Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

The Bloodline's counterattack strategy did not unfold along any textbook path.

There was no frontal assault, no breakthrough in depth, and not even a fleeting glance at the core area of ​​the Green Tide.

After they poured out of the gap, they split into two groups, like a wedge that had been split open, and rapidly extended along the north-south direction of the hilly area.

The objective was extremely clear—the high ground.

Every hill or mountain peak that rises more than fifty meters above the surrounding ground is their prey.

Ron realized almost immediately the source of the Bloodline tactical knowledge.

That might have come from a flash of inspiration from a genius, but for the bloodline system, any flash of inspiration is an accumulation.

Before stepping onto the battlefield, the new generation of soldiers have already acquired all the experience accumulated by their predecessors through the "retrospection" of spiritual mediums.

They knew under what soil conditions the Pioneer Vine spreads fastest, how long it takes for spine tree seedlings to grow to a height that blocks out sunlight, and under what wind direction the chemical signal transmission of the Mother Nest Flower is most efficient.

They even knew that there was a “slow-response zone” about five to eight kilometers wide between the front line and the core of the green tide.

This information is crucial.

Green Tide's decentralized self-healing system is powerful, but the closer it is to the core, the faster it repairs; the farther it is from the core, the slower it repairs.

The northern and southern wings of the hilly area are located precisely on the edge of the expanding green tide.

The vegetation cover there is low, and the self-healing response is the slowest.

While the core area was busy repairing the western breach, defensive forces in the peripheral areas were further redeployed, creating a temporary vacuum.

The bloodline came specifically for this window.

Each vanguard team consists of twenty warriors, equipped with two lightsmiths and one medium.

The Lightsmith's task is to set up the pyroxene mirror as soon as possible after capturing the high ground.

The role of the medium is even more crucial.

They were responsible for planting the seeds of the Echoing Tree on every occupied high ground.

Once planted, they will automatically establish a spiritual connection with the core mother tree, incorporating the new highlands into the bloodline's soul backup network.

Occupying a high ground is like lighting another lamp on the map.

The denser the connections between the lights, the stronger the network, and the greater the resilience of the bloodline.

The movement to "seize the hilltop" was exceptionally rapid.

The Bloodline's mobility on the hilly terrain far exceeds the Green Tide's response speed.

The reason is simple: they have lived underground for hundreds of years and know the geological structure of the hilly area like the back of their hand.

During the long process of excavating the mine tunnels, the miners inadvertently created an extremely detailed "underground map".

The direction of the ore vein, the hardness of the rock strata, the distribution of groundwater, the location of faults... all of this data has been preserved by the Echo Tree.

Using this information, they can quickly move from underground to directly beneath the target high ground, and then emerge from the ground through a pre-designed exit.

While the vegetation at the edge of the green tide was still slowly extending its vines toward the higher ground, the banner of the Bloodline had already been planted on the mountaintop.

Ron calculated that in the first five years (internal time) after the counterattack began, the Bloodline controlled more than forty highlands in the Ring Hills, accounting for nearly 60% of all available highlands.

On each high ground, a pyroxene reflector was erected.

During the day, the reflector focuses the sunlight onto the green front at the foot of the mountain, forming streaks of scorching light.

The pioneer vine withers, curls, and carbonizes in the light zone.

The seedlings of the spine tree were suppressed in the budding stage by the continuous strong light and were unable to grow into a canopy that blocked out the sun.

This is "Sunburn Front 2.0".

Unlike the earlier, crude defensive lines that relied on a single condenser, the new front is a complete system.

More than forty pyroxene reflectors on the high ground are linked together through an underground resonance network.

When an abnormal advance of the green tide is detected from any direction, the nearest reflectors will simultaneously adjust their angles to concentrate the beams on the most threatening location.

You can think of it as a giant chessboard.

Each mirror is a chess piece, and these pieces are controlled by the spiritual network within Deep Sun City.

The mediums monitor the status of the entire defense line in real time through the roots of the Echo Tree.

Where are the pioneer vines growing rapidly, where are the spine tree seeds sprouting, where are the mother nest flowers releasing chemical signals...?

All the information converges in the hands of the medium, and is then transformed into angle adjustment instructions for the reflector through the resonance network.

