"Whether from your appearance or demeanor, you certainly don't seem to be of common descent, and the golden double-headed eagle... It's the mark and symbol of the Empire. You must be some noble's descendant from the Empire, right?" Pilazzo asked cautiously, "Of course... You don't have to say if you don't want to, we understand some matters."

"Me? I guess I'm a descendant of the Imperial Great Nobles." Fugen calculated in his mind, deciding to say just half of it, "Do you know Laine? Count Laine Macado?" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Ah! I know, the one who exiled the Great Nurgle Demon 'Wound Master' and killed the Red Duke who plagued the Knight Kingdom for centuries, a hero of humanity." Pilazzo acknowledged.

"I am his brother, his real brother." Fugen said here, shaking his head, "I can only say so much."

"Understood." Pilazzo felt relieved.

So that's how it is.

Count Laine Macado's fame in the Old World was indeed resounding. There were various speculations about who his biological father was, but Fugen's words still didn't reveal any information about his father. At least Pilazzo felt assured knowing this legion had support in the Old World!

This is very important, whether this expeditionary army has established a foothold or not, they still require support from the Old World.

After dinner, Pilazzo excused himself, leaving Fugen alone, the Legion Commander picked up a book, "Old World Geography," continuing to read.

The candlelight made from animal grease flickered constantly.

"Rulers stand high in their temples, while commoners labor to sustain the army that protects them, a way of life unchanged for millennia." The handsome man looked at the "Old World Geography," sighing lightly, "Everything has to start over, Father, my legion, my children have already fallen into the abyss, ten thousand years have passed, Emperor's Son, besides me, have you saved anything else?"

The golden double-headed eagle seemed to reflect in the candlelight, leaving Fugen with a silent reply.

......

A week later, the entire expeditionary army was ready to depart.

This army of five thousand was organized by Fugen into twelve companies.

The first company led personally by him was all seasoned veterans, made up of Great Swordsmen and a few Walking Knights.

Second and third companies were Long Halberdier companies.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth companies were mixed Long Spear Soldier and Sword and Shield Soldier.

Seventh, eighth, and ninth companies were composed of crossbowmen and archers.

Tenth company was composed of musketeers.

Eleventh company was artillery, the expeditionary army carried five mortars and three cannons.

Twelfth company was the reserve.

Fugen left three companies behind to guard the base, leading the remaining three thousand-plus soldiers into the tropical rainforest.

......

Lustria's tropical rainforest and the Old World's Black Forest were completely different, the Old World's Black Forest was difficult to traverse, while Tiriel's forests were filled with birdsong and fragrance, with little threat from beastmen.

Lustria's tropical rainforest gave the expeditionary army a pure feeling of lushness.

It's damp, muggy, the ground covered with moss and algae, with grasses, ferns, shrubs growing on the ground, followed lastly by towering trees, the forest could accommodate army passage, though not neatly.

After months of training, Ash Legion's team marched neatly, their morale high under Fugen's reorganization, they were cautiously advancing through the forest, observing every movement nearby.

As he pushed through the thickets, Pilazzo laboriously brushed the long bush leaves off his face. Even though it's December, Lustria is relatively cooler at twenty-six or seven degrees, the Mercenary Leader's face and body were drenched in sweat, dew soaking his clothes, "Damn, it's still December and the weather's relatively cool, imagine what we'd face in midsummer."

Fugen carried the purple and gold power sword "Glory," the Legion Commander clad in purple plate armor, silver hair flying in the woods, he walked forward rhythmically step by step, "Order everyone, no prolonged wearing of wet clothes, no consuming any wild fruits or vegetables, no drinking raw water, any thorns encountered must be bypassed or cut through, maintain formation, advance slowly!"

"Yes!" A Great Swordsman immediately responded.

Under Fugen's exquisite command, the army maintained morale, cautiously exploring this tropical rainforest. Relying on Fugen's orders and prohibitions, the soldiers kept their composure even upon sighting some treasures, first carefully checking for ambushes before collecting the valuables.

Lustria, the rumored land of gold, indeed proved its reputation true. Just three days of marching, the Ash Legion amassed considerable wealth, gemstones and silver, and gold being greedily pocketed by humans.

Three days later, the expeditionary army arrived at a Lizardman Ruins.

This was an already desolate Lizardman City, the tall pyramids collapsed substantially, covered by branches, vines, and sturdy trees; massive stones paved pathways within the ruins, there were many ponds inside, inhabited by cannibal fish.

How did they know the ponds contained cannibal fish? Because some soldiers had already paid with their lives.

The solid stone surface and soft damp soil created a stark contrast, the once tall walls had collapsed, almost no good buildings throughout the ