MTLNOVEL Chapter 176: One Day_1
Yan Xing's army quickly finished their operation against the ambushing Lizardmen. Aside from the Long-jawed Clan Leader who, for some unknown reason, did not participate in the battle, not a single one escaped.
When daylight came, they tallied the results of the battle.
In this battle, they captured a total of 267 Lizardmen, including 6 Lizardman Heroes. They captured 13 Snakehide Buffaloes, whereas all the Snakehide Savage Buffaloes were killed due to being priority targets.
The Carnivorous Birds became overly excited upon seeing the Poison Flies, resulting in the complete annihilation of the Lizardmen's Poison Flies; not even corpses remained.
However, capturing 112 magical beast Swamp Lizards was an unexpected surprise.
Among this batch of Seventh-Order magical Swamp Lizards, there were also 23 Eighth-Order magical Swamp Giant Lizards.
Swamp Lizard (Swamp Tribe Seventh-Order unit)
Attack: 11
Defense: 11
Damage: 10
Stamina: 35
Talent: Petrification (20% chance to petrify the target. While petrified, the target cannot move. The petrification is broken if the target is attacked.)
Swamp Giant Lizard (Swamp Tribe Eighth-Order unit)
Attack: 12
Defense: 12
Damage: 10
Stamina: 40
Talent: Petrification (20% chance to petrify the target. While petrified, the target cannot move. The petrification is broken if the target is attacked.)
The Swamp Lizards, typically over three meters in length, were amphibious. They could easily hide in ponds, muck, and thickets, then use their considerable burst speed to ambush passing targets.
Their mediocre attack and defense capabilities made the Swamp Lizards very tricky opponents.
Combined with their Petrification talent, although the Swamp Lizards were not as eye-catching as Poison Flies, Snakehide Buffaloes, or Bipedal Flying Dragons, they still held a significant position in the swamp.
It was precisely because Chui Chui had used fire to block the Swamp Lizards in the ponds from landing at the start of the battle that the encirclement and annihilation of the Lizardmen in the forest belt had been so effortless.
If the Swamp Lizards had participated in the battle, Yan Xing would certainly have suffered greater losses.
After the battle ended, this group of Swamp Lizards was left behind in the ponds, becoming masterless magical beasts.
Since they had been domesticated by the Lizardmen, these Swamp Lizards lacked the wildness of untamed ones. After the Werewolf Beast Tamers used their beast-taming skills, this powerful batch of Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order magical beasts became a new force in Yan Xing's army.
The 13 captured Snakehide Buffaloes were also tamed by the Werewolf Beast Tamers and joined Yan Xing's army.
Snakehide Buffalo (Swamp Tribe Ninth-Order unit)
Attack: 10
Defense: 14
Damage: 16
Stamina: 70
Talent: Defense Enhancement
After subduing the Snakehide Buffaloes, Yan Xing could see the specific attributes of these stalwarts of the swamp.
They really are formidable, he thought.
No wonder 13 of them survived despite being surrounded and relentlessly battered by nearly two hundred Combat Werewolves and one hundred Human crossbowmen.
Their defense was truly absurdly high.
Their stamina was also high, double that of the Seventh-Order Swamp Lizards.
I wonder if one could ride these creatures?
While his subordinates cleared the battlefield, gathered prisoners, and tallied losses, Yan Xing happily spent time with his newly acquired Snakehide Buffaloes.
The arrows embedded in the Snakehide Buffaloes had been removed, and the Werewolf Beast Tamers were using healing magic to treat their wounds. For wounds too large to be healed by magic, Werewolf menials disinfected them with antiseptic solution, applied ointment, and then bandaged them.
Yet, even covered in wounds, a Snakehide Buffalo stood there energetically, seemingly unfazed by its injuries.
Yan Xing stood beside one such Snakehide Buffalo, which towered over two meters at the shoulder, stroking its scaly armor.
Its texture was extremely hard, and the surface of the armor was very smooth.
If an arrow struck it at too shallow an angle, it would be deflected by this armor.
