I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 318 The Troubles of Transformation, The Silver Moon's Vow
"Just now, I received the latest report from the transformation team members."

"Since I reached the highest rank and gained the approval of the drow ancestors, I was chosen as the representative of the drow clan, accompanied you to Elenaor to receive the rewards, and officially joined the Empire on behalf of the drow clan."

"Regarding the conversion ritual, the tribespeople did not accept and acknowledge it as I had expected, so the progress of the Shadow Orcs converting into Drow has remained stagnant."

"Even though more than two months have passed, according to the team's recent report, and with the team's encouragement, the number of people who have actually undergone the conversion ceremony has only increased by 269 since the start of the mission."

"Including the remaining tribespeople who were originally waiting to be converted, plus the rest of the tribespeople who escaped the orcs' pursuit through the tunnels and successfully arrived in Faoken with the help of the Sea Dragon Legion, the total number of people waiting to be converted has reached nearly 80,000."

"This situation is causing me great concern, so I would like to ask for your opinion, Commander John. Do you have any good ideas on how to quickly implement the conversion ceremony?"

Carrie, her face full of sorrow, recounted the events to John.

John was somewhat surprised to learn about Carrie's troubles.

After all, in his mind, the Shadow Orcs in the original work were all beings who revered strength and honor.

The law of the jungle also applies within the tribe.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, these people should be scrambling to seize such a great opportunity that could both make them stronger and restore the true glory of their ancestors.

Why are they all resisting it now?
This is clearly not right!

However, this question was answered as soon as John recalled Carrie's experience.

Although their power was increased, the price was either changing from male to female, or from female to male.

Given such a near-desperate cost, it seems only natural that the Shadow Orcs would resist conversion.
At this moment, John, who understood why the Shadow Orcs resisted conversion, suddenly couldn't help but feel sympathy for those mighty orcs.

But this sympathy only lasted for a moment before he forcibly erased it.

After all, the combat strength of the Shadow Orcs and Drow Elves is worlds apart.

Moreover, Carrie has now inherited the legacy of the Drow elves, and with just a little training, she can easily build a top-tier assassin legion.

If a few exceptionally talented geniuses emerge from among them and rise to the Grand Rank after transformation...

With the added bonus of the Silver Moon Dance spell and the drow elves' ability to blend completely into the darkness in the background, they can carry out a perfect assassination.

Even if the Allied forces develop and scale up the third-generation anti-magic device in advance, our side can still disable the enemy's military equipment and weapons by launching a large-scale infiltration attack.

So although John sympathizes with the Shadow Orcs having to undergo this hellish transformation, refusing the transformation is absolutely out of the question, otherwise how can he build the Silvermoon Legion?
With this in mind, John immediately abandoned his flexible moral bottom line and began to think rapidly.

Soon, a perfect idea popped into his mind, and he immediately coughed lightly and smiled at Carrie:
"Ahem, Carrie, I am aware of your concerns and requests."

"Although I was also surprised that the Shadow Orcs, who have always revered strength, would be afraid to transform back into their Drow forms over such a trivial matter, I can understand it. After all, the price is, well, a bit cruel."

Meeting Carrie's complicated gaze, even John couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but on the surface, he pretended to be calm, coughed lightly, and then slowly said:

"Of course, stopping the conversion is absolutely out of the question. After all, the glory of the Drow clan still needs you to restore it, and naturally, the more people there are, the better. Only in this way can the Drow clan grow strong again, isn't that right?"

"Since the people resist the conversion, we just need to make the conversion passive instead of active. That way, everything will be solved!"

Upon hearing this, Carrie was completely baffled and couldn't help but ask:
"From proactive to reactive? Commander John, I don't understand what you mean. Could you please explain in more detail?"

“That’s just what it means.”

Seeing that Carrie still looked like she didn't understand, John couldn't help but roll his eyes. He thought to himself that Carrie was such a scheming girl. She only pretended to understand after he played the villain and told her the whole plan.

However, John could understand it. After all, although his proposed method was effective, it was indeed a vicious scheme for the Shadow Orcs who were about to undergo the transformation ritual.

However, when the group of people who were sleeping soundly woke up, they found that they had been forcibly transformed.

Even a fool could tell that the new Drow, whose genders had been reversed overnight, would be burning with murderous intent and want to kill the person who proposed the plan.

Therefore, given this public outrage, it was a wise choice for Carrie to feel fear and instead choose to hand over the knife herself.

It can only be said that he is indeed an elite orc who once lived in a human kingdom and returned to the Saga Kingdom through his own efforts. His wisdom and cunning are truly human, completely different from the simple orcs!

John inwardly praised her, then stopped keeping her in suspense and followed Carrie's lead, who was feigning confusion:

"It's simple. I remember the Shadow Orcs are currently settled in the three settlements of the former Golden Lion Territory, right? If I'm not mistaken, your Conversion Team, including the previous conversions, should have around three hundred people by now, right?"

