Chapter 649: I'll Be the Lady of the House
When she heard the news, Sera didn't show her usual gloating expression, but immediately opened the magic projection map.
Like a beehive, the pitted and uneven underground world appeared before everyone's eyes.
The underground world was not on a single level. Its intricate tunnels connected various larger underground spaces.
The surface-adjacent area was occupied by the Dwarven Kingdom, with over a hundred underground cities marked in light green as allies.
About twenty of them had turned gray ruins, among which three had been rebuilt and were now jointly guarded by the Bay Territory and the dwarves, marked in green.
In the area beneath the Dwarven Kingdom, more than a hundred cities of gray dwarves glowed faint yellow, with only about forty still lit.
Around thirty had turned into ruins, while the rest turned red, indicating enemy forces.
Most were occupied by mind flayers, while a small portion fell into the hands of the drow elves.
Among the more than thirty ruined cities, four green cities glowed faintly.
These were the rebuilt dungeons of Bay Territory.
They were also where Sera and the others were currently located.
As for the large area, it was located in the upper layers of the underground structure.
Being closer to the surface, it seemed particularly "lively."
Beneath the gray dwarf cities occupied by mind flayers lay a vast area of unexplored darkness, still unmapped.
Only a few giant passageways were recorded, faintly indicating remains of fortresses and mining zones.
That region belonged to the control zone of the Mind Flayer Empire.
In the perilous underground world, that place could also be called a "forbidden zone" for life.
Fortunately, beside that region was a vast area of light red drow elf cities.
The number of drow cities reached three to four hundred, occupying nearly one-third of the mid-layer structure underground.
Tens of millions of drow lived there, forming a very powerful force.
Unfortunately, under the Spider Goddess' deliberate indulgence, the drow had largely grown twisted.
Centered around cities and divided by family power, they became a bunch of mentally warped humanoid monsters.
Because of their fragmented state, they couldn't concentrate their strength to expand.
Even this time's invasion of the surface was more due to the Spider Goddess Lolth's order, forcing them to gather together.
Facing their arch-enemies, the Cole Elves, the drow mostly fought individually, sending slaves and cannon fodder to die.
However, there was one exception among the scattered drow—a massive dungeon.
That was the city hailed as the "Capital of the Drow"—Mobliso!
Mobliso housed over 5 million drow, controlled more than ten large drow cities nearby, and ruled tens of millions of slaves.
Mobliso occupied a resource-rich swath of the underground world, making it the strongest power in the drow realm.
It was under their rallying cry that the drow frequently launched attacks on the surface world.
Why would Mobliso do this?
According to ancient legends of the underground, the drow who ruled Mobliso were the same group that entered the underground from the surface thousands of years ago.
They had lived for millennia, wielded immense power, and bore an irreconcilable hatred toward the surface elves, which drove their relentless invasions.
Though Mobliso hadn't united all the drow, its influence over the major drow city-states was immense.
And now, the Mind Flayer Empire's vanguard army had set its sights on Mobliso—this message alone was enough for Sera to savor deeply.
In the past, Sera would've naturally assumed—
That the conflict between the Mind Flayer Empire and the drow meant Bay Territory could reap benefits.
Sitting back and watching, gaining without effort, seemed like the best choice.
But now, with training and growth, Sera had learned to view problems from a higher perspective.
Whether it was the Mind Flayer Empire or the powerful and deeply-rooted Mobliso, both were overwhelming behemoths for Bay Territory's dungeons.
Intervening recklessly, even minor fluctuations could lead to total disaster.
The rewards might be tempting, but so were the risks!
Still, Sera didn't feel fear—rather, she felt eager anticipation.
She didn't want to miss this massive shift. Steady, step-by-step development didn't suit the resource-scarce underground world.
Only when the old order shifted could opportunities for plundering arise.
Sera carefully examined the gathered intel and suddenly recalled the Lord's instructions and arrangements.
She looked at Gatel and the personnel and documents he had brought, and her eyes shone even brighter.
"The Mind Flayer Empire is entirely out of reach. Its development is fundamentally opposed to Bay Territory's growth."
"They need to enslave more intelligent beings and feed on their bodies and souls to grow."
"We, Bay Territory, aim to welcome more like-minded intelligent beings to grow together."
"To strengthen our dungeon forces, we must hunt mind flayers and free the slaves they control..."
At the core, both sides were irreconcilably opposed—destined eternal enemies.
Mind flayers must be struck down. In contrast, the drow must be approached for limited cooperation.
Of course, Sera understood all too well what kind of beings the drow were.
Cooperating with drow was riskier than bargaining with a tiger.
As for Mobliso, Sera didn't want to deal with them just yet.
Their strength was overwhelming, their organization massive, and their methods twisted and obscure.
Sera's ideal allies were the drow factions who followed Mobliso into battle!
Sera knew these scheming drow forces far too well.
In preserving strength and seizing their own loot, and internal rivalries—
These drow spent more effort on that than actually killing enemies.
