Chapter 113

The military strength of Vanguard Valley was undergoing a qualitative transformation in silence.

Every Storm Knight was like a piece of fine steel being repeatedly forged, becoming tougher and sharper.

They were the sharpest spear in Roko's hand and the sturdiest shield of Vanguard Valley.

However, just as Vanguard Valley was thriving and actively preparing for war.

A more surging undercurrent was growing wildly in the depths of the Bulake Kingdom.

Scout Captain Bake returned from the direction of the Royal Capital, covered in dust.

His face carried an unconcealable exhaustion and gravity.

"Master."

Bake knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse.

"Something big has happened in the Royal Capital."

Roko's heart sank suddenly.

"Get up and speak."

"What exactly happened?"

Bake stood up and took out a secret letter encrypted in a special way from his bosom.

"This is intelligence that our spies lurking in the Royal Capital risked their lives to send out."

"The Poison Scorpion Society, their influence in the Royal Capital has infiltrated to a degree we could never have imagined."

Roko took the secret letter and quickly opened it.

The content of the letter made his pupils contract sharply.

"They, they have actually colluded with members of the royal family?"

Bake nodded, his face looking exceptionally ugly.

"Yes, Master."

"The intelligence says that the Poison Scorpion Society has successfully won over a prince of the kingdom."

"They plan to launch a large-scale operation in the near future, with the goal of completely paralyzing the defensive forces of the Royal Capital."

"Then, they will support that prince to ascend the throne and take the opportunity to control the entire Bulake Kingdom!"

In the council hall, the atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point.

Martina, Hart, Falco, and others all gasped.

The Poison Scorpion Society!

This bandit organization that was once only rampant in the Xin Feng Province had now developed to such a terrifying degree.

Their ambition was no longer simple looting and harassment.

It was to overthrow the rule of the entire Bulake Kingdom!

"This is no longer a simple underground organization."

Roko put down the secret letter, his voice cold.

"They are a group of subversives with clear political goals."

Martina's brows were tightly locked.

"If the Royal Capital is really controlled by them, then the entire Bulake Kingdom will likely fall into unprecedented chaos."

"By then, it will be very difficult for our Vanguard Valley to stay out of it."

Hart clenched his fists.

"Master, we must do something!"

"We absolutely cannot let these guys' conspiracy succeed!"

Roko's gaze swept over everyone and finally stopped on Bake.

"Bake, how reliable is this intelligence?"

Bake replied in a deep voice, "Our spies traded their lives for this intelligence."

"I believe it is absolutely true."

Roko nodded.

"It seems that this grand drama in the Royal Capital is even more exciting than we imagined."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the council hall.

A moment later, he stopped and a flash of determination crossed his eyes.

"The ambition of the Poison Scorpion Society is clear to all."

"They want to profit from the civil war and eventually control the kingdom."

"For us, this is both a crisis and an opportunity."

Falco asked somewhat puzzled, "Master, what do you mean?"

The corners of Roko's mouth curled into a meaningful arc.

"The more chaotic the Royal Capital is, the more those grand nobles will focus on the struggle for power."

"And they will have less energy to pay attention to our remote Xin Feng Province."

"This will buy precious time for the development of our Vanguard Valley."

"As for whether to intervene in the struggle for the throne..."

?

Roko paused and continued, "It is still too early."

"The strength of our Vanguard Valley is not yet enough to occupy a dominant position in that level of game."

"Rashly entering the fray will only make us someone else's pawn."

"Our primary task now remains to accumulate strength and strengthen ourselves."

"Closely monitor the movements of the Poison Scorpion Society and the changes in the situation in the Royal Capital."

"See if we can plot some unexpected benefits for our Vanguard Valley in this chaos."

A flash of approval crossed Martina's eyes.

"Roko, you are right."

"In the face of absolute strength, any conspiracy or trickery appears pale and weak."

"We do indeed need more time."

Bake asked, "Master, then what should we do specifically now?"

"Strengthen intelligence gathering."

Roko looked at Bake.

"I need you to use all your power, at any cost, to find out the specific deployment of the Poison Scorpion Society in the Royal Capital, as well as the detailed situation of that allied prince of theirs."

