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That is, for most of the past year, little Murphy had been slacking off and taking care of her, this vampire wreck who could hardly take care of herself. His real growth only happened in the last twenty-odd days.

Sheesh!

Thinking about it this way, little Murphy’s talents were indeed terrifyingly monstrous!

Perhaps guessing what Tris was thinking, Murphy’s expressionless hand on her shoulder gave a firm squeeze, immediately bringing her back to her senses.

Alright.

This can’t be said.

Especially about Murphy and his otherworld warrior status, that absolutely cannot be mentioned.

It seems the spirit dog tags Tris made for the little players were quite useful, at least Palanno, who walked the physical job path, didn’t discover that the players were summoned beings from another realm.

“As Tris said, I am an outright ‘semi-illiterate’ among the vampire clan groups,” Murphy sighed in pretended helplessness, then looked at Palanno and said, “Perhaps you could explain the Black Disaster to me. I only know that it is a monster alliance that erupted from the Dark Mountain Range, and they mass charge towards various parts of the continent every hundred years or so, but I am completely unaware of the specific causes.”

“Well, your summary is already quite precise,” the First Lord smiled and casually took out a folded map from his bag.

The most absurd thing was that this item also had that intense rose fragrance, making Murphy’s eyes twitch involuntarily.

Hey, brother, I know your persona is a charming playboy, but there’s no need for your personal style to be this overwhelming. I mean, you’re really a bit too extreme, you know.

“Shaa”

With Palanno’s spirit support, the map unfolded before Murphy’s eyes.

This thing was extremely huge, clearly a military-grade map, but it only depicted the terrain of the Dark Mountain Range area, not the entire continent.

The so-called Dark Mountain Range was not a simple single mountain! Its area was immense, stretching from the western borders of the Ancient Calum Kingdom in the east to the eastern line of the Genoa Peninsula in the west, bordering the narrow Misty Coast to the south, and reaching north to the line from Transia to the Kafhoka Plains.

Just this three-sided mountain range, with one side bordering the sea, occupied a quarter of the continent’s total area, four times larger than the entire national border of the Portia Federation where Transia was located!

If viewed from a planetary orbit, the Dark Mountain Range would appear like a black scar on the continent, resembling a scabbed-over wounded area. Such a vast region could not possibly consist of only mountainous terrain; in reality, the description “Dark Mountain Range” merely referred to the encircling mountain ranges surrounding this enormous area.

From Palanno’s detailed map, one could discern that the Dark Mountain Range was filled with various terrains such as swamps, plains, chasms, deserts, and even inland lakes and snow-capped mountains.

This military map from the Blood Pact Knights also specifically marked the different areas controlled by different forces within the Dark Mountain Range.

The plains and swamps ruled by the Gnoll tribes, the mountain peaks occupied by man-eaters, the eternal chasms and mysterious gloomy domains of the Shadow Elves, vast expanses of gray deserts and salt dead seas, as well as some scattered minor forces.

For instance, the Fortress of Sins, Burning Peak, and Hunger Mountain, among others.

Just this map alone opened Murphy’s eyes wide, and as his gaze precisely scanned over every part of the map, the areas originally shrouded in mist except for the Transia region in the testing management system’s map function were also “lit up,” covering the entire Dark Mountain Range area in the style of the Blood Pact Knights’ military map.

Yay!

Isn’t this just new maps and new expansion content?

The little player was overjoyed!

“The reason the Dark Mountain Range is Dangerous is not only due to the barbaric Gnoll tribes, Kobolds, and Goatmen subordinate clans active there, but also because the entire Dark Mountain Range area has been shrouded in polluted and rampant spirits since the beginning of the era.

Those polluted spirits seeping underground gave birth to life forms that are wild and bellicose, with no semblance of civilization to speak of.”

Palanno’s finger slid across the map before him as he said in a low voice:

“However, the Dark Mountain Range does have a complete food chain and ecosystem within it. It is this food chain that maintains the basic stability of this savage region, based on those polluted spirits and causing the life forms there to breed extensively, constantly facing fierce challenges to complete the metamorphosis of death.

