131: Response and deployment

"You still chose to stay!"

Kapdo watched Renn walk down from the castle terrace with a calm expression.

"Mm."

Having made a decision in his heart, Renn's originally restless emotions calmed down.

"Staying is the right choice. The memory of the monster I probed cannot be wrong, and it aligns with the ways of those dragon clans."

"This is a test for His Majesty the Golden King. Furthermore, those Dragon Kin have lived in the Black Mountain Range for so many years that their population has likely long since overflowed. This war is also their means of culling the low-level population."

"As long as you hold Red River City, there will be no danger. Upon the lands of The North, there is the Eye of Observation left by His Majesty the Golden King. Once there are combat fluctuations at the Legendary level, His Majesty will detect them, subsequently drawing his wrath—something those dragons cannot afford to bear."

"Unless that Red Dragon Queen breaks through to the King Realm, she won't let Legendaries take action."

Renn remained curious; the Golden King's methods were so advanced that even The North, so far from the Golden City, was under his surveillance.

"Since that Majesty's methods are so astounding, can he quickly suppress this Dragon Calamity?"

Kapdo shook his head and said:

"Likely difficult. As long as Legendaries don't act, His Majesty the Golden King generally won't either. The last time His Majesty took action was a hundred years ago, when he killed a fallen Legendary Warrior Class with thunderous force, shocking the entire kingdom."

"The territories of the Four Borders belong to the Grand Dukes of the Four Borders. Unless they encounter a problem that is truly unsolvable, the Grand Dukes generally won't seek help from the Golden Capital or allow the Golden City's army to enter their own domains."

"In this Dragon Calamity, unless a Legendary intervenes or some other accident occurs, the three Grand Dukes of The North likely won't ask His Majesty the Golden King for help, but will instead resolve it themselves."

Renn roughly understood the reasons behind it.

"In other words, this Dragon Calamity might last for a while."

"Relying solely on the strength of the three Grand Dukes of The North to quickly defeat the dragon invasion, it probably won't be a short time."

"Then it seems I should do something!"

After making up his mind, Renn summoned everyone in the Red River Territory for an emergency meeting; the Red River Territory entered a state of war.

All resources outside the city were brought back inside. For things that couldn't be moved, like farmlands and pastures, they had to be abandoned for the time being, and the entire population was gathered into Red River City.

Everyone in the territory was quite surprised by the sudden order, but once they learned that dragons were about to attack, everyone immediately sprang into tense action.

"Lord, can we hold Red River City?"

The terror of dragons, those powerful Legendary creatures, was widely circulated in stories. Although none present had seen a dragon or their kin with their own eyes, they had all heard the legends, and were filled with unease.

"Of course we can. As long as I am here, it will be fine. Now, just do as I say."

"Once the population is gathered, all adult men will be organized into the Militia. Some warriors from the Guard Army will be drawn to give them basic training to assist in combat."

"Women must also be managed uniformly to handle logistics and support work."

"In short, from now on, the entire territory will implement militarized management. Everyone must follow unified arrangements and scheduling to get through this crisis."

Renn asked Fornal: "How many Nest Farmers are there now?"

"There are 420 in total, Lord."

"That's enough. Have those Nest Farmers clear farmland within the city. We need to prepare for a prolonged war. There is a lot of unused wasteland in the city; reclaim it so we can plant crops inside the city next spring."

"Yes, Lord."

With Renn's orders issued, the Red River Territory was momentarily in a stir. Everyone was organized to begin unified action. Seeing all the men organized for training, everyone understood that the territory had encountered a powerful enemy.

Renn looked at the gathered crowd who were at a loss. Standing on a high platform, he shouted loudly:

"People of the Red River Territory, I have brought you a prosperous and stable life, provided you with ample food and warm homes. But now, a group of monsters wants to destroy all of this, our home, and our lives. Tell me, what should we do?"

The originally bewildered crowd immediately grew agitated upon hearing Renn's words. They had only just started eating their fill and living good lives for a few days; how could they allow anyone to destroy all that?

"Kill them!"

"Yes, kill them!"

"If they dare destroy our home, we'll take their lives!"

Renn successfully stirred everyone's emotions.

"Very well. From now on, follow the orders of the Guard Army warriors, assist them in battle, and protect our home."

While Renn was making war preparations, in a room within Red River Fortress, Melissa watched the dying Alistair with anxiety.

"How did it come to this?"

"Alistair, hang in there. There must be a way. It's only a few days more; once we get through this, everything will be fine."

Lying on the bed, Alistair managed a faint smile and said:

"Don't worry about me, Aunt Melissa. You know I'll be fine."

"Perhaps this is my fate. I am also tired of pretending and running away."

Melissa retorted, "Don't talk nonsense. Your mother sacrificed so much for you, and with the help of Lord Sylan, all of this was accomplished. I cannot stand by and watch it fall apart."

As she spoke, Melissa used a more powerful healing spell, but Alistair's injuries did not improve.

"How can this be?"

"Don't waste your strength, Aunt Melissa. The power of the Dragon-blooded Creature has already damaged my core. This disguise inevitably cannot be maintained any longer."

"My fate, I will take hold of it myself."

Alistair spoke, a determination unlike before appearing in his eyes.

Melissa looked at Alistair, whose eyes contained a light she had never seen in him before.

As the aura on Alistair's body gradually weakened, another power began to condense within him.

Melissa said seriously to Ariya, who had been by her side, "Ariya, go outside for now."

"Oh!"

Ariya didn't know what was happening, but she obediently followed Melissa's words and walked out of the room.

As the power fluctuations on Alistair began to strengthen, Renn, who was busy in the Government Affairs Hall, felt the fluctuation and immediately rushed over.

When Renn arrived, he saw Kapdo and Ariya standing outside the room.

"Renn, come in!"

Just as Renn arrived, he heard Melissa's voice coming from inside the room.

After Renn entered the room, a magic barrier protected it. Kapdo stood guard outside; Melissa hadn't let him in, and he didn't force his way.

Although Renn's strength was not weak and Melissa, still heavily injured and unrecovered, theoretically posed no threat to him, Kapdo still stood guard alertly outside the door while keeping an eye on Ariya. He could provide support at any moment if there was an accident.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Inside the room, looking at Alistair wrapped in a cocoon formed by powerful magic, Renn couldn't understand what trick the Grand Duke's own son was playing.

"Could this be some superb healing method?"

Knowing Alistair was severely injured, Renn thought this might be a recovery method he didn't understand, just with a bit of a commotion.