Lizardmen

Morning

In the small room at the back of the estate, the maid, Sally, meditated and trained. Just next door was the "Elven Spring," a constant source of potent life and natural magic. Practicing in such an environment was highly effective.

Meanwhile, Lin Yu was in the yard, crafting his reclining chair. With no work to do, no meditation required, and no need to go hunting, making a comfortable chair seemed like a good way to pass the time without a phone to entertain him.

It wasn't long before Haotian suddenly felt a surge of "experience" flood into his body. Instantly, he knew that his Royal Griffon Knights had launched their attack on the Lizardmen tribe.

At the same time, several kilometers away in the heart of the sandy forest,

a fierce battle was raging near a nearly dry riverbed. On one side were Haotian's Royal Griffon Knights, and on the other, the Lizardmen tribe occupying the area. In sheer numbers, the Lizardmen held a decisive advantage, outnumbering the knights nearly ten to one with about four thousand combatants. Despite most being low-tier, there were hundreds of mid-tier elite Lizardmen and several high-tier leaders, making them a formidable force in the region. No wonder even the Blackwind tribe didn't dare provoke them. If they did, the Lizardmen would slaughter the Blackwind gnoll cavalry and feast on their coyote mounts.

But the Blackwind tribe was history now. It was Haotian's Royal Griffon Knights who clashed with the Lizardmen, leading to a different outcome. Though outnumbered ten to one, the Royal Griffon Knights were unmatched. A single charge could decimate the Lizardmen ranks. Even the high-tier Lizardmen leaders fell easily to the knights' lances. Within half an hour, the area near the riverbed was littered with Lizardmen corpses.

Lizardmen were a type of beastfolk, closely related to orcs, with no human features, standing upright and walking on two legs. When they crawled or slithered, they looked like large Komodo dragons. However, unlike animals, they possessed significant intelligence and the ability to craft and use tools, classifying them as beastfolk.

Near the central riverbed stood over thirty stone and wooden houses, reserved for the tribe's elite. Most Lizardmen didn't enjoy such luxury, burrowing into the riverbed's mud during the day and hiding beneath the sand at night to survive the desert's freezing temperatures. Their society was more primitive than the gnolls'.

"Kill the intruders!"

A strong Lizardman roared on the battlefield. It was of king level, powerful enough to hold its own against two Royal Griffon Knights. This was the tribe's new chieftain, who had ascended to king level just half a month ago after killing the previous chief.

Power ruled the beastfolk tribes, just like in the animal kingdom. As the chieftain fought off two knights, it commanded the tribe to intensify their assault. From above, the knights appeared surrounded, with Lizardmen emerging from the sandy forest to join the fray. Each knight faced multiple, sometimes dozens, of Lizardmen. Yet, the Royal Griffon Knights dominated the battlefield. Every lance thrust felled a Lizardman, while the Golden Griffons they rode tore through the enemy with beaks and claws, outpacing even their riders in lethality.

With a resounding thud,

a powerful gust sent the Lizardman chieftain flying, unable to withstand the combined assault of two knights and their griffons. Despite its strength, it faltered under the relentless attacks. Soon, it was defeated.

"Damn invaders!"

The chieftain roared, "Master Charles will not spare you! No matter where you come from, he will find and kill you, avenging my tribe!"

"Who is this Charles?"

asked Hodern, the old butler, holding a magic staff.

"Let me go!!"

The chieftain struggled, its body pierced by two lances. It hissed, revealing sharp teeth.

"Master Charles is the true ruler of this sandy forest, the uncrowned king of the underworld! His minions are everywhere... He has marked you! The flames of revenge are burning, and you will all die!!"

Hodern pressed for more about Charles, but the chieftain only continued its mad raving. Deciding it was pointless, Hodern signaled the knights, and two lances swiftly ended the chieftain's life.