The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor - Chapter 48-4

Chapter 48-4

Chapter 4: Seeds of Attack

The emergency strategy room of the Grass Porridge Cult .

Behind Morata's back street and the empty houses on the hill, there was a shabby shrine that escaped the surveillance of the Haven Empire .

50 users were sitting on cheap matting placed on the dirt floor .

“Everybody eat . "

"Yes . I will enjoy this food . "

There was high quality grass porridge with abalone, ginseng and beef .

"Um . Tasty . "

“This soft neck is smooth in the grass porridge . "

Great people were gathered to discuss the Haven Empire's invasion and indiscriminate destruction of the Arpen Kingdom .

At first, the emergency strategy room was formed to stop the war, but now they had a clear purpose .

-Free adventures and trade .

Defeat the Hermes Guild who are dictators for the peace and freedom of the continent .

Hooray the Arpen Kingdom!

“We won't back down from the Haven Empire . "

“Their weakness will be short-lived . Once their rule becomes stable in a few months, they will reorganize and invade us again . "

"Grass Porridge Cult… The fate of the north hangs by a thread . "

“At this point, we have to be strong . But it is difficult to gather the northern users…"

"Many players don't want a war . "

The emergency strategy committee prepared for the future .

There was a plan for Weed to lead the northern users to attack the Central Continent, but that was excluded because there were too many weaknesses .

The military power of the Haven Empire was still strong .

It was a question of how many northern users would join as well as ruling the conquered territories .

"What is the trend of the Central Continent?"

“It is stable . "

“The tax cuts seem to be doing well in the short term . "

“It is unfortunate but the complaints are gone . "

The users in the emergency strategy room eating grass porridge had absurd specifications .

There were senior officials, diplomats and soldiers of every administrative branch of the country .

People experienced in various fields came to the Arpen Kingdom in the north after starting Royal Road .

A grade 5 clerk who passed the administrative examination couldn't help wanting to eat grass porridge!

Members of parliament and politicians also tried to join the Grass Porridge Cult .

“I am a member of parliament . Can't I get a bowl of grass porridge for free?"

"Is that so?"

In the early days, there were members who did bad things but that was no longer the case .

If someone acted wrongly under the name of the Grass Porridge Cult then their image would be recorded and released to the entire world .

Although the politicians might have lied or committed irregularities in reality, it was impossible in the Grass Porridge Cult .

Even politicians could mess with Royal Road due to their family members who played it .

"A way to undermine the power of the Hermes Guild… It is hard since our military is weak . "

“If they attack first then the strategies we can use are limited . Take a look at the past where we were hit hard at the Earth Palace… Every time a battle is fought, the Arpen Kingdom continues to suffer damage . ”

“If a full-scale war breaks out then the north will be decimated . Once the Central Continent is stabilized, the Haven Empire will focus on the north . "

"A preemptive strike is the correct answer . Organizations such as the Hermes Guild will quickly collapse if they are weakened . Those who gathered have no loyalty in the first place . "

“They are united due to their interests . As long as they occupy the Central Continent, they won't scatter . "

“If we conquer a part of the Central Continent then it won't be any better…"

There were numerous discussions on how to attack the Haven Empire .

They didn't know about Mapan's economic penetration but a number of similar methods emerged .

One of the comments was that if the Pallos Kingdom was established in the south, the Grass Porridge should give support to strengthen it .

Then while doing errands, Soft Tofu raised his hand .

“I remember something Weed said in the past . "

“What is it?"

“He told Geomchi that he would rip the Haven Empire to shreds . "

“Ohhhh . ”

“He said it when the Haven Empire was at its most powerful . "

“Such ambition?"

“There has to be some degree of distribution…"

“He is the person who created the Arpen Kingdom in the north . "

The users gathered in the emergency strategy room were filled with admiration .

When the Haven Empire had invaded the Arpen Kingdom, Weed had spoken simple words .

-They want to aim for my rice bowl? I can't leave it alone . I will tear them to shreds!

It was like tearing up the notebook of the creepy person in kindergarten .

The elites in the emergency strategy room interpreted the meanings deeply .

“Tearing apart… Then it means winning the war against the Haven Empire . But the form and results are different from what is expressed . At the time, didn't he tactically destroy the Earth Palace?"