"At the same time, closely monitor the movements of the other princes and the stance of those grand nobles in the Royal Capital."

"I want to have a thorough understanding of the situation in the Royal Capital."

"Yes, Master!"

Bake took the order and left.

"Martina, the internal defense of the territory cannot have the slightest slack."

Roko looked at Martina again.

"Especially for those newly arrived refugees, strengthen screening and management to prevent spies from the Poison Scorpion Society from mixing in among them."

"I understand."

Martina nodded.

"Hart, Falco."

"The Storm Knights, be ready for battle at any time."

"Once the Royal Capital changes, the Xin Feng Province may not be able to remain calm."

"Yes, Master!"

Hart and Falco responded in unison.

Just as Roko was fully dealing with various challenges inside and outside the territory.

A letter from the Raymond Family was delivered to his hands.

The letter was written by his father, Marquis Levis, in his own hand.

Looking at the familiar family crest on the envelope, Roko's mood was somewhat complex.

He opened the envelope and began to read carefully.

The beginning of the letter was his father's affirmation and praise for the achievements he had made in Vanguard Valley during this period.

Marquis Levis had clearly learned through the family's intelligence channels about the rapid development of Vanguard Valley and the key role Roko played in it.

Between the lines, it revealed a father's pride in his son.

However, as the content of the letter deepened, Marquis Levis's tone gradually became grave.

He mentioned the increasingly chaotic situation in the Bulake Kingdom and the cruelty of the power struggle in the Royal Capital.

He expressed his concern for Roko being in the remote place of the Xin Feng Province.

Worried that his foundation was still shallow and he would be drawn into those uncontrollable whirlpools.

"My son Roko, your father is deeply gratified by the achievements you have made in the Xin Feng Province."

"The glory of the Raymond Family shines even brighter because of you."

"However, the world today is in chaos, royal power is slipping, and heroes are rising everywhere."

"Although the Xin Feng Province is remote, it is not a paradise."

"Your father is worried that you will be trapped in the mire and unable to extricate yourself..."

Reading to this point, Roko's brows furrowed slightly.

He could feel the deep love between his father's lines.

But he also vaguely sensed that his father seemed to have other deeper intentions.

Sure enough, in the latter half of the letter, Marquis Levis changed the subject.

He mentioned the Raymond Family's stance in the Royal Capital and the family's expectations for the future direction of the kingdom.

He hinted that he hoped Roko could rely on the foundation established in Vanguard Valley to play a greater role for the Raymond Family in the upcoming struggle for the throne.

"The Raymond Family has been loyal to the royal family for generations, but now the royal family is declining and villains are in power."

"We nobles should choose a good master to serve, to bring peace to the world and protect the family's glory."

"My son, you have already proven your ability in the Xin Feng Province."

"The family hopes that you can judge the situation and prepare early."

"At the critical moment in the future, contribute your strength for the Raymond Family and for the future of the Bulake Kingdom."

At the end of the letter, Marquis Levis also mentioned some different views within the family regarding Roko.

Some conservative elders believed that Roko's actions in the Xin Feng Province were too maverick, even somewhat unorthodox.

Worried that he would bring unnecessary trouble to the family.

While other family members who were optimistic about Roko's potential had high hopes for him, believing he would surely achieve great things in the future.

Marquis Levis did not explicitly express his own stance in the letter, only hoping that Roko could understand the family's difficulties and his expectations for his son.

Putting down the letter, Roko fell into deep thought.

His father's letter contained a lot of information.

It had both concern and affirmation for him, as well as the family's expectations and pressure.

He understood that as a long-established grand noble of the Bulake Kingdom, the Raymond Family could not stay out of the struggle for the throne.

They would inevitably choose a side to invest in to ensure the family's future interests.

And he, as one of the most promising members of the younger generation of the Raymond Family, was naturally also given high hopes.

It's just that Roko had his own ideas.

He did not want to become a pawn in the family's political game.

He hoped more to develop Vanguard Valley and strengthen his own power according to his own will.

Then, cooperate with the family from a position of equality, rather than passively accepting the family's arrangements.

