Chapter 587.5: Yaya and Matthew's Passive Growth
"So you're all in favor of attacking nearby Mind Flayer camps to rescue captives, weaken the Mind Flayer army, and test our combat readiness?"
Sera looked at the combat representatives, joy bubbling in her heart, though her face stayed serious.
Tyrael and the others nodded. Feeling Sera's overwhelming pressure, each couldn't help but wonder—how powerful was this gray elf?
"Good. I'm pleased you all have this foresight."
"Since you have a plan in mind, let's use the battle strategy training we've had to organize a combat planning session with everyone involved!"
At those words, the unprepared few were stunned.
Everyone involved?
Combat planning?
That left them baffled but also filled with anticipation and excitement.
Since the territory approved, why hesitate?
News of the combat planning session spread quickly through the fortress.
Every member of the base participated in job, warrior, or Professional training after their shifts.
Everyone had learned about this subject.
They never expected—
That what they thought was high-level and unrelated to them—battle planning—would actually land on their desks!
Everyone wanted to contribute!
Especially those who had learned a thing or two!
Thus, countless detailed sub-plans, adjustments, and logistical support proposals emerged.
To ensure everyone could participate—
They were even given additional combat proposal options:
"Every job position must include a plan to support and enhance combat production!"
In this feverish atmosphere, their slightly dulled morale reignited.
Bay Territory's daily education emphasized:
The base's survival struggles, everyone's efforts, how to eliminate threats, and push development.
Countless slogans aimed at solving real problems had transformed their thinking.
When danger or problems arose—
Don't sit and wait. Prepare, act, and solve them head-on!
So, in just three days—
A detailed combat plan with multiple contingency strategies was presented to Sera.
She studied it with interest. Though spotting flaws, she didn't point them out. Instead, to Tyrael and the others' surprise, she said:
"This plan is quite good. Give everyone two more days to prepare. Then we'll proceed strictly according to this plan."
No one expected the territory to truly accept their plan.
An unprecedented feeling surged in everyone's hearts.
"Territory development depends on us."
"Everyone is part of the territory."
"Its future needs all our effort and exploration."
"Its battles and survival are tied to us all."
"Doing our job well is the best support for the territory."
"..."
They shouted familiar training slogans, faces beaming with joy.
The slogans had become reality. Their hard work wasn't wasted—they felt more inspired than ever.
The feeling of being recognized showed them their own power and worth.
Everyone received their assignment, filled with excitement.
In the following days, they acted rigorously according to their tasks.
The entire base shifted from slow to fast, bursting with tremendous power.
August 2nd.
The Underworld.
Bay Territory ruins base.
Luminosity: 1, Humidity: 40%.
Yaya watched the fully armed soldiers with undisguisable delight.
Aside from fighting, she hadn't worried about anything.
These people, smoothly integrated into Bay Territory—
Not only solved many problems for her but embraced their roles fully, embodying ownership.
Truly excellent tools!
Of course, this fascinating social experiment had come to a close.
Now came Yaya's favorite part—the combat experiment she had long awaited.
To gather data for the sixth round of transformation surgeries—
Yaya and Matthew had poured enormous energy and resources into this nearly insane project. Now it was time to harvest the first-phase results.
Hopefully, the specially trained and enhanced soldiers and Professionals would deliver the battle performance Yaya and Matthew anticipated against the Mind Flayer army!
With this in mind, Yaya listened to the faint praises and cheers echoing in her ears, patiently sensing the mental power and will behind them.
Each day, besides training and honing combat skills, she quietly felt the effects of the territory's prayers and admiration toward her.
Some effects were good. Some bad.
The good: she unknowingly gained deeper understanding of a demigod's body.
The bad: the constant whispers and murmurs in her ears forced her to be ever vigilant.
But, after Matthew's reminder, Yaya didn't back down or slack off despite the difficulty.
She researched and improved bit by bit.
Her powerful mind and speed allowed her to swiftly adapt to the mental "noise," process it, and digest it efficiently.
After completing her daily tasks, Yaya spread her wings and quietly slipped through the ruins' mist, arriving at the battlefield where war was about to erupt.
She gently sniffed the tense air, easily identifying the positions, states, and strength of both sides.
Such a formidable ability was the result of Yaya's relentless training and enhancement.
Yaya observed below carefully.
She instantly saw through Bay Territory's battle plan.
Watching the specialized caster units stealthily setting up anti-communication magic arrays around the Mind Flayer outpost, she couldn't help but smile.
"Hm, they learned this pretty well, but it's still lacking in thoroughness."
The other combat teams didn't waste time either.
Based on previously gathered intel, they isolated and surrounded a Mind Flayer mining unit.
The Gray Elf modified warriors launched a sudden strike.
In the very first moment of combat, they ambushed the Mind Flayer at the center.
Not only did they avoid most of its defenses, but the Mind Flayer never even got a chance to retaliate with psionics before dying.
One pierced its heart, another took its head, and a third used a dimensional anchor.
A physical and mental double kill—the Mind Flayer commander had no chance to resist.
With its death, the 800-strong unit instantly fell into chaos.
Dozens of elite slaves directly controlled by the Mind Flayer suffered major mental backlash.
They lashed out at everything around them, killing anything in their way.
The other slave warriors had little real training, mostly being miners and guards.
Seeing the enemy in disarray, the long-prepared assault teams charged in.
They first took out the die-hard loyalists to silence internal dissent.
Those who resisted were mercilessly cut down.
"These types neither know their place nor have a shred of sense—and they're steeped in guilt. Killing them is doing the world a favor."
