Chapter 117: Winning Hearts

On the second day of the Month of Deep Winter, Li De sent Isha to the White Tower to temporarily attend classes under Spark. He himself braved the heavy snow and returned to Dawn City. It had been over half a month since he last left Dawn City. During this time, through the White Tower, he had arranged for all the necessary magical materials needed to construct the mage tower in Dawn City. He had secretly instructed the Whispering Bats to transport them back. At this moment, he truly missed the city he had personally built. Flying in winter was not a pleasant experience. Although Li De transformed into a bat, the biting cold air inevitably slowed him down. However, flying through the snowstorm had its own unique charm. Though it was only the beginning of the Month of Deep Winter, the snowfall, as thick as goose feathers, had blanketed the entire landscape in white within just a single day. The world appeared an endless expanse of whiteness, as if everything had fallen into silence. But the strength of vampires could not be hindered by mere snowstorms. He sped forward relentlessly. Dawn City. This city, which had finalized its sustainable development strategy just two months ago, had already undergone tremendous changes. The once empty streets were now bustling with people, and on the main roads, some individuals could be seen sweeping snow with brooms. The clean and tidy streets bore no trace of the sewer stench that permeated Green City. Rekel, dressed in a thick black cotton coat, was polishing the sign of the grain store at the entrance, which read “Dawn City Grain Store.” The heavy snow easily obscured such signs. Since Dawn City abolished free grain distribution, Rekel and the entire logistics team had become the shop’s salespeople. The only difference was that this was the only place in Dawn City where grain could be bought or sold, and the logistics team also doubled as street cleaners, clearing snow and ice from the roads. “Rekel, when will this snow stop? Patrolling in the snow is so cold,” Oli complained as he entered the shop, wearing a new padded coat and sporting a red armband. “A new coat?” Rekel smiled faintly at Oli’s thick white padded jacket. “Of course! Aunt Manna sewed it herself, and it cost me a full fifty copper pucks.” Oli looked extremely proud. After the tailor shop opened, he had immediately placed an order for a coat. During this time, his salary from the security squad had been enough to afford good clothing. This winter was comfortable, and Oli sat contentedly beside the wood-burning fireplace inside the grain store. “Rekel, do you remember last winter? Around this time, weren’t we still hunting in the mountains?” Oli’s previously proud expression suddenly dimmed. “Unfortunately, Mike didn’t make it to this winter. If we had encountered the Saintlight Vampires last year, maybe... maybe Mike wouldn’t have left us.” Upon hearing that name, Rekel fell silent for a moment. He couldn’t forget the figure of Mike being gored by a wild boar and falling into an icy crevasse during a hunt last winter. “Yes, perhaps if we had met the Saintlight Vampires earlier, we wouldn’t have suffered so much.” Patril emerged from behind the shop with a reflective look. Who would have thought they would live the life they had always dreamed of in a city ruled by vampires? In previous winters, a few elderly and children in the small town would inevitably freeze to death. No matter how heavy the snow, they still had to go out hunting or searching for food. The Month of Deep Winter had always been the season they dreaded most. But in Dawn City, even this harsh season seemed manageable. This wasn’t just Rekel’s sentiment—it was the shared view of the more than 6,500 residents of Dawn City. Yes, 6,500 people. In just half a month, the Beastmen inexplicably withdrew some of their aerial forces, and the number of Wyverns patrolling the borders significantly decreased. Odys and the others seized the opportunity and brought back over 3,000 refugees. The current population of Dawn City had reached 6,500—no longer the same Dawn City from two months ago. Upon returning, Li De immediately headed to the City Hall. The City Hall had now become the heart of Dawn City, surrounded by the busiest and most vibrant areas. Several tailor shops, grain stores, and bakeries had opened nearby. “Good day, esteemed Lord Kachar.” “Lord Kachar, may the Goddess of Life bless you.” “Lord Kachar...” As Li De walked toward the City Hall, many humans recognized him and approached excitedly to greet him. Their faces were filled with gratitude and reverence. It was this lord who had given them the dreamlike life they now enjoyed—a feeling too profound for words. Li De responded with a faint smile, nodding occasionally and