201: inventory

The bloody scent of the Red River Plain had not yet been dispersed by the south wind. Inside the temporary central command tent, the atmosphere was entirely different. The solemnity of victory had replaced the pre-battle tension, and the air was filled with a faint mix of exhaustion and high spirits.

Linn sat in the main seat, listening to the preliminary reports from the various generals. Yilman, Angus, Clay, and others were lined up on either side. Although most were covered in bloodstains and dust, their eyes were bright.

Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and a tall, burly figure clad in the general's armor of the Star Sea Territory strode in. It was the former Grand Marshal of the Southern Army, now a newly recruited Legendary Expert, Usachi.

He walked to the center of the tent and knelt on one knee before Linn, his armor clanking. "General Usachi greets Your Grace!" His voice was loud and his posture respectful. This was his first formal meeting with the young overlord who had single-handedly subverted the entire Aulai Kingdom.

Linn's gaze fell upon Usachi. The defection of this Legendary Expert, especially his critical defection and fighting on the battlefield last night, was of immense value. "General Usachi, please rise," Linn said in a calm tone with a hint of approval. "In last night's battle, you understood the greater good and achieved the top merit. From now on, you are a pillar of my Star Sea Territory. I hope you continue your hard work."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Grace! I will surely serve you with total devotion to repay your kindness!" Usachi stood up, a flash of excitement on his face. Receiving Linn's personal affirmation made him feel more at ease than any reward.

He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands again. "Reporting to Your Grace, the battlefield was chaotic last night. One of my deputy generals, while clearing out the remaining resisting enemies, captured someone in a hidden tent... Perhaps Your Grace would be interested."

"Oh?" Linn's eyebrows rose slightly.

The other generals in the tent, especially Clay, also cast curious glances. To be specifically mentioned by Usachi, it was likely no ordinary prisoner.

Usachi said in a deep voice, "It is Marquis Nobu Ailisi."

As soon as this name was mentioned, the tent went silent. Marquis Ailisi! Duke Lynn's nominal father, and one of the main culprits who had expelled the young Linn and his mother from the Family years ago, leaving them to fend for themselves! No one in the high command of the Star Sea Territory was unaware of this old grudge.

The muscles on Clay's face twitched slightly, and he secretly felt it was a pity. Last night, he had led from the front, killing with such excitement that he only focused on hacking down the Royal Army's generals, never thinking to search for this "old acquaintance"! This merit, which would carry significant weight before the Duke, had actually been snatched by the newcomer, Usachi. He couldn't help but glance at Usachi; this old fellow wasn't just fierce in battle, his mind was also sharp enough!

A hard-to-fathom light flashed in Linn's eyes, and he spoke with a half-smile, "Bring him in."

"Yes!"

Before long, several fully armed soldiers escorted an old man with graying hair and disheveled clothes, who was still trying to keep his back straight. It was indeed Marquis Nobu Ailisi. There were several bruises on his face, and his eyes no longer held the arrogance and shrewdness of the past; only ill-concealed shock, exhaustion, and a deep-seated, complex emotion remained.

He immediately saw Linn, who was sitting in the main seat, surrounded by everyone like stars around the moon. That thin, silent youth with stubborn eyes and even hatred in his memory... had now become a Legendary Archmage who controlled a million-strong army, stood upon the ruins of the Aulai Kingdom, and possessed an Aura as vast as the abyss and sea—a true overlord!

"The Dragon... has it finally grown to this point?" Bitterness and absurdity surged in Ailisi's heart. He had once viewed this illegitimate son with an impure Bloodline and " mediocre" talent as a stain on the Family, a pawn that could be discarded at any time. He had even regretted countless times why he hadn't been more "decisive" back then to completely stifle this hidden danger in its cradle. Or... if the Family could have set aside its prejudices and fully nurtured this son, who now seemed like an extreme Prodigy... Unfortunately, there were no "ifs." One wrong step led to another. The Family chose to side with Atos, betting everything on the royal legitimacy, and the result was total destruction. And he, the "father," had become his son's prisoner.

Clay, unable to restrain himself any longer, strode forward and unceremoniously kicked Marquis Ailisi in the back of his knees.

"Kneel!"

Ailisi let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground with a thud, his knees hitting the floor with a dull sound. The muscles on his face twitched, a mix of humiliation and pain, but he gritted his teeth and did not beg for mercy or curse. He just lowered his head in silence. At this point, anything he said would be futile. If he begged for mercy, Linn would not let him go; if he cursed, he would only bring further humiliation upon himself.

Linn looked down from his high position at his biological father kneeling at his feet. His gaze was calm and rippleless, showing neither the satisfaction of revenge nor the stirrings of blood ties, as if he were looking at an insignificant stranger.

"Nobu Ailisi," Linn spoke indifferently. "There is nothing left to be said between us. The fate of the Iris Family was buried by your own hands."

He waved his hand as if shooing away an insignificant fly. "Take him, along with Atos, and escort them back. Imprison them strictly in the Star Sea Island dungeon." Star Sea Island was the core base of the Star Sea Territory, heavily defended; imprisoning them there would be foolproof.

"Yes!" The soldiers took the order and roughly dragged the silent Marquis Ailisi up, escorting him out of the tent.

After handling this unexpected interlude, Linn's gaze became sharp again, sweeping across all the high-ranking military officers in the tent! Yilman, Angus, Clay, Batu, Ocean, Gordon, Sebastian, Usachi, Evan, Augus, Vaughan, Karl... these were all the generals under his command.

"The Battle of Red River is over, and the old lands of Aulai have been basically pacified," Linn's voice reached everyone's ears clearly. "However, external threats have not been removed. The Fama Kingdom had already stationed troops at the border during my civil war with Aulai, watching like a tiger; they are by no means benevolent. Now that our army has just won, although our Aura is like a rainbow, we still need a brief rest to organize our strength to deal with potential threats from the west."

He paused, his tone turning into a command:

"I want to see a detailed military report before sunset tonight!" Linn's gaze was like a torch. "Including the strength, equipment, combat losses, and replenishment of all original units of my Star Sea Territory; including the specific numbers, reorganization progress, and usability of the incorporated Aulai surrendered troops (from Holy Radiance City, the Southern Army of Red River, and the Royal Army's surrendered soldiers); including the current status of the two naval legions, Usachi's former units, and the Orc Legion; including the status and deployment of all airships!"

"I want to know exactly how many usable swords and how many shootable arrows I hold in my hands at this moment! If the Fama Kingdom dares to take advantage of the situation, we must be able to strike back with thunderous force. We must never let the fruits of our victory in the civil war be coveted or even plucked by outsiders!"

"As you command, Your Grace!" The generals felt a chill in their hearts and bowed in unison. They understood that the destruction of Aulai was only the beginning; the true challenge might have just begun. And their lord, even after such a great victory, still maintained a terrifyingly calm and forward-thinking mindset.

The tent quickly became busy as the various generals took their leave to count and summarize the forces under their command. The afterglow of the setting sun began to dye the sky red, and a new inventory and preparation for battle, concerning the survival and growth of the new power, was being carried out intensely. Linn's figure in the transition of light and shadow in the tent appeared increasingly deep and unfathomable.