[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-city-of-desire-kingdom-building":3,"chapter-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-562":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","City of Desire [Kingdom Building]",{"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},1846682,2449,"Chapter 564: Scouting Party","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-562",562,"\u003Cp>Barb Utsa\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, I woke up before dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of the camp had already woken up. I could even see the soldiers running in formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It still made me wonder how quickly these people could wake up. I am even surprised at how early I woke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was never an early riser, even as a child, and later, my business was that of the night. It is during the day when I used to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took considerable effort on my part to develop the habit of waking up this early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite that, I still woke up last within my team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I freshened up and took a quick bath. The arrangements are meager, and I miss the city the most at times like these.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have a fully accommodated college suite and my own home in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, these inconveniences are worth it, as I am walking the path I desire. It is filled with danger, but it is my choice. I will not have any regrets, even if I die today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I finished, I moved toward the sheltered area for practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I stopped and turned. There was a man who looked to be in his late twenties—a captain, looking at his uniform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is a tall man with a chiseled jaw, deep blue eyes, and green hair. He is quite handsome, and his brooding, angry expression makes him even more so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain,\" I greeted. \"Mercenary,\" he replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What can I do for you, Captain?\" I asked. He hesitated, his jaw tightening as if the words were caught in his throat. It seemed like he was on the verge of saying something important for a moment, but then he pulled back, letting the silence stretch between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he took a deep breath, recovering his emotion before opening his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You shouldn't have burned my lieutenant,\" he said with sparks of anger flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He shouldn't have come at me bearing those intentions,\" I replied, and the anger in his eyes intensified further. I thought he would come at me, and I prepared myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't, and the anger in his eyes cooled just as quickly as it flared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is a procedure in the army. If you had faced a problem, you should have complained to the competent authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Instead of taking action yourself,\" he said, with a tone softer than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had misjudged him. He seemed sensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't have any chance, captain. He came at me. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't responded when I did,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I may have been at a higher level than him, but my main class isn't a combat class. He was much higher than me, with better skills and more significant experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't want to take risks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still, there are procedures. You didn't follow them,\" he repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Am I being arrested, Captain?\" I asked, wanting to leave. So I could practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" he replied, deflated, with complicated emotions in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. He seems like the sort of person who wants to follow the law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to arrest me, but he couldn't. If it had been anyone else, I would have been arrested within an hour of doing the deed, but it is me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they did it, there would be a political mess, which they want to avoid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, Greltheaven had sent the forces to aid them, and the man in charge knew how sensitive it was to touch me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would have done something—at least officially reprimand me—if it had been my fault, but it wasn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have a nice day, captain,\" I said to him and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, I reached the well-secluded spot and took out the bottles before starting practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I practice it every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire breathing isn't a suitable fighting method. So, I train every day to make it as effective as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I practiced for an hour and a half before stopping and walking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reaching the camp, I went for breakfast with my teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"People are waiting,\" said Rev as he saw three men in uniform waiting for us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Have they come to arrest me?' I asked but soon shook my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One is a lieutenant among them. He is a shield warrior, while to his left is a woman in scout uniform and a man with a staff, clearly a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lieutenant, what can we do for you?\" asked Rev as we reached them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have been assigned to take your team members on a scouting mission?\" replied the lieutenant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many?\" asked Rev.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three. We will need two warriors and one scout.\" Replied the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elis, Hen, and Utsa, you three will join the lieutenant on the mission,\" ordered Rev.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When are we leaving, Lieutenant?\" asked Elis. \"Immediately,\" replied the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let us get our rations,\" said Elis, returning to the tent. We kept the weapons on ourselves but not the rations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weapons are always necessary, as we could be attacked at any time. They are also expensive, and we wouldn't want them to get stolen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, we were at the gate, and after registering, we moved toward the forest in front of us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Be alert at all times; there are a lot of monsters in the forest. Just yesterday, two teams have completely disappeared,\" said Lieutenant Karo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shuddered after hearing that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters kill much more brutally than the undead. They also eat the people; they love to eat the ones with higher levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm sure I must be scrumptious—high-level, brimming with mana, and carrying the attributes they crave above all else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has not a single member survived?\" I couldn't help but ask. \"No,\" he replied, and I shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have fought battles and even killed people, but compared to these people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am still very much green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, we entered the forest. Elis and the woman disappeared; they were scouts, while the four of us formed the formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our mission has a single objective,\" Lieutenant Karo stated firmly. \"Eliminate any monsters we encounter. It's crucial to prevent them from overcrowding the forest and swelling the horde's ranks attacking us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We all nodded and followed behind him. Looking in all directions, searching for the hidden danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything is silent, with no signs of monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the forest bears the scars of countless battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been battles in many places, and the signs remained as such even after days and weeks. One could imagine how intense these battles had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It scared me but also made my heart beat excitedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have never fought monsters, but I have made preparations that will help me with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour passed, and then another, but we did not encounter any monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There was a monster here about an hour ago,\" said Lieutenant Karo, looking at marks of monsters on the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is the sixth time we have seen fresh marks but no monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't be disappointed. Monsters aren't something you should desire to fight,\" cautioned Hen, sensing the disappointment on my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is right. So, I calmed myself and tried to learn as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another hour passed, and we tracked one monster but found another team had already dealt with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing I noticed is how efficiently these people work. Each team had a mage, and they were always in contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This way, they can cover more ground and deal with the discovered threats faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, it was afternoon, and we penetrated deeper into the forest. Slowly, I heard the sounds of monsters, but we didn't encounter one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were moving when suddenly, our mage stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Scout Team 32 is coming in our direction. A group of monsters is chasing them,\" he stated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many monsters?\" asked Lieutenant Karo immediately, with his whole self becoming alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sixteen,\" replied the mage, and his expression turned sour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The other teams are coming for reinforcement, but we, and Team 17, are closest to them,\" he added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at us—especially me for a moment longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's move,\" ordered Lieutenant Karo, and we moved forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Elis and the other scout joined us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, a team of seven appeared by us. Led by a brunette woman with a saber in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They are less than three minutes away,\" informed the mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We moved fast; I used the Graceful Walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could not use it at its full power, as it was Madam Class's skill, but I had been practicing it, using it in sparring and battles, and stretching it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That now, the speed I could harness from it. It is nearly double that of before; that is a massive improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am now fast enough to move at the rest of the team's speed without any problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, be careful. All the monsters coming are Grade III,\" informed the other teams' leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grade III means. Every monster coming has the strength between a Lv. 20 to Lv. 29 powerhouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are faster and stronger than us, but they are monsters. Monsters are dumber than people but not as dumb as one would think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They can be extraordinarily cunning when it comes to some things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A minute passed, and then another, when I heard the sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spread out, they are coming!\" ordered Lieutenant Karo, and we moved. A second later, we saw people running toward us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are bloodied and broken, with one of them seeming to be holding his torn arm in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them is a group of monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subscribe to to read more than20Advanced Chapters, Character Art, and Maps.Become aFree Memberand enjoy the Character Art, Maps, and other interesting things.\u003C\u002Fp>",1628,"2026-06-09T06:55:02.855Z",1,"novelbin.me","94d246beea9dfd49f14cded58cbbcdadbbe9e056cfb66eb4a048600641b5aaeb","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-563","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-561",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]