Chen Yu crouched on the battlement, gazing into the distance at the fields not yet completely enveloped by the swamp, and further beyond, the abruptly towering dark stone land that stood like silent giants.
The fortress stronghold of the Goblin Army—Riftrock Pass—existed within the narrow canyon of this stone land.
From here, it was only a straight-line distance of over ten kilometers to the goblin fortress;
their fortress was practically built right up against the goblins' lair.
For these green-skinned creatures, this was undoubtedly a blatant provocation. They definitely couldn't bear it and wouldn't give up on attacking just because of one defeat.
From Chen Yu's perspective, the swamp had belonged to the slimes since ancient times. Clearly, it was them who built their fortress right next to his doorstep and then came to cause trouble at his home.
Faced with such a bad neighbor, a heavy-handed strike was necessary.
Below the wall, after a brief cheer, the slimes once again threw themselves into construction.
The buzzing of the metal slime drills started up again, felling trees, then the slime engineering teams hardened the ground and built up walls.
Their goal was to erect the fortress city wall facing Riftrock Pass before dawn tomorrow.
From time to time, goblins would stealthily approach, firing a few cold arrows from the distant reed thickets, or clumsily tossing a few stones. A few bold goblins even tried to sneak close at night to set fires.
But they were all promptly discovered and driven away by the vigilant metal slime patrols and Poison-stinger Wasp sentries.
This kind of minor skirmishing lasted the entire night, only gradually ceasing as the horizon began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, casting a pale golden outline over the busy scene of the fortress construction site.
After a night of hard work, a roughly four-meter-tall crude stone wall already stood tall and imposing, as if showcasing the slimes' astonishing engineering capabilities to the goblins.
Within the reed fields, a goblin scout hidden in a mud pit was dozing while holding onto his lizard mount, drool almost dripping into the murky water.
"Hey! Idiot, stop sleeping, wake up!" his companion anxiously slapped his head.
The scout jolted awake, bleary-eyed and complaining, "What... it's not even light yet..."
"It is! Look over there!" his partner, as if having discovered something unbelievable, said with a slightly trembling voice.
The scout rubbed his eyes and looked in the direction his companion pointed.
The morning sunlight happened to shine on the distant construction site, clearly illuminating the tall stone wall.
The sleepiness on his face instantly gave way to terror, his mouth hanging wide open.
"A s-stone wall? Built overnight?!" he stammered incoherently, as if he'd seen a ghost.
"How did these slimes do that?!"
"Hurry, get the message back."
Panic dispelled all drowsiness. He scrambled onto his lizard mount, charged out of the reed thicket, and raced madly toward Riftrock Pass.
...
Below the pass, in the goblin camp, the campfires hadn't yet gone out. From time to time, rough bugbear voices came from the largest tent;
they had been arguing, almost the entire night.
In the corner of the tent, Hammerbone crouched, watching them discuss. Although he was still injured and looked disheveled, his treatment was worlds apart from when he returned from the previous crushing defeat.
At least no fellow creature dared to mock him anymore, and occasionally even gazes of awe were directed his way.
Thinking about it this way, Hammerbone even felt that those damn slimes weren't so detestable after all.
On the other side, Grumg's face was so gloomy it could drip water. His arrogance had been utterly shattered by yesterday's terrifying bombardment, and now his mind was filled only with thoughts of dealing with those slimes.
He suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice, overriding the other bugbears' arguments:
"It seems the news from the Blacktooth mercenary company wasn't false... The elites they sent into the swamp probably also lost to these slimes."
Grumg looked around the circle and continued, "The Army Commander is still undergoing his trial. We can't do anything about these slimes;
continuing to discuss is just a waste of time."
"Strengthen the guard. I will immediately set off to return to Golden Radiance Valley and seek help from Lord Casaric..."
The moment the name "Casaric" was uttered, it seemed to carry a magical force, making all the tall bugbears fall silent.
The name of this great demon, even just hearing it mentioned, could bring awe and fear.
After a moment of quiet, a bugbear guard proposed, "Keep contacting the Blacktooth mercenary company. No matter how high the bounty, we have to pay it. We absolutely cannot let these slimes have an easy time."
