Chapter 41: The Emerald Sea

Training half a million werewolves is far more complex than merely distributing weapons and armor.

Qian Ye demanded that all the werewolves be mixed with the new human army, and battles would be fought by mixed units. This greatly increased the complexity of training and raised the selection standards for werewolf warriors.

Those who were physically strong but possessed an intense primitive beast nature and were unwilling to follow orders could not be selected. In the past, they had been an indispensable part of the werewolf forces. Once on the battlefield, their violent tempers would flare up, and they would charge without regard for life or death, serving as the most effective trump card in the hands of werewolf commanders.

But Qian Ye seemed to disdain such warriors, giving them no place in the mixed army. As a result, preparing a force of half a million soldiers would almost require mobilizing every large tribe, a task of astronomical proportions.

“No cannon fodder?” Eska didn’t say a word, but he was left speechless. It was good that Qian Ye wasn’t treating the werewolves as cannon fodder, but…

The training of the new human army already had a set method, but now it was completely overturned by Qian Ye, who adopted the rapid training methods established by Song Zining in the Darkfire Mercenary Corps. Thus, Xu Jingxuan’s workload was also significant.

At this point, the four of them were utterly exhausted, each holding a thick stack of pending tasks. Song Hui casually remarked, “With such a large army, I wonder who we’re going to fight.”

Her words brought everyone back to reality. The basic mobilization was straightforward, but depending on the opponent, the preparations and details would vary. The more thoroughly they considered these aspects in advance, the greater their chances of victory and the lower their losses.

Song Lun then turned to Xu Jingxuan, “You are from Yong Land, so you should tell us.”

Xu Jingxuan looked at Eska, “I’m still separated by the Great Corridor and Emerald Sea. Just two months ago, I was focused on how to resist the werewolf offensive. How could I have time to worry about such distant matters? Ask him!”

Eska smiled bitterly, “Don’t forget, even I am separated by the Emerald Sea. Our tribal maps don’t even fully show the edges of the Emerald Sea. How could I know what’s on the other side?”

“Maybe we should call in some chieftains from the Emerald Sea tribes for advice,” Song Hui suggested.

“Exactly.”

A few moments later, a werewolf chieftain with a head full of bright feathers entered the meeting room. His first words were, “You must know that I am the smartest chieftain in the Emerald Sea! Ask me, I’m the right person! Oh, what did you want to ask?”

This turkey-like chieftain, with his plump face and ears, was twice the size of an average werewolf, and he hardly looked wise. His reputation was that of a rash individual, though his luck had always been extraordinarily good, allowing his tribe to flourish.

Among the first tribes to surrender, his was the largest, and its territory was to the west. Therefore, Eska approached him first. The size of the werewolf tribes also affected the amount of intelligence they could gather, as many messages never reached the smaller tribes.

The group exchanged glances, and finally, Eska said, “Hawk, how much do you really know about the forces on the other side of the Emerald Sea?”

Hawk brashly replied, “There’s nothing I don’t know! West of the Emerald Sea, there are some werewolves and humans, and to the south, there are more werewolves and humans. Oh, maybe there are some other races too, but they don’t matter.”

His words were essentially meaningless.

Song Lun looked at Eska, “Can we find a tribe truly on the western border to ask?”

Eska shook his head, “They are too far away, and those tribes haven’t surrendered yet.”

Xu Jingxuan’s eyes lit up, “Don’t we have a target now? Let’s conquer those tribes first!”

As the group enthusiastically discussed, Qian Ye, in the command room, faced the map of Yong Land, pondering his next move.

This map clearly marked the distribution of forces and mineral resources across Yong Land, classified as top-secret imperial data. Qian Ye kept it himself, only duplicating parts of it when necessary to formulate plans.

After securing the Emerald Sea, Qian Ye originally planned to rest and reorganize his territory. But he hadn’t anticipated that most of the werewolves would pledge allegiance to him. To keep the millions of werewolves occupied, he had to accelerate his expansion.

Several days later, the battlefield was finally cleared. Qian Ye’s mixed forces, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of captives, set out once again, heading for the capital of the Emerald Sea, the City of Azure Waves.

Leading a massive contingent, the several hundred kilometers took days to traverse. As they entered the heart of the Emerald Sea, a vast expanse of water appeared before Qian Ye. Even standing on the deck of the warship, a hundred meters above the ground, the end of the water was out of sight.

Azure waves gently lapped against the rocky shore, creating a soft, continuous sound. The shores were lined with blue and green rocks, making the otherwise clear and transparent water appear like a giant emerald.

This water was actually an inland lake, but its extraordinary size, stretching hundreds of kilometers, earned it the name Emerald Sea, and the entire region was named after it.

After walking along the Emerald Sea for half a day, a majestic city appeared ahead.

This city was situated on a peninsula extending into the lake, with thirty-meter-high walls that exuded an awe-inspiring presence. The highest building in the city, reaching a hundred meters, had a large terrace at the top, offering a panoramic view of the Emerald Sea. The walls were built thick and solid, with fortresses protruding at regular intervals, making the defense impregnable.