Sera wasn't afraid of their scheming—only of their lack of ideas!
She carefully calculated the situation, and a flood of strategies filled her mind.
Soon, the residents of Bay Territory's dungeon learned of the massive upheaval about to rock the underground world.
Countless adventurers in the underworld held high hopes for the battles ahead.
At first, most of them had planned to flee this region to regain their lost freedom.
But the more they understood this place, the clearer the dangers became—and they gradually gave up on that unrealistic dream.
As time passed, they began working and adventuring with Bay Territory.
They began enjoying the benefits of Bay Territory's development.
To ordinary folk—
They found that aside from some limits on freedom, their lives were now richer and more vibrant than before.
With gourmet food from all corners of Bay Territory, they could eat something new daily and never worry about hunger.
Just that alone made former slaves—dwarves, drow, even many elves—feel deeply comforted.
Once basic needs were met, Bay Territory didn't let them idle.
If they couldn't plan their future, the territory would choose for them!
They could become Professionals for free and begin pursuing power, longevity, and better treatment.
The first two might not entice the long-lived races.
But better treatment? That tempted almost all intelligent beings.
The more they learned, the more they realized the superiority of Bay Territory's system.
When they began wondering whether leaving Bay Territory—abandoning everything—was worth chasing old freedom...
They started confronting a harsher truth.
Returning to their old society would feel like entering a smaller cage.
What once seemed like comfort was actually an illusion, a woven nest of false peace.
One slip, and they'd fall back into the same trap.
And next time, they might not be so "lucky" to land under Bay Territory's care.
The ones who realized this began embracing their current lives, striving to make them better.
Because within Bay Territory's domain, effort truly paid off!
As for the Professionals and soldiers still holding grudges—
They could resist Bay Territory's "sugar-coated bullets" a little longer.
Compared to common folk, they had broader visions.
They believed Bay Territory's promises would eventually be broken.
Only power in hand and ever-growing strength gave them peace of mind.
They thought they could secretly build up power.
And when they reached a certain point, break free of Bay Territory's chains.
Regain their precious freedom.
But then—
When they earned their first merits—
When they began absorbing the rich and delicious nutrients from Bay Territory's vast and free sea of knowledge—
When they received better and more accurate Professional paths and Feats from Bay Territory—
Their mindsets inevitably changed.
What Bay Territory offered—most Professionals and soldiers could never attain through effort in their old world.
Much of it was called "secret techniques," "special skills," "enhanced abilities," "improved spells," or "keys to advancement"—terms both thrilling and frustrating.
Most were out of reach. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't access them.
Some didn't even know such things existed.
In Bay Territory's ideological education—
This invisible force blocking their growth and resigning them to fate—
Was labeled one of their greatest enemies—Class!
Whether dwarves, gray dwarves, drow, Cole elves, humans, halflings—any intelligent race—this "thing" always appeared.
Normally—
It represented ancestral effort and legacy.
Represented better conditions passed to descendants.
Represented inherited will and blessings—a ladder to greater heights.
Then thinking beings began to realize—
Their effort, though fast, still couldn't compare—
To the yield of exploitation, to the leverage of crushing others' progress, to the widening gap it caused.
So, the vested-interest groups emerged, suppressing others' growth, seizing their gains, and converting them to their own benefits.
Using those benefits to cement their status—remaining forever "above all!"
Just like most Professionals and soldiers experienced!
They lost the chance to advance, no matter how hard they tried—
An invisible chasm always lay above them.
Forcing them to bow their heads.
To sigh...
To resign!!!
But upon arriving at Bay Territory, after undergoing some deserved punishments—
They were surprised to find—they had a path forward!
A wide road, easy and smooth for those willing to walk it.
They could learn knowledge, gain combat techniques, and master job-related skills.
These were real upgrades, helping them rise further.
Gradually, they changed their views on Bay Territory.
They suddenly felt—if they could keep living here, keep advancing through the Professional path—
They had a real chance to realize old dreams, climb to higher peaks, gain the power they once longed for.
It wasn't a fantasy—it was happening to them.
After just one month of living here—assuming they didn't unluckily die in a sub-1% fatality quest—
Most Professionals could gain at least one level!
The longer they stayed, the more resources, merits, and better jobs they acquired, the faster they grew.
Some had already broken past their innate limits, reaching new peaks with Bay Territory's help and their own accumulated effort.
So, they often "lied to themselves."
That staying here—living, working, adventuring—was all for growth and a better future.
Bay Territory had promised—complete the tasks, endure the work terms, and they'd earn the right to leave.
So why not seize the chance and fight hard?
Even if they never said it aloud—
In their hearts, they knew very well—
Once they left Bay Territory and returned to their old lives—
They'd almost certainly lose their current rapid growth environment.
That's why, even as more people entered the dungeons—
Everyone tacitly followed Bay Territory's orders.
First, they wanted to survive.
Second, they wanted a better life.
Third, they wanted to set foot on a higher path.