"Book of Shu Nine" from "Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volu 39": "The essential way of employing troops is to attack hearts first, cities second. Psychological warfare is supre; conventional warfare is secondary."
Previously, Zhuge Liang captured and released ng Huo seven tis to win the hearts of the Southern Barbarians. Only then did he feel at ease enough to launch a northern campaign.
Yan Xing now considered the Thunderous Swamp his backyard; naturally, he planned its managent with great care.
Only by having the Thunderous Swamp under his control could he calmly face the challenges from orcs, elves, humans... or other forces.
Since both the Werewolf Tribe and the Lizardn Clans were too exhausted to continue fighting, peace talks were the natural next step.
Although Yan Xing had once rejected overtures from the Werewolf Tribe and the Lizardn, he believed Clan Leader Qiao She and Clan Leader Lianzu would surely approach him again.
If both sides stalemated at Blood Crown Mountain wished to end the hostilities with dignity, they needed a significant diator for negotiations.
Looking across the entire Thunderous Swamp...
Apart from myself, who else is qualified for this task?
Therefore, Yan Xing had recently been busy preparing to host peace talks between the Werewolves and the Lizardn.
He was contemplating how to maximize his benefits from these talks and how to gradually bring the Thunderous Swamp under his control.
Violently overthrowing the current ruling class of Werewolves and Lizardn and militarily unifying the Thunderous Swamp was not suitable given the Eternal Domain’s current strength.
Even if he possessed the strength, Yan Xing was unwilling to invest all his forces in prolonged guerrilla warfare and pacification campaigns.
Constant fighting would only deplete his own resources.
Whether Werewolves or Lizardn, they are all my potential soldiers.
Therefore, to completely annex the Thunderous Swamp, the best thod was ideological and cultural invasion.
The Swamp Tribe had no experience resisting such an invasion, while Yan Xing had witnessed it far too often in his original world.
The first step was to cultivate an elite class among the Werewolves and Lizardn. They would be the first to experience the ideological and cultural impact of the Eternal Domain, elevating them from ’barbarians’ to ’civilized people.’
This would achieve internal division among the Werewolves and Lizardn. This process was going very smoothly.
The Werewolves and Lizardn training at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp readily accepted what the camp instilled in them.
Yan Xing didn’t even need to intentionally teach them anything. He influenced the Eternal Domain, and the Eternal Domain, in turn, influenced everyone who entered.
For the Werewolves and Lizardn who joined, the Blood Crown Mountain camp was like entering another world.
There, their established mindsets were shattered by new ideas.
It was like a frog, long confined to a well, suddenly leaping out to behold the vastness of the world.
The Werewolves and Lizardn training at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp were changing rapidly. They even worshipped Yan Xing with more fervor than the warriors of the Eternal Werewolf Tribe.
Upon returning to their own tribes and clans, they would unconsciously use the perspectives gained at the Blood Crown Mountain camp to critique the backward views of their own people.
The level of civilization among the Werewolves and Lizardn simply couldn’t withstand this ideological onslaught. Furthermore, they failed to realize that invasion wasn’t solely about war and bloodshed.
For Yan Xing, the Werewolves and Lizardn eligible to receive al tickets to dine at the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp were undoubtedly exceptional.
Through training, they would inevitably beco the backbone of their respective tribes and clans.
Then, the loyalty they felt towards the Eternal Domain would subtly influence their own people.
Finally, when each Werewolf Tribe and Lizardman Clan developed a sense of civilized belonging to the Eternal Domain, then, even if Yan Xing hadn’t nominally unified the Thunderous Swamp, it would, in essence, be a stable rear base that no one could snatch from him.
If a few Werewolf Tribes dared to cause trouble, the Eternal Domain wouldn’t even need to send troops to suppress them.
Quelling unrest... would rely require a single word from Master Yan Xing.
Thus, seeing the initial success of his cultural invasion plan, Yan Xing intensified his efforts to influence the trained troops while preparing for the peace talks with the Werewolves and Lizardn.
He increased the number of distributed al tickets.
