157: Establish provinces

The smoke of the Western Front battlefield slowly settled amidst the echoes of the magic crystal cannon's final roar.

The naval fleet commanded by Hogan, a Senior Colonel of the Star Sea Legion, used the flagship "star sea" as its core to carry out several rounds of devastating volleys from its designated bombardment positions. The improved "Raging Wave-class" magic crystal main cannons had their range and accuracy enhanced once again; fierce blue light clusters, like thunderbolts hurled by a Heavenly God, crossed the vast distance and accurately struck the outer strongholds of the "Blackwater Swamp" where the Goblin coalition last gathered, the "Wind-Eroded Stone Forest" pass occupied by the Centaurs, and the entrance of the "Howling Canyon" where the Ogres and Lizardfolk lived together.

Without solid permanent fortifications or the protection of a Legendary Expert, these hastily constructed defenses were torn apart, ignited, and collapsed like paper toys before the era-transcending magical firepower. The soaring flames and pillars of smoke became the most spectacular backdrop for the general offensive of the three armies, and also completely crushed the last bit of organized resistance from the remnants of the non-human coalition. Fear spread like a plague; many Goblins, before even seeing the figures of the human soldiers, dropped their crude weapons and fled screaming into the deeper swamps or crevices of the stone forest. The Centaurs attempted several weak charges, but after leaving behind a large number of corpses under the mountain-collapsing counter-charge of the Dragon Scale Knights and the accurate arrow rain of the Divine Arrow Army, they finally broke. Although the Ogres and Lizardfolk were fierce, after losing their geographical advantage and the support of allied forces, they were quickly divided and defeated by the coordinated air-to-ground strikes of the Star-Moon Legion and the Griffin Knights led by Shirei.

The three armies were like three red-hot blades cutting through butter, advancing with irresistible force. The anticipated tragic battle of attrition did not occur; instead, it was replaced by one-sided pursuits, mopping-up operations, and surrenders. Resistance was sporadic and brief; most of the time, the star sea soldiers were receiving groups of non-human captives who had given up resistance and knelt to beg for mercy, as well as counting the various captured supplies.

Half a month later, the three armies escorted a massive line of captives and victoriously joined forces at the designated meeting point, an open plain near the lower reaches of the Rhine River. Camps were connected, flags blotted out the sun, and the cheers of victory and bugle calls rose and fell, echoing for a long time over the newly calmed wilderness.

Inside the command hall of the vanguard fortress, the atmosphere was solemn and enthusiastic. On the huge sand table, the last marks representing the enemy forces had been completely removed, replaced by dense blue small flags representing the control points of the Star Sea Territory, extending all the way from the coastline to the border of the Laixi Deep Province, forming an exhilarating blue corridor.

General Clay stood before the sand table, listening to the flow of battle reports from the messengers of each army. A trace of relieved satisfaction could not help but appear on his steady face. When the final report was presented, he turned to the generals gathered in the hall—who, though tired, were all in high spirits—and announced in a resonant voice:

"Everyone, the first stage of the Western Front expansion campaign has ended in victory!"

Enthusiastic applause and low cheers rang out in the hall.

Clay raised his hand to signal for silence and continued: "The preliminary battle statistics are as follows: our army has 3,127 dead, about 5,000 seriously wounded and lost their combat capability, and over 10,000 lightly wounded. The number of enemies killed is still being counted in detail, but it is preliminarily estimated that more than 40,000 resisting enemies were killed. Captured enemy troops..." He paused and reported a staggering number, "Totaling over 53,000 people, including about 28,000 Goblins, 15,000 Centaurs, and about 10,000 Ogres, Lizardfolk, and other races. The various captured supplies are piled up like mountains and are being categorized and registered."

Over three thousand dead, forty thousand enemies killed, and fifty thousand captured! This was undoubtedly a brilliant victory! Especially considering it was on unfamiliar land, facing complex environments and a mission to advance across hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, this casualty ratio was enough to be recorded in history. The faces of the generals were all filled with pride and excitement.

