Merin sits inside his office, hands resting lightly on the desk.
With his spirit sense spread outward, he observes the entire government compound. One by one, the previously absent officials return to their posts. Doors open, clerks shuffle documents, footsteps echo along corridors.
He smiles faintly.
Looks like the Xiao Family wants to show goodwill.
He already anticipates the next move. In a few days, a representative of the Xiao Family will likely pay him a visit, most probably the Third Young Master himself.
In their eyes, he is a dragon.
And they are the local snakes.
Without the cooperation of local snakes, a dragon's wings are bound.
But they misunderstand.
They do not know what kind of dragon he is.
His spirit sense shifts slightly.
Three officials approach his office door.
He recognises them.
Deputy Governor Gu Wei.
Household Official Xiao Xue.
Guard Commander Yue Xin.
As they near the door, one of them raises a hand to knock.
Before knuckles touch wood,
The door swings open on its own.
The three men freeze mid-motion, startled.
Merin sits inside calmly.
"What are you doing out there?" he says evenly. "Come inside."
They step in, trying to maintain composure. Yet Merin can perceive it clearly, the faint scent of fear in the air. Subtle changes in breathing. Tightened muscles. Accelerated heartbeats.
They bow deeply and stand with heads lowered, awaiting instruction.
Merin leans back slightly in his chair and says nothing.
He simply watches.
Moments pass.
The silence stretches.
The scent of fear thickens.
Finally, Merin speaks.
"Rise."
They lift their heads together.
"Thank you, Governor," they say in unison.
Merin taps his fingers lightly against the desk.
"I heard all of you requested leave for a week," he says mildly. "Yet you returned after only three days."
He leans forward slightly, expression sincere.
"If there is any problem, tell me. I will do whatever is necessary to resolve it."
The middle one, an older man with white strands mixed into his black hair and a long beard, speaks first.
"No need, Governor. I am well."
The man to the right, pudgy and adorned with golden jewellery, smiles broadly.
"Governor, after hearing of your accomplishment, I recovered quickly."
The scar-faced middle-aged man on the left nods earnestly.
"Governor, upon hearing that we will reclaim the mine, renewed strength flowed through me and healed my illness."
Gu Wei's expression turns slightly stiff at their exaggerated praise.
He inwardly curses himself for not thinking to flatter the new governor in such a manner.
Merin smiles faintly.
"Introduce yourselves."
The older man bows slightly.
"Governor, I am Gu Wei, Deputy Governor."
The pudgy man speaks next.
"I am Xiao Xue, Household Official."
The scarred man follows.
"Governor, I am Yue Xin, Guard Commander."
Merin nods.
Deputy Governors train under a serving governor for five years. With a recommendation, they are assigned to govern another town or city. Household Officials oversee civilian needs, maintenance, repairs, and supplies. Guard Commanders maintain law and order.
After the governor, these three positions hold the most power in town.
Merin folds his hands.
"I was sent here to establish a defensive line along the northern border of this province, beginning with this town. But according to the town's finances, we cannot even build one meter of stone wall."
The three lowered their heads again.
Merin continues.
"So tell me, how do we turn this town into a fortress?"
They exchange glances.
Gu Wei speaks cautiously.
"Governor… will not the court provide funds?"
Merin knows the court would provide money if requested.
But with funding comes oversight.
Imperial officials would arrive to supervise expenditures.
He cannot allow that.
Nor can he draw upon Duan Family resources; such action would cause internal turmoil. They would not understand why he seeks to control frozen mountains and barbarian tribes.
He needs a new source of wealth.
"The court will," Merin replies calmly. "And they will send officials to inspect every coin. Do you want that?"
All three shake their heads.
Xiao Xue hesitates.
"What about the mine, Governor?"
"To reclaim the mine, we need a formidable army," Merin says. "If we request assistance from the Grey Wolf Army, we will share profits."
Silence follows.
Merin exhales softly.
"Inform the merchants, clans, and martial academies that they must donate. I require ten thousand gold coins within one week."
He pauses.
"Otherwise, I will reopen old cases. Or create new ones."
The implication is clear.
The three men nod immediately.
Xiao Xue smiles stiffly.
"It is their honour to contribute to the Governor's cause."
Yue Xin shifts the topic.
"Governor, what of Fu Zeye? With his injury, he cannot continue as militia commander."
"My guard captain Zixi will assume command temporarily," Merin says. "Fu Zeye will become head training officer."
Yue Xin nods.
One by one, the three men bow and depart.
