Chapter 689: Target: Crush the Enemy Army
Plague Beasts—among the most common and troublesome monsters in the coming Plague Calamity.
They are monsters capable of spreading plague through various means.
At the same time, they can control monsters tainted by the plague, forming a plague army.
These things are more of a headache than mutated monsters.
As long as they want to, they can remain dormant for long periods—from several days to months.
Only when enough people are infected will they suddenly launch their attack.
Thinking of this, Matthew smacked his lips a little hesitantly.
If it were before, in order to gain more Fate Power—
He would've likely arranged for the News Daily to prophesy upcoming disaster events.
Even if only a few people believed it, those who survived under his influence—
With the massive population of the Northern Continent, he could gain astonishing Fate Power.
However, such high-profile and borderline insane actions would inevitably draw the attention of all sorts of enemies.
Cultists of all kinds.
Evil Shadow Spirits that have broken free of their seals.
Demons and devils disguised as intelligent beings, ready to cause chaos.
Even the evil gods, who have returned and are gathering strength.
All of them would set their sights on Matthew, and on Bay Territory.
Not to mention the Cole Elf Kingdom eyeing them like a tiger.
Matthew dismissed the idea and decided to use a more covert method to address the issue.
For instance, rebooting Iris and rebuilding the Hero Squad!
In Matthew's eyes, the Hero Squad was a great crisis-resolution mechanism.
However, it was very rough and never reached its full potential.
Thinking this, Matthew signed off most of the trade applications and had Butler Ralph handle them.
He only kept the last one that openly represented the Netheril Empire but actually belonged to the Black Tower under the Cole Elf Kingdom.
They wanted the most—ranging from Auto Crossbow Turrets, Flamethrowers, Long-range Magic Cannons, Dwarf Cannons, light and heavy combat armor, to Thunder Magic Armor and other weapons and equipment technologies.
Matthew couldn't help but curve his lips slightly and muttered:
"Gotta say, they've got a damn big appetite."
The Cole Elf Kingdom was as greedy and arrogant as ever.
However, Matthew was quite satisfied with the price they offered.
Ten Tier-7 spells and five Tier-8 spells.
And they were all upgraded versions, equivalent to level 3 spells of the same type.
These near-legendary spells were incredibly valuable and would enrich Bay Territory's magic reserves.
These things are rarely sold—more often used for equal-value exchanges.
If Matthew wanted, he could even spend tens of thousands of Fate Power to pick out some excellent spells and advance them into legendary spells.
But right now, Fate Power wasn't abundant, so Matthew kept things simple.
He would use these high-quality elf spells for trade—
And in exchange, get even more Tier-7 and Tier-8 spells from various caster organizations.
Matthew had no psychological burden—he just wanted to stockpile more spells for Bay Territory's casters.
As for whether the Cole Elves would be pissed about it, Matthew didn't care.
Besides, another item offered in the trade made Matthew click his tongue:
"Selling off grandpa's land like you don't give a damn, huh!"
What the Cole Elves used for trade was precisely the "Advanced Maze Lock Construction" Matthew had asked for.
The technical data was incomplete—
And contained hidden traps that would severely delay research.
But Matthew didn't mind.
With Time Power and Fate Power in hand, a bit of probing and experimentation would easily reveal the hidden errors.
Of course, this was only a small portion of the trade—more was yet to arrive.
After confirming the authenticity of the data, Matthew made a mental note on the Cole Elves and looked at the magical weapons, lips again curling up:
"Go on, study it all you want. Let's see how long it takes you to make any of it."
"Technology is only the beginning."
After sending a message to notify Black Tower envoy Lola, Matthew issued a simultaneous order to Angela:
"Inform Second Prince Kreiser of the Gray Dwarves, all dungeons of the Kantelu Mountains, and the Sera of the Underground World."
"Sell these weapons and equipment to them in advance."
Hearing the news, Angela's eyes gleamed with understanding.
Selling weapons to both warring sides—classic Bay Territory move.
However, Angela could clearly sense that selling to these three factions likely had something to do with the previous miracle.
Time was tight!
Angela quickly began arranging and contacting.
Trading these weapons and equipment was no small matter.
Not only did they need capable and sharp staff, but also elite combat units.
And they had to act fast—before the Cole Elves caught on.
If timed well, they could also deliver a heavy blow and disrupt any upcoming plans.
After the trade, Butler Ralph delivered various technical documents, and Matthew began arranging for early construction of the Elemental Golem Factory.
Its technical difficulty wasn't high—it was more about clever and elegant structural design.
Matthew studied while thinking about how to enhance it further.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Come in!"
A nervous Lola walked in, noting the documents in Matthew's hand.
She vaguely felt an enormous pressure unintentionally directed at her.
Lola was certain—if she made a move, she'd be killed instantly.
What struck her as odd was how few guards stood outside the lord's office.
But Lola knew well—the tall, burly figure in gleaming silver Thunder Battle Armor before her—
This Lord Matthew had the power to easily defeat and kill her.
The pressure Matthew gave off was more terrifying than some Legendary Professionals.
