Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 435 The Queen's Tears in the Ten-Mile Emerald Corridor
The river on the northern slope continues its relentless flow downstream.

That massive flood, caused by human error, swept through the upper and middle reaches of the river, mercilessly devouring the fertile land on both banks and claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced refugees. The cries and despair from those floods still seem to linger in the damp river breeze.

And the subsequent famine and plague that followed, it is unknown how many lives were lost.

The household registration statistics in Xiyue are a complete mess and impossible to compile.

This is easy to understand. Even in a modern and powerful country on Earth, if the government does not pay attention to public services, the population situation in society will be a mess, and even ghost species that are hundreds of years old can exist openly.

When numbers become blurred, so does the pain.

It also makes it easy for those high-ranking ruling class gentlemen to close their eyes with peace of mind; as long as they can't see it, the problem simply doesn't exist.

After the flood finally receded, the fields on both sides of the river seemed to be more fertile than in previous years. In the words of some local tyrants, the land nourished by blood and flesh was exceptionally fertile!

As part of the Summer Moon Alliance, on the northern White Deer Plains, the massive reforms involving land, systems, and ideology, spearheaded by the Vast Ocean Territory, are in full swing. But in the southern Stream Moon, it seems to be isolated by an invisible barrier.

The theme here is the redistribution of interests after the war, and the still brutal exploitation and plunder of the survivors by the powerful.

But all of this has nothing to do with Chen Ye.

As Lord Chen Mo's beloved nephew, Chen Ye's work in Xiyue can be described in eight words: "devoted and meticulous, with outstanding achievements!"
This achievement is not only outstanding for the Vast Ocean, but also exceptional for the Sky Empire.

In the past six months, His Majesty the Supreme Emperor of the Heavenly Realm has awarded Chen Ye three special commendations.

The first time, Chen Ye successfully completed his mission and made contact with the Han Hai Territory. Although the lord did not admit that he was the root of the Sky Dome, he did not deny it either. This left a wide and imaginative space for many future operations.

Based on this achievement, Chen Ye was promoted from Third-Class Star Glory Lieutenant to Second-Class Cloud Lieutenant.

The second time, Chen Ye sent back a "differential supercomputer".

This caused a stir in the court and among the people.

Even though Tianqiong's steam technology had reached its pinnacle, Dongxia simply made a move, instructing the engineering department to tinker with the differential equipment of the steam engine, and the resulting machine could be called a supercomputer in the differential world!
Stainless steel, brass, gears, springs, connecting rods... it is a masterpiece of mechanical aesthetics.

Chen Ye thus transformed from the hereditary Earl of Anping to the Marquis of Ningyuan, whose title was inherited in succession.

This isn't just a simple promotion of one level; it's a promotion of four levels in total.

The Earl of Anping was a third-class earl, while the Marquis of Ningyuan was a second-class marquis.

The difference is evident from the titles themselves: one is Anping, a place for guarding one's home, while the other is Ningyuan, a place for traveling thousands of miles. It is obvious which title held more weight in the emperor's heart.

Of course, with higher ranks come more restrictions; for example, hereditary succession was changed to succession by succession.

Hereditary succession means that if the previous generation was a third-class earl, the next generation would inherit the same third-class earl title.

In succession, the rank was reduced by one level with each step. The son of a second-rank marquis became a third-rank marquis, and the son of a third-rank marquis was reduced to a first-rank earl.

It seems like a loss, but even if it goes down like this, it will take at least four generations before it returns to the original "hereditary without replacement" level. Of course, it's best to seize the benefits in between.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

It could have been higher, but it's all because Chen Ye's father is useless. Chen Ye's title is already on par with his father's. If he were to surpass him, it would be embarrassing for many officials in the empire.

In the words of some ill-intentioned members of the Sky Dome, this is like "having found a strange father outside and then riding on his own father's head; truly extraordinary!"

However, before they could even finish being sarcastic, Chen Ye had already accomplished another major task.

After arguing his case, he managed to secure a spot in the bidding process for administrative positions at Hanhai.

The descendants of the Sky Empire were able to exercise administrative control over certain areas east of the Dragon Ridge Mountains.

Its actual value is relatively limited at present, but its symbolic significance is enormous and immeasurable.

For this one thing alone, the emperor of the empire is now revered by the officials of all departments as the "restorer of the empire" and "the one who will usher in a new golden age"!
It is said that after his initial elation, His Majesty the Emperor couldn't help but slam his fist on the table, exclaiming, "Oh no! I've given too much in the past!"

