CHAPTER 189: CHAPTER 187: VISIT OF THE LONG-JAWED GUEST_1

"Book of Shu Nine" from "Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 39": "The essential way of employing troops is to attack hearts first, cities second. Psychological warfare is supreme; conventional warfare is secondary."

Previously, Zhuge Liang captured and released Meng Huo seven times to win the hearts of the Southern Barbarians. Only then did he feel at ease enough to launch a northern campaign.

Yan Xing now considered the Thunderous Swamp his backyard; naturally, he planned its management with great care.

Only by having the Thunderous Swamp under his control could he calmly face the challenges from orcs, elves, humans... or other forces.

Since both the Werewolf Tribe and the Lizardmen Clans were too exhausted to continue fighting, peace talks were the natural next step.

Although Yan Xing had once rejected overtures from the Werewolf Tribe and the Lizardmen, he believed Clan Leader Qiao She and Clan Leader Lianzu would surely approach him again.

If both sides stalemated at Blood Crown Mountain wished to end the hostilities with dignity, they needed a significant mediator for negotiations.

Looking across the entire Thunderous Swamp...

Apart from myself, who else is qualified for this task?

Therefore, Yan Xing had recently been busy preparing to host peace talks between the Werewolves and the Lizardmen.

He was contemplating how to maximize his benefits from these talks and how to gradually bring the Thunderous Swamp under his control.

Violently overthrowing the current ruling class of Werewolves and Lizardmen and militarily unifying the Thunderous Swamp was not suitable given the Eternal Domain’s current strength.

Even if he possessed the strength, Yan Xing was unwilling to invest all his forces in prolonged guerrilla warfare and pacification campaigns.

Constant fighting would only deplete his own resources.

Whether Werewolves or Lizardmen, they are all my potential soldiers.

Therefore, to completely annex the Thunderous Swamp, the best method was ideological and cultural invasion.

The Swamp Tribe had no experience resisting such an invasion, while Yan Xing had witnessed it far too often in his original world.

The first step was to cultivate an elite class among the Werewolves and Lizardmen. They would be the first to experience the ideological and cultural impact of the Eternal Domain, elevating them from ’barbarians’ to ’civilized people.’

This would achieve internal division among the Werewolves and Lizardmen. This process was going very smoothly.

The Werewolves and Lizardmen training at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp readily accepted what the camp instilled in them.

Yan Xing didn’t even need to intentionally teach them anything. He influenced the Eternal Domain, and the Eternal Domain, in turn, influenced everyone who entered.

For the Werewolves and Lizardmen who joined, the Blood Crown Mountain camp was like entering another world.

There, their established mindsets were shattered by new ideas.

It was like a frog, long confined to a well, suddenly leaping out to behold the vastness of the world.

The Werewolves and Lizardmen training at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp were changing rapidly. They even worshipped Yan Xing with more fervor than the warriors of the Eternal Werewolf Tribe.

Upon returning to their own tribes and clans, they would unconsciously use the perspectives gained at the Blood Crown Mountain camp to critique the backward views of their own people.

The level of civilization among the Werewolves and Lizardmen simply couldn’t withstand this ideological onslaught. Furthermore, they failed to realize that invasion wasn’t solely about war and bloodshed.

For Yan Xing, the Werewolves and Lizardmen eligible to receive meal tickets to dine at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp were undoubtedly exceptional.

Through training, they would inevitably become the backbone of their respective tribes and clans.

Then, the loyalty they felt towards the Eternal Domain would subtly influence their own people.

Finally, when each Werewolf Tribe and Lizardman Clan developed a sense of civilized belonging to the Eternal Domain, then, even if Yan Xing hadn’t nominally unified the Thunderous Swamp, it would, in essence, be a stable rear base that no one could snatch from him.

If a few Werewolf Tribes dared to cause trouble, the Eternal Domain wouldn’t even need to send troops to suppress them.

Quelling unrest... would merely require a single word from Master Yan Xing.

Thus, seeing the initial success of his cultural invasion plan, Yan Xing intensified his efforts to influence the trained troops while preparing for the peace talks with the Werewolves and Lizardmen.