In just five minutes—
The entire 800-man mining team was annihilated without a sound.
About 200 Gray Dwarf and Elven slaves were sent back to the base.
Yaya saw the whole combat unit regroup and begin advancing in the direction the enemy had come from.
Clearly, they were planning to assault the Mind Flayer outpost.
Still, Yaya didn't think this 1,000-strong strike force would fail. Despite the enemy's numerical and defensive advantage, their loss was inevitable.
As expected, the Gray Dwarf slave warriors controlled by the Mind Flayers didn't question anything.
Questioning the terrifying Mind Flayers? That was suicide!
Most slave warriors had learned this well.
The gates and walls were quickly lost within a few dozen breaths.
The Gray Elf modified warriors formed a vanguard team and easily routed the Gray Dwarf slave guards.
Without Mind Flayer direction, these mind-controlled slave warriors were even weaker.
Their attempt to retake the gate was a complete slaughter.
Slave warriors only boasted numbers and strength.
But against Gray Elf modified warriors, they were inferior in every way.
Multiple advantages stacked together became an overwhelming force.
The Gray Elf warriors seized the gate and walls, holding off over 500 enemy troops.
A 300-man force arrived to reinforce them.
They quickly assisted in securing the gate and walls.
Against 600 attacking slaves, their defense held firm.
Just as Yaya expected a stalemate, a stealth unit caught her attention.
They exploited a weak point in the defenses, took the gate and wall, and pushed toward the outpost's center.
This forced the Mind Flayer commander into a panic.
It quickly summoned all its controlled slaves to clear a path.
The Mind Flayer viewed its slaves as expendable pawns.
As long as it survived, more slaves could be captured later.
Bay Territory spread the word: the Mind Flayer commander had fled.
Then the soldiers promoted Bay Territory's treatment of captives.
In short: full bellies and warm beds.
Many resisting soldiers dropped their weapons.
Still, some slaves fled—and the Gray Elf special unit hunted them down.
While crushing the stragglers, they seized a large stockpile of supplies and captured many prisoners.
The entire Mind Flayer outpost was taken!
The Bay Territory troops were ecstatic with victory.
Winning while outnumbered and outgunned made the triumph even sweeter.
But the celebration didn't last long—they quickly began cleaning up the battlefield.
"Gather all corpses. After purification, they'll be bait for magic beasts..."
"Don't waste any metal. Refining it is cheaper than mining..."
"Confiscate their weapons properly—don't mess around or face punishment back at base..."
"Prioritize collecting all food. Once inspected, it should ease our food burden..."
"That's not quite right. More food means more mouths. This will only buy two more months..."
"Take everything useful. Leave the Mind Flayers with nothing..."
"Why are you hauling rocks too?"
"Rocks are resources too!"
"..."
The entire outpost was looted clean, and the victory report reached the base.
Everyone was stunned, their eyes filled with excitement.
Though they had hoped, they never expected victory to come so quickly and decisively.
Countless people cheered, others asked for battle details.
Seeing the returning captives and rescued refugees, waves of joy surged.
"Long live Bay Territory! Long live the Lord!"
"Bay Territory will surely win—I said so!"
"Credit goes to everyone. We all earned this joy."
"That was amazing! Only half a day!"
"Of course. We trained and prepped so many times."
"The enemy was slower and dumber than we thought. Training was harder than the real fight..."
"We rescued about 3,500 captives. More mouths to feed..."
"Hopefully some of them have druid potential..."
"Get them checked and rested. Once recovered, they'll need to start working..."
"So much food recovered? That's great!"
"Two months' worth—but still a temporary fix."
"Step by step. Things will get better."
"..."
Yaya listened to the excited chatter, clearly feeling their joy and passion.
It was such a pleasant sensation—her mind was clear, free of doubts and worries.
As the returning troops discussed attacking another Mind Flayer camp, Yaya stretched with a satisfied yawn and told Sera:
"I'm gonna nap. You handle the rest."
Sera had just nodded when Yaya's snores started, leaving her amused but also deeply excited.
Bay Territory's first real skirmish had yielded a glorious 23 casualties and 980 enemy kills.
Sera was delighted—but knew such tactics wouldn't work again.
Smarter and more cunning Mind Flayers would demand more complex, meticulous strategies.
Still, Sera believed in the power of collective effort.
Just like Yaya said:
"A good system and environment, if well maintained, will drive rapid territorial development."
That was Yaya's amusing conclusion after observing Matthew's "passive growth."
Sera got back to work. Victory didn't mean the end.
Battle summaries, rewards, personnel arrangements, and newbie training all required effort.
But her workload wasn't heavy.
She issued orders, and the staff handled the rest.
Bay Territory.
Bay City.
Lord's Manor.
Matthew flipped through battle reports, grinning and rubbing his hands in anticipation:
"Looks like everyone's happy with the system. Time to give them some... surprises."
Matthew's surprises weren't just tasks, but big rewards.
Better combat techniques, stronger feats, upgraded skills.
High-tier magic gear not yet producible at the outpost.
And a carefully prepared "enhancement bundle."
A new power system path—psionics!
Whether commoners or developed Professionals, everyone could learn psionics for more power.
In the Underworld, this had instant effect.
Mastery of psionics meant better resistance to Mind Flayer control.
Alongside it, Matthew also taught skills and feats for data collection and experimentation.
"The stage is set. The gifts are ready. Time to show me what you've got!"
Relaxing once again, Matthew awaited the "self-growth" of his tools.
After a good nap, it would be harvest time again!