I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 261

Chapter 261: Chapter 262: Return to Dawn City, Start Farming Mode (6800 words) Chapter 261: Chapter 262: Return to Dawn City, Start Farming Mode (6800 words) After agreeing to trade here again in three days, Lide and the others saw Castro off as he left with Andabella. Ignoring the persistent invitations of Sam, the level 15 Centaur Chief, they set out to return to Dawn City.

The recent battle didn't take long, but the gains were significant. He needed to go back and sort out the benefits he had acquired.

Sam stood by the riverbank in the valley, watching Lide's figure disappear into the horizon with a complex expression on his face.

Behind him, the thousands of Centaur troops also watched the powerful being who could enslave a giant dragon depart; unlike when Lide had first arrived, their eyes were filled with anticipation.

Word of Sam's trade with Lide had spread throughout the Centaur Tribe. Five hundred sets of rare-quality armor–a vast number that set the hearts of many strong Centaurs racing.

That was a full set of armor they were talking about, and it was said to be personally tailored by the Dwarves themselves.

By the Centaur God, they must have been blessed by the Divine.

Dwarven armor, how solid it must be.

Picturing themselves charging into battle clad in heavy armor, the Centaur Warriors couldn't contain their excitement.

In this land, strength was paramount.

A suit of fine armor was the treasure every Centaur Warrior dreamed of.

The hills were too barren, and with the humans' blockade over the years, forget full armor–even a sharp piece of iron was considered a treasure here.

At that moment, an old Centaur with white hair and wrinkled face stepped out from the Centaur group.

Clip-clop~ Clip-clop~
The sound of hooves clattering against the hard yellow earth was dull and deep.

The old Centaur, wearing bone armor, approached Sam, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. He raised his head to gaze at the now-absent figure of Lide, his cloudy eyes filled with a hint of wistfulness.

“Sam, ever since the Iron Hoof Tribe was expelled from Gale City thousands of years ago, it gradually became an ordinary tribe.

If we want to return to Gale City, this could be an excellent opportunity.”

Sam turned his head to look at the old Centaur beside him, who was almost as tall as him, with a troubled expression.

“Father, can we really trust this Kachar City Lord?”

Thinking of the sight of Lide stepping down from the skull of the Bone Dragon, Sam felt uneasy, especially since the term “Your Excellency” kept echoing in his mind.

The other party could indeed be a Transcendent Your Excellency. Could the Iron Hoof Tribe withstand a trade with such a powerful entity?

The old Centaur shook his head, his gaze profound.

“Sam, be decisive. Don't act like a coward; the Iron Hoof Tribe doesn't need a chieftain without courage.

Once a decision is made, follow through with unwavering resolve.

If the Iron Hoof Tribe perishes because of it, it's a price we must be prepared to pay.”

His tone was resolute and unshakeable.

To survive in this land, weakness was the last trait one could afford; the Iron Hoof Tribe never needed such garbage character.

After speaking, the old Centaur shook his head, “And most importantly, the Kachar City Lord who has the power to destroy us chose cooperation instead,
which means the existence of the Iron Hoof Tribe brings more benefits to them than our destruction would.”

The old Centaur saw the situation clearly. Between different races, what friendship could there be? It was all about benefits.

“Since their malice towards us is not strong and what they bring is exactly what we urgently need, this trade… is worth a try.”

Sam nodded. After listening to his father's guidance, the hesitation on his face faded away, and his gaze became steadfast once again. Centaurs never feared any enemy.

Even if the other party really harbored ill will, he would use his life to protect his tribe, even against a Transcendent who could enslave giant dragons!

Moreover, if that mysterious Kachar City Lord truly intended to trade with them, this would be a prime opportunity for the rise of the Iron Hoof Tribe.

The Iron Hoof Tribe had long been in decline through the long years, so much so that if it weren't for the oral traditions among chiefs, Sam might not even know that the original Iron Hoof Tribe was the royal tribe living in Gale City with a glorious past.