exchanging a few words. Those who received his response were ecstatic, looking as if they had been honored beyond measure. Among them, many newcomers to Dawn City were curious about the crowd’s excitement. Only after Li De left did they dare to ask furtively. “Was that gentleman from the security squad?” The now expanded security squad, consisting of 150 members, had completely taken over the city’s safety. In the eyes of the common folk, the security squad was an influential department, and its members were important figures. The resident who was asked looked proud and glanced disdainfully at the questioner. “Newcomer, aren’t you?” “How did you guess?” the man retorted defiantly. “If you don’t even recognize Lord Kachar, how can you claim you’re not new?” “Why should I recognize him? Is it mandatory?!” “Of course it is! That’s Lord Kachar, Master of Dawn city, our ruler! Everything we have has been bestowed upon us by Lord Kachar! The land you’ve been allocated, the food you eat, the house you’ve been assigned—all are gifts from Lord Kachar! Do you think it’s acceptable not to recognize him? Remember, newcomer, in this city, Lord Kachar is the sole master. The Saintlight Vampires he rules over are our protectors. Don’t ever ask such foolish questions again!” The resident who answered looked proudly at the surrounding crowd and left with his head held high. The expressions of those around varied—some were reverent, some fearful, and some grateful. Those who had witnessed Li De personally distributing land now numbered over 3,000. They had become the strongest supporters of the Saintlight Vampires and could not tolerate any criticism of them from newcomers. Several fights had even broken out over such matters recently. Unbeknownst to Li De, his brief passage through the City Hall gates had unintentionally sparked an argument. He arrived on the third floor, entering his office. Harrison and Augustine, upon learning of his return, rushed to report to him. “Good day, Clan Leader.” “Harrison, give me an update on the current situation in Dawn City.” Li De cut straight to the point. Though he had been away for over half a month, he stayed informed daily through his bats. However, more detailed issues still required their reports for him to fully grasp. “Yes, Clan Leader. Dawn City currently has a population of 6,534 people. All adults have been allocated land, but half of them have yet to receive farming tools.” “The mage tower being constructed under Marquis Emi’s supervision is incomplete due to the arrival of the Month of Deep Winter. It is expected to be finished by next spring’s planting season.” “Odys, Avi, Lucy, and Dylon have just gone to the border again. They found two groups of over a thousand refugees each and are expected to return in three days.” “There is one grain store in the city, selling at three copper pucks per pound. Each person is limited to purchasing three pounds per day. There is one tailor shop, which has organized all the tailors in the city to produce padded coats. However, yesterday I ordered the dissolution of the original tailor shop. Following individual preferences, they can establish their own tailor shops. Fabric and cotton can be purchased from the City Hall. There is one blacksmith shop, but it remains idle due to a lack of ore. There is one bakery, directly managed by the City Hall. Due to the shop’s booming business, many have inquired whether merchants can also operate bakeries. For this reason, I believe we can release part of the grain supply to encourage the establishment of more shops.” Though Harrison didn’t elaborate much, he addressed what Li De cared about most: population, the mage tower, and market development. These three areas were undoubtedly crucial. The population required no elaboration—so long as Odys and the others remained active on the borders, it would continue to grow. The mage tower’s construction would inevitably halt due to the cold, and Li De had already prepared for this. What troubled him now was the issue of market development in Dawn City. With a population exceeding six thousand, the city could now support a small-scale market economy. However, the lack of supplies left many skilled artisans and business-minded commoners helpless. After pondering for a moment, Li De decisively made a decision. “We can release part of the grain supply, but hoarding and reselling are absolutely forbidden. Additionally, issue a new decree encouraging the establishment of merchant guilds and shops. For those lacking funds, after approval from the City Hall, a certain amount of financial support can be provided. All newly established shops and merchant guilds will be exempt from taxes for one year. Afterward, they will pay commercial taxes. The specific tax plan will be discussed later.”