Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 608

Gisildra also had her own considerations.

Circumstances are beyond our control. We might not even be able to get through this current crisis. Trying to use any clever tricks or haggling is simply disrespectful to our own lives and property.

It will produce a dragon!
Having figured things out, Bailong decided to go all out, his need for survival completely overriding any sense of pride.

Even those arrogant red dragons are willing to submit to me, so I'm not ashamed of myself.

Leaving aside Bai Long's inner self-comfort and reassurance, Zhang Yuan quickly went through various weighing plans in his mind.

Killing the dragon for materials was abandoned first, as a live dragon is definitely more useful than a dead one, especially one as clever and pragmatic as this.

Bringing it back to the high cliff seems unnecessary and a bit too conspicuous, so perhaps…

"Since you are willing to prove your loyalty, I will not hesitate to grant you even greater freedom."

I was quite free before you came...

Gisildra inwardly cursed, but outwardly remained submissive.

"But the right to survive does not come from charity. With external enemies at hand, you and your vassal tribes should also do your part."

"Okay, at least it's better than being attacked from both sides before,"

Bai Long shook his head and asked another question:
"But what if we still can't stop those frost giants?"

"Are you coming to help us, or are we going to seek refuge with you?"

Are they already looking for a way out before the fight even starts?

The mage was slightly surprised. This dragon was a bit too pragmatic. But it was good. He was not short of strong fighters. This guy in front of him, who was not only capable but also a bit cunning, was worth using.

"If you lose the land but the people, you lose both the land and the people."

Zhang Yuan's attitude softened considerably, and he quoted a famous saying to explain and appease the other party:
"Besides, the Spine of the World is such a cold and harsh place that it is not very valuable to begin with. It is fine as a barrier and buffer, but if it becomes a burden that wears down one's own strength, then that would be unwise."

"So, can I decide for myself whether to stick with it or not, depending on the circumstances?"

"At the very least, we should communicate and discuss this with Hanzhishuangye and the others first."

The monk shook his head, rejecting the white dragon lady's attempt to slip away, and then reached out and pinched her wings:
"It flies in the sky, after all. How could it be slower than walking on the ground with a family in tow?"

"alright."

Gishildra gave a dry reply, his wings folding somewhat awkwardly.

It's perfectly normal to feel resentful when you, who always pride yourself on being at the top of the food chain, feel like you've been reduced to the status of domesticated livestock when facing the person in front of you.

But he only muttered to himself that the priority was to save his life, and besides, the new boss he had just recognized didn't seem to be the unreasonable type.
"Your Lordship, we dare not question your arrangements, but to form an alliance with those barbarian races, this..."

An elder from the Frostleaf tribe spoke up, voicing the concerns that the others were hesitant to voice, which drew a chorus of agreement.

"Isn't having one more ally always better than having multiple enemies?"

The mage ended the argument with a single, nonchalant remark. He wasn't particularly concerned about the worst-case scenario; at worst, he could simply take it back to his territory. Besides the coast and plains, High Cliff Territory also had its share of mountains and jungles. Allocating a piece of land for the tribespeople to live on was no problem. Raising a group of subordinate warriors was better than letting wild monsters breed again.

"Your will."

Seeing that his boss was determined, Münster quickly stepped forward to express his support, and also pulled aside his group of barbarian friends to prevent them from saying anything stupid that would anger the boss.

With the dust settled, the two groups, who on the surface seemed to have turned from enemies to friends, at least stopped hunting and harassing each other. Like two hedgehogs that had just finished fighting and pricked each other's faces, they retracted their needles, curled up, and kept their distance from each other.

The factions caught between the frost giants and the tribes were undoubtedly in a difficult position, as the reduction in their living space directly resulted in a shrinking hunting range.

But compared to being attacked from both sides, or even worse, having your entire family wiped out by a righteous sorcerer, going hungry doesn't seem so unacceptable.

Besides, I was so hungry...

Ok?
Goblin/Kobold buddies, you smell so good!
The specific details were left to Bai Long and Münster, who were essentially Zhang's subordinates...

The former had just signed a spell oath contract, making him a newcomer (and a scumbag), while the latter was an old friend.

With this relationship in place, no matter how you argue it, you still have to leave some room for compromise.

Surely we wouldn't be forced to develop a green-themed recipe, right? Probably~

The mage wasn't particularly concerned about the potential large-scale clash between vassal races like trolls, orcs, and goblins. What was truly sensitive was the anomaly occurring here at this particular time, especially considering the underlying causes of the future plague in Neverwinter.

Perhaps those lizardmen have already awakened from their ancient slumber and started causing trouble, and the resulting waves just happened to collide with Münster during his trial?
it's fate.

A mage who has caught the fox by the tail will not try to fool himself with foolish excuses such as coincidence or illusion.

Their territory is located on a high cliff, closely connected to Neverwinter. The resurgence of the Creator race is an inevitable and unavoidable gray rhino, and there is no point in playing the ostrich game.

However, considering the profound strength and foundation of the ancient race, the mage did not intend to be a reckless fool and confront the opponent head-on.

Are you kidding me? If you really wanted to follow the protagonist group and fight your way to the end, how many lives would you need to reload your save file?
The same logic applies to having "allies" hold the line on the northern front, but that's far from enough.

Before the so-called chosen one is swept away by the tide of fate to take the blame and smooth things over, perhaps we can find more things for the other party to do?

After all, life is about movement. How could you possibly sleep for a thousand years?
Lazybones, get up and get busy! Otherwise, how will Master Zhang take advantage of the chaos and slip through our fingers?

The mage, his mind now focused, quickly turned his attention to the various factions and races within the World Ridge Mountains region.

As the local strongmen, Gisildra and the tribesmen provided limited information, but no matter how they filtered it, the mage didn't think those guys who made their living in the mountains and forests could bring any surprises to the hibernating old lizards.

Perhaps some races lurk deeper in the mountains, but only fragmentary rumors have emerged, making them difficult to find. Furthermore, the possibility that they may have been bewitched and manipulated by ancient races must be considered.

We don't want to get caught in a spy thriller and end up in a real mess.

Even if one manages to overcome all difficulties and select one or a few usable forces, figuring out how to guide and manipulate them to remain hidden behind the scenes rather than getting burned is a troublesome matter.

Fortunately, we are currently in a position of foresight, with the enemy in the open and us in the dark, and we have unexpectedly gained control over the vassal tribes and tribal peoples, so we still have considerable room for maneuver.

Having made up his mind, Mr. Zhang immediately began planning the specific steps; this matter could not be delayed.

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