Reborn as the Failed Lord with my Resource Gathering System.

The Red District Purge

With a flick of his hand, Sir Temao, head of the Yaima group, dismissed the panicking messenger. Fury fired in his eyes as he spoke.

"A dragon? Great. Whether it's delusions or not, Grak's entire western outpost has vanished, which means that noble's got power," he grumbled, turning to the two naked women huddled on his bed.

"No more whispers are needed. We're hitting the village, and we're hitting it hard. Gather two hundred men. Burn the leaders, execute ten villagers in the square, and remind them who rules here. Go!"

Temao's order struck like a match against Dorian's plan.

….

At the Aurelian camp, Maria got wind of Temao's planned counter-attack.

"They're mobilizing two hundred men to the village square," Aces said, his voice taut.

"Perfect," Maria replied, her gaze locked on the communication orb. "The Yaima are dedicating their forces to squash the villagers—just as Lord Dorian said they would."

Without wasting a moment, the strategic evacuation kicked off.

Bandi Legins, the civilian leader Dorian had recruited, proved invaluable. Following a detailed timetable from Maria, the villagers—over two hundred armed, desperate, and wielding small knives—burst from their homes.

It was a chaotic scene—loud and frantic, making it look like a spontaneous uprising sprung from the sight of Aurelian soldiers who'd already ambushed Grak.

When the Yaima forces finally arrived, they didn't find an empty village.

Instead, panic filled the streets as a mass exodus blocked their way.

Their commanders quickly redirected resources to quell this "rebellion," splitting their strength and pulling vital personnel away from the centralized oil operation.

The trap was set.

The Two-Day Blitz

The war was brief, brutal, and tipped in favor of the Aurelian forces. It lasted less than two days.

Maria and Aces didn't play the conventional warfare game.

They led small, precise teams—Maria with the First Division, and Jordan commanding the Second Division.

The Elves, fueled by a thirst for revenge against those who had enslaved their kin, turned into the perfect specialized force.

With their stealth and unmatched archery, they picked off Yaima sentries from a distance, creating stealthy pathways for attack.

The Aurelian strategy was straightforward: cut the head off the snake and leave it paralyzed.

Day One: The Command Center. Using the chaos of the village uprising, Maria's team struck first and the hardest. Relying on Bandi's maps and the element of surprise, they executed a series of rapid strikes against the five territory leaders Grak had mentioned. They dismantled the command structure, crippling the Yaima's ability to mount a coordinated response. Maria's blade never wavered; she aimed to kill, ensuring swift, lethal results against the top terrorists.

Day Two: The Oil Bases. Jordan and Aces spearheaded the assault on the central oil fields and weapon caches. The Yaima defenses were a shambles, having split their manpower to chase down the "rebellious" civilians.

* The Elven archers turned the oil deposits into zones of death, pinning down any Yaima fighters who tried to regroup.

Fighting flared up in pockets, but the Yaima, built for low-level terror and extortion, struggled against a disciplined military force led by two Grand Masters (Aces and Jordan) and a Lord-rank commander (Maria). They crumbled easily.

…

By the end of day two, the Red District lay quiet. The Yaima group had been effectively neutralized: key leaders captured or killed, and their fighters scattered.

Dorian, who had monitored the entire operation through communication orbs from his headquarters, finally stepped outside.

He stood at the edge of the central oil deposit—now a massive underground cavern exposed to the elements.

'This victory was a cakewalk,' Dorian mused. 'The Yaima were pathetic.

Their real strength wasn't their numbers, but their benefactor's protection from the King. Without that, they're nothing.'

Bandi Legins, worn out but triumphant, approached Dorian. "My Lord," he said, bowing low, "the evacuation went flawlessly. Everyone—men, women, and children—made it to safety. The Yaima hold is shattered."

Dorian smiled, genuinely pleased. "You've earned your reward, Bandi. And your future as a leader here in my Duchy."

Maria walked over, her armor caked with debris but free from blood.

"The district's secured, My Lord. We captured 37 high-value Yaima members, including three territory leaders. We've isolated the main oil wells for analysis. And as you ordered, we've kept Sir Temao, the Master Rank Tamer, alive. He's under tight guard."

Dorian nodded, his eyes on the dark, bubbling liquid seeping from the ground. The real work was just beginning: transforming this poison into power.