Items like towels, water canteens, rations, clothing, helts, and boots were often left behind after training completion.
Sotis, daily necessities were distributed directly.
Soap, washbasins, dental chews, small mirrors...
The trained Werewolves were encouraged to keep themselves clean, wear decent clothes, and use products from the Eternal Domain.
Yan Xing didn’t even mind if Werewolves and Lizardn from outside audited the recently started literacy classes in the Eternal Domain.
When in a good mood, he would even organize an evening movie screening.
The Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain military camp, though not vast, was like a falling ocean of stars, rcilessly overwhelming the backward tribal civilizations of the Werewolves and Lizardn.
The elites of the Werewolves and Lizardn were undergoing an irreversible transformation.
This subtly included Clan Leader Qiao She and Clan Leader Lianzu.
Clan Leader Lianzu, accompanying Clan Leader Chang’e to the Eternal Domain’s Blood Crown Mountain camp, praised Lord Yan Xing profusely along the way. He did his utmost to lessen any hostility Clan Leader Chang’e might harbor towards the Eternal Domain.
Even upon arriving outside Yan Xing’s main tent, he reminded Clan Leader Chang’e, "Clan Leader Chang’e... I can tell that Lord Yan Xing has no ambitions for Blood Crown Mountain.
He is a generous and compassionate person who also truly knows how to enjoy life.
The Thunderous Swamp is honestly too barren for him.
That war was a misunderstanding; we were at fault from the beginning.
Now that you’ve witnessed the Eternal Domain’s military might, if Lord Yan Xing were to side with the Werewolf Tribe, we absolutely couldn’t defend Blood Crown Mountain.
Please, prioritize the future of our Lizardn."
Clan Leader Chang’e, anxious for Dragon Breath Liquor, replied, "I know! As I’ve said, my visit to Yan Xing this ti is for other matters."
Clan Leader Lianzu led Clan Leader Chang’e into Yan Xing’s main tent.
Yan Xing was seated in his commander’s chair, using a ruler and pen to draw lines on a map spread across the table.
Seeing Clan Leader Lianzu enter, Yan Xing, already familiar with him, casually gestured for them to sit, his attention still fixed on the map.
Clan Leader Lianzu introduced him to Yan Xing, "Lord Yan Xing, I’ve brought a guest this ti.
This is the sage of our Lizardn Clans, the sole Dragonkin, Clan Leader Chang’e."
Yan Xing’s interest was finally piqued.
A sage of the Lizardn Clans? His status must be very high.
The only Dragonkin... What on earth is a Dragonkin? I’ve never heard of it before.
As for Clan Leader Chang’e... that na sounds sowhat familiar.
It seems I’ve heard it sowhere before.
That’s right! Yan Xing rembered. During that forest ambush, he had interrogated captured Lizardman prisoners. They had said they ca from the tribe of Clan Leader Chang’e; their Clan Leader was nad Chang’e.
Moreover, he had personally fought against Chang’e. It was during that encounter the strange incident occurred where his Magic Lightning transford into explosive flas.
Later, Yan Xing and Chui Chui had cast Magic Lightning together many tis. Chui Chui even developed Magic Lightning to version 2.0, but it never replicated the transformation into explosive flas.
How could an Air Magic produce a Fire Magic effect?
Chui Chui, despite nearly overheating from his calculations, still hadn’t figured it out.
As Yan Xing recalled who Clan Leader Chang’e was, Chui Chui, already dressed as Sherlock Hols and holding a pipe, interjected, "Master, quickly ask him! How did your Magic Lightning turn into explosive flas?"
"I know, I know..." Yan Xing cald the eager Chui Chui, then nodded in greeting to Clan Leader Chang’e. "Respected Clan Leader Chang’e, greetings. There was an unfortunate incident between us, a misunderstanding that led to regrettable results.
Fortunately, that misunderstanding has been cleared up, and we haven’t continued down that erroneous path.
After that battle, so of your tribesn were captured by . They are currently working in my domain.
After so ti, I will release them and return them to you."
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