He turned to the corner. "Hammerbone, this matter is entrusted to you."
Hammerbone stood up, his face regaining its former arrogance and confidence. He patted his chest. "Don't worry. When Hammerbone does something, you can rest assured."
...
The morning sun had completely leaped over the horizon, casting warm light onto the newly built city wall.
The metal slime hunting team returned, bringing back the local magical creature specialties. They climbed the wall and piled the magic organs into a small hill.
Chen Yu, who hadn't slept all night, had just finished his cultivation but was still full of energy. With a *plop*, he jumped down from the battlement to the pile of magic organs and began to enjoy his breakfast.
After resting and digesting for a while, a panel popped up.
[Gel Mimicry Lv.1 → Lv.2]
[Nine Ramparts Life Palace Formula Lv.4 → Lv.5]
[Devour Digestion Lv.7 triggered—Swamp Giant Mosquito characteristics fully recorded. Talent acquired: Rapid Reproduction Lv.1]
Huh?
Chen Yu's little eyes lit up.
This talent was good;
it could be given to the Queen Wasp.
With the dryad domain providing ample food, the only thing limiting the speed of troop production was the Queen Wasp's reproduction rate.
The territory was also in a phase of rapid expansion, urgently needing Poison-stinger Wasp Soldiers capable of garrisoning the various fortresses.
The appearance of "Rapid Reproduction" precisely solved this pain point.
The situation here was temporarily stable. The goblins, after consecutive setbacks, probably couldn't organize a large-scale attack in the short term, but sporadic harassment definitely wouldn't stop.
He decided to stay a few more days, at least until the fortress took preliminary shape and the defense system became more complete.
Remembering yesterday's defensive battle, he realized that always relying on Magic Leaves to shelter the walls was a method that consumed Magic Leaves heavily.
It could only be considered a compromise defensive measure. To truly protect the fortress, perhaps he should prepare a large-scale protective magic formation for each fortress...
The more he thought, the further his thoughts drifted. Chen Yu suddenly thought of the vampires at his doorstep, and then of Arthur and Count Bran, who had left on their quest for the crown.
With Galvin's help, they should have already entered the White Horse Kingdom, right?
It's just that they were too far from the territory. His connection with the little slimes was intermittent, and by now it had completely cut off.
He could only hope everything went smoothly for them.
As for Yano...
Chen Yu calculated the time. The gargoyle riot should have passed, and they had set off again. They should probably have reached the Stone Descendant castle by now.
...
Gore Ruins.
After the riot, Yano and the Stone Descendants set off again, continuing deeper into Gore, heading toward the Stone Fortress.
After passing through the outskirts, more building ruins appeared here, as well as massive stones scattered randomly across the plains and forests.
This place was far more full of life than he had imagined. Moss and trees emitting an eerie blue fluorescence were everywhere, some even growing directly on these massive stones, forming isolated islands of eerie blue forest.
Nilly, walking ahead, unscrewed her exquisite small water flask and took a satisfying sip of wine. Without turning her head, she said to Yano:
"Junior, you're probably wondering why there are so many stones here, right?"
To be honest, Yano was a bit curious, but not to the point of needing to know.
But before he could speak, Nilly continued.
"It's said that a very, very long time ago, before Gore was shrouded in the Darkness, this place was once part of the 'Giant King's Court.'"
"Especially Gore City. It's said to have been a glorious capital built by stone giants using mountains and stars."
She kicked a massive stone covered in glowing moss in front of her.
"Later, Gore was destroyed for some unknown reason. Those huge beings, after their fall, their bodies turned into these stones, forever remaining here."
"So what we're stepping on might be some giant's torso or toe."
Yano listened, dumbfounded, and subconsciously looked at the "ground" he was stepping on. He cautiously asked, "So... what does this have to do with us Stone Descendants?"
Nilly shrugged. "Although the old stones in the Stone Council refuse to admit it, many clues indicate that our earliest ancestors were likely servants or followers who served these stone giants."
"The stone giant lords selected humans with petrification resistance to stay by their side. Over time, in some unknown generation, a bloodline that could completely resist petrification suddenly appeared, and the Stone Descendants were born."
Huh.
Yano had thought the Stone Descendants were the masters here, but the answer was unexpected.
