Winter is coming to an end.

Standing on the balcony, looking at the increasingly lively street below, Rod couldn't help but nod in satisfaction. Although the Starlight Guild has also built its own fortress in the game, it has also developed the most powerful city in the game. But this kind of transformation from scratch, from small to large, still fills him with a sense of accomplishment. I don't know if it's because spring is coming, Rod feels that his mood is much better than before.

After returning from the eastern mountains and building the Star Spirit Temple, everything went very smoothly. Out of secrecy, Rhodes did not let the Archers be in charge of patrolling the fortress, and he didn't summon the Archers out for such trivial tasks. So for now, Rhodes still has the Archer Knights temporarily stationed in the Star Spirit Temple. The inhabitants of the fortress were curious about the mysterious and beautiful structure that appeared on the top of the mountain, but they soon became accustomed to it. After all, most people who have lived here for a long time know that their lord has a magical way to build a brand new building overnight. In addition, there are already sea elves and other things running around in the Land of Atonement, so everyone has long been used to it.

The benefits obtained from this trip to Dongfang Mountain Plains are not small, and for Rod, Christie's artifact and Star Spirit Hall are naturally the biggest gains. Upon his return, Rhodes gives Christie to Canary and Little Bubblegum, and Marlene joins them. Although she is inferior to the canary in the use of magic, when it comes to the theory of magic, ten canaries are not as good as Marlene. Since Christie doesn't use magic in the true sense of the word, the theoretical teachings are more important in a way.

As for Thos, Rhodes didn't know what he sensed when he received the Ancient Inheritance. However, after returning to the fortress of the Land of Atonement, Soth performed significantly better than before, and accepted Rod's orders to contribute to the unique training methods of the Tactics of War. However, Soth also told Rhodes that the reason why the average strength of the people in the Eastern Plains, including the War Tactics, was very strong, was not because of the secret skills of training. To a large extent, it is because they have been systematically trained since childhood, so they can have the strength they have today. And the group of mercenaries under Rhodes......... Although Soth didn't say it directly, Rhodes understood his subtext, but Rhodes wasn't nervous, and it was true that if it was a scientific point of view, it would be too late for even a novice like Joey and Lando to train now. But who allowed themselves to have such an unscientific thing as the Orb of Mysteries in their hands............ Well? No, this works in the system. So it should be considered science?

According to the intelligence collected by Seven Love's "Skynet" and Sonya's report, Rod also has a clear understanding of the current situation. With the statue of the Holy Maiden sold by Rhodes to various places, the threat of the undead army has become smaller and smaller, and even the undead army in the Eastern Mountain Plains has lost its previous momentum. For now, although there are occasional skirmishes in the border areas elsewhere, with the statue of the Holy Maiden gradually in place, there are few large-scale attacks by the undead army.

As for Lillian, Rhodes learned from Sonia that after a final discussion. The Council of Light agreed to Lillian's offer to a limited extent, but they were only willing to let reinforcements from the Duchy of Moon guard the frontline of the military district. They were not allowed to go to the demilitarized zone in the rear. This made Lilian still quite angry and dissatisfied, but in the end, with Sonya's persuasion, the dragon soul of light calmed down his anger. After signing an agreement with Lydia, he left Moon and returned to the Land of Light. However, what makes Rhodes find it interesting is that I don't know what method Sonia used, but Lillian clearly likes Sonia very much. After returning, she asked the Council of Light to transfer Sonia to her side. This can be said to be a benefit to the Council of Light, who are worried about not being able to find an eyeliner to keep an eye on Lilian, who is increasingly threatening them, so they can't wait to agree. Not only that, but they seem to appreciate Sonya's ability to win Lilian's favor in such a short period of time, and even ask Sonia to take this opportunity to go further and carry out Lilian's "brainwashing" more thoroughly.

When she heard from Sonia what the Council of Light had asked her to do. Rod couldn't help but laugh out loud, those guys are really stupid. They probably didn't think that Sonia, who was regarded as a capable man, would be their most loyal pet. However, Her Royal Highness Lydia is not a good person, and Rhodes confirms that she must have obtained the projection records of the Eastern Yamabara from Garling, but he signed a deal with Lillian first. This shows that His Royal Highness the Grand Duke obviously does not want to leave the fate of the Duchy of Moon in the hands of others. This made Rhodes breathe a sigh of relief, although he was not unacceptable if Lydia chose to give up, but in that case, Rhodes had to adjust his strategy and include Lydia in the ranks of "those who are not of my race must have different hearts". But now it seems that although His Royal Highness is the archangel, he still has a lot of experience in this regard.

