The terrain around that wetland is predominantly hilly and scattered. (Book House)

Not far away, there is a small lake, centered on the water source, and a unique lakeside ecology has formed around it.

At the edge of the wetland, the area that was supposed to be a swamp was artificially developed, and some of the land was artificially converted into fertile land, and it seems that at the beginning, Emerald Leader wanted to vigorously develop this place, preparing to create a forward position against Xiliu City, but unfortunately, they failed.

In this era, the cost of wild exploration is very high, and killing all the threatened species on that land is only the first step, what is really rare is the follow-up personnel arrangement and material supply, labor, medicine, food and various materials are restrictions on exploration.

This wetland is too far away from the core territory of the Emerald Collar, and the Emerald Collar's development energy in recent years has been mainly constrained by the Grizzly Hills and the Ponse region behind it.

According to the analysis of some scholars.

The friction between the Emerald Territory and Xiliu City has been a long time, and the two territories have relied on each other for development from the beginning, and have spent the first difficult years of exploration together, but with some arrangements of the Varesian royal family, various frictions have begun to arise between the two territories, large or small.

The royal family apparently does not want to see two territories with almost unlimited potential friendly and mutually reinforcing.

The kingship does not tolerate any threat.

Regardless of how the original feud between the two places came about, by now, they have long regarded each other as enemies.

From a strategic point of view.

In recent years, the coastline of Varesian has been extremely unstable, the capital Magnia has been forced to be involved in the maelstrom of hegemony at sea, the royal family is unstable, and the local nobility underground has clearly realized that this is an excellent opportunity.

The top of the Emerald Collar is not a mediocre either.

They saw early on that due to the instability of the coastline, the Gnibor River, which has an extremely important impact on shipping, would gradually play a major commercial role, and Xiliu City would usher in a major opportunity to rise as a second-tier port city.

So in the not-too-distant past, Emerald Collar proposed a "Ponse Plan".

They shifted their focus to the Grizzly Hills for economic development, and the nobles thought that the Weststream City might rise, but in the same way, they had their backs to the Grizzly Hills and the Ponse region behind them, and by seizing the Ponse Pass, they would be able to obtain more resources in a steady stream.

Before this generation of Emerald Lords, several generations of Emerald Lords worked hard, and although some of their strength was consumed in the conflict with Xiliu City, they precipitated more savings.

The kingdom is in turmoil, and the people of the Emerald Collar believe that the time has come to develop the Ponse region urgently.

Once successful.

The iron ore and various resources buried underground in the Ponse region will become the most powerful weapons of the Emerald Lord, and even if Xiliu City rises, the two stand at the same height, and the outcome of the war is still unknown.

Sometimes the two sides are so tacit.

The Emerald Lords don't want to start a war now, they want to get more resources from the Ponse Mountains and complete a sublimation of their own strength.

And the people of Xiliu City also saw the opportunity in the turmoil, and they were not willing to start a war at this time, and accumulating strength was what they should do.

It's a tacit competition.

Just like the competition between major powers in the modern pattern, a stable and stable environment is conducive to the accumulation of strength, but this kind of competition does not mean that the means of force are completely eliminated.

Force.

has been one of the options for both territories.

The original intention of the Ponse Pioneer Plan was good, but unfortunately fate did not favor the Emerald Collar, and a terrible storm was brewing in that huge mountain range, and the beast tide and population migration caused the Emerald Collar's westward expansion policy to be hit hard.

Emerald Collar's pioneering plans have obviously taken a huge hit.

The rising momentum has been thwarted, and Xiliu City will naturally not let go of this opportunity.

Mercenary!

This is the first step of Xiliu City, a temptation, and a signal!

War! It's coming!

Rhodes was pressed for time.

His original plan was to make a name for himself in the Xiliu City area within a month, at least to form a more satisfactory force, but obviously the plan couldn't catch up with the changes, and maybe the war would break out within a month.

Speed up your rise!

This was already one thing that Rod had to do.

…………

Wetland edges.

A small camp was built on the edge of the artificial field, and now a banner embroidered with an iron sword fluttered on the camp, which had apparently become a hunting supply point for the Iron Sword Regiment.

According to Wessel, a deputy commander of the Iron Sword Regiment was stationed here with more than two hundred people.

Their main task was to capture kobolds, goblins, cavemen, and other slaves near the water source, and hunting for food was just a part-time task.

Slave trade.

This has always been a profiteering business, and in fact, Rhodes had previously considered whether or not to be a slave leader in this war.

However, at present, it seems that the Iron Sword Regiment captures slaves, and it should be more likely to want to build the Seth Watchtower.

The defense of the camp was tight.

The Iron Sword Regiment can be famous in the coastal area, naturally there is a reason for him, not to mention anything else, the famous Great Swordsman Squadron of the Iron Sword Regiment alone is a group of very tricky guys. They are the famous signboard of the Iron Sword Regiment, a group of great swordsmen who are similar to the Sword Saint, on the battlefield, this pure swordsman squadron is almost a life harvester, sharp swordsmanship is specially cultivated for insight into weaknesses, for heavy armor troops, the Great Swordsman Squadron is their nemesis.

Naturally, there is no squadron of Great Swordsmen here.

However, the Wessel guy didn't know how to find out, there was a squad of rangers in this place, who were extremely good at tracking and trapping, and the most uncomfortable thing was that several of the rangers in this group were guys who took the shooter route.

The fence of the camp is high, and there are scouts on the watchtower all the year round, and if they attack, the Iron Sword Regiment that has gained a firm foothold is afraid that it will give Rhodes a severe blow.

Wetland periphery.

Wessel's figure silently appeared nearby, he took a light breath of the damp and dark breath of the wetland, and Rhodes, who was standing beside him, frowned, he hated the smell of the swamp.

Withssel seemed unaware, and moaned with pleasure on his face, and in an instant, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and his left hand waved slightly.

Behind him.

In a group of sailors armed with weapons, a mysterious man shrouded in black robes slowly walked out.

Rhodes noticed that the group of unruly men were actually avoiding the black-robed man as if they were not there, and even some of them had imperceptible awe hidden in their eyes.

He carefully sensed the black-robed man.

Then, Rod glanced at Wither with some jealousy, this black-robed man is not simple!

It's a wizard!

The thick smell of blood was mixed with the indescribable fluctuation of mana...... It's a dark wizard! Rod judged for sure.