A procession of riders marched along a grand road that cut through the fields.

The road, built by Richard, was wide and flat, enough for six or seven riders to pass abreast or for two horse-drawn carriages to meet head-on. It was pleasantly comfortable to march on such a thoroughfare.

Once they crossed the border of Hunter territory, the roads would vary greatly in quality, depending on how much each lord valued infrastructure, ranging from smooth and well-maintained to bumpy and barely passable for carriages.

Richard possessed an inexplicable obsession with building infrastructure, and road repair had always been one of Hunter territory’s priorities.

The procession was rather somber; the only sounds were the clatter of horses’ hooves and the occasional rustle of leaves.

At its head was Viscount Nade, who had just signed an unequal agreement with the Hunter family. He now led his retinue back to his territory, preparing to welcome the appointed constables and tax collectors from the Hunter family.

Were the Hunter family’s demands excessive?

Yes, they were. The Hunter family had brazenly usurped control of the villages within Nade territory, positioning themselves above all other lords.

Could the Nade family accept this?

Of course, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and accept it. The Hunter family had carefully measured their demands.

In this age, lords cared less about their subjects and more about how much tax revenue they could bring in. After seizing control of Nade territory’s populace, the Hunter family guaranteed Nade’s income.

This agreement, in fact, robbed Viscount Nade of any will to fight to the death. After all, so long as the kingdom stood and this agreement was in place, the Hunter family would not dare swallow up the taxes collected from the fiefdom.

In stark contrast to Viscount Nade’s conflicted thoughts, Creman remained relaxed.

“Big bro, how should we deal with the Hunter family’s people when we return?” one of the Nade family’s quasi-knight asked after they’d left Tie Mu City a distance behind.

This man counted as a pillar of the Nade family and had earned the right to voice his opinions on certain matters. His question was, in essence, a refusal to cooperate with the tax collectors sent by the Hunter family, and a plan to resist their encroachment.

“How should we deal with them?”

Viscount Nade didn’t answer the question and instead turned it back on the speaker.

“Who cares if they’re tax collectors or constables—once they set foot in our territory, they must follow our rules,” the quasi-knight said.

“And you’re going to kill them if they refuse?”

Before Viscount Nade could respond, Creman piped up from the side.

“Heh, we can’t kill officials, but surely we can execute a few commoners. We’ll kill a few who dare defy them and send the rest packing.”

Viscount Nade shook his head. “Don’t say that again.”

“Yes, Father.”

Viscount Nade still commanded the respect of his subjects. No one argued back when he rejected Creman’s proposal.

Yet Viscount Nade’s refusal had nothing to do with any lofty moral principles; if it were an effective strategy, he wouldn’t hesitate to let some of his villagers die.

The quasi-knight accompanying him to Tie Mu City had clearly not entered Tie Mu Fort with him. If he had, and if he had witnessed the might of more than twenty knights firsthand, he likely wouldn’t dare suggest anything so reckless again.

Viscount Nade was genuinely intimidated. Never mind the Flying Bear Army, which could easily defeat any army in the kingdom, the mere might of twenty-odd knights was already weighing heavily on his heart. He had no desire to provoke the Hunter family, especially when they still generally abided by the rules. Who knew whether they would eventually grow tired of restraint and turn his House of Nade into the next House of Wil?

“I believe we ought to cooperate with Master Richard to the fullest extent and align ourselves firmly with the Hunter family,” Creman said suddenly.

Viscount Nade was surprised by Creman’s sudden interjection. The young man had served as a cavalry captain under the Hunter family for a few days; what made him think he wanted to become their informer?

“With the Hunter family’s current capabilities, their rise is unstoppable.

In the past, they still had to worry about Flooding Snow City, but now that the Northern Expeditionary Army had suffered a decisive defeat, there was no one left to stand against the Hunter family’s rise in the northern lands. “Instead of resisting, we should throw our lot in with them.”

Viscount Nade felt as if he’d gained true enlightenment upon hearing Creman’s words. Thinking about the situation from a different angle yielded surprising results. Viscount Nade had always been considering resistance, perhaps because the two parties held equal noble rank. He hadn’t realized that there was already a vast disparity between them.

In contrast, the traitorous Creman’s avenues of thought were much wider. If they couldn’t win, why not join? It was simple logic.

After a brief period of contemplation, Viscount Nade discovered that cooperating with the Hunters would maximize their benefits at this time. They had no chance of resistance, so they might as well take the initiative and welcome their new overlords.

If the Hunter family had the chance to grow into an entity as powerful as Lancelot, their early supporters would surely not be mistreated.

“Creman, take some men and escort the Hunter family’s officials back to Tie Mu City. We will cooperate with them in every way.”

“Yes, sir!”

Viscount Nade wasted no time in issuing orders once he made his decision, commanding Creman to welcome and cooperate with the tax collectors and law enforcement officers the Hunter family sent to Tie Mu Fort. If they were going to cooperate, they might as well make a show of it.

Back in Tie Mu City, Richard had no idea that his family had just transformed from a thorn into a lickspittle.

He was currently inspecting the Flying Bear Army encamped at the military barracks, patting the shoulders of certain soldiers here and there as he asked about their wellbeing. The upper-class leader’s demeanor of caring for his subordinates emanated from his every action.

“Sir, ten bear-hunting crossbows have been equipped to date, and the armory is working around the clock to produce more.”

Richard’s visit to the barracks was not merely a performance; it was simply second nature for him. His true purpose was to assess the state of their armaments and evaluate the capabilities of the rapidly expanded Flying Bear Army. Naturally, the bear-hunting crossbows, which boasted a greater range, greater destructive power, and faster firing rate compared to conventional ballistae, were objects of particular interest.

These weapons were impractical to carry in the jungle, but they would be invaluable in the plains and Wilderness. “Mm, have the arsenal report to Eko if they require anything. Accelerate the production of the bear-hunting crossbows.”

“Yes, Master Richard.”

“Sir, an urgent report from Nade.”

Just as Richard was about to continue his inspection, one of his personal guards hurried over.

Richard accepted the letter, then muttered upon examining its contents, “So fast?”

The contents of the letter were not good news. The Fifth War Zone, neighboring the Sixth War Zone under Richard’s command, had discovered traces of a cannibal tribe. The enemy numbered over a thousand, accompanied by large numbers of dog-headed people.

The Fifth War Zone’s strength was no match for Richard’s forces, and facing over a thousand cannibals, they would be hard-pressed to hold their own. Whether to come to their aid or not was a question…