Morning sunlight spilt across the stone walls of the captured outpost.
For the first time in years, the black banner of the Northern Border Watch no longer flew above the gate.
Instead, it lay torn and trampled in the courtyard.
I stood atop the western wall, looking out over the endless snowfields beyond the border.
Cold wind brushed against my face, carrying with it the smell of frost, blood, and the faint smoke of last night's battle.
Behind me, footsteps approached.
"Your Highness."
Yue Lian knelt on one knee.
Her crimson armour was still stained with blood, but her expression remained sharp and disciplined.
"The outpost has been fully secured."
I turned toward her.
"Report."
She lowered her head slightly.
"The remaining enemy soldiers have surrendered. Forty-seven were captured alive, thirteen escaped into the northern forest, and the civilians imprisoned in the underground cells have been rescued."
My expression darkened.
"Civilians?"
"Yes."
A faint coldness entered her voice.
"General Han Luo had been forcing nearby villagers to work as labourers and miners."
Of course he was.
Another dog of the Third Prince.
Another corrupt piece of filth.
I looked down into the courtyard below.
Dozens of villagers huddled together in torn clothes, some injured, some half-starved.
Men.
Women.
Even children.
The Fifth Prince's memories stirred.
This border had once been peaceful.
Trade caravans.
Farming villages.
Watch posts.
Now it had become nothing more than a place to bury unwanted people.
Good.
Then I would rebuild it.
I descended from the wall.
The moment the villagers saw me, they flinched.
Fear.
Distrust.
I didn't blame them.
To them, anyone wearing military robes was the same.
Oppressor.
Monster.
I crouched in front of an elderly man whose wrists were still bruised from chains.
"You're safe now."
He looked at me in disbelief.
"Safe?"
I nodded.
"The outpost is under my command now."
His eyes widened.
Then suddenly he fell to his knees.
"Your Highness!"
The others quickly followed.
One after another, they knelt.
How did they know?
Then I realised.
The Fifth Prince's face was known across the Great Yan Dynasty.
Even exiled, his identity could not be hidden.
The old man's eyes turned red.
"We thought you had died…"
A strange silence fell over the courtyard.
The old Fifth Prince.
The discarded royal.
Even here, people remembered.
I looked at the crowd.
"No one here will be forced into chains again."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then tears appeared in the eyes of several villagers.
Good.
Fear was useful.
But gratitude built nations.
The system suddenly flashed before my eyes.
[Territory established]
First Territory Acquired: Northern Border Outpost
Territory Rewards Activated]
Population Loyalty: 35
Military Loyalty: 50
Income: 300 spirit stones/month
Territory Skill unlocked: Recruitment Hall
I smiled slowly.
Excellent.
This was exactly what I needed.
The outpost was no longer just a battlefield.
It was my first piece of land.
The first stone in what would become my empire.
Behind me, Hu Mei let out a soft laugh.
"My, my."
She leaned against a stone pillar, violet eyes gleaming.
"Master truly looks like a king now."
Lin Xue stood beside her, arms folded.
"The walls need reinforcement."
Straight to the point.
Typical.
Feng Yuehuang descended from the sky, flames curling around her feet as she landed beside me.
Her golden eyes swept over the villagers.
Then over the walls.
Then, finally, settled on me.
"A territory means responsibility."
Her voice was calm.
"Can you protect it?"
I looked at her and smiled.
"Watch me."
For the first time, her lips curved slightly.
Interesting.
Her loyalty panel flickered.
[Feng Yuehuang Loyalty: 55 → 58]
Good.
Respect through action.
That was far better than empty words.
Yue Lian stepped forward again.
"There is one more matter, Your Highness."
I looked at her.
"The beast pens."
I raised a brow.
"Beast pens?"
She nodded.
"Han Luo kept captured spirit beasts behind the eastern barracks."
Now that—
was interesting.
I followed her immediately.
The eastern section of the outpost had clearly been used for military supplies.
Behind the stone barracks stood heavy iron cages.
Inside them—
beasts.
A pair of Frost Wolves.
A wounded Thunder Hawk.
And in the largest cage—
a young Iron Horn Beast, still growling despite the chains around its neck.
The moment I stepped closer, the Frost Wolves bared their fangs.
Their cultivation auras were not weak.
Each was roughly at body temperature level 7.
Yue Lian spoke quietly.
"These were to be sold to the Third Prince's beast cavalry."
I stared at the cages.
Then slowly smiled.
Perfect.
I stepped closer.
"Open them."
Yue Lian looked surprised.
"Your Highness?"
"Open them."
She obeyed.
The moment the cages opened, the Frost Wolves lunged.
The soldiers behind me instantly tensed.
But I raised a hand.
"No one moves."
The wolves stopped just a few steps away, growling low.
I looked directly into their eyes.
No system.
No summon.
Just instinct.
Calm.
Dominance.
Trust.
I crouched slightly and tore a strip of meat from a supply bag nearby.
Then tossed it forward.
The lead wolf sniffed the meat.
Its growl softened.
Good.
I slowly stepped closer.
The beast's fur was cold as ice, but beneath that aggression, I could sense exhaustion and hunger.
"They were beaten," I said quietly.
Yue Lian nodded.
The Fifth Prince's memories surfaced again.
In his childhood, he had once cared for wounded hunting beasts in the palace grounds.
This body already had the foundation.
Interesting.
I slowly extended my hand.
The Frost Wolf hesitated.
Then lowered its head.
A murmur spread through the soldiers.
"Beast taming…"
"His Highness tamed it…"
Good.
Let them see.
Power was not only in summoning.
It was ruling.
The system flashed.
[Spirit Beast Bond established]
Frost Wolves ×2 added to Border Army
Army Combat Power increased.
Perfect.
The wolves turned and stood beside me.
Loyal.
Alert.
The beginning of my beast corps.
I looked back at the villagers, soldiers, summons, and now the tamed beasts.
A slow smile spread across my face.
Yesterday, I was a prisoner.
Today, I held land, soldiers, summonses, and beasts.
Tomorrow—
The entire border would know my name.
I raised my hand toward the distant capital.
"Third Prince."
My voice was low.
"You threw me into exile."
I looked down at the outpost beneath my feet.
"And now exile belongs to me."