The northern border still needed manpower for guarding and hunting; Draven couldn't let everyone stay in Black Flag Territory.

  After careful consideration, he made the following arrangements: the Hyena Tribe would remain in place, temporarily managed by the Serpent's avatar.

  The Serpent Tribe would relocate from Village No. 3 and be fully merged into Village No. 4, overseen by Gregor.

  Gregor was responsible for overall affairs, while Sardon of the Hyena Tribe acted as his deputy to assist in management. The three northern territories would become their future hunting grounds.

  The original Village No. 3 would be handed over to the Leopard Tribe, and the Black Tiger Tribe would be entirely moved to Village No. 1.

  As for Green Serpent, Thalia, and Thorin, they left their respective tribes and moved into Village No. 2 with trusted followers.

  The three newly integrated tribes didn't have many objections to these arrangements. After all, they had just submitted and didn't yet feel a strong sense of belonging.

  However, Draven's original subordinates were more reserved. The Serpent avatar was always taciturn, so his silence was expected;

  but Green Serpent's expression was full of suppression. Despite the hardship of this trip and the effort made, he never expected to lose even the village chief position and become a man without office.

  Bran felt uneasy too. He had thought he had secured the core power in Village No. 1, but once Martha returned, his status immediately weakened.

  Now, with Baldric—a strong mid-level leader—added, Bran naturally felt marginalized.

  Titus's situation wasn't easy either. Village No. 2 suddenly welcomed three chief-level leaders, and as an obscure Kobold warrior with an unofficial bloodline, no one could say how long his sheriff status would last.

  Draven did not explain the deeper meaning behind these arrangements. For now, they were temporary and would be adjusted as circumstances required.

  He spoke calmly, which was enough to dispel some doubts. Bringing three tribes into Black Flag Territory all at once required a period of adaptation. Once he said that, the atmosphere relaxed somewhat.

  He noticed Green Serpent's low spirits and shook his head slightly. Green Serpent wasn't suited to be a leader; Draven already had other plans.

  As for Bran and Titus, they still had plenty of room to grow and wouldn't be left idle for long.

  His gaze swept over the group. With so many elites under his command, he should have been able to expand territory further, but he abandoned that thought.

  Although the three new tribes' combined population was still less than fifteen hundred, their consumption of food and resources was a real burden.

  Not to mention, they barely brought any stored provisions with them. The most urgent task now was to stock enough winter supplies for Black Flag Territory before winter came.

  No matter how many people or how large the land, if they couldn't sustain the population, everything else was meaningless.

  Once the arrangements were settled, Draven wasted no time and led everyone to set off. He first went to the square and took the Selene statue worshipped by the Black Tiger Tribe into his storage ring.

  At first, he had thought the number of statues was insufficient; now, between the Leopard Tribe's and Black Tiger Tribe's, he had two spare statues in hand.

  Excluding one to redecorate Village No. 3, he still had one left over. Where to put the extra statue, he hadn't decided yet. But statues were always better in surplus than in shortage.

  The original villages of the Black Tiger and Leopard Tribes remained intact. In the future, the three northern territories would serve as Black Flag Territory's main hunting grounds.

  The Serpent avatar and others could take turns hunting, which would ensure a steady supply of meat while preventing sharp declines in wild animal populations and maintaining ecological balance.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Over the years, the three major tribes failed to grow significantly, mainly due to low birth rates, but the primary issue was excessive hunting in their territories.

  They had almost exhausted the vitality of every patch of land. This was not only their problem; almost all demi-human races faced the same dilemma.

  Innately poor at farming, they had no concept of hunting seasons or rest periods. With every day spent struggling to fill their stomachs, who had time to consider ecological conservation?

  The group marched toward Black Flag Territory. On the way, Draven remained busy, frequently conversing with the three new leaders to learn about their respective territories.

  Unfortunately, besides practical information like prey distribution, there was little else of value. However, the Black Tiger Tribe's unique technique for brewing tiger bone wine caught his strong interest.

  He considered that perhaps Black Flag Territory could add a new alcoholic product. On the second floor of the Succubus Trading Company was a small Black Flag Territory shop, and this wine could be introduced as a new trial product.

  Speaking of the trading company, the steward Lydia had recently become quite ambitious. Since Freya's downfall, control of the Succubus Trading Company had completely fallen into her hands.

