Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Ron's lips twitched; he knew Nari was telling the truth.

After absorbing most of the "Chaotic Lungs", the opponent's already powerful strength increased dramatically.

"But then again..."

Nari extended a small tentacle beside her as she stood up.

A clump of black substance condensed at the tip of the tentacle; it was the very substance extracted from the High Priest's transformed body just now.
"This guy's memory is really interesting."

"It turns out that it is a split of a certain 'Dominator' that was sent to hunt down the 'Lungs of Chaos'."

"As a result of a series of unexpected events, the split entity developed its own consciousness and no longer wanted to return to the original body."

She said with a grin:
"It's ironic that once tools have thoughts, they are no longer content to be tools."

Ron's eyes deepened:
"The Dominator is an existence on par with the Witch King."

"If its main body knew that the split entity had been destroyed..."

"Will not."

Nari shook his head:
"The connection between that split entity and the original entity was severed when it gained independent consciousness."

"The original entity has no idea what happened to it on this planet."

"To the rulers, this split is like losing a hair. Would you care about a hair that falls to the ground?"

Ron breathed a sigh of relief.

If we really offend the "Dominator" itself, then we'll be in big trouble.

I am far from being able to contend with beings of that level.

"but……"

He gazed in the direction of the distant temple and began to ponder deeply:
"Although the avatar was destroyed, the High Priest's true form should still be alive."

………………

Hearthstone, deepest part of the temple.

The high priest's true form was quietly curled up in the dark chamber beneath the altar.

This secret chamber is located deep underground, surrounded by layers of defensive barriers and traps, and even the other priests of the temple are unaware of its existence.

This is the last fortress the high priest prepared for himself.

Once faced with an insurmountable threat, it will immediately retreat to this location and rely on its defense system, accumulated over countless years, for a final stand.

At this moment, it was lying in the center of the dark room, its body curled up in a ball, looking both pitiful and ridiculous.

Completely different from the arrogant demeanor of his avatar, his true form appeared extremely cautious, timid, and even somewhat cowardly.

This is the true face of the High Priest:

An old monster who has lived for countless years, has long lost any adventurous spirit, and only wants to prolong his life and live forever.

"The avatar... has been destroyed..."

Its voice was filled with terror:
"Those tentacles, that aura..."

“It’s the bloodline of the ‘mother’… direct bloodline…”

"Damn, damn, damn!"

The high priest's body trembled violently.

Although the avatar was destroyed, the original entity can still perceive the avatar's last memories through the remaining connection.

The images of those tentacles and the oppressive, despairing aura were clearly imprinted in its mind.

"At least at the level of a 'top-tier archmage'... no, possibly even higher..."

It gritted its teeth, its heart filled with resentment and fear:
"Why...why would such a being exist on this planet?"

"Has the 'mother's' will not completely dissipated?"

"He left a contingency plan?"

Countless thoughts flashed through the high priest's mind, each one making it even more terrified.

I am now facing a difficult choice:
Should I continue to hide and pray that the other party won't come looking for trouble?
Should we try to fight back, even if the chances are slim?
The high priest fell into a long silence.

Time passes minute by minute.

In the dark room, only its heavy breathing echoed.

"There's no escaping it..."

"Since that being has chosen to stay on this planet for a long time, it means that it has its own purpose."

"Besides the 'Lungs of Chaos,' what else on this planet would warrant the attention of an existence of that level?"

A thought popped into its mind:
"Could it be... that 'Mother' left behind more than just the 'Lungs of Chaos'?"

"Any other legacies?"

This idea both excited and terrified the high priest.

If there are other legacies, then that presents an opportunity for it.

Even if it's just residue, it's enough to further enhance its strength.

However, this also means that it has to compete with that terrifying existence...

"No...we can't confront them head-on..."

The high priest shook his head, forcing himself to calm down:
"I've lived all these years thanks to caution and patience."

"Since that entity has chosen to develop in the mining area for the long term, it means that it does not want to cause too much of a stir for the time being."

“I can take advantage of this.”

A cold, sinister look gradually appeared in its eyes:
“Around the Star of the Forge, there are three colonies of the level of great wizards—'Master of the Machines', 'Lord of the Molten Core', and 'Forge Master'.”

