[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-black-dragon-necromancer":3,"chapter-black-dragon-necromancer-black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-33":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Black Dragon Necromancer",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312793,4521,"Chapter 33","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-33",33,"\u003Cp>The year was 1145 of the Red Moon Calendar, a pivotal year as the entire duchy would undergo massive change; Sakavi had spent ten years since beginning the construction of the mage tower on the Bohe Plain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a decade of effort, Sakavi had finally cultivated a complete high-level governance system—why “high-level”? Because it only covered Agrik’s administrative structure; the systems for cities, towns, and villages remained incomplete and uneven in quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the three chief departments, the six bureaus directly overseen by the Interior Court were: the Security Force, the Finance and Trade Department, the Internal Affairs and Construction Department, the Justice Department, the Resources Department, and the Education and Culture Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grap now held immense power, overseeing all internal affairs of the duchy. Due to the sparse population and even scarcer administrators, Sakavi’s primary task remained construction; there was no choice in personnel selection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This year, Grap convened the annual work conference in Agrik, but Sakavi had no intention of attending—he wanted to test whether the framework he had built was truly reliable, whether problems would surface without his direct oversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After five days of intense debate, Grap arrived with a thick stack of plans to present to Sakavi. But Sakavi had no intention of reading them yet—he wanted to hear what the chief administrator had to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grap, tell me your thoughts on this plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, the main difficulty in the first half of the plan lies in our current personnel coordination. We intend to gradually refine the six departments over five years, but this involves reconciling many races—many of whom were once mortal enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Then how do you propose improving these departments? Which races should be assigned, and how should duties and authority be divided?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, when you first designed these departments, we lacked personnel, so everyone held multiple roles and was supported by a large number of secretaries gathered from all over. But this led to excessive concentration of power in single individuals, which is extremely detrimental to your rule—remember, not everyone is a vassal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well said. Do you think we now have enough personnel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, we still lack personnel—severely so. But by further subdividing responsibilities, we can leverage lower-level staff and cultivate more. For example, all current department heads were once my secretaries, along with Verna and Sulaid’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You speak wisely. I want to hear your specific proposal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll begin with the Security Force. It should be divided into the Operations Research Office, the Conscription Office, the Training Office, the Logistics Office, and the Personnel Office. We currently lack a standardized army; as they refine their own duties, their secretaries will also adapt to lower-level roles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Who have you assigned to these positions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you don’t know any of them—neither do I. But I believe we must get to know them, learn who they are and what their strengths are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So they’re all civil servants—even non-magical, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, non-magical personnel are excluded. Now, the Finance and Trade Department: Tax Office, Audit Office, Finance Office, Trade Office. I think you know these people—they’re the ones who constantly come to you for gold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those underground gnomes are my nightmare—I’ve only three million gold coins left. If your Interior Court can’t generate revenue within five years, I’ll have to return to my old trade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master, please trust me—we’ll see gold coins from the Luo Sen Empire this year. In fact, we’ve drafted a complete profit plan; I’ll present it to you shortly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. I’ll trust you one last time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, the Internal Affairs Department: Household Registration Office, Civil Affairs Office, Construction Office, and Urban Planning Office. This department, alongside the Resources Department, will be the focus for the next decade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you planning to implement the city-state reform law on a large scale?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. These tribal systems severely hinder our revenue growth and administrative efficiency. The Resources Department consists of the Agriculture Office, Fisheries Office, Salt Office, Mining Office, and Processing and Manufacturing Office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And finally, the Trade and Culture Department—beyond talent cultivation, do you have other plans?