Just Protective Measures

Heian Ciemnosc's plans were set in motion on a wider extension than ever before. To extend 40,000,000 auxiliary units throughout a 3* Region was impossible, they were too few. Thus, soldier units were also put into motion as 15 million auxiliary units 'trained' the prisoners and taught them how to help, even if they didn't know how to Craftsmake. It was little of a surprise, but the soldier units in the Region weren't that good at Craftsmaking albeit having some relatable knowledge in the Third Step. For example, none of them could create Sky grade weaponry.

The Crimson soldier units could at least understand the methods and techniques to forge one, or at least armor, but it would be of a poor or mediocre quality. But they knew to work together, with other soldier units, so they could achieve a better quality. However, the quantity would be small. On the other hand, 1 auxiliary unit could do better than a group of soldier units, and of a better quality. If many were to join hands, only the quantity would increase, albeit not too much.

Of course, a person fully diligent in Craftsmaking wouldn’t be an auxiliary unit in the Region, when they could be renowned Craftspeople who were hired for copious amounts of Stones and coins. The Region’s auxiliary units were ‘okay’, but that was still not enough.

The Crimson auxiliary units taught the Region’s auxiliary units, while a couple hundred million soldier units distributed aid to the former. They received ample instructions and guidance since the new reforms, and after a decade, they weren’t disdainful of the idea of helping auxiliary units in the slightest.

One of Heian Ciemnosc’s methods to ‘teach’ them was to shower the masses with history lessons where cultivators failed to fortify their surroundings. Just like civilians in failed Kingdoms, who were destroyed by a weaker enemy, let alone someone of equal might. Thus, the Region’s south became busy after the first tower meeting concluded.

The west was the most worked area, so the soldier units were spread in a 30/70 to the west and east respectively. Like this, while the new batch of auxiliary units, even if some of them were temporary, while the Region’s auxiliary units were ‘updated’ to the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s standards. The total reconstruction of the south began.

… Within just 2 years, the inhabitants of the Turtle Hiding Region’s south were all in their brand-new homes. Not only that, but the villagers who wished to return to their homes were gladdened to find out they would live closer to the center, where the Crimsonbreaking Faction planned to build its most formidable precinct and defensive structures.

What’s more, after the supreme towns and cities were finished being built, they formed an irregular half-a-circle, covering any possible invading force, be it troops or natural phenomena. It was as if they were built to protect the center, or whatever wasn’t too close to the center or cliffed coasts.

In just 2 years, the Small Cities construction began. The paths and rural roads leading to every possible settlement were long finished, and by looking at them from afar, comparing them to a village, town, or city; one could easily distinguish between a Small City and a supreme town, which were, more or less, larger than cities.

However, the inhabitants became more astounded and somewhat incredulous when they found a larger empty area whose road divided into many more paths and ‘entrances’ than a Small City would. With those notions, they watched as the Crimsonbreaking Faction started recruiting opportunist civilians who wanted to carry resources into the Small Cities still in construction.

Thus, while the Crimsons’ reconstruction Regionwide project wasn’t slowed, they connected a little with the inhabitants of the Region. It might seem silly, but it was protocol. Yet, if the new reforms didn’t support these ideas, the soldier units knew they’d have a hard time wishing to stay here longer than necessary.

Some seeds of love and fateful encounters were beginning to sprout in the little stories and tales of the south’s reconstruction…

With the millions of ‘workers’ at the Small Cities, it would take at least 3 more years to complete, as they would surround that perimeter where the settlements ‘safeguarded’ the villages, which most were in the center. 31 Small Cities would finish by the time the Crimsonbreaking Faction spent its 5th or 6th year in this ‘operation’.

That was a time record for Third Step organizations not using hundreds of millions of more than capable auxiliary units, although they were cheating a little by using soldier units. However, they were also previously busied with other matters, such as villages, towns, supreme-sized towns, cities, and planning even more construction projects for the first year and almost a semester.

Yet, as those 2 years ended, and the Small Cities welcomed the civilian helpers with open arms, the chief of operations received a message amidst a long and arduous, silent cultivation session.

During this time, while his subordinates, daughter, and Eternal Return Team were cultivating with his group cultivation method, they were more than capable to divert their attention to read reports and delegate further orders. As such, not only they, but the other Captains and Universal realm cultivators were in their relaxing time. Only time will tell when the next war would erupt, and only nature knows how vastly more cruel it will be.

… At this very moment, Heian Ciemnosc woke up after his emblem lighted up. He opened his darkest eyes to welcome the sight of a reddened face. Tania slept peacefully in his arms. He didn’t need to look down to know she has been milking him out of reflex while sleeping-cultivating. He grinned and woke the woman with smooches to her face before sitting cross-legged on his bed.

