Final Lord

Chapter 299 Aisana's Decision
Keynes was taken aback: "Ready? Then why haven't we set off yet?!"

Wang Bufu blinked, as if he had heard a strange question: "I'm waiting for the right opportunity—weather, route, the movement of forces along the way, all of these need to be considered, don't you think?"

He paused, then suddenly looked enlightened: "Oh, I see. You're in a hurry to complete the mission so you can take the armor back to the Minotaur, right?"

Keynes nodded instinctively, but the next second, Wang Bufu's words froze him in place—

“But if the mission is completed, you and your people can no longer stay in New Gru territory.” Wang’s tone was unconvinced with a hint of regret. “Think about it, what will you eat when you go back? Raw meat from underground creatures? What will you do if you get injured? Just tough it out with your physical strength?”

Keynes’s gold nose ring suddenly felt incredibly heavy.

Contrasts uncontrollably surfaced in his mind—

In the Minotaur, they had to risk their lives hunting to earn a decent meal of meat; while in the New Gru territory, they received cooked, graded venison every day, complete with side dishes and sauces.

In the Minotaur, being injured means leaving everything to fate; but here, even a small gash torn open by a monster will immediately earn you a valuable healing potion.

Not to mention the endless combat opportunities—the Sled Knights and the Ice Barrier Team take them out to hunt different monsters every day, and their experience points increase faster than drinking strong liquor.

In less than a month, all the clansmen have advanced to at least the first rank.

The Minotaur are a naturally gifted race, and their advancement is far more difficult than that of humans.

These are things that the Minotaur did not have.

Wang Bufu's voice rang out at the right moment, with a seductive gentleness: "Actually... the caravan can set off at any time. If you insist, Chief, I will arrange it tomorrow."

Keynes' Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly realized how ridiculous his question was.

"I...I'm not in a hurry. As for caravans, we definitely need to find the right time."

"Weather, route, and the movements of forces along the way—all of these must be taken into account,"

He finally finished speaking, his words coming out dryly, the ruby ​​fragment on his gold nose ring wobbling awkwardly.
"My lord, you...you can prepare slowly, and we'll talk when the time is right."

Wang Bufu's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

“Of course,” he raised his glass, the ice clinking crisply, “for our…long-term cooperation.”

"My lord, cheers!" Keynes crushed the barrel lid and gulped it down. *Thump thump thump thump...*

……

After this period of in-depth investigation, Aisana's originally wary heart has been completely conquered by the Wang Bufu territory. Her golden vertical pupils reflect every miracle of this magical land, and the shock in her heart rises and falls like waves. She has witnessed firsthand the entire process of those 300,000 ragged refugees, from their initial fear and anxiety to their current peaceful and prosperous lives.

These races, who were once bullied in the underworld, have now found their place in this land.

In the underground caverns surrounding the Strange Mushroom King, cave dwellers have built a breathtaking underground city. Tunnels adorned with fluorescent fungal clusters extend in all directions, and the mushroom cultivation chambers are filled with a delightful aroma.

Aisana once witnessed an elderly caveman weaving a mycelium blanket for his grandchildren with trembling hands, his face radiating an unprecedented peace.

Shakert and other cavemen leaders led their brave and daring young cavemen to join Wang Bufu's army, which rapidly increased their strength.

On the surface, the dwarves and human craftsmen worked together in the City of Life. King Bufu built them a massive forge and dozens of blacksmith shops of various sizes.

The forging furnace runs day and night.
The clanging of hammers echoed throughout the area. To Aisana's greatest surprise, she saw a dwarf master patiently instructing a human apprentice in blacksmithing techniques—a truly unheard-of spectacle in the Underworld.

Near the lake in White Spirit City, Shadow Lizards decorate their nests with colorful seashells. Sunlight filters through the clear lake water, casting shimmering waves on the riverbank and making the exquisite buildings sparkle.

The young shadow lizards were frolicking and playing in the shallows, showing no signs that they had once been a gloomy underground race.

Most incredibly, the goblins. Under the careful tutelage of the Evil Eyes, these once notorious green-skinned monsters are now dressed in neat linen clothes.

Aisana once passed by their school and heard the goblins stammering as they read aloud; the scene was both comical and touching.

At first, Wang Bufu conjured up mountains of mushrooms, golden wheat, and plump river fish from who-knows-where, feeding these 300,000 mouths.

Now, each race has established its own production system. Wheat fields ripple in the fertile black soil, mushroom farms are filled with cloud-like mushroom caps, and fish leap joyfully in aquaculture ponds. They are not only self-sufficient but can even contribute their surplus as taxes.

What impressed Aisana most was the king's impartiality. Here, there was no racial discrimination, no class oppression. Whether powerful shadow lizards or small, humble cavemen, as long as they were willing to work, they could obtain the dignity and rewards they deserved.

She saw human merchants haggling with dwarf customers, and shadow lizard children chasing and playing with their goblin companions. All of this brought a long-lost warmth to her weary heart.

Every night, Aisana would perch on the roof of her temporary dwelling, gazing at this vibrant land.

A kaleidoscope of lights shimmered in the darkness, creating a dazzling galaxy, while laughter and the sounds of labor rose and fell. She knew she was witnessing the birth of a miracle—a true ideal nation where all races could live in peace.

Aisana's slender fingertips gently traced the cool, scaly surface of her face, her golden vertical pupils reflecting the dazzling night view of White Spirit City. In the distance, the rainbow light of the Spring of Life and the crystals of the Spring of Miracles intertwined, enveloping the entire city in a dreamlike blue-green halo. Her serpentine tail unconsciously caressed the glazed tiles of the roof, each scale trembling slightly.

“It’s time to make a decision.” Her voice was like a bubble bursting softly in the night, deep within a poisonous swamp.

The Minotaur underground labyrinth she remembered so vividly now seemed utterly ridiculous—those narrow, sulfur-smelling passageways, those perpetually damp and moldy swamps of poisonous fog, compared to the city bathed in divine light before her, they were nothing more than “worthless stinking sewers.”

(End of this chapter)