Merin's gaze lingers briefly on Xiao Xue.
Will he show the Xiao Family's goodwill?
The thought fades almost immediately.
Instead, Merin closes his eyes momentarily and sends a spirit transmission.
"Zixi."
The spirit transmission leaves Merin's mind like a silent ripple.
A few minutes later, firm footsteps echo in the corridor. Zixi enters the office, posture straight, eyes steady.
"Lord."
Merin does not waste words.
"Take over the militia."
Zixi nods immediately.
"Yes, Lord."
"From tomorrow, begin training. Intensify physical conditioning and coordinated drills. After that, take them north. Let them hunt outside the town."
Zixi understands at once. Hunting is not merely for meat; it is for discipline, experience, and sharpening killing intent.
He bows slightly.
"I will arrange it."
The north of the town is not gentle land. A dense forest stretches like a dark wall. Only a narrow gap cuts through it, a natural corridor leading toward the Magoon Mountains. That gap is the throat through which mountain tribes invade the Song Kingdom.
The forest itself teems with extraordinary beasts.
If the militia cannot survive there, they cannot defend anything.
Zixi accepts the orders and leaves without further question.
When the door closes, Merin shuts his eyes.
In his spirit space, a map unfolds.
The town appears first, its streets, gates, river, and farmlands. Then the surrounding terrain spreads outward. The northern forest dominates the landscape. Within it, the narrow gap stands out like a wound in the greenery.
His attention fixes upon it.
From this gap, the tribes descend.
If he seals the gap, the tribes may attempt to advance through the forests on either side. But the dense woodland will slow them, cost them lives, scatter their formations. And if a fortress stands in the gap itself, their supply lines will be threatened. Their tribes behind them will be exposed.
They will have no choice but to capture the fortress before advancing.
One fortress becomes two.
Two become a line.
In his spirit space, structures rise along the forest line.
Stone walls.
Watchtowers.
Signal beacons.
A chain of fortresses stretching along the northern edge.
If established, the difficulty of invading the Song Kingdom would increase dramatically.
The mountain tribes invade for resources. But if their losses outweigh the gains, if every incursion costs them blood and wealth, they will hesitate. They will negotiate. They will bend.
Control is not achieved by slaughter alone.
It is achieved by making war unprofitable.
Merin calculates.
To accomplish this vision, more than one hundred thousand gold coins will be required.
His fingers tap lightly against the desk.
Where will he obtain such wealth?
If he were still at Saint Realm, such matters would be trivial. With magic power alone, he could reshape mountains and raise walls in a single night.
But if he were the Saint Realm, he would not need fortresses.
This world demands mortal solutions.
He must think as a governor, not as a saint.
The answer comes quickly.
Most fortresses are built with stone.
Stone is durable but slow.
If he uses brick instead, construction speed increases dramatically.
And brick requires cement.
Brick and cement.
Two industries.
Two sources of income.
He spreads his spirit sense and locates Gu Wei in his office, reviewing documents.
Merin sends a summons.
Moments later, Gu Wei appears again at the governor's door, visibly cautious.
"Governor."
"Gu Wei," Merin says calmly, "find clay for me."
Gu Wei blinks.
"Clay?"
"Yes."
Gu Wei hesitates.
"May I ask what the clay is for?"
"You will know once you find it."
Merin's tone leaves no room for further inquiry.
Gu Wei bows.
"Yes, Governor."
He leaves.
Merin has confidence that clay will not be difficult to obtain. The Guxi River flows from the Magoon Mountains. Three smaller branches extend into Wein Province. One branch feeds into a lake near the town.
Riverbanks are rich in clay deposits.
He does not mention limestone.
In the Duan Family's territory, limestone mountains are abundant. Once the formula for cement is established here, supply lines can be secured quietly through family connections.
Merin pulls out paper and begins writing a letter.
He writes concisely, requesting limestone shipments under the guise of "construction experiments."
When finished, he folds the letter and seals it.
He calls for Chen Yi.
Chen Yi enters respectfully.
"Lord."
"Send this home immediately."
Chen Yi accepts the letter without reading it.
"Yes, Lord."
When he leaves, Merin leans back in his chair.
The plan is forming.
Brick kilns.
Cement production.
Fortress construction.
Militia expansion.
And behind it all,
A financial structure independent of court oversight.
His gaze returns to the mental map in his spirit space.
The northern gap remains highlighted.
That gap will become the first lock.
And once locked,
The Magoon Mountains will no longer be a threat.
They will become his domain.