This is a semi-automated defense system that integrates perception, decision-making, and execution.

Ron carefully examined the system's operational data, his feelings a mix of emotions.

I designed the distribution of star fragments, the Echo Tree, and pyroxene veins myself.

The concept and implementation of the Sunburn Front 2.0 version were entirely the creation of the Bloodline themselves.

"Collective memory has accelerated their military evolution."

He wrote in his notes:
"The Echo Tree acts as an 'experience multiplier,' ensuring that the achievements of each generation are fully passed on to the next."

"There has been no forgetting, no gaps, and no loss of knowledge due to the death of any key figure."

"This, to some extent, makes up for the disadvantage of their limited population size."

He paused, then added:
"The question is, does this model of relying on collective memory inhibit individual creative thinking?"

When everyone can access all the experience of their predecessors, will anyone still choose to take a different path?

There is no answer to this question at the moment; a longer observation period is required.

He put his notes away and turned his gaze back to the miniature planet.

The battle for the high ground continues, but the overall situation is gradually becoming clearer.

Green tides still hold an overwhelming ecological advantage in the lowland woodlands.
The density of Pioneer vines there is extremely high, and the canopy of the spine tree forms a shade dome.

In this environment, launching a direct assault on low-lying areas would be tantamount to suicide.

The Bloodline's advantage in the highlands is equally unassailable.
Abundant sunlight, crossfire from the pyroxene reflective network, and logistical support from the underground resonance network.

When the pioneer vines of the Green Tide climb up steep slopes, they are exposed to continuous, concentrated beams of light, resulting in a survival rate of less than one percent.

Attacking the high ground was equally futile.

An interesting strategic equilibrium thus spontaneously formed.

The Green Tide retreated to the lowlands, while the Bloodline held the highlands.

Each side occupies the ecological niche most advantageous to itself, maintaining a tense yet stable confrontation over the long years.

What does this look like?

Azalea suddenly spoke.

"Like what?"

"In your human warfare terminology, this should be called a protracted war."

Ron chuckled: "When did you learn that word?"

"Having followed you for so many years, I'm bound to learn some strange things."

Dragon Soul's tone carried a hint of helplessness:

"But seriously, how long can this balance last? Plants have a much longer patience than your bloodline."

………………

While the battle for control of the public servers was raging, Red Hook's lease on the Chaotic Blood World was also nearing its end.

Ron had originally planned to send a phallus projection himself, but Silas volunteered this time.

According to him, if they did not achieve enough scientific research results, they would naturally send Ron to have a "friendly exchange".

But now that we have achieved results, there is no need to resort to those unseemly methods.

Thus, in the reception hall of the Heart Clan's ancestral land, Silas and Arkadi sat in an eerie silence.

On the coffee table between the two, there was something particularly eye-catching.

A wooden box with its lid open.

Thirty test tubes were neatly arranged in the box, each containing a slightly shimmering pale pink liquid.

That was a whole box of "Red String" medicine.

Next to the wooden box, there was an even smaller brocade box.

The box was lined with velvet, and three deep red, curved objects lay quietly inside.

Their shape is very similar to the red hook, but they are only one-third the size of the original.

It was a replica; Alcadi's gaze lingered on the brocade box for a long time.

He picked up one of the replicas and slowly twirled it in his palm.

A cool sensation spread from my palm to my fingertips, followed by a faint yet distinct pulse of magic.

That pulsating rhythm is exactly the same as that of the red hook.

It was just much weaker and lasted for a much shorter time.

But that frequency is correct.

The Heart Clan actually had its own replicas, which was what Alex used back then.

However, the manufacturing process of those imitations is extremely difficult, requiring the Grand Duke's own "original blood" as the core material.

Each drop of source blood is a direct transformation of the life force of the current Grand Duke; it is non-renewable, and every drop used is one less available.

Therefore, over a long period of time, the Heart Clan accumulated only a mere ten replicas.

Moreover, they are all disposable, destroyed after use, and cannot be recycled.

But Twilight City produced three in just over twenty years.

Although both are disposable and far less effective than the genuine product, the difference in efficiency is significant...

Alcadi's fingers tightened slightly.

"Associate Professor Draven."

He put the replica back into the brocade box, speaking calmly and deliberately:

"Are you showing me results, or putting pressure on me?"

