Throughout the history books, the decline or rise of a dynasty is often hinted at from the beginning.
The initial spark might be an insignificant battle, an unequal transaction, or the life and death of a minor character.
Yet, most of the masses are like "mountains amidst the forest, unaware of the true appearance," unable to perceive the changes in the river of time from a divine or legendary perspective.
Most can only be swept away by the giant waves of fate, until a hundred years later, someone looks back and marvels:
"Did that little person from back then even realize that the event was the sign of a great nation’s rise?"
September, the last small month of the Month of Flowing Fire.
For over a month, violent storms erupted in Azanen Territory and many surrounding areas.
The Lady of Tides has fallen!
The Lava Swamp is in turmoil!
The attack from the Ocean of Stars and Waves is imminent, and might be moved up because of this!
One event after another has caused unrest throughout the southern part of the Gula Kingdom.
Some corrupt and cowardly nobles, upon hearing the news, moved towards the northern imperial capital "Abyss" to escape the chaos of war.
Yet, some nobles trust in the strength of the Gula Kingdom and remain unmoved, or attempt to exploit the situation.
Only a minority of nobles and professionals took action without hesitation, marching their troops south.
The unrest in the Gula Kingdom also caught the attention of the Holy Life Alliance and the Eternal Freeze Council, and even some small kingdoms, duchies, or other minor powers on the road noticed it.
But they only noticed.
Just like in the previous world where small islands would notice the dominant powers arm wrestling, they could only shout encouragement from the sidelines to create a sense of presence and participation.
Forces throughout the continent were content to watch from the sidelines.
Only the Gula Kingdom, the protagonist, began emergency mobilization within.
For how many years have the people of the Naseng focused on acquiring, developing, and ruling new planes, paying little attention to the situation on the main plane of Naseng.
And now, the Lava Swamp has captured the attention of the entire Gula Kingdom.
Although the Lava Swamp is one of the three major magical beast gathering places on the Naseng Continent, it is, after all, the human kingdom of the Gula Kingdom, ruled by the "King of Black and White" Insomnia Emperor!
Ultimate blackness and dazzling whiteness!
Aside from some cowards, many nobles are focusing on the situation here.
During the turmoil in the Gula Kingdom, strangely, the swamp remained calm for two months.
The first wave of magical beasts that Lin Ke and his team anticipated never came.
Not a single wild beast emerged, let alone a magical beast.
In contrast, Azanen Territory was bustling with activity.
Six kilometers outside Azaenn Castle.
This was a wilderness, the distant swamp faintly visible in the distance.
Countless laborers, farmers, slaves, servants, and other common people worked like ants, moving stones, lumber, and other materials.
In the front, a long wall was being constructed.
In its early stages, the wall didn’t appear as tall and grand as some castles, but it seemed to stretch endlessly, as far as the eye could see.
Viewed from above, it was astonishing.
A large number of Azanen people, refugees, and slaves were conscripted, and behind the wall, hundreds of brick kilns operated day and night, firing bricks.
The river adjacent to Azaenn Castle had its silt almost completely excavated to make bricks!
The entire river had been widened dozens of times over.
And the effects were obvious.
The wall extended each day visibly to the naked eye.
Apart from common people, some professionals were also laboring.
Secret Text Masters and Architects wielded their magical tools, inscribing "sturdy," "solid," "anti-magic" inscriptions and magic patterns onto the wall.
Blacksmiths and smiths were crafting various equipment and weapons.
Knights were checking their mounts, companions, equipment, and weapons, or they were training and meditating.
Magic lights flickered on the wall.
At this time, Lin Ke was riding a Gula Bull, inspecting all the guards and cavalry before him.
The Gula Bull was large, and unlike a cow, its limbs were sturdier and longer, and its body less bulky, resembling a horse with a bull’s head.
Although Lin Ke was small, his intimidation as a third-level professional made the ordinary animal, the Gula Bull, obedient.
At this moment, Lin Ke furrowed his brow, holding the reins, trying to keep his voice low: "... People of Azanen, I say this one last time, the battlefield is not a joke! If you disobey orders to awaken your bloodline, not only your own lives will be lost! Your wives! Your descendants! Your parents! They will also perish because of it!"
Before him stood two distinct groups, one consisting of some of his castle guards, standing at attention, eyes forward.
The other group was the militia he had recruited from various parts of Azanen.
He was addressing these militia members.
These militia, though courageous, were also too ambitious, seeking to awaken their bloodlines with Lin Ke!
Indeed, what was once exclusive to nobles or granted by nobles, the awakening had become a prize Lin Ke had publicized.
The awakening skill, only teachers, like Awakening Teachers, can use.
Those who can afford teachers, either belong to nobility or are strong themselves, making it extremely difficult for ordinary people to find a livelihood.
This was partly due to noble control over the channels.
And Lin Ke, directly linked "Enlightenment" with Azanen Coin.
For those who seek enlightenment, it will be personally initiated by His Excellency Ove, a Starshine-level professional!
The cost is two thousand Azanen Coins.
Azanen Coins were originally used to measure the performance of mining slaves.