"I'll call the garrison in the Golden Lion Territory later and ask them to get you a batch of potent sleeping pills. Then you can assign your three hundred converts to replace the original guards under the pretext of propaganda and guard duty to demonstrate the power of the Drow. At the same time, they should secretly carry these sleeping pills and take advantage of the night to drop them into the water tanks or wells of each household."

"Once most of the tribesmen are drugged the next day, the members of the transformation team you sent out can then move the unconscious tribesmen to an open area and use the Ring of Reversal of All Laws to carry out the transformation of the tribesmen in one go, right?"

"As for those who slipped through the net or those who refused to be converted, the method is also very simple. I can, in the name of the governor, have the goblins of the Darkmoon Clan secretly assist the conversion team in completing this task. If anyone resists or notices, then we can just fire a cannonball filled with hypnotic powder from a distance to force them into a deep sleep before proceeding with the conversion."

"In that case, the transformation of the Shadow Orcs into Drow Elves will be a piece of cake, within easy reach, won't it? Heh heh!"

John grinned wickedly as he revealed his plan.

At this moment, he could already foresee the scene of the unsuspecting Shadow Orcs waking up to find that they either had something they shouldn't have had or something they shouldn't have lost, and then looking up to the sky in despair.

Oh, how cruel! My apologies!

John silently apologized in his heart, but the wicked smile on his face did not diminish; instead, it became even more pronounced.

Meanwhile, Carrie was greatly shocked after hearing the whole plan, but when she looked at the grinning John, she felt more complicated than anything else.

As expected, my initial judgment was correct.

While Commander John was indeed trustworthy as an ally, as an enemy, there was no word to describe him other than fear.

Fortunately, I chose to offer my loyalty back then.

Otherwise, she simply couldn't imagine what fate awaited the Shadow Orc Clan in front of this monstrous... cough cough, extremely intelligent man.

After silently rejoicing, Carrie quickly relaxed her furrowed brows, having learned how to advance the transformation process.

At the same time, a sly smile appeared on her face, exactly like John's.

Clearly, she herself approved of this wicked scheme.

After all, although no one said it openly, she had heard a lot of people talking about her since she transformed into a drow elf. Many of her former enemies also took advantage of her misfortune, mocking her for turning from a macho man into a woman.

She held all these grudges in her heart.

Of course, as a Drow elite who strives for the development of her race, she would never do anything to harm her people.

On the contrary, she wanted to make these lovely people the first to qualify for baptism.

After all, how could I, Carrie Drow, keep such a good thing to myself, right?
"Hmph, hahaha, hahahaha!"

Carrie, increasingly aroused by the thought, burst into uncontrollable laughter. The deep malice emanating from her voice astonished even John.

At the same time, she couldn't help but reflect on whether she had been too harsh on this unfortunate girl, to the point that she hadn't even noticed how much resentment she harbored. Indeed, she should be nicer to this old mountain-loving... cough cough, mountain-climbing girl in the future; otherwise, who knows, she might secretly add some porridge to her dinner as revenge someday when she's unhappy with her work.

Looking at Carrie's dark, maniacal laughter, John silently reminded himself.

Just as Carrie received the 'brilliant plan' and was about to return to immediately inform the Transformers to execute it, John called her back again and said something that left her speechless:

"By the way, Carrie, I've made some progress on the matter of lifting the curse on the Drow clan."

"!"

Upon hearing this, Carrie's eyes widened, and she looked at John with excitement in her eyes.

After all, she had assumed that John wouldn't have time to consider such trivial matters concerning the Drow clan in the current situation.

Before she set off, the clan chief and the higher-ups had also instructed her, for the sake of the Drow clan's future, to never be impatient and not to urge John on this matter.

After all, the Drow clans have already endured the torment of the curse for far too long, and they are not in a hurry for a few more years.

If being too eager displeases the lord, it would be a bad thing for the tribe.

Therefore, Carrie originally thought that it would be at least a year or even three years before John would put this matter on the agenda, and the Drow clan would be able to break free of their shackles.

Unexpectedly, John brought up the matter at this time.

How could she not be excited about this?
But despite saying that, seeing John's pained expression, Carrie immediately understood that the cost of lifting the curse would probably be much greater than expected; otherwise, the esteemed governor wouldn't have made such an expression.

After a moment's thought, Carrie slowly suppressed her excitement and tentatively began to speak:

“Well, Commander John, if this matter proves difficult, we can postpone it for a while. After all, the Drow clan isn't in a rush, and everything is up to your current priorities…”

"No need, it's just a little troublesome."

John waved his hand, then suppressed his emotions, smiled at Carrie, and spoke calmly but resolutely:

"These are the conditions I promised you, and they cannot be changed or postponed."

"Moreover, to ignore the feelings of drows simply because they are used to enduring pain is an unjust act that only shows that this lord is not a wise lord."