He hadn't expected the truth behind the birth of the Stone Bloodline to sound so... realistic. He had originally thought it would be some epic story related to gods, religious beliefs, full of mystery.
Leon added from the side, "No need to doubt it. Auntie is right. Faith and persuasion can't unite the Stone Descendants."
"Compared to praying to those elusive gods, we worship the ancestors who concretely gave us power and led us to survive."
"'Stone-Heart' Hailam is the oldest ancestor our family can trace back to. It's said his heart truly turned into a gem that never stops beating. It was once the symbol of the entire Stone Descendant family."
"But now..."
"The first Stone Scion Grand Duke, Ancestor Castor, once led the family to glory, even almost overthrowing vampire rule. He long ago replaced Ancestor Hailam as the most revered figure among Stone Descendants."
Nilly's voice came back from ahead.
"You, kid, watch your words when you get to the Stone Fortress later. If you talk nonsense about our ancestors, the few old men in the Stone Fortress might really throw you back into the ruins to feed the gargoyles."
Yano's heart immediately skipped a beat.
Seeing his expression, Nilly waved her hand. "Just scaring you. Look how timid you are."
"The number of Stone Descendants in the family is more precious than gems. For the old folks, your return is also good news. And..."
She paused, her tone becoming slightly more serious. "They likely knew your grandfather, or even elders from earlier generations."
Hearing this, Yano was suddenly stunned, his heart instantly flooded with a mix of confusion, nervousness, and a strange sense of anticipation.
After his father turned into a statue, he had thought he was the last of his family.
But now someone suddenly told him he had a large family, many "relatives" sharing the same bloodline waiting for him ahead...
This sudden sense of belonging and strangeness intertwined, making his heart race and inexplicably tense.
He subconsciously reached out and touched his chest.
Inside the soft leather armor lining, the little slime sleeping soundly transmitted a sense of steadiness.
Fortunately, the Boss was still there.
It seemed only by sensing this could his pounding heart calm down slightly.
The Boss hadn't moved for two days;
he didn't know how things were in the territory.
After learning from Nilly about the Blacktooth's massive influence in the Dark Realm, his inner worries grew heavier.
He didn't know how the Boss would deal with a mercenary formation company comparable to a kingdom's regular army...
Continuing on foot for a while, after passing through a forest of strange fungi emitting a soft fluorescence, the sound of gurgling water reached their ears.
Nilly, walking ahead, suddenly stopped and said in a relaxed tone, "We're here."
Hearing this, curiosity rose in Yano's heart. He quickened his pace, passed the last few huge fungi as transparent and glowing as crystal orchids, and looked ahead.
He saw a stream flowing with starlight-like fluorescent water winding its way, flowing into an open valley.
Surrounded by the stream, an ancient stone fortress stood quietly deep within the dense forest. Faintly, he could also see wisps of cooking smoke rising around it, along with more houses encircling the fortress.
Was this where the Stone Descendants lived?
It was completely different from what he had imagined.
It was simply a secluded place where forest elves from fairy tales would live.
Yano was staring in a daze when he suddenly felt something move in his chest.
He looked down. The little slime had already poked half its head out of the leather armor, also using its round little eyes to gaze at the distant stone fortress.
Huh?
This place is pretty nice.
He had thought the Stone Descendants lived in those gloomy ancient castles made of nothing but stone.
Looking at it this way, aside from this guy Yano, the other Stone Descendants had quite good taste.
Yano snapped back to reality, his face showing delight, and whispered, "Boss, is the territory okay..."
Chen Yu asked, puzzled, "What could happen?"
"Those mercenaries, didn't they go to the swamp?"
Yano was a bit confused. Had the Boss slept too much?
"Oh, you mean those guys."
Chen Yu was unusually calm. "Some died, some ran away. Those who didn't run away are now helping me repair the city walls."
Huh?
The formation company was defeated? That fast?
Yano's face became bewildered.
He had imagined many scenarios, even prepared for the worst, but he never expected this outcome.
That was a fifty-man formation company equipped with heavy-armored warriors, numerous scrolls, and elite professionals.
Weren't they supposed to be very powerful?
Was the intel false?