However, Lin Ke’s original intention for creating this currency was not merely for the performance of mere slaves.
He was playing a very big game of chess.
So, within just a few days, a large number of people heard about Lin Ke’s generosity and eagerly enlisted, forming a two-thousand-man army all at once.
But, calling them an army is flattering them too much.
This group, made up of humans and humanoid species, was essentially a ragtag bunch!
As a result, many nobles initially disagreed and even fiercely opposed Lin Ke’s approach.
But after Lin Ke enlightened ten people in a row with inferior talents...
The nobles felt comfortable, assured.
"Now, I will reassign your affiliations! Those whose names are called, step forward..."
Lin Ke took a piece of paper from the bag beside his mount, noting some general information: "Alyosha! Chekov! Gorky!..."
While calling out, Lin Ke inwardly commented: if this team dies, it would truly be a loss to the literary world...
In Lin Ke’s roll call, one guard after another stepped forward, all of whom Lin Ke had trained for a long time, the obedient castle guards.
He was now going to break up the troops, dividing them into large teams and small teams, with leaders being soldiers he had led, particularly those who participated in the encirclement of the Deep Blue Giant Tiger.
Let these soldiers lead that ragtag bunch; if the soldiers are brave, the general will be brave, too.
Hopefully, they can all be trained before the big battle.
After an hour, he finally dispersed all these people.
Lin Ke looked at the new team with satisfaction; though chaos could still be seen, the Azanen Castle guards were like the Sea God’s Trident, giving order amid chaos.
And at this moment, a person riding a reindeer rushed over at high speed, shouting, "Mr. Lin Ke! Princess Rica and Count Giant Sword are waiting for you at the Azanen Wall!"
Lin Ke turned his mount around and replied, "I know."
After speaking, Lin Ke said to the original leader of the Azanen Guard Team, now the captain of the first large team: "Train your team first. I want to see results by tonight!"
"Yes!" The captain saluted with a fist to his chest.
Lin Ke nodded slightly, then ran towards that turret in the very center along the edge.
"Has Princess Rica discovered anything?" Lin Ke asked casually as he paralleled the summoned soldier.
"Yes, Mr. Lin Ke!" The summoned soldier seemed a little nervous: "A new batch of nobles from other kingdoms has arrived!"
Over the past few months, various nobles had come in succession, and although not many in number, they brought quite a few soldiers.
"Are there any powerful professionals?" Lin Ke inquired.
"Yes! It’s said there are powerful [Florist], [Brewer], [Instructor], [Master of Painting], [Juice Tasting Expert]..." the summoned soldier listed many professions.
In Naseng’s common language, the special pronunciation of professionals is distinct from ordinary pronunciation, making it clear whether one is saying florist or [Florist].
It should be said, they truly live up to being wine bags and rice sacks.
"What is all this damned nonsense... Hm, but that [Instructor] might come in handy..." Lin Ke muttered quietly to himself, then waved to the summoned soldier: "Alright, you go ahead."
The summoned soldier then saluted with a chest-thumping gesture, and rode the reindeer towards other teams in the distance.
Lin Ke’s direction remained unchanged, which was the top of this fortress’s highest turret—the Azanen Wall!
This fortress clearly mimicked the Great Wall, only on a larger scale with higher walls, though the defensive line isn’t as long.
However, many people still refer to the Great Wall as the Great Wall.
It’s because very few in Naseng are willing to build such a long defensive line; people prefer to add more floors to their castles or construct more in private planes.
Which led many nobles to be filled with amazement at the architectural concept, construction ideas, and the final product of this Great Wall.
And in order to get these nobles to contribute more money and effort, Lin Ke also proposed "naming rights."
Whoever builds this wall gets the naming rights!
And Lin Ke named the frontmost and highest wall in the defense line "Azanen Wall."
As a result, the nobles became envious.
Think about it, now the entire Gula Kingdom is alerted, and even major forces on the Naseng Continent are paying considerable attention here.
Before long, Insomnia Emperor will lead a personal expedition, and a bunch of nobles and professionals will arrive.
When they hear that the wall standing most prominently at the front of the defense line belongs to "Azanen," when they see the endless magical beast blood and warriors’ tears of blood preserved on the wall, when they hear how heroically this family repelled the enemy...
Good God, what a glory that is!
The nobles can’t wait to see the envy, jealousy, and admiration in the eyes of their noble friends or foes when they see the walls following the Azanen Wall with their names.
That’s someone Princess Rica protects, so naturally, the nobles see the Azanen Wall as the Gula Royal Family’s wall.
At the thought of this, Lin Ke couldn’t help but smile.
Nobles can never escape fame and fortune.
Through Lin Ke’s maneuvers, the various nobles Continue reading more chapters on NovelHub for the best experience.
Of course, it’s still a long way to go before reaching Lin Ke’s imagined Great Wall.
So upon hearing Princess Rica’s summons, Lin Ke wasn’t nervous at all.
However, when seeing the nobles intensely discussing atop the distant wall turret, Lin Ke’s heart sank.
A bunch of wine bags and rice sacks... hopefully, they can be put to good use.