Having the genes of a demon king, I never intended to be a kept man.

As temperatures gradually drop and migratory birds that left in the summer fly back to the south, people know that the cold winter is coming.

Winter is a season when all things should be at rest, but the dark races are an exception, and various monsters run rampant during this season.

For many weak races across the vast map who fear the demons, this is undoubtedly a tremendous test of survival.

Southern Border, War Academy.

The air conditioning was on in the principal's office. Lan Mi was comfortably reclining behind her desk, a game controller in her hand, VR glasses on her head, playing a game. She was rapidly manipulating the joystick while angrily complaining, "What kind of garbage are you playing! It's worse than a cheap food delivery service! If you're bad, practice more! Is that how you use 'R'? You might as well just rip the keyboard out! My ten-year-old student is worse than you! If my cute student wasn't here today, would I even be playing with you? Hurry up and click..."

"Knock knock knock..." Just then, a knocking sound rang out.

Lan Mi: "Go in!"

Duke Wang En strode into the office as the door opened.

He was dressed in standard noble attire: a black silk blouse, jet-black high boots, and a long red and black cloak. He wore a beautiful brooch made of soul crystal, and his face, marked by the vicissitudes of time, maintained the same serious expression of a great leader.

“Principal Lan Mi,” Duke Wang En said in a cold and calm voice.

"Hmm?" Lan Mi lifted the futuristic glasses on her head and saw Duke Wang En.

"Hey, isn't this Old Wang? What a rare guest! What brings you here today?"

Duke Wang En opened his mouth: "I..."

Lan Mi put her tech glasses back on: "Hey, wait a minute, let me finish this game first."

Wang En: "......"

About ten minutes later, Lan Mi took off her glasses and placed them on the table. She stretched and leaned back in her office chair, smiling as she looked at him and said, "Alright, Duke, what are your instructions for today?"

Wang En snorted lightly through his nostrils and said, "Principal Lan Mi should know that winter is just around the corner, right?"

"Winter? Oh, I know, who doesn't know that?"

“The Southern Territory has been quite turbulent lately,” Wang En said. “Beyond the Wall, the Dark Races are becoming increasingly active, and the border garrisons and Night’s Watch are under extreme strain.”

"Oh." Lan Mi quickly guessed Wang En's intentions: "So, you want to issue a commission to our War Academy, asking me to send students to help you?"

Wang En: "Yes."

Lan Mi shrugged: "If that's the case, why don't you just post it in the school's task hall? Why come to me?"

“This time is different,” Wang En said. “I need a lot of people.”

"How many people are needed?"

"At least three hundred extraordinary warriors, and I need elites."

Lan Mi was slightly surprised: "Oh? Has the border manpower shortage reached this point?"

“This time it’s not just monsters running rampant; outside the Great Wall, the third line of defense for all races, many underground forces have also emerged,” Wang En said coldly. “These people are traitors to the empire, and their hideouts are outside the Great Wall.”

"Moreover, these people's businesses have grown increasingly larger recently, and they have even extended their reach into the Great Wall several times, causing many negative consequences."

"The Night's Watch has caught them many times, but they keep coming back, they're really rampant."

Lan Mi pondered for a moment: "Where exactly is it located?"

Wang En said, "It's near the border, close to the Night City territory."

Lan Mi raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

Wang En sneered: "After the Ye family regained control of border transportation and trade, all sorts of illegal underground forces from beyond the Great Wall began to appear in the empire. I said long ago that the Ye family would be a scourge sooner or later, but His Majesty made that decision anyway. Now that this has happened, I think the Ye family itself is highly suspicious!"

Lan Mi smiled and said, "Oh, Duke Wang En, don't always blame the Ye family for every little problem. Although I know you have a grudge against the Ye family's patriarch—you were beaten up by him in front of your sweetheart back then, and even had your spirit beast, Dandan, kicked in public by a royal princess—you must still hold a grudge..."

Duke Wang En's expression changed abruptly, and his cheeks twitched violently several times.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I just blurted it out without thinking." Lan Mi said with an apologetic and sincere expression.

Wang En: "......"

“But even so, you can’t put all the blame on the Ye family, right?” Lan Mi shrugged. “Those underground rebels outside the Great Wall aren’t new to rebelling against the empire. Didn’t they already exist long before the royal family appeased the Ye family?”

"Hmph, even if it has nothing to do with the Ye family, it's still their fault for mismanaging the border." Wang En's eyes flashed with a cold light.

“But the Southern Territory is also under your jurisdiction.” Lan Mi looked into his eyes: “You are the Duke of the Southern Territory. If the Empire blames you, you will be the first one to be blamed.”

Wang En remained silent.

"So, isn't this exactly what I'm trying to solve now?"

Wang En said expressionlessly, "The Night Watch and the city guards of the various border territories and city states are already working hard to wipe out the monsters. Now I want you to send students from the War Academy to help investigate the rebellious forces beyond the Wall."

Lan Mi smiled and twirled her beautiful gray-silver hair with her fingers: "As long as the price is right, sending people is no problem. I also want my lovely students to go out and gain some experience. But I'd like to ask, what kind of business are those rebellious forces doing?"

Duke Wang En said expressionlessly, "Dark Blood."

A look of doubt flashed in Lan Mi's eyes: "Dark Blood?"

......

Professor Li walked alone in the college corridor, looking dejected and sighing.

Ugh......

Failed again...

At this rate, when will I ever become a Saint-level Alchemist?

Just then, Duke Wang En came out of the principal's office, closed the door, and saw him in the corridor.

Professor Li's eyes met Duke Wang En's cold and calm gaze, and his heart skipped a beat. He guiltily looked away.

But Duke Wang En still walked towards him step by step.

Professor Li's body trembled slightly.

But he stood there, too afraid to move.

They didn't dare leave.

Duke Wang En slowly approached him and whispered in his ear, his cold voice filled with threat: "Professor Li, let's talk somewhere else."

Professor Li gave a bitter look, not daring to disobey.

He knew that his fate was sealed...