"With a little guidance, they can be made to conflict with it..."

"Two dogs fight, play off."

"I can hide in the shadows and wait for them to weaken each other before I step in to clean up the mess."

Thinking of this, the high priest's emotions calmed down a bit.

This is its preferred fighting style—never directly engaging in combat, but hiding behind the scenes to manipulate others to their deaths while reaping the benefits.

Having lived for so many years, it had long understood one thing:
The brave ones are all dead; only those who survive to the end will have the last laugh.

"But before that..."

The high priest looked at his cracked body and sighed.
"Let's treat the injuries first."

"When the avatar was destroyed, the 'absorption' that guy performed on it also damaged the main body."

"It takes time to repair, otherwise we won't even have the basic ability to protect ourselves."

It slowly closed its eyes, and its entire body fell into a state of hibernation.

Countless runes lit up in the dark room, forming a healing array.

This process could take years, or even decades.

But for an being that has lived for countless years, this amount of time is nothing.

It has plenty of patience to wait for the wounds to heal, for the situation to become clear, and for those fools to kill each other...

Then it will strike again and reap everything.

The door to the dark room slowly closed, shutting out all the light.

………………

The atmosphere in the Governor's Mansion's operations command center was both tense and excited.

After Nari's tentacles retreated into the abyss, the sky returned to its hazy, gloomy hue.

But the breathtaking battle just now has left an indelible mark on the hearts of all the witnesses.

"Your Excellency the Governor!"

Iron Hammer Green was the first to rush into the command room.

The burly vice-governor's face was flushed with excitement:

"The High Priest's avatar has been destroyed! That false god has finally revealed its ugly true face!"

"The entire Hearth City is now bound to descend into chaos, and the authority of the temple will be completely destroyed!"

He slammed his fist on the table, the sound as loud as a drumbeat:

This is a golden opportunity!
We should strike while the iron is hot, immediately march on Hearth City, capture the temple in one fell swoop, and liberate the entire Star of Forgemasters!

Other senior executives also rushed over, each with a similar expectation written on their face.

The foreman in charge of the armored forces excitedly unfolded the map:

"Our armored vehicle convoy can be assembled within six hours. With the support of heavy artillery and air strike units, we can break through the outer defenses of Hearth City in three days at most!"

"The mine workers' armed regiment is ready to go!"

Another cadre in charge of the militia organization shouted:
"One hundred thousand workers are ready to be deployed to the battle at any time!"
They had had enough of the temple's oppression; everyone longed to tear down that decaying structure with their own hands!

"The medical team is also ready!"

Marceline, who was in charge of logistics, also showed an unusual enthusiasm for fighting:
"We have enough medicines and treatment equipment to support a large-scale battle!"

The voices of the crowd rose and fell, and the entire command room was like a pot of water about to boil.

Everyone was waiting for Ron to give that order—to march on Hearthheart and complete the final liberation.

However, Ron simply stood quietly in front of the huge map of the Stoker planet, without saying a word.

That silence, like the surface of a lake in winter, was calm and restrained, forming a stark contrast to the boiling atmosphere around them.

"Governor?"

Green sensed something was wrong and tentatively asked:

What are you worried about?

Ron finally raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

Those eyes held no excitement or fervor, only an almost icy rationality:
"Gentlemen, I have a question."

"Which of you has ever actually commanded a war?"

This question was like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's head.

The group looked at each other, and finally shook their heads.

"No."

Green said frankly:

"We are all just ordinary workers, technicians, managers..."

Over the past forty years, we have built factories, trained militia, and produced weapons…

"But indeed, we have never truly fought a war."

"Then, second question."

Ron turned to face the huge map hanging on the wall:
"What do you think we'll face after taking Hearthheart?"

"Is it the cheers of victory? The support of the people? The restoration of order?"

He paused, his voice becoming even lower:
"Or... endless chaos, resistance, assassinations, destruction, and a hostile city that requires us to invest massive amounts of resources to maintain?"

This question caused everyone present to freeze in shock.

