Chapter Eleven: The Military Council

The Sanctuary of the Azure Sky enjoyed a good reputation in this region. Both soldiers and civilians valued face, and upon seeing Neo and his group dressed in their crisp emerald-green military uniforms, the city guards saluted them as if they were their own commanders. Many people on the streets also took off their hats or nodded in greeting.

This treatment was new to Neo. It was the first time in his life that he had been respected by ordinary people so much. This feeling was entirely different from the excitement of winning cheers from thousands of spectators in the arena—though that was also an honor, its value was diminished by its nature as entertainment.

Although Neo understood that the respect and honor he was experiencing were merely an atmosphere created and maintained by those in power, not truly admirable figures, used to motivate people to serve them, he still felt joy and pleasure when honored—just as he would have been overjoyed if he had received treasures or wealth.

It had to be said, that feeling was wonderful! More intoxicating than enjoying a fine meal or a beautiful view. Neo thought this might be what life was like. If one didn’t have grander ideals or ambitions, pursuing such moments could be a good goal, perhaps even more fulfilling than chasing money or beauty.

Even though he wasn’t particularly proud, Neo couldn’t help but think of Edrith and Tures’ lives, as well as what had happened in Solis City. Even when darkness descended and the Black Butcher arrived by air drop, the city guards still tried to force him into areas of slaughter with their crossbows or simply shoot him. He could sense that the archers hated him—despite him being above the Black Butcher—and yet they had never met or had any connection. Their hatred stemmed solely from the words of those in power. Law!? If necessary, those in power *were* the law!

Every time he recalled that scene, Neo felt different things, and now his thoughts were once again different.

“There, I truly wanted to achieve freedom and status through hard work, but all I got was neglect and slander. Here, through cunning and manipulation, I obtained money, status, and honor. Is this the irony of fate? No, this is proof of the existence of systemic rules—rules set by others. Comply, rise, rebel, or abandon!”

With that thought, his previous sense of honor faded significantly. Neo took a deep breath and thought to himself, “No matter how splendid, they’re still pawns. Yet even so, one must strive for it. And now, at last, I’ve achieved something.”

Yes, he had been promoted. While he was still in Four-Leaf Castle, letters of appointment, military insignias, and plaques had already been delivered by the Air Knights. He now held the rank of lieutenant and also a title—as a Knight-in-Training.

At first, Neo thought it was some form of compensation from the Temple’s higher-ups, after all, he had helped the Temple make a huge profit. But when the official letter from the mission planning committee arrived shortly after, he realized his assumption might be wrong. He hadn’t been promoted because of the wealth he had generated for the Temple, but rather because the Temple’s leaders realized that their previous assessment of his performance in the Spider Nest incident and the Tree Mite incident had been too low.

In fact, it wasn’t just about issuing additional rewards. Even before Neo arrived, the Temple’s leaders had already decided internally that he would be one of the main responsible persons for the mission. For someone destined for a high position, a formal appointment and some benefits were necessary to set him apart from his peers and facilitate leadership. After all, it wasn’t easy for a trainee to command a group of lieutenants.

In Frey, knights, sergeants, and lords were the lowest noble titles with similar ranks but different paths to attainment. Knights were recognized for their military achievements, sergeants were usually descendants of lower nobles, while lords were commoners elevated for their significant contributions to the country. Quasi-knights, a title unique to the Temple’s system, enjoyed the rights of knights but had no fiefs.

In Od, nobles without fiefs were almost always considered lowly, with a huge gap compared to land-owning nobles of the same rank. But in Frey, where commerce was extremely prosperous, not having land didn’t mean being poor. Someone like Victor, for example, didn’t own an inch of land in the Duchy of Sanvest, yet who would dare look down on him?

