Chapter 627: The Grand Ceremony
Flame Demons are a type of high-tier demon.
There are generally two ways they are born.
The first is by evolving from a demon larva step by step.
Through brutal combat and devouring enough other demons to steal their life force and souls, they earn the favor of the Abyss and begin the path toward becoming a Flame Demon.
Out of every million demons, only one might become a Flame Demon!
The second way is through a combination of unique coincidences and opportunity.
Flame Demons born this way usually possess higher innate talent.
They are born already possessing Extraordinary-tier power.
Their immense strength, flame-wreathed skin, control of chaotic energy, and terrifying, warped desecration magic make them truly fearsome.
Within a few years, they can reach upper Extraordinary levels with even more powerful combat capabilities.
And they stand a higher chance of breaking through the shackles of life tier and stepping into the Legendary tier, becoming one of the most powerful demons—the Balor Flame Demon!
Balor Flame Demons have become the most common species to ascend to sub-demon lord status!
From the moment of their "birth," they already wield Legendary-tier strength.
Favored by the depths of Hell, they are granted extreme rights to wield chaotic energy.
These monsters wrapped in destructive flame are undoubtedly among the strongest of the legendary species.
In future battlefields and the material plane, these troublesome beings often appear.
Every time they manifest, they bring terrifying, calamitous disasters—like avatars of catastrophe.
Yet Matthew quite enjoys dealing with Balor Flame Demons.
And this infamous Flame Demon—Barok—is the very unit that first introduced players to both Flame Demons and Balors.
That's right—when it comes to recognition among players…
Even Bay Territory's brightest stars can't match this infamous Flame Demon.
The reason is simple: Barok loves interacting with players. He frequently issues various quests, using the players' personalities and traits to craft numerous "interesting" missions.
To put it plainly, many of Matthew's ideas for utilizing adventurers were inspired by Barok.
In Matthew's memory, Barok was originally supposed to be unearthed three years later.
That was when the first magical tide was set to arrive.
The surging tide of mana gave players a significant leap in power.
Only then could they break through the seal of the underground ruins in Death Desert and reach the core zone.
If Matthew remembered correctly, Flame Demon Barok was sealed in the Energy Allocation Control Center!
As Matthew pondered how to make use of Barok, he heard Ralph the butler's deliberately heavy footsteps.
Dressed to the nines, Ralph wore a light grey suit, tasteful and harmonious, embodying his elegance and decorum.
Unlike the overly elaborate etiquette of the elves—
Ralph's style bore strong personal flair, filled with the confidence and boldness unique to Bay Territory.
Of course, this also had to do with Ralph breaking through the high-tier ceiling and advancing into the Extraordinary tier, thanks to Bay Territory's growth and rising population.
As a rare level 18 Extraordinary Butler, Ralph was blazing an unprecedented trail.
He was becoming ever more adept at handling territory affairs.
He could implement Matthew's forward-thinking or puzzling policies in the most effective ways.
And he swiftly activated Bay Territory's self-correction mechanisms to patch up any flaws or oversights.
The faster Bay Territory developed, the brighter Ralph saw its future, and the more efficient his work became.
Of course, with the future plans in mind—
Ralph had already requested Matthew's analysis and chosen a set of useful skills to train Bay Territory's administrative staff.
They would gain some of the butler's skillset for more efficient management—
Without being shackled by class restrictions, they could still walk paths best suited to them.
In Bay Territory, this was very common.
Handing a thick stack of documents to Matthew, Ralph smiled slightly and said:
"The New Year's Eve ceremony is ready. Defense arrangements across all regions have been adjusted."
Matthew nodded with a smile and began reviewing the documents carefully.
They detailed the progress and development of various cities and regions in Bay Territory over the past year.
The results pleased Matthew greatly—he was eager to see how much surprise they would bring others when revealed.
"Other factions will surely make moves. Prepare in advance."
"Make sure the chosen adventurers are ready—give them a little Bay-style surprise."
Ralph, long since prepared, nodded confidently and replied:
"All materials are ready. Full-scale production will resume after the holiday."
"Security protocols are in place. Hopefully more fools come to die—there's still room in the new underground labs."
Matthew and Ralph then discussed regional development plans.
Once he confirmed all sectors were stabilizing and had fresh talent and systems, he was able to relax slightly.
He could now focus more on researching the seventh modification surgery.
With the conversation wrapped, Matthew dove into his research at top speed.
Nearby, Yaya sneaked a glance at him, quietly put down her completed arcane scroll, and tiptoed away.
She had already conspired with Oriana.
Their little group was hosting their own New Year's party.
Matthew noticed Yaya's movement but didn't mind, turning back to his experimental data.
Only the subtle curve of his lips betrayed his thoughts.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Cheerful knocks made little Jixiang raise her head instinctively.
She glanced at her big brother, who smiled and nodded. She quickly grabbed her storage bracelet and darted out.
Opening the door, she saw Yaya and Oriana munching on mulberries. She happily joined them and bit into a few, turning her mouth bright red.
Yaya patted the squirming Menglan in her arms, stopping the snack attack.
Used to it, little Menglan gleefully spat out a misty spray.
The mist solidified beneath their feet into a dense cloud, lifting them to their next destination.
There, Gugu suddenly woke up from a nap on Quan Quan's branches.
"Ah! Time's up—I almost overslept!"
Nearby, Lianna flipped through Druid spells and looked toward the flying figures, smiling and greeting Quan Quan:
"They're here. We can start dinner."
