Underground World legend rating???
Upon seeing this notification, Li De narrowed his eyes slightly, his thoughts swirling, though he didn't rush to investigate further.
After Kosso Thunder completed his oath, Li De gained a substantial 1,000 experience points.
His current status was now—Level 11 (5061/6000). He was only 1,000 experience points away from leveling up again.
This was an unexpected bonus.
More importantly, a powerful Cyclops tribe would now belong to Dawn City, becoming his private property.
That was the crux of the matter.
Though these Cyclops had been utterly helpless against the vampires in this battle, these heavy infantry units were far from weak on the ground.
If the vampires had engaged them directly, Li De could guarantee that even if they emerged victorious, at least a third of the vampires would have perished.
Unfortunately for the Cyclops, they had encountered him—and the vampires, who commanded absolute air superiority.
This battle was reminiscent of the U.S. military's bombing campaign in Kosovo. Despite the presence of hundreds of thousands of ground troops in Kosovo, they were completely overwhelmed by the U.S. forces' aerial bombardment. The powerful ground army was rendered powerless.
Was the Kosovo ground force weak?
No, it was a matter of asymmetrical advantages.
The Cyclops excelled in close-range combat and siege warfare, while the vampires specialized in swift hit-and-run tactics.
By exploiting their strengths and targeting the Cyclops' weaknesses, these formidable siege warriors were forced to submit under the vampires' magic.
Before long, the flames began to dissipate.
The scene below came into view before Li De.
It was devastating.
Twenty Cyclops lay sprawled across the charred ground. Their grayish-white, wrinkled skin had been scorched black, resembling overcooked potatoes.
The acrid smell of half-burned trees filled the air, accompanied by the occasional crackling of bursting branches.
Several juvenile Cyclops emitted unconscious wails, their weak, pained groans adding to the grimness of the scene.
"Master, I beg you to save my people."
The weakened Kosso struggled to hold himself upright, his deep, gravelly voice laced with anxiety. The scar on his body, now seared by the flames, looked even more grotesque.
His three wives and six children had collapsed, their souls on the verge of being claimed by the God of Death. He needed help.
"Odys, bring these Cyclops back to Dawn City."
Li De nodded. These Cyclops now belonged to him, and they would serve a greater purpose later. There was no need to let them perish here.
Odys frowned, glancing at the towering six-blade height of the Cyclops with some concern.
The carrying capacity of a Whispering Bat was around 1,000 pounds, but an adult Cyclops weighed 2,000 pounds—too heavy even for two bats.
"Use Mage Hand."
Li De gave Odys an exasperated look after noticing his hesitation.
"One Mage Hand has a strength of 700 to 800 pounds. Four vampires can easily carry one Cyclops."
Realizing the cleverness of the solution, Odys looked at Li De with admiration.
Such a trick was possible?
He immediately turned to organize the personnel needed to transport the barely alive Cyclops back to Dawn City.
After giving his instructions, Li De turned to face Kosso, who was three to four times taller than him, his tone solemn.
"Kosso, the Cyclops tribe as it once was, is now a thing of the past. You are now residents of Dawn City.
I will heal their wounds—you need not worry.
Now tell me, why are you here?"
Recalling the earlier system notification, Li De was curious.
Cyclops weren't common creatures. These powerful beings typically lived in remote areas.
Though few humans dared venture into the Far Mountain Range, it was still within the vampires' sphere of influence.
In the Progenitor's two centuries of memory, there had never been any mention of Cyclops in the Far Mountain Range.
Even if the area was remote, it was unlikely they could remain undiscovered for centuries, especially so close to Dawn City.
Reassured by Li De's promise, Kosso relaxed slightly. His massive eye glanced at his unconscious tribespeople before turning back to Li De respectfully.
"Master, we came from the Underground World Thunder Tribe. I lost in a battle with my brother for the position of tribal chief.
The defeated are not allowed to remain in the tribe—I was exiled by the new chief.
I originally intended to lead my warriors and my women to another settlement, but in our exploration, we discovered a path to the surface world. Following it we arrived here."
The Underground World?
Li De's eyes widened with intense curiosity.
The Glory world wasn't limited to surface-dwelling creatures. Beneath the ground lay a magnificent realm, where subterranean lifeforms were just as powerful and diverse as those on the surface.
Cyclops, gray dwarves, halflings, troglodytes, dark elves, serpentfolk, and others—including legendary underground cities overflowing with jewels and gold—were all part of the Underground World.
The Underground World was synonymous with wealth and danger.
In human legends, countless tales spoke of adventurers venturing into the Underground World. They slew dragons, plundered wealthy underground cities, and seized artifacts and gold. These individuals were revered as heroes.
However, aside from a few well-known passages, there were limited connections between the surface and the Underground World, making entry extremely difficult.
Mystery, wealth, peril, dungeons, and dragons—all were synonyms for the Underground World.
The Cyclops had come from the Underground World.
This was significant news.
If the Cyclops could ascend, it meant they could also descend. Given their size, the passage must be considerable.
Logically speaking, if vampires weren't reliant on human blood, the Underground World would be a better haven—it lacked sunlight.
A spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.
"The Underground World? Is it the cave behind you?"
"Yes, Master.
There is a hidden passage inside the cave that leads directly to the Underground World. It takes only a day's journey to reach it."
After pondering for a moment, Kosso responded in his booming voice, which sounded like thunder.
A day's journey?
Li De thoughtfully considered this. The distance wasn't too far.
"Are there any powerful creatures near the passage to the Underground World?" This was crucial. The dangers of the Underground World far surpassed those of the surface.
The Underground World was a three-dimensional realm; threats could emerge from above or below.
"No, aside from a group of kobolds, there are no powerful creatures."
"What is your Underground World like? Tell me about it."
"Yes, Master."
Kosso nodded. He couldn't refuse Li De's command. After a brief pause, this hulking figure began recounting his past in a monotone, uninteresting voice.
Kosso had lived in a powerful Cyclops tribe—the Thunder Tribe. He was the son of the previous chieftain.
The Thunder Tribe resided in a swamp teeming with evil creatures of the Underground World: dire wolves, goblins, cave spiders, ogres, and more.
But among them, the Cyclops were the most powerful. All other creatures were their prey.
However, their prosperity didn't last. Kosso's father, a mighty Cyclops chieftain nearing the transcendent tier, encountered a black dragon deep in the swamp.
The black dragon's power was beyond what a non-transcendent Cyclops chieftain could withstand. Kosso's father lost his life.
Without their strong protector, the Thunder Tribe gradually lost its influence in the swamp.
The tribe planned to relocate, but such a decision required the chieftain's order.
Kosso fought his brother for the position of chieftain. The outcome was predictable. Having only awakened the Wise One title, Kosso's combat prowess hadn't significantly improved.
He lost.
Though spared his life, he lost the right to remain in the Thunder Tribe. A tribe could have only one ruler, and Kosso was exiled.
After more than half a sun-hour, Kosso dryly recounted his experiences.
Though he had awakened wisdom, his storytelling ability was clearly nonexistent.
From Kosso's fragmented narrative, Li De gleaned several key pieces of information.
The Cyclops' Underground World was vast, so much so that even the swamp where the Thunder Tribe lived seemed boundless.
Not far from the Thunder Tribe was a city built by halflings. The Thunder Tribe had once traded monster corpses for weapons in that city.
The city housed many intelligent races: dark elves, gray dwarves, dark knights, necromancers, and more.
Though Kosso's description was dry and not entirely accurate, Li De could sense the vast and fascinating world unfolding before him.
A world completely different from the surface.
Kosso had opened a window for Li De, revealing a vibrant and colorful world beyond.