“However, just in case, move one-third of the tribe's population to that hidden valley.”

The old Centaur spoke with a grave tone, turning his head to glance back at the strong and mighty warriors of the Iron Hoof Tribe, his eyes reflecting complexity.

Although he was old, too old to protect his tribe with strength, he could still use the wisdom he had accumulated over a hundred years to help the Iron Hoof Tribe survive.

Survival was the sole and eternal theme on this barren land.

In Dawn City.

After witnessing the fall of a city with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, Lide felt a strong sense of accomplishment as he returned to this tranquil city.

This was his city; he was the sole master here!

People still bustled about Dawn Square, and the streets grew more lively. The increasingly cold weather couldn't suppress the fervor of the residents.

Among the passing crowds, most of the residents wore happy and relaxed expressions, starkly different from the desperate civilians of Risier City after its fall.

Among these residents, there was also a significant number dressed in shabby clothes, looking around with wary and cautious expressions–clearly, they were newly arrived refugees from the border.

These refugees who had just lost their homes were clearly not yet accustomed to their new life in Dawn City.

After circling in the skies above Dawn City for a few turns, Lide had Castro land in the middle of the city.

As he dismounted and stood in Dawn Square, a familiar sensation arose in his mind–security.

Yes, security. For the first time, he felt in Dawn City a sense of safety akin to what he had felt on Earth.

No matter what, even when surrounded by several top fighters of level 15, he had never felt this kind of solid sense of security. Now, after the turmoil in Risier City, he felt it.

This land belonged to him, and he had found a sense of security just like at home in Huaxia.

“Good morning, Lord Kachar…”

“Kachar City Lord…”

“Great Lord, your most devout believer greets you…”

Unsurprisingly, the residents of the square bowed and greeted Lide in unison as soon as they saw him, like wheat in harvest season bending at the waist.

Lide had a faint smile on his lips, nodding slightly to the crowd around him.

He loved Dawn City, the city he had established with his own hands, and he also loved these simple and pure residents.

Walking towards City Hall with the crowd's gaze upon him, front and back, where he passed, there were residents bowing.

This is what reputation looks like.

The respect from the bowing residents was heartfelt; their eyes shined, their faces smiled, and their hearts were sincere.

They did not display the reluctant bows often forced upon commoners in outsider cities by Nobles.

It was genuine respect and adoration.

The residents who did not bow were without exception newcomers, some of whom were even seeing Lide for the first time and were now somewhat at a loss watching this scene.

Lide found this rather amusing and didn't mind the rudeness of these new residents. After walking out of the square and onto the newly repaved bluestone road leading to City Hall nearby, he looked around with interest.

Now it was the end of November, almost December, and a chill filled the air; people on the streets donned their thick coats.

The streets near Dawn Square were busier due to the influx of a large number of outsiders.

Shops of all sizes had sprung up along both sides of the street.

Aunt Mary's Bakery, Giant Grocery Store, Jasmine Flower Shop, Moonlight Tailor Shop… All sorts of shops with strange signs opened their doors wide to the bustling crowd.

Everyday shops could be seen on both sides of the street. Although they couldn't match the variety of Green City, they were enough to satisfy the residents' daily needs.

This marketplace, with the strong support of the City Hall, was beginning to take shape and would surely become a truly prosperous place given time.

Lide shifted his gaze contentedly.

The streets were very clean. Trash cans were placed every thirty to fifty steps, and managers with red arm bands supervised the residents for littering and spitting, ensuring the rules were followed. Anyone caught would face a hefty fine and be sent to the construction department for reformation through labor.

Under the intense penalties, the cleanliness of the city was beyond imagination.

The tidy streets also quickly improved the residents' quality of life, and the support for this policy was so high it was astonishing.

A patrol team of ten people in full black armor, carrying longswords and looking imposing were inspecting the street.

The residents all looked at them with respect.