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. We intend to establish a Military Academy and a Magic Academy, but we lack instructors. May I request my teacher, Virenth, to serve as head of the Trade and Culture Department?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. Don’t involve her in our affairs. Let her live her quiet life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If so, our cultivation talent development will stall—this directly contradicts our original purpose for coming to this land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll find a solution. Focus on the rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, Master. You seem to have overlooked the Justice Department? But there’s little to explain—it’s entirely staffed by gray dwarves: the Legislation Office, Enforcement Office, Court of Judgement, and Prison Office. Their near-obsessive adherence to law leaves no loophole for anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about reforms for surrounding towns and villages? Vast stretches of wilderness remain unmanaged—each mayor claims it’s not their responsibility. I’m deeply dissatisfied with this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rest assured, Master. We’ve considered this. We plan to emulate the governance model of the Luo Sen Empire—though simplified.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We intend to divide the duchy into several provinces. Each viceroy will oversee an Enforcement Bureau, a Public Security Bureau, a Tax Bureau, a Household Registration and Civil Construction Bureau, a Tax and Trade Bureau, a Finance Bureau, a Resources and Manufacturing Bureau, and a Culture Bureau. We currently lack sufficient personnel to fully establish this local governance structure, so this will serve as a temporary transitional framework.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Let me guess—the viceroy’s primary task is to forcibly enforce the city and town management core system, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master. I believe we’ll need at least another ten years to perfect the entire governance framework.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand. I’ll review your plan in detail when I have time. Place all personnel appointments before me—I must carefully examine them for unsuitable candidates. You may return to your duties.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Farewell, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dismissing Grap, Sakavi crossed out the gray dwarf names from the Conscription Office and Training Office on the appointment list and replaced them with drow elves. Grap had focused on efficiency but neglected checks and balances—while both gray dwarves and drow elves excelled in military training, gray dwarves already dominated the entire Justice Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi would never allow any single race to hold excessive power. All drow elves were exiles; on the surface, they formed no cohesive interest group. As Sakavi gradually solidified his foothold on this land, defectors from the underground had emerged in nearly every ruling family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet since they were willing to pledge loyalty, Sakavi turned a blind eye—the underground world still lacked the manpower to control them. After repeated persuasion, the Black Forest finally agreed to allow gray dwarves to establish towns along the Long Zhi Mountain Range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this, Sakavi had so many gray dwarves at his disposal—unlike their surface kin, they thrived in the underground world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing that the Luo Sen Empire showed no signs of improvement but instead grew increasingly unstable, Riedna unhesitatingly agreed to Sakavi’s request to dispatch magical instructors—perhaps hoping to deepen cooperation and further secure the stability of the Black Forest’s barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By late March, it was planting season again. This year, the boar-men faced a major change: the two hundred thousand unwilling boar-men who had come years ago were now being sent away—unwillingly. Their wild, chaotic ways had largely been corrected, but they still paled beside the fifty thousand newly graduated boar-man students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fearing they would corrupt the new recruits, Sakavi forcibly selected one hundred thousand able-bodied boar-men and, alongside some centaurs and harpies, formed the Fang Legion—modeled after the Luo Sen Empire’s legion structure, except that light cavalry units were replaced with centaurs, and an aerial support unit was added. Otherwise, little changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boar-men’s mounts were giant tuskers—more than twice the size of ordinary boars, covered in thick, tough bristles. Giant tuskers were ferocious; once they charged, they were nearly impossible to stop, perfect living battering rams capable of easily shattering enemy infantry formations. They possessed exceptional stamina and carrying capacity, able to bear fully armed boar-man warriors over long distances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ate anything—tubers, carrion, even garbage—making them extremely cheap to maintain. They excelled in marshes and muddy terrain, making them ideal mounts for boar-man tribes. Sakavi favored them greatly: easy to breed, easy to feed, though less powerful and controllable than the orcs’ great rhinos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet only boar-men could control the giant tuskers—boar-men dealt with disobedient beasts by simply punching them unconscious. Lizardfolk could too, but they were ill-suited for long-distance mountain campaigns and were better suited as garrison troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tali expressed strong dissatisfaction over the withdrawal of nearly ten thousand