Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 565 Spider
With the smoke of war temporarily dissipating, a fragile and suspicious calm emerged over the fragmented territory of the Baikal Empire.

The Spider Territory Duchy was licking its wounds and shrinking its defenses under the shadow of internal strife; the Carlos Duchy, on the other hand, seized this precious respite and, under the enormous deterrent benefits brought by Li Zhongren, devoted itself to restoring production and strengthening its military.

Of course, productivity is a complex issue.

Li Zhongren cannot develop in all aspects; such things require a complete industrial system. Right now, he must make some choices.

However, considering the context of the present era, and combining it with the historical experiences and lessons of the past, it is also relevant.

He chose agriculture.

The reason is also very simple.

This is a policy with top-notch value, proven by both Emperor Gaozu of Han and Emperor Taizu of Ming: build high walls, store up grain, and delay declaring oneself king.

Li Zhongren stood atop the watchtower in Xifeng City, his gaze sweeping over the bustling port and reaching into the distant fields devastated by war and the ruins of villages. The power of the Earth Vein Army could be used for destruction with ease, but that was only the simplest application of it.

The power of the earth's veins that he controls is essentially a sophisticated guidance and utilization of the earth's energy.

If this power can collapse castles on the battlefield, then why can't it be used to quickly level land, compact roadbeds, dig canals, or even build foundations in peacetime?
This is practically the ultimate cheat code for an "infrastructure maniac" in another world!
Of course, he couldn't personally lead three thousand Earth Vein Army soldiers to act as contractors; that would be a waste of this extraordinary army.

His core mission remains expanding the army, training, and enhancing its strength, with the aim of reaching an army of 50,000 as soon as possible, unlocking deeper permissions in the system, and realizing the hierarchical decentralization of military forces and more efficient command.

This way, he could divide his troops; otherwise, with only one army, he would be hesitant to use military formations.

So, how can the power of the earth's veins be transformed into productivity?

The answer is obvious: mechanization and automation.

"Ms. Cecilia."

At midday, amidst a table laden with exquisite and delicious dishes, Li Zhongren invited the witch over. She was as beautiful, radiant, and dazzling as she had been the day she arrived. Of course, this beauty and radiance would not last long, because...
"Please take a seat."

"Good day, Earl of the Mist."

Cecilia sat down opposite Li Zhongren in a very ladylike manner. She had been in Xifeng City for some time now and had been trying to understand the power of the ley lines. Unfortunately, she was completely unable to fully comprehend this energy, which was different from the elements. At times, she felt as powerless as an ordinary person facing magic. But surprisingly, she could temporarily control and use the power of the ley lines with the authorization of the man in front of her.

She had never seen anything so bizarre.

But that's the truth, and she had no choice but to accept it.

Perhaps, the so-called power of the earth's veins is actually a special ability with bloodline attributes that this count possesses after converting magic essence. If we understand it this way, it becomes much easier to explain.

"Let's eat first, and then we can talk business."

"Ah."

Cecilia didn't stand on ceremony. She was used to the lord's temperament—simple, direct, and never beating around the bush. She quite liked this personality. Of course, it should be explained here that this "like" is the kind of liking between a man and a woman.

Witches are like that—extraordinary beings driven by emotions; reason always takes a backseat to emotion.

However, she wouldn't show this affection, for a simple reason: she couldn't beat Karenina.

Yes, she had been at the witch academy for ten years, while that woman had only been there for a week.

But in that one week, her power underwent a dramatic change. After receiving the orthodox meditation method from the Witch Academy, she completely unleashed her spiritual power. Only then did the witches realize that this woman's spiritual power was incredibly strong.

Of course, they certainly didn't know that Li Zhongren had raised her mental power to 60. As a naturally extraordinary person, she didn't need to expend a lot of attribute points to break through the limit, so she could naturally reach this state very quickly. However, mental power is different from physical power, and without the correct method, it cannot be released.

Regardless, Karenina completely shocked the entire witch academy. Now, wherever she pointed her mind, the black flames reached. The power that could melt even metal, once effectively controlled, was comparable to a small-scale forbidden spell.

At this stage, her body is still somewhat weak, and she is afraid of being ambushed. Once the academy makes up for this weakness, she will directly become the academy's top combat force, at least on par with the dean.

She dared not provoke such a terrifying woman.

