With the vast majority of the Reserves in desperate need of rest, it fell to the Fifth Legion to protect Refuge City and the one million people who decided to stay with them. The first thing Su Jin did was to take charge of the populace. Everybody was immediately conscripted into their own Refuge City Militia, and set to work clearing debris, scavenging supplies, and building fortifications. In this city, there were no refugees, no non-combatants; everybody was expected to wield a weapon, and everybody was expected to pitch in on securing food, shelter, and fortifications. While not up to par with Imperial Army combat standards, such a Militia was at least as good as ten logistics units in military terms. In terms of scavenging and raising infrastructure, they performed quite admirably… or at least, quite desperately. On occasion a zombie or six might rise from corpses within the ruins and try to eat someone for dinner, but with everyone going around in armed groups,

Remian’s first instinct was to charge in to the Capital and seal the Portal regardless, but then what? In depriving Zar’khan of the wealth he wanted, what would that Dragon Prince do? Seeing the way he attacked the north and the Midlands, an easy guess would be that he’d declare war as always. This would pit Remian’s people against the Dragons, and then he’d have to worry not only about the Dragon Empire, but the interstellar Dras Clan, whose big nest ship was coming in a matter of decades for the very Dragons he’d be at war against. Even if they could fend off Zar’khan and his forces for that long, what would happen to the Wildlands once the Dras Clan arrived? Were they to go to war against the full might of the Draconian Dominion then? Maybe it wouldn’t come to that. Maybe Zor’khan could put in a good word for Remian. Or he could just as easily sell them out and have them for dinner. At this point, Remian wasn’t sure any more. [All right, don’t quarrel. Remian stil

When morning came, Remian received a call from Sior’khan-dras.“What’s up?” Remian asked over the Comms Array with the Third Prince of the Empire.“I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?” Sior asked.Remian grunted. “It’s too early for the bad news. Give me the good news first.”“Okay. You remember how we expected grandpa and the rest to come pick us up in fifty years with a Tier 9 Dragon Star Nest? So it turns out… the Dragon Star Nest is not coming.”“What do you mean, the Nest is not coming?” Remian stared. “Aren’t your grandparents coming to pick you all up?”Sior’khan-dras shrugged. “Grandpa and the Dras Clan are coming, sure enough, they’re just not coming in a Tier 9 Leviathan-class Star Nest. They’re coming in a Palace.”“A Dras Clan Palace…?!”

The Tuskan in question turned out to be Kanasu-eeroo of the Walrus Tribe, the younger cousin of Mansu-eeroo. “Frankly speaking, I just want to do business.” Kanasu said. “Set up shop and buy some land locally… you know, the usual.” Xiao Yan squinted. “Buy land, you say? And what would your purposes in that be?” “Commercial.” Kanasu spread his flippers openly. “Agricultural. Industrial. Even residential.” “You want to build shops, farms, factories and houses?” “In short, yes. Trust me, when my shop opens, you’ll be happy I did.” “What exactly do you intend to plant, build and sell?” Kanasu-eeroo eyed her for a bit and sighed. “This isn’t going to be quick and easy, is it?” “I want details.” Xiao Yan said firmly. “Well, first I want to build a house for myself, a warehouse and a shop.” “What’s wrong with the houses and shops here?” George asked. “Too primitive. I want all the modern Tuskan convenie

In the end, Tim refused to lend Remian any money. He paid the entire bill for the Autofactory schematics and licensing himself, registering it under the name of the ‘Sorrelian Migration’. This was the first time Remian and his people were officially referred to as such. As for the tuition fees for Alani, Gary, Siti, Isabella, Jamie and Juni… Remian paid those, but Tim privately informed those very beneficiaries and suggested they pay him back one day. It seemed to Tim that it was unfair of everybody to let Remian pay all the bills. In any case, since the Autofactory licensing was done under the name of the Sorrelian Migration, Tim and Fal’herim could also use them. He immediately called together his staff and ordered the upgrading of all their industrial districts segment by segment. According to his plans, it would take three years and result in a total of 215 Autofactories, each one a towering hulk capable of producing goods entirely automated, though they would ne