My queen is rebelling!

Grace's starry eyes were filled with disbelief, her red lips slightly parted, as she said:

"Are you kidding me?

How could those orcs, whose brains haven't evolved along with their limbs, possibly form an army of three thousand?"

Cohen wasn't surprised by Grace's reaction. The orcs' low intelligence and disorganization were deeply ingrained in the continent's perception. He said slowly:

"There's no need for me to deceive you. If you want to verify it, you can go to the barracks tomorrow and see if what I said is true.

I told you, the help I can provide you is much greater than you imagine.

Just a Hell Guide... If it weren't for Isabella's sake, I really wouldn't want to take this job."

Looking at Grace, who was motionless and stunned in place.

Cohen couldn't help but mutter to himself, I've made myself so clear, don't you understand what I mean?

Continue to invest, rich woman!

Someone as capable and with as much potential as me is hard to find even with a lantern!

Grace slowly calmed the shock in her heart. She quickly grasped the key issue and said:

"How did you do it?

Is it only these three thousand orcs that can do this, or can all orcs be trained into an army like them?"

Grace Tang had received royal education since childhood and had some knowledge of military affairs.

She naturally understood the individual combat strength of orcs.

They were born with physical qualities no weaker than transcendents.

If they could really be formed into an army, it would be an unstoppable torrent of beasts.

That would truly be having the capital to confront Xia Zuo!

She looked at this young man, almost twenty years younger than herself, with fiery eyes, her enchanting face full of anticipation.

If he could really replicate the miracle of these three thousand orcs, then with her financial resources, secretly acquiring tens of thousands of orcs would definitely not be a problem.

To lead an army of thousands upon thousands composed of beings equivalent to transcendents… Grace felt a surge of heat throughout her body, her temperature rising!

Cohen nodded slowly in Grace's expectant gaze:

"Just as Your Highness thinks, as long as there are sufficient funds and logistical support, I can turn all the orcs on the entire continent into my army!"

Cohen emphasized the words "funds" and "my army."

He knew she would understand his implication.

Sure enough, Grace hardly hesitated and said directly:

"As long as you can give me enough evidence to prove it, funding is not a problem!

I can provide you with unimaginable financial support!

However, the leadership of the army…"

He took out a blank ancient elf contract from his body and coaxed:

"Your Highness, the Long Princess, my 'Endless Blade' adventurer team is still missing a… well, a chief logistics officer!

If you're willing, I can reserve this position for you."

Grace immediately understood Cohen's implication and asked the key question:

"Then all the armies we form and train in the future will belong to the 'Endless Blade' adventurer team?

Does my position as chief logistics officer mean that I can control the logistics of all the armies?"

Cohen nodded in appreciation:

"Very clever, my Princess. You are absolutely correct. As long as you sign this contract, swearing eternal allegiance to each other.

In the foreseeable future, you will hold military power sufficient to sway the balance of the entire continent!

As for whether you choose to inherit the throne naturally after your father passes away, or directly lead troops to the capital to tell the Eastern Emperor the stakes, and kill the traitor Xia Zuo, and ascend the throne early.

It's all up to you!"

Grace glared at Cohen playfully and said:

"Okay, as long as you can give me evidence to prove that what you said is true, I will join your team!"

Soon, she added:

"Let me state in advance that your adventurer team better not be some harem group.

Don't think that just because you're the leader, you can have any other thoughts about me."

A black line appeared on Cohen's face as he said:

"Don't worry, I'm a man with a family."

Finally winning back a point, Grace giggled triumphantly.

Successfully bringing such a big "sugar mommy" into his adventurer team, Cohen was in a great mood. He called the other members and announced the news to everyone.

Winsader covered her mouth and laughed:

"Oh my, our team leader's eye for selecting members is as stable as ever.

Can you make a list of the most beautiful women on the continent here?"

Cohen didn't care about the teasing in Winsader's words.

Nephthys' eyes sparkled as she said:

"Mr. is so amazing, he can actually persuade the Empire's Long Princess to join us!"

Grace quickly said:

"I haven't joined yet. Everything will have to wait until I see your orc army."

Asuna said indifferently:

"Then what's the difference from joining? I'll take you to see it tomorrow and you'll know."

Cohen nodded and said:

"Okay, Asuna, I'll leave this task to you.

Also, since Grace just arrived today, I'll repeat our plan for the day after tomorrow to everyone."

Grace raised her eyebrows slightly and asked:

"I haven't had a chance to ask you yet, are you really planning to take down 'Gengzhe City-State'?

