Wu Liang said, turning to walk outside.
He crossed the messy courtyard and saw Annia on a small hillside outside the castle.
She was sitting on the grass, hugging her knees, her head buried deep in her arms, her shoulders twitching slightly.
Alesha stood beside her, at a loss, not knowing how to comfort her.
Wu Liang walked over and waved his hand, signaling Alesha to leave first.
He walked to Annia's side and sat down next to her, saying nothing, just quietly watching the Tiee Fortress in the distance, which was engulfed in flames.
After a long time, Annia finally raised her head, her eyes red and swollen like peaches.
"Wu Liang... my home... is gone."
Her voice was thick with nasal tones and sobbing.
"No."
Wu Liang reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face,
"This is no longer your home. From the moment you chose to go with me, your home has been in the Black Rock Tribe."
He took Annia into his arms and let her lean on his shoulder.
"I know you're sad. But Annia, you have to understand, that's just how war is. Either I destroy your home, or your father destroys mine. We had no other choice."
Wu Liang's voice was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable strength,
"Now, the war is over. At least, on this land, we won."
Annia's body was still trembling slightly, but she didn't speak again, only clutching Wu Liang's clothes tightly.
Wu Liang held her, his gaze looking past her head toward the distance.
The fall of Tiee Fortress was just the beginning. It meant that the Empire's rule over the Western Territory had completely collapsed, and vast lands and countless resources would open their doors to him.
And at that moment, his system sent a new notification.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing the phase task: Capture Tiee Fortress and completely defeat the Merlin Family!]
[Task Evaluation: Perfect!]
[Issuing task rewards...]
[Reward 1: military technology tree unlocks the full set of blueprints for 'Rifling Processing Technology', 'Breech-loading Rifle', and 'Fixed Metal Cartridge'!]
[Reward 2: chemical technology tree unlocks the Level 2 module 'Basic Explosive Synthesis' (nitroglycerin, TNT)!]
[Reward 3: Host level increased by 5! Current level: LV65!]
Looking at the series of rewards flashing on the system panel, Wu Liang's mood instantly brightened.
Breech-loading guns and fixed cartridges! This meant his army would soon undergo a total upgrade; the rate of fire and range would see a qualitative leap. The era of smoothbore guns was about to become a thing of the past.
And high-energy explosive synthesis technology! Whether it was for mining mountains or blasting city walls, this stuff was a top-tier weapon of mass destruction.
"War really is a catalyst for technological development."
Wu Liang lamented in his heart.
He comforted Annia in his arms while his mind already began planning the next move.
First, he had to thoroughly digest the dividends of this war.
The armory and granary of Tiee Fortress, and the wealth the Merlin Family had accumulated over centuries, all had to be inventoried and received.
Tens of thousands of Imperial prisoners were precious labor; they had to be strictly guarded and put into the upcoming large-scale infrastructure projects.
Then, there was the rule over this newly occupied territory. He needed to establish a new order and promote the policies of the Black Rock Tribe so that the people here would quickly return their hearts to him.
Finally, and most importantly... Wu Liang's gaze turned toward the east, where the heart of the Roland Empire lay.
The Merlin Family was just a border noble of the Empire; the real big fish were still in the Imperial Capital.
However, before marching on the Imperial Capital, he seemed to have another, more interesting target.
In his system task list, a task that had been dormant for a long time suddenly lit up.
[Long-term Task (Not Triggered): Whispers of the Mist Forest.]
[Task Description: In the east of the continent, deep within the Mist Forest, the ancient elven kingdom 'Moon Whisper' is facing an unprecedented crisis. Ancient trees are withering, magic is fading, and a dark force is eroding their home. They are proud and xenophobic, but they also possess long lives, powerful natural magic, and... unparalleled beauty.]
[Trigger Condition: The Host's sphere of influence borders the Mist Forest.]
[Current Status: Conditions met, task triggered!]
[New Main Quest Issued: Conquer the Moon Whisper Kingdom!]
[Task Objective: Make the proud Elf Queen sing a song of submission at your feet.]
[Task Reward:???]
Elves?