  Today was the day the caravan was setting off. Selene was out on the battlefield, while Lydia stayed behind as the person in charge. Over the years, she had become accustomed to managing everything and was now full of enthusiasm.

  This time was different. Lydia was not just staying behind to guard the territory—she had many more things to handle.

  In her room, she saw Drogar off alone. On the bed, she gave him many instructions. Lydia had already lost Garruk and did not want to lose another troll warrior she had personally trained.

  This farewell might last for months. Lydia knew very well the outside world was unsafe; even as a caravan guard, one would face all kinds of threats.

  Drogar cherished this brief moment of solitude, being more proactive and attentive than before. He understood Lydia's worries and her feelings.

  They spoke little, instead expressing their emotions through actions. After their passionate moment, Lydia lay against Drogar's sweat-dampened chest, her hair messy, her expression complicated.

  As she tidied her hair, she reminded him to be careful on the journey, not to trust strangers too easily, and to avoid casually talking to succubi.

  Drogar nodded and promised repeatedly that he wouldn't act recklessly, his tone serious—clearly, he meant it. Finally, it was Etienne, their third brother, urging them from outside the door before they reluctantly got dressed and left the room.

  Outside on the square, eighty troll guards were already assembled and ready. Drogar held his spear firmly, leading his people at the front toward the south gate to join the succubi caravan.

  For the next few months, they would serve as the caravan's escorts heading south. But the real control over the caravan lay with the succubi.

  The caravan leader was Liora, Lydia's trusted confidant for many years. She saluted with her right fist pressed to her chest and solemnly led the team to bid farewell to the steward.

  Although Lydia had repeatedly stressed that the goal of this trip was to open new trade routes, not to pillage, Liora knew in her heart that if they could successfully open the market, the rewards would be unimaginable.

  Liora was a veteran of the succubi trading company, having been by Lydia's side since the company's founding. She fully understood the importance of this trade route and was more dedicated than anyone else, secretly preparing many things to try to gain additional profits beyond the mission.

  Lydia stood atop the city walls, watching the caravan grow smaller in the distance and sighed softly. The development of the territory never happened by simply guarding it—someone always had to go out, using time, energy, and even life itself to pave the way for the future.

  Selene had also gone through the same path of trial and hardship. Thinking of this, Lydia glanced further south, her gaze heavy with worry.

  Meanwhile, Aureon was filled with his own concerns. It was not surprising he wasn't included in the southern raiding party.

  Representatives of the four major tribes had all been left behind; only the four tribal leaders were qualified to lead people to march with Selene.

  But Aureon's worries lay elsewhere. Ever since the Public House was reclaimed, he clearly felt his tribe's attitude toward him had grown colder.

  The expected courtesies were still observed, but in secret, almost no one truly recognized him. He knew clearly that they only saw the surface of him—no one really trusted him.

  When Torvald was here, he barely managed tribal affairs. Now it was different: the leader had left with Selene, Torvald had disappeared without a trace, and the entire Tauren tribe's affairs fell on Aureon's shoulders.

  Reluctantly, he had to face his people and deal with the complicated matters.

  He wasn't without effort. Aureon sighed softly. He had once been the tribe's most dazzling young man.

  But at his second bloodline awakening, he had developed a skill never before seen in the Tauren—the Guardian. Rumors spread that he wasn't a pure-blood Tauren.

  During that time, Aureon sank into self-doubt. His power changed, no longer focusing on charging and tearing like the others.

  He was no longer the astonishing warrior he once was. He learned to accept and slowly adapt to this change.

  Recently, however, the increased interactions with the tribe revealed those seemingly casual glances and subtle remarks that reminded him he was different from them.

  During a rare moment of rest, Aureon sat inside, staring blankly—a rare form of relaxation for him. Just then, a guard outside reported that a Worgen wanted to see him.

  "A Worgen?" Aureon was surprised. His first thought was that it must be the Worgen tribe leader. But when he stepped outside, he saw a warrior unfamiliar but somewhat familiar.

  "Rurik?" Aureon recognized him.

  The Worgen Rurik stepped forward but did not enter the room. He stood at the door respectfully and said,"The Black Flag Public House will reopen tonight. Would you be so kind as to honor us with your presence?"