Chapter 90: Construction of earthen kilns

After that, the remaining 448 gold coins, together with the thousand gold coins Sherry had given earlier, were used to purchase a batch of horses and a large supply of fodder.

Looking at the long convoy lined up before him, Phield finally let out a long breath.

He had a feeling that Nightfall Domain would soon gain the ability to produce and sell its own goods. He was truly fed up with relying on imports for everything.

After secretly having a guard deliver fifteen gold coins to the family of the deceased courtesan, Phield chose not to disturb their lives any further. He quickly departed Maple Leaf Fortress. Regin’s letter required him to arrive at the checkpoint fortress of Morning Breeze Province in twenty days.

He had to hurry—there were territorial matters to handle, and he still needed to train a barely usable army.

Once they entered the gray mist, Phield eagerly ordered the Corrupted Greatsword Warriors to demonstrate their strength.

“Roar~”

Clad in thickened Tier-1 refined heavy armor, the Corrupted Greatsword Warriors wore massive helms. Their plate armor reflected the torchlight yet emitted a dim, sinister sheen. Due to the effects of their investiture, their heights had all been raised to two meters. With cloaks draped over them, they exuded an intense aura of brutality and killing intent.

“Truly terrifying.” Even though Phield was their master, facing a group of Corrupted Greatsword Warriors still made goosebumps rise across his skin. “Go. Clear out the corpse tide ahead.”

Upon receiving the order, the greatsword warriors turned in unison. Despite their heavy armor and enormous frames, they moved with the speed of rabbits, forming a straight line as they charged directly into the incoming horde.

The rotting corpses howled, utterly unaware of what they were about to face.

The greatsword warriors raised their massive blades high. Surging magic clung to the weapons, and in the next instant, accompanied by a harsh buzzing hum and chaotic sword aura, clouds of blood mist and black-red entrails were flung into the air. Every swing of the razor-sharp greatsword carved through swathes of limbs.

They advanced like living meat grinders. Like reaping wheat, the greatsword warriors slaughtered the rushing corpses in waves, the skull icons on the mini-map dissolving like falling snow. Soon, six to seven hundred corrupted corpses were completely annihilated, the ground littered with severed limbs.

“So terrifying.”

Sam and the others stared in stunned silence. They had no idea when Phield had obtained such a horrifying army.

Even the way they looked at Phield changed—where once there had only been respect and admiration, now there was fear as well.

The slaves were even more terrified, nearly losing control of themselves, with not a single thought of resistance left.

“Move out. We’re going home.”

Phield leapt decisively onto his warhorse. After several journeys back and forth, he had already grown thoroughly familiar with this road.

After four days of travel, Phield arrived at the Grand Manor camp.

“Beep—beep—!”

The moment he stepped into the manor’s territory, a sharp whistle pierced the air, startling him. He thought the domain had come under attack.

But Ashina, who had gone ahead to scout, emerged from the gray mist and told him that the guards had mistaken them for corrupted creatures.

After all, with more than eight hundred people moving together, it was easy to be mistaken for a corpse tide.

“Good thing it was just a misunderstanding.”

Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, Phield entered the territory. He saw the guards already arranged in three defensive ranks, halberds overlapping, cavalry holding the rear, and two wooden forts positioned nearby.

“My lord has returned, you bunch of fools!” Sam shouted angrily as he strode forward.

Ben, standing in the middle of the formation, nearly lost his soul in fright when he realized what had happened. Sliding forward on his knees, he knelt beside Phield’s warhorse. Lacking the education to speak properly, he squeezed out only a few words after a long pause: “My lord… it was my fault.”

Phield waved his hand, looking pleased. “You did well. This is exactly the kind of alert reaction you should have. Take me to Steward Kaor and Tate.”

The first person he found was Tate, who remained as busy as ever. Without purification potions, the expansion of territory had been put on hold, so he had led the slaves to pave gravel roads and repair Starnight Fortress.

“My lord, the gravel road should be completed in about fifteen days. As for Starnight Fortress… that’s much harder. I’ve never repaired a castle before. They’re far more complicated than I imagined,” Tate reported upon seeing Phield return.

“It’s fine. I brought stonemasons and carpenter apprentices this time. They’ll definitely help.”

“That’s wonderful!” Tate pumped his fist excitedly.

As they talked along the way, they arrived at the grand winery—Windrise Town. The settlement finally looked somewhat developed now.

The free citizens’ mud houses had been completed, while the slaves lived in shabby thatched huts spread across a large area. Fortunately, the original planning had been decent, and the layout of the buildings was fairly orderly.

“Run! Monster Kaor is coming!” Tate’s daughter Alexia jumped out of the cowshed and rushed over like the wind. “Dad, save me! Mister Kaor has caught Miss Sarah—he’s going to eat people!”

In her panic, she ran straight into Phield’s arms.

The sight nearly made Tate faint. “Alexia, don’t fool around—you’ve bumped into the baron!”

“Ah… s-sorry.” The dizzy little girl stepped back, cheeks flushed red, hands clasped behind her back. She said timidly, “Everyone says the baron is the kindest… please forgive me.”

