Black Tide City.

As a new city born from the corpse of the old Mire of Decay city-state, it faces many difficulties.

The first issue to resolve is the food problem that has persisted since the Laine Langdon era. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Food is the foundation upon which a civilization is nurtured.

After Rogel’s bloody cleansing of almost all the Extraordinary Clans on the island, Chelegen, under his instructions, inherited all their legacies.

And the first thing he needs to do, naturally, is to make sure the original slaves and commoners have enough to eat.

However, even if the major families have abundant food reserves, they can’t always open the granaries and exhaust supplies. Organizing everyone to create new food sources is crucial.

Fortunately, Chelegen did an excellent job in this regard.

After receiving several functional Magic Potion Recipes from the Master of the Black Tide, he quickly started cultivating new Extraordinaries.

Professions like Accelerated Growth Farmer and Blacksmith were arranged wherever possible.

The management of Black Tide City also needed talent. Fortunately, Chelegen was not the first person in this aspect—there was also the Devis Clan.

As long as they no longer carry the style and habits of the original Extraordinary Clans, Chelegen doesn’t mind using them.

In summary.

Everything in Black Tide City is gradually getting on track.

The people, who used to have eyes filled with numbness and pain, now have a spark in their eyes.

Even though they still appear so weak and small, Chelegen sees new hope in this old city.

"Praise the Master of the Black Tide!"

Two passing former slaves exchanged smiles and spoke devoutly, eyes filled with hope for life.

...

"The number of believers is increasing quite rapidly..."

Looking at the Faith interface, Rogel couldn’t help scratching his head.

He initially thought his policies and methods would reduce the number of believers and the Power of Faith, but it turned out otherwise.

Actually, thinking about it, it’s understandable.

You are a slave, struggling with hunger and lack of warmth, life precarious, frequently suffering oppression and humiliation.

At this time, someone appears, sweeping away all injustice and oppression.

He not only gives you the freedom you never dared to dream of but also dignity and hope for survival, even the chance to go further.

...In such circumstances, even if he says he requires no worship or faith, you would instinctively see him as a deity.

The people of Black Tide City are now in such a situation.

They instinctively regard Rogel and the Master of the Black Tide as saviors and spiritual pillars.

So, the surge in the number of believers and the Power of Faith isn’t surprising.

Maybe after a while, Rogel will gather enough Power of Faith to research the Angel Potion.

Of course, whether it will decrease later, Rogel doesn’t know.

Thinking about this, Rogel can’t help anticipating the three upcoming destinations.

If they are like the situation in old Laine Langdon...

Rogel frowned and pondered for a moment, but still shook his head: "No, it’s best not to force it. Black Tide City is only just getting on track, and more problems have yet to emerge..."

After the bloody cleanse of Laine Langdon, he also talked a lot with Chelegen.

From him, Rogel learned that Laine Langdon is considered a relatively impoverished place.

The land is sparse here, yet there are quite a few monsters nearby, and the Laine Langdon Clan had long completed the domination and integration of the major families, to a degree of exploitation unlike any other city-state.

In other words, the other city-states may not be as bad as Laine Langdon...

"Take one step at a time, then we’ll see."

Rogel put away the planning papers on the desk.

Before leaving, he took away some of the Laine Langdon Clan’s savings, but mostly some Extraordinary Materials he needed; the rest he didn’t care much for.

First, refine the Self-Sacrifice Potion.

...

Magrela.

As the first island to worship the Master of the Black Tide, its inhabitants now live relatively happy lives.

As an ordinary woman on the island, Winnie could genuinely feel this change.

She feels that ever since the faith of the Master of the Black Tide has spread across Magrela, the entire atmosphere there has completely transformed.

Previously, when the Kizi Church, Natural Church, and other churches were everywhere, terrifying rumors occasionally spread on the island, such as a familiar getting eaten by a monster, a distant relative’s son suffering a shipwreck, a former friend caught in an affair with a Kizi Church believer by her husband...

Anyway, distressing matters seemed endless.

Moreover, as commoners, they had to be cautious of the believers appearing on the island from time to time.

It’s not that the believers would commit murder or wrongdoing...

The key is... they wanted money!

Although it was prettified as "divine protection" or something, ultimately it boiled down to asking for money.

And when there were many churches, it was one after another; after the Kizi Church, then another church...

Combined with the regular taxes, who could bear that?

If only these churches did their jobs after taking money, it might be tolerable. After all, the monster presence on Magrela isn’t small.

For example, the shallow sea catfish monster, the sand viper are frequent, and even the brain-eating ghosts from the graveyard appear occasionally.

If the powerful believer lords could eliminate these monsters, then gritting and bearing the payment would seem fair.