Dawn City.
After finishing reading the secret letter in his hand, Li De’s joy from forging high-level weapons instantly turned somber.
Stanley had sent word, when someone from the Mercenary Guild handed in a mission, they reported discovering over a thousand beastmen wolf cavalry on the move, and they were even escorting dwarven captives.
This should have been good news, but the mention of over a thousand beastmen wolf cavalry made him furrow his brow. This was a formidable enemy.
Wolf cavalry were the beastmen’ elite riders. The dire wolves started at Level 5 when born and could reach up to Level 15.
To train wolf cavalry, one had to raise the dire wolves from when they were younglings to build perfect synergy upon maturity.
It was precisely this specialized method of training that made the wolf cavalry so powerful.
Both the wolves and their riders, with their mutual coordination, could unleash combat strength where one plus one exceeded two.
However, while the wolf cavalry were powerful, their training costs were equally high. Even large beastmen tribes didn’t dare raise too many; the Barren Plains were simply too barren, they couldn’t afford it.
But now, this beastmen tribe, which had even captured dwarves, actually raised over a thousand wolf cavalry!! The implications behind this were profound.
This was not an ordinary beastmen tribe.
It was just like the Vampire Race’s Whispering Bats. If he had five thousand Whispering Bats, anyone would have to tread carefully around him.
This wasn’t just surface-level strength, it represented deep underlying power.
And the wolf cavalry were merely the forces exposed so far. What about the hidden ones that hadn’t been revealed?
“Emi, Harrison, immediately assemble the Vampires and Whispering Bats. Everyone, except those required for city defense, must gather.”
Li De’s tone was solemn.
“Notify Stanley, Grote, and Betty to return to Dawn City at once.”
Hearing Li De’s sudden orders, those nearby looked confused. Only Valen’s face showed a complicated expression.
“Lord Kachar, you...”
Before Valen could finish speaking, Li De waved his hand and said indifferently, "That’s right. We’ve already discovered traces of the beastmen army. Their wolf cavalry are carrying dwarf prisoners."
He paused slightly and gave the dwarven grandmaster smith a meaningful look.
"Valen, abandon your pitiful delusions. The mithril vein will belong solely to Dawn City."
Valen’s body trembled, his expression deeply despondent. Though he had known this moment would likely come, he hadn’t expected it to come so soon.
His once spirited figure suddenly hunched over, as if he had aged several decades in an instant.
"Lord Kachar, I hope you will keep your word."
Li De looked at him deeply.
"Rest assured. As long as your people do not raise swords against me, I will ensure their safety."
After speaking, he turned around. Seeing the surrounding residents who had already stood up, all watching him with great excitement, he raised his voice powerfully.
"My people, I am your City Lord, Kachar.
Today, we have spent countless precious resources to forge two sets of powerful armor. To be frank, the armor worn by Kosso and Castro cost a total of one hundred thousand Gold Pucks in ore alone."
The crowd immediately erupted. One hundred thousand Gold Pucks?! That was an astronomical figure beyond anyone’s imagination.
Many residents only earned a dozen or so Silver Pucks a month, and perhaps two or three Gold Pucks in a year.
Now, forging just these two suits of armor had cost one hundred thousand Gold Pucks. Li De’s grand gesture left everyone breathless. It was simply astonishing.
"Why did I pay such a great price to forge these armors?
Because, we are about to wage war against the beastmen!!"
Li De had no intention of hiding it. Every time he launched a war, he ensured ample publicity. He wanted every resident to know that the Vampires were fighting for them, sacrificing for the future of Dawn City.
This greatly helped to unify the people. The rapid harmony in Dawn City could very well be attributed to the two wars he had previously launched.
One against the Cyclops, and one against the Dark Pact.
External conflicts were often the best way to divert internal ones.
"The filthy beastmen have occupied a mithril vein that does not belong to them. This precious vein can forge stronger weapons, can stop arrows aimed at our soldiers’ hearts, and is a treasure that even dragons would covet.
And Dawn City will take back what does not belong to the beastmen from their hands!!
Our soldiers will once again fight for Dawn City, for every one of its residents!
People of Dawn City, pray for the Saintlight Vampires.
We will return with abundant spoils.
Everything, for Dawn City!!"
Li De’s stirring speech, with his undeniable authority, immediately ignited the crowd into a frenzy.
"For Dawn City!!"
"For Dawn City!!"
"For Dawn City!!"
Starting as scattered voices, the chant soon became a unified, powerful cry that echoed throughout Dawn City.
Everyone's eyes were filled with passion and excitement, for this was the decree personally issued by their great Lord Kachar. No one doubted the grand vision of Lord Kachar.
Nor did anyone doubt their victory in the coming war!
With their great Lord Kachar present, Dawn City would become an unstoppable force. Every resident was both a participant and a witness!
Valen, the experienced grandmaster smith, watched this scene with deeply complicated emotions.
Looking at Li De’s handsome, elegant figure, a sincere respect surged from his heart.
A Vampire, a dark being feared and loathed by the outside world, had actually earned the genuine respect and worship of humans.
How astonishing, how shocking!!
Such an enemy was far too terrifying.
If given the choice, he would rather fight against ten thousand beastmen than become an enemy of this Vampire lord.
When facing an beastmen army of ten thousand, he still had some hope of victory. But against this powerful, unfathomable, mysterious, and incomparably wise existence, he had no confidence at all.
Seeing the people’s passionate scene, Li De nodded slightly. The hearts of the people were ready.
As a dictator who controlled both military and political power, he understood better than anyone the importance of public sentiment. That was why he repeatedly had the Propaganda Department tirelessly spread his message.
After nearly a year of ideological work, the residents' recognition of Dawn City and the Saintlight Vampires had almost reached its peak.
Thus, he had little concern about any rebellion breaking out in Dawn City while he was away at war.
"Nilo, during this period, the Dawn Order must stabilize the people's hearts. I don’t want any issues to arise because of the Saintlight Vampires’ absence."
Though the chance of problems was nearly zero, Li De still reminded Nilo.
With over seven thousand believers, as long as the Dawn Order remained stable, Dawn City would remain stable.
And with Nilo present, Li De was at ease.
"Rest assured, Lord Kachar. My sister and I will manage the Dawn Order well," the little girl Niko, who had come over to Li De, said with a bright smile, blinking her big eyes.
Recently, Niko had been learning how to handle government affairs from Harrison at City Hall. Through this training, her abilities had improved greatly.
A new talent in internal affairs was about ready to shoulder important responsibilities.
"Good. Assist your sister well."
Li De reached out and gently rubbed the little girl's head. After encouraging her, he left amid the cheers of the residents.
Harrison and Emi immediately followed closely behind.
At this moment, Li De also began to contemplate.
How should he deal with the beastmen?
The mithril vein was like a delicious fruit, constantly tempting him.
This was a treasure that could spark a war between two nations, and it was now just within reach. Even if faced with a dragon, he would not give it up.
Moreover, there was another key point, the dwarves, a race famed throughout Glory for their unparalleled skill in forging weapons.
In Li De’s view, the dwarves themselves were no less valuable than the mithril vein.
What was the most precious thing in this world?
Talent.
And what Dawn City lacked most was precisely talent.