Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1004: Chapter 799: The Undead Tribe’s Talent... Getting Lost

Although there are both elves and white dragons in the Hidden Forest... considering how the Mithril Elves fled to other planes to avoid the Crown War, we can tell they’re not adept fighters. They’re the type of High Elves who are heroes on their own but worse than bears in group battles.

As for the White Dragons... known as the scoundrels among Chromatic Dragons, they only excel in advantageous battles. When facing an invincible enemy, their first instinct is to flee, the second is to beg for mercy. Those who fight to the death are usually either completely brainless or mother dragons protecting their offspring.

These guys are not to be relied upon, so Hill can only entrust the task of protecting Edna to the Undead Tribe... even if he doesn’t care about what happens to the little girl in the future, Hill absolutely won’t allow anyone to run wild on his territory.

Edna leaving on her own to court death and being captured in his territory are two entirely different concepts.

In fact, deep in Hill’s soul, there’s an indelible mark that says no inch of land should be ceded. Anyone who tries to cause trouble within his domain will definitely get Hill’s strongest retaliation.

And in this Fantasy World, the style of the lords is more akin to the territorial instincts of beasts. As long as no one challenges their authority, they tend to turn a blind eye to secretive actions within their territory.

Of course, if luck isn’t on your side and you encounter them in a bad mood, even a rat passing by might be tormented to death.

Hill glanced one last time to the northeast. With his good vision, he could still see the pointed tip of the Magic Tower peeking out from the edge of Neverwinter Forest. He really wanted to know how Marko felt now... after hundreds of years of smooth sailing, the good relationships painstakingly built with Mystra’s Chosen were utterly ruined overnight due to the family’s ambition.

The Haber Family likely planned long ago for the overall direction of the family to lean toward the side of Necromancers... even though Marko was the high-ranking elder with significant power, he knew nothing.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have persisted for so many years in the Neutral Good Faction.

It’s uncertain whether such a significant change will keep Marko’s Dusk Tower as it is, or if it will follow the family down a path of corruption.

It’s quite an interesting matter, Hill thought, tilting his head. It all depends on what Marko chooses between his family and his future.

In the following days, some migrating refugees did appear from Deepwater City, though their target was neither Hill’s Agleya City nor Luskan further north; they chose to move to Neverwinter City, which was no longer on the front lines against half-orcs.

The King of Neverwinter City, Bane, issued a recruitment order to the entire North... anyone who enters Neverwinter City within a month to participate in the spring planting can unconditionally become residents of Neverwinter City and the King’s tenant farmers.

According to the world’s rules, those who farm on the King’s land can receive 30% of the grain, which is a godsend for the farmers... if it were the lands of the Great Nobility, their tenant farmers could only get 10% income, as they still have to pay taxes to the King.

It’s clear that this King has his eyes on the people from Deepwater City, especially the displaced peasants from the slums.

After all, Neverwinter City, to some extent, was composed mainly of adventurers and mercenaries. Their past lifestyle was either guarding merchant caravans heading to Icewind Valley or chopping wood for a living when there was no fight. When battles loomed, they earned the King’s commission... they didn’t farm since it would’ve been like delivering grain to half-orcs.

But now, the lands at the foot of Neverwinter City are ready to be utilized... Bane was smart in this regard, directly allotting the flat lands at the mountain’s base, which could be developed into fields, into the hands of his Arcanists.

Later on, some of it was still given to the Great Nobility of Neverwinter City... but these were rewards from the King, not something the Nobles helped themselves to.

Hill wasn’t concerned about the matters in Neverwinter City; even if someone in his territory wanted to go there, he wouldn’t hold them back... he barely counted as a good person but definitely not a Saint.

However, the massive northbound migration of the poor from Deepwater City did cause its Nobles to curse and rage... they originally planned to find some cannon fodder among these despised lower-class people, but those they considered lowly weren’t stupid. Farming, despite being hard work, was still better than losing one’s life.

Furthermore, the destruction on Sword Street gave some women from the slums, who had been earning with their bodies, a chance to leave... losing many maids, the rebuilt special hotels and bathhouses had to make do, even if the quality wasn’t as high as before—certainly better than having no one.

The people of this world are never foolish... they once made ends meet in the slums out of necessity, relying on those strong men for protection. But once they entered a specialized place, nobody would be foolish enough to send money back to their original families.

So, the slums of Deepwater City were left with only older women, cowardly men, and low-level gangster thugs.

And now, even these cowardly yet somewhat capable men have been lured away by Neverwinter.