He increased the number of distributed meal tickets.

Items like towels, water canteens, rations, clothing, helmets, and boots were often left behind after training completion.

Sometimes, daily necessities were distributed directly.

Soap, washbasins, dental chews, small mirrors...

The trained Werewolves were encouraged to keep themselves clean, wear decent clothes, and use products from the Eternal Domain.

Yan Xing didn’t even mind if Werewolves and Lizardmen from outside audited the recently started literacy classes in the Eternal Domain.

When in a good mood, he would even organize an evening movie screening.

The Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain military camp, though not vast, was like a falling ocean of stars, mercilessly overwhelming the backward tribal civilizations of the Werewolves and Lizardmen.

The elites of the Werewolves and Lizardmen were undergoing an irreversible transformation.

This subtly included Clan Leader Qiao She and Clan Leader Lianzu.

Clan Leader Lianzu, accompanying Clan Leader Chang’e to the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp, praised Lord Yan Xing profusely along the way. He did his utmost to lessen any hostility Clan Leader Chang’e might harbor towards the Eternal Domain.

Even upon arriving outside Yan Xing’s main tent, he reminded Clan Leader Chang’e, "Clan Leader Chang’e... I can tell that Lord Yan Xing has no ambitions for Blood Crown Mountain.

He is a generous and compassionate person who also truly knows how to enjoy life.

The Thunderous Swamp is honestly too barren for him.

That war was a misunderstanding; we were at fault from the beginning.

Now that you’ve witnessed the Eternal Domain’s military might, if Lord Yan Xing were to side with the Werewolf Tribe, we absolutely couldn’t defend Blood Crown Mountain.

Please, prioritize the future of our Lizardmen."

Clan Leader Chang’e, anxious for Dragon Breath Liquor, replied, "I know! As I’ve said, my visit to Yan Xing this time is for other matters."

Clan Leader Lianzu led Clan Leader Chang’e into Yan Xing’s main tent.

Yan Xing was seated in his commander’s chair, using a ruler and pen to draw lines on a map spread across the table.

Seeing Clan Leader Lianzu enter, Yan Xing, already familiar with him, casually gestured for them to sit, his attention still fixed on the map.

Clan Leader Lianzu introduced him to Yan Xing, "Lord Yan Xing, I’ve brought a guest this time.

This is the sage of our Lizardmen Clans, the sole Dragonkin, Clan Leader Chang’e."

Yan Xing’s interest was finally piqued.

A sage of the Lizardmen Clans? His status must be very high.

The only Dragonkin... What on earth is a Dragonkin? I’ve never heard of it before.

As for Clan Leader Chang’e... that name sounds somewhat familiar.

It seems I’ve heard it somewhere before.

That’s right! Yan Xing remembered. During that forest ambush, he had interrogated captured Lizardman prisoners. They had said they came from the tribe of Clan Leader Chang’e; their Clan Leader was named Chang’e.

Moreover, he had personally fought against Chang’e. It was during that encounter the strange incident occurred where his Magic Lightning transformed into explosive flames.

Later, Yan Xing and Chui Chui had cast Magic Lightning together many times. Chui Chui even developed Magic Lightning to version 2.0, but it never replicated the transformation into explosive flames.

How could an Air Magic produce a Fire Magic effect?

Chui Chui, despite nearly overheating from his calculations, still hadn’t figured it out.

As Yan Xing recalled who Clan Leader Chang’e was, Chui Chui, already dressed as Sherlock Holmes and holding a pipe, interjected, "Master, quickly ask him! How did your Magic Lightning turn into explosive flames?"

"I know, I know..." Yan Xing calmed the eager Chui Chui, then nodded in greeting to Clan Leader Chang’e. "Respected Clan Leader Chang’e, greetings. There was an unfortunate incident between us, a misunderstanding that led to regrettable results.

Fortunately, that misunderstanding has been cleared up, and we haven’t continued down that erroneous path.

After that battle, some of your tribesmen were captured by me. They are currently working in my domain.

After some time, I will release them and return them to you."