Beneath the Red Dragon

The impact of the Giants came so quickly, but it ended just as rapidly.

This is a common occurrence on the frontiers of the Golden Empire’s domains, not just in Bay Stream City. Apart from the stable major cities and towns in the central regions of the Empire, they are all engaged in daily skirmishes with surrounding races and monsters.

However, this has become commonplace in the eyes of the residents of Bay Stream City, even though these Giants are somewhat stronger than some monster species.

After a small-scale war ended, apart from the Defense Corps in the city who still maintained their posts, the residents of the city had already spontaneously stepped out and began to clean up the battlefield outside the city.

Giant corpses, beheaded by Imperial Guard Warriors, were scattered across the battlefield, and dense piles of Ogre and Giant Demon species bodies were piled high, stirring the curiosity of the Bay Stream City residents who walked back and forth in front of the enormous Giant bodies.

”What a pity, these Giants, they are so tall and strong,” a middle-aged farmer rolled up his sleeves and struggled to thread the cart rope through the arm of a Hill Giant.

Looking at the still bulging arm muscles of the dead Hill Giant, he couldn’t help but sigh: ”If we could capture these Giants, think how much land they could plow for us in a day!”

”What are you thinking? These Giants might seem like great workers, but they definitely eat a lot too,”

another farmer muttered: ”These big guys, unless they’re willing to eat grass, we can’t afford to keep such slaves. After all, due to the current Empire policies, there is a shortage of slaves in our Empire, and the prices are very expensive. Renting or buying them requires spending a large amount of grain.”

This is the common perception among most residents of the Golden Empire now. Influenced by the Empire’s policies and propaganda, they maintain a passion for land cultivation.

Despite their simple attire of plain linen, with the tilt of policies in recent years and their own efforts, even the slightly diligent farmer families have accumulated grain that would make the nobility in other regions envious.

Even after supporting the consumption of the Beastman war, most independent farmer families still live relatively abundant lives among the most ordinary lower class.

In the hands of the increasingly large number of farmers, the barren lands and lush forests of the Golden Empire have been transformed into rough plots of land, planted with crops selected by the Ministry of Agriculture according to the suitability of the land, making the entire Empire flourish.

It is precisely this vast foundation that supports the consumption needed to operate the entire Empire.

”I wonder if those Ogres and Giant Demons will be rented or sold at cheap prices. If the price is right, I’m planning to rent or buy a couple of not-too-smelly big guys to help with some chores,”

”Next year, I also plan to respond to the proclamation issued by Carlette of Bay Stream City, to go beyond the Three Mountains to the marshlands and cultivate some land, as a way to save some capital for my family’s young lad.”

The older farmer, while pushing the Hill Giant’s corpse onto a wooden cart, gazed eagerly at the Giant Subspecies and slaves being herded and gathered by Storm Giants and the Golem Legion, kneeling with their heads in their hands.

The current policies of the Golden Empire stipulate that, except for certain special cases, the vast majority of slaves have the ladder to climb upward and change their class, so the corresponding rules have been altered.

The sovereignty of slaves no longer belongs to individuals but to the entire Empire.

However, these slaves can be rented or sold by the Empire at low prices to residents of the Empire and at high prices to outside merchants. They only have control and usage rights over the slaves, not permanent sovereignty over them.

Therefore, those who purchase slaves are also not allowed to wantonly kill or harm these slaves rented or sold by the Empire. Of course, these policies are clearly not something the Five-Color Dragons could devise; only the benevolent Metal Dragon would think so thoroughly.

”Ah, what a pity for these big guys, they look like great material for doing work and plowing. Even if they eat a bit more, I could feed them pig chaff, I suppose it would work. Those brave Warriors were too careless,”

The older farmer was still reluctant, examining the scattered Giant corpses like fine cattle and horses, with the massive Mountain Giant lying in the center of the battlefield like a small hill, the blood of the Giant already soaking the ground.

”Hush, keep your voice down. Those Warriors are said to be the Near Guard of the Empire’s Supreme Emperor. They generally don’t take action, but when they do, they leave no survivors,”

The surrounding people instantly glanced in awe and admiration at the tall Warriors who had regrouped, holding giant heads and waiting for the guiding light to descend.

”Nowadays, young people take pride in being able to join the Empire’s various Legions, becoming Warriors who protect the homeland and open up territories. But Warriors from the Empire’s Legions take pride in joining the Imperial Guard,”

The older farmer couldn’t help but sigh: ”When I was young, I wandered many places, but the noble armies elsewhere were just bands of ruffians gathered together; they were no different from the Ogres, stripping the land bare wherever they went.”

”Ordinary people were afraid to come into contact with these people, but who would’ve thought that one day, someone would take pride in joining the Legion!”