A cold light reflected off Silas's glasses: "Both."

His frankness made Alkadi raise an eyebrow.

"Lord Arkadi, I'll be frank."

Silas took a neatly bound stack of documents from his briefcase:

“Hong Gou played an irreplaceable role in the development of these imitations.”

“We need the red hook as a ‘frequency reference’ to calibrate the hedging parameters for each batch of counterfeit products.”

"Without it, our research team would be like navigators who have lost their lighthouse—still moving forward, but every step could lead them astray."

He opened the first page of the document, which contained a clear timeline chart:

"If we take back the red hook now, our mass production plan will be directly interrupted."

"All the progress already made, whether it's drug formulation, generic manufacturing process, or hedging frequency database... While the existing data won't disappear, subsequent optimization and iteration will become extremely difficult."

He turned to the second page:

"But what if it's delayed for another twenty years..."

He took out another, thicker document and handed it to Alkadi:

“We pledge to provide the Heart Clan with ten doses of Red String Elixir free of charge each year during the extension period.”

"In addition, once the mass production technology matures, the Heart Clan will have priority supply rights and a fixed share of the technology revenue."

He pointed to a specific clause on a page of the contract:

"The right to supply is not time-limited, and the share increases with the production level. The higher the annual production, the more the clan receives."

"In other words, the more successful the Federation's research and development, the more the Heart Clan will benefit."

Silas observed the subtle changes in the other person's expression and smiled faintly:
"Your Excellency, this is not merely a payment for borrowing a sacred artifact."

"This is an opportunity for the Heart Clan to transform from 'guarding the old artifacts' to 'owning new assets.' The value of the Red Hook lies in the knowledge it contains, not in the slot it occupies."

Alcadi put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and didn't rush to speak.

The silence lasted for almost a minute. Then he held out his hand: "There should be a contract, right? Can I take a look at it first?"

Silas breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the negotiations were now in jeopardy.

He took out the contract documents that he had prepared beforehand and handed them over.

Arkady picked up the contract and began to review it word by word.

Silas did not urge him.

He picked up his teacup and slowly sipped the blood-red tea.

The tea soup has a slight astringency when it enters the mouth, but the aftertaste is sweet, long-lasting, and mellow.

It's very much like the Heart Clan's way of doing things: the first bite always makes you frown, but the aftertaste makes you want to take another bite.

About twenty minutes later, Alcadi closed the last page.

He picked up a pen from the table and signed his name at the end of the contract.

The moment the ink spread across the paper, the air in the entire reception hall seemed to lighten.

"A twenty-year extension." The Grand Duke pushed the contract back in front of the other party:
"Nigel will be responsible for explaining this matter to the public."

He tilted his head slightly, as if considering his words:
"Take the example of the Heart Clan, for instance. They have a long-term vision and are proactively investing in the future."

The hint of self-mockery in his tone was so subtle it was almost nonexistent, but Silas still caught it.

The enchanter adjusted his glasses and put the contract into his briefcase.

"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you, Your Excellency Arcadi."

"Pleasant to work with."

When the two shook hands, they did so with more force than they had done the last time.

………………

The day after the news broke, the conservatives within the Heart Clan were indeed in an uproar.

The old marquis, who had previously disagreed, grumbled at length, though of course he dared not do so in front of the Grand Duke.

He slammed his hand on the table, splashing the wine from his glass and leaving a wet stain on the tablecloth.
"Another postponement? Another twenty years?"

"Is the Duke planning to give away Red Hook as part of her dowry?!"

The confidants looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.

He cursed for a while, then gradually calmed down.

After regaining his senses, he sent someone to inquire about the specific conditions for the extension.

His brow furrowed tightly when the counterfeit red hook was presented to him.

The old marquis picked up a replica and rubbed it repeatedly in his palm.

Like the Grand Duke, he could also sense the faint pulse that resonated with the main body, Red Hook.

"This……"

His brow furrowed even more: "They actually did it?"

"Yes," the trusted aide replied, head bowed.

"Although it is also a one-time use product, its effectiveness is far less than the genuine product... but the frequency is exactly the same."

The old marquis put the replica back in the brocade box, leaned back in his chair, and remained silent for a long time.