The castle itself was vast, and beyond the castle lay an even larger residential area, extending beyond the peninsula. However, the buildings outside the city were mostly small and dilapidated, fitting the definition of slums by imperial standards.

As the army arrived, chaos erupted inside and outside the castle, but it quickly subsided.

The news of the fall of the Duke of Bones and the complete annihilation of the Emerald Sea tribal alliance had long reached the City of Azure Waves. Eska had already sent envoys to stabilize the situation. In the world of werewolves, it was survival of the fittest, and strength ruled. With the Duke of Bones dead, Qian Ye was seen as the new king. For the lower-ranking werewolves, they merely changed their object of worship; their lives remained unchanged.

The vanguard forces deployed outside the City of Azure Waves, forming military formations, as Qian Ye’s warship slowly descended. When Qian Ye stepped out, hundreds of werewolves were already lined up on both sides of the road, respectfully waiting.

These werewolves were all noble-born, with many being barons, but together they formed a formidable force. Dressed in luxurious attire, their weapons and armor were adorned with intricate carvings, indicating wealth and status. They were either chieftains, priests, or members of influential clans within the city.

Seeing Qian Ye, the werewolves were bewildered, looking at each other, unsure of what to do. Qian Ye’s appearance and aura matched the person they were expecting.

However, Qian Ye was too young, not just well-preserved, but genuinely young. Moreover, they sensed no trace of primordial energy from him, making him appear ordinary, yet the pressure he exuded was suffocating.

Eska, following behind Qian Ye, quickly whispered, “My lord, your aura!”

Realizing this, Qian Ye released a thread of dark golden blood energy. Instantly, the profound aura of ancient blood rivers penetrated deep into the veins of every werewolf, causing them to tremble involuntarily. A loud thud echoed as the nearest werewolf chieftain fell to his knees. Following suit, the werewolves knelt down, bowing deeply.

Carol’s expression shifted, her gaze on Qian Ye becoming more contemplative.

At this moment, Qian Ye gave her a different feeling, more elusive and unfathomable. The deep, obscure sensation was like facing an abyss. After the battle with the Duke of Bones, Qian Ye seemed to be constantly improving, with his aura changing every day, leaving it unclear what level of power he had reached.

Looking at the kneeling werewolves, Qian Ye retracted his blood energy, reverting to a common appearance, and said, “Rise, let’s enter the city.”

The werewolves remained kneeling, only daring to rise after Qian Ye passed. The suppression based on bloodline power was especially evident among the dark races. Such a large disparity in rank negated the racial opposition. For these werewolf powerhouses, they felt only Qian Ye’s terrifying pressure, any natural resistance to his blood energy having vanished.

A white-bearded priest approached and followed Qian Ye, saying, “When the duke was alive, I was the chief priest of the city, a position I held for over three centuries. Every change in this city is etched in my soul. So, allow me to guide you, my lord. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

Qian Ye nodded.

From the outskirts to the castle gate, a wide, stone-paved avenue stretched, appearing imposing. However, the areas on either side were filled with low, shabby huts, barely noticeable from a distance. Up close, one could see that they were made of wooden poles and straw, lacking even doors and windows, serving merely as a rudimentary shelter.

The furniture inside the huts was equally crude, with most lacking beds and having only dry grass on the floor. Cabinets were not in every home, and the visible tables and chairs were mostly broken, often propped up with branches.

The stench in the hut area was overwhelming, sickening to the human nose. The primitive werewolves were used to it, but the humans were not.

Qian Ye maintained his composure, discreetly enveloping himself in primordial energy to block out the smell. The mercenary generals, however, lacked this ability, wincing and looking as if they might cry. Song Hui, pale-faced, seemed ready to vomit at any moment.

Seeing this, Qian Ye sent her back to the warship to rest. The mercenary generals, including Xu Jingxuan, were not so lucky, forced to grit their teeth and follow Qian Ye into the city.

The path into the city seemed endless. More and more werewolves gathered on both sides, silently watching the procession. Most had a dull, despondent look, dirty and without the usual ferocity and bloodlust. They were gaunt and weak.

“Who would have thought there were such werewolves,” one mercenary general muttered.

Eska, with his keen hearing, responded, “Poverty exists everywhere, even among werewolves.”

“Why don’t they go to the Great Corridor?”

“Going to the Great Corridor means a life worse than death. Here, at least, they have a slim chance to ascend every year.”

Upon further questioning, they learned that the Duke of Bones annually selected a group of young werewolves, nominally as disciples, but in reality, most were mere servants and slaves, grateful to be guards.

Despite being mere servants and rarely seeing the Duke in the city, this was still a step up for the lower-ranking werewolves. Many thus gathered outside the city, hoping for the biennial opportunity.

The chieftains and priests in the city also occasionally needed labor, and the impoverished werewolves outside the city served as their labor force or even cannon fodder. Relying on the scraps from the nobles, hundreds of thousands of werewolves managed to survive.

Qian Ye saw things differently. He noticed that among the onlookers, there were hardly any elderly werewolves, with over half being young, and the rest mostly young adults.