Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

The oppressive atmosphere in the city hall didn’t last long.

When Velin calmly accepted the decree and politely asked when the church’s artisans would arrive, the gentle smile on Priest Fabian’s face froze for an instant.

He had anticipated Velin’s anger, indignation, and even a vehement public protest.

But he had not expected this calmness.

"The church’s artisans will arrive with the Lord’s gospel." Fabian bowed slightly, his posture impeccable.

"Very good."

Velin nodded, then handed the Scroll to Tristan, who was standing behind him, for safekeeping.

He turned to the crowd in the hall, their expressions a mix of emotions, and his voice carried clearly to every corner.

"The decree has been read. The glory belongs to every builder of the Grey Marsh Territory!"

"Tonight, there will be a celebration in the city hall square! Everyone can use their merit points to redeem double the food and ale!"

After a moment of silence, a cheer erupted, even more thunderous than before.

The news spread quickly throughout the city.

To the common townsfolk, the church’s terms were a distant concern. Double the food and ale—that was true, tangible happiness.

Smiles returned to people’s faces as they began to chatter excitedly about the evening’s feast.

Tristan watched Velin’s composed back, his heart shaken.

’This young Baron possesses a power that can effortlessly sway the hearts of men.’

’He always finds the most direct way to resolve a crisis and unite the people.’

As night fell, hundreds of massive bonfires were lit throughout the city, painting half the sky crimson.

The long tables were laden with an unimaginable array of dishes.

There were no common roasts or stews, but rather a collection of uniquely shaped and fragrant foods.

One dish, called "Crimson Oil Marsh-Crocodile Tendon," was cooked in the oil of some spicy, red herb. The crocodile tendons were processed to be soft and chewy. The first bite brought a fiery, searing pain, followed by a sensation of pure, exhilarating pleasure.

Then there was a delicious stir-fried mushroom dish, made by slicing three different types of marsh mushrooms and stir-frying them quickly over a high flame, preserving their fresh flavor to the utmost and creating a layered texture.

The royal messenger sat primly beside Velin, having never seen this style of cooking before.

"Lord Baron, these... these dishes are truly unique." He carefully speared a golden-brown, lightly battered piece of fish with his fork.

"Try it. It’s a local specialty." Velin filled his cup with fruit wine. "I call it ’Salt and Pepper Fish Bites.’"

The messenger put the piece of fish into his mouth. The outer shell was crispy, while the fish inside was tender and juicy. A peculiar mixture of numbing spice and salt, blended with the fish’s natural sweetness, exploded across his taste buds.

His eyes lit up, and all his previous restraint was thrown to the wind.

"This is delicious! It’s... it’s an unprecedented experience!"

"I’m glad you like it." Velin smiled and asked, as if casually, "Speaking of which, that Priest Fabian from today seemed quite distinguished. I imagine he holds a high position in the church?"

The messenger had already drunk half a cup of fruit wine, and his tongue was loosened.

"High is an understatement!" he said in a low voice. "Lord Fabian, just three years ago, was the bishop of the artisans’ district church in Senyu City, the capital of Forest Sea Province. They say that when he preaches, he can cause the Holy Light to resonate, making even the most stubborn bandits kneel in repentance. His achievements in recent years have been so outstanding that Archbishop Augustine himself recalled him to Holy Zelheim to entrust him with great responsibilities."

"I see. A devout preacher," Velin said, lost in thought.

In another corner of the square, Priest Fabian was surrounded by several clerks and scholars from Newly Town.

"Your Reverence, regarding the dialectical relationship between ’divine grace’ and ’self-salvation’ in Volume Three, Section Seven of the Holy Scripture, we have some underdeveloped thoughts we’d like to consult you on..."

"Your Reverence, do you believe the light of the Lord of Eternal Radiance might manifest in different forms depending on the medium? Through a prism, for example..."

Fabian was so entangled by these tricky and bizarre questions that he couldn’t get away, and the gentle smile on his face looked a little stiff.

The banquet lasted late into the night.

Slightly buzzed, Velin left the noisy square alone.

He didn’t linger on the streets, returning directly to the Lord’s Mansion.

He passed through the living room, entered his bedroom, and approached the massive oak wardrobe that took up half a wall.

After confirming he was alone in the room, his fingers traced a specific sequence over the intricate carvings on the wardrobe door.

With the soft sound of a mechanism, the heavy wardrobe slid silently to one side, revealing a hidden doorway disguised by Stone Skin Soft Vine.

He stepped inside, and the door and wardrobe slowly slid back into place behind him.

The clamor of the outside world was completely cut off.

