"We've finally arrived."
"I sense the swamp calling to me!"
"Is this where we'll be living from now on?"
"This seems to be much bigger than the swamp we used to live in!"
Praise the goddess!
"."
Everyone got excited; the swamp people danced with joy, and the wetland lizard people were also bursting with excitement.
After a long journey of more than half a month, traversing thousands of miles across the wilderness and overcoming numerous hardships, they finally arrived safely at their destination.
The excitement within me was beyond measure, and all my emotions were released.
Lear was also in high spirits at this moment.
We've finally arrived.
His territory, the place where it all began!
Just then, the Swamp Godhead, which had been floating within the Seed of Magic in his mind, suddenly emitted a faint glow.
Lear instinctively looked towards the swamp, its view obscured by the grass, and could vaguely sense that something he desperately longed for slumbered within that land—
authority!
Like a traveler in the desert, yearning for clean water.
"grown ups."
Bain interrupted his thoughts with a somewhat excited tone.
The swamp hero exclaimed excitedly.
"There is plenty of moisture here, there must be a giant water vein in the swamp."
For the swamp people, the swamp is their true home.
The swamp they previously inhabited had dried up and died, forcing them to leave and leading to their capture by the slave-catching team.
Giant water veins are the guarantee of the existence of swamps!
The future holds great promise.
Lear composed himself and spoke in a light tone.
"I hope so. Everyone get some rest for the night, and we'll explore the swamp again tomorrow."
He needed to carefully consider the specific location for establishing the territory and how to develop it in the future.
Most importantly, today is August 4th, and the early morning hours are when the intelligence will be updated again.
During the past few days of travel—on the 20th, 25th, and 30th—the intelligence was updated three more times, but without exception, all of these intelligence reports were warnings, indicating threats ahead.
He relied on intelligence to evade several waves of monsters capable of wiping out the convoy.
They finally arrived at this muddy swamp, thousands of kilometers away from the city of Loran.
He seemed to have had a safe journey, but only he knew how much risk he had faced over the past two weeks!
They set up camp and started a fire to cook.
After dinner, Lear stepped out of his tent. A crescent moon hung in the sky, radiating a pure white light.
The heat in the air gradually dissipated, and a refreshing coolness followed.
Lear's mood also relaxed for once, and he comfortably enjoyed the night breeze.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hagus, who had just finished arranging the night watch.
Upon seeing the hero he had personally nurtured, he waved and gestured for him to sit on the grass beside him.
Haggs sat down cautiously, somewhat excited.
"dominate."
Lear looked at the other person's expression and said softly.
"Hags, I haven't asked you yet, where was your previous home?"
Haggs paused, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"My Lord, the swamp where we live was occupied by a group of orcs a long time ago. I and my people were forced to wander in the wilderness. During a conflict with the snake people, we were captured by passing humans."
The word "home" was foreign to him.
This is also the final destination for most wild creatures; the powerful occupy a territory and may even build a city.
Weak races can only wander in the wilderness.
After speaking, Haggs hesitated for a moment.
"But after meeting you, I found the true meaning of my existence."
Their eyes lit up.
"It is our greatest honor to follow you in this lifetime!"
Lear gave them a reason to exist, letting them know who they were fighting for and why they were fighting!
These things may seem worthless, but they are of great significance to him.
Hearing the lizardman hero's heartfelt words, Lear was also somewhat moved.
For some reason, I feel like there's less of a barrier between me and the world.
He reached out and patted the other person on the shoulder.
"From now on, this will be our home."
Haggs paused, wanting to say something, but unsure what to say.
In the end, all he could do was nod and hum in agreement.
I felt a long-lost warmth in my heart for no reason.
It seems that everything is understood without being said.
As he stayed on the grass until the early hours of the morning, the moment the time jumped from August 4th to August 5th, the information system in Lear's mind changed again.
[The intelligence system has cooled down and can be refreshed. Refresh now?]
His spirits lifted, and his eyes revealed a hint of excitement and anticipation.
refresh!
The next second after selection, five pieces of information are displayed in sequence.
[1. In the center of the swamp, there is a flat area with a diameter of two kilometers, which is the best area to build your territory. There is a winding path on the right that leads directly to the central flat area. When you encounter any forks in the road, just turn left. (2 stars)]
2. Once the Swamp Authority is activated, it will cause a huge fluctuation in magical power. Do not step out of the swamp when you have fully mastered the authority. (2 stars)
3. After arriving at the center of the muddy swamp, walk 10 kilometers southeast. There you will find a patch of starry vines. These vines are stronger than steel cables and lightweight, making them ideal for building houses in the swamp. (2 stars)
[4. 30 kilometers north of the central area lives a group of decaying centaurs, with an average level of 8 and a maximum level of 10, numbering over 500. (3 stars)]
5. Beneath the rotting territory occupied by centaurs, grows a 1-star magical plant – Blue Heart Mud Fruit. (3 stars)
Lear's spirits immediately soared.