Seeing his foolish expression, Chen Yu nudged him, as if saying, what's there to be so surprised about.
"So, did you guys deal with those fellows?" Nilly curiously leaned over, her gaze flicking toward Chen Yu.
Yano instinctively lowered his head, using his eyes to ask the little boss in his chest whether he should say it or not, if this counted as leaking territory secrets.
Chen Yu squirmed in his embrace, trying to find a more comfortable position. "I reckon this matter has already spread throughout the Dark Realm. Even those green-skinned shorties know about it. Saying it out loud isn't a big deal."
Yano, having received confirmation, then told her the news about the defeat of the formation company dispatched by the Blacktooth mercenary company.
After hearing it, Nilly's face showed surprise and strong interest.
That bounty intel about the forces in the Eastern Swamp was something she personally gave to Yano;
its authenticity was unquestionable.
Moreover, she clearly understood what such a fifty-man formation company led by elite professionals and equipped with scrolls meant.
In the Dark Realm, probably only vampires and Stone Descendants could handle it;
there were no others.
From what Yano implied, it seemed the other side was completely crushed.
Nilly realized she might have somewhat underestimated these soft, squishy slimes.
Her face became thoughtful, but in the end, she just raised an eyebrow, temporarily suppressing the questions in her heart, turned around, and waved her hand. "Let's go. It's just ahead."
As they continued forward, after circling a few moss-covered massive stones, the scene before them suddenly opened up.
In front of that ancient stone fortress appeared a small, dimly lit village.
Further ahead were vast fields planted with fluorescent crops.
These crops came in various forms. Some resembled drooping lantern grass, emitting a warm yellow glow;
others were like shimmering star moss, connecting into a starry field of faint light in the fields. There were also tall fluorescent fungi, illuminating the main roads like street lamps.
Chen Yu looked around curiously and soon followed Yano into the village.
Stone houses were scattered orderly along both sides of the road. Near the stone fortress, there was also a bustling market square. Even in the morning, many figures could be seen moving among the stalls.
Getting closer, one could smell the aroma of roasted mushrooms, spices, and some kind of sweet berry from the stalls selling various foods.
In the market, Yano saw many demi-humans of various forms. A cave-dwelling merchant with huge night-vision eyes was organizing his ore stall;
a few stocky gray dwarf blacksmiths were hammering away in their shops.
There were even a few demi-human girls with transparent wings on their backs, carrying baskets as they flew lightly over the market.
"Are all these people Stone Descendants? So many..." Yano was somewhat surprised.
Elara explained from the side, "Of course not everyone is a Stone Descendant."
"Even the smallest territory needs subjects to manage it. The Stone Fortress itself can indeed be almost self-sufficient, but many daily necessities, specialty foods, and materials for external exchange rely on this 'Fluorescent Town.'"
"Many demi-humans have lived here for generations, under the protection of the Stone Fortress, and also serve us."
As she spoke, a patrol of demi-human knights noticed them and trotted over on their lizard mounts with a *clip-clop*.
The leading cave-dwelling knight, upon reaching Nilly, immediately reined in his mount, placed his right hand over his chest, and saluted respectfully:
"Lady Nilly, welcome back."
Nilly casually waved her hand. "Karn, while I was away, nothing major happened in the castle, right?"
The demi-human knight captain named Karn shook his head, his voice steady. "All was calm. It's just... a few mischievous little Stone Descendants sneaked off to play deep in the Fluorescent Forest and almost got lost. The patrol already brought them back."
Nilly snorted upon hearing this. "I'll deal with those little brats later. Alright, you go back first and notify the Stone Descendants at the manor that I've returned."
"Remember to specifically mention that Leon and the others, while out this time, picked up an outsider Stone Descendant on the way."
"An outsider Stone Descendant?!"
Captain Karn was clearly startled. His eyes immediately fell on Yano, noticing that his demeanor and attire were indeed different from other Stone Descendants, more like someone from outside the Dark Realm.
He quickly suppressed his surprise and nodded solemnly. "Understood. I'll go report immediately!"
After saying this, he turned his mount, gave it a light kick, and the lizard immediately started off, galloping toward the stone fortress gate on the hillside, obviously going to deliver the news.