Chapter 548 – Dungeon Siege (1)
The previous murder of Yan Jiao, the Yan Clan's princess, was bad for Miaomiao's heart even though he had steeled himself for the deed. After all, Miaomiao and Yan Jiao had no grudge against each other.
Fortunately, the soul of Yan Jiao couldn't enter the River of Reincarnation due to the absence of Samsara God. Her soul was taken into Miaomiao's dantian space, the same fashion how he took in Liu Bian's soul.
While Miaomiao and Liu Guang traveled west toward Xuan City, the former sighed. He shifted his focus to his consciousness in the dantian space.
In the dantian world, the soul of Yan Jiao was brought to the Unholy Karma Continent. Diaochan took her in and was about to eat her soul. However, Miaomiao rushed in and stopped her.
"Eh? I thought this was supposed to be my food."
Miaomiao shook his head, "I might be cruel and heartless sometimes, but I don't really enjoy ravishing and murdering innocent maidens."
"But you plundered most of her Qi. I thought you wanted to torture her since she was with your enemy."
Diaochan had been peeping Miaomiao's activities in the real world after she had become his Dao Sentinel. She could now freely travel between the real world and Miaomiao's dantian world, and she could even sense everything through Miaomiao's five senses.
"I was planning to create another assistant to help me manage the farmlands and quarries! I can't leave everything to you or Xu Chu since you are now my main combatants! I need domestic officers, you hear?!"
Miaomiao intentionally spoke out loud so that Kang Yan, Ma Xingjuan, Dian Wei, and others in the dantian world could hear his voice as well. As most of his subordinates were too assertive, they often misunderstood his intentions or purposes and did something extreme like what Liu Guang had just done.
The girls nodded while Guo Jia and Sima Yi had wry smiles on their faces. As for Diaochan, she pouted and released Yan Jiao's soul to Miaomiao.
Miaomiao returned to the main continent and walked toward Guo Jia and Sima Yi.
While holding Yan Jiao's soul in his hand, Miaomiao gave both strategists a meaningful look.
"Between warfare and domestic affairs, which one do you prefer or better at?"
Guo Jia closed his eyes to think, but Sima Yi answered without hesitation, "Domestic Affair!"
"Are you sure? I thought you favored warfare over anything else."
"Meh, to be honest, I'd rather prioritize domestic affairs over war or combat. Even Nobunaga doesn't want to go to the frontline if necessary."
As Sima Yi could read the situation and understood Miaomiao's intention, he figured that Miaomiao had enough combat personal, but the latter lacked backline supporters.
Since Sima Yi was confident in his abilities as an all-rounder, he took the initiative to fill the vacant role, hoping to gain an advantage over Guo Jia and other domestic officers, who would sooner or later show up in this space in the future.
First come, first serve! Opportunities had to be created, grasped, seized, or snatched from the others, not waiting or dreaming for one.
Guo Jia sighed and slowly opened his eyes. He actually preferred commanding troops over the desk job, but his role and career advancement would be limited.
Even so, Guo Jia proceeded with what he believed in over his personal gain, "I'll continue being a war strategist. You will need someone to help Her Majesty Liu to command her troops."
"Good," Miaomiao approved their decision. "Sima Yi, your first job is to establish a new government system that separates from the dryads. Allocate a portion of the land, farms, and quarries so that when I bring in more people here, you will have a territory that can support them!"
"Oh! I get it! Are you creating a new country for future immigrants?"
"Correct."
"That will be easy! Leave that to me!"
Miaomiao dismissed Sima Yi, and the latter sprinted toward the corner of the mainland. He began drawing maps and mumbled something on his own.
Guo Jia, on the other hand, stayed behind and waited for Miaomiao's instruction.
Miaomiao turned to Guo Jia, "Do you have experience dealing with mazes or sieging forts?"
Guo Jia nodded, "I led Her Majesty Liu's forces and captured 50 cities. Although I don't know much about mazes, I'm experienced in sieging warfare against fortresses, cities, and fortified walls."
"Good. I'm going to need your help soon. For now, get some rest. But if you want some entertainment, I can arrange a few dryads to keep you company."
Guo Jia widened his eyes in astonishment. Indeed, the offer was tempting since all dryads barely wore anything, and their figures were sexier than ordinary cultivators.
Still, Guo Jia thought of something else that he missed.
"Instead of women, can I have some wine? I really miss good wine and beer."
"…"
In the end, Miaomiao consulted Xu Chu and the girls if they knew a wine recipe. For the sake of keeping his employees happy, Miaomiao needed to start making beer, wine, and other liquor soon.
To his surprise, Ma Xingjuan excelled at this as she had helped Ma Moxi make so many spiritual wines before. She proceeded to teach Guo Jia how to make one, and Miaomiao scoured some herbs and fruits to grow in this world.
Fortunately, some of the local cultivators had a few fresh spirit fruits that could be brewed into wine. Miaomiao used his farm system to extract some seeds and gave the new seedlings to the dryads.
A new farm had been created, and Guo Jia was in charge of growing new fruits to make wine. From now on, this would be Guo Jia's responsible territory, and he would establish a new wine factory for Miaomiao and himself.
…
After dealing with the two strategists, Miaomiao gazed at Yan Jiao's soul in his hand. He slowly injected his Qi and luck into the soul, hoping that she could still be revived or reincarnated.
