Chapter 669: Repeated Feints to Lure the Tiger from the Mountain
Barrel after barrel of Wildfire Oil emerged from the teleportation circle.
Massive mechanical arms carried them aside and loaded them into enormous containers.
These custom containers used a rolling-style ammo bin design to lock the barrels in place for safe and efficient transport.
When opening the container to supply goods, the barrels could be ejected quickly through a spring-loaded chute.
This invention came from a goblin named Gary who often worked loading and unloading cargo at the docks.
He frequently moved barrels filled with water or fish into containers and was frustrated by the loss and hassle caused by barrels rolling around.
So Gary carefully studied how to place barrels, trying various fixed arrangements—but could only ever solve the issue of transport, not unloading.
Sometimes the barrels were so securely placed that unloading them became another problem.
After struggling for a long time, inspiration finally struck during a battle with Wokou pirates.
While needing to push ammunition into a magazine, Gary suddenly had an epiphany.
Ammunition rounds were just like barrels, weren't they?
They could obediently be packed into magazines, so why not barrels?
After driving off the Wokou pirates, Gary returned to the docks to study it further and eventually succeeded.
He handed his invention to the Bigao Institute to jointly develop other types of containers and share in the profits.
Bay Territory also rewarded Gary, bringing his annual income to over 100,000 gold coins.
Yet another inventor made rich by innovation.
It inspired more inventors to rise in Bay Territory.
A full six custom containers were stacked and sent off through the teleportation circle.
The staff checked the formation, confirmed it was intact, and continued their busy work.
Inside the dispatch office, Steward Ralph was in discussion with Parry and Knight Harley.
"Bloodmoon City excels at manufacturing golem parts, control cores, magical weapon cores, and large teleportation circles."
"The Silvermoon Family has profound skill in life essence, magical potions, magical weapon enchantments, and combat supplies."
Upon hearing this, Parry and Knight Harley exchanged a glance and nodded.
Bay Territory's willingness to cooperate and share part of the profits gave it clear dominance.
Moreover, Steward Ralph's judgment was spot-on.
Since the two sides didn't really compete, there was no cause for conflict.
They were also used to Bay Territory discussing everything—tasks and profit splits—beforehand.
This avoided disputes and might even lead to future collaboration.
Only Bay Territory had the confidence and temperament for this. Any other faction would have tried to pit them against each other for gain.
Knight Harley nodded, took the list from Ralph, and replied confidently:
"No problem. As long as Bay Territory supplies the raw materials, leave the production to us."
Parry raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze sweeping over Harley's noticeably taller frame and sensing his powerful aura. Guessing something, he also nodded:
"We'll speed up training and try to keep the production lines running at full capacity."
"Also, we need to send a batch of Aelven children here. What would the cost be?"
Harley, just about to leave, halted at that line.
Aelven children?
Sent to Bay Territory?
He instinctively pricked up his ears to hear Parry's intentions.
Can't blame Harley for being so interested—Bloodmoon City's growing partnership with Bay Territory came with an ever-increasing appetite from the latter.
Even Bloodmoon's current production was struggling to satisfy Bay Territory's demand for all types of supplies.
And now with Bay Territory advancing on the Catachan Demi-Plane, just the last two days' worth of orders were enough to trouble Harley.
Everything else was manageable—except there simply weren't enough skilled production professionals.
Even with Tower Spirit 343 coordinating, it was becoming too much.
Even the best cook can't make a meal without ingredients!
Harley's instinct was to recruit talent from Bay Territory.
But after a few attempts, he realized it wouldn't work.
It was like tossing dumplings at a dog—they never came back.
If even a third wanted to return, that was already the most determined group.
So when he heard Parry planned to send children, of course he had to look into it.
Steward Ralph responded as Harley expected, nodding casually:
"Send their parents to Bay Territory to sign a 10-year labor contract or an adventurer agreement requiring ten appropriate-level quests a year..."
The terms were identical to those for others and adventurers—no privileges, no roadblocks.
Same treatment as the last batch of students from Bloodmoon City.
Harley assumed Parry would bargain, but instead the man simply nodded:
"No problem. I'll send over a batch right away, about a thousand."
"Alright then, just get them here."
Hearing this, Harley felt an odd sense of unease.
Just like that?
He watched their expressions—they didn't seem to be scheming.
Facing their current predicament, Harley clenched his teeth.
"After training in Bay Territory, even one of these kids is worth seven or eight of the old ones. Even if only a third come back, it's still a win!"
"And we were overthinking things. Adults cost a lot to raise, so it's a pity if they run off. But kids? Totally different..."