They were so caught up in their excitement, thinking only of "liberation" and "victory," that they overlooked a fundamental issue:
Occupation is always just the beginning of war, not the end.

"Heartheart City is the capital of the Star of the Furnace, and the core of the temple's rule."

Ron walked to the map and pointed to the location of Hearthheart:
“A million people live there, of whom the aristocracy and their servants make up at least one-sixth.”

"These nobles receive a temple education from birth."

Their thoughts, values, and way of life were all closely intertwined with the temple.

“They will not suddenly become our supporters just because the High Priest’s incarnation has been destroyed.”

He drew a circle on the map with his finger:

"On the contrary, they will see us as 'heretics,' 'invaders,' and 'demons that destroy order.'"

"Even if we breach the city walls and occupy the temple, in the eyes of those nobles, we will still be an enemy that needs to be eliminated."

Ron turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife:
"Gentlemen, are you prepared to face a hostile city?"

"Are you prepared to handle countless assassinations, sabotage, and resistance incidents every day?"

"Are we ready to invest the resources we've painstakingly accumulated to maintain a city that could erupt into civil unrest at any moment?"

Each question struck like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's hearts.

Green's expression gradually turned serious, the excited red glow on his face faded, and was replaced by deep contemplation.

"You're right..."

He spoke slowly:
"We really didn't consider what would happen after the occupation."

“Heartheart is not a mining area, and the people there will not be as full of expectations for the new order as our workers are here.”

"So... Your Excellency, what do you mean?"

Ron didn't answer immediately.

He walked to the window, looked at the desolate wilderness shrouded in smog in the distance, and fell into deep thought.

In his mind, the voice of the dragon soul Aseria rang out leisurely:
"What are you hesitating about?"

"I'm thinking about the optimal solution."

Ron responded in his consciousness:

"Our current advantage is absolute—industrial superiority, weapons superiority, organizational superiority..."

"But where should this advantage be used to maximize its value?"

"Oh?"

Acelia patiently guided her:

"It seems you already have an idea. Why don't you tell me?"

"Heartheart City is a double-edged sword."

Ron's voice echoed in his mind:
"Occupying it requires enormous governance costs, but the benefits are not commensurate with them."

“The aristocratic class there is deeply entrenched, and ideological reform is extremely difficult.”

"Even if we forcibly occupy it, we will only get a powder keg that could explode at any time."

"But what if we give up the occupation..."

The dragon soul guided him to continue thinking.

"If we give up the occupation, we can invest our resources in more valuable goals."

Ron's thinking is becoming clearer:
"For example... other mining areas."

"On the Star of the Furnace, besides the West City Mining Area, there are more than a dozen large mining areas."

“In those places, millions of enslaved workers and slaves lived.”

“They have not received the brainwashing education of the temple; they only know suffering and oppression.”

"For these people, the lifestyle in the mining area is paradise."

"As long as we liberate them, give them land, jobs, and dignity..."

A glint of light flashed in Ron's eyes:
"They will become our staunchest supporters."

"and……"

He continued his analysis:
“Those mining areas possess a wealth of infrastructure, machinery, and mineral resources.”

"Although the technology was backward, it had a ready-made industrial base."

"With just technological upgrades and management optimization, it can be quickly transformed into productivity."

"Compared to Hearthstone, that gilded exterior but rotten interior 'capital'..."

“Mining areas are the truly valuable strategic targets.”

"very good."

Acelia said approvingly:

"It seems that through your years of governance practice, you have gained a deep understanding of what 'strategic vision' means."

"The purpose of war has never been to occupy land, much less to satisfy the desire for conquest."

"The real war is about acquiring resources, people, and productivity..."

"It's to make ourselves stronger and our enemies weaker."

Dragon Soul's voice became even more serious:
"However, even if you don't intend to directly occupy Hearth City, you can't completely ignore it."

"After all, that is the core of the temple, the nominal power center of the Stoker Star."

"If we can restore the temple and reorganize its power..."

"At that time, you may not be facing a disorganized noble family, but rather a united alliance of revenge."

"I see."

Ron nodded:

"Therefore, I need a compromise."

"It can both restrain Hearth City and prevent the temple from recovering, without getting us bogged down in the quagmire of occupation."