Since we can't mention titles anymore, we can only change positions.

Thus, Chen Ye, the former Right Supervisor of the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department who was in charge of foreign affairs with the Eastern States, became the second youngest Deputy Director in the history of the Sky Dome Empire.

However, despite the overwhelming good news coming one after another, Chen Ye remained very clear-headed. The Emperor's commendation was all because of his new "uncle".

Therefore, the most important thing I need to do is to do the things that Chairman Chen Mo, my uncle, has entrusted to me conscientiously and meticulously.

However, this chaotic place was clearly a bit beyond the capabilities of the young Chen Ye.

The thirteen tribes, which even the twenty-odd emperors of the former Xiyue Alliance couldn't subdue, were still entangled in a mess. How could he, a young outsider, possibly resolve it so easily?

He needs help, experienced help.

In response, the Empire and the Chen family provided unprecedented and generous support.

With the Emperor's approval, Chen Ye successively transferred six long-serving officials, three civil officials, and even invited a retired but still influential figure from his family to come out of retirement.

The former head of the Imperial Bureau of Foreign Affairs, who oversaw both the left and right bureaus, would be equivalent to a former foreign minister of a major power on Earth.

This old gentleman's name is Chen Wangdong. Judging from his name, you can tell that his branch belongs to the radical faction that has been hoping to break through the barrier between the eastern and western continents for generations.

Director Chen worked diligently throughout his life, but never achieved anything significant. Now, in his old age, with his head full of white hair, he suddenly saw his family's descendants carving out a vast territory in the Eastern Continent.

While feeling envious, I also felt somewhat lost.

"Why is this...? What did I do wrong back then? And what did you do right?"

Chen Ye could only offer a helpless wry smile and respectfully replied, "I've only recognized you as my uncle; in other respects, I'm not even one ten-thousandth as good as you!"

"It's all about timing and fate!"

Understanding that his uncle was the root of everything, Chen Ye, after arranging various affairs for Xi Yue, arrived early with his entourage at the Red Tree Highlands on the outskirts of Silver Moon Forest, where he waited for Chen Mo's arrival.

As the second stop on Chen Mo's visit, the Elven race also prepared an extremely grand welcoming ceremony.

Nominally, it was to welcome the daughter of their queen, the sworn sister of the next queen, an unparalleled genius swordsman... well, recently she's been showing signs of transitioning into a gunslinger, and the daughter of a high-blooded half-elf human with beast-related skills, Princess Liushuang, whom many White Deer tribes are vying to recognize as their relative.

In reality, everyone with discerning eyes knows that before meeting the lord, this young prince was only worth a few [Eternal Song of Life].

Now, she is the most high-profile relative of the elves in history.

Perhaps to contrast with the rainbow bridge of the Misty Moon Divine Court, the elven procession displayed a ten-mile-long emerald corridor.

In the magical world, everyone can create different dazzling effects.

This time, the elves really went all out.

Looking out from a high vantage point, a corridor woven from countless emerald vines, glowing moss, and exotic flowers resembles a vibrant emerald dragon, winding its way out of the mangrove highlands through the lush forest, culminating in an extravagantly luxurious welcoming platform at the edge of the woodland.

Along both sides of the corridor, every thirty steps or so, there is a large, leafy tree, neatly arranged, with gnarled roots protruding from the ground and lush canopies that block out the sky.

The elf was led by an old acquaintance, Ysera, who brought a caravan of jungle cheetahs pulling open carriages. The host was in front, the guests in the middle, the guards behind, and the escorts brought up the rear. Together, they traveled slowly along the jungle breeze.

As soon as he stepped onto the corridor, Chen Mo, who had the seed of the Tree of Life hanging on his body, quickly sensed that the hundreds of seemingly ordinary trees along the way were ancient war trees in a static state.

Those branches and leaves, which looked as thick as a human body, could turn into fierce attacks at any time.

In this environment, Liu Shuang, who was riding in the same carriage, got even closer to Chen Mo. The young lord could even feel the even younger princess, and his muscles were slightly tense.

This made Chen Mo sigh a little. The carefree little girl who said "Let's have an affair together" back then was gone forever.

Some things, once missed, can never be found again...

Of course, at this moment, the most majestic and carefree one is the little white bird.