Such a low-level city-state doesn't seem to fit your ambition."

Cohen played coy and said:

"You'll know how important this city is to us in the future!"

… …

Late at night, under the dim light.

Farmers who had worked hard all day gathered in front of a merchant shop selling coarse rice.

Everyone's face was filled with numbness and deep exhaustion, full of the traces of years and the hardships of life.

"Gengzhe City-State" stipulates that all the grain harvested by farmers from cultivating the fields must not be privately retained, but must be handed over to the "Cultivation Association."

The association will pay the farmers wages to buy various daily necessities.

Therefore, most people have worked in the fields all their lives, but they cannot get a single grain of rice.

In the end, they still have to take money to the rice shop to buy grain.

In the expectant gazes of the crowd, the door of the merchant shop creaked open, and a short, fat manager appeared in front of everyone with a big belly.

The manager was wearing an expensive silk robe, with a serious face and an unquestionable authority in his eyes.

Behind him, several shop assistants were carrying baskets of dark brown coarse rice out.

Looking at the wooden boards erected behind the rice baskets, the gathered farmers changed their expressions.

An elderly farmer asked tremblingly:

"Manager, why has the price of rice gone up again? With our meager income, how can we still afford it!"

The people next to him also complained in unison with similar words.

The manager replied coldly:

"The harvest wasn't good this year, you all know that."

His tone revealed a hint of impatience:

"To tell you the truth, due to the farm association's bandits causing trouble everywhere, many fertile fields have been destroyed by them.

Grain production has been greatly reduced, and we have no choice but to raise the price of grain."

Upon hearing this, the farmers all showed difficult expressions. They looked down at the money bags tied around their waists.

Inside were the hard-earned money they had painstakingly saved, but now they couldn't even buy a decent bag of rice.

Everyone sighed deeply and began to line up to buy rice. No matter how expensive it was, they still had to buy some to take home, as their families were counting on it to survive.

The farmer at the front of the line grabbed a handful of rice that he had just bought and put into his rice bag and said:

"How come there's so much sand mixed in here? Even if it's coarse rice, it shouldn't be like this. How are we supposed to eat this?"

Upon hearing this, the manager's brow furrowed with coldness, and he said:

"Forget about buying it then. Return his money. We're not selling!"

That person hurriedly clutched the rice bag tightly, and left in a flurry of panic.

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Seeing this, the others, even if they had grievances in their hearts, didn't dare to vent them.

One by one, they honestly handed over the meager wages they had earned for the better part of the year to the trading house, in exchange for some rough and unpalatable coarse rice.

As the night deepened, the farmers dispersed, the profound darkness completely swallowing their lonely and desolate figures, as if they couldn't see any hope or light in the future.

However, in the center of the city-state, stood a magnificent manor villa, the heavy, ink-like darkness not causing it any disturbance.

Outside the manor, two huge magic lighthouses had been built, the brilliant golden light pouring down like molten gold, echoing the well-arranged candlelight within the manor, adorning the entire manor with splendor.

Ivan Petrov, dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, was surrounded by Barley, who managed the barley and wheat production areas, Rice, who managed the rice production areas, and Cornell, who managed the corn production areas, three capable and loyal subordinates.

There were also two sixth-order transcendents, his bodyguards hired at a high price, one a [Shield Warrior], and the other a [Gun Warrior].

The group sat around a long table covered with exquisite silk, their faces filled with satisfaction and enjoyment.

On the long table, carefully prepared delicacies were displayed like works of art—a roasted chicken, baked golden and crispy, with a rich aroma, was placed in the very center, next to neatly stacked steaks, each piece moderately thick, with tender and juicy meat.

On both sides were seafood platters salvaged from the depths of the Miracle Sea—bright red lobsters, plump scallops, tender abalones... Even though they were thousands of miles away from the Miracle Sea, each type of seafood seemed as if it had just been caught from the sea, still carrying the salty fragrance of the sea water.

Beautiful maids were constantly replacing all kinds of desserts and pastries by the hands of the group—chocolate mousse, tiramisu, fruit tarts, colorful, dazzling.

In the hall, a piano stood quietly in the corner, a lady wearing a gorgeous long dress, her face covered with black gauze, her figure moving, sat gracefully in front of the piano, her fingers lightly dancing on the keys, flowing out melodious and pleasant melodies.

Ivan Petrov elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, picked up a tall glass, the scarlet liquid gently swirling in the crystal clear glass, and said to everyone:

"Cheers to a better tomorrow!"