“It’s alright.” Phield patted her head reassuringly.

“More importantly… Kaor eats people?”

“Uh… it’s just our game. He plays a corrupted corpse, and we play mushroom-gathering girls.”

“Haha.”

Humans adapted quickly; they could find joy even in hardship.

In less than three minutes, Phield saw Kaor charging out, baring his teeth and claws, walking with exaggerated swagger and making strange noises.

“I’m going to eat—cough—Lord Phield, you’re back.” Kaor nearly choked on his own saliva. He quickly stopped himself and awkwardly changed the subject. “My lord, was your journey successful?”

Phield shrugged. “Not bad. I brought back eight hundred slaves. Also, I’m only staying ten days—I’ll soon be setting out on a military expedition.”

“???”

Kaor almost fainted on the spot. Whether it was eight hundred slaves or a military expedition, both were trials for the heart.

“Tate, select three hundred strong male slaves for me—humans only.”

“Kaor, store the supplies I brought back and conduct an inventory. Also, have the stonemason apprentices come see me tomorrow morning.”

Phield encouraged them, “Everyone, get moving! This concerns our future! Tomorrow I’ll personally oversee the new recruits.”

After arranging everything, Phield hurried off to rest. The Corrupted Greatsword Warriors hid themselves in the basement of Starnight Fortress.

The next morning, exhausted from the journey, Phield was still lost in deep sleep.

He felt a slightly cool foot lightly stepping on his face.

“Hehe, submit beneath this lady’s feet.”

Crystal-clear toes poked his cheek one moment, pinched his nose the next.

Phield frowned, letting out an uncomfortable groan.

“Why such a cold expression toward this lady? You’re clearly bathing in intense happiness. Is my hospitality not attentive enough? Hurry and stick out your tongue like a puppy drinking water.”

Rosalia sat at the edge of the bed, legs crossed, looking smug.

“Ugh…”

Phield barely opened his eyes and saw Rosalia about to step on him again.

“What’s wrong with you? Cut it out—you trying to give your lord athlete’s foot or something?”

Who could tolerate this! Though it was fragrant and cool.

“How dare you!”

Phield suddenly sat up, flipping the blushing Rosalia over in one motion.

“You actually pulled that stunt on me.” His drowsiness vanished instantly as he reached to grab her. “Let’s see how I deal with you.”

He had thought she had calmed down these past few days—turns out she was still just as outrageous.

“Don’t misunderstand me! You were having a nightmare! It was all fake, just an illusion.”

Rosalia made a face and quickly hid herself inside the Greatsword of Gluttony.

“Get out here.”

Phield shook the greatsword, but Rosalia played dead. Even the eye embedded in the Greatsword of Gluttony quietly looked away.

No one wanted to watch.

“Fine, fine. You clearly have too much free time. Tonight you’re going to the quarry to cut stone.” Phield had no choice with her—after all, she was his own Divine Chosen. “Also, you’ll handle administrative affairs alone later. I’ll have the documents sent to the table.”

Rosalia had once claimed she was an expert in internal affairs.

With the help of a maid, Phield finished dressing and then met with the two stonemason apprentices.

“My lord, what are your orders?” The apprentices glanced up at him timidly before quickly lowering their heads again.

They had seen Phield’s black-robed swordsmen—those terrifying warriors who could effortlessly slaughter countless corrupted creatures. It filled them with dread, afraid the man before them might be cruel and violent.

“I’m not interested in your past. In the gray mist, your task is to obey my commands. Only then can you live better. Understood?”

These apprentices might be spies planted by Simon—or they might not be.

But Phield didn’t care. Nightfall Domain was a great furnace; once ordinary people entered, leaving was no longer an option.

Besides, with the hidden power he now possessed, he no longer feared internal conflict.

“Yes, my lord.” The two prostrated themselves. “We will obey any command.”

“Good. Try to build this first. Get the materials from my advisor and steward.”

Phield handed over a piece of parchment with a rough architectural design drawn on it.

“This is the carbonization chamber, the flue, and the combustion chamber… and this is…”

The two apprentices stared at the lines while listening to Phield’s explanation. Their previously confused expressions gradually turned to shock, then to deep awe.

It was a type of structure used in places like Spain, Turkey, and China in his previous life.

In the current Empire, blast furnaces were relatively common, but earthen kilns were rare. Rumor had it that some places used them for glassmaking, but nothing nearly this advanced.

They were completely stunned.

“The trees of Nightfall Domain are corrupted, but I’ve studied them. If corrupted wood is heated without oxygen, it can still be turned into charcoal. So I need you to build earthen kilns as soon as possible. From now on, we’ll produce charcoal.”

“Yes!”

The two exchanged a glance, excitement shining in their eyes. They had never seen such technology before and rushed out to begin immediately.

“Oh, right. Kaor, bring the backlog of administrative work to my room.”

After finishing everything, Phield stepped outside. Three hundred slaves stood scattered across the field, swaying unsteadily.

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