Pirate Kingship

Chapter 439 - 346: Cutting Down Mountains and Destroying Temples, Empire Integration_2

Chapter 439: Chapter 346: Cutting Down Mountains and Destroying Temples, Empire Integration_2

She held a natural suppressive power over almost all Beast Spirit Warriors from the *Book of the Beast Kinship* (Volume I).

The Native Extraordinaries cowered at the sight of her, becoming timid before even engaging in battle.

They also regarded her as the spokesperson for the divine authority of the [Lord of Heaven], ranking alongside Byron as the supreme ruler of the city-state.

Byron landed beside Catherine and took his time to admire the beauty of the girl who had transformed into a Native Dragon Person, an appearance that possessed a unique charm.

He felt that if she were to return to Hightins now, her beauty might well challenge that of *The First Beauty of the Channel Islands*, Elizabeth Woodville.

If the latter did not have the enhancement of a title ability, and considering natural beauty alone, she would probably be no match for Catherine, who had successively received the augmentations of the Night Demon and Mithril Dragon bloodlines.

Catherine’s beauty had thoroughly transcended the realm of mortals.

I just hope that this Queen doesn’t possess a Sacred Relic called the "Magic Mirror," nor does she casually inquire about who is the fairest woman in the Kingdom. Otherwise, Catherine might be in danger.

Only after he saw a blush creep onto the girl’s face did he clear his throat and say,

"Sister, how do you feel now?"

Catherine smiled brightly,

"I feel wonderful now; I must say that I have never felt this good before. The ’greed’ side effect from the Mithril Dragon affects me as if it doesn’t exist. This Black Sorcery is simply my destiny.

Moreover, perhaps due to the strong Mysticism associated with the Transcendent sources and Dragons on Yucatan Island, I now feel a greater affinity with the power of the Golden Law.

I used to feel there was a barrier, but now I can breathe as one with the Law Network around me.

With every expansion of the territory and every addition to the law nodes, that sense of control intensifies—a sensation that is intoxicating."

She waved her hand, and countless golden numbers emerged all around her, dancing and subtly forming a resplendent divine sword above her head.

"Use Gold for the sword edge, silver for the blade, credit for the spine, public finance for the hilt, Finance for the sheath, and resources for the counterweight.

Dominion through market rules; implementation through might, law, and force; ’investment’ for slashing, ’consumption’ for Thrust, ’exports’ for shearing.

An unstoppable thrust forward, raising high above all when held aloft, and invincible when pressed downwards.

The flowing Gold and silver within the territory are the numbers, the Sword Moves!"

Beneath the edge of this Supreme Art, this sword skill that could slay nations, lay the three-dimensional map of Yucatan Island.

With each of Catherine’s moves here, immense resources and manpower roared like mountains and seas in response, bringing one city-state after another under her control.

Thanks to the groundwork laid by the Father of Healing and the "monopoly rights" over the last half year, they had roughly established networks of faith and trade on Yucatan Island.

Now, at an astonishing pace, these networks were reaching deep into each city-state, incorporating them into the Golden Empire.

As each node on the national map lit up, the siblings could clearly feel the Golden Law around them grow stronger.

"At our current pace, by the end of next year, we should be able to take control of Yucatan Island—covering an area of 2,300,000 square kilometers, almost ten times the size of the Kingdom of Hightins—and establish a true Sacred Golden Empire."

Their eyes shone with irrepressible excitement.

Economic colonization as a milder approach for assimilation was certainly not out of the question. But if there was a more effective, more direct model of vertical governance, especially when a group of devout Followers willingly offered it to them, why reject it?

After all, the reason the People of Castilia’s colonization 1.0 model encountered backlash was precisely because they were too rough and too absolute, never treating the natives as equals.

This naturally sparked pervasive animosity and hatred.

But Byron was different; he had been actively welcomed into the natives’ governance system as a Follower of the [Lord of Heaven].

Perhaps the so-called divine Rank was just an empty construct.

But by devouring the Nature Spirits and absorbing the tens of millions of people from the total of five hundred city-states of both great empires, he would undoubtedly make the title truly his.