harpies. She demanded all jackal-men be assigned to her to form a public security force. Upon hearing this, Sakavi agreed. He immediately ordered the reorganization of the Public Security Bureau: establish the Patrol Division, Rapid Response Division, and Security Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Patrol Division handled all public order matters—from neighborhood complaints to smuggling raids and criminal investigations. It included an aerial alert unit for support, field patrol units for smuggling apprehension, and a primary security force composed of jackal-men responsible for urban and surrounding security. Its commander was the Public Security Officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rapid Response Division dealt with magical criminals, cultists, and rebels. It included an Air Support Battalion, a Constabulary Battalion, and a Rapid Assault Battalion. The Constabulary Battalion was formed from retired or transitioning centaur veterans. The Rapid Assault Battalion consisted of elite jackal-men and served as the division’s main strike force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Security Division protected key facilities and strategic areas, composed of jackal-men and harpies ranked mid-tier in selection. It included Air and Ground Security Battalions\u002FCompanies, and subordinate Security Detachments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the plan, Tali remained dissatisfied. She demanded distinctive uniforms for the Public Security Bureau so everyone would know they weren’t bandits—they were legitimate personnel. What could be done? Her subordinates were the three greatest bandit races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The task was handed to the elves. Three months later, they delivered sample uniforms. Rapid Response Division uniform: compact indigo combat attire, crafted from durable leather and breathable fabric for maximum mobility. Core identifier—crimson cloak and shoulder armor: left shoulder bears a silver-gray dragon-head roaring emblem, with a vivid crimson lining. At high speed, this crimson trail clearly identifies allies and intimidates enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patrol Division uniform: indigo stand-collar tunic, cut sharply crisp, with silver-gray buttons and trim. Core identifier—ochre shoulder strap and sleeve badge: a wide ochre leather strap runs diagonally from right shoulder to left hip (for hanging batons, document pouches). Right arm bears a shield-shaped dragon-emblem sleeve badge with ochre base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Security Division uniform: indigo heavy-studded leather armor or light chainmail, overcoated with a short indigo tunic edged in silver-gray. Core identifier—dark gray cloak and full-face helm: worn a dark gray cloak, quiet yet imposing. On duty, they wear a silver-gray full-face helm adorned with dragon emblems; when lowered, it appears solemn; when raised, it conveys calm reliability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also delivered were sample lizardfolk standard equipment. Structure and material: a scale armor covering chest, back, and shoulders, made of oil-hardened leather embedded with steel plates. This design provides strong protection without impeding their flexible spine movement and tail swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High collar: protects the sides and rear of the neck without obstructing head rotation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asymmetrical shoulder armor: left shoulder armor is larger and heavier, shaped like a dragon head or crocodilian bite, offering extra protection when shielding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right shoulder armor is smaller, allowing free weapon movement. Open armpits and back: maximize limb mobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skirt armor and shin guards: reinforced leather skirt armor worn below, with bronze shin guards protecting vulnerable areas during charges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tail armor: segmented bronze or hardened leather “tail rings” designed for their powerful tails—protecting vital organs while turning the tail into a fearsome weapon capable of blunt or slashing damage when swung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cape\u002Frain cloak: a short, dark, waterproofed cape for use in rain or patrols, bearing the unit’s emblem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helmet: open-faced helm without a faceplate, preserving wide vision and keen smell. Helmet design mimics dragon or giant lizard, extending forward into a nose guard with cheek protectors on both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unified emblem: all armor and shields bear a carved emblem on the left breastplate or shield—black dragon claw gripping an anchor and a halberd—symbolizing direct allegiance to Sakavi and jurisdiction over ports and towns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Town guards display or inlay a watchtower pattern on the right shoulder armor. Port forces display an anchor. River crew display a wave pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this reorganization, Sakavi’s duchy at least looked legitimate—now it had structure, and anyone wishing to leave would find it extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Sakavi suffered defeat or was besieged, the residents who had survived only within this system would be forced to fight to protect their own interests.\u003C\u002Fp>",2105,"2026-06-20T13:10:04.638Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a5a0055ac390a81bf10d43c83b352807bec00eeaf8184405aa8e8ccdd5e548d7","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-34","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-32",145,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fblack-dragon-necromancer-cover.jpg"]