After all, in the academy, the principal and teachers, through subtle questioning, could basically confirm that the Black Flame Witch (Karenina) had fallen completely in love with the Mist Earl. And after a witch awakens her power, her power and soul merge, resulting in a characteristic: she will only love one person for the rest of her life.

In other words, it is a non-disassembled unit.

Therefore, she pulled herself back to reality. Unless this man did something to her, she dared not cross the line.

What do you want to study?

After the meal, Cecilia wiped her mouth and asked.

"Some kind of weapon?"

"No, it's a tool."

"tool??"

"Yes."

Li Zhongren nodded.

"War, in the end, is a money-burning affair, and money comes from territory. Money doesn't grow on its own; it's earned through human labor. Therefore, my idea is to use extraordinary power to improve the efficiency of labor."

With Li Zhongren's explanation, Cecilia felt as if she had entered a completely new world.
"look."

Li Zhongren sketched a simple draft on the sand table.

"A vehicle that can move on its own, powered by the core of the earth's veins, and equipped with giant rollers or buckets at the front that can easily crush rocks and level the ground—'Earth Leveler'."

"A 'rapid-setting pile foundation machine' that can mix specific alchemical agents with soil and instantly solidify it into a hard, stone-like substance."

"A type of 'burrowing earthworm' that can silently travel underground, digging tunnels or laying pipes according to a pre-set route."

A strong thirst for knowledge shone in Cecilia's eyes.

These ideas transcended traditional magical creations, resembling a completely new realm that combined alchemy, elemental shaping, runic energy conduction, and a unique energy source she had never encountered before called "leveline power."

"The power of the earth's ley lines... is stable, immense, and seems to resonate uniquely with you, Earl..."

Cecilia pondered.

“Using it to drive machinery is indeed much more durable and economical than relying on magic crystals or mage magic. Magic mimics the effects of ley lines, which consumes a lot of energy and is difficult to sustain, but directly utilizing ley lines... the energy conversion, rune adaptation, and structural strength involved are all challenges... but it's very interesting!”

"I accepted the challenge."

"Then, we have a great time working together."

Li Zhongren extended his hand and shook hands with the woman who had fair skin and soft fingers, because he knew that before long, this woman might turn into a dark-skinned civil engineering woman, hehehe.
Immediately after that, Li Zhongren's territory sprang into action.

Funds, craftsmen, scholars.

Everything was done in a way that made things easier for this woman.

As for himself, he continued to focus on the expansion and training of the army, constantly selecting new recruits from the high-quality soldiers sent by refugees and Princess Carlos, and using the power of the ley lines and brutal training to hone them into qualified ley line army recruits.

After all, all achievements need the protection of power; otherwise, they are nothing more than pigs to be slaughtered.
Divider line. Time flies, and a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

A year is enough time for a surface wound to scab over, but it cannot heal a deep-seated abscess.

In the Duchy of Spider Territory, Lionheart Keep stands more majestic than ever before, its magical protective glow flowing day and night, as if deliberately concealing its internal weakness and turmoil.

On the surface, Regent Saruman held absolute power, while the eleven-year-old Queen Emilia was like a delicate puppet, attending various ceremonies and issuing decrees prepared by Saruman.

Most of the old nobles submitted to the benefits promised by Saruman and the stability of the new order, at least on the surface.

The former King Keynes, who was "politely escorted" back to the country, was "properly" placed in a secluded but ornately decorated palace deep within the palace grounds, ostensibly for "rest and recuperation," but in reality, it was a form of house arrest of the highest level.

He was heavily guarded, and his food was tested for poison by designated personnel, cutting off all contact with the outside world.

Saruman was eager to eliminate this major threat immediately, but the stigma of regicide and the potential backlash from the old forces made him hesitant to act rashly. He could only wait patiently, looking for a "natural" or "accidental" opportunity.

However, Saruman underestimated Keynes's patience and ruthlessness, as well as the hidden agents planted by someone who had held power for many years.

Keynes did lose his freedom, but he possessed a transcendent magical artifact, the Heart of the Web, which even Saruman was unaware of and which originated from the royal treasury of the Baikal Empire.

This magical artifact, resembling a black crystal spider, cannot directly grant him power, but it can construct an extremely secretive spiritual link network within the territory of the Spider Territory (whose power is faintly connected to the ancient veins of this land).

Through it, Keynes was able to draw the consciousness of specific individuals into a virtual "ghost web" for communication.