The military of Dawn City held a very high reputation in the eyes of the residents.

This was not only because they were powerful, but also a success of the propaganda department's continuous promotions; Dawn City's military had become an object of respect.

All residents knew this was the army personally led by the great Kachar City Lord to protect the personal and property safety of all residents of Dawn City.

They were neighbors, friends, children… it could be said that King's Blade, established by Lide, was an army supported by everyone.

This was unimaginable outside, where the army always existed as a Nobles' tool of power, the butcher's knife more often aimed at commoners than at Demon Beasts.

Only the insane would support a Nobles' army.

In Dawn City, all this was a matter of course. If they didn't respect their own military, how could they deserve to be residents of Dawn City?

Disrespecting the military was disrespecting Kachar City Lord, and disrespecting him was disrespecting everyone. Stepping out of line meant being educated severely.

Moreover, the residents had heard that by joining this army established by Lord Kachar himself, and performing well, they could receive the most generous reward from the Kachar City Lord — becoming part of the Holy Light Bloodline.

By the goddess above, Holy Light Bloodline!

They were the protectors of Dawn City, the most respected and noblest beings in the city.

Becoming part of the Holy Light Bloodline, one would not only achieve supreme status and power but also — immortality!

There could be no more tempting reward.

Thus, joining King's Blade was almost every young person's dream in Dawn City.

Being personally received by Kachar City Lord, even having the chance to become part of Holy Light Bloodline.

It was simply too alluring.

“Salute!”

The patrol team, in unison, halted in their tracks upon seeing Lide, and the squad leader immediately shouted, then everyone thumped their chests in salute.

The patrol's movements, as if carved from the same mold, were uniform and in sync. In combination with their armor, it made them look even more impressive.

Lide nodded approvingly. He had copied a detailed military training guide from the internet and applied it to King's Blade.

This was why they looked so dignified and impressive.

Although the salute had changed from a finger-to-temple gesture, the martial bearing was not diminished one bit.

The military's discipline greatly improved their appearance. With King's Blade's strict rules, this army was already beginning to take shape.

Even though their strength was still relatively weak, Lide believed that with proper training, he would eventually have a genuinely powerful army.

“For Dawn!”

Lide returned the salute in the same manner, and after he withdrew his hand, the patrol members finally put their hands down.

These young warriors looked at Lide with eyes filled with worship and trust, their monarch to whom they had sworn loyalty, the ruler of Dawn City, the great being who brought them hope.

“For Dawn!”

The soldiers' battle cry was resonant and powerful, attracting the attention of the surrounding residents, and even many youngsters and children felt a strong yearning upon witnessing this scene.

They, too, desired to become warriors of the King's Blade, to be commanded by the Kachar City Lord and to make contributions to Dawn City.

For Dawn, this was the motto personally set by Lide.

Such a simple slogan brought an unparalleled unity.

These four words let the army of Dawn City know for whom they fought and the residents know for what they sacrificed.

It was not an exaggeration to say that this slogan directly consolidated the soul of Dawn City, an unyielding soul.

Lide could even imagine the scene where, upon stepping onto the battlefield, these soldiers would face death without fear for the beliefs in their hearts.

After the ceremony, the patrol soldiers left with lifted heads and coordinated steps.

Lide returned to City Hall amidst the adoring gazes of the residents.

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Third-floor office.

Lide had just stepped into his office when Harrison followed closely behind.

“Good day, Clan Leader.”

“Good day,” Lide turned his head to look at Harrison, wearing a blue Mage robe and slightly frail, and smiled faintly, “How's the goblin arrangement coming along?”

He had meddled in the affairs of Risier City for those Dwarves capable of creating Alchemy Bombs, and the future of Dawn City's Air Force now depended on these timid fellows giving it their all.

He was very much looking forward to seeing the Alchemy Bombs cleanse the ground.

Harrison nodded slightly, in a respectful tone.

