Lord of Rot

After listening to the legend of the Night God—or rather, the Moon God—Leech hadn’t obtained any substantial information.

These gods’ creation myths all followed a very similar template.

Though he didn’t believe the myth, Leech was very sensitive to the term ”legendary.” The less one understands something, the more one fears it.

The Priest, however, was quite unconcerned. ”If the Moon God’s Believers were truly that powerful, why would they need to hide?”

It was a revelation for Leech.

’Ultimately, they’re just a bunch of insects hiding in the shadows.’

”May the Four Gods bless you, Lord Leech.”

”I will repay the Four Gods with my loyalty,” Leech replied.

Unfortunately, when he asked the Water Nymph, she couldn’t explain it clearly. She only said that she had sensed an existence in Wells Bill that far surpassed her own—it must have been a ”legendary” power.

Leech could only set these thoughts aside. There were many other matters awaiting his attention.

「Another day or two passed...」

After confirming with Lady Jie Lin that he would visit Longship Castle for Little Lierde’s birthday, Leech left with his troops.

Tyler Rose was the most relieved of them all.

He was most afraid that Leech would station his soldiers in Longship Castle and refuse to leave.

Considering Leech’s terrifying military prowess—his 300 men had defeated 2,000—he truly feared that if Leech insisted on garrisoning his troops here, no one would be able to drive them out.

The drawbridge of Longship Castle was slowly lowered.

Leech left with his army.

Outside the castle, Tyler Rose said to Leech, ”I must return to Roaring Castle immediately, Lord Leech. May the Four Gods bless you!”

”May the Four Gods bless you as well,” Leech replied.

Tyler Rose wasn’t just anxious to leave; he had to rush back with news about the Monkey Territory. His greatest fear was that Leech would march his army straight there to attack.

After a few days of probing, Leech hadn’t shown any such intention, which allowed Tyler Rose to breathe a sigh of relief.

Naturally, Leech had no interest in attacking Shanzhang Castle.

The Monkey Territory, with its rugged mountain roads and dense forests, was not suitable for muskets firing in formation, which would be equivalent to nullifying Leech’s greatest asset.

Moreover, the people of the Monkey Territory would never accept being ruled by an outsider like him.

Occupying a territory by force requires a display of absolute dominance, just as the Monkey Clan had done when they brought 2,000 elite soldiers to Longship Castle and battered it into submission.

Leech couldn’t spare that much energy for the time being, so there was no point wasting resources to conquer a territory that was destined never to be his.

’Nibbling away at it bit by bit would be far more satisfying.’

Lady Jie Lin stood on the castle wall, gazing at Leech’s receding figure.

She watched him go further and further away, until he completely disappeared from sight.

Thanks to the Monkey Territory’s invasion, Waterfall Land had reverted to the state it was in a year ago during the scandal over the illegitimate child.

However, the morale of the people of Waterfall Land was very different from back then.

First, the birth of Little Lierde had united the people.

Second, this victory over the Monkey Clan’s soldiers had boosted morale.

Its recovery and redevelopment would be much faster this time.

Leech had already successfully reclaimed all of Waterfall Land’s docks.

But even fathers and sons must keep clear accounts, and the extra time Leech spent in Longship Castle was mainly to discuss these matters.

Besides, he wasn’t as greedy as the Monkey Clan. He didn’t need to control the docks and shipping lanes; he only hoped for a reduction in taxes for trade caravans traveling between their two territories.

Iron Valley’s economy needed a boost from Waterfall Land, and lower taxes would encourage Waterfall Land’s merchants to come to Iron Valley.

Lady Jie Lin, however, was surprisingly forthright, directly gifting several docks near Iron Valley to Iron Valley.

Leech would be able to station his soldiers at the docks and would also have a say in matters concerning the Shuijian River bay. All in all... his gains were substantial.

He took a ferry back to Iron Valley.

On the road to the castle, the people watched the triumphant soldiers return, their heads held high, and erupted in cheers.

Some people didn’t know what had happened, nor did they know why this battle was fought, but they knew that their lord was victorious.

The lord had returned with glory and spoils of war. ’To be the subjects of a victorious lord is a great honor!’

Upon his return, it was naturally time to reward everyone based on their merits.

All the young men from minor noble families who had followed Leech into battle received a monetary reward.

The soldiers, too, all received a handsome reward.

However, the two mercenaries who had surrendered willingly could not be entrusted with important positions by Leech.

But they were Transcendents, after all, and their power could not be wasted.

Leech sent the three of them—”Four-Hands” Trevor, ”Orc” Pig, and ”Scorpion” Allen—directly to the docks outside Iron Valley.

Having three Transcendents guarding the crucial docks would also help prevent any trouble.

It would also save some of Leech’s manpower.

Moreover, although Wells Bill’s direct bloodline was wiped out, the collateral branches of the Bill family still existed. According to the kingdom’s laws, as long as there was a blood relation and a right of inheritance, one was qualified to inherit the territory.

As long as the Duke didn’t relent, the territory of the Monkey Clan would still belong to the Bill family.

Even some relative working as a baker’s apprentice, or a destitute woman from a collateral line forced into prostitution, could suddenly become the new lord.

’Even if I seized the castle, it could never be mine. But the docks *are* mine. With this economic lifeline in my grasp, I’ve completely cut off any chance for the Monkey Territory to expand northward.’

’If they want to establish economic ties with the Eastern Gorges, they’ll have to use my docks!’

’No matter how much they hate me, they’ll have to come and obediently hand over their money.’

Leech, however, wasn’t worried about how much the new lord of the Monkey Territory might hate him.