077 The Road Ahead

That’s right, the events that took place in the City of Moon Worship today were orchestrated by Karen. Or, to be more precise, it was Karen’s idea—he merely instructed Cliff to carry it out!

It was only after Cliff came under his command that Karen truly realized just how timid and deathly afraid the man actually was. In truth, Cliff was never certain whether that formidable force he’d imagined existed in the City of Moon Worship. But once several of the city’s noble families were wiped out, he began to set his contingency plan in motion.

At the slightest hint of danger to himself, Cliff would immediately activate his backup plan—his way of ensuring survival. And, indeed, this method proved incredibly effective: once deployed, its impact was overwhelming. Ryan was forced to release Old Jack, focus all his efforts on gathering the resources Karen demanded, and even promised to conquer the Wraiths within half a month.

Such remarkable results made Karen view Cliff with newfound respect. For the first time, he realized that this coward possessed a keen mind and deft hand. Recognizing Cliff’s abilities, Karen no longer regarded him simply as a captive or a pawn he’d casually planted.

What did Karen need most at this moment? Was it strength? No! With the system at his disposal, Karen’s power would inevitably grow; strength was not his most pressing concern. What he lacked was someone who could help him manage the bigger picture, someone to offer counsel and strategy. Cliff’s arrival filled this crucial gap.

Though Cliff was cowardly and fearful, his judgment, experience, and ability were beyond question. For Karen, such a talent was even more practical than the legendary strategists of old.

Once the situation in the City of Moon Worship was settled, Karen began to regard Cliff as his chief advisor. After all, Cliff now bore the Mark of Death—his life and death entirely under Karen’s control, even in death he would become one of Karen’s undead.

Now, Karen placed absolute trust in Cliff. From the outset, he confessed nearly everything—his current predicament, his ambitions, his abilities.

…

“You should know the situation by now. My ultimate goal is to take control of the Goblin Forest, to become its master. What’s your perspective on this?” Karen, having laid out everything, looked at Cliff with a trace of anticipation in his eyes.

On the other side, Cliff fell into a brief contemplation after absorbing all the details. Karen had expected him to deliberate for a long while, but to his surprise, Cliff responded swiftly.

“If you wish to seize the Goblin Forest and supplant the goblins, there are two key challenges aside from the existing Goblin and Wraith Tribes: the Gnome Guild of the Silver Hand, and the Bourbon Kingdom. These are likely the issues that have troubled you most, but you’ve already begun to address them. Regarding the Silver Hand, you mentioned cultivating undead miners, so it’s clear you’ve found a solution. You intend to use these miners to replace the goblins in cooperating with the Silver Hand, thus winning their recognition of your sovereignty over the Goblin Forest, isn’t that right?”

At this moment, Cliff sat with his eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his left hand and folding his right arm across his chest. The aura he exuded was entirely different from before: wise, deep, composed, and even tinged with a newfound confidence.

“Yes,” Karen nodded in acknowledgment.

“That is one way. Once you have undead miners and demonstrate overwhelming military power, the Silver Hand will yield. Those dwarves value profit above all else; without sufficient gain, they wouldn’t lightly start a war. Once the Silver Hand compromises, the Bourbon Kingdom will tacitly accept your presence as well. After all, they have always been weak before the Silver Hand, and if you’ve already secured their accord, the Bourbon Kingdom will not dare make a move against you.”

Cliff began by recognizing and praising Karen’s original plan. Then, opening his eyes and reverting to his ingratiating manner, his previous poise vanished. “However, though your plan is nearly perfect, there’s still a little room for improvement.”

Seeing this, Karen couldn’t help but feel a headache—couldn’t this guy stay impressive for just a little longer? To falter halfway through his performance did little to inspire Karen’s confidence!

Suppressing the urge to give Cliff a smack, Karen said, “Speak freely—don’t hold back!”

Only after repeatedly confirming that Karen wouldn’t take offense did Cliff resume his sage-like demeanor, eyes closed, and continued, “While mineral resources and formidable strength will indeed force the Silver Hand to compromise, it’s not enough—especially considering the future growth of your territory. The most vital assets for your development are the Whisper of the Dead and corpses. Although you can acquire these through slaughter, the Goblin Forest’s awkward location limits your prospects. Once you’ve wiped out the goblins, your space for expansion will be gone. To the south lies the Bourbon Kingdom, to the north the Silver Hand, and to the southwest, the endless Lake of the Fishmen. Whichever direction you turn, development will be difficult, and missteps could provoke suppression. After all, the world always views the undead with fear, and both the Silver Hand and the Bourbon Kingdom are far stronger than you.

Therefore, if you wish to expand your territory and grow in strength, I suggest you seize control of the trade routes between the Wraiths and the Silver Hand. If you command those routes, you can transform the Goblin Forest into a borderland trade hub once you’ve taken it. This strategy offers many advantages: first, it will deepen your relationship with the Silver Hand. Nothing wins their friendship more than profitable opportunity. For the Bourbon Kingdom, you can weave a network of interests through trade as well. Once you’ve spun a vast web of mutual benefits, those enmeshed within it will have every reason to support you. With their backing and the massive wealth generated by trade, you’ll be able to continuously leverage their resources and the power of gold to acquire the Whisper of the Dead and corpses to build your domain.

Trust me, master—if you can achieve this, with your formidable abilities, in no more than ten years you could become a power equal to any kingdom.”

As he painted this bright future, even Cliff himself grew fervent, opening his eyes in excitement to gaze at Karen—only to see Karen staring back at him with burning intensity, which so startled Cliff that he quickly shut his eyes again.