The information refreshed this time is all 2-star and starts at 2 stars, and there are even two 3-star information items!
This is the most valuable one we've had in all these days!
Take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and start reading from the first point.
Article 1 concerns the location for building a territory—in the center of the swamp, there is an open area with a diameter of two kilometers, suitable for building a territory.
It also provides a path to the center of the swamp.
With this information, we can save a lot of trouble.
Very good.
Article 2 concerns the authority to activate the swamp.
But where the authority is located and in what form it exists remains a question.
He could only make a note of this for now and take action after he gained authority.
The third piece of information is quite interesting—Starry Sky Vines.
This was the first time he had ever heard of this plant.
The unique terrain of the swamp makes it easy to cause problems when building houses and structures like on ordinary land.
The dampness and the easily sinking terrain are both major obstacles.
Now we have the materials to build our territory!
This is good stuff; we must get our hands on it.
Fourth piece of intelligence – worth 3 stars!
30 kilometers north of the central region, there lives a population of over 500 decaying centaurs.
The average level is 8, and the highest level reaches 10!
They're all mid-level knights!
Lear immediately felt the pressure.
At this moment, the most powerful being in my possession—Hagus—is only level 7.
Although it is a hero unit, it is unrealistic for one person to deal with 500 Rotten Centaurs.
Unless it's a top-tier level 17 powerhouse like Philena.
Its 3-star value speaks volumes.
The last piece of information is particularly meaningful. Hidden beneath the rotting centaurs is a magical plant—the Blue Heart Mud Fruit.
This magical plant has its own memories and is a rare type of magical food that can be eaten directly as a staple food.
It's not much better than Noah's Rice, but only half a pound is enough to keep a strong orc warrior full for a whole day.
Moreover, the yield is very large, and it can mature in two months.
However, this magical plant only grows in damp areas and is quite difficult to cultivate, making it impossible to cultivate on a large scale.
It has always been monopolized by the great nobles.
If we can get our hands on it, then the food problem will be solved!
This is a strategic treasure that concerns the survival and future development of our territory!
The growing conditions required for Blueheart Mudfruit are nothing to swamps.
Chosen plants!
The 3-star rating is indeed substantial.
However, to obtain this magical plant with great potential, the threat of the rotting centaurs must first be dealt with.
Lear drifted off to sleep, lost in thought.
August 5th, early morning.
Lear got up early, checked the amount of dragon droppings, and then looked at the swamp in front of him.
Mud, murky water, rotting corpses, weeds, moss, and a lone tree—this perfectly captures the swampy imagery of wandering poets.
Low-lying weeds grow in the muddy water, and bubbles occasionally rise from a few murky, stagnant pools of water, where the skeletons of unknown creatures can be seen partially exposed on the surface.
The air was filled with the stench of rotting mud, and moss covered the dry, decaying wood, giving it a thick green coat.
A thin mist drifted in the air, obscuring everything.
A few sparse giant trees could be vaguely seen through the mist, but they did not form a forest.
The muddy swamp stretches for hundreds of kilometers and is home to countless swamp creatures.
This is also a terrifying place where danger and death coexist.
What's most impressive is the swampy land that can swallow everything; it's a natural trap, and if you take the wrong step, you'll be swallowed by the mud and water.
In addition, the humid environment also breeds countless highly venomous mosquitoes and snakes.
Ordinary people would find it difficult to make any progress if they tried to enter.
A crooked path stretched into the mist above the mud.
Lear took a deep breath and ordered Hagus to lead five squads of wetland lizardmen to scout ahead.
We strive to eliminate all dangers.
He then directed the convoy onto the side road.
The road was narrow, so the convoy was inevitably stretched out.
Both the swamp people and the wetland lizard people are swamp creatures, and their energy and spirit are significantly enhanced after entering the swamp.
The damp air, the murky muddy pools, the overgrown weeds, trees, and vines—the swamp's unique environment actually gave them a great sense of security.
After Lear entered the swamp, he could feel the entire swamp cheering and rejoicing.
We are welcoming him.
He gazed deeply at the wetlands, his eyes sparkling like a galaxy.
Your God has returned!