"Cheers!"

Barley, the manager of the barley and wheat production areas, was a man with a slightly gloomy face. He seemed to have received some kind of hint from Ivan's words, and after everyone put down their glasses, he slowly said:

"A better tomorrow... It's a pity, someone will soon come to destroy our tomorrow!"

The others cast inquiring glances.

Barley slowly said:

"The 'pig' raised by the chairman has been a little restless lately."

The hot-tempered [Gun Warrior] was originally staring intently at the lady playing the piano in the distance, but upon hearing Barley's words, he laughed loudly:

"Is it that bunch of pig farmers from the Farmers' Association?

Is it time to harvest another batch?"

Ivan, who was sitting in the main seat, nodded lightly and said:

"This generation's 'leader,' that Thomas Wade, has some tricks up his sleeve.

The Farmers' Association has developed much faster in his hands than in the previous generations.

Our inside line sent back news that they may be making a move ahead of schedule."

The [Gun Warrior] gently tugged at the hand of the serving maid, but his gaze shifted back to the lady playing the piano.

His eyes seemed to be shrouded in a thin mist, revealing an undisguised desire and greed.

He said:

"Chairman, don't worry, at most there are only two or three sixth-order individuals in their group, the rest are just a rabble.

We brothers have taken your money, so naturally we will do things properly for you."

A smile appeared on Ivan's face, and he said:

"That's good. It's just that the lady playing the piano is from outside the city-state, with a not weak background..."

The [Gun Warrior] withdrew his gaze, laughed, and said:

"By the way, when I entered the city the day before yesterday, I met an elf on the road... I heard that she's the chairman's distinguished guest, I wonder what her background is?"

As he said this, the [Gun Warrior]'s pupils dilated slightly, flashing with a strange light.

The fleeting glimpse the day before yesterday, just seeing the back of that elf lady, made his heart feel like it was being scratched by cat claws.

Such an exquisite woman, truly never seen before!

It was just that he heard that she was Ivan's distinguished guest, so he didn't directly make a move.

A barely perceptible hint of disgust appeared at the corner of Ivan's mouth, and he said calmly:

"She is a person from the Witch Council."

After a pause, he added:

"Oh, right, she is a seventh-order transcendent, and even I am slightly inferior to her aura."

The lust in the [Gun Warrior]'s eyes instantly disappeared, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

A Gold-tier elf, and also a person from the Witch Council, fortunately he wasn't blinded by lust at the time and acted impulsively, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Before they brothers entered the "Lost Land," they were wanted criminals jointly by the five great empires, and they were forced to rely on Ivan because they had no other choice.

Naturally, they knew clearly who to provoke and who not to provoke.

The banquet was nearing its end, Ivan waved slightly, signaling all the maids and servants to leave, strangely, the lady playing the piano remained in place, only she no longer played the piano, sitting there quietly.

Seeing that Ivan didn't say anything, everyone acquiesced to the woman's presence.

After the hall became quiet, Ivan unhurriedly announced his plan to everyone:

"I received intelligence that the 'Farmers' Association' will launch a major riot the night after tomorrow.

They will divide their forces into four groups.

The main armed force is outside the city, led by the 'leader' himself, and will attack the West Gate at twelve o'clock at night.

Another group is led by the codenamed 'Vegetable Farmer,' who is also the Farmers' Association's strategist.

They have about three hundred Bronze-tier transcendents lurking in the city, including two fifth-order, plus his own sixth-order strength, to attack our government office together.

They also have moles in the government office, and they will cooperate from the inside out when the time comes.

The third group's target is the important infrastructure in the city. They will organize and incite farmers and some craftsmen to attack our granaries, barracks, armories, police stations, and wealthy areas. To destroy our emergency preparedness measures.

The last group is some bandits and thieves outside the city-state contacted by the Farmers' Association, they will take advantage of the chaos to rob the nobles and wealthy people in the city, attacking their manors and villas, creating chaos in the city."

The expressions on everyone's faces were solemn, these four groups attacking together, each move fatal.

If they hadn't received detailed intelligence in advance, they might really have been caught off guard and suffered a big loss!

Rice, the manager of the rice production area, sighed:

"These mud legs are not to be underestimated, that Thomas Wade is also much smarter than the previous leaders.

They have even learned to seek foreign aid."

Ivan nodded lightly:

"Thomas Wade's growth rate has also exceeded my expectations, but everything is still within the controllable range.

Next, I will tell you your missions and tasks!"