Over the past year, Keynes appeared decadent, alcoholic, and apathetic, but secretly, through the "Heart of the Web," he quietly wove his web of revenge like a real spider.

He contacted his former subordinates who were dissatisfied with Saruman's dictatorship, the nobles who had been marginalized and stripped of their power, and the generals who remained loyal to Baikal orthodoxy and were uneasy about the rule of the young ruler and powerful ministers.

In the netherworld, he lamented his ordeal, accusing Saruman of usurpation and his daughter's "betrayal," promising high-ranking positions and boundless glory after the restoration of order.

In that year, he amassed a force powerful enough to invade Lionheart Fortress.

Right now, he is conducting a final mobilization.
"So, I know what your concerns are."

In the Ghost Web space, Keynes stood in the middle of the crowd, waving his arms wildly.

"That is, Saruman, the traitor, holds an absolute advantage."

"He slaughtered the army, the mage legion, and even the entire palace eunuch."

"Yes, my king."

A nobleman in the shadows bowed as he spoke.

"Our strength is not weak, but we cannot afford losses. We only have one chance."

"So, we want to know how to break through the protection of the mage legion and army, as you know."

As he spoke, the nobleman sighed.

"That despicable Lord of the Mist, he controls the power of the earth, which is no secret throughout the world. Everyone knows that he has the ability to walk on the earth, making him impossible to defend against. Therefore, almost all the nobles and royal families of all countries have built a large number of magic arrays in their capitals and even near their palaces to resist this Lord of the Mist."

"In the past year alone, the consumption of magic arrays has been more than three times that of the past."

"Of course, everyone can afford this money, but the problem is that this magic circle is blocking our way. How can we break through the magic circle?"

"Hehe, hahahahaha."

Keynes' response to these nobles' questions was a burst of maniacal laughter.

"You only know about the Ghost Web, but do you know what sustains it?"

"what?"

"Super Monster, Rose Spider!"

Keynes said, enunciating each word clearly.

For a moment, everyone felt a chill run down their spine.

Rose Spider, a monstrous creature living deep underground in the so-called Underdark, possesses bizarre and cruel abilities, the most chilling of which is its ability to lay eggs inside human bodies.
"Hehe, that's where the name Spider Territory comes from."

“My father captured it and turned it into a magical artifact. Otherwise, where do you think such a useful and secretive power came from?”

"And so, my king?"

“It’s not completely dead; it still retains some instincts. I can release it.”

Keynes spoke slowly and deliberately, the resentment and madness in his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears. If they weren't already trapped with no other options, they would have wondered if cooperating with this mad king was truly a wise move.
Dividing line

On a dark and windy night
The old nobles that Keynes had won over, the force they had gathered, had quietly arrived at a high point outside the castle.

From here, they can clearly see the upper part of the castle. Logically, this seems useless, but actually, they're not looking at the castle itself, but rather...
"boom!!!"

I don't know how much time passed, but then there was a tremendous tremor, like an earthquake.

Under house arrest, Keynes wore an almost manic, victorious smile as he felt the unprecedented shock, muttering something to himself.
"With the blood of Baikal, in the name of the Lord of the Spider Realm! Awaken! My servant! Tear all this apart! Cleanse this defiled court!"

"Crack!"

The runestone shattered! A terrifying surge of energy, like a shockwave, spread out from beneath the throne!
The entire Lionheart Fortress—no, the entire hill—began to shake violently! More violent and more malicious than the earthquake caused by Li Zhongren a year ago!
“BOOM Boom Boom Boom!!!”

From the depths of the earth came an ancient, hungry, and piercing shriek filled with endless resentment! It was as if some terrifying being that had slumbered for thousands of years had been forcibly awakened!
Suddenly, the floor of the old throne room cracked open, and huge, slimy, pale white spider limbs burst out of the ground!

Then came more! Bigger!
"This madman..."

Saruman never let his guard down around Keynes; he knew the man all too well.

Therefore, the moment the problem arose, he immediately used a magic circle to seal off the entire palace where the Queen was located.

However, they saw a huge spider, as big as a small mountain.

He had to admit that Keynes was truly a madman.

However, this is also an opportunity.

Saruman squinted.

Everyone knows that the spider was probably created by Keynes, but what if Keynes is dead?

Therefore, it is a natural disaster.
At that time, no one will be able to accuse him of regicide, or even...
Looking at the timid queen.

Saruman subtly raised the corner of his mouth.

He himself could very well take his place.

(End of this chapter)