The soft orb in Miaomiao's hands slowly became solid. Then, it grew larger and transformed into an embryo cocoon.
Just like how Diaochan was born, Yan Jiao's soul turned into an egg, getting ready to be reincarnated.
Seeing that Yan Jiao could have a second chance in life, Miaomiao heaved a sigh of relief.
'Forgive me, little girl. I didn't want to kill you. It was Liu Guang…'
Miaomiao patted the cocoon, and it slightly shook. But as if it could read Miaomiao's mind, it rubbed the surface of the cocoon against his palm, soothing him.
He had a wry smile on his face. The memory of Cernun flashed and reminded him of the day when Cernun stomped on Hopea to death.
Miaomiao never wanted to be that heartless even though he vowed to follow a ruthless protagonist's path. He just couldn't kill everyone, including children, women, and elders.
Unless they really deserved it, such as Lilim, Lilith, or the people from the Netherworld Realm, who took advantage of his family, Miaomiao would show them no mercy.
'This might be a pointless investment. But… oh well. I don't want to repeat Cernun's mistake. I will kill, but I have to uphold my principle. Otherwise, I'll lose myself and become a mindless murderer like Samael.'
…
Half a day later, Miaomiao and Liu Guang reached Red Sun City, where Miaomiao had found one of Brocell's dungeon entrances.
He ordered Liu Guang, "Send expendable rats, small insects, or flies to scout every underground passage. Do not send them in groups. Send only one or two to each passage, make it natural as if a local rat accidentally enter their dungeon."
"Alright. I'll try. But Miaomiao, I have a favor to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Before we raid Brocell's dungeon, can we wait for reinforcement from Siren City? I contacted an ant queen, and she said that she would dig a hole from Siren City to the north to create a backup escape route. She said that she wanted to connect her hive to the dungeon to make this raid easier."
"Alright. Suit yourself. Make sure to go back to my dantian world and report everything to Guo Jia. He will help you in this battle."
After getting Miaomiao's approval, Liu Guang dispatched a dozen rats and flies toward the hidden passage under the Red Sun City Palaces. Then, she was sent to the dantian world.
…
= Underground Golem Dungeon Control Room =
BEEP
"Warning, intruders alert!"
"Number of intruders, 12!"
An android robot with blue artificial hair sat in front of a console, watching a hundred CCTV screens. Ten of them highlighted several small creatures and insects that had slipped into the first-floor dungeon.
The robot typed something on the console, and the dungeon scanned the organisms.
Soon, pictures and details of the rats and flies showed up.
…
[Summoned Rat]
Level: 1
It looks like a house rat, but it's actually a spy of the current Empress of Aves Continent, Liu Guang. It continuously transmits what it sees to the master.
…
The blue android robot skimmed through it and reported it loud out.
"Commander, I have detected a dozen minions of insect or a bug user. I suggest we raise the alert level against our enemy's spies and get rid of them."
There was no response from the [Commander] that the robot spoke to. However, her pupils shrank for a moment as if she had heard someone's voice.
"Affirmative. We shall seal all entrance to the second floor onward."
The robot continued pressing buttons on the console and remotely controlled the dungeon.
Meanwhile, behind the dungeon core room hid a research laboratory with several tall glass capsules that humans could fit in them. However, most of them stored corpses of local monster beasts, except two.
Brocell was using one of the capsules to recuperate. While drowning himself in the green transparent medicinal liquid, he slightly opened his eyes and muttered something that only his subordinates could hear. Then, he closed his eyes again.
Unfortunately, an hour later, his subordinate's voice returned.
'Commander, the intruders are using microorganisms to infiltrate our dungeon. They have entered the second floor!'
Brocell slightly opened his eyes and muttered, "Burn it with fire."
'Affirmative. Using switching the flame room from the 225th floor with the third floor. We'll kill all intruders there!'
"Ah."
Brocell went back to sleep.
However, he couldn't sleep long. Two hours later, the same android warned him again.
'Commander, a massive army of ants have broken our barrier array and connected their hive with the 350th floor. One of their soldiers is destroying our secondary protective arrays!'
Brocell snapped open his eyes. He punched the capsule glass and got out of there.
Without wearing any cloth, he stomped toward the core room to see the event with his own eyes.
"What the hell is going on?! Why are there so many intruders in one day!?"
The blue android turned around, "We're being attacked, Commander."
"Obviously!"
Brocell narrowed his eyes and looked at one of the monitors, which displayed the intruder that broke into his dungeon.
It was a humanoid ant with six additional arm wings. However, it used the power of shadow to bypass walls, floors, and ceilings as if he were a ghost. That antman kept disabling all traps, making a path for the other ant warriors to swarm the dungeon.
Still, the face of the humanoid ant resembled someone that Brocell knew. From the intel that he had gathered from Siren City, this person was rumored to be dead.
"Why is that man alive?"
"Insufficient Intel, Commander."
"Tsk. Send the elites to handle the ants behind that thing. I'll go there to deal with that monster myself."
"Affirmative. Should I deploy the war droid prototype?"
Brocell paused. He turned to his android, "Send it to protect the 400th floor. He will be our last line of defense."
"Affirmative."
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