After a long time, he whispered something to his most trusted deputy:
"Perhaps... that old fox Alkadi really does see further than we do."

Almost at the same time that the Red Hook's extended negotiations were finalized, the South and West of the Chaotic Blood World were undergoing a chaotic power reshuffle.

The Grand Dukes of the Claw Clan and the Wing Clan both perished in the Battle of Twilight City.

According to vampire tradition, the position of Grand Duke requires inheriting the bloodline of the predecessor in order to become the new Grand Duke.

The problem is that, during Ingrid and Faith's four transformations, their self-awareness was completely destroyed by Aiden's death order.

Their deaths were not from battle, but from self-destruction.

This means that no will was left, no heir was designated, and there was no complete body available for blood extraction.

The moment the term "power vacuum" appears in vampire society, all the forces lurking in the shadows will flock to it, attempting to fill the void.

The situation was particularly dire for the Claw Clan.

Ingrid was an iron-fisted ruler who came to power by murdering her own aunt and never showed mercy to dissidents.

This oppressive rule was indeed effective while she was alive.

But with her death, the long-suppressed contradictions burst forth like a dam breaking, unleashing a devastating flood.

The six marquesses each ruled their own territory, with three claiming to have "direct line succession rights" and the other three simply stating that they did not recognize any existing order of succession.

The struggle for the position of Grand Duke quickly escalated into a regional civil war within just a few years.

The situation of the Winged Clan is slightly better, but only slightly better.

Before his death, Faith briefly regained his senses, and his words, "Thank you, young man," were remembered by many vampires.

Some interpreted these words as "Grand Duke Fess was completely convinced of the great wizard Ralph's sincerity";
Many die-hards also believe that this was just dying ramblings and cannot represent any political attitude.

The two interpretations each hold their own ground, and behind them stand two diametrically opposed political forces—the pro-federalists and the independence faction.

When Ron sent the orders back to Dusk City, Miller reported the complex situation at the front in a communications session:
"The Claw Clan is already in complete chaos."

Several self-proclaimed legitimate marquises each raised their own factions, dividing their territories into four parts, with an additional 'neutral zone' jointly occupied by several earls.

"The Wing Clan appears calm on the surface, but they are also vying for power behind the scenes."

Currently, there are two most capable candidates: one is a distant relative of Fies, and the other is his former subordinate, Na.

"Both sides are waiting for us to make a statement."

After listening to the report, Ron pondered for a moment.

His true form is not currently in the Chaotic Blood World, and he doesn't want to spend too much time and energy to directly intervene.

If one is too assertive, it will make it appear as if Twilight City is "dividing up the spoils," which will alert and provoke a backlash from other neutral forces.

"Contact Hilda." He made his decision.
"Please ask her to help us find two suitable candidates."

"The conditions are: first, to be friendly to Twilight City but not overly dependent on it;"
Second, it has sufficient capacity to stabilize the situation;
Third, they can't be the type with overly ambitious goals.

"To put it bluntly, those who are too obedient are not very useful, and those who are too opinionated are also troublesome."

Look for those who are "smart enough to know that cooperation is more advantageous than confrontation, but also unwilling to be subservient."

Miller was silent for two seconds on the other end of the communication line, then couldn't help but chuckle:
"Ralph, your standards are really hard to find."

“That’s why we need Hilda to help us find her.” Ron’s tone was firm.

"She has lived in the chaotic world for so many years and knows far more people than we imagine."

But what happened next was somewhat unexpected.

Surprisingly, it was Alkadi that was the first to offer help in this matter.

The news was mentioned in a routine briefing a week later.

"There's an interesting situation."

Miller was also surprised:
"On the Claw Clan's side, two marquises who were originally evenly matched have suddenly stopped fighting."

"The reason is that one of them received a private letter from an elder of the Heart Clan, who 'kindly reminded' him that continuing the infighting would only give the Twilight Federation more excuses to intervene."

"Another piece of information was 'inadvertently' revealed by a trading partner of the Heart Clan: Twilight City is already considering taking over the Claw Clan's northern mining area directly."

"After discussing it, the two decided that rather than letting outsiders benefit, they should first reach a ceasefire and jointly elect a compromise candidate that both sides could accept."

"It's similar on the Wing Clan's side."

