Chapter 469: Duke of Augustus

The Great Dragon Forest is a forest that grows on rugged hills, its terrain is extremely complex, and the year‑round low temperature makes it unsuitable for ordinary people to live, with the vast majority of the area rarely trodden by humans.

But in the middle of the forest, a north‑south passage was carved out many years ago, called Dragon Scale Avenue.

This is also the only road that can pass through the forest, relatively safer.

Entering Dragon Scale Avenue from the northern part of Loberdil Principality, the further north one goes, the terrain gradually lowers and the temperature becomes relatively warmer.

The avenue is flanked by tall trees and dense forest, and the occasional roar of beasts can be heard, among which dangerous monsters and beasts are not lacking.

Today, the Great Dragon Forest finally again sees the silhouette of a giant dragon.

Yi Geng, Jialadeluos and Xindala, three giant dragons, soar above the forest; the beasts in the forest, long deprived of such awe, feel the terrifying dragon might, and wherever they go, birds and beasts scramble like headless flies, emitting fearful cries.

Some beasts also collapse on the ground, trembling, gazing at the ruler in the sky through gaps in the tree shade.

However, the giant dragons do not descend for a feast; in an instant they fly past overhead.

Shortly after, more human voices are heard.

Many beasts hide in the shadows watching Dragon Scale Avenue; based on past experience, this is a good hunting opportunity, but the number of humans appearing in view keeps increasing, each exuding a strong aura, and with so many humans gathering, the beasts' instinct makes them turn and flee, keeping a great distance.

Lei En rides a bronze Pegasus, running on the ground together with the spear‑wing knights.

The Voice of All Things hears the stir deep in the forest; only the sounds of beasts fleeing, no ambushing enemies, so it withdraws its gaze.

The army of exactly twelve thousand people stretches along Dragon Scale Avenue, endless to the eye.

In the very middle of the formation is Ai Milisi, riding a majestic dragon‑blood warhorse, tightly guarded by the Scale‑Blood Guards; her beautiful face is spirited, and her gestures exude authority and noble bearing.

"She's becoming more like a true queen," Lei En thinks to himself.

Ai Milisi senses his gaze, turns, and their eyes meet briefly; a hint of sweet smile appears on her face.

Lei En also nods slightly.

The Dragonborn army's marching speed is very fast.

The giant dragons scout ahead, while Extreme Warrior rides a fiery dragon on both flanks of the army, constantly patrolling the forest sky, staying alert; the anticipated ambushes never occur, not a single enemy is spotted, the journey remains uneventful.

In just half a day, the Dragonborn army safely passes Dragon Scale Avenue.

Emerging from the Great Dragon Forest, the view instantly becomes extremely open, the terrain flat, one can see dozens of miles away, and the climate turns warm.

"The lands of Zuo Geng Fortress have arrived!"

Lei En hears Wa Luogen, beside Ai Milisi, shout loudly.

His expression is somewhat agitated, as if returning to a hometown long separated; A Si Tan, who has followed Ai Milisi for years, also has eyes faintly reddened, showing his emotions are unsettled.

Ai Milisi gazes at the land, her chest rising slightly, silent for a long while.

Lei En can understand their feelings.

The Zuo Geng Fortress dynasty fell over forty years ago; the former family lands are no longer called Zuo Geng Fortress Principality, and the previously loyal lord families have mostly perished. After Ma Er Ke usurped the throne, he abolished the title of Zuo Geng Fortress Principality, re‑granting the land as the Royal Domain, meaning the king's territory.

The Royal Domain is the smallest of the seven Kangjiatuo principalities, yet thanks to the erosion of two rivers, its soil is the most fertile, the terrain flat and level, not even a modest hill to be found. Moreover, its eastern side borders the sea, where the river mouth forms Dragon Tooth Bay, second only to Baloske City as a trade port, frozen only in winter.

The most livable land in the entire kingdom is the Royal Domain.

With the smallest area, it sustains the largest population, totaling over thirteen million, accounting for one‑third of the kingdom's total populace!

In stark contrast to the Royal Domain is Bu Lande Principality, the largest in area—over a quarter of the kingdom—but its temperature is the coldest, mostly frozen tundra, and its population is the smallest, under three million.

These two principalities, one lies in the north, the other in the kingdom's central region.

For millennia, Kangjiatuo has held a saying: whoever conquers Zuo Geng Fortress Principality grips the kingdom's throat.

Now, the Dragonborn restoration is only one crucial step away!