“There is a difference between overthrowing and tearing them down . There seems to be a hidden meaning . "

"Perhaps he wasn't referring to that moment but the distant future?"

“Destroying the Haven Empire . Doesn't it mean something like that?"

“Weed-nim's words . It can't just be a rough interpretation . We need to understand his words to change the flow of the continent . "

“I think we need someone to figure out the meaning of his language . "

“We should bring someone majoring in Korean literature or who has a doctorate in humanities . "

"Will that be enough? We should invite the Harvard and Yale professors . "

The elites of the Grass Porridge Cult invited the world's scholars to delve deeply into the meaning of those words . And the conclusion!

The South Korean soldier, who provided information about body armour corruption to the media, said .

“It is right to interpret it literally . He is going to tear up the Haven Empire . "

A soldier, who retired after reporting about submarine irregularities, spoke next .

"Tearing into multiple pieces? How?"

“Send the best troops of the Arpen Kingdom to destroy many areas…"

The soldier, who was outcast after reporting a connection between the jet fighter business and the defense companies, shook his head .

“Our power isn't that much . The Hermes Guild has a lot of personnel and will be prepared for this . "

“Or we can tear up their power by exacerbating the relationships between the lords of the Central Continent . "

"It is convincing . "

“We are in a situation where we can try it but… Well . Would they foresee this?"

“The complaints of the lords towards the Haven Empire are significant . There was Darius' exposure and their profits are reduced due to lowering the taxes . "

“Even so, we aren't likely to succeed . "

“If we defend the Arpen Kingdom then there will be no losses . "

"Then in order to worsen the relationship with the Hermes Guild…"

The plan steadily formed .

There could have been a heated debate but they decided to follow Weed's words .

“We can divide it into stage 1 and stage 2 . "

"When the plan is finished… The Versailles Continent might fall into chaos . "

“We have to distinguish between success and failure in stage 1 . Only then can we push on with Stage 2 . "

“It is about whether we can move the people's hearts but… The plan doesn't show any other loopholes . "

“It is Weed-nim's plan . We have to believe and pursue it . "

“We need to keep it secure so only bring in trusted users . "

“In any case, keep your mouths shut . You can't be bribed by the Hermes Guild . "

“Fortunately, we have many qualified users . "

“The Toadstool Porridge unit is also reliable . "

The Grass Porridge Cult established a specific plan and reported it to the Arpen Kingdom . Seo-yoon made the final decision!

She took a look at the final proposal and stamped it .

* * *

Knight Myul .

South of the Haven Empire . He was a top ranker in the Hermes Guild and ruled over the vast area that once consisted of the Gradian Kingdom and the Nest Kingdom .

He was robbed by Weed and attacked by rebels at Node Krape, then he went to the north to take revenge .

“Kuuuok . It was a thorough defeat…"

Myul abandoned his plan of revenge and used the remaining griffon troops to retake Node Krape and his territory .

The rebels were silent but the desert warriors' attacks led to an endless call for support in the area of the Great Plains .

-For the stability of the region, dispatching troops is necessary . Please save us!

-You must help . The Great Plains is being conquered .

-The desert is looting us . The gates are already open as I write this…

Myul quickly moved at the Hermes Guild's request, but the desert warriors had already retreated .

"Ahh . It is over . "

"It is over . There is nothing left in the warehouse . "

“All the soldiers were dragged . Now we have to start from the bottom up .

The southern lords who returned from the evacuation were devastated as they sat on the ground . The golden grains of the Great Plains had been pulled up . It was the symbol of abundance for the Great Plains . It was the same for the apples, pears, pomegranates and fig trees planted in the streets .

Even the unripe fruits had been taken away .

After the plunder of the Great Plains, the grain prices skyrocketed on the Central Continent . Big hands moved first so it was hard to find it on the market .

"This damage… Kuk . Over half of this year's yield from the Great Plains was taken away . "

"It is a really big deal . Shouldn't the empire be more vigilant?"

“That’s right . They only worried about the cities or towns . Now all the food has been swept away . "

“That isn't the problem . I hear that they took many residents?"

"Residents?"

“Engineers and young people were forced into captivity and dragged to the desert . "

"No… Such a cruel thing . "

The lords were shocked to hear the news .