"at the same time……"

His thoughts became increasingly clear:
"We must also create favorable conditions for the liberation of other mining areas."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Encircle and attack reinforcements."

Ron uttered those four words.

Acelia was silent for a moment, then clicked her tongue in admiration:

"The strategy of besieging a point and attacking reinforcements is indeed very clever—it avoids direct occupation while continuously depleting the enemy's manpower."

"By creating a situation where 'Heartheart is in imminent danger,' we force reinforcements from all over the world to come and die."

"While you wait in comfort, you reap the rewards on the pre-arranged battlefield..."

Dragon Soul's tone was full of admiration:
"This is true strategic thinking."

Ron's consciousness withdrew from his conversation with Azalea and returned to reality.

In the command center, everyone was still waiting for his decision. "Gentlemen."

Ron turned around, his gaze resolute:

"We will not take Hearthstone immediately."

These words immediately sparked surprised murmurs in the command center.

"But, Governor..."

Green hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Hear me out."

Ron raised his hand, signaling for quiet:

"Our strategy will be divided into three phases."

He walked up to the map and began to explain in detail:
Phase One: Breaking the Stalemate

"Our march on Hearthheart remains unchanged."

"The goal is not to occupy the entire city, but simply... to break through its defenses."

His finger drew a circle on the map north of Hearthheart:

"The northern defense line of Hearth City is the weakest link in the entire defense system."

"The garrison there is a second-rate force, poorly equipped and demoralized."

"We only need to concentrate our firepower, and we can tear a huge gap in six hours."

"and then?"

Someone couldn't help but ask.

"Then we stopped moving forward."

Ron's answer surprised everyone.

"Stop moving forward? Why?"

"Because we want to build a fortress near this gap."

Ron pointed to that location on the map:

"A military fortress capable of accommodating 30,000 armored troops, equipped with heavy artillery positions, and possessing a complete logistics system."

"This fortress will become a sword hanging over Hearthheart."

His voice turned cold:

"What will the temple do when it sees this breach?"

“They will panic, they will be anxious, and they will do everything they can to mobilize troops to block this gap and prevent us from advancing unimpeded.”

"But every army that comes to our aid is smashed to pieces in front of our fortress."

Ron's finger moved slowly across the map:
"This is the second stage: consumption."

"We will not launch an attack, but simply hold this fortress and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out."

"Let the temple keep sending troops to their deaths, and let the noble forces in various places who are 'loyal to the king' exhaust their resources in the process of traveling back and forth."

"And we..."

A cold smile appeared on his lips:
"All we have to do is sit in the fortress and comfortably harvest their manpower."

In the command center, everyone began to understand the brilliance of this strategy.

"Wonderful!"

The commander in charge of the armored forces exclaimed in admiration:

"In this way, we achieved our goal of deterrence while avoiding the trouble of occupation!"

"And it can also continuously weaken the enemy's strength!"

"Yes."

Ron nodded:

"However, the real key lies in the third stage."

His finger began tapping on the locations of other mining areas on the map:

“The eastern mining area, the southern mining area cluster, the northern mining area cluster... there are more than a dozen large mining areas in total.”

"While Hearthstone's attention is firmly drawn to our fortress..."

"As reinforcements from all over the world continued to pour into Hearthstone..."

A flame ignited in Ron's eyes:
"We can then secretly send small, elite units to liberate these mining areas."

“The defenses in those areas were already weak, and now they have been completely depleted.”

"Our elite squads only need to destroy the local authorities, expose our policies, and spread our ideology."

“The oppressed workers and slaves will spontaneously rise up, overthrow the old order, and establish a new regime.”

His voice grew increasingly impassioned:
"Then, we provided technical support, material assistance, and instructor training to these newly liberated mining areas..."

"Help them build their own armed forces and their own management system."

"As these mining areas gradually developed and formed independent bases..."

Ron clenched his fist on the map:
"Then we can connect them into one vast expanse, creating a prairie fire!"

"By then, Hearth City will be a completely isolated city."

"The mining areas we liberated are all around us, and they are all our supporters."