It was this unique situation that gave rise to a peculiar phenomenon in Frey: precious metal badges. Created jointly by the Frey Mage Guild and the Federal Bank, these badges were used to determine how wealthy a noble was. Some also saw them as a means to stimulate and spur the economy. On Neo’s left chest, in addition to the Temple’s Level 3 Guardian Badge and the Shielded Clover family emblem, was also a Purple Gold Flower Badge—called a Platinum Badge because it was made of platinum. It indicated that the wearer owned assets worth over 1 million gold.

Money could move mountains. Along his journey, Neo was surrounded by women who flattered him and tried to attract his attention, some even boldly expressing their love: “Warrior! Only a warrior like you could be the prince of my dreams…”

Kokar smirked. “That should be changed to, ‘Warrior! Only a wealthy warrior who does such dangerous work like you is my ideal husband!’”

“Then that’s great! Enjoy life first. Who’s sillier than whom these days?” Hu! Hu! Valug blew on his Silver Leaf Medal on his left chest and wiped it with his sleeve.

Kokar glanced at Valug and said, “It’s useless. Next time you want to flirt, remember not to go with the captain.”

“Silver Leaf—worth over 30,000 gold. I’m still a wealthy man, after all.” Valug rolled his eyes, unconvinced.

Kokar shrugged. “It seems you haven’t understood the true meaning of happiness.” With that, he ignored Valug and continued to focus on the book in his hands.

“What?” Valug frowned and looked around, confused. They were discussing the allure of money—why suddenly was it tied to the true meaning of happiness? “What are you talking about?”
“Happiness lies in comparison,” said Canito lazily, fiddling with his thin voice.
Valug scratched his head and gradually understood. An unexpected 30,000 gold coins was indeed a form of happiness and could attract many suitors, but compared to whatNeo had, it seemed insignificant. Women dreaming of marrying wealthy men wouldn’t easily give up the chance to seduce someone more valuable. As one songbird put it, “It’s hard to predict the tastes of the rich. What if?”
The mission to eliminate the Poison Tooth Spiders left everyone with full wallets. Ordinary soldiers received compensation for injuries and pensions; the team’s close relationship with the Temple was strengthened; Zanjin and the others got the largest sums of money they’d ever seen—Canito the most, at 50,000 gold coins, Valug and Kocar at 30,000 each, Zanjin at 20,000, and Mary at 40,000. The difference of 10,000 gold coins between the last two was determined by their different performances during the Tree Mite incident.Neo explained it openly: “That’s how I calculate it. If you can’t remember, the punishment doubles!”
Everyone was deeply impressed, especially Zanjin. 10,000 gold coins—that wasn’t a small amount, and it was lost just like that, when it could have been avoided!
In this mission to eliminate the Poison Tooth Spiders,Neo perfectly demonstrated his ability to turn things into gold. Naturally, he reaped the greatest benefits from the entire affair. Not to mention the materials collected, just the gold coins he received after a fair distribution amounted to nearly 2 million. The materials from the Bloodline series were valuable, as were the high-grade ingredients for creating dark energy potions and casting powders. Even those black thorny plants were rare and valuable—their fibers, spun into fabric, made top-quality mage robes. Even the residue left after extracting the fibers could fetch a good price. Otherwise, why would they need the army to escort them?
After assuming the identity of Simon Windwalker,Neo adopted a bold approach, unafraid to show off his strength. This style was common in Frey. Although it undoubtedly attracted envy from others, it also served as a signal: Those who weren’t good enough, stay away!
In Frey, money could accomplish many things. When combined with power, it could be transformed into combat strength. For example, the wealthy Black Mine Lord Gusbey could only afford a few shady thugs, or at best, short-term workers hired solely for their high salaries. But with the same amount of money, Simon, now a quasi-knight, had a completely different situation. Quasi-knights could legally hire people, protected by the alliance’s laws. This meant not only that their earnings were legitimate but also that their efforts and victories would be recorded in official records—in short, they could accumulate merit. This was something those unregistered individuals could never match. As for the limit of 10 armed mercenaries per quasi-knight title, it could be adjusted depending on circumstances. Right now,Neo was hiring Team Fire Rose as his personal guards.