When the prestigious guilds fought, they tried to reduce the damage to the people as much as possible .

Manpower was hard to control in battle so it couldn't be helped if excited users sometimes burned the city, but they were punished afterwards .

Even during wars, these acts greatly increased infamy . The penalties for quests and ruling were large so those with common sense didn't do such actions .

Building or property damage could be recovered, but it was impossible to recover in a short amount of time if residents were moved .

However, the lords of the Central Continent didn't know about the difference in culture .

The act of robbing or taking captives from a civilized land had a large penalty and increased infamy .

But in the desert area, they were praised for being capable of capturing a large number of prisoners .

“They aren't very smart or don't care about their bad name . "

“According to the users, they only follow the laws of the desert . "

“They are thieves . "

“Their swords are their only strength . "

Myul ruled Node Krape and thought that the southern lords lacked economic knowledge .

After spending more than half of the taxes to the Haven Empire, the rest was wasted restoring the damage caused by the rebels .

"Just as we were regaining some stability in the area, the desert warriors…"

“There is no more room to lower the tax rate . "

“In the south, warriors say they will establish the Pallos Empire . "

“Now we must bury the desert!"

“Let's get back our lost residents and property . "

The lords of the Great Plains and the southern defenders of the Hermes Guild came up with tough countermeasures .

Myul, one of the greatest powers in the area, didn't like it .

“The griffons can't wander around the hot desert searching for enemies . "

“We should be together in this . "

"How many troops will be committed?"

“I will send 200,000 . Pull out the roots of the desert before it can grow more . "

Myul asked .

“Are you going to take control of the southern desert with 20,000 troops?"

"I will send elite troops . The Imperial Army isn't invincible… but they are strong . "

"Do you know how wide the desert is? If traffic isn't developed then wandering the middle of the desert isn't the answer . Isn't there any reinforcements from Aren Castle?"

“They can't afford it . It isn't the time for war and the Hermes Guild has a lot of land to keep . "

“They have no interest in the remote south . '

"Then there will be an expedition into the desert . "

“Those guys will come again…"

“Even then, we will stop it somehow . Next time, we have to respond much more quickly . "

The debating lords couldn't come to a conclusion .

Many of them were asking for salvation without wanting to go out .

* * *

The knights of steel that dominated the skies .

"These guys . They had another baby . "

Myul was busy taking care of the griffons at Node Krape .

The young griffons were hungry so he put large pieces of cut beef into their beaks .

“Eat a lot . Don't stay cute like this . "

The number of griffons was reduced a lot due to Weed's raid and the war in the north .

It was difficult to regain 5,000 again so the young griffons would be the strength of the griffon corps in the future .

"Huhuhu . You will completely control the skies of the continent . Once the sky is ours, the ground will come naturally . This isn't the big picture . "

While Myul was smiling, he received a warning that an intruder was approaching .

A man wearing a novice outfit was flying on a wyvern towards Node Krape!

"Don’t tell me…"

Myul confirmed the wyvern from the top of the tower .

"Isn't that wyvern Wy-3?"

The wyvern who carried Weed around all the time .

There was no wyvern more famous on the continent .

'Is Weed invading? It is likely he didn't come alone . Large forces will come . '

Myul was on the verge of making an emergency call to the griffons and his army .

Then he saw the white flag and the face of the user on Wy-3 .

'That isn't Weed?'

Weed's face was so normal then he forgot it after a while .

The user on Wy-3 was fairly different from weed .

'Weed can change appearances… This might be a trick . '

However, Myul didn't lost his confidence .

From the early days in the Hermes Guild, he had led a number of battles to victory . He had high pride and didn't think he would be easily defeated by Weed in a one-on-one battle .

Node Krape was a fortress built on a cliff .

It wasn't a fortress that would easily fall even if a war occurred .

‘I can fight . But I don't think Weed would change his face and come bearing a white flag . '

Myul gestured at the window and guided the visitor to the griffon nest at Node Krape .

* * *

Myul welcomed the visitor in the novice clothing . After descending from Wy-3, he straightened his shoulders and introduced himself .

"I am Tokkung from the Toadstool Porridge unit . "

"Toadstool Porridge unit?"