With a bright smile, Quan Quan raised her hand.
Lush green buds sprouted, weaving a small wooden house atop the vast canopy.
All the prepared delicacies were laid out.
Smelling the rich aromas, Yaya jumped down and pulled a magic television from her storage.
The magic TV absorbed ambient life energy and began broadcasting the pre-recorded show.
Oriana moved quickly, using agile spider golems to mount a sparkling crystal lamp on the ceiling.
Soon, the cabin was aglow.
Tiny, lovely bulbs twinkled like daytime stars.
Little Jixiang's eyes sparkled in awe. After a moment, she brought over freshly cultivated fruit for Quan Quan.
Curious, Quan Quan ate them all.
Her green eyes shimmered with joy as she tasted the new flavors.
With a flick of her fingers, several plants sprouted from the table, bearing bright red, tempting fruit.
Greedy Gugu was dazzled. She flew over, grabbed an apple as big as herself, and munched joyfully.
"Sweet…!"
Seeing her bury her head into the fruit, the girls couldn't help but laugh.
Their bell-like laughter rang through the air.
In the distance, the evening glow faded.
Returning home, people saw large boxes placed at their doors.
The top box was filled with food.
Opening it revealed fragrant, steaming dishes.
The next layer held snacks and little gifts—
Bay Territory's new products: mechanical watches, electric shavers, automatic magical cleaners…
Below that was a batch of training supplies for everyone.
In the coming days, everyone would train independently.
The bottom layer held a wide-screen magic TV.
Everyone happily unpacked, enjoying their territory's generous gifts.
Of course, the magic TV was the most exciting.
Though it wasn't their first time seeing one, they'd long awaited it.
With it, they could now enjoy vivid magical images right at home.
With better living conditions, spiritual enrichment became a natural pursuit.
Bay Territory didn't restrict this—Matthew knew that facing future dangers and pressures, people needed early exposure and awareness.
Compared to limited public outreach, free time at home each night was more useful.
Holographic projection.
Bay Territory's holographic system had finally reached a milestone.
The so-called magic TVs had now been distributed across the territory and strongholds.
They showcased Bay Territory's growth, notable people, moments—and adventurers too.
Year-End Recap:
A summary of Bay Territory's achievements.
Demonstrating their rapid development to kingdoms and lands afar.
Attracting more Professionals and talent.
Food and supply production reached new heights.
Internal lands fully absorbed—an implicit hint at outward expansion.
Awards and distribution.
Outstanding contributors were honored—
Not just fighters, but also inventors and workers improving labor methods.
They too received merit rewards.
Unexpectedly, Bay Territory's rewards weren't only for combat.
Every profession received tailored training methods to grow stronger.
This was Matthew's top focus alongside surgical modifications.
While munching pine nuts, Yudala cheerfully hummed and helped Rika hang the magic TV.
Behind the TV, they connected the mana channel. The dark screen lit up with Yaya soaring in the sky.
The screen changed, showing Bay Territory's towns and scenery.
Yudala lounged on a soft sofa, swinging her feet and sipping konjac milk tea.
Rika wiggled her ears, snuggled into the couch, and gnawed dried fish sticks.
Seeing halfling children play in a theme park, Yudala's eyes sparkled. She nudged her friend:
"Wow, that looks so fun! Should we try it too?"
Rika rolled her eyes. With rare time off, she just wanted to laze.
She grunted dismissively and pointed to footage of the New Continent:
"Hero City is huge now. Their mines are opening soon. We might be sent there to patrol."
"Let's see what's fun there—we just went to the theme park, remember?"
Yudala chuckled at the teasing and asked eagerly:
"The territory will send more staff to the New Continent next year. It'll develop fast—facilities too."
"But it's kinda boring. Nothing for us to do!"
Rika eyed the wall map and muttered:
"Safety is key. No war is good."
"With more free time, we can intensify training."
Thinking about the training, Yudala winced.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. She opened new snacks and dug in.
Only good food could heal her 'wounded' heart.
"You just want an excuse to snack!"
Rika exposed her instantly. As Yudala giggled, she grabbed another snack bag and munched hard.
"If I eat more, this clown eats less."
Not far away, another house was full of joy.
Ash was checking the study progress of young gray dwarves.
He glanced at some drunk kin nearby and shooed them off:
"Don't learn from them—drunkenness ruins everything."
The older kids shrank back, while the little gray dwarves nodded earnestly.
They spoke bluntly:
"Right! Our teacher gave us lots of examples. We're not drinking!"
"Yeah! Most booze tastes awful anyway. Juice is way better."
"Alcohol dulls the mind, ruins work and study, and leads to addiction…"
"…"
Ash's smile stiffened slightly, nodding with a helpless grin.
Compared to the dwarves' excitement—
Not far away, Elio lectured a group of mischievous tiefling children.
"Control your powers. No showing off or random casting."
"Complete control training properly, and you'll attend school with others."
"Disobey or pick fights, and don't blame me for not warning you!"
Some tiefling kids shrank back, clearly no strangers to trouble.
But others, having adjusted to life, weren't scared at all and replied sweetly:
"No problem! We'll practice properly."
"We love going to school—it's so fun!"
"We've all been good! No one's acting out."
The girls speaking had tiny fists but weren't intimidating in the least.
Elio chuckled but still patiently reminded them:
"Reason comes first!"
They nodded solemnly:
"Yup! We only fight unreasonable people."
Elio couldn't help but smile warmly.
...…