He began to realize the advantages of combining power and wealth—just one of the benefits that came with his status. What concerned Neo even more were status, fame, and money. Once these three rose to prominence, he would be able to win Melian’s heart in a proper manner. After some struggle, Neo gave up his somewhat idealistic pride and chose to bend to reality. He realized that when he returned to his hometown, hastily assembled a team, and gained enough prominence, it would likely take at least five years before Melian could wait that long. He also had to consider the timing for building power. After much thought, it seemed most appropriate to marry Melian under the name Simon Windrunner.

“A promising, wealthy, strong, and handsome Sky Guardian, a nobleman recognized by the Alliance with a title—such a man deserves the daughter of a lord, even if she isn’t ordinary…”

While Neo struggled to climb the pyramid of power and status, Melian was troubled by certain matters. “That Viscount Hosen is so overbearing—it’s unbearable. How could he do such a thing? It’s so embarrassing!”

With her golden hair piled high and dressed in military attire, Aurora lifted the corner of the curtain and glanced down. In the open space in front of the house, thousands of roses formed a pattern centered around a heart. A few well-dressed musicians accompanied the scene, and at the center stood one of Phoenix City’s most handsome men, Viscount Antonio Hosen, singing passionately. Yet his target wasn’t Aurora but Melian.

“Polite and elegant, with an excellent reputation—yet these don’t prove that this young man is truly outstanding. My dear sister, there’s no need to be flustered by such ‘sincere declarations.’ Compared to the ‘courage’ of unhesitatingly using one’s body to shield you in critical moments and earning applause from the enthusiastic crowd, that’s nothing at all. It’s just another aspect of life in Phoenix City. Over time, you’ll get used to it.”

Melian couldn’t get used to it—her temperament made that impossible, and the environment here also had a profound impact on her. Any woman her age around Aurora would feel immense pressure.

Aurora was like the brightest star in the night sky—outstanding in literature, martial arts, status, and appearance. Many praised her as the embodiment of Phoenix City, the brightest star on the 30 million square kilometers of the Alliance’s land. Countless men tried every day to win Aurora’s heart by showing elegance, acting aloof, being rebellious, expressing deep affection, pretending to be pitiful, or displaying uniqueness. Especially after Aurora was recognized by the Phoenix, this trend doubled.

The men themselves were well-tested and able to remain unmoved, but the girls around her couldn’t—including her best friend Melian.

Melian originally thought she could handle it, but when she entered Aurora’s life and moved within the highest circles of the Alliance, watching all that dazzling glory that wasn’t hers poured onto Aurora while she remained indifferent, this girl from a remote countryside couldn’t stay calm. No woman her age who encountered the splendor of this world for the first time could…

