South of the Dark Forest, in a very distant ce.


    This was a vast in, more deste than the Barren ins, with an environment harsher than a desert.


    The in was filled with decay and destion—withered leaves, dried-up riverbeds, and the rotting carcasses of animals long dead.


    A few vultures scared off a flock of crows, descending upon the carcasses to feast on the decaying flesh.


    In the distance, a few bare tree trunks stood as a testament to a once fertilend.


    The further south one went, the harsher the environment became.


    A weak antelope staggered forward, followed by a flock of crows, seemingly waiting for its death.


    The antelope hadn''t eaten for days and was extremely weak. Suddenly, it saw a shimmeringke in the distance—water.


    The antelope quickened its pace, hope igniting in its eyes. But just as it was about to reach theke, a green figure, seemingly waiting for a long time, appeared.


    d in a robe and holding a staff twice its height, the figure stood beside a pile of animal corpses stacked like a small hill.


    The antelope, terrified, tried to turn and flee, but it was toote.


    White energy began to flow from its body, and the antelope grew weaker, finally copsing and losing its life.


    The white energy gathered and flowed into the green figure.


    "Just a bit more, and the injuries I sustained at the snowy mountain will be healed. Damn those bastards!"


    Indeed, this hobgoblin was the Monarch-level hobgoblin Shaman, Snazzle, who had fled from the snowy mountain during the Godhead battle.


    Snazzle walked towards theke, and with a sh of light, disappeared.


    Theke was not ake at all but a barrier created using hobgoblin technology. The true hobgoblin kingdomy beneath this barrier.


    Originally a massive basin, the hobgoblins, weak in power, hadbined magic and technology to protect themselves from other forces. They had moved their kingdom into the basin and used technology to disguise it as ake.


    South of the basin was what other forces believed to be the hobgoblin kingdom, but the elite hobgoblins had long since moved. What remained was a shell, inhabited only bymon hobgoblins.


    This was why the undead hadn''t found the hobgoblin kingdom—it was too far and too well-hidden.


    The Lord who constantly boasted in the World Chat, [Boggle], had her castle located in the basin from the start, sealing her fate.


    [Boggle], named Mary, had slime troops, the most basic kind.


    Mary was short and plump, but her appearance was favored by the hobgoblins.


    Mary thought she was doomed, but her ''beauty'' caught the eye of Muckmire, the eldest son of the current hobgoblin king and the next in line for the throne.


    Mary initially resisted, disliking the green creatures. But after repeated advances, she relented, finding it better than being tortured to death.


    Mary happily became Muckmire''s wife, and her status in the hobgoblin kingdom soared.


    Muckmire adored her, dering he would marry no one else.


    Though Mary was human, no hobgoblin dared speak ill of her, not wanting to offend Muckmire.


    Mary enjoyed royal treatment in the hobgoblin kingdom and often boasted in the World Chat, believing no Lord could rival the hobgoblin kingdom.


    At this moment, Mary nestled in Muckmire''s arms, trying to appear delicate as they watched the monthly alchemypetition.


    "Darling, life under this barrier is so dull. Will you take your dear wife out for a walk?" Mary''s voice, grating to the ears, caused several hobgoblins to lose control of their potions.


    "Oh no, my potion!"


    A hobgoblin looked sadly at his potion, and the judge hobgoblin measured it, shaking his head.


    "Disqualified!"


    Muckmire stroked Mary''s hair, smiling with yellowed teeth.


    "No problem. I need to inspect the old kingdom tomorrow. Mary,e with me."


    "Okay!"


    Mary nodded shyly, snuggling closer to Muckmire, the stench almost making her vomit, but she pretended not to notice.


    Outside the basin, a mage flew quickly southward.


    "Strange, why does the Tara in look like this?"


    "Wait, what''s that?"


    The mage descended, finding the animal carcasses Snazzle hadn''t yet dealt with.


    "This is hobgoblin magic."


    The mage examined the carcasses, then looked at the strangeke. Why was there ake with abundant water in such a deste ce? It was too odd.


    The mage''s hand hovered in the air, noticing something off about theke. He didn''t touch it but moved away, a look of realization on his face.


    "I see."


    The mage flew away, not continuing south but returning the way he came.


    [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]


    The red moon hung high, and the sky turned eerily clear again. The Tara in seemed to return to its deste peace.


    In the castle, Alex, Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Ruby were having dinner.


    The siblings had finished transferring their buildings and would now focus on upgrading their subsidiary castle''s Barracks. Today, they had explored the Dark Forest with the undead.


    Compared to the orc-inhabited Emerald Hills, the Dark Forest''s outskirts were much morefortable for development, though slower for now. But it was better than losing their troops.


    "The leaderboard rewards will be distributed tonight."


    Hearing Alex, the siblings nodded.


    This time, the leaderboard had two rewards: one for the first-tier fixed reward and another for the Traitors'' ranking reward.


    Time: 23:59


    Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu had returned to their castles, and Alex, having bathed, locked herself in her bedroom.


    [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute, determining the top 1,000 Lords who will receive rewards.]


    In thest minute, the leaderboard refreshed, followed by a one-minute countdown.


    Due to the recent Lord battles, nearly a hundred first and second-tier Lords had died, allowing third-tier Lords to advance. The most excited were the second-tier Lords who hadn''t fought, now with a better chance to enter the first tier and receive rewards.


    The system seemed fair but was actually cultivating the top first-tier Lords. Below the first tier, the system offered no support.


    The system''s goal appeared to be forcing Lords to fight for survival, strengthening themselves through conflict.


    The World Chat fell silent as all Lords checked their rankings in the final minute.


    In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie smiled at her ranking.


    [Your current ranking has advanced to: First Tier.]


    As expected, Sophie had sessfully entered the first tier. This made her very happy.


    With her Monarch-level dwarf, she was now among the upper ranks of the first tier.


    In her castle, Alex received the notification but was more interested in the rewards.