Suddenly inspired, Harley thought of Bloodmoon's welfare institutes and made up his mind.
After all, there were many collaborative projects between Bloodmoon and Bay Territory, and plenty of Bloodmoon soldiers and staff were already doing Bay Territory missions.
With those conditions, they ought to make the most of it.
Given Bay Territory's allure, most kids likely wouldn't return—but even if one or two did, or if they helped Bloodmoon later, that was a gain.
And besides, it was a good deed!
Seeing Bay Territory develop so fast while Bloodmoon stayed stuck despite years of effort—
Of course Harley wasn't content. To truly take control of Bloodmoon, he had to act.
But it wouldn't be easy!
While Harley was deep in thought, orders and tasks were already relayed to Bloodmoon City and the Rocky Mountains.
Production lines already running began ramping up upon learning of the new orders.
Both areas had adopted Bay Territory's production system: more output, higher quality, better pay.
It was clear that as Bay Territory reaped more from the Catachan Demi-Plane,
they'd only get busier—and richer.
They were deeply grateful for Bay Territory's emergence.
Without it, ever-increasing factory work and tasks would only weigh them down.
After working with Bay Territory, some of them even went there for training, and their jobs changed completely.
Higher pay, better skills, better working conditions, and better lives for their families.
They didn't expect to live like Bay Territory staff—with such incredible freedom.
They just wanted to see their lives improve—and they were content.
Bloodmoon City and the Rocky Mountains got busier.
So did other regions of Bay Territory.
Camps and outposts across the Dark Forest raised task payouts by 15%, greatly motivating the adventurers.
Some soldiers not selected for the Catachan campaign took out their frustration by sweeping nearby areas.
They also turned their attention to the trolls in the Dark Forest.
Their main aim was to gather intel on troll tribes—capturing a few prisoners was just extra.
Bay Territory currently had no plans to engage the trolls.
But once the resource development in the Dark Forest was complete,
all this preparation would be invaluable.
The commanders there also hoped their soldiers would grow stronger.
Underdark.
In the newly renamed city of Azshara, swarms of Underdark merchants gathered.
They brought massive numbers of slaves and supplies and left with tons of war resources and food.
It wasn't like the drow hadn't noticed.
But most of them had failed.
Not only had they lost troops, but Sera even "raised the price" and profited hugely.
Greedy drow factions never give up just because enemies are tough.
But after observing Azshara, they hit a frustrating wall.
Azshara had too many resources.
Every day, caravans hauled off hundreds or thousands of tons of goods.
Goods that made the drow green with envy.
Their logic? If Azshara could sell so much, they must have even more stashed.
Wrong!
Azshara's trade system gave them headaches!
They'd teleport the goods and payment from visiting merchants to the other side.
Within ten minutes, the return teleportation delivered the exact goods requested.
Simple.
Unbreakable.
The drow weren't above trying tricks.
They sent scouts and assassins through the portal—none returned.
Even casters sent over met the same fate.
Azshara quickly learned of them and retaliated multiple times.
With the Dragon Warriors' strength and Bay Territory's lightning-fast response, the drow suffered badly.
Azshara didn't stop at killing—they arrogantly demanded reparations.
Power speaks!
That's the rule of the Underdark.
So other drow could only watch Azshara's power grow.
The five ruined cities of the duergar had become seven.
A massive fortress now stood between the mind flayer front and the drow battlefield.
Azshara kept growing stronger, and the drow grew more hesitant.
Sera had once eyed Suramar and Mobresso with caution, even preparing "surprises" for them.
But neither had made a move.
Perplexed, Sera consulted Matthew. His assurance finally put her at ease:
"Grow fast. Trade for as many slaves and resources as possible. Expand and build as many cities as you can."
"But make sure every city is self-sufficient, defensible, and has the power to perish with its enemy."
Understanding that, Sera dropped her worries and began her aggressive expansion.
Especially with the arrival of another round of huge orders.
She enthusiastically sent trade offers to all the Underdark caravans:
"If Azshara doesn't have it, you wouldn't want it anyway!"
Arrogant words, but they matched drow thinking perfectly.
Might makes right!
And you must say it loud to kill others' ambitions.
On this basis, Sera had even bigger ambitions.
She didn't intend to produce anything in the Underdark.
Doing so would expose her weakness and attract drow envy.
The Underdark is no place for farming!
So she focused harder on training soldiers and developing various slave types.
With Bay Territory's education models and the Underdark's unique culture and market,
she launched "re-education" of Bay Territory's captured slaves.
Here, every slave had to master at least one skill or ability and learn obedience.
With resources, systems, and execution, Sera soon produced the skilled "talent" Bay Territory needed.