“Simon Windwalker, your predecessors and colleagues have high regards for your combat prowess. They all say you must be among the strongest candidates for the position of guardian. But why does it feel to me every time I see you like a wave of gold coins rushing toward me?”
As one of the temple administrators in the entire Hylfanis region, Spencer’s humor brought some light to the dull atmosphere in the meeting room.
“Purification, my lord—that’s what it is. Profit is just a byproduct that happens to occur along the way,” saidNeo seriously yet respectfully.
“You’re right,” Spencer said, tapping his plump head. “The soil samples and corrupted energy extracts you provided have been tested by several expert teams, and it’s confirmed that the Spider Jungle has become a severely depleted energy zone. Even though the damage wasn’t prolonged and was quickly purified thanks to your efforts, the soil condition remains worrying. It’s no longer suitable for growing any food crops, and this situation will last at least 200 years!”
“That’s why we planted alfalfa, hoping that the four-leaf clover will bring luck to that land.”
Actually, what Spencer meant by “not suitable for planting” is different from “unable to plant.” Technically, crops like grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits can still be grown there. The problem is that all the food in Aemera is energy-rich food—not just the nutrients needed by cells, but comprehensive elemental energy. Eating energy-poor food not only stifles the innate abilities of spellcasters or fighters but also affects the eater’s immunity to elemental energy. Simply put, for someone who grows up eating such food, Aemera is a terrifying world, as the pervasive radiation of elemental energy alone could kill them.
By chance, Reno, the direct superior of Star 745, was also there. He casually asked, “So why did Star 745 choose that place as its base? Was it because of the large land area?”
Desiring more land area? That’s obviously a joke. Hylfanis isn’t short of land. It wouldn’t be difficult to set aside a section of those valleys for Star 745 to use. Besides, bothNeo personally and Star 745 as a whole are quite wealthy. The temple has reaped many benefits from them, so naturally, they would stand up for them if they asked. Choosing the Spider Jungle really confuses many people. As for some talk about thoroughly purifying the Spider Valley and its nests, that’s just child’s play. Is there any necessary connection between choosing a base and thoroughly purifying a place? Of course not! Otherwise, Refuge Valley Town would have no soldiers to defend it, and everyone would have settled in the wilderness.
“Gold coins are kept in the federal bank, while people live in impoverished valleys. People fear fame, pigs fear being big— the advantage of being a miser is that it makes those who want to exploit them think twice before acting. Is it really worth it?”
Everyone laughed, even the depressed Maxim raised the corners of his mouth. Pointing atNeo’s triple emblem on his left chest, he asked, “Then what’s this about?”
“I may be a miser, but I’m not stingy. I’m flawless yet willing to spend money, and I’m not a fool— I can convert money into equivalent combat power. Those who want to take Star 745’s wealth, go ahead and try.”

“Without oil or salt, it’s really tough!” Spencer exaggerated his expression, as if he were the one about to draw a blade against Star 745 or Neo, drawing laughter from many present.
“Ahem!” The military commander of the Temple of Hylfanis region and the experts from the combat department entered one after another.
“Stand up!”
“Salute!” Led by Maxim, the highest-ranking officer among the tactical teams present, Neo and the others stood at attention, chests out, heads high, with their right arms extended forward in salute to the officers.
The time for joking was over, and they began to discuss the current mission seriously.
“The Dark Corruption,” triggered by the Spider Jungle incident, had been classified as a Level 1 threat and taken seriously by both the Sky Temple and the local governing body led by Bishop Aventus of Hylfanis. The hallmark features of “Dark Corruption”—land destruction and rapid reproduction of monsters—were both intolerable to the rulers of this land.
The orders from above were to eliminate this scourge as swiftly and decisively as possible by destroying its core figure or core artifact.
Neo flipped through the materials provided, which included results from battles and analyzed information detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy’s units—of course, only those known so far.
The experts from the combat department came to analyze past operations and predict the enemy’s next moves. In this process, they first affirmed two points previously raised by Neo:
First, the enemy’s core tactic relied on a plant-based energy absorption system. When active, it exhibited two external signs: abnormally lush vegetation in the central area and severely degraded and twisted soil in the surrounding areas.
Second, the enemy’s troops were not high-quality units and required substantial maintenance, meaning they couldn’t build up strength in remote areas. Instead, they had to form quickly near valuable targets and seize them. Long marches would not only increase consumption but also expose their location. Once the defenders were on guard, the situation would change drastically—those monsters lacked the strength to confront the defenders’ armies, not even the local forces.
The defeats in battles on Moon 412 and Stars 743 and 744 had become cold numbers on paper. Neo could only judge the severity of those battles and the chaos of their retreats from the casualty figures and material losses. Several members of the tactical teams from Stars 743 and 744 were still in intensive care, while all members of Moon 412 were alive. Even ArcherHill had reached Level 10, but Eric had dropped back to Level 9—his level hadn’t stabilized, not only due to injuries but also due to psychological setbacks.
Before diving into actual operations, Neo thought tactics were just theoretical. It wasn’t that the tactical plans provided by the experts were useless, but they were at most inspirational. The experts themselves were aware of this, which is why they came up with as many as eight plans and invited everyone to discuss them. Neo wasn’t very enthusiastic; he was more focused on intelligence, especially that submitted by the three tactical teams that had participated in the second operation.