Seize the capital Kingslan, control the Royal Domain, and the remaining two northern Etisi Principality and Bu Lande Principality will be no threat!

The Dragonborn army rests outside the Great Dragon Forest for half an hour; after recuperating, Ai Milisi loudly issues the command:

"Continue forward!"

The roads of the Royal Domain are far wider than the forest's Dragon Scale Avenue; most sections are maintained, some paved with stone slabs, and the marching speed instantly picks up a few paces.

In less than a quarter of an hour, a city adjoining the Great Dragon Forest appears ahead.

"Dragon Spine City."

The city is built on a hill that extends from the forest, oriented southwest to northeast, not very steep, only a few dozen meters high; from afar it looks like a dragon's back crawling on the ground, hence the name Dragon Spine City.

Dragon Spine City belongs to the Filton family; Viscount Filton has held the fief for only forty years, having risen during the usurper's war, earning merit and being granted the title by Ma Er Ke.

The city's residents are few, only twenty‑to‑thirty thousand.

At this moment, Dragon Spine City is in chaos; residents scream in panic, horse and rider tumble, running to hide in their homes, and even the not‑very‑high city walls see guards acting as if facing a great enemy.

The walls encircle the hill on which Dragon Spine City sits, forming a ring at the foot of the hill.

Lei En looks at the highest point of Dragon Spine City, where a castle stands.

The Soul Eye zooms in, quickly spotting a middle‑aged man in noble attire atop the castle; from this distance his power is unclear, but he is evidently a transcendent, and Luo Wa Gen's intel notes that this Viscount is a novice legend.

In the sky the giant dragons roar, and Extreme Warrior also rides a fiery dragon, circling above.

The Viscount Filton's face is filled with despair.

The Dragonborn army tramples across recently harvested fields, centaurs charging at the front, spreading to both sides, encircling the entire Dragon Spine City heavily.

Although positioned low and needing to assault upward, the Dragonborn army's momentum completely crushes the enemy; the wall guards tremble, their faces ashen, barely able to hold their weapons.

Inside the entire Dragon Spine City a hush as cold as cicadas prevails, battle on the brink of erupting.

Ai Milisi shows no hesitation whatsoever.

"Attack!"

The moment her command is given, the city gates of Dragon Spine City swing open.

Viscount Filton, under the arch of several high‑rank transcendent guards, steps out of the city. He waves a white flag, cautiously approaching while shouting loudly, "Your Majesty, the noble queen, the Filton family pledges its loyalty to you!"

With his declaration of surrender, the wall guards also discard their weapons one by one.

The Dragonborn army's assault halts.

Everyone waits for Ai Milisi's command; the city's residents and the wall guards are all trembling with fear, awaiting the judgment of fate.

However, Ai Mi Li Si's voice did not come for a long time.

Viscount Fei Er Dun had already knelt down; he dared not raise his head, and having heard no response, his heart began to panic, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Lei En looked at Ai Mi Li Si, but saw her expression turn grim.

The Soul Eye saw faint streaks of red, the emotions of anger and hatred.

"Lord A Tan Si, is it confirmed to be him?" Ai Mi Li Si whispered. A Tan Si expressionlessly nodded, and beside him Wa Luo Gen also gritted his teeth.

Lei En understood as soon as he saw the situation.

Now the noble lords of the royal domain are mostly the meritorious officials who currently rose with Ma Er Ke in rebellion; they personally took part in the war that overthrew the Zhuogeng Fortress dynasty, and their hands are inevitably stained with Dragon‑born blood. Even if they are not the principal culprits, they are still Ma Er Ke's accomplices.

Others may be pardoned, but these murderers cannot.

"Kill him."

"And his family, leave none alive."

Ai Mi Li Si finally responded, issuing the order, but to Viscount Fei Er Dun the command was like a bolt from a clear sky; his heart felt as if it had fallen into an Abyss, and for a moment he could not react.

"Viscount, run quickly!"

The nearby guards shouted in terror, but their cries were abruptly cut off.

"Ah…"

Amid the gunfire, warm blood splashed onto Viscount Fei Er Dun's face; only then did he awaken, and in sheer terror he fled into Dragon Ridge City without looking back, even neglecting his guards, shouting, "Close the city gates! Shut them! Don't let them rush in!"

Before the guards could close the gates, a series of massive fireballs flew in.

Boom!

The fierce explosions rang throughout Dragon Ridge City; scorching flames burned everything, the city gates collapsed, and a dozen guards who hid in the fire sea were reduced to nothing but bone.