“Clan Leader, we've already allocated a residential area in the South City District and settled the goblins.”

Unlike the Dwarves, for easier management, the goblins' housing was all in the same area.

Harrison wasn't concerned at all about these fellows rebelling; their willpower was comparable to that of human children aged eleven or twelve, far inferior to that of Dwarves.

Let alone rebelling, Harrison estimated that if a small portion wanted to revolt, another portion would immediately stop their companions and report to the Bloodline.

That's because City Hall implemented a policy of collective punishment for goblins, grouping 100 goblins together, where if one rebelled, the whole group would be executed.

Of course, this policy was purely to intimidate these fellows, and Lide couldn't bear to have this labor power wasted.

But the goblins dared not take it lightly; they were dealing with Vampires after all–the policy turned the faces of these timid creatures pale, and they assured with thumping chests that they absolutely wouldn't cause trouble.

They even occasionally scrutinized their companions with suspicious eyes, fearful they might inadvertently do something that would implicate them.

Both arrogant and timid, the goblins possessed two extremely contradictory traits–clear character flaws that one policy could easily resolve.

Lide nodded, he always trusted Harrison's work; goblins weren't a difficult race to handle.

After all, whoever came to Dawn City had to abide by the rules and honestly work for him, creating benefits for Dawn City.

Thinking of rebelling? Are my blades not sharp?

“What about the Risier City Nobles that we just brought back?”

With the goblins sorted, Lide shifted his attention to the Nobles of Risier City.

These highly qualified individuals were urgently needed by Dawn City, which hadn't yet established schools.

Harrison's eyes held some excitement.

“Clan Leader, they had just finished their registration before you returned.

The two thousand humans Marquis Stanley brought back can all read, among whom there are 45 Mage Apprentices, 12 certified Mages,
237 blacksmiths, 145 tailors, 220 Pharmacists, 78 Alchemists, 324 scholars…”

A series of numbers followed, and Lide didn't fully remember exactly how many there were.

The only certainty was that this first batch of more than two thousand people all consisted of the talents Dawn City lacked.

Even the blacksmiths would prove extremely useful with the impending trade with the Centaurs.

What intrigued him the most from this batch was–7 polymaths.

Polymaths were quite formidable in this world and were respected by everyone, even without Noble titles, they could be esteemed guests of Nobles.

Because polymaths possessed vast knowledge, and knowledge in this world was an exceedingly precious wealth.

“Separate the polymaths from the ordinary scholars, they will be key to the establishment of future schools.

As for the other civilians, handle them as usual.”

After saying this, Lide's expression gradually turned stern.

“This batch of people were the upper-class individuals from Risier City, with many even holding Noble titles.

Having suddenly lost their status, they will certainly feel discomfort, and this unease may very well lead them to desperate actions.

They are educated, can think for themselves, and have enjoyed a good life, very different from the residents from the border areas.

Even our propaganda department will have trouble influencing their longstanding notions for the time being.

So, this batch of people must be closely monitored, as they are bound to harbor dissent.”

Lide's tone left no room for turning back, as he directly passed judgment.

He couldn't possibly use the original Noble system; those Nobles would be stripped of their titles, and only one system could exist here–the scoring system with the Bloodline reigning supreme.

He understood humanity all too well. The commoners from the border regions welcomed Dawn City wholeheartedly because it could provide them with a much more prosperous life, which they desperately desired.

But the Nobles were different. They lorded over their own lands, and after coming to Dawn City, they would be stripped of all their power and, furthermore, would have to live alongside the commoners they had once looked down upon.

Could such human Nobles tolerate this??

If they didn't cause some trouble, Lide would never believe it.

Upon hearing this, Harrison's expression grew solemn, “Rest assured, I will keep a close watch on them.

Do we need to segregate them like the Dwarves?”

A playful curve appeared on Lide's lips as he gave his right-hand man a deep look.

“Harrison, you still don't understand the essence of political struggle.