"Good. Send a message back to the capital. Inform Revina that the Red District is ready for its new management. And tell the Scribes to include the Aetherium deposits of the Red District in the new Duchy charter. We're going home."

….

Sitting at a salvaged wooden table inside what used to be the Yaima group's main outpost—now the Aurelian army's forward command post—Dorian frowned. The air still reeked of stale cigarettes and cheap liquor.

He pushed a file across the table. It was Temao's report, quickly put together by Maria from the captured prisoner, Grak, and local civilian Bandi Legins.

'Master Rank Tamer. Known for his cruelty, but entirely reliant on his summon's strength. He's never learned to fight himself. That makes this simple.'

Maria lingered by the entrance, arms crossed tight against her chest. She was scrutinizing the prisoner—Sir Temao, shackled to a hefty support pillar. Just like Grak had said, he was a big guy, but those hands? Surprisingly soft. His face, a mix of disbelief and sheer arrogance, bore the bruises of defeat, yet he stood defiantly.

Dorian looked up. "Get him to the table. Ciel, if he tries to move—other than talking, handle it like a good girl."

"As you command, Your Grace." Ciel, taking her human form, stepped forward, her dark eyes locked on Temao.

Maria unshackled Temao and marched him to the table. He wouldn't kneel. Instead, he rooted himself to the ground, glaring at Dorian with a sneer that could slice.

"You're that upstart Baron, aren't you?" he croaked. "You've broken the King's law, murdered nobles, kidnapped—"

Thwack!

Before he could finish that accusation, Maria's hand flashed out—a blunt, shocking slap that sent his head spinning. Temao swayed, a swell forming on his cheek.

"You will address the Duke-to-be as 'My Lord' or 'Your Grace,'" she snapped, her voice chillingly calm. "No insults. You'll only speak when asked."

Temao wiped the blood from his lip, wrestling with arrogance and a newfound fear as he chose to simmer quietly in angry compliance.

Dorian ignored the outburst. He leaned in. "Let's cut to the chase, Temao. I've already had a chat with your second-in-command, Grak, but he passed out before spilling all the names. Your men perished guarding whatever this resource is. So, whats with the crude oil, and who's really funding your little war?"

Temao scoffed. "The Aetherium is what keeps this kingdom alive. It's the purest thermal energy source out there. It powers the forges of those with real authority. We've got support from Governor Alabaster of the Eastern territories—and, indirectly, Duke Valerie. They fund the Yaima to keep the local miners loyal and off the King's tax rolls."

Aetherium?

Dorian lightly drummed his gloved fingers on the table, pondering this. "So, Duke Valerie's bluster in the capital about 'tradition' was just a smokescreen. He was furious that I might uncover his little side hustle."

"His Grace sees through your facade," Temao spat back. "You're going to ruin this place. You'll expose him, and he'll burn you out long before you make it to the capital. The old powers won't just roll over."

A sly smile crept across Dorian's face. "I've already secured the Aetherium. I know of five more deposits, and I have you. You won't be stopping anything, Tamer."

Shifting his attention, Dorian pulled out a map detailing the Red District. "Let's talk about the resistance. The 'Yins.' Your men fear them more than the King's soldiers. Who are they? Are they under some noble's thumb?"

Temao hesitated, glancing nervously at Ciel as she advanced slowly toward him. The threat loomed large.

"The Yins are local," he conceded quickly. "No noble's funding them. They're the real zealots here. Their power is belief, not wealth. They are civilians who refuse to bow to the Yaima. They're fighting for the land, thinking the Aetherium is their divine right."

"Divine right?" Dorian raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"They call it 'The Heart of the Earth.' They believe the Aetherium is either sentient or blessed by nature spirits. They're its self-appointed protectors. They're the only ones who know how to extract it without harming the deeper veins. They fight for survival— and they fight dirty."

Dorian leaned back, his eyes gleaming. 'Local resistance, armed with deep-seated beliefs? This is gold. I don't need to clash with them; I need to strike a deal. They're the key to this whole operation.'

...

[A\\N]

I did it , I wrote this too against all odds. As is said in my other book, Nigeria ain't safe rn, pray for author. This chapter is not the best but please pardon it.