After being scolded, the Ghost-faced Owl timidly fluttered its wings a few times, then suddenly accelerated and whooshed far away.

  Draven's eyes brightened. Just from that speed alone, it had definitely improved. He asked Liliana and learned the details.

  The Ghost-faced Owl had already advanced to a mid-level magical beast. It could fly faster, higher, and farther, and its mental attacks had become more powerful.

  However, no new skills had appeared, which was why Liliana dismissed it as useless.

  Draven shook his head with a wry smile and pinched her cheek playfully.

  Did she think that every level-up came with a new form change like hers? It's not that easy.

  He called the Ghost-faced Owl back and carefully studied its new flight path and mental fluctuations.

  Then, Draven took out some parchment from his pocket and wrote two commands, sending the Ghost-faced Owl to deliver them to Martha and Green Serpent.

  The rainy season was over; it was time to start the next phase of preparations.

  Dorian and the others had completed road surveys and roughly mapped the land. Next, they would shift their focus back to their main role as scouts.

  That night, under the cold moonlight and sparse stars, Draven, as usual, took Viola and Liliana to the city wall. They spread a thick blanket and sat close together.

  He held them in his arms and gazed at the blood moon gradually becoming full on the horizon, images of upcoming achievements flashing through his mind.

  "There will be vast fertile fields, and villagers will never go hungry again."

  "We'll raise plenty of livestock too, and have meat at every meal," Viola added with eyes full of longing.

  "We will have a larger territory and a stronger army," Draven continued, his voice low and resolute.

  "And have a litter of children," Viola said shyly but mischievously, her eyes dreamy.

  "I want five kids!" Liliana raised her hand, announcing seriously and proudly.

  …

  Early the next morning, Gregor, Green Serpent, and the Dorian brothers arrived one after another at the leaders' hall.

  Martha was still needed to guard Village No. 1 and command the Gold-Devouring Demon Ants to clear the old foundations, so this time the scout affairs were entrusted to Dorian and his team.

  Draven personally received them and motioned for them to sit.

  "You probably already have an idea why I called you here," he said, leaning forward slightly and scanning their faces.

  The serpent-man clone remained expressionless, while the others could barely hide their excitement. Draven spread out the map and tapped three circles in the northern part of the Divine War Hills.

  "Before the rainy season, they already started eyeing us."

  "Now that the rainy season is just over, they probably think we're busy clearing floodwaters and can't pay attention to the north."

  "Green Serpent, your people have had dealings with them before—tell us what you know."

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  Draven's tone was calm, but his eyes couldn't hide the ambition as he looked at Green Serpent with encouragement.

  This year, the goal of the Black Flag Territory was to completely take over the area north of the Divine War Hills and unite the entire northern bank of the Great River under our banner!

  Currently, three forces on the north bank remain unaligned: the Black Tiger clan, the Leopard clan, and the Hyena clan.

  Green Serpent straightened up, pointed to the three circles on the map, and explained in order.

  Among the three, the Black Tiger clan had the strongest individuals, the Hyena clan had the largest numbers, and the Leopard clan was the most mobile.

  They all shared common traits: speed and ferocity. Having often been threatened by the serpent-men in the past, they banded together for mutual support and thus managed to establish a foothold in the northern hills.

  After finishing the overview, Green Serpent hesitated slightly. With Draven's silent approval, he finally voiced his concern.

  "Our Black Flag Territory currently has just over three hundred serpent warriors. If a fight really breaks out, I'm afraid…"

  Before he could finish, Gregor sneered.

  "What? Are you scared?"

  Green Serpent's face flushed red. He opened his mouth to respond but swallowed his words—after all, he really wasn't confident.

  The combined number of the Black Tiger clan and the Leopard clan was only a few hundred, while the Hyena clan alone had over a thousand members.

  Even at the serpent-men's strongest, these three tribes had never been fully conquered.

  Now, Draven could only mobilize about three hundred serpent warriors under his command—what could they possibly do?

  Draven raised his hand slightly, easing the pressure on Green Serpent.

  It was normal for Green Serpent to hesitate about this battle. If he weren't a bit afraid, he wouldn't have willingly submitted to the Black Flag Territory in the first place.

  The serpent-man clone would provoke him publicly simply because they worried he might falter at the crucial moment and ruin the entire plan.

  Draven narrowed his eyes, his voice calm but firm and unquestionable:

  "Dorian, send all your scouts out."

  "Keep a close watch on the northern movements, and pay special attention to the Hyena clan's activities."

  "Green Serpent, don't worry—I won't let your serpent-men be cannon fodder."

  "We will take these three tribes one by one."

  His tone was steady, but the order was clear. Draven decided to start with the Hyena clan. They were the largest in number but the weakest individually among the three.

  Moreover, they were located farthest west, closest geographically to the Black Flag Territory.

  If they could take down the Hyena clan first and successfully control them, the goal of unifying the northern bank of the Divine War Hills under Black Flag Territory would be halfway achieved.

  Dorian immediately stood up to accept the order. The young deer-man was full of vigor, his eyes clear and resolute.

  Draven looked at Green Serpent, his tone softening slightly but still carrying pressure:

  "You know better than anyone what this battle means to your serpent-men."

  Green Serpent's body trembled slightly; he understood.

  Though he was the leader of the serpent-men, since submitting, he had never truly entered the power core of Black Flag Territory.

  At first, he didn't care. His people were the largest fighting force—sooner or later, the leader would have to rely on them, right?

  But now, it was different. The number of slaves kept increasing, especially the obedient and battle-capable Black Werewolves.

  If the serpent-men couldn't prove their worth, their status would continue to decline, and so would his treatment as their leader.

  Green Serpent had always been shrewd. He might not care much about the fate of the whole tribe, but he cared about his own life.

  Draven didn't say much, but that was enough. He woke Green Serpent up to one truth: He could enjoy everything he had now only because he still represented the serpent-men.

  Once that identity lost value, he would be nothing.

  Green Serpent nodded solemnly—a rare seriousness—and resolved to return and boost morale. His livelihood still depended on these tribesmen.

  Seeing he understood, Draven smiled with satisfaction.

  "Meeting adjourned."

  The serpent-men remained under Green Serpent's command, with Gregor assisting. Pre-battle preparations had to be meticulous, whether training or troop deployment.

  But before the expedition, there was an even more important matter: the Black Flag Territory was about to hold the next full moon ritual.

  After that, Draven would travel to Selene City to handle some personal affairs. When he returned, the campaign in the northern territories would officially begin.

  After the others left, Draven deliberately kept Dorian and the others behind. There were a few things he had to clarify.

  "The Hyena clan is cunning and your deer-men's mortal enemy. Keep a close watch and don't be complacent."

  Dorian spoke up:"They only rely on their numbers. If it comes down to one-on-one combat, they really can't beat us deer-men."

  "Right! They're not as fast as us either!" Alec quickly added, eager not to be underestimated by their leader.

  Seeing their high spirits, Draven laughed and put his arm around their shoulders.