I Become a Landlady in the Game World

A thought flashed through his mind, and Zhou Bai couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He really couldn't catch a break!

However, swallowing up Barnes Village would also bring great benefits to Hope Village.

Since there were benefits, it was worth doing!

After collecting his thoughts, Zhou Bai looked towards Viscount Lancelot, "Is there any new movement from Barnes Village? Are they planning to make a move on our Hope Village?"

Viscount Lancelot had just found a seat and sat down. Hearing Zhou Bai's words, he was immediately startled and then said helplessly, "Don't you underestimate your own territory too much?"

The market area of Hope Village had become a must-visit place for many mercenary teams and merchant teams, covering many specialties of the territory. The items were plentiful and abundant, and one could basically find everything they wanted by visiting this place alone.

There were quite a few merchant and mercenary teams that came to Hope Village every day for buying and selling goods. He didn't know how much they had earned, but his taxes had not diminished.

In fact, he had specially calculated the increase in territory income after partnering with Hope Village. Not only was it unaffected, but it had also grown significantly. His officials also mentioned that the trade volume of demon beasts in the territory had increased significantly, resident income had risen, and many residents planned to expand the breeding and taming scale of demon beasts.

This was probably what Zhou Bai meant by "common prosperity!"

His territory's income had increased, and it was likely the same for other territories.

Thus, the popularity of Hope Village became quite clear.

With continuous investments from other territories into Hope Village, its development had been rapid.

Of course, in addition to the economic prosperity of Hope Village, another surprising factor was its investment in public buildings.

For a village-level territory, the value of land was extremely high, so high that they were reluctant to waste it.

Generally, the land would either be sold at a high price or used to construct valuable buildings.

Even though Hope Village wasn't lacking money, its approach to using the land was still generous.

This time he came, he could barely recognize the place.

Seeing it with his own eyes was more shocking than hearing about it.

Deep inside, he envied it.

All in all, the current developmental level of Hope Village was among the top in Level 3 villages, and his own territory couldn't compare to Hope Village, let alone Barnes Village's ranking behind his.

Where would Barnes Village dare to openly contend with Hope Village?

"So you came here because..."

"I came to tell you some good news. The territory war for Barnes Village is in a few days. They are suffering severe population drainage, especially among professionals. If they lose this territory war, it will be their weakest moment. That's the best time for us to attack them together."

"Attack?" Zhou Bai paused, repeating the word.

Viscount Lancelot looked at Zhou Bai and bluntly stated, "War is a meat grinder. The development of a territory cannot be separated from war, hence it cannot avoid casualties. It's either you die or I perish, and a territory that's too benign won't survive to the end."

Viscount Lancelot had learned about the past few territory wars of Hope Village, where Hope Village was always on the defending side, and there were hardly any casualties.

They would rather expend a significant amount of territory resources than use human lives.

In reality, human lives were the cheapest things in this world.

But Zhou Bai valued human lives greatly.

On this point, he disagreed yet still admired Zhou Bai.

Listening to the meaningful words of Viscount Lancelot, Zhou Bai said directly, "I was just thinking whether it might be possible to swallow up Barnes Village before the territory war."

Viscount Lancelot was stunned upon hearing this.

Swallow up before the territory war???

She really dared to think big.

But...

"Do you have a way?" Viscount Lancelot hurriedly asked, curiosity and yearning showing in his eyes.

If it were possible, it wasn't unacceptable.

The benefits of swallowing up an entire territory were definitely different from swallowing half a territory.

"Why does Barnes Village hate Hope Village?" Zhou Bai didn't directly answer Viscount Lancelot, but countered.

"Because Hope Village has attracted too many people from Barnes Village," although Viscount Lancelot was puzzled, he answered.

"Since their crisis lies in losing their people, why not make them lose even more?" Zhou Bai said bluntly, "Inside Hope Village, there are still quite a few people who were from Barnes Village. If they return to their original territory to visit relatives and talk extensively about the good of Hope Village, it might allure quite a few people. At that time, what if news comes that a higher-ranking territory plans to attack Barnes Village? Not to mention the residents, would those soldiers truly be willing to defend Barnes Village at the cost of their lives? When that time comes, we promise them that if they are willing, our territory's soldiers could go to their territory to meet them, tearing open a gap, and Barnes Village would fall apart on its own."

"And then?" Viscount Lancelot mentally sorted through Zhou Bai's words and sensed the subtlety in them.

He didn't believe there would be no follow-up moves.

"If people fled, could Barnes Village cope with the territory war? Of course not! At that time, we only need someone to slightly instigate the lord of Barnes Village, perhaps for revenge, and the opponent might be willing to surrender the territory."

"What if they aren't willing to surrender?"

"There are no 'ifs'; as long as the timing is right, the opponent's choices are limited to one," Zhou Bai asserted with certainty.

Viscount Lancelot's eyes flickered, "You mean, when they receive the challenge of the territory war?"

"Exactly."

"What if the opponent who chooses to surrender is the attacking side in the territory war?"

Zhou Bai glanced at Viscount Lancelot, "Of course, from the beginning, we must make the lord of Barnes Village hate this attacking side of the territory war, and this attacker also has to be the main culprit."

"You already have a suitable candidate," Viscount Lancelot said with conviction.

Hearing this, Zhou Bai smiled, "I happen to know a territory whose territory war is also in a few days. This territory is ranked below me but well ahead of Barnes Village, plus, this territory is also a new territory like mine."

How could Barnes Village feel at ease, being friendly with Hope Village?

Even, in the eyes of Barnes Village, this territory was the same main culprit as Hope Village.

To drain the pond to catch all the fish, one naturally needs to drain it clean.