Born with heavy armor, astonishing defense, high stamina, and not slow either... If this creature could be used as a mount, it could carry so much!
Seeing Steeltooth approach, Yan Xing asked him, "Why haven't I seen any Lizardman Beast Tamers riding these Snakehide Buffaloes? Can they be ridden?"
Steeltooth, elated from the major victory, replied to Yan Xing's inquiry, "The Snakehide Buffaloes are not docile. If ridden, they go berserk, so they cannot be used as mounts. Swamp Lizards can be ridden, but their bodies sway too much from side to side when they crawl, making them very uncomfortable to ride."
Hearing that Snakehide Buffaloes couldn't be ridden, Yan Xing felt somewhat disappointed.
Then a thought struck him: If they can't be ridden, can they pull loads?
The land leased in Nuta City was currently being reclaimed. To clear more land before the planting season arrived, more labor was needed.
Recruiting labor in Nuta City using food as payment was proceeding very smoothly, but there was a significant shortage of machinery for land reclamation.
After all, developing the domain, constructing roads, building fortresses, and transportation within controlled areas all required vehicles.
Vehicles consumed fuel, and the Eternal Domain's current access to gasoline did not allow for indiscriminate use.
After witnessing the power of incendiary bombs in war, gasoline also needed to be reserved for tactical bombing, making conservation even more critical.
Furthermore, vehicles operating in the wilderness often developed various minor problems.
Until the Eternal Domain could repair faulty vehicles, a certain amount of animal power was essential to fill labor gaps caused by vehicle breakdowns.
It would truly be a waste not to use these robust Snakehide Buffaloes as draft animals!
After learning that the Snakehide Buffaloes couldn't be ridden, Yan Xing's interest in them diminished considerably.
He then told Steeltooth, "After their wounds are treated, transfer these Snakehide Buffaloes, along with the captured Lizardmen, to Li Zhua, who is following behind us. Send them all to my farm in Nuta City. The Lizardmen will undergo labor reform by working the fields. As for these Snakehide Buffaloes… they can till the land."
Hearing Yan Xing order the Snakehide Buffaloes to till the land, Steeltooth's conviction wavered. He said in astonishment, "My lord, the Snakehide Buffaloes are the most powerful magical beasts in the Swamp! Even an Eleventh-Order Bipedal Flying Dragon might not defeat them on the ground. Moreover, Snakehide Buffaloes can evolve into Snakehide Savage Buffaloes, and no creature in the world dares to face their Death Gaze directly. You… you're having Snakehide Buffaloes till the land? Please reconsider, my lord."
Yan Xing spoke earnestly, "Steeltooth, you need to change your way of thinking. I have brought a good life to the Swamp. The struggle for survival will no longer be the central theme of the Swamp Tribe's existence. You Werewolves, along with the Lizardmen, should consider a life even better than just a 'good life'—a life not centered on fighting and killing.
"One day, the Swamp Werewolves will lay down their weapons and take up scythes to harvest abundant wheat and rice. Grain will overflow from the granaries, and even the mice will grow too fat to move.
"One day, the Swamp Lizardmen will lay down their weapons and take up fishing nets to catch the fish and shrimp they farm. They will hang their surplus, uneaten fish on trees to dry, then sell them to distant lands.
"One day, the young of the Swamp Tribe will live happily. They won't need to forage for food in dangerous swamps from an early age merely to survive. Instead, they will sit in classrooms, learning, able to venture out of the swamp and see the world.
"One day, the Swamp Tribe will have its own civilization. You will be able to walk with your heads held high anywhere in the world, and no one will whisper behind your backs, 'Look, the barbarians from the swamp!'
"This day cannot be achieved by me and my Eternal Domain alone. I can only be your guide. This beautiful life must be created with your own hands. You need to see yourselves and the magical beasts around you in a new light.
"Why can't Snakehide Buffaloes be used for tilling? Why can't Swamp Lizards guard fish ponds? Why can't Poison Flies be used for herding? You can also think of other uses for these magical beasts. When war is no longer the mainstay of the Swamp Tribe's life, these magical beasts will be our companions."