A few more days passed...
Right now, the territory of the Black Plain Empire was facing its most tense moment in years. Nevertheless, it held out as best it could against the various terrorist attacks in different locations.
That was the situation for ordinary people, citizens who had taken advantage of the opportunities in this state in recent years, but also for individuals who were, in fact, part of the local forces. These people, as in the example of the soldiers of the Black Plain Army, felt much more about the problems of present times.
Not only were they the front line of the empire's defenses, but they had also helped build that state and naturally had the pride and will to protect it.
So having to endure the present times without reacting was not easy for many soldiers and allies of Minos.
That was the case for Peter Freeman, currently at level 62, and Lee and Alison, both at level 61.
They had seen this place develop practically from scratch. So as part of the local upper echelon, they all had to deal with large margins of frustration.
But no one was rushing, each at their respective posts, waiting for the day they would act against their enemies!
...
"In the blink of an eye, more than 20 years have passed..." Alison commented to her husband as she sat in a lotus position in the training area of the mansion of the two of them, somewhere in the central territory of the Black Plain.
Lee heard this and sighed, feeling that the years had flown by and that now they were once again being tested.
The difference? This time they could do something about it since they were close to the cultivation level of the strongest in the army!
"Times have passed, but the challenges keep getting harder and harder... This time we will participate in something that might shock the entire continent." Lee commented, sensing that his master would detonate the Black Hole Bomb he was nurturing.
If that happened, more people would turn their attention to the Black Plain, to the young Emperor Stuart's mass destruction weapon.
Considering this, Lee was eager to get stronger and better prepare for the uncertain future of the Black Plain.
'How can we hold our own in the future if the state does not experience a considerable increase in strength in the short term? The enemies coming next time will not be normal!'
'They will, at the very least, be mid-level Spiritual Sages.' He pondered this, using the logical thinking that Minos had taught him over the years.
'Is that why the master has agreed to become the master of the Gray Clouds Sect? Will he use this organization to strengthen the foundations of the empire quickly?'
...
While Lee was worrying, Elen Nash, level 64, was still in Vogel.
This woman had lived in this territory since Minos sent her there to settle the negotiations concerning his ascension as local ruler.
After this happened, she continued to lead Minos' government in this territory and ensure that the Black Plain would gain the benefits the local leaders promised.
She had also been helping to control local actions in harmony with the decisions of her sovereign, maintaining active communication between the Imperial Palace and the Assembly of Vogel.
But currently, like her colleagues in the main territory of the Black Plain, this woman was tense, waiting for the development of recent problems.
In particular, she was staying longer and longer in places designed to be secure. Those areas were built on account of Minos' black hole to ensure the survival of local leaders against drastic threats.
The Assembly of Vogel had gained many powers after Minos' coronation, which had opened doors to measures that benefited local nobles. Among these measures was the construction of several security bunkers at the Vogel seat of government.
And precisely in this place of negotiations, the most secure in the entire Vogel area, Elen was doing her work at the very moment.
"We could be attacked at any moment, so your families need to be on full alert to fight in case of need." She said to a group of Spiritual Emperors, representatives of the local noble families.
"If the Spiritual Church post in our area falls to the enemy, not only will this organization be harmed. We will lose friends who could help us in difficult times and much of our population and infrastructure."
"Then be prepared for the worst, for the Flaming Empire is not the only one threatening your families' existence and freedom!" She said thoughtfully, making the people in that place look at her with varied expressions.
...
At the same time, Barbara, level 62, and Mirya, level 64, were on the outskirts of the empire's capital belt of cities.
In this place where more than 20 million people lived, most of the Spiritual Emperors, whether from the army or direct subordinates of Minos, were stationed.
The two women of the local army were among these many local high-level cultivators, nervously surveying the surroundings in wait for some sign.
"I wonder when we will be attacked?" Barbara questioned that woman, Viola's mother, an old acquaintance of Minos.
Mirya looked at the horizon thoughtfully as she stood beside Barbara on top of the wall that circled the entire belt of cities. "I don't know, but I hope this will all be over soon. These terrorists aren't strong enough to destroy us. Still, their actions are extremely effective in slowing our progress."
The local cultivators continued to grow stronger, but the actions of the terrorists had been hindering local economic development.
As the state of Minos depended on constant growth to provide rapid and significant improvements for its members, the local forces could not help but lament the irritating actions of the enemies.
They would rather face a war like the War of Independence, or an invasion like that of the criminals of Albano, than have to deal with the terrorist acts of Abe's group.
Acts like those of Abe's group were sparse, done by a few individuals, without the enemy side having to establish dominance over territories. But without that happening, the enemies ended up exposing themselves less by not settling in their conquered areas.
In short, they would attack and then flee, which made it very difficult for local forces to act.
Hence, the enemies were able to make life very difficult for the members of the empire. At the same time, the counterattack of the local forces was less efficient than it would have been against other types of adversaries.
So no soldier or member of local forces liked or wanted the current situation to last any longer, even considering possible opportunities that would always arise at such times.
However, they would not have to wait long to have their questions answered!
As thousands of Spiritual Kings nervously waited to fight against 7th and 8th stage experts alongside the local Spiritual Emperors, the enemies slowly began to show themselves.
By late afternoon in the surroundings of Dry City, the local sentient vegetables began to notice the arrival of the enemies, quickly issuing their warning signals.
Thus, as orange from the sky embellished the local sights, flowers in eye-catching colors spread throughout the Dry City belt of cities, showing that a conflict would soon break out.
The pollen of those beings also did its work, not taking long to make all the cultivators in an area of tens of square kilometers realize that something was wrong!
...