The Corpse Puppet, this massive creature that left Neo impressed from its very first appearance, has finally become a key force among the enemy’s main combat units. Shadow Burn is not a damage-dealing skill akin to flame sacrifice, but rather one that weakens the opponent’s strength. When Eric fought against the Corpse Puppet, Neo already sensed something suspicious. As a level 9 guardian, even after going through extremely tough battles, Eric shouldn’t have performed so poorly—both in offense and defense, he seemed sluggish and uncoordinated. Neo believed there was something wrong with the black smoke surrounding the Corpse Puppet, so he promptly activated Bloodthirst and used a powerful linear attack to deal heavy damage to it. In their report, Maxim and the others mentioned that the mist surrounding the Corpse Puppet had taken shape, forming a kind of aura ability. Although it seems to only affect itself for now, its ability to suppress opponents is already very stable. Entering its aura range feels like jumping into a pool of water—everything becomes sluggish, and one feels weak. It seems the more heavily armored one is, the greater the impact. Moreover, the Corpse Puppet has thick skin and is protected by dark energy, giving it high magic resistance. The report also mentioned that there are more than one of them.

Another type of enemy that caught Neo’s attention is called the Wood Demon. This newly appeared monster possesses excellent anti-detection capabilities—neither dark detection nor life detection works against it, and it doesn’t emit any energy fluctuations. Wood Demons have low intelligence but can understand commands and carry them out accurately, even if they’re not very complex. Their weapons are vines, which, according to the report, are as strong as steel cables, capable of twisting soldiers’ metal armor. Flame burns increase their activity, making them more agile and allowing them to grow rapidly, while also granting them decent resistance to fire.

“Fire-resistant wood that grows stronger when exposed to fire!” Neo propped his chin in one hand while tracing circles on the report with his fingers. While these enemies are indeed troublesome, Neo was thinking about what they represented.

“Simon,” Spencer called out.
“Here!”
“What’s your opinion on Tactics Plan No. 6 proposed by Chief Lawrence?” As Spencer spoke, officials including Lawrence turned their attention to Neo. Simon Windwalker, a student from the 7th batch, had only participated in one operation that couldn’t really be considered a victory, but his significant contributions had earned him considerable attention. Lawrence was also eager to hear this young man’s views on his plan.

“I’m very sorry. Although I mean no disrespect, I must be honest—I was distracted!”

Some people frowned, some rejoiced at his misfortune, and others looked as if they’d expected this. Those who frowned were from the combat department and Temple Hifanis’s military commander. Those who rejoiced were members of Team 744 who had never dealt with Neo before, as well as Buckley from Team 743. Although he had also made some money from the Tree Mite incident, sometimes people don’t care about having or not having, but rather whether they’re better off than others—more or less.

Neo also saw Buckley’s expression. In his mind, this might be what was meant by the saying passed down from the gods: “It’s not poverty that troubles us, but inequality.” Giving benefits only to incur complaints—this was a typical example of that. To be honest, Neo didn’t feel much envy toward Buckley; he was just an idiot who didn’t even know how to put on a show. It wasn’t so much that he was making enemies as much as closing off his own opportunities. After such an act, would Neo still cherish his collegial bonds? Pushing his warm face against someone else’s cold back—most people wouldn’t do such a thing, but Neo happened to be just such an ordinary person.

Spencer, on the other hand, showed no sign of annoyance. He liked smart people—people who knew when to deny and when to be honest. And right now, he thought Neo was clearly such a smart person. “So why are you distracted? Which girl? If it’s her, I can recommend her to you. I have two daughters, both of whom resemble their mother…”

“Mm-hmm!” The military officer coughed loudly twice and shot Spencer a glare, thinking, “You can rely on your position in resource allocation to attend meetings, but why make a fuss? Have you come here to find a son-in-law?”