The increasingly plump owl perched comfortably between Chen Mo and Liu Shuang, its two claws even resting on the two big shots, one on each side.

As a creature native to the Silvermoon Forest, to be able to "return home in glory" in this manner made the little guy feel that he had reached the pinnacle of his bird life. One of his big, black eyes, which had been open, narrowed into slits with satisfaction, and a soft gurgling sound came from his throat.

The ground beneath the ancient war trees was spotless, cleaned of fallen leaves and loose soil. Moss, shimmering softly like a brocade carpet, covered the ground, its gentle glow soft and not glaring. In the midday sun of the forest, the surroundings were bathed in shimmering light and shadow, like a dream.

On the ground above the moss, rows of vines are arranged in parallel, like a long, green zebra stripe.

On those vines, flowers of various colors swayed gently, like the undulating waves, and bloomed one after another.

This is a wondrous sight that only the Fairy Forest could create: yellow, orange, blue, purple, bright red, pink, tender red, and soft red flowers of all shapes and sizes grow on the same vine, emitting a refreshing yet not cloying fragrance.

Chen Ye and Chen Wangdong, as accompanying guests, lagged behind in the group, unconcerned that their whispers would be overheard. "This is too much!"

Chen Ye scratched his head in frustration.

"I heard that the Divine Court treated my uncle with the same courtesy they would show to a distinguished guest from a great nation, with an extravagant level of hospitality. Now the elves are going even further, treating my uncle like royalty!"

"How can we, Xiyue, bear this!"

The old director, Chen Wangdong, remained unhurried, twitching his snow-white beard: "Marquis Ningyuan misspoke. Where did you get 'our Xiyue'? Shouldn't it be 'our Tianqiong'?"

Seeing that Chen Ye's face was stiff, Chen Wangdong lowered his voice: "Who is your uncle? Don't you understand? Let alone this mere ten-mile-long green corridor, even if the entire flower-lined avenue stretched from Silver Moon to the Vast Sea, it wouldn't shake his mind in the slightest."

“You’ve all been blinded by the glitz and glamour of the vast ocean. In truth, your uncle is a ascetic at heart!”

Chen Ye frowned repeatedly.

Why do you say that, Uncle?

Okay, Chen Wangdong is also Chen Ye's uncle, but to avoid misunderstandings, the family repeatedly instructed that the word "outsider" should be added to indicate the difference in kinship.

The biological uncle should be called "maternal uncle," while the uncle from outside the family is the "biological uncle."
Chief Chen Wangdong raised his chin and pointed with the tip of his beard at the guards walking on both sides of the carriage.

Humans, orcs, and some hybrids.

Their posture was straighter than the trees along the road, their heads held perfectly upright. No matter how magical the natural phenomena or how beautiful the elven maidens were on either side of the road, they could not turn their gaze away even slightly.

Their steps were always exactly the same; the height of their leg lifts, the force of their foot landings, the width of their strides, and even the amplitude of their arm swings were all so precise that it was as if they had been measured with a ruler.

Although the sound of their footsteps was muffled by the moss on the ground, Chen Ye could almost hear the sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps just by looking at their uniform movements.

Chen Ye was still deep in thought when he heard the voice of "uncle".

"You are caught up in the situation, and you are blinded by all the temptations. You see the gold coins, weapons, and magical items of the Hanhai, but you don't seem to respect the people of the Hanhai, thinking that they are of low rank."

"Only an outsider like me can see that all of these people who came from your uncle's command have a strange, ascetic quality about them."

What are the characteristics of ascetics?
Self-discipline, even bordering on self-torture!
"Over the past few years, have any of the soldiers from the Hanhai region been involved in bullying men or women?"

Chen Ye tried hard to recall: "It seems like a long time ago, I was... I was dealt with by my uncle."

"Have you been looting or plundering any areas?"

Chen Ye shook his head without hesitation: "No!"

"Is there any case of killing innocent people and claiming credit for it?"

"Is there any embezzlement of military funds?"

"Is there anyone who would stand by and do nothing in a time of crisis?"

"Is there any demand for funds during the battle?"

After a rapid-fire question-and-answer session, Chen Ye was left speechless, with beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Chen Wangdong then turned his gaze back to the soldiers marching in silence, and changed the subject: "Marquis Ningyuan, let me ask you again, in my Heavenly Firmament, setting aside the difference in combat strength, just in terms of military discipline, which army can compare?"