"Yes . Weed-nim sent me here . "

"I see . "

Myul was disappointed despite expecting that the other person wasn't Weed .

'Too bad . If he had been alone then I would have killed him . '

Although it was cowardly, it would be worth it for the fame he would get from killing Weed . But he was interested in what the Grass Porridge Cult had to say .

If it was something trivial then they wouldn't have sent a Toadstool Porridge member on Wy-3 .

“What do you want to say?"

"Huhu . I have a good offer for you . "

The user called Tokkung grinned .

“I will omit the long introduction . Do you have any thoughts of becoming independent from the Haven Empire?"

“Independent?"

Tokkung explained the Grass Porridge Cult's proposal .

The Myul-controlled areas of Gradian and Nest would become independent and remain free from the reign of the Haven Empire .

The Grass Porridge Cult would use their influence and stop the desert warriors from attacking .

“If the relationship improves then you can trade with northern specialties . A large trading team from the Arpen Kingdom will visit by sea . "

“So the desert warriors won't make peace with the empire? That is the proposal?"

“Of course . The desert warriors will be active in other areas but this one will receive no damage . "

Myul thought it was ridiculous as he listened .

“I still can't understand it . You want me to get away from the solid fence of the empire?”

"Yes . If you change to the system of the Arpen Kingdom, many northern users will head to Myul's kingdom . Myul's kingdom will become more active . The development… You should know . New villages will be created and it will be a large kingdom when joined with the southern desert area .

“What about the relationship between me and the Hermes Guild?"

“It is like Weed-nim said . People should know when to go to the bathroom for things to come out . Isn't now a suitable time to come out?"

Myul was silent for a while .

'The desert warriors are annoying . '

It was true that the attacks from the south were annoying .

As part of the Hermes Guild, he couldn't ignore the lords' requests for help . But the damage hadn't occurred in his territory yet so it was only an annoyance .

'But going to the bathroom . The situation is certainly different . '

Myul had been with the Hermes Guild from the beginning .

As a knight and managing to tame the griffons, he played a great role in the conquest of the Central Continent .

The mobility of the griffon unit meant he was at the forefront of the territorial expansion every time . Thanks to the repeated combat achievements, he possessed a formidable army .

He was handed the Gradian and Nest areas because of the high regard for his abilities and military power .

'I'm no longer getting anything from the Hermes Guild . Even if the Haven Empire conquers the Arpen Kingdom, I won't receive any benefits . '

He had to dedicate half of the taxes collected from his territory .

The only reason he hadn't complained was due to his loyalty to the Hermes Guild . However, if he became independent then he would no longer have to pay taxes in the future .

He wouldn't be part of the Haven Empire or the Arpen Kingdom, but the independent king of a large area .

‘It isn't a totally useless proposal . It is profitable for me . There is just one crucial issue . '

He wanted to raise a flag apart from the Haven Empire but common sense said it wasn't possible .

The military power of the Hermes Guild and the Haven Empire was so powerful that it couldn't be ignored . What if he was trampled on as soon as he declared independence?

Tokkung laughed like he read Myul's mind .

“Once Myul is ready then the Arpen Kingdom will move from the north . "

“You will fight the empire? The Arpen Kingdom's military power won't be enough . "

“There is a crowd . But even if it is only near the border of the Arpen Kingdom, we will be able to strike the nerve of the Haven Empire . "

“It won't mean anything . The Hermes Guild is strong enough to prevent such interference . It will be the worst situation for me if the Imperial troops come to the south . "

“The Arpen Kingdom and Myul's new kingdom . The Haven Empire will receive damage from both sides simultaneously . Can they afford the cost of war when taxes are lowered?"

"The Arpen Kingdom can't afford to go against the Haven Empire either . "

“In the worst-case situation, the Arpen Kingdom will accept Myul . You can be a lord who rules over a wide land . "

Myul shook his head and didn't respond .

He was too busy making calculations in his head .

There were benefits to Tokkung's proposal but he couldn't accept due to the damages .

“The reason for this proposal…"

“It will be beneficial for the Arpen Kingdom if the Haven Empire is divided . "

Tokkung honestly replied .

‘I'm not the only one they are making this offer to . '

The Grass Porridge Cult had gathered a vast amount of intelligence and connections .