After Catherine established herself in the central administration, she immediately created a system to digest the conquered territories, categorizing city-states by population and strength.

Beneath the Royal Capital were provinces, cities, and towns.

A host of administrative officials were then appointed to implement a unified administrative system and a standardized legal system across the various city-states.

Taking inventory of assets, measuring land, registering households...

The Lancaster Party had a large group of well-educated administrative officials, many with rich experience in governance. Such tasks were merely a piece of cake for them.

Other changes were temporarily minor. The existing cultures of mathematics, astronomy, architecture, Art, and so on were all preserved.

A single flower does not make a spring; a garden full of flowers brings the spring to glory.

From the very beginning, Byron had envisioned the relationship between the collective subconscious seas of the natives and the Old Continent as one of mutual Anchorage between twin-hulled ships, enhancing stability.

It wasn’t about one swallowing the other; the Golden Empire necessarily needed a certain level of independence.

Of course, the main reason was that in the Old Continent, he was still a minor character with no real influence, and this situation best suited his interests.

Moreover, amidst policies that avoided radical reforms, the most important step was to implement the same policy he had in the Pirate Group: opening up channels for upward mobility for all native citizens!

Anyone who made remarkable contributions could awaken their Spirituality with the help of the city-state and become a true Transcendent, unlike before when only the Nobility were entitled to achieve such a state.

This somewhat radical "recruitment expansion" policy was sure to harm the vested interests of some, especially those of the upper aristocracy and Shaman Wizards.

Even using the faith of the [Lord of Heaven] to pressure them would not completely eradicate opposition.

Yet, Byron simultaneously offered a path for many existing Transcendents to secure Anchoring slots within the Golden Law.

Over time, the Golden Law—built around the Thirteen Crystal Skulls and a host of Guardian Spirits with only their Divinity remaining—would become increasingly solid.

Aside from the seventeen slots for the King’s Right Hand, other positions were also sufficient to provide a path for Third Order Transcendents, who had reached the critical point but dared not advance, to have an alternative means of progression.

As long as they gained Byron’s recognition, allowing them to Anchor to the Law Network, they would no longer need to worry about stability issues.

Securing the Transcendents meant securing the entire city-state.

Now everyone from top to bottom was going crazy.

"Our Lord is supreme!"

"Death to those who stand in our way!"

Now Byron represented the fundamental interests of all Native Extraordinaries; he was invincible and unmatched.

With red dates in one hand and the Big Stick in the other, the resistance from other native city-states was not as strong as anticipated.

Currently, the colonial powers of various nations were merely observing from the sidelines, assuming this Crown War would be like previous ones—a bloody slaughter followed by a return to the status quo.

They were completely unaware that a Sacred Golden Empire, on par with The Holy Silver Empire, had begun to take shape, gradually unifying the previously scattered city-states into a new, cohesive entity.

Byron watched the steadily expanding territories and the native warriors eager to die for their own side’s hegemony. A fervent glint in his eyes, he said,

"Why is it that the more primitive human societies are, the easier it is to achieve universal conscription?

A great man once said, ’Civilization nurtures the spirit, but savagery strengthens the body.’

That savagery is the answer.

Losing Human Nature means losing much, but losing Beastliness means losing everything.

One can be hypocritical, can play the Holy Mother with their words, but in action, one must be a pragmatic savage.

Once that savagery is lost, everything will eventually be lost.

As long as material resources are not infinite and survival space must be seized through conquest, savagery will always be the ultimate guarantee.

I am a Pirate who ’prefers plunder to toil,’ and in truth, everyone is a Pirate."

The native Tenor People, who still retain savage traits, and the North Bay Folks, are the best soldiers.

Once he transforms these savage human resources into qualified workers, farmers, and soldiers, then arms them with the weapons of civilization, they will become the most powerful wave of Colonizers.

"The strongest in violence make the rules; this is the meta-rule of all rules! Hightins’s native population is only 8,000,000. When I take control of these 13,000,000 savages, one day, my rule will be *the* rule."

At that moment, Catherine suddenly reminded him,

"Byron, the intercropping techniques you taught the city-states are ready to be implemented."