Take the Gnolls for example!

They are very fertile.

But their death rate in the harsh environment of the Dark Mountain Range is also very high, barely maintaining a slow growth of the tribe to prevent any major upheaval.

Unfortunately, the polluted spirits in the Dark Mountain Range have a rather peculiar ‘periodic variation’.

For a very long time, this variation was unknown until the first major ‘pollution depletion’ event occurred in the year 645 of the era.

The polluted spirits shrouding the Dark Mountain Range suddenly weakened to an almost ‘calm’ state within a few years, allowing life from the outside to truly enter this area for exploration. But the abrupt change in spirits disrupted the already fragile food chain and ecosystem within the Dark Mountain Range.

With the improved living environment, the Gnolls began to proliferate rapidly, spawning a massive barbarian army within just five short years.

They started conquering the surrounding forces for territory, herding the Kobolds and Trolls along as they advanced outwards from the Dark Mountain Range in pursuit of more food and resources.

That was the first Black Disaster in history!”

The First Lord pointed at the eastern mountain entrance and northwestern exit of the Dark Mountain Range, glancing at Murphy as he said:

“The scale of that Black Disaster was not large. The Gnoll tide’s eastern invasion was held back by the Brass Citadel built by the Brass Dwarves at the entrance of the Dark Mountain Range. However, they soon found another unguarded exit in the northwest.”

“Foul Swamp!”

Murphy narrowed his eyes, and he could guess what happened next without the First Lord’s description.

“Yes, the Foul Swamp in the southernmost part of the Transia region, the largest swamp terrain on the continent, a natural barrier separating the continental core from the Dark Mountain Range,” Tris took over, sipping her wine while sighing.

“I had not been born during the first Black Disaster, but from the records of the Blood Vulture Clan, I learned of the tragedy at that time.

Over 200,000 Gnolls and their subordinate clans charged savagely through the Foul Swamp, dispersing into the then clan-based Transia region, and nearly all the human tribes in the area were wiped out within half a month.

Afterwards, the Gnolls pushed east and west. The free cities of Silan paid the price of one-third annihilation to withstand the Gnoll tide.

The Nord clans were able to protect their great wilderness with the aid of the Frost Dwarves, the Thorn Clan, and their North Wind deity.

It took the human clans fifteen years to drive the Gnolls back into the Dark Mountain Range.

The Vampires also started to deeply bond with humans from that time.

It was our first time fighting side by side with humans, and back then, we still firmly held the leadership.

But the first Black Disaster was not entirely bad.

Five years after the end of the Black Disaster, the free cities of Silan in the Anju, Bourbon, and Saxony regions took the lead in unifying under the wartime alliance system.

They established the first human kingdom of Silan.

Subsequently, the Isa Kingdom on Greenleaf Island also began a unification war, while the Nordtov Kingdom was the last to be established, but ultimately conquered the Winter Descendants of the great wilderness hundreds of years later, still descendants of the human hero king Boris who first resisted the Gnolls that year.

It can be said that it was the first Black Disaster that erupted in the year 650 of the era that shaped the current human civilization.”

“And the Portia Federation?” Murphy said, “The establishment of this region we’re in was also due to the Black Disaster?”

“That was the second Black Disaster,” Tris waved her hand, casually speaking like a historian should, “The second Black Disaster erupted in the year 720 of the era, but its scale was smaller, more like a remnant counterattack from the first one.

Although the Gnolls broke through the Foul Swamp again, the prepared human allied forces firmly sealed them within the Transia region. With the swift response from the Dwarves of the Brass Citadel, after three years of fighting, they successfully drove the Gnolls back into the Dark Mountain Range.

After that, humans realized the connection between the Transia region and the Dark Mountain Range. No kingdom was willing to take over this desolate land that would always suffer from turmoil.

With no choice, the kingdoms of Silan, Isa, and Nordtov each sent a batch of unlucky aristocrats to station here, along with border residents who migrated here, establishing the political framework of this place.

