She inquired, "Your Majesty, these baptisms must surely incur a substantial toll on your resources?"
Zhang Nu candidly responded, "There is indeed a degree of resource consumption, but it's within acceptable range."
Hearing these words, the young Elven King was not able to believe it. How could this be possible? His Majesty was intentionally downplaying it; the toll must be significant. Her eyes even became moist with emotion.
"Your Majesty is too kind to me," she said, her voice trembling. "But I feel undeserving. I haven't accomplished anything significant for you, and my ability to manage the city is lacking. Currently, every matter, whether big or small, within the city is handled by vice city lord Marilyn and the Elven Elder Council... Please, Your Majesty, don't deplete your resources for my sake."
Zhang Nu found himself in a bewildering situation. The Demon King's Baptism had an immediate impact on enhancing one's strength. Such an enhancement would be irresistible to anyone, yet the Elven King was declining due to her perceived lack of achievements. Truth be told, as a leader, Nancilia was indeed not up to par. However, even if she were useless or inactive, as long as she carried the title of the Elven King, she held significant value to Zhang Nu.
Given this, Zhang Nu was determined to cultivate her. Moreover, the Elven King had become one of the most loyal supporters of the Demon King. But at this moment, Nancilia's attitude was sincere and resolute. She might genuinely refuse the baptism in the future. Oh well, Zhang Nu thought. Instead of exerting effort to explain, it might be better to let her misunderstand.
"Who says you're of no use? I'm actually preparing to assign you a crucial mission," Zhang Nu said, catching the young Elven King's attention.
Her eyes lit up with anticipation, and she inquired, "Is that so? What kind of mission is it? I assure you, I'll put all my efforts into completing it and not disappoint Your Majesty."
With tightly clenched fists, she made a few determined gestures to emphasize her commitment. Zhang Nu nodded and elaborated, "I've received recent intelligence from Su Yan. Duke Bachor in the southern territories has been showing increased activity. It's likely that there will be some significant movements soon."
"In case the Thunder Empire intends to target the Chaos Forest," he continued, "they'll probably choose to enter through the Kolo territory. However, our Bloody Fortress poses an impenetrable barrier. Currently, Long Yi is the only one stationed there. I'm considering sending another powerhouse there."
"Zhang San has been dispatched by me to deal with the remaining stubborn factions and to eliminate the disruptive daemons and monsters across the region, thus improving the overall environment of the Chaos Forest."
"As for Li Si, with the federation's recent establishment, internal affairs are demanding his attention. Being the Chief Priest, he can't spare time immediately. I was initially planning to personally oversee the Bloody Fortress for a while..."
Upon hearing this, the Elven King stood taller and declared with conviction, "Your Majesty, you needn't say more. Leave this matter to me while you remain in Darkness City."
Zhang Nu smiled and questioned, "Are you confident? The enemy is shrewd and formidable. This mission could potentially be dangerous."
"Fear not," she replied, unwavering. "I am ready to serve you. I am ready to contribute to the federation. What is a little danger compared to that?"
With an unyielding spirit, the Elven King affirmed, "Your Majesty, you can rest assured. Though I may lack other skills, I have full confidence in my combat abilities."
"Very well, then I entrust the task of guarding the Bloody Fortress to you."
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
With a new mission in hand, the Elven King's mood significantly improved, and she promptly teleported to the Bloody Fortress.
After the establishment of the Chaos Federation, the Bloody Fortress continued to expand, with a current resident garrison of fifty thousand troops. Elite forces were being drawn from various cities and tribes to station there, and within the next week or two, it was expected to grow to between eighty to a hundred thousand troops.
The reason the Demon King insisted on fortifying the Bloody Fortress to an almost impregnable level was primarily due to its strategically vital location. In the event of the empire attempting a large-scale invasion, bypassing the Bloody Fortress would be nigh impossible. As long as the fortress remained unconquered, the heartland of the federation would remain secure, ensuring peaceful living and development for all the cities and tribes.
Presently, the fortress was commanded by the Abyssal Dragon, Long Yi. This abyssal dragon's strength reached the pinnacle of the Level 5 overlord. Even facing off against Level 5 monarch-level individuals, he could hold his own in battle.
Additionally, Zhang Nu recently promoted a group of high-ranking draconians. Among them, Dragon Commander Wang Er and Zhao Wu were both elevated to the positions of Earth Drake Grand Marshals, while High Priest Sun Xing was promoted to the new title of Sky Drake Archpriest. Wang Er, Zhao Wu, and Sun Liu were all currently stationed at the fortress.
With this lineup, the defensive capabilities were already quite formidable. Now, with the addition of an Elven King, even if the Empire initiated unforeseen actions, the current defenses of the Bloody Fortress would still be more than enough to withstand any assault. This allowed the Great Demon King to remain comfortably within the safety of the castle.
Upon her arrival at the Bloody Fortress, Nancilia was assigned by the Fortress Commander, Long Yi, to the position of a Mage Overseer. Her primary responsibility was to safeguard the core regions of the fortress.
On her first day on the job, the Elven King received an unusual report from Sun Liu: "Commander, our scouts have discovered traces of gargoyles nearby."
"Gargoyles?" Nancilia questioned in confusion, "How could there be gargoyles here? There shouldn't be such creatures like gargoyles in this vicinity."
Long Yi's gaze narrowed slightly as he responded, "Unusual occurrences always have a reason. Prepare everyone and be cautious of a possible preemptive enemy attack."
Wang Er, Zhao Wu, and Sun Liu immediately nodded in agreement, "Understood."
Nancilia, on the other hand, found herself thinking that an enemy attack might not be such a bad thing after all. It would provide an opportunity for her to defeat the enemy and earn recognition. To her, encountering such a chance for accomplishment right after arriving was indeed a fortunate turn of events.