Viscount Fei Er Dun was also blown into the air by a fireball, but he is legendary, his resistance far exceeding that of ordinary people; he forced himself to swallow the fresh blood in his mouth, landed smoothly, and kept fleeing toward his castle. He intended to take his family and treasure, escaping through a tunnel in the castle.

Fortunately, he had made two preparations in advance and had already gathered his family.

However, after only a few steps, a rain of gunfire sounded from the sky; Viscount Fei Er Dun's desperate escape was still hit, a searing pain shot through his back, and he involuntarily collapsed onto the street.

He looked up and saw the attackers: a group of towering warriors riding flying dragons.

These terrifying foes' soul guns spewed flames.

Where the gun muzzles pointed, Dragon Ridge City's guards fell like wheat being reaped, their bodies torn apart by bullets and dying on the spot. Some quicker guards hid inside houses, yet they could not escape; bullets pierced roofs and walls, the structures collapsed with a roar, and the dying guards' screams echoed from within.

"This…"

Viscount Fei Er Dun's eyes widened; he had never seen such enemies, shooting from the sky at such a distance—how could he fight them?

In that moment, he realized King Ma Er Ke was already finished!

Boundless regret devoured Viscount Fei Er Dun's heart; he lay on the street, powerless, watching a herd of centaurs charge into Dragon Ridge City, the ground trembling as each hard hoof pounded down—this was the last scene his eyes witnessed.

Capturing Dragon Ridge City took less than ten minutes.

Viscount Fei Er Dun's castle was not large, built atop the highest point of the city; although the family had dozens of extraordinary beings who swore to resist to death, against a thousand troops they were no stronger than paper—pierced once and broken, they were instantly overwhelmed by the centaurs.

The ruthless slaughter inside the castle lasted a few minutes, and the Fei Er Dun family was thereafter erased from Kangjiatuo.

When Lei En entered the castle together with Ai Mi Li Si, he saw a dozen aristocratic corpses laid out in the great hall, some still youths, their fresh, tender faces still bearing traces of fear.

But her expression did not change; after a glance she averted her gaze, walked past the bodies without a word, and sat on the main throne of the hall.

Wa Luo Gen instructed, "Burn them all."

"Yes."

The Scale‑riding Blood Guards carried the bodies outside, and flames quickly rose on the open ground beyond the castle.

Ai Mi Li Si stared at the bloodstains on the ground; only after Lei En reminded her did she regain her composure, sat up straight, and said with a relaxed face, "Lei En, Dragon Ridge City will become your domain."

"I know," Lei En nodded.

Dragon Ridge City's domain borders the Great Dragon Forest; outside the city lies a secret passage opened only a hundred years ago, leading into the forest's interior, where the "Politosi Mine"—one of the world's largest mithril mines—lies, also abundant with Source Crystal Ore.

Of course, Source Crystal is called "Heavy Silver" in Kangjiatuo.

The Fei Er Dun family was enfeoffed in Dragon Ridge City, managing this mithril mine on behalf of Ma Er Ke; the mine's output is massive, its profit enormous, providing Ma Er Ke with substantial funds each year.

Ai Mi Li Si had promised during the Gra Morgan era that she would transfer this mithril mine and its surrounding lands entirely to Lei En.

But her next words shocked Lei En.

"Besides Dragon Ridge City, the seaside Stream City to the east, and the five parcels ceded by the Lao Bo Di Er Family, I will enfeoff all to you," Ai Mi Li Si said, looking at Lei En. Her voice was soft, her tone calm, evidently after deep consideration, yet the content left everyone present stunned.

Lei En was also taken off guard.

Dragon Ridge City need not be mentioned; the Stream City east of it is also a Viscount's domain, both bordering the Great Dragon Forest, and with the five northern parcels of the Lao Bo Di Er Family, the forest is completely encompassed, forming a vast territory comparable in size to the Fisher Duchy.

Moreover, this territory is larger than the shrunken Lao Bo Di Er Duchy, with a greater population and richer lands.

This is no longer the originally promised Count's domain, but a Duke's territory!

"Your Majesty!"

Wa Luo Gen couldn't help but speak up; Ai Mi Li Si had not consulted him beforehand, causing him worry.

Regardless of the nation, lords and nobles value above all their lands; a territory large enough to rank sixth in the kingdom's size is priceless, and granting it away so casually is overly reckless.

If Lei En accepts, Kangjiatuo will give birth to an eighth duchy.

According to Kangjiatuo's noble customs, this newly established duchy is called the "Augustus Duchy," and Lei En will be its first "Title: Duke"!

(End of Chapter)