Alcadi sent a signal to Fies's grandnephew through an old friend:
The Heart Clan is willing to recognize his Grand Duke status at the 'appropriate time,' provided that he maintains a 'cooperative relationship' with the Twilight Federation after assuming office.

Miller lowered his voice slightly:
“Alcadi’s methods are very sophisticated. They do not appear directly; all information is transmitted through third parties.”

"If you don't know the inside story, you won't be able to see what role the Heart Clan played in all of this."

"He did a great favor but didn't ask for credit. He just did it quietly, proving his sincerity with actions rather than just words."

Ron stroked his chin.

Alcadi... he's definitely a cunning old fox.

Following the postponement of negotiations, the other side has clearly recalibrated its clan's strategic positioning.

Rather than wavering between Twilight City and the old forces, it would be better to simply put the stakes aside and then solidify this relationship through concrete actions.

His chosen approach was also very clever—he didn't seek credit, didn't try to seize power, and didn't leave any room for criticism.

Quietly exert influence at key junctures to steer the situation in a direction that benefits all parties.

This unseen assistance often carries more weight than overt support.

Because it conveys the message: I am not performing, I am doing something.

Just like Hilda did before the war, the letter contained no polite words but brought a wealth of intelligence.

"It seems that after the red hook was postponed, he finally came to his senses."

Ron commented:
"Instead of being distant from us, we should be deeply integrated and become an indispensable part of our system."

"So how should we respond?" Miller asked.

No need for a special response.

"He helped so discreetly that if we express our gratitude in a grand manner, it will only make things difficult for him within the Heart Clan and the conservatives. It's best to maintain the current pace of cooperation."

He thought for a moment, then added:
"However, next time Nigel comes, have Ivy prepare an extra tea and snack."

"Use the kind he drank when he first came to Twilight City, the kind with mint flavor."

Miller chuckled softly on the other end of the communication.

"understood."

The power realignment of the two clans was quickly settled under the mediation of the two Grand Dukes, Arkadi and Hilda.

The new leader of the Claw Clan is Ingrid's half-sister.

She maintained a cautious neutrality in the previous internal power struggles, neither taking sides nor showing overly strong ambitions, and her rise to power was tacitly approved by various forces.

Hilda provided "moral" support behind the scenes, and the Heart Clan cleared several key obstacles for her through their hidden networks of connections.

The Twilight Federation, on the other hand, immediately dispatched a diplomatic mission after she took office to express "welcome and cooperation".

She herself was very pragmatic; it is said that the first thing she said when accepting the title of Grand Duke was:
"I don't want revenge, I want to live."

On the Winged Clan's side, it was ultimately Fies's grand-nephew who successfully succeeded to the throne.

He was three hundred years younger than his opponent, but his political skills were surprisingly mature.

His inaugural address made no mention of "revenge" or "liquidation," but instead devoted considerable space to describing the Wing Clan's vision of "reconstruction and revival."

The core message is simple: look forward.

The stability of the two major clans brought a long-awaited respite to the entire chaotic world.

The federal framework was further refined during this period:
More trade routes were opened, inter-clan movement surged, and even marriage alliances emerged between conservative nobles and those from Twilight City.

Although these marriages were more driven by political considerations than romantic sentiments, their symbolic significance cannot be ignored.

………………

Twilight City, the center of pharmaceutical production.

Cedric stood behind the observation window in the synthesis workshop, watching the petri dishes on the assembly line.

Each petri dish contains a sample of the precursor to the Red String reagent, which is in the synthesis stage.

Silas flipped through the test records and nodded in satisfaction.
"The stability rate of this batch has increased by nearly seven percentage points compared to the previous batch."

“Not enough.” Cedric’s gaze never left the assembly line.
"Forty-two percent means that nearly six out of every ten bottles are defective."

"From an academic perspective, this is already a remarkable breakthrough;"

From a mass production perspective, this scrap rate directly eats up profits.

Cedric, hands in his pockets, stepped back into the elevator leading to the laboratory.

"However... the effective duration for Earl-level and above has been extended, and this progress is more significant than the stability rate."

Compared to the Heart Clan's traditional "Red Hook Blessing," the Red String Elixir's advantages are overwhelming.

The only bottleneck is production volume and cost, which is what they will continue to focus on. (End of Chapter)