But sometimes Rhodes wonders how Lydia did this, and it stands to reason that the position of the angel and the politics themselves are not very compatible. Angels are members of the camp of goodness and order, but politics itself is by no means a good and just cause. This is also the reason why the Duchy of Moon has great strength and wealth, but it has always been indistinguishable from the country of light, and even almost collapsed by the other party after the most luan. And the Council of Light also seems to know the difference between angels and humans, so they dare to smear angels with all kinds of unscrupulous ridicule, and they are not afraid that they will turn around and clean themselves up anyway. It's just that Lydia is really an alternative, whether it is a style of life or political methods, it is a little difficult to look at. Decisive, persistent, and thunderous means, even Rod couldn't help but be admired.

In addition to these mentions, in terms of refugees, Marlene's plan is unexpectedly effective, although the smoke of war has begun to weaken, but there are still many refugees who have left their homes. Marlene, on the other hand, contacted the lords of those territories through the connections of the Shania family, and many of them immediately sent the refugees who were entrenched in their territories. As Marlene had predicted, the lords of many places were having a headache for the refugees from outside. They don't have the money and food they have to do to house these refugees, and it's winter again. Moreover, the conflicts and disputes between the foreign residents and the locals also cost them a lot of energy. Since Rhodes is willing to help them solve this difficulty, they are naturally welcome. As a result, many refugees flocked to the fortress of the Land of Atonement, of course, at the beginning, there was not without friction and strife, and some people tried to incite chaos to fish in troubled waters. But it was clear that the idiots didn't know about Rhodes. Nor do they know the place of atonement. After Rhodes hung four or five idiots who dared to incite the people to the city wall in a row, the refugees finally put away those miscellaneous thoughts and began to live here with peace of mind.

Of course, Rhodes is well aware that the current calm is only an illusion, and that the refugees are willing to live a peaceful life here for a while is largely due to their own strength and the methods they have shown in their previous crackdown on the "ill-intentioned", and these refugees have had enough of wandering after the pain of wandering. So even if this lord is not kind at the moment, it is even a little scary. They can only hold back and stay. After all, their own homeland no longer belongs to them.

Marlene's "loan plan" was also very effective, and it is true that among the refugees there were many talents from all walks of life, including hunters, craftsmen, and blacksmiths. There were even a few low-level alchemists. Of course, businesses such as merchants are also indispensable. Soon after settling in the Land of Atonement, they relied on their skills to regain possession of their own estate. And do it well. The Fort of Atonement is now much more lively than it used to be. On the other hand, of course, Rhodes asks Marlene to pay attention to the merchants among the refugees, and signals that if possible, he will bring them under Ann's side and set up a chamber of commerce entirely with his own investment. This matter is also currently being prepared, listen to Marlene's statement. Results should be available soon. The only problem is that Ann, as Marlene's deputy, probably doesn't have time to preside over the daily work of the Chamber of Commerce, and there is no trustworthy person who can be responsible for the normal operation of the Chamber of Commerce at present——— although those refugees seem to be quite sincere, but who knows?

On the other hand, there is the influx of refugees. The mage group that the canary has been thinking about for a long time has finally been settled. Together with a few former mages who had attended the Academy, she found many magically gifted children among the refugees and sent them to study in the Tour de France. Although they were still very young, the Canary was able to tell Rhodes that as long as they had the experience bonus of the Orb of Mysteries, it would be no problem for these children to leave their apprenticeship and become full-fledged mages in the next year.

"Master."

The shadows behind Rhodes began to shake, and then Leo stepped out of it, and the dark elf girl looked pale at the sky and the sun in the distance, and then lowered her head.

"The patrol has returned, we carefully searched the border area as you say, but nothing was found."

"That's ..............."

Hearing Leo's report, Rod frowned.

"Is the Pillar of Order still burning?"

"It's still burning, master, I've confirmed with my own eyes, no problem. But I didn't find the strange and strange markers you were looking for that might appear next to the pillar of fire. ”

"I know."

Rhodes nodded, he clasped his hands, and at the same time glanced at the sky in front of him, although the cold winter was gradually passing, the snow still covered the mountains in front of him, and even the ridges of condensed ice could be seen not far away. At this time of year, even if they saw it, they probably wouldn't be able to send someone here to contact them...............

Just as Rod frowned and pondered, Leo interrupted his thoughts again.

"Master, there's one more thing to report to you."

"What's the matter?"

"Miss Labis would like you to make a trip to her alchemy workshop and explain what research has led to great breakthroughs and advances, and needs to keep you updated on the current situation."