"The Royal Guard...should be...comparable to..."

"No comparison!"

Chen Wangdong's response was resolute.

"Even the Royal Guard can still be said to have some discipline in some cities within the Sky Dome. Once they enter enemy territory, burning, killing, and looting are almost an unspoken rule."

"If they encounter alien races like elves or orcs, they treat them like livestock or weeds; where is there any military discipline to speak of?"

The old man sighed softly, his expression one of profound weariness.

"To be honest, before coming here, no matter how wonderfully you described this team in your report, I always had seven or eight parts doubt in my heart."

“Strong armies and fierce soldiers are almost inevitably accompanied by arrogance, greed, and violence. This is human nature and common sense. I have searched through the historical documents of various countries, and no matter what I do, I cannot find an army like this.”

"But now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I think what you're saying is a bit too conservative."

"Not loving wealth, not being interested in women, not coveting fame or position, and not liking killing—isn't that even more wicked than those ascetics?"

He turned his head, his cloudy yet sharp eyes staring directly at Chen Ye, and asked a question that seemed simple but went straight to the heart of the matter.

"What exactly do they want?"

Chen Ye fell into a deep silence.

Yes, this is an army that is somewhat out of place on the entire Starry Continent.

Or rather, even back in the so-called modern world on Earth, among hundreds of countries and thousands of forces, this is an extremely rare army.

Looking at the armies of various countries on Earth, the so-called democratic armies are good at looting; the civilized armies are good at embezzling salaries; and the righteous armies are good at scalping…

Only this army of Dongxia, despite its many twists and turns and repeated setbacks, still retained some of the founder's arrogance that made him look down on the world.

What exactly do they want?

Surely it's not just to ensure that the lowest of the low can have enough to eat?
Impossible, what's the point?

In Chen Ye's mind, this was how his family had taught him for generations: those commoners were worthless and would soon forget why they were even full after a few days of good food.

Only whips and sticks can teach them the best education!

Suddenly, a melodious and clear piano melody interrupted his reverie.

It was as if the entire forest had opened its throat to sing. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow on both sides of the corridor, one after another, the elegant figures of fairies appeared, peeking out from among the branches and leaves, singing softly and bowing respectfully.

As the carriage turned, a breathtaking view suddenly appeared, revealing a natural platform entirely supported by enormous white flowers.

On the platform, the nominal symbol of the highest power in Silvermoon Forest, Queen Vera Moonshadow, and the de facto holder of the highest power in the elven race, Chief Elder Aiona, along with dozens of high-ranking elven officials, were already waiting solemnly.

Elder Aiona greeted them warmly with a beaming smile.

"Welcome, esteemed Chairman Xia Yue, Lord of the Vast Ocean!"

"Welcome, my dear child, the glory of the elves!"

The graceful Elf Moonshadow Queen, who was standing to the side, simply nodded politely to Chen Mo, then turned to Liu Shuang, took a few steps forward, and pulled Liu Shuang into her arms, tears streaming down her face.

"my child……"

"You've finally... come home..."

"Let me take a good look at you... I'm so glad to see you again... so glad..."

She loosened her embrace slightly, cupped her frosty cheeks in her hands, and examined them closely through her teary eyes.

Liu Shuang was a little dazed, but as a girl who had lost her mother at a young age and whose father had neglected her, she couldn't help but have her eyes redden when she saw the Queen's genuine emotions.

Chen Ye and Chen Wangdong exchanged a glance and simultaneously spat inwardly.

Only Chen Mo's eye twitched slightly.

The lord was close by, and just now, when the Queen pulled on Liu Shuang, Chen Mo clearly felt that the little girl subconsciously made a movement to resist.

Chen Mo knew all too well how strong Liu Shuang was now; she could easily grab him with one hand. However, Queen Vera Moonshadow's seemingly slender and weak arm not only didn't move at all, but also easily and naturally pulled Liu Shuang into her embrace.

This little girl is now practically the strongest force in the entire Han Hai region capable of moving freely, and she still can't beat her...

Chen Mo maintained a calm and polite smile on his face, watching the "touching" reunion scene with gentle eyes, but in his heart, a high-pitched alarm had already been sounded.

The actor knows martial arts and looks so deceptively good...

terrible!

　A new book by an author I admire. The beginning is a little slow, but the story flows smoothly. I recommend reading it!
　　

(End of this chapter)