"It seems that Father is also facing no small amount of pressure."

Roko whispered to himself.

He picked up a pen and began to write back to his father.

In the letter, he first thanked his father for his concern and affirmation.

Then, he reported in detail the current development status of Vanguard Valley and future plans.

He emphasized the huge potential of Vanguard Valley in food production, military construction, commercial trade, and other aspects.

He wanted to let his father and the entire Raymond Family see that he, Roko Raymond, had the ability to carve out a world of his own in the Xin Feng Province.

As for the "expectations" that the family hoped he would participate in the struggle for the throne.

Roko adopted an ambiguous attitude.

He stated that he would closely monitor the situation in the Royal Capital and would also prioritize the interests of the Raymond Family.

But he did not explicitly promise how he would act or when he would act.

He cleverly kicked the ball back, winning more freedom for his own development.

He believed that with his father's wisdom, he would definitely understand his intentions.

After writing the reply, Roko handed it to Bake.

He told him to send reliable people to deliver it to the Raymond Family's territory as soon as possible.

After handling this matter, Roko felt that a stone in his heart had temporarily fallen to the ground.

The game with the family had only just begun.

He needed stronger power to have more say in future family decisions.

The night grew deeper.

Roko finished the day's government affairs and rubbed his somewhat swollen temples.

He got up and walked to the window, pushing it open.

The cold night wind blew away some of the irritability in his heart.

Just then, a slight commotion came from the backyard of the Lord's Mansion.

It seemed to be mixed with some low beast roars that carried a hint of excitement.

Roko's brows raised.

"Is that little guy Tain?"

His heart stirred, and a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Ever since Tain woke up last time and showed his initial flame control ability.

Roko had been full of expectations for this ancient bloodline exotic orc with S+ talent.

He instructed Fura to take good care of Tain's diet and daily life.

And allowed Fura to take Tain to move around in the Lord's Mansion and familiarize himself with the environment, provided that safety was ensured.

Counting the time, Tain should have adapted well enough.

Roko turned and walked toward the backyard.

In a quiet corner of the backyard of the Lord's Mansion.

This was originally a place for storing sundries, but now it had been cleared out and a simple but comfortable room had been built.

The room was covered with soft animal skins, and fresh water and some specially prepared meat were placed in the corner.

At this moment, the door of the room was wide open.

Fura was squatting at the entrance of the room, patiently guiding Tain.

Tain had grown a bit larger than before.

The two small horns on his forehead were more obvious, faintly flashing with dark red light.

The scale patterns on the surface of his skin were also becoming clearer, exuding a mysterious and powerful aura.

His pair of dark red pupils were lively and curious, carefully sizing up the world outside the room.

"Tain, come out and play."

Fura's voice was soft, carrying a hint of coaxing.

She held a piece of roasted meat that exuded an enticing aroma and shook it gently.

Tain's nose twitched, clearly attracted by the aroma of the roasted meat.

He hesitated for a moment, finally stepped out with his short legs, and carefully stepped out of the animal pen.

This was the first time since he woke up that he had truly stepped out of his "little nest."

The outside world was full of novelty and unknowns to him.

He curiously sniffed here and looked there.

One moment he rubbed his little head against Fura's lower leg, making a series of "whining" sounds that expressed intimacy.

The next moment he was attracted by a small bug crawling on the ground, stretching out his little claws to clumsily poke at it.

A gentle smile was on Fura's face as she patiently accompanied him.

That pair of heterochromatic eyes was full of love for this little guy.

Since Tain appeared, Fura seemed to have become a bit more cheerful.

A wonderful sister-brother-like connection seemed to have been established between her and Tain.

Roko stood not far away, quietly watching this scene, and felt a warmth in his heart.

"Meow!"

Fura seemed to have sensed Roko's arrival; she looked up at Roko and called out softly.

Tain also followed Fura's gaze and saw Roko.

His pair of dark red eyes lit up instantly.

"Awoo!"

Tain let out a happy cry, stepped on his short legs, and wobbled toward Roko.

Running to Roko's feet, he rubbed his little head affectionately against Roko's trouser leg, and his tail wagged excitedly.