Leo spoke of Labis in a somewhat unnatural tone, but it was no wonder, although both Labis and Leo were descendants of the Elves for some special reason, and both races were somewhat unpopular with the Elves. But that didn't make them companions. Anyway, the reputation of the Dark Elves is too bad, although Belchems is not a good citizen. But the bad guys' houses are about to go extinct, and they haven't done anything too hurtful like the dark elves. And Labis is peaceful by nature, so she doesn't like Leo very much. And Leo also knew that he was not treated well by the other party, so he had no intention of currying favor with Labis to mend the relationship between the two. Anyway, she is only responsible for staying by Rod's side on weekdays, helping Rod's words or solving some small troubles, and occasionally helping Rod's desires satisfy him and herself. It's a much more comfortable life than being underground.

"I know."

Hearing Leo's words, Rhodes nodded. Leo, on the other hand, bent down. Soon disappeared into the shadows. It was only then that Rod turned away from the balcony, and he walked out of the study and looked at the empty corridor in front of him. And at this moment, a figure walked down the stairs and came to Rod.

"Mr. Rhodes?"

Lijie looked at Rhodes in front of her, stopped, and looked at him curiously.

"Where are you going?"

"I just received a message from Labis that there seems to be a major breakthrough in her research. I'm going to check it out. What about you? Lijie? ”

"I......... I just walk around............"

Saying this, Lijie's face flashed a little gloomy, but soon, the girl raised her head and resurfaced her usual soft smile.

"May I go with you, Mr. Rhodes?"

"Absolutely."

When he left the stronghold with Lijie and arrived at the door of the alchemy workshop, Rhodes took a closer look at the workshop in front of him. Compared to the bombed-out and dilapidated hut owned by Labis before, the alchemy workshop in front of her was more like a real alchemy workshop. Specialized. Simple and clean............ Well, the rags that filled the streets were gone.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Labis..............."

Looking at the alchemy workshop in front of him. There was a bit of complicated reluctance on Lijie's face, and then, the girl sighed softly.

"What, did you quarrel with Labis?"

Noticing that Lijie's tone was a little unusual, Rod turned his head to look at Lijie with some curiosity. In the face of Rod's gaze, Lijie hesitated for a moment. Then he shook his head with a wry smile.

"No, Mr. Rhodes, it's just ..............."

Saying this, Lijie glanced at Rod and bit her lower lip. Then he spoke.

"It's nothing, I just haven't seen Labis in a long time, and I'm just a little worried about her. You know, Mr. Rhodes, Labis was so zealous with her studies that she forgot to eat. ”

"That's just as well."

Hearing this, Rhodes shrugged his shoulders. Labis has always had this problem, especially after she received the knowledge of the Belchems, and she struggled to digest it. If Christie hadn't been by her side, the heir of the Belchems would have starved to death. But......... Thinking of this, Rod glanced at Lijie beside him, with Rode's understanding of Lijie, of course he knew that something was not quite right with Lijie, but since Lijie didn't plan to say it, Rod wouldn't ask.

So soon, Rod put the matter behind him, and then he came to the gate of the alchemy workshop——— and then Rod saw at a glance a beautifully made and delicate iron rod placed next to the gate.

Well......... Indeed, there is still some progress.

While complaining in the depths of his heart, Rhodes reached out and picked up the iron rod placed in the doorway, and then knocked on the door.

"Knock knock."

There was a heavy knock on the door, and soon the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind the iron door, and then, the iron door slowly opened a gap. A woman in an alchemist's robe walked out the door and saw Rhodes and Lijie, she was stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly saluted Rhodes.

"Hello, my lord, Miss Lijie."

"You're welcome, I heard that Labis has something to do with me?"

"Yes, my lord, Lord Labis is looking for you about the ..................... I said before."

Before the woman could finish her words, she saw Labis's voice sound not far behind her.

"Lorraine, who's coming? Isn't it Lord Rhodes? Great, bring him in, I'm going to finish it in the moment............ Ay? Alas, alas!! Oops, mistaken, wait, don't come in, hurry, hurry, everyone——————!! ”

"Boom !!"

With Labis's deformed call, a violent explosion suddenly sounded, and then, Rhodes and the others saw a snow-white mushroom cloud rising from the backyard of the alchemy workshop.

I really haven't grown at all............

Seeing this scene in front of him, Rod shook his head helplessly.

PS: It's a bit of a Kavin today, so a change

PS2: Why do you all only focus on mending demons or something, it's so innocent, am I like that? (To be continued......)