Chapter 346: Quiet Development
Several spatial wagons entered the docks.
Physically weaker children and elderly people stepped off the wagons.
The bustling docks piqued their curiosity and attention.
"Everyone, stay put and look after your family."
"Register here as a family unit. Each person can have a bowl of porridge to fill their stomach."
"After receiving your registration card, go over there to bathe, change clothes, and prepare for a meal…"
Trained staff members called out instructions through loudspeakers.
After days of hard work, they had become adept at their tasks, swiftly organizing people into the docks.
After bathing and changing into new clothes,
reunited families touched their new clothes in delight.
Warm, sturdy, and though not flashy in style, they felt comfortable.
Guided by the staff, the crowd gathered in the dining hall.
Inside, many people were seated, some with familiar faces among them.
The meal consisted of meat soup, rice porridge, and two large loaves of bread.
The portions weren't overly generous, but they were filling.
With food and clothing provided,
their initial unease quickly dissipated.
Watching their gradually settling expressions, Leon left the dining hall with some concern, looking out at the snowy expanse and saying:
"We need to speed things up. The weather is getting colder and harsher…"
Rolling his eyes in mock annoyance, Chris took a sip of hot soup, exhaling white breath as he replied:
"The last group from within a 20-kilometer radius has been brought here. At least let me rest for a moment."
Patting Chris on the shoulder, Leon gestured to the spatial wagons behind him and said:
"We've got two more wagons now. If there are fewer than 1,000 people, they can all fit and be brought over directly…"
Seeing the bustling activity at the docks, Chris raised his brows in satisfaction:
"Good thing you kept your word. With these spatial wagons, I can bring the rest over for you…"
Soon, another group of adventurers departed swiftly.
They were racing against time to "bring in" more workers.
Such operations were quietly happening all across the Carl Plains.
Bay Territory was secretly recruiting workers in the Carl Plains, steadily growing stronger.
At the center of the Carl Plains, the main battlefield remained a raging conflict.
Tightening his warm clothes, even with the warmth of the Flame Shield, Matthew couldn't shake a bone-deep chill.
Things were no longer the same as before.
He watched the massive beastman soldiers, like ants, scaling the towering outer walls of Carl City.
They were attempting to seize the walls.
Even with only crude siege tools,
the beastman soldiers relied on their robust bodies to tenaciously climb the walls.
However, despite their overwhelming assault, their efforts yielded minimal results.
The walls were tall and sturdy, the defending soldiers were numerous, and their reserves were ample.
If that were all, the Orc, with their sheer numbers and tamed war beasts, might indeed breach Carl City's walls.
But just as they couldn't conquer Blood Moon Fortress with numbers alone,
they weren't merely facing conventional defenses here!
Spectacular war spells blazed across the battlefield.
Near-legendary Seventh Circle Spell – Flame Storm!
Near-legendary Seventh Circle Spell – Cloudkill!
Near-legendary Eighth Circle Spell – Thunderstorm!
These three highly destructive and impactful spells each claimed thousands of beastman lives.
Though cast infrequently, they showcased the terrifying destructive power of spellcasters.
With their support, Carl City, besieged for nearly half a month, remained impregnable.
The beastman army, once over a million strong, now numbered about 650,000.
Nearly 400,000 beastman soldiers lay buried here!
"After their pillaging, some Orc chose to retreat, yet most gathered here. Why?"
Seemingly sensing Matthew's doubts, Yaya tilted her head thoughtfully and replied:
"These Orc seem to be sent here to die, yet their morale remains high. Isn't that strange?"
Yaya's observation triggered a serious look in Matthew's eyes. Reflecting on the unusual behavior of the beastman armies in their previous attacks, he mused:
"We must uncover the secret behind this."
Both Matthew and Yaya sensed something was amiss with the Orc!
This offensive, unprecedented in scale for decades, had highly peculiar objectives.
They seemed driven by an unusual purpose!
Whether attacking Bay Territory, charging Bloodmoon City, or now sieging Carl City,
their actions defied the Orc's nature and usual patterns.
Unusual circumstances always have deeper reasons!
Thus, Matthew made a bold conjecture:
"Someone is commanding these Orc from behind the scenes!"
But who?
Who could control over a million Orc soldiers?
And what was their goal?
Yaya, with her keen instincts, felt targeted and grumbled unhappily:
"Exactly, it's like someone has their sights on us."
"Hmph, Yaya will make them pay one day."
For now, though, she resolved to eat, sleep, and grow stronger.
Yaya knew she could become powerful by eating and sleeping!
Patting Yaya's head, Matthew calmed his thoughts, his dark eyes gleaming coldly as he said softly:
"No rush. This battle won't end anytime soon. Let's wait for them to make a mistake."
For days, Matthew and Yaya refrained from fighting to gather destiny power,
focusing instead on uncovering the motives behind the beastman unrest.
He still hadn't identified the mastermind behind the previous "assassination."
This unresolved matter lingered like a thorn in his heart.
Unless removed, it could bring fatal danger someday.
Matthew had a vague premonition that the orchestrator of the beastman unrest and his would-be assassins were somehow connected.
As usual, they returned to Misty Fortress.
Both Matthew and Yaya withdrew their consciousness.
Bay Territory.
Lord's Mansion.
A now significantly larger Yaya slowly opened her eyes.
Before her lay a mountain of magical materials.
Like snacks, she grabbed handfuls and stuffed them into her mouth, crunching rapidly.
Matthew "watched" the subtle changes occurring within Yaya's body, silently recording data.
As Yaya moved past her wyrmling phase and into her young dragon phase, her appetite and size would continue to grow.
To nurture Yaya effectively, magical materials, food, and minerals were indispensable.
The current set of provisions was a carefully curated nutritional feast by Matthew.
One meal a day, costing 5,000 gold coins each.
"Burp~"
Yaya let out a satisfied burp, feeling the abundant energy being digested and absorbed by her body. She instinctively transformed into her humanoid form and jumped onto Matthew's shoulder.
"Snacks are done. Time for the main meal!"
Mealtime begins!