"Even if the temple wanted to retaliate, it couldn't find a target or hit the mark."

"And all we need to do is wait, wait for Hearthheart to slowly wither, rot, and eventually collapse on its own in isolation."

In the command center, everyone was still reeling from the sheer volume of information, slowly processing this grand and ingenious strategic concept.

From the initial simple act of "capturing cities and seizing territories" to the current three-step plan that is progressive and interconnected...

This leap in strategic thinking shocked everyone present.

"Your Excellency the Governor..."

Green's voice trembled slightly:
"Your plan... is just too... too..."

He couldn't find the right words to describe it.

"Isn't that too risky?"

Ron asked with a smile.

"No!"

Green shook his head vigorously:

"It's too perfect!"

"This is the real War of Liberation!"

"It avoids unnecessary casualties, maximizes the number of supporters, and continuously weakens the enemy..."

He bowed deeply:
“Your Excellency, we are, after all, just a bunch of rough men.”

"It's fortunate that you were here, otherwise we probably would have ruined the whole great situation long ago."

Others agreed.

Ron waved his hand:
"Don't rush to praise me. There are still many details to be perfected before this plan can be truly implemented."

He walked back to the map:

"First of all, the first phase of the breakthrough operation must be fast, accurate, and ruthless."

"We need to complete the breach in the defenses and the construction of the fortress before the temple can react."

"Green, you're in charge of this."

"Yes, sir!" Green stood at attention and saluted.

"Secondly, the key to the second phase of the siege and reinforcement operation lies in intelligence."

"We must know clearly where each enemy reinforcement comes from, how many people there are, what their equipment is like, and who their commander is..."

"Only by having sufficient intelligence can we wait for the enemy to tire themselves out and be assured of victory."

Ron looked at the officer in charge of intelligence:
"In this regard, your intelligence network needs to operate at full capacity."

"understand!"

"Finally, and most importantly, the third stage—multi-point liberation."

Ron's expression turned extremely serious:
"This step determines the ultimate success or failure of the entire strategy."

"I need to form more than a dozen elite squads, each of which must be capable of independent operations, political propaganda, and mass mobilization."

"The members of these squads must be the most loyal, steadfast, and faithful warriors."

"Because what they are facing is not just a battle, but a revolution that will deeply resonate with people's hearts and minds."

He looked around at everyone:
"The formation of these teams requires drawing elites from various departments."

“I know this will affect your daily work, but it’s necessary.”

"Is there a problem?"

"no!"

Everyone answered in unison.

"very good."

Ron nodded:
"Then, from this moment on, everyone shall enter a state of war."

"The armored forces completed their assembly within six hours;"

"The engineering corps has prepared all the materials needed for the fortress construction;"

"The intelligence department has initiated full surveillance; I need to know every move in Hearth City."
Medical and logistics teams are ready to provide support.

The publicity department has begun producing promotional materials for other mining areas…

He issued instructions one by one, and everyone was taking careful notes.

Finally, Ron looked at everyone:

"Gentlemen, this war will not only determine the future of the planet Stoker, but also the future of each and every one of us."

"We are not fighting to conquer, much less to rule."

"We have only one purpose in this fight."

His voice was booming:

"Let every oppressed person have freedom, dignity, and happiness!"

"Let all workers on this planet live like the workers in our mines, living like human beings!"

"This is the meaning of our battle!"

Thunderous applause erupted in the command center.

In everyone's eyes burns a flame called "belief".

After the meeting, everyone dispersed to carry out their respective tasks.

Ron stood alone in front of the map, gazing at the land shrouded in twilight.

“Ron, you have indeed grown a lot over the years.”

Acelia's voice echoed in my mind:
"From a scholar who only buried himself in research, he became a leader who understands strategy."

"This was all forced upon us."

Ron smiled wryly:

"If I could, I would rather spend my whole life in the laboratory."

Unfortunately, reality doesn't allow it.

"That being said, you did a very good job."

Dragon Soul rarely gives such affirmation:
"This three-step strategy is both prudent and bold, both realistic and idealistic..."

"If it can be successfully implemented, the landscape of the Stoker Star will be completely rewritten."

"I hope so."