It was possible for them to propose independence to some Hermes Guild users .

The elite members of the Toadstool Porridge unit were secretly dispatched to a few lords or governors with jurisdiction over an area .

Tokkung travelled on Wy-3 because the southern part of the Haven Empire was far but there were members of the Toadstool Porridge unit visiting other people at the same time .

No one knew how many of them would change their minds .

Some of them might agree but there was a high possibility of failure .

'A plan that assumes failure . ’

In the 1st phase of the plan, the Arpen Kingdom had nothing to lose . Making this proposal wouldn't damage them .

The northern users wouldn't condemn the Arpen Kingdom or Weed .

On the other hand, the Hermes Guild would become anxious and suspicious .

"Hrmm…"

Myul was troubled as he thought about it . The Arpen Kingdom could gain tremendous benefits from his choice .

‘I don't want to do something for Weed . If things go wrong then the damage will be big . '

His feelings towards Weed!

When he thought about the events that happened to him, he couldn't accept .

"I will not accept the offer . "

"Yes . I understand . You can do that . "

"Will you go back on Wy-3?"

Myul asked out of pure curiosity .

The wyvern could be called a match to the griffon and this was a chance to see Wy-3 up close .

"Nope . I will go back to the Arpen Kingdom another way . "

"That is a long way to go . "

"You can always get something in life when you go back the long way . "

Tokkung said as he pulled out something from his backpack . Myul momentarily thought it was a bribe or a weapon .

But Tokkung took out a cup and unknown powder . He poured boiling water into the cup and made powdered tea .

“I like having a cup of tea after negotiations . "

"Hrmm . "

"Would you like some?"

"Nope . I'm okay . "

Myul wasn't friendly so he immediately refused the offer . His refusal was the right decision .

“Kueeok!"

Tokkung drank the tea and collapsed .

“Indeed, toadstool tea…"

* * *

Myul was troubled after Tokkung's death .

"Independence…"

The Grass Porridge Cult’s sweet proposal .

Betraying the Hermes Guild was a big gamble but he would benefit greatly if he succeeded .

'The Arpen Kingdom . If I take a position like Weed the users in this region might help me . It is a little bit positive . '

As one of the roots, he knew several things about the Haven Empire .

Even if a large army struck, he could intercept using the griffon units or hold out using Node Krape .

If he endured for a month or two then they would recognize it as a loss .

In the future, he wouldn't have a strong foundation like Bardray or Weed .

Even if everything went wrong, he could bring all his assets and the griffons to the Arpen Kingdom .

'Interesting but dangerous . I won't accept at this time . But if things change…'

Weed's words in the emergency strategy room of the Grass Porridge Cult planted the first seeds in the Haven Empire .

-The northern users are attempting to take our lords .

“Don’t leave any loopholes . "

Several lords of the Haven Empire confessed that they had been contacted .

Lafaye was on the roof of Aren Castle when he heard the news .

There were countless stars shining in the sky and a cool wind was blowing .

The capital of the Haven Empire was shining brilliantly .

“I have been driven to this edge…'

Lafaye's eyes narrowed as he thought about the insults he received recently .

He became angry after being insulted by the little girl on the street .

As an elite, he lived his life receiving respect so he wasn't accustomed to the word failure .

It was true that his achievement with the Haven Empire was weakening .

The news coming from the intelligence network wasn't much better .

-There is a massacre of ordinary users by the Hermes Guild in the Luhen area . It is our error so investigate .

-There is a request for support from Godessa Castle . The spending for the part celebrating the conquest of the continent was too large .

-Jolot Trade City . A large-scale development project to revitalize the tourism industry by referring to Puhol Water Park in the north . The development cost is 30 million gold . 340 users per day are required until completion .

Many ridiculous things happened as he ruled every corner of the empire .

Lafaye and the leaders consumed an astronomical amount of funds .

They had to make allowances for tax cuts so the leaders cursed the trade in each city .

Darius indiscriminate revelations about the Hermes Guild also inflamed him .

As new facts were broadcasted, public opinion towards the Hermes Guild was becoming increasingly worse .

In the south of the continent, the founding of the Pallos Empire through invasion was underway .

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc . . ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible .

Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters .