Chapter 24: Chaos

In the Red Moon Calendar year 1135, the Rosen Empire entered a year destined to be etched into history, forever remembered—a year marking the beginning of its decline from glory and the onset of a century-long catastrophe.

“Your Majesty, the defeat report has arrived.”

“Hmm? From No. 357?”

“No, from the Cadillac Plane.”

“What? Can’t that fool Rusa even fight back against a crippled troll?”

“No, Your Majesty—it was Luo De who struck. The Dorong Republic’s army ambushed us. Prince Rusa’s forces have been annihilated.”

“Do they intend to swallow the Red Moon Plane? Let them see if Luo De’s teeth are strong enough. Who else knows of this so far?”

“No one in the Wang Ting knows. Chief Li Man Xue Fu should.”

“Is that so? Then tell Luo De that the Rosen Empire is willing to become a vassal of the Dorong Republic, submitting to him.”

“Your Majesty, are we really surrendering like this?”

“Hmph. Isn’t that old mystic Li Man always eager to oppose the Obsidian Clan? Let him deal with Luo De himself! He’s from the Red Moon Plane—I don’t believe he’ll willingly hand over this power.”

At that moment, Sakavi, eating roasted cassava on the Loka Plains, knew nothing of this new round of rivalry—and even if he had, it would have done him no good.

“Sakavi, a gorgeous woman is outside looking for you. She’s stunning.”

“??? I don’t remember knowing anyone that good-looking!”

"Nonsense, even Verna doesn't know anyone like that!"

“You two are certainly enjoying yourselves!”

“Lady Ruidena, what brings you here?”

“Exactly! Wood elves never leave their homes. How dare you lead such reckless wandering?”

“Hahaha! In my youth, I traveled far—visited the Pantheon, the Barathal Hell, the Abyss, the Selius Dynasty. But my companions died or were wounded, and unable to bear the loneliness, I returned to the Red Moon.”

“Wow, that’s incredible! Tell me about the Pantheon—did you meet Ferong?”

“Of course, I’ll tell you sometime. But today, I have urgent business with your friend Sakavi.”

“Madam, has a new power intervened? I’ve received no reports of any changes within the plane.”

“Correct. The Rosen Empire’s army was ambushed by the Dorong Republic on the Cadillac Plane. One million troops were wiped out.”

“When did this happen?”

“Just now.”

“Are they targeting this place? The Cadillac Plane has no flat land—humans couldn’t even survive there.”

“Precisely. This rebellion now has a new variable.”

“The Obsidian Clan truly grows weaker with each generation! Old Rodrigo was a demigod; his son could only maintain the status quo; now his grandson is being attacked at his own doorstep. What’s the elves’ stance?”

“We intend to continue supporting the Obsidian Clan. They cannot fall.”

“Is Chief Li Man also of this opinion?”

“Precisely. I now need to know your stance.”

“My stance is to stall—for years, if needed. Once a new balance forms here, even Luo De will have to ask the locals whether they’ll allow his troops to garrison.”

“You must ensure this chaos doesn’t drag on too long.”

“Rest assured, Madam. All Dragon Worshipers are under my surveillance. They can’t stir up any major trouble.”

“Better be true. Otherwise, your fiefdom will be yours to beg from Luo De. Goodbye!”

“Farewell, Madam!”

“Verna, have you found the Dragon Worshipers’ leader here?”

“Not yet. We only know it’s a legendary thief.”

“Alright. Keep searching. Grap, what’s the army’s status?”

“My lord, we have two hundred thousand Death Knights, fifty thousand Death Archers, three thousand Earth Giants, five hundred Gray Dwarves. We’re still short a thousand sets of armor—all else is ready.”

“Too few Earth Giants. Recruit more from the Underworld. Also, ask the Drow elves if any wish to join—each one gets one hundred gold coins.”

The Drow elves of Youancheng mostly serve as mercenaries, killing for various factions to earn money. They also sell forged enchanted weapons and woven goods, but these cannot sustain their lavish lifestyles.

The trembling Rosen Empire, its body scarred and battered, limped into Red Moon Calendar year 1136—a year that seemed both lucky and a final flicker of life. One by one, cultist uprisings across the empire were crushed, each battlement adorned with the corpses of cultists.