The corners of Wu Liang's mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
He had been curious about this legendary race for a long time.
The fires of war at Tiee Fortress had subsided, but the smell of blood and gunpowder lingering in the air refused to dissipate for a long time.
Wu Liang handed Annia, whose emotions had stabilized slightly, to Alesha's care, then turned and returned to the Main Keep Hall.
At this moment, it had become the temporary command center for the Black Rock Tribe.
In the center of the hall was a giant sand table moved from the fortress lord's study.
Small flags of various colors had already been used to mark the terrain and power distribution around Tiee Fortress.
Akomann, Ignis, Sa Lan, Suina, and other core cadres were gathered around the sand table, discussing something with serious expressions.
Seeing Wu Liang enter, everyone immediately stopped their discussion and saluted in unison.
"Chief!"
"At ease."
Wu Liang waved his hand and walked directly to the sand table, asking:
"How's the situation? Have the battle results been tallied?"
Akomann stepped forward, pointed to a recently organized parchment scroll, and reported:
"Chief, the preliminary statistics are complete. In this campaign, from Blackwater Valley to Tiee Fortress, we annihilated a total of about eight thousand Imperial troops,"
"and captured over twelve thousand prisoners. Among them, nearly five thousand defenders and various personnel were captured within Tiee Fortress."
"And casualties?"
Wu Liang was most concerned about his own side's situation.
"On our side, 321 were killed, 186 were seriously injured, and light injuries are negligible."
Akomann's voice was a bit low,
"Most of the fallen brothers were hit by magic ballistae, rolling stones, and logs during the siege. I've already arranged for people to calculate their pensions."
Wu Liang nodded; 300-plus casualties in exchange for a decisive victory and a solid fortress—this exchange ratio was nothing short of a miracle.
But behind every number was a living warrior.
"All fallen soldiers will receive pensions at three times the maximum standard. The Tribe will take care of their families to the end."
"For the seriously injured, have Alesha and the medical team treat them at all costs. Even if they end up disabled, we must ensure they have no worries about food or clothing for the rest of their lives."
Wu Liang said in a deep voice, "My soldiers, Wu Liang's soldiers, shall not shed blood in vain."
"Yes! Chief!"
Everyone responded in unison, a warm current rising in their hearts.
This was the man they were willing to follow to the death: powerful, decisive, yet never stingy with his benevolence.
"What about the spoils?"
Wu Liang continued to ask.
This time it was Ignis's turn; she picked up another scroll, a hint of excitement on her face:
"Chief, we're rich! Tiee Fortress truly lives up to its reputation as a century-old noble house. Just the gold coins seized from the vault exceed five hundred thousand! Various jewels and artworks are even more numerous."
"The armory has nearly ten thousand sets of standard armor, with longswords, spears, and crossbows piled high. The grain in the granary is enough to feed our army of fifty thousand for a whole year!"
Hearing this number, even Wu Liang couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Five hundred thousand gold coins; that was a huge sum. The Merlin Family had been plundering the Western Territory for so many years; their foundation was indeed solid.
"Very good."
Wu Liang nodded with satisfaction. "Money and grain are our confidence. Ignis, you are responsible for registering and cataloging all the spoils for unified management."
"Subsequent military pay, pensions, and various construction projects will all need to come from this."
"Understood!" Ignis replied crisply.
"And the prisoners? How do you plan to handle over ten thousand mouths?"
Wu Liang looked at Sa Lan, who was in charge of logistics.
Sa Lan stepped forward and said with some concern:
"Chief, over twelve thousand prisoners—that's a massive number. Although we seized a large amount of grain, the daily consumption is also an astronomical figure."
"Furthermore, with so many people locked up together, management is also a major issue; it's easy for trouble to break out."
"Who said we're going to keep them locked up forever?"
Wu Liang smiled,
"They are precious labor. Have you forgotten what I said before?"
Everyone was stunned, then immediately remembered what Wu Liang had said back in Blackwater Valley—capturing prisoners to build railways and work in mines.
"Chief, you mean..."
Akomann asked tentatively.
"Exactly."