The New Heroes

Not long after, news of their victory over the Greyland Dwarf Kingdom reached Haotian, filling him with joy. The successful conquest meant his territory would soon be enriched by a multitude of dwarven blacksmiths, renowned throughout the Sacred Continent for their exceptional craftsmanship and high-quality equipment. Even if they hadn't obtained the blueprint for a blacksmith shop during the siege, Haotian could still construct one himself and have the dwarves forge weapons and armor for his forces.

What delighted Haotian the most, however, was the discovery of the **Dwarven Warship**. He hadn't expected such a remarkable artifact to be in the possession of a fleeing dwarf clan. He had assumed that only the main dwarf stronghold would house such marvels. Warships on the Sacred Continent were not like those on Earth. They sailed through the skies, with notable examples including dwarven warships, elven airships, and goblin zeppelins. Enhanced by various magical runes and materials, these warships boasted impressive speed and formidable combat power. The fact that a single shot from the warship's main cannon had pierced Bone Dragon Charles was a testament to its might. Although the side cannons were less powerful, the warship remained a potent asset for Haotian's territory, greatly enhancing its military strength.

"Unfortunately, the warship is damaged, and it seems the Greyland Dwarves lack the knowledge to repair or build such a vessel," Haotian mused regretfully.

Just then, a notification from the **Lord System** appeared in Haotian's mind:

**"Congratulations, Lord! Your Royal Gryphon Knight army has destroyed the core building, the Royal Hall, of the Greyland Dwarf Kingdom. You have conquered the Greyland Dwarf Kingdom. Your Kingdom Conquest quest is now one-third complete. Keep up the good work!"**

The **Lord System** was a true warmonger, with nearly all its quests pushing Haotian toward a path of constant warfare. Even if he had desired a peaceful development as a leisurely lord, the necessity of strength and expansion forced his hand.

"Conquering two more kingdom-level forces will complete the side quest, and I will obtain a random troop building blueprint," Haotian thought as he stepped out of the lavish city hall. Unlike the original village hall, the current city hall was opulent in both appearance and interior design, exuding a sense of grandeur and wealth.

Haotian's next objectives were to strengthen his territory's military power and upgrade the city hall to a **Royal Hall**. Once that was achieved, he could establish his own kingdom in the Golden Oasis, and his title would change from Lord to King.

Outside, the festive atmosphere was still in full swing, with the aroma of food permeating the air. Across from Sapphire Lake, the sandfolk laughed and sang, dancing around bonfires in a display of exotic joy. Agur, the gnoll, moved among them, a bottle in one hand and a piece of roast meat in the other, loudly praising the great emissary who had provided them with delicious food and a peaceful home. As Haotian's loyal subordinate, Agur excelled at rallying the people to praise and honor their lord, attributing the oasis's prosperity to Haotian's benevolence.

In the clear waters of Sapphire Lake, schools of beautiful silver-tailed fish swam gracefully, their numbers estimated in the hundreds of thousands. If the elf, Amy, arrived as promised the next day, the fish could be packaged and sold.

As Haotian wandered, he found himself at the **Hero's Tavern**. Since Kaisha's departure, no new heroes had appeared. Haotian visited the tavern two or three times a day, but aside from occasionally swiping a bottle or two, he had found nothing of note. He contemplated upgrading the tavern to increase the probability of attracting heroes. Currently, the tavern was still a low-level building, and upgrading it to a mid-level one required 500,000 gold coins and 1,000,000 units of wood—a substantial sum, especially the latter.

"Lord!" The old man in a gray robe behind the bar greeted him, wiping a bottle with a white cloth. Seeing Haotian enter with a smile, the old man's mouth twitched slightly as he discreetly put the bottle away.

"Good day, old sir," Haotian said, approaching the bar. "Today is the Harvest Festival. Why don't you join the festivities outside?"

The gray-robed old man shook his head. "My duty is to remain in the tavern. Even heroes require your permission to leave."

"That's unfortunate," Haotian replied. Just as he was about to order a Bloody Mary, the tavern's space suddenly trembled. Three figures materialized in the hall. Haotian's eyes lit up with excitement. Finally, new heroes had arrived, and three at once! Could it be that his earlier success had brought a stroke of good luck?

"Elves?" Haotian observed the newcomers. They had strikingly similar appearances, all dressed in matching leather armor with quivers and bows slung across their backs, looking very much like triplets. Their pointed ears marked them as elves, their faces impossibly beautiful, and their figures equally enchanting, with long, slender legs exposed by their short leather pants.

The three elves approached the bar, their eyes lingering on Haotian before addressing the gray-robed old man politely, "Excuse us, but where are we?"

The old man's expression returned to its usual indifference. "This is the Hero's Tavern, a place that connects all worlds. You have been summoned as heroes."

"Hero's Tavern?" The elves echoed, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity. They then turned their gazes to Haotian. "A human hero?"

Haotian stood up, beaming. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Haotian, a lord seeking to recruit heroes!"

The three elves exchanged glances before responding in unison, "Aurelia, Sylvanas, and Vereesa. We are the Windrunner sisters, pleased to meet you!"