Tania hung limply with her chin on his left shoulder before contracting him inside her and waking up. However, knowing this would be one of the last times they ever bed each other, she wasn’t finished. Heian Ciemnosc held his words as Tania mounted him slowly and passionately.

After they were done, noise could be heard from the outside as Tania breathed heavily with her entrance spurting the heaviness of 2 shots while resting on the bed. Heian Ciemnosc dressed up and looked back at Tania before voicing out, “Thanks, Sister Tania. Whatever your wishes are, I will support you in the future. Get up and check the world with your eyes, alright?”

“Mmnh…” Tania’s lips smiled a little. She lazily kept her eyes closed and nodded, saying amidst breaths, “I understand. Thanks, Cici. You’re a superb lover. Heh, you’ve even guided me to this point.”

Heian Ciemnosc grinned but said no more, he ogled Tania’s body affectionately before turning around and heading to the exit. Meanwhile, Tania remained in the bed where their scent, but specially his, impregnated every inch of the bedsheets, pillows, and mattress.

Step, step, step. Fwish.

“Father!” Anastasia greeted Heian Ciemnosc in the main entrance as soon as he peeked from a floor above. He grinned upon seeing her progress. She was now at the Life-Long realm 1st stage, just a few realms below his Eternal Return Team’s average cultivation base. How could any father not be proud?

On the other hand, his Eternal Return Team; Clanton achieved the Bright realm 2nd stage, with Moy half a step into the Bright/Silhouette realm. Cara entered the 3rd stage, and Sandra was in the same heights as Moy. Ruo Wei stepped into the 4th stage, while Loma was now at the 3rd stage. Lastly, Rosina achieved the peak level of the Silhouette realm 5th stage.

As for his subordinates, while Etherea was still a young woman without much talent for a speedy cultivation despite Heian Ciemnosc’s help, she achieved the Bright realm 4th stage after more than a decade of accumulated, enhanced cultivation. Molto achieved Life-Long realm 6th stage, who has been busy learning under Elyor and becoming an assassin worthy of Heian Ciemnosc’s standards.

Tulla broke into the Bright realm 7th stage, showing her utter dedication to cultivation, and Floris followed suit at the Bright realm 6th stage. Then, his 3 Fairy lovers, who didn’t feel slighted by Tania, broke into the next realm. Not only that, but they also achieved the Central Formation realm 2nd stage. It was strange, but Heian Ciemnosc had the sensation they were hard at work because of him.

‘They want to impress me?’ Heian Ciemnosc grinned at them after finishing going through everyone’s progress. The 3 Fairies followed around Anastasia and her maids, the latter were near the Third Step but would still need another decade, and a half at the very most, to break into the Third Step.

“Take this time to look outside this place. The Turtle Fortress will be finished before the decade, more or less. If you want a residence anywhere, let it be at the center, near the villages. Alright, Lu Cro, Lu Cra, Lu Cren. Pack up and tell your sisters, we’re going on a little trip.”

“Yipii!” - “Yay!” - “Hehehai!” The 3 Fairies below joyously exclaimed. On the other hand, Anastasia and the others became relaxed. Although Tulla took it as a lesson to know of the peaceful world of the civilians and those who would never have anything to do with the cultivation world since they are born until their deaths.

With that, Heian Ciemnosc checked his Team and gave Rosina pointers from her commanding period. 2 years was enough to reflect upon one’s success, mistakes, faults, and genius. Afterwards, Heian Ciemnosc left with his Fairies, not just his trio of lovers, and flew on Evans’s back. As for Alejandro, he was allowed to frolic in the sea while the Crimsons didn’t have enough time to deal with the ocean.

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

Heian Ciemnosc’s people rapidly spread out, wanting to see the south’s changes. They were already curious after deducing their time spent in secluded cultivation, but after hearing Heian Ciemnosc’s encouragement, they became excited. Especially Anastasia, who brought a dark verdant Ornament into the skies, with her maids growing more excited every minute.

It would be impossible to travel with a Fighter throughout the Region without portals. Thus, Heian Ciemnosc ordered the necessary materials for those to be built with materials already worked by Heian Ciemnosc with array formations respective to the transportation array formations. Otherwise, they might not find the way to move around in just a few days.

Unfortunately, only temporary portals were created for a rapid, smoother transportation of resources and materials. They were set in the wild, but they weren’t hidden to the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s people. Meaning, every inhabitant auxiliary unit had to be accompanied by a Crimson if they wanted to find the portals that they hadn’t visited before. They were all guarded by the Universal realm experts’ Spirit Sense, besides a few tens of thousands of soldier units each.