"So, no matter the cost, I will fulfill my responsibility according to our original agreement. That's what we agreed on when we made the agreement, isn't it?"

"!"

Upon hearing John's words, Carrie's pupils trembled, and she slowly lowered her head. At this moment, there was even a hint of tears in her eyes, and she was almost moved to tears.

In fact, it wasn't just her; even if it were the clan leader or any other high-ranking member who came, it would have been different.

After hearing John's sincere words, she would probably show the same discomposure as her, or even more discomposure.

After all, as Shadow Orcs, they had never received such fair, even favored, treatment when they were in the Saga Kingdom.

In the past, the orcs regarded them as worthless. If it weren't for the need for the Shadow Orcs' infiltration abilities to gather intelligence in the fight against the Empire, they wouldn't even be qualified to become warriors recognized by the Saga Kingdom.

Even so, they barely obtained the qualification of orc warriors through the sacrifice of their people who fought bloody battles for the Saga Kingdom.

But the orcs' discrimination against them has never changed.

Back then, Shadow Orcs were not allowed to step into any tavern in the Kingdom of Saga, and even walking on the streets only earned them cold stares and contempt.

When the tribesmen bought supplies from traveling merchants, they received the worst quality goods, but the price was 30% or even more than that of other tribes in the surrounding area.

Children within the tribe suffer bullying from a young age and are deprived of the opportunity to receive formal education in larger settlements.

Even now, less than one-tenth of the tribe knows how to write the orc language and communicate in a proper, official orc accent.

Ironically, among the various orc clans that have fought against the Imperial Army under the orders of the Orc King over the years, the Shadow Orcs have the highest casualty rate.

They have endured this blatant discrimination, malice, and exploitation for far too long.

It had been so long that they were almost numb, and they had long since convinced themselves that this was their fate.

But before them stood a black-haired youth from the Empire, who should have been their mortal enemy and slaughtered them all.

But out of kindness and compassion, they chose to tell them the truth about their family history and help them escape their suffering. They even gave them respect and trust that no one had ever given them before.

This act of not treating them as disposable commodities to be used and discarded at will, but truly regarding them as human beings and citizens of the territory, is beyond description for Carrie; she can think of no word other than "great."

Seeing Carrie choke back tears, John didn't speak further. Instead, he remained silent, giving her time to compose herself. Only after she wiped away her tears and looked up again did he smile and say:

"As the lords you follow, I am already aware of the Drow's loyalty to the Drow clan and their adherence to the covenant, as well as the contributions the Drow clan made in the Battle of Faokon. Therefore, this reward of lifting the curse ahead of schedule is what you deserve, and there is no need for further discussion."

"Therefore, after the peace negotiations conclude and we obtain permission to travel to the Kingdom of Loran, I will organize the drow clans to go together to bathe in the power of the moonlight and complete the final true transformation, completely stripping away the ugliness and distortion from you, and helping you return to the true noble and elegant demeanor of the drow elves."

"Of course, I also have some personal reasons for doing this."

Meeting Carrie's admiring gaze, John took a deep breath and then slowly voiced his thoughts:

"As the governor and lord of Faoken appointed by the empire, I intend to transform Faoken into a city without prejudice or discrimination, where any race can live peacefully without fear of plunder or suffering any injustice."

"In order to achieve this goal, I will inevitably face unprecedented obstacles in the future, and I myself may even die in a sudden assassination."

"And in order to ensure that the development of Faoken is not forced to stop due to some external forces, Caryl, I need the power of the Drow clan to protect this vision. Do you understand what I mean?"

"!"

Upon hearing this, almost instantly, Carrie knelt down on one knee before John without hesitation. At the same time, she bit her finger and drew a crescent moon symbol on her forehead with her blood. Then she performed the highest ritual that the Drow clan only displayed when worshipping the true god.

Her eyes were filled with fervor, as if she were a true fanatic gazing upon the supreme God, and she looked up at John before her, solemnly swearing an oath:

“I, Caryl Drow, in my capacity as the current High Priestess of the Drow Clan, on behalf of all the surviving members of the Drow Clan, and in the name of the Silver Moon, hereby pledge to Lord John Maslow.”

"Anyone who dares to hinder Governor John and his descendants' grand vision will become the mortal enemy of the Drow clan, and their conflict will last until death!"

"Even if only one member of the Drow clan survives in the world, that person will continue to hunt down that mortal enemy until his heart is torn apart, until his body perishes, until his soul is completely captured by Death!"

"This oath cannot be changed, not even by the gods!"

Carrie's solemn oath echoed throughout the room. As if granted some kind of permission, the blood moon on her forehead inexplicably reflected a dazzling silver light under the setting sun.

It was as if Carrie and a Drow from another time and space had overlapped, making her originally ugly face suddenly become exceptionally holy.

"Clap!"

……

(End of this chapter)