The black sun hangs high

Chapter 470 Separation
Although the continued use of the beacon provides a relatively stable space for the surrounding area, the time scale remains ambiguous here.

Fortunately, compared to before, Hugh can now at least vaguely infer the passage of time in Vaan through the magical connection between himself and the staff.

Although this inference lacks sufficiently clear and accurate references, it is enough to provide valuable spiritual comfort for Hughes, who is "out of town".

It was precisely because of the concept of time that Hughes truly felt the potential of these rodents before him.

Each of them is an absolute pragmatist, so they often start with the actual utility and function of tools, equipment and weapons. Once the rat people have completed the first step of understanding, they will boldly put the knowledge they have just acquired into specific application scenarios.

This behavior is extremely dangerous.

Even though Aziv and other rat-man sages kept trying to regulate this terrible adventure, in those bold and radical attempts, people still lost limbs, tails, or even their lives. However, these tragedies could not stop the rat-men's desire to explore these unknown things.

It was only at this point that Hughes finally witnessed the true scale of the rat colony.

With Aziv's explanation and revelation, Hugh learned that the relatively rudimentary "town" he had seen earlier was actually only a small part of the rat tribe that lived in seclusion there. It was both the "political center" of the entire rat tribe and a particularly conspicuous "target".

In the worst-case scenario, the settlement would be immediately abandoned by groups hiding in other areas.

The survival of the rats hiding in the shadows is naturally more difficult and painful, but the ratmen living inside the settlements also bear the responsibility of drawing the attention of enemies to the entire group. Once an accident occurs, they will become the first target of those terrible creatures of the dark abyss and will be completely wiped out in a very short time.

Hugh's visit and the revelation of the secrets of the continued base brought enough variables to this large group.

It was on this basis that Aziv, as the supreme leader, finally decided to change the strategy he had previously formulated. As a result, a much larger number of rodents emerged from the hidden settlements within this vast mountain range. They left behind those nooks and crumbling dark passages, gathered near the settlements, and began to expand their territory with astonishing efficiency.

Aziv's concealment greatly displeased the old men of the Ernst family. As high-ranking members who had once been involved in Vaan's political circles, they always harbored a high degree of hostility towards such actions. Whether it was the relatively mild-mannered Countess Alexandra or the hot-tempered old Bernhardt, they all believed that Hugh should investigate this matter and use it to strengthen his overall control over the Skaven.

Hughes did not accept these offers.

Not only did he not question Aziv about the specific reasons, he even deliberately reduced his presence within the rat-man race. During this time, he did most of his work by reviewing the archives within the continuation base, studying the magic system preserved from distant times and quietly observing the development of that race, which was inherently somewhat insane.

Aren't you worried they'll get out of control?

Through Hugh's gaze, General Bernhardt also saw the argument taking place on the makeshift scaffolding, and he sighed in Hugh's mind: "I know these guys are definitely more reliable than the monsters outside, but they are ultimately different from any race in Vain... Ah, every time I see them, I feel like they are a bunch of crystal bombs running around with tails!"

Hughes turned his gaze away from the arguing ratmen, glanced at the still-functioning continuation beacon in the distance, and smiled silently: "You really don't trust them."

"Of course I don't trust it."

As a former soldier, Bernhardt always liked to speak his mind: "Let me put it this way, when I was in the army, I dealt with dwarves, elves, and even ogres. Ah... each different race has its own characteristics. For example, elves are always very confident, dwarves have foul mouths, and ogres are not very bright..."

"But no matter how outrageous they are, there is always a limit. But these rat people are different. All I feel in them is disorder and madness. Even with Aziv's management and leadership, this temperament will still show."

Bernhardt spoke slowly, and it was clear that he was very serious at the moment: "More importantly, I, or rather we ourselves, have all been influenced by that so-called Mother Earth Goddess. You know... before you arrived, many of our members had already been completely submerged in that terrible power. Once we got to that point, there was no rationality left in our souls."

At that moment, two figures rushed over from the other end of the hall.

Those were two rat-man sages from other settlements. They were now wearing white uniforms that had been found in the continuation base warehouse. Although they didn't fit quite right, they inexplicably gave them a scholarly air.

They were clearly drawn by the commotion, and upon arriving at the scene, they immediately began to reprimand and criticize the two ratmen who had almost caused an accident. Only then did they turn around and approach Hugh.

The rat-men wise men held this "messenger of the Earth Mother" in high esteem. They first greeted him respectfully, and then cautiously inquired of Hugh whether he had any further "instructions" regarding what had just happened.

Hugh simply smiled and waved his hand: "You handled it very well, but in this kind of situation, reprimands and punishments are definitely not enough... You need to think carefully about how to prevent accidents before they happen. If you can't think of a solution, that's okay. You can discuss it with Aziv or other members of your clan."

The two rat-man sages were visibly stunned by Hugh's specific advice. They exchanged a glance, then bowed their heads in response before turning and leaving with a mixture of respect and bewilderment.

"Look, have you noticed that in some ways they've become less difficult to understand?"