………………

Meanwhile, in a satellite in near-Earth orbit of the Stoker Star.

A fortress stood silently.

At the highest point of the fortress, a blood-red flag fluttered, embroidered with a burning skull—the symbol of the "Molten Lord".

In the conference room, a dozen or so figures dressed in different styles and exuding powerful auras sat around a round table.

Everyone present possessed an aura at least at the Moon Radiance level, with three of them even reaching the Dark Sun level.

They are discussing something right now.

"Everyone, the latest intelligence indicates..."

Seated at the head of the table was a tall, middle-aged man, the first disciple of the Molten Lord, who was also a Dark Sun-level wizard.

His left cheek was covered in lava-like lines, and when he spoke, a flickering light could be seen deep in his throat.
"An unusual energy fluctuation has occurred in the direction of Hearth City."

"An avatar of the high priest has been destroyed."

"what?!"

A gasp of surprise rippled through the conference room.

The High Priest's incarnation is a being with combat power at the level of a "Great Wizard"!

To destroy an avatar, one must be at least a powerhouse of equal strength.

"Which force was behind this?"

Someone asked eagerly.

"Vinard? A forgeman? Or some other archmage or... a roaming star beast?"

"neither."

The man at the front shook his head:
"According to our scouts, the force that made the move is one we've never heard of before."

"The location is... in the northwest of the wasteland, in a place called 'the mining area'."

"Mining area?"

Someone frowned:
"Isn't that the wasteland that was granted off by Hearth City forty years ago?"

"How could anyone possibly have the power to destroy the High Priest's avatar?"

"That's the strange thing."

The first man said in a deep voice:
"According to the scouts, the mining area has developed an astonishing industrial system in just forty years."

"Not only does it possess a complete military industry, but it also has some technologies that we have never seen before."

He continued:
"What destroyed the avatar seemed to be some kind of tentacle monster similar to the Dominator's servant."

"They are numerous and extremely powerful, possibly reaching the level of 'Grand Wizard' or even higher."

The meeting room fell silent as everyone processed the information.

They never imagined it was related to the Great Abyss, since no matter how powerful those apostles were, they couldn't affect anything outside the Abyss.

After a long silence, an elderly man sitting on the left spoke up:
"So... that mining area is being supported by an unknown and powerful force?"

"Very likely."

The first man nodded:
"Moreover, the purpose of that force is probably not just simple colonization and development."

"To be able to transform a wasteland into an industrial empire within forty years..."

"This efficiency and these methods..."

His voice became serious:
"To be honest, even I find it unbelievable."

Another wizard suddenly laughed:
"So what if it's unbelievable?"

"This is actually good news for us."

Everyone looked at him.

The wizard continued:
"The high priest has suffered such a great loss, he certainly won't let this go."

"But it's a coward and would never dare to take action itself."

"It will definitely try to provoke a conflict between us and that mining area, and sit back and watch the tigers fight."

"Yes."

Others chimed in:
"Given the High Priest's character, he is absolutely capable of doing such a thing."

The first man tapped on the table, signaling for quiet:
"So, what we need to discuss now is..."

"Is this in line with the High Priest's scheme to start a war with the mining area?"

"Should we remain on the sidelines and wait and see?"

The conference room fell silent again.

This is a difficult choice.

If they choose to go to war, and if there really are guardians at the "Grand Wizard" level or even higher in the mining area, they could suffer heavy losses.

But if you choose to wait and see, it means giving up a possible opportunity.

If the mining area truly possesses some valuable resource or technology, it would be a great pity to ignore it.

"I recommend……"

The old man spoke slowly:
"Send someone to make contact first."

"To find out the truth and confirm the other party's background."

“If it really is just an industrialized mining area, then we can consider… trade cooperation.”

"If the other party has other plans..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes:
"Then let's strike first. After all, we have a great wizard here, and we can even bring in more reinforcements from the main world."

The first man hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded:
"That's it."

"As usual, we first send out a diplomatic mission, ostensibly to establish friendly relations, but actually to gather intelligence."

"At the same time, keep the planktonic worms on track on alert and ready to deal with any emergencies."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison. (End of Chapter)