Ten wooden tables had been set up long beforehand, and the Vampires in charge of household registration had made all the necessary preparations to guide the Dwarves through the process.
Remon was the security officer in charge this time. Having risen in rank for reporting the Wild Wolf Gang and showing unwavering loyalty to Dawn City, Remon, thanks to his quick mind, was already a squad leader in the patrol, commanding over a hundred men.
It was worth mentioning that, with the Months of Deep Winter approaching, Li De had made many preparations to seize more population.
For example, the patrol squad had already been organized into a strict military unit called the Blade of Kings.
The Blade of Kings would be Dawn City's second official army aside from the Vampires.
Every member of the Blade of Kings was subject to strict daily military training, cultural education, and combat skills instruction, and they could receive the most honorable payment in the form of military wages.
The Blade of Kings was built on the foundation of the patrol squad, and its total strength had already reached 600 soldiers.
Moreover, the twenty-some Northern warriors Li De had captured while striking down the Dark Pact and hunting Grote had already been dispatched into the Blade of Kings to serve as instructors.
Under Betty and Grote's commands over the past few months, these Northern warriors had gradually become part of Dawn City. They were no longer enemies.
In Li De's plans, Dawn City's future military would consist of two parts.
The first, of course, was the Vampires. The Vampires were everything, his foundation and the absolute priority for development.
But due to the Vampires' innate limitations, he could not rapidly produce troops and could only pursue an elite model, so he needed other forces to fill the gaps.
In this context, the second military force had emerged, a multi-racial army formed by other species: Cyclops, Dwarves, Humans, and perhaps eventually Beastmen.
Each race would play a different role and contribute in unique ways.
He wanted to build a powerful composite army. Of course, this idea was still a bit of a dream for now.
In this plan, humans played an important role. They would not only maintain internal security but also accompany the Vampires in external campaigns.
Among them, the most outstanding humans would be chosen by the Vampires to join their ranks.
His large-scale recruitment of Mage Apprentices in Dawn City also stemmed from this intention, to select talent, with the very best eventually becoming noble Saintlight Vampires.
The direct leader of the Blade of Kings was Li De himself. All squad leaders and deputy squad leaders above the ten-man level, these core officers, had to swear allegiance to Li De and sign Soul Contracts.
This army was held firmly in Li De's hands, with no possibility of betrayal.
Currently, the patrol squad remained under the jurisdiction of the Department of Security, which was itself a sub-department under the Blade of Kings.
Of course, for now, all members of the Blade of Kings were patrolmen. Li De had only set up the framework.
To truly develop this army, at the very least, he would have to wait until after the Months of Deep Winter.
Furthermore, this army could not replace the Vampires anytime soon; it would only serve as a complement to Vampire strength.
"All Dwarves, line up. Everyone must register their information truthfully.
After registration, you will receive housing and food. Each Dwarf will be given a job here in Dawn City."
Remon was shouting to maintain order.
All around, more than a hundred armored patrol squad members kept the area firmly under control.
Although the Dwarves were somewhat disgruntled, under the deterrence of several top-tier fighters radiating powerful auras, they could only obediently comply.
Masi silently watched all of this, his expression very peculiar.
His most direct impression upon arriving in this Vampire city was that he hadn't come to some legendarily bloodthirsty and cruel Vampire Ancient Castle, but rather to what seemed like a thoroughly proper human city.
Everything felt so out of place, so awkward no matter how he looked at it.
Queueing up, registering.
The process was rather tedious, but Masi still suppressed his feelings and obediently followed the Vampires' instructions.
Because nearby stood Grote, Betty, Emi, and Stanley, these four beings of Level 15 and above were releasing such overwhelming pressure that he had no choice but to behave.
It felt as if there was always a giant dragon glaring at his back. It was truly terrifying.
After a day and night of exhausting travel, the Dwarves no longer had the energy to spare. Everyone's eyes were filled with fatigue; they just wanted to get this over with quickly, so no trouble arose.
"Next."
Masi quietly let out a breath when the Dwarf in front of him finished registering and left. At last, it was his turn.
"I am the household registration officer of the Saintlight Vampires. To ensure that you answer truthfully, I will use a Truth Spell during this process.
According to the Dawn City household registration regulations, all outsiders must undergo detailed documentation. This is for your benefit, we will match you with a job suited to your abilities.
If your answers are truthful, you will receive free food and housing. If you attempt to conceal anything, your treatment will be reduced to the lowest level.
There are several rules in Dawn City that must be obeyed, so listen carefully."
Masi had been to human cities before. He knew how greedy those people were.
He had originally thought that this dark creature showing its true Vampire form would demand Gold Pucks or other benefits, but unexpectedly, the other party didn't mention any such thing.
Instead, they simply asked him some questions, even if those questions were so detailed as to include exactly how his surname should be pronounced.
Yet after witnessing this, Masi's impression of this Vampire-ruled city immediately changed.
Although the Vampire looked terrifying, their conduct followed rules to the letter. There was none of the extortion or blackmail he had imagined.
This actually made Masi regard these Vampires with a measure of respect.
This city really was…different.
After finishing registration, Masi received his own identity proof and a housing registration number. All he had to do was wait until thirty Dwarves were gathered in a group, and then someone would lead them down to move into their assigned dwelling.
The entire process struck Masi as professional.
It seemed as though they had done this countless times. Every step was perfect, and all he had to do was follow the staff's instructions.
There was none of the tediousness he had experienced handling matters in human cities.
Moreover, no one made things difficult for them during the process.
It was unbelievable, was this really the Vampires' lair??
Masi looked blankly at the crowd of humans chattering excitedly around them. That strange feeling wasn't his alone, every Dwarf felt it.
"Masi?!"
Just as Masi finished registering, a surprised voice came from the crowd.
Masi's body jolted. He spun around sharply, unable to hide the joy in his eyes. "Grandmaster Valen!!"
The two Dwarves, under everyone's gaze, suddenly pulled each other into a fierce bear hug.
Nothing was happier than meeting an old friend in a foreign land.