Harrison shook his head with a bitter smile.
"My lord, the mithril vein is extremely difficult to mine. Most of the beastmen are already working there. If we reassign some of them, it'll definitely slow down the mithril mining progress."
Li De shook his head and made a decisive decision.
"No need to overcomplicate things. Reassigning one to two thousand beastmen to mine iron ore won't have a major impact.
The yield of mithril ore was never high to begin with, so if it drops a little, so be it. We won't be engaged in any high-intensity wars in the short term anyway.
We can temporarily postpone equipping our top combat forces with mithril gear. For now, let's prioritize resolving the iron ore shortage.
The trade with the centaur tribe can be elevated to a higher priority.
The Crimson Mage Tower is currently lacking a large amount of magical raw materials. The production of magic scrolls cannot be interrupted, this is crucial to our development."
"Yes, Patriarch." Harrison nodded. Since Li De had made a decision, all he needed to do was execute it.
"All right, go make the arrangements. Dawn City will be incredibly busy during this period. If things become overwhelming, delegate some of the less important tasks to the think tank.
An individual's strength will always be limited.
You need to learn how to leverage the power of systems and teams."
City Hall was already well-established and fully capable of handling many administrative affairs. There was also a dedicated think tank specifically formed to solve problems. Harnessing their strengths was far more effective than working hard alone.
"As you wish."
After giving his instructions, Li De didn't linger. Government affairs were endless, and these decisions had already been made. He would leave the follow-through to Harrison, he didn't have time to waste on minor matters.
He pulled Castro out from his coat, letting this First-generation primal king return to his original form, then took off with a group of Whispering Bats bearing heavy armor, heading toward the Dwarven Hills, a minimum of 1,500 kilometers from Dawn City in a straight line.
---
Risel City's secret base.
Although it had already been razed to the ground by Witherbone, the centaurs did not leave. Instead, they had set up camp there.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for the powerful figure who would bring them the long-awaited equipment.
"Patriarch Sam! I am an Earl of Risel City! I beg to redeem my life with Gold Pucks!
I am a noble of the Nolan Empire! I have the right to do so!"
A shrill voice echoed through the cave.
Standing at 3.5 Blades tall, with a black horse's lower body and a humanoid upper body, the Level 15 centaur Patriarch Sam was patrolling the cave beside the wide river.
The nobles who had fled from Risel City were now tied up and thrown onto the open ground inside the cave.
Massive stalactites hung from above, and the sharp stone spikes looked like long, pointed swords, with faint droplets of water clinging to them.
The December wind continuously blew in from outside, and the chill from the river made the already drafty cave feel even colder.
At this moment, the Risel City nobles captured by the centaurs were all pale-faced. The luxurious clothes they once wore, worth dozens of Gold Pucks, now looked no different from a beggar's rags, covered in dark stains and reeking of a sour stench.
Everyone's eyes were filled with despair. It had been three days since they were captured.
No one could've imagined that after escaping the beastmen's siege, they would end up as captives of the centaurs.
Moreover, these centaurs never negotiated and were difficult to communicate with. Most of the prisoners had already resigned themselves to death.
After prolonged starvation, these former nobles of Risel City had lost even the most basic strength to resist.
Hearing that wretched cry, Sam turned his head toward the source of the voice.
What met his eyes was a plump nobleman, dressed in what was once a pristine white formal outfit now covered in black stains, looking utterly disheveled. Sam's expression grew slightly amused.
The gruff voice of the Level 15 centaur Patriarch rang out.
"An Earl of Risel City? What price can you offer?"
Hearing Sam's response, the middle-aged noble who had identified himself as an earl looked overjoyed. He had been wailing here for three days, and this was the first time the centaurs had answered him.
"Anything you want! Armor, weapons, Gold Pucks, even slaves, women, anything you desire! Respected centaur Patriarch, I am an earl, I am wealthy!"
At those words, Sam's face suddenly twisted with fury. He stepped forward and grabbed the man by the throat with one hand, lifting the 280-pound noble high into the air.
The towering centaur Patriarch was like a wall made of solid rock, imposing and powerful.
"Cunning human! The Ironhoof Tribe will never fall for your tricks again!!"
With a savage expression, Sam tightened his grip, unleashing terrifying strength. Amid bloodcurdling screams, he hurled the noble from over twenty Blades away straight into the river.
The bound noble couldn't resist at all. His muffled cries echoed as he choked on water, then slowly sank to the bottom.
"Liars!! All of you liars deserve to die!!"
Even after killing the human, Sam was still seething with rage, glaring fiercely at the terrified crowd around him.
His tone was filled with resentment and fury, as though that noble's words had stirred up painful memories.
The Ironhoof Tribe had suffered at the hands of humans for many long years. Some of his own tribesmen had even been lured into slavery by human nobles.
This had filled Sam with an extreme distrust of all humans.
Due to Risel City's prohibition, ordinary merchants didn't dare trade with the centaurs. And those who did take the risk were rarely decent people. They would scam the centaurs for all they were worth, not knowing if there would be another chance to do business.
As a result, the human reputation in the Dwarven Hills was utterly rotten. Not just Sam, nearly all the centaurs in the region held the same view of humans.
These cunning humans were loathed by the centaurs.
The remaining Risel City nobles, upon witnessing this scene, felt a surge of panic in their hearts. Their expressions grew even more despairing.
From the moment Risel City fell, they knew they would be forced to flee, but they never imagined such a horrific disaster would follow.