He walked down a wide, descending ramp. The walls were embedded with a type of Crystal Stone that emitted a soft white light, illuminating the entire passage as if it were day.

The deeper he went, the more open the space became.

Finally, an incredibly magnificent subterranean world unfolded before his eyes.

This was an Underground City under construction.

The dome of the enormous natural cavern was so high it was out of sight, dotted with countless glowing fungi and mosses, like an inverted starry sky.

The air was warm and humid.

The ground had been leveled perfectly and divided into different zones.

Countless insect-like creatures of various forms bustled about. Some, like beetles, carried heavy ore on their backs; others, shaped like worker ants, used a substance secreted from their mouths to repair the walls; and some, Soldier Ants with scythe-like forelimbs, patrolled along fixed routes.

The entire space was terrifyingly quiet, with only the SHUSH of countless legs scuttling across the ground, a symphony of ultimate efficiency.

There were no traces of humanity here, only a pure, collective will.

A figure appeared silently before Velin.

She had the upper body of a human girl, with skin so fair it was almost translucent, and long silver hair that cascaded to her waist. But her lower body was that of an insect, with six slender, jointed legs supporting her, making her a full head taller than Velin.

It was Sarah.

She did not speak, but a cool voice, tinged with childlike affection, rang directly in Velin’s mind.

Father, you’ve returned.

"I’m back, Sarah." Velin’s gaze softened as he looked at his most outstanding creation. "You’ve worked hard these past two months."

Serving Father is the meaning of Sarah’s existence.

Sarah bowed slightly, then turned to lead Velin on an inspection of her kingdom.

"How is the progress?"

Please, inspect it for yourself.

They first arrived at an area shrouded by a massive curtain of light.

Beneath the light curtain was a vibrant plantation.

The Constant Sunlight Array has completed its initial calibration. This is the greenhouse area, Sarah’s voice echoed in Velin’s mind.

Velin saw neat rows of saplings. They had been grafted and modified to grow far faster than their counterparts on the surface.

"The ’Resilient Resinwood’ is growing well." Velin reached out and touched a thick leaf. "After spring begins, our road system will have the best paving material."

Leaving the greenhouse area, they entered a more humid zone.

There was no bright light here, only the illumination provided by various glowing fungi. The air was filled with the rich aroma of mushrooms.

The natural cultivation zone, Sarah explained. The Cave Mushroom and ’Tri-cap Mushroom’ spores you brought from the Royal Capital have been successfully cultivated. According to calculations, we can produce enough fungi to feed five thousand people every month.

This solved one of Newly Town’s biggest problems: the lack of vegetables in winter.

Under the dim glow, besides the vast fields of fungi, some magical plants used for alchemy and healing could be seen growing quietly in the corners.

Next was the even noisier breeding area.

In a bottomless pit, the creatures being raised were not ordinary animals, but domesticated subterranean Magical Beasts.

At the current scale, we can produce about five hundred pounds of Level 3 Magical Beast meat and one hundred pounds of Level 4 Magical Beast meat per week. Moreover, the waste from processing them is perfect food for my children. Nothing is wasted.

They walked past a huge mine shaft, where Worker Ants were carefully excavating Original Blood Crystal that pulsed with etheric fluctuations from the cavern walls.

Finally, Sarah led Velin to a massive, heavily guarded cavern.

In the center of the cavern, a huge Constant Magic Array was slowly rotating. The flesh and bones of the Lord of the Gray Swamp were suspended at the Array’s core, perfectly preserved in a soft glow, awaiting Velin’s research and use.

The storage area is sealed, Sarah reported. All precious materials are under the highest level of security.

Velin nodded with satisfaction.

For the past two months, while he was dealing with external affairs, Sarah had perfectly executed his vision.

This subterranean world was already starting to take shape.

This was his true trump card, the cornerstone of all his plans.

"Sarah." Velin stopped walking, his expression turning serious.

Father, please give your command.

"From now on, seal all non-essential entrances and exits to the surface."

Velin’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable command.

"Leave only the two passages open: the one to the city hall and the one to my bedroom. Dispatch your most elite children to monitor the main passages twenty-four hours a day, without interruption."

"Without my command, nothing is allowed to leave the underground. And nothing from the surface is allowed to enter without permission."

A stream of data flickered across Sarah’s silver eyes.

She could sense the gravity in Velin’s words.

Understood.

Father... has a new threat appeared on the surface?

Velin looked up at the star-like fungi on the ceiling.

"No."

He said with a smile.

"Not a threat."

"The prey has delivered itself to my doorstep."