Jiang Chen was both swift and efficient. With imposing momentum, he brought a group of subordinates with him to Pillfire City that very day.

Pillzenith had brought as much as ninety percent of Pillfire’s best on his sortie against Veluriyam. The remaining ten had been left behind to hold down the fort.

When these glorified sentries heard of what’d happened in Veluriyam territory, none of them had the courage left to resist. They fled the city before Jiang Chen’s arrival, taking vast amounts of the city’s wealth with them.

When Jiang Chen arrived at Pillfire and announced he was taking over, not a single figure of importance was to be found. Its commoners teemed with unrest and uncertainty.

After taking control of the city, he was quick to push out a series of procedures aimed to eliminate Pillfire’s original principles.

At first, the residents of the city and its surrounding powers were a bit worried about Veluriyam’s takeover. Many of the smaller factions, clans, and vassals also shared this sentiment. They were concerned about the possibility that Jiang...