Suppress some, win over others, unite another group.

These twelve words, if used well, can make handling humanity as easy as flipping a hand.

Humans are not Dwarves; they have independent thoughts, a deep mistrust for their own partners, and most of them only wish to trust themselves.”

Seeing Harrison's thoughtful expression, Lide did not hold back and directly explained.

“You can personally experiment with those twelve words on the Nobles from Risier City.

Firstly, you should arrange these Nobles in adjacent residential areas, not too far apart yet not too close either.

Then, simply keep a close watch, and these Nobles will naturally reveal themselves.

The scheming and ambitious, the compliant and eager to pledge loyalty, they will form their own circles.

When the time comes, you only need to plant a few spies within this group to easily differentiate whom we must suppress, whom to win over, and whom to unite,
you could even execute more advanced maneuvers, winning over a part of those ambitious groups to allow their group to disintegrate automatically.

For example, granting a human extra rewards, bestowing upon them vast wealth and noble status, and suppressing others, stripping them of their wealth, demoting their status,
such alternating between these two approaches will result in imbalance, doubt, and jealousy which will lead these humans to slowly develop internal conflicts, and with just a little more effort, their organization will fracture from within.

This is merely the most basic of tactics; we hold the initiative, and they can be easily dealt with at will.”

Harrison gazed at Lide with profound admiration.

The Clan Leader is the Clan Leader, always acting in ways that astonish others.

Lide gave a slight smile at Harrison's expression, “These are just minor tactics, fine for an occasional indulgence, but there's no need to become too engrossed in them.

This batch of two thousand people is manageable, but there will be over eight thousand more arriving in the future. How to resolve the potential issue with the Risier City Nobles is something you can handle yourself.

The initiative has always been in our hands; we are the ones making the rules.”

“As you wish, Clan Leader,” Harrison nodded solemnly.

Seeing Harrison take the matter seriously, Lide said no more.

As the ruler of this city, he controlled the military, the finances, people's hearts, and everything about this city; as long as he didn't allow it, no one could cause any trouble here.

The lesson taught to Harrison today was just a precaution; inevitably more issues similar to this would arise in Dawn City.

He didn't want to have to deal with these minor matters himself every time; City Hall had to formulate relatively mature contingency plans, otherwise, what was the point of having so many people under him?

After the initial arrangements with the goblins and Risier City were finished, Lide sank into deep thought.

The war with Risier City had profoundly affected him; he returned ready to start the second phase of major construction.

But there were so many potential directions for development, and he couldn't decide right away, needing to consider the long-term planning for Dawn City.

Thinking it over, Lide suddenly realized he'd missed a very important piece of information and quickly asked.

“Harrison, how many people are there in Dawn City now?”

Harrison's expression was excited, his tone proud.

“Clan Leader, after nearly two months of looting, the population of Dawn City has already exceeded 30,000!!

Two-thirds of the South District is now occupied!”

30,000 people? Lide's expression was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected the looting to be so effective; it had not been long, and it wasn't even December yet.

Perhaps this winter's harvest would be beyond imagination.

Lide's mood instantly improved a great deal.

Population, those two words meant so much.

Population was the basis of everything in Dawn City, and all other developments were built upon it.

Developing an army needed population support, Mage Apprentices required a large pool to select from, even farming needed people, sweeping the streets needed people–anything could be in shortage, but the one thing that couldn't be missing was people.

To measure the potential of a force, the population was definitely one of the most important indicators.

Earth's India, no matter how poorly managed, could still call itself the world's third-largest country–they relied entirely on their population to support that claim.

“Very well, you've done a thorough job,” he had participated in the war of Risier City without affecting the development pace of Dawn City, which greatly relieved Lide.

The City Hall system he'd established with numerous efforts was finally growing stronger.

“Next, we will begin the second round of construction…” Lide spoke with a deep tone.

After this winter, he would make this city thrive and become even more magnificent.

Chapter end