That was the initial form of the Portia Federation.

They said it well back then! They claimed to emulate the privileges of the Dwarven Gaia Wardens of the Brass Citadel, bestowing upon the chosen aristocrats the sacred duty of ‘defending civilization’ and the right to establish an independent nation.

Unfortunately, the three major kingdoms’ covert manipulations prevented the entire Portia Federation region from ever establishing a truly unified nation, and the alliance of the seven free cities of the Portia Federation was also a reluctant measure.

The Blood Vulture Clan also took control of the Transia region at that time.

Back then, the human aristocrats and kings even praised Salrokdar’s actions here as a ‘glorious undertaking’, but 400 years later, we became the shameless night thieves who stole their lands in the eyes of humans.”

“How do you know this history so clearly?” Murphy looked at Tris in surprise. The crimson witch rolled her pretty eyes and said, “Because before becoming a Vampire, I was a Spirit Mage and historian, and this history happens to be something I personally experienced. I was born in the year 660 of the era, right when the first Black Disaster was about to end, so I basically witnessed the entire process of the Portia Federation’s birth.

Ten years before the second Black Disaster erupted, I was initially embraced by Salrokdar while battling a severe illness, officially beginning my life as a Vampire.”

“Then you’re only 451 years old,” Murphy said softly. “Less than 500 years, yet you always claim to be 500 years old. It’s a natural instinct for ladies to understate their age, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone intentionally exaggerating their age. You’re truly a weirdo, Tris, in every sense of the word.”

“You shut up! Mind your own business!” Tris stepped on Murphy’s left foot in displeasure and said, “We’re discussing serious matters here! Palanno, you continue.”

“No problem, I can wait a bit,” the playboy knight lord looked at the interesting interaction between this pair with an age gap of 432 years, waving his hand as he said, “The way you two interact is quite amusing. I haven’t seen such a friendly relationship between an elder and a blood descendant in many years, even in the Blood Pact Knights, such exchanges are rare.”

“You shut up!” Murphy and Tris chided in unison, causing Palanno to shrug before continuing from where Tris left off.

“The third Black Disaster occurred in the year 860 of the era. Its scale was similarly small, to the point where everyone involved in resisting the Black Disaster felt that perhaps we were too worried about this once-in-a-century calamity?

After all, with the growth of various civilized forces, the Gnoll tide that could once easily overwhelm the continent seemed to have become a ‘natural phenomenon’ not worth too much attention. The third Black Disaster didn’t even require the Dwarves’ involvement, as the human allied forces alone were enough to contain the Gnolls in the southern part of Transia without letting them advance an inch.

However, facts proved that the Gnolls were not stupid.

At the very least, not as stupid as we imagined, for they could also learn and inherit knowledge.”

The First Lord narrowed his eyes, his finger circling an area of forest at the southern foothills of the Dark Mountain Range as he said:

“During the third Black Disaster, the Gnoll warlord did not dispatch all their warriors. Instead, while traditionally attacking the Brass Citadel and invading Transia, they also sent a special Gnoll force to seize this Moss Valley from the Shadow Elves.

This is one of the rare areas in the Dark Mountain Range with a mild climate and abundant food, and most crucially, it suffers very little interference from the polluted spirits.

I don’t need to describe what will happen next.”

Palanno stood up, casually plucking a white rose and lightly sniffing it beneath his nostrils. With his artistic motion, the story of the Black Disaster also arrived at its most critical turning point.

“In the year 1000 of the era, the fourth Black Disaster arrived as scheduled!

Due to the unified decision reached by the leaders during the third Black Disaster, aside from the stubborn Brass Dwarves not reducing the defensive forces of the Brass Citadel, all other forces unanimously withdrew part of their military might dedicated to defending against the Black Disaster.

Meanwhile, the Gnolls who had been secretly accumulating strength in the Moss Valley for 140 years erupted this time under the leadership of a great warlord called ‘Bonecrusher’!