… Several days later, after venturing through the villages and continuing dual cultivation in their inns or in some people’s vacant bedrooms in their new homes, Heian Ciemnosc and the Fairies sighted the tower in the middle of the Mountain Pass. Of course, Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t stop just because he broke into the Silhouette realm 9th stage after 2 years of nonstop dual cultivation with Tania, a peak Universal realm cultivator.

Ever since Heian Ciemnosc’s cultivation base improved to the Farsighted realm, he finally gained from his lovers and wives. No longer just granting them opportunities for insight throughout their marital and extra marital service with the overly pale, absurdly handsome black monster.

FWIIIIIIISHH~~~!

Nevertheless, Heian Ciemnosc had Evan land before the tower’s gates. He looked at the entrance, where only 1 person was waiting for him. Once they were on the ground, looking at each other, Heian Ciemnosc felt his arms softly taken hostage by 2 of his Fairies, with the others waiting behind. Xue Yoler’s nostrils expelled hot air as her eyebrows knitted.

“Miss Xue, is Ogork not coming this time?” Heian Ciemnosc walked up to Xue Yoler, with his third Fairy lover hugging him from behind with a sleepy face. Xue Yoler’s eyes narrowed, bothered. She looked to her right, where only mountains were, and said in a loud tone, “Hm. He wanted to, but the Empire called him at the last moment, so he got busy.”

“Oh, so you’re here all alone for me?” Heian Ciemnosc put on a ‘surprised’ expression before grinning from ear to ear, stuffing his cheeks with their meat and air. Xue Yoler’s eyes narrowed a little more, exuding a slightly cold glint. She looked at Heian Ciemnosc’s face before blinking her eyes away from him. “This can be a shorter meeting, if possible.”

“Sir black monster, you’ve begun the construction of a few dozen Small Cities. Do you not know how populated they must be? They will become a large scar in the future if it is not handled well. Are you just relying on the possible birth rate after you improve their livelihood? Must I speak how many times that has not worked in the cultivation world?” Xue Yoler ruthlessly spat like a submachine gun.

“…” Heian Ciemnosc blinked and remained quiet. Then, he shrugged a little before replying, “If it never worked before, that was because it wasn’t me trying. I’m not just putting a wall around somewhere and calling it a defense, miss Xue. However, I don’t think this can be decided as quickly as you hoped. Let’s go inside.”

“…” Xue Yoler’s turn to be silent arrived. She watched as Heian Ciemnosc’s Fairies walked behind him and entered the tower. Before turning around, as her thoughts of the black monster being a playboy became conflicted in her mind since she didn’t smell the black monster’s nature on the rest of the Fairies, Xue Yoler frowned.

Nevertheless, she turned around and walked in last. Heian Ciemnosc went to a lodging and chose it as his bedroom and entered it for an hour before walking out. He went to the meeting room, where he encountered Xue Yoler all alone, waiting, seated at the table, meditating with her head low and her left hand covering her forehead from a little distance.

“Miss Xue, must you always be alone?” Heian Ciemnosc asked with a light smile before sitting in front of her around the table. Xue Yoler calmly exited her meditation state and lifted her face for 2 seconds before taking only digital sheets out of her Universal Conveyance.

“These are many resources, which I presume came from sir black monster’s online store. However, sir. While this is doable and not against our agreements, it gives me and Ogork a little something to think about. Are you really planning to just improve their livelihoods? From a city to a Small City, one can recruit people from the other and form a force…”

“Hmm…” Heian Ciemnosc dropped his question’s need to be answered and looked at the digital sheets. Then, he made a grimace with his lips, similar to a pout, and commented in a dull tone. “Only 22 Small Cities? Your intelligence is not that good, huh? I’m not even building anti-Spirit Sense barricades for the settlements. Only the portals you came to ask me about after successfully cornering me.”

“!” Xue Yoler’s expression changed, and she became stunned for a good while before slowly coming to her senses. She licked her lips and pursed them tightly, darting her beautiful eyes around before addressing Heian Ciemnosc. “You-… Is there something you would like to say about them, then?”

“Well, I need to rebuild half a Region. It would take too long if I don’t use them. The civilians don’t last that long to suffer for half their lifespans and only see part of the greater new south before perishing, right? I’m only looking up for those helpless non cultivators. It isn’t that bad now, is it?” Heian Ciemnosc took a short cup out of his Covert Space bags and drank from it. It steamed hotly and had a pale lime color.

“…” Xue Yoler had nothing to follow up with. She speechlessly watched Heian Ciemnosc finish his drink after several sips and refill it directly with a dark whip under his dark coat’s right sleeve. She asked with a perfunctory, sharp voice, “Is it that tasty?”

