Chapter 315: Three Years and Elite Troops

"Building the Spirit Vein sequence structures is easier said than done. More importantly, it is unclear whether I will be discovered by other Demon Toads if I tap into the power of the Spirit Veins. The fourth and fifth generations here in the Southlands are one thing, but whether Master Ma and Master Ke know about it, or whether they would want to intervene, is hard to say."

"Hm? Core restricted area, no one, no one is allowed to pass!"

Sinuoli thought to himself as he walked out, when suddenly several weapons reached out from a corner to block him.

"Which unit are you from? What are you messing around with here?"

Just hearing the clashing sound of armor and weapons, Sinuoli's body reacted subconsciously; the combat experience gained from fighting north and south was not dulled by three years of study. He had his skills ready before he realized that those around him were just a few drunken kinsmen.

"Y-you are His, *hic*, His Majesty Sinuoli?"

The tipsy Dwarfs saw the Zhihui Huangguan atop Sinuoli's head and only then realized that the person they had blocked was the very one they were supposed to protect.

"Let's go. Tell me what major events have happened in these three years, if you are still sober enough."

Sinuoli muttered; anyone would find it unpleasant to discover their security personnel in such a state. Drinking on the job has always existed in Dwarf society, but it is also intentionally or unintentionally ignored by the clansmen.

After exiting the mine, a small patrol of Rangers discovered their King. Surrounded and brought to the foot of Gaoyuanbao, Sinuoli found that it was much, much more prosperous than three years ago; a town had appeared beneath the city walls before the Rune Gate.

"You have finally come out, my King!"

Balin trotted over; his current position was Sinuoli's Chief Civil Officer and a member of the Council of Elders of Kalake-Zuen.

"You have worked hard these three years." Balin looked much older; Sinuoli still remembered his initial baby-faced appearance. However, this young man had been nourished by power, and his spirit was clearly quite good.

"Thanks to you and the Ancestor Gods, our territory changes almost every day!" Balin said while leading Sinuoli inside.

"It looks really great; reducing the interference of royal power is the best way to accelerate development." Sinuoli muttered to himself. He pulled up the system and found that, relative to the extremely high development value, the public order was not so pleasing.

"First is immigration. With the joining of our friends from the Empire of Man, the Southlands have already completed the first phase of the immigration goals you set, basically achieving self-sufficiency in food."

Walking into the top-level office, Balin's subordinates had already prepared documents and maps.

"The railway has also been built. The Engineers are making final adjustments, and it will be fully operational in a few days."

"Hm, just as planned!"

Sinuoli praised. The difficulty of building this railway in the Southlands was not high; if he wanted to, he could have shortened the construction period significantly by working on multiple fronts. The reason it dragged on for three years was to allow the new immigrants to have jobs immediately to support their families, while also training some local Engineers.

"Externally, the situation is mainly concentrated at Red Cloud Mountain Fortress. Some of the Tomb Kings east of Coffin Canyon have awakened, and there seems to be some dark force brewing in Lamia as well."

"So we have diverted some of our troops?" Sinuoli asked, considering the mediocre quality of the guards he saw earlier.

"Yes, well, I think, this, perhaps." Balin stammered.

"It's okay, speak boldly, I understand." Sinuoli waved his hand. He knew that being a hands-off manager would inevitably lead to some problems, especially during a period of rapid development.

Dwarfs are inherently inflexible, and it is common for them not to come up with good solutions when facing new problems and challenges. But he had his own hidden reasons for doing this; his good relationship with the Lizardmen was based on the promise to repair the Spirit Vein bridge towers, and even if Outelakesi did not urge him, he had to keep it in mind.

"Whew! Besides the original Greenskins, Skaven have also been discovered in the Mist Mountain. Your senior fellow apprentice Master Nathan and that Gotrek the Fearless are working hard to clear them out. Besides that, King Belegar is stationed at Keladeluomen, but that fortress has been abandoned for a long time, and he and his subordinates need more help."

"So it's a multi-front war, which is why you diverted some of the troops from Gaoyuanbao?" Sinuoli listened patiently to Balin's analysis.

"Yes, I also mobilized a portion of the forces from Tumobao; the Human immigrants have taken on the defense responsibilities they ought to." Balin stroked his short beard.

Sinuoli leaned back in his chair; now the throne at Gaoyuanbao finally had a cushion. He understood the difficulties Balin faced; in the Southlands, no one except himself had the authority or prestige to mobilize conscripts.

Considering that the current war was still controllable and it was difficult to define it as an "extremely critical situation," Balin did not want to disturb him, so it was understandable that he adjusted the troop distribution within his authority.

"I need to form a standing army, in addition to the Anvil Guard and the Hammer Guard!" Sinuoli tapped the armrest while balancing the troop size and development in his mind.

"Whether it's attacking Eight Peaks in the future or a northern expedition, these will be real hard battles. Temporarily conscripting clansmen who lack combat experience might result in heavy losses. Cultivating a group of professional soldiers through small-scale battles will be quite cost-effective!"

The King of the Southlands made up his mind. Since the railway was about to be completed, a significant amount of manpower would be freed up; recruiting soldiers at this time could also be considered creating new job opportunities.

"You want to form new standing troops? Then there is a group of old but vigorous Longbeard warriors who deserve your favor." Balin rarely offered suggestions on military matters.

"There's such a thing? Tell me!" Sinuoli was also intrigued.

"Two years ago, a group of respectable veterans formed an organization and hoped to receive official recognition. Although I didn't come to disturb you, I have kept it in mind." Balin said, pulling a document out of the safe.

"They named their organization the Slayer Brotherhood. The members are all warriors who participated in the Great Holy War under the leadership of His Majesty Thorgrim and the late King Orikson, and then joined our Expeditionary Force all the way to Gaoyuanbao."

"By Grimnir's wrath! Having triumphed over the Chaos Demon Army twice, every one of them is a true treasure of the Qunshan!" Sinuoli looked at the signatures on the document attachment. The youngest of these veterans had to be over two hundred and fifty years old; they could all be called Longbeard Venerables.

"Pass my order to summon them immediately! At this juncture, the Southlands need their axes." Sinuoli felt happy inside; in his view, this would be the first elite unit under his command.

In the game from his past life, the excellent attributes of elite units and the feature of not requiring recruitment time had saved him from urgent situations countless times. Sinuoli believed that the Slayer Brotherhood would not let him down.