Not only did they have an army more than ten times larger than the third Black Disaster, but even more terrifyingly, they had also spawned spirit individuals en masse.

No one knows where the Gnolls learned these abilities, but they had established spellcasting units.

Thus, in the first month of the fourth Black Disaster, the entire Portia Federation fell except for Kadman City, Sognor City, and West Coker City! The neighboring Kafhoka Plains, Ice Bay, Saxony, eastern Prussia, and the Cato region’s borders all became playgrounds for the rampaging Gnolls.

By the time the stunned human civilization reacted, the Black Disaster had escalated from a torrent into a deluge. In the sixth month, the Gnoll vanguard even reached the outskirts of North Wind Fortress.

But just like a replay of the first Black Disaster!

In the final moments before the extinction of their civilization, humans finally achieved unconditional unity.

The decadent Silan nobles in our eyes reclaimed their ancestral glory, with King Louis VI personally leading the Knights of the Royal Guard to the front lines. The Isa Kingdom also spared no effort, dispatching all their warships across the Dangerous northern seas, braving storms and sea monsters to aid Nordtov.

Most importantly, the last human nation that had been coldly watching everything unfold, the Ancient Calum Kingdom existing for over 800 years in the post-era history, finally intervened in the Black Disaster for the first time.

The mysterious and powerful Dragonbloods crossed the White Mountains border with the Nordtov Kingdom, and those brave warriors who believed in the Astral Realm dragons came to support Nord’s precarious kingdom across the great wilderness.

Additionally, when the Gnolls on the western front crossed into the Antania region and foolishly burned the Elves’ emerald forests, this finally enraged the Castilia Elves who rarely interfered excessively in continental affairs.

With the majestic Amastar summer fleet carrying twenty-seven Forest Ranger legions and three Storm Druid legions, they executed an unprecedented glorious landing on the Misty Coast. United with their ancient distant kin, the thirteen Shadow Elf clans living in the Eternal Chasm, they launched a rear assault on the Gnoll defense lines in the Dark Mountain Range.

All the civilizations and races of the continent were united, and faced with such force, the Black Disaster that had once threatened to overwhelm the continent was finally effectively contained.

When the grand Sanghai Empire also dispatched their magnificent Sun Ship to join the battlefield, precisely annihilating the tribe of the great warlord Bonecrusher in southern Transia, the Bonecrusher King fled into the Foul Swamp without a trace.

The fourth Black Disaster, after eight years of rampage, finally entered the difficult counterattack phase.

Ultimately, it took us a full ten years, at the cost of nearly 400,000 warriors of various races and millions of civilian sacrifices, to drive the Gnolls back into their mountains once more.

From then on, no one dared underestimate the Black Disaster again!

And the trauma inflicted by the fourth Black Disaster has yet to heal on the continent even 111 years later. The former Transia region once had nearly 2.3 million people, but now there are less than 400,000 left, and that was just the number before the ten-year war began.”

Palanno turned his head in the silent tent, looking at Murphy’s solemn face as he said softly:

“Now, another Black Disaster is already brewing, and we have discovered abnormal activity among all the Gnoll tribes across the entire Dark Mountain Range, while this cycle of pollution depletion in the Dark Mountain Range has entered its final stage.

At the very least four months, at most six months, and the fifth Black Disaster will be fully formed!

At that time, Murphy, as the current sole free lord of the Transia region, whether you are willing or not, you will have to bear the sacred duty bestowed upon the Portia Federation at its establishment.

Either embody an iron wall to block the Black Disaster!

Or be mercilessly devoured by it.

This is the cruel rule that all who wish to establish dominion in Transia must face. Unfortunately, you have already joined this game, and so far, you are the only candidate.

If you want to run, Lord Payne will personally teach you what Blood Clan dignity means!”

Murphy had no intention of running. He merely blinked, glancing at the rather subtle six-month completion period on his “main quest”, with all his doubts dawning upon him in that moment.

Well, I did wonder why this madly obsessive management system so generously gave me half a year to develop, but it turns out this is what awaits me.

Damn!