"Other things can be traded—even the light and heavy Mech Armors."
"But the Black Tower's offer isn't enough. For the upgraded Maze Lock Construction—"
"You also need to include Arcane Crystal Manufacturing Technology for Maze Lock nodes."
"And if you want the Thunder Battle Armor tech—you must provide a Demi-God-level Soul Crystal."
Arcane Crystal Manufacturing Technology?
If Bay Territory could truly produce Arcane Crystals—it'd be a goldmine rivaling a mithril deposit.
Even the rich Cole Elf Kingdom—only the top noble families and powers had access to it.
A Demi-God-level Soul Crystal?
Lola heard it clearly—it wasn't just a high-level Legendary one, but Demi-God grade!
Demi-God creatures!
Their power wasn't just different—it surpassed high Legends altogether.
They had long lifespans and fearsome strength.
Most had their own territories and influence.
They rarely died.
And even if they did, only about half left behind Soul Crystals.
Ones that actually fell into others' hands were even rarer.
Even for a Kingdom—
Such items were extremely few.
Yet Matthew stated it plainly, not hiding his intent at all.
What did this mean?
This Lord intended to create a Demi-God-level Tower Spirit!
Clearly for building a Mage Tower!
A regular Mage Tower only needed a Super-tier Tower Spirit.
Even most Legendary spellcasters didn't have Legendary Tower Spirits.
But Lord Matthew clearly had ambitions to become a Grand Arcanist!
A Demi-God Tower Spirit—surely for a Floating City!
Staring at Matthew's impossibly young face, disbelief surged in Lola's heart.
This was the lord of Bay Territory?
A true "genius" confident in becoming a Grand Arcanist!
To be accurate, 'genius' no longer sufficed to describe Matthew's current strength and status.
His current power and influence—
Even someone as proud as a Phoenix Guard captain like Lola—felt a vast, unbridgeable gap.
Her thoughts tangled, but she didn't hesitate. She shook her head and said:
"Both conditions exceed my authority. I must apply for higher approval."
Matthew seemed to have expected this—his face calm, he simply gestured for her to leave.
"Then please consult your superiors, Miss Lola."
Not daring to meet Matthew's calm but profound gaze, Lola left the lord's mansion in deep thought.
Matthew didn't think he was being greedy.
Against wealthy landlords like the Cole Elves—there was no reason to make it easy for them.
No matter what deal is made, start by asking sky-high.
Moreover, this time, Matthew had no intention of offering any discounts.
The Thunder Magic Armor had many restrictions—
Its cost was exorbitant—
And its production difficulty rivaled that of Legendary equipment.
But its combat bonuses were insane—boosting Super-tier peak Professionals by over 50%.
That kind of power leap wasn't just 1+1=2.
A Super-tier Professional in Thunder Battle Armor could take on three equals.
And with its insane defense and endurance—
They could emerge as the final victor in battle.
Such powerful magic gear could form a terrifying elite unit—a Kingdom or faction's ace force.
The Cole Elves only wanted to pay with supplies and spells Matthew could get elsewhere. No way!
If they weren't happy—
They could refuse the deal!
It was also a test by Matthew—
To gauge the Cole Elf Kingdom's attitude toward him and Bay Territory.
Whatever their response, it would give Matthew plenty of intel.
Matthew preferred the Cole Elves to keep focusing their attention on him and Bay Territory.
"A fatal Fate event—just break it into smaller but threatening ones…"
As Matthew pondered—
"Yay! Onyxia finally finished learning—my task is done!"
Yaya popped out happily, eyes wide, her face saying "Praise me!"
Behind her was a little girl in a black dress.
Pale face, big black eyes, twin pigtails, slightly pouty lips—clearly not pleased.
She was Onyxia!
Matthew instantly saw her Arcanist Level 1 panel and smiled at Yaya:
"Learning is important—but you still need to relax."
"Arcanist is different from other classes. The more you learn, the stronger you become."
Onyxia stared at the turned-around Matthew, her mind blank, but her body nodded instinctively.
The newly born true dragon sensed a faint golden glow from him—
And a deep-rooted fear and dread grew stronger.
Matthew noticed her "fear" and glanced at her panel in surprise.
Name: Onyxia
Age: 2 months (Wyrmling)
Race: Fire Dragon (True Dragon)
Class: Arcanist Level 1
Challenge Rating: 10+ (Elite)
Personality: Calm, Wise, Cautious
Size: 5 meters, Medium
Weight: 753 kg
Talent: True Dragon Bloodline LV1
Feats:
Extraordinary Feat - Flame Control LV2
Extraordinary Feat - Extraordinary Intuition LV2
Extraordinary Feat - Energy Vision LV2
Stats:
Strength: 12
Agility: 9
Constitution: 11
Intelligence: 12
Perception: 13
Charisma: 15
HP: 22+10 = 32
MP: 120+10 = 130
ATK: 6
DEF: 6
Mobility: Strong
Luck: +4
Evaluation: A fire dragon that has broken through the shackles of its bloodline!