Hughes smiled inwardly at Bernhardt: "Regardless of their beliefs and appearance, fundamentally, they are not much different from the other races in Vaan today..."

He pointed to the light in the distance: "We are all inheritors, but we have different preferences and strengths. Moreover, the Earth Mother Goddess they worship has long been completely banished, and they themselves are trapped in the Dark Abyss. This makes the gods they worship a spiritual crutch that cannot bring any real power."

"The many powers, magic and rituals they obtained from the gods in the past have lost their effectiveness. What now supports them in fighting against the Dark Abyss is actually their own power, those specific methods that they have summarized through experience and based on the actual situation of the Dark Abyss."

"So my attitude is that they are no longer fundamentally different from the races in Vaan, or rather, they are at a stage that humans or elves have gone through. This is understandable and can be expected."

“But… well, okay.” Bernhardt wasn’t particularly good at debating. He thought Hugh made a lot of sense, but his stubborn nature made him reluctant to agree directly.

At that moment, Countess Alexandra spoke up: "Child, can I understand it this way: you believe these ratmen have great potential, but they should receive some guidance and regulation?"

"Besides that, there's still time."

Hughes added earnestly, “As I said before, everything here will take them to a new stage, and even give them the strength to fight against those dangers. But this will take time, and during this process, their race needs to remain as stable and cohesive as possible. Any risks from within could create irreparable cracks, or even cut that precious progress in half.”

“Once these guys start to split themselves, the madness hidden in their blood might resurface... I hope they can vent this ferocity and madness in the Dark Abyss Palace, rather than inward.”

Hearing this, Bernhardt finally understood what Hugh meant, and he couldn't help but ask, "So, you want to find a supervisor for these rats?"

"Yes, and they are long-term, tireless, and knowledgeable enough regulators of these rats."

Hugh leaned against the cold metal wall and instinctively reached into his pocket—which was empty, of course. So he reached out and grabbed at the air, and magic immediately compressed into a "cigarette" between his fingers.

The magically simulated "cigarette" ignited without fire. Hugh put it in his mouth, and a faint magical mist drifted past his eyes.

He didn't smell any tobacco, but the action itself was enough to keep him calm.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Hugh's spiritual ocean trembled violently.

“General Bernhardt, I hope that you will take the lead in this oversight work.”

"what?"

“You understand correctly. What I mean is that I hope you can lead the members of the other families to monitor and guide this race full of unknowns in my place, so as to ensure that their development will not go astray, and always stand on the same side as Vaan, regarding the Dark Abyss Court as the most important enemy.”

Even with his vast experience, Bernhardt was still quite taken aback by Hugh's words. He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty: "If this is your order, I am naturally willing to carry it out. But I don't quite understand how these ratmen can possibly contend with such an opponent. Do we really have any way to drag the Dark Abyss Court down to a level where we can fight back?"

Faced with Bernhardt's question, Hughes did not show much doubt. He gently blew away the magical smoke floating in front of him and replied with a smile, "Yes, and that is what I am going to do next. As for the specific process, it is difficult for me to explain to you right now, so... let's focus on the goal and the result."

As they spoke, the metal disc that served as the dwelling place for many creations began to rotate. Unlike in the past, this huge disc was no longer merely a carrier of Shug's power, but had become a part of Shug's own magic.

Thus, under his control and manipulation, the surging magic flowed slowly along those intricate patterns toward the recesses where the Ernst family rats lived.

For Bernhardt and the other souls, this was a true and irresistible command.

……

The rat people have a firm belief in the Earth Mother Goddess.

Therefore, they are also very receptive to these "gifts" from the Mother Goddess's messengers.

At a grand gathering, an overwhelming swarm of black, blind rats coalesced and took shape amidst a dense, magical shadow.

Despite the excruciating pain of his mental breakdown, he personally handed over the blind rats, who housed the souls of the Ernst family, to the leaders of the rat tribe. From this day forward, they would form a special partnership, and these wise rats, "blessed by the Mother Goddess," would answer the questions and resolve the difficulties of this growing tribe.

Hugh did not hide his thoughts and plans from Aziv, and the old bard and rat-man sage did not express any objection either. When Hugh personally placed General Bernhardt on Aziv's shoulder, both of them even had smiles on their faces.

To ensure the Ernst family rats could operate efficiently within the rat-man settlement, almost all of the family souls were separated by Hugh, leaving only Countess Alexandra by his side.

Will they be angry?

"Angry? I'm alright."

Countess Alexandra responded with a smile, "If it weren't for you, we would have already become one with those crazy rats. How could we still be able to use our abilities as we do now? Everyone just feels reluctant and regretful. You know, child, in their eyes, you should actually go back and lead the family."

"Is that so? But I feel that General Bernhardt didn't want to talk to me much before he left."

That's because he was too excited.

Alexandra mercilessly exposed Bernhardt's pretense: "Those weapons piled up in the warehouse, especially those big ones made of steel, have been itching to get their hands on them... He probably wants to personally train a real 'ratman army' for a long time."

(End of this chapter)