"The credit for this battle belongs to the bravery of all the soldiers, to the Lord's strategic planning, and also to the steady command of everyone present!" Clay's gaze swept across every face, including Ocean Jack, Angus, Karl, Shirei, and Evan. "I have ordered the scribes to record the merits of each unit in detail, and they will be reported to the Lord shortly for rewards!"

Just then, a strange hum suddenly came from the Sky outside the command hall. It was not the cry of a griffin, but a rhythm as if space itself was singing. Immediately after, an aura that was gentle yet vast as a star sea and deep as the Origin of life quietly descended, enveloping the entire fortress.

Everyone's expression tightened, which then turned into boundless excitement and reverence.

"It's the Lord!"

"The Lord is here!"

Linn's figure did not pass through the door; instead, he stepped out of the Void Realm and appeared directly in the center of the command hall. He was still in simple black clothes with a calm face, but the starlight flowing in his pitch-black eyes and the aura of Perfection around him, which was integrated with heaven and earth, silently proclaimed his status as a Legendary Expert. Destiny did not appear with him.

"Welcome, Lord!" Led by Clay, all the generals knelt on one knee in unison, their right fists against their chests in the highest military salute, their voices filled with heartfelt awe and loyalty.

"Everyone, rise." Linn raised his hand, and a gentle force lifted everyone up. His gaze swept over the new blue area on the sand table, and a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "You have worked hard. I already know of the great victory on the Western Front. You have done very well, exceeding expectations."

Having received the Lord's personal affirmation, the generals stood taller, and the light in their eyes grew even brighter.

Clay stepped forward and reported the detailed battle results and casualties. Linn listened quietly. When he heard the number of dead, a trace of imperceptible sorrow flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. War inevitably involves sacrifice; the blood of these soldiers was watering the Foundation of the Star Sea Territory's future.

"Generously compensate the families of the fallen soldiers; their children will be raised by the territory until they reach adulthood and will have priority for various benefits and promotion channels. For the seriously injured, treat them at all costs and settle them properly." Linn ordered in a deep voice; this was his consistent principle.

"Yes!" Clay solemnly accepted the order.

After listening to the report, Linn walked to the sand table. His finger slowly traced the narrow corridor that had just been opened, winding from East Sea Prefecture to the border of Laixi Deep Province.

"This battle has not only opened a passage but also won a vast living space for my Star Sea Territory." Linn's voice echoed in the hall, carrying a sense of proclamation and planning. "The original 30,000 square kilometers of East Sea Prefecture, plus the 540,000 square kilometer corridor seized in this westward advance, totals about 570,000 square kilometers of territory."

He tapped his finger, outlining a clear boundary line above the sand table with magic.

"From today on, this new land will no longer be just a 'passage' in the military sense." Linn's tone was decisive. "It will be divided into two provinces for governance and development."

"The area where the original East Sea Prefecture is located and its westward extension will be established as 'East Sea Province', with the provincial capital still set at East Sea City. This province is the eastern gateway of my Star Sea Territory's continental domain, focusing on maritime trade, port economy, and frontier military."

His finger moved westward, landing on the area bordering the Aolai Kingdom's Laixi Deep Province, which was traversed by a wide river.

"From the east bank of the Rhine River to the border of Laixi Deep Province, this newly acquired land will be established as 'Rhine Province'. The provincial capital..." Linn pondered for a moment and pointed to an open spot at the mouth of the Rhine River where sea and land met, "Will be set here and named 'Linchuan City'. This province is the land hub connecting my Star Sea Territory to the Aolai Kingdom, focusing on inland river transport, border trade, and agricultural development."

He specifically pointed to the large river that wound through the new province and extended all the way north into the heart of the Aolai Kingdom: "This 'Rhine River' will become the main artery for us to connect the interior of the new province and conduct trade with the northern provinces of the Aolai Kingdom in the future. The benefits of river transport concern the lifeblood of the province and must be managed with great effort."

Dividing provinces and naming them for governance! This meant that the Star Sea Territory's rule over this land would officially transition from military occupation to normalized and refined administrative management, a crucial step in the history of the territory's development. Although most of the generals focused on military affairs, they also understood the great significance of this and all looked solemn.