Spencer grinned shamefacedly and said to Neo, “Really, consider it. Alright, now tell me why you’re distracted.”

Neo felt helpless. He thought to himself that this Spencer was indeed an excellent target for manipulation, yet also quite clever. He cleared his throat and said loudly, “I’m thinking about where in our surrounding area there is water and it’s relatively cold.”

Everyone was stunned. Many thought, “What kind of irrelevant talk is this?”

Lawrence, however, sensed something and frowned as he looked at Neo, asking, “Why do you think about that?”

Neo picked up the report in his hand and pointed, “On page four, there’s a new monster called the Wood Demon. According to the report, it’s the main enemy force encountered in a recent operation. Its resistance is a major strength, and there are many of them. I’ve done some research on plants. To be honest, to provide strong support for myself, my secondary professions are potion-making and runes. Given the characteristics of the Wood Demons, I wonder if they might use techniques like life suppression or hibernation to slow their growth. I believe the purpose is to address certain flaws—such as uncontrolled growth that makes them hard to manage and prevents them from reaching their optimal combat form; or excessive energy consumption that prevents mass production. Becoming rampant after being set on fire is more of a side effect, not intended to conceal anything or compensate for their weakness to fire.”

With these words, Neo indeed offered everyone a new perspective. First, the frustrating trait of the Wood Demons becoming more aggressive when exposed to fire no longer held up. They feared fire, and although fire could make them stronger, it also made them uncontrollable, at least in terms of growth. After the battle, dealing with them would be a laborious task.

Then there’s a valuable extension: as is well known, techniques such as hibernation, slowed growth, and suppression of vitality are relatively harmless and can only be water-type spells. They’re not difficult to cast either, making them ideal for mass application. Such spells require frequent reinforcement unless they have significant energy support or are complex enough to create self-sustaining systems (which would reveal obvious characteristics of magic arrays and energy flow). Moreover, they demand specific environmental conditions. With enemies lurking around the target, the available areas for action are greatly reduced.

Detecting the enemy’s presence in time forces them to fight or retreat before they can build up their strength, which aligns with a strategy of relentless pressure. Unlike operations like Moon 412 and Stars 743, 744, where it took over 20 days to locate the enemy, only to be ambushed and routed, leaving a mess worse than the Spider Jungle, timely detection allows for decisive action.

Last time, at least the enemy’s hasty retreat and clumsy tactics allowed us to salvage some energy tree sap. Though corrupted, it could neutralize the effects, enabling us to plant several purely dark-type magical plants and mitigate the damage.

This time, however, the poisonous green trees turned into wood demons and left with the enemy. Without concentrated energy nutrients, even trying to grow the most resilient plants is futile. With no gains and only losses, who would spend money to purify that land?

It is precisely because no one wants to deal with that mess, yet it must be dealt with, that the importance of detecting the enemy early becomes even more evident. Tactics have even emerged—simple: burn! Burn them thoroughly! This means sacrificing a great deal of effort, manpower, and resources to keep the wood demon troops functioning, resulting in an energy deficit. It also means that a slow, strategic approach of manipulating the enemy becomes obsolete.

What to do? Abandon the wood demons? That might be an option. At this moment, Neo is considering what kind of combat power the Dark Ones can quickly develop using the plundered energy, and what kind of chaos they can create. If it were him, he’d figure out how to utilize such “external resources.”

Meanwhile, the commanders of the combat unit and their colleagues are more focused on catching the enemy off guard before they can recover. For example, after locating the enemy this time, they could set fire to their main forces but deliberately leave a path for retreat. Once the enemy tries to establish a new foothold—when their old strength is exhausted and new one hasn’t yet emerged—they can be annihilated in one fell swoop.