Though Deepwater City still looks prosperous... its foundation is already shaky. If they can’t quickly replenish these lowest-level individuals, the entire city will gradually descend into depression... Hill wonders if those Great Nobility in Deepwater City will realize this, but probably not.

After all, the mages are hiding securely in their Magic Towers, not even showing their faces during Zholar’s attack... Without the guidance of these brains, Hill finds it hard to imagine that any noble would see the importance of these poor people.

Perhaps the Tablets of Fate feel that over the past tens of thousands of years, the focus of the Ferun Great Land has been on the North, with Sword Bay being especially critical, and too many epic events of destiny have taken place here, which is somewhat excessive. So now they want to shift the focus to the south, to Kalinsan.

Hill doesn’t really see this as a bad thing. He just hopes that Candlekeep can be preserved this time... He doesn’t care if the center of the world moves, nor does he like the idea of his territory being near, where natural disasters strike unpredictably.

The Undead Tribe’s resting period finally ended. They packed up again, leaving behind some companions who no longer wished to continue, and resumed their path of the underground expedition.

In the Underdark of the North, the Zholar could indeed be considered lords of the area. When their allied forces retreated before the Undead Tribe, the path before the Undead Tribe immediately became clear.

Now, what tests the Undead Tribe is no longer the monsters on the road, but the vast underground space of the Underdark... In short, they got lost.

Hill wasn’t surprised at all... Before reaching this small mountain, when they were on the move, they just needed to find the widest path that seemed to head downward. Even if it was a bit roundabout, as long as it led down, they would eventually reach the Underdark.

But now, besides not being able to see the sky or sense the sun, moon, and stars, the underground world is no different from an endless wilderness... Even when the Undead Tribe had a map, they would wander thousands of miles off course, let alone now when they’re relying solely on the directional instrument on their tablets.

Now, there’s no Succubus lord to guide them.

Luckily, the tablet can still tell them how to turn back, otherwise the Undead Tribe would have been gathered to ponder their path or collectively end their journey to justify themselves to the world.

The Undead Tribe came up with many solutions... The most effective one was using Earth Mages to search for underground veins. They were very aware that their purpose was the Dwarves, not to establish their own territory in the Underdark... But unfortunately, the limited spellcasting range merely led them to plunge into a ’bat’ cave... They stirred up the nest of Dark Curtain Magical Beasts.

This creature also hangs itself from the top of caves, a small type of Magical Beast, but it differs from actual bats. Their flying range is very short, although they are over 1.3 meters long, they can only fly at most 10 meters away, and they use a strong ”foot” that grows on the top of their body to hang from ceilings.

They look like a closed umbrella, with tentacle-like appendages similar to an octopus growing outside the umbrella. They typically spread their appendages open so that the hard membranes between the tentacles cover their body, making them look like a stone. Its shell and skin often resemble limestone, but the Dark Curtain Magical Beast can change their color to match any type of stone background, making them extremely concealed.

When attacking, they drop onto a target and wrap their tentacles around the opponent’s head. If they fail on the first attack, they will usually immediately fly upward and attempt to envelop the target again.

Yes, the Undead Tribe once again encountered an overhead assault... But this time it was more troublesome. When they used Earthquake Technique to probe what creatures were inhabiting the mine ahead, a flood of ash-colored clouds instantly flew out... At least hundreds of thousands of Dark Curtain Magical Beasts surged towards the heads of the Undead Tribe.

The wails of the Undead Tribe were excessively conspicuous, even drawing Hill, who originally didn’t care about their journey, out into the open.

Even the Little Fairies, who had been quiet for a long time due to the presence of Shaer and Celene, couldn’t suppress their curiosity... However, they seemed still a bit apprehensive, so they chose a taller 3-meter Gold Thread Butterfly Tree further away... The palm-sized pink flowers resembling butterflies were just right for them to hide in, peeking out with only their eyes to watch the spectacle unfold.

Hill happily watched the Undead Tribe battle the Dark Curtain Magical Beasts above... These creatures could use the Dark Arts, and when dozens of thousands used them simultaneously, the huge curtain was pitch black... Some frightened Undead Tribe members even randomly threw Fire Element Spells, including a Fire Wall.

Although this did bring some light... it also helped the magical beasts take out quite a few of their own members.

”No fire spells! Use a Light Spell! Can’t any of the mages do that?” The roar from ’Snow Cloud Peak’ finally echoed... Due to the constant misdirection on the path, this commander was left at the rear and had just caught up.