After seven months of continuous rebellion, the cultist uprising was finally declared utterly extinguished in February of this year. The Chief of the Church of War stood atop the towering Obsidian Mage Tower and solemnly announced that the last cultist of the Red Moon Plane had been hanged.

For a moment, the entire empire drowned in cheers. The Red Moon still shone upon the land; imperial rule remained as firm as ever. But this was merely wishful thinking. Conspiracies had never left the soil.

On May 12, the Viceroy’s office of Tarabang received a report from the Military Governor’s office of Carson: ten thousand people in the Jicao Town and its affiliated villages had suddenly become undead. Governor Lasco assumed this was merely a retaliatory act by residual cultists.

But as time passed, similar incidents showed no sign of abating—instead, they intensified. By early June, reports of massive undead plagues flooded into the Emperor’s residence like snowflakes.

Realizing the situation was far worse than he’d imagined, Grun reluctantly ordered the entire empire back into emergency war readiness. Legions were to be prepared to march immediately to the Loka Plains and eradicate the undead forces.

But this was still wishful thinking, for massive undead plagues had also erupted in the Vounao Plains—the orcish rear.

Worse still, after last year’s cultist war, the imperial granaries were completely empty. The Loka Plains were now ravaged by undead plagues, making food transport impossible—making the already difficult suppression effort even more desperate.

“Verna, how useless are these orcs? Last time they crushed the cultists, they even struck the Dragon Worshipers—yet they’ve risen again so quickly. Isn’t that the same as doing nothing?”

“Grap, you don’t understand. Under Grun’s leadership, last year a million orcs died without burial. If they fought harder, the Red Moon Plane wouldn’t need them at all—they’d be sent to other planes. Only when trouble arises are they indispensable.”

“I think this is just the Rosen Empire’s style—impressive on the surface, useless in practice. Even at Lord Rast’s domain, it’s the same.”

“You’re not wrong. We’ve located the legendary thief hiding for the Dragon Worshipers. I need your help eliminating him, Grap.”

“No problem. I’ve prepared it already. Just get this poisoned dagger close to him—he’ll drop dead instantly.”

“Is that even possible? He’s a legendary.”

“As long as he’s not a demigod, it’ll work. Don’t assume poison only affects ordinary people.”

“I need a guaranteed one-shot kill. You know how well thieves can escape.”

“Relax. I never miss.”

After receiving the Mage Tower materials from Grun, Sakavi felt it was time to act. On July 5, Sakavi’s Death Knight army appeared in Carson—the region suffering the worst crisis.

Unable to fight demons, he easily slaughtered ordinary-level undead. In just one day, Carson’s undead army was wiped out. In the following days, Sakavi led his forces across the entire Loka Plains, eradicating the undead plague at an unimaginable speed.

But while the undead plague could be contained, the massive loss of population would take centuries to recover. Just the corpses Sakavi collected and burned reached three billion.

Though this might not be a major blow to the entire Rosen Empire, the sudden disappearance of a region’s population inevitably collapses its economic model.

It would take at least ten years to evolve a new economic system. Thus, in the foreseeable future, the Rosen Empire would inevitably sink into a great economic depression, accompanied by widespread unrest.

But none of this concerned Sakavi. Having grown rich on the Loka Plains, he had now become Duke of the Western Region of the Rosen Empire. The Blood Spear Tribe had been relocated back to the Loka Plains to repopulate the land.

Officially, it was because Sakavi had suppressed the undead plague with merit. But the real reason? Commoners were not worthy to know the truth.

After receiving his sealed appointment letter, Sakavi immediately ordered the Gray Dwarf town moved to his new territory. For the Earth Giants unwilling to go, he generously paid them off and tore up their contracts.

Signing a slave contract does not guarantee unconditional loyalty—that requires brainwashing. If you don’t cultivate good relations with your subordinates or throw gold at them, no one will work hard for you.

In his new territory, the first structure built was the Mage Tower. For Sakavi, who frequently changed domains, the stability of the land mattered little—what mattered was having people under him. He needed the land to cultivate talent, not do everything himself—he’d be worn out otherwise.

To hold a domain, a Mage Tower is indispensable—it deters enemies and boosts morale among his own, just like defending a tower in a game. But the Mage Tower’s role is far more vital and multifaceted.

The construction techniques for a Mage Tower cannot be bought with gold—but Sakavi has connections. Hiring a few skilled builders was feasible. Learning it himself? That would take far more than a day or two, and there was no point wasting time on it.