“Mn, please drink with me,” Heian Ciemnosc looked up at her casually and took another cup out of his Covert Space bag. It tumbled on the table and was filled with the hot, pale lime liquid as soon as it stabilized.

“…” Xue Yoler immediately grabbed the cup, outside Heian Ciemnosc’s expectations, who looked at the woman staring down at the cup before lifting her eyes at him. Heian Ciemnosc said nothing and just watched the Snow Fox hesitate. Finally, he commented as she continued to hesitate, “This is just a drink. If Miss respects me so much to the point of calling me sir, why don’t you drink from a measly hot drink?”

“… gulp.” Xue Yoler looked at Heian Ciemnosc intently for 5 minutes, with Heian Ciemnosc calmly drinking numerous rounds, before she lowered her chin and lifted her cup. The first sip became a long gulp as she finished it immediately. Her eyes inadvertently closed, relishing in the hot drink to the point she threw her head backwards.

Xue Yoler only noticed her behavior after she slammed the cup’s butt on the table and silently exhaled bouts of hot air from her lips, and her eyes became dreamy. She knitted her eyebrows beautifully before looking at Heian Ciemnosc like he was guilty of something. Numerous thoughts and words crossed her mind, but at last, she could only cautiously inquire.

“What was in that drink? I reckon nothing in the world could be like… that,” Xue Yoler’s eyes widened the more she spoke. Heian Ciemnosc’s face was unresponsive, but he knew she was referring to the dissolved Dark Blood Pill he ‘plagued’ the hot drink with. She continued, her voice becoming softer, “I am… feeling my body relishing, like a squeaky sound… what is it?”

“What ingredients were in this drink? It’s impossible for my Dynasty to not know any of this… A new finding from one of your previous monumental participations, perhaps?” Xue Yoler continued to inquire, but Heian Ciemnosc simply stood up and looked down at her, saying nothing until silence permeated everywhere for a little while.

“Miss Xue, Ogork shouldn’t have left her little cousin alone with a monster like me.” Heian Ciemnosc walked around the table towards Xue Yoler, who frowned and slowly stood up. Of course, she wasn’t afraid, but to directly act like this was insulting to her considering their cultivation base.

Step, step. Pat… step, step.

Heian Ciemnosc walked forth, to which Xue Yoler helplessly took small steps backwards until her back touched gently against the wall. They both stopped and looked at each other’s body before Heian Ciemnosc stepped twice one more time and arrived just before her chest. His breathing sounds rang in her foxy ears as she became calm instead of disgusted or anxious.

Even when a cockroach cannot bite and pry a wound open in even a Human’s skin, one is in their nature to feel anxious about a living being they are not familiar with getting close to them. Let alone crawling on their skin or pushing against it.

Heian Ciemnosc’s height overshadowed Xue Yoler’s, whose eyes started trembling ever so slightly as Heian Ciemnosc put his face right before hers. However, his intention wasn’t lewd or charming, but that of only… ultimately coldness.

“If, when the time comes, you are faced with an option. Will you choose correctly? Or… will you let others decide your fate in your stead?” Heian Ciemnosc’s words echoed in her brain, causing her to startle and become immobile, like turning into a statue.

Grab- soft~. Heian Ciemnosc’s right hand became darkened, and dark claws slowly extended from his darkened fingers, but Xue Yoler couldn’t help feeling a sense of closeness with them. Her eyes followed Heian Ciemnosc’s right claw as it caressed her skin. Then, Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head slightly to the right and voiced, “Some say the 3rd time is a charm. I reckon we might find each other again twice.”

“You know, one, today. Two, next time…” Heian Ciemnosc looked at her as he stepped backwards. His darkest eyes locked onto hers, whose white glint became a little dark. “You should decide well on our third, or it won’t be you speaking for yourself. Nor me dealing with a clever fox.”

Bowwbooumb!!

“!!” Xue Yoler’s eyes shrunk as her senses were filled with pure darkness. She could swear that the black monster’s eyes also became wholly dark for an instant before everything turned dark. But a second later, just as she was beginning to course her senses through the dark, it went away, and the meeting room reappeared in her eyes.

Heian Ciemnosc was nowhere to be seen, and she couldn’t even follow his trail, leaving her wide-eyed and shocked. She shouted in her head to release the confusing stress, ‘What the hell is this black monster?!’

“…?” However, Xue Yoler then saw something extra on the table, to the left of the chair she sat on today. She frowned and looked at it before immediately walking towards it. She took it with her left hand, but the moment it touched her, she felt a lightning bolt connect the pill-like dark thingy with her heart. Xue Yoler accidentally dropped it on the table and watched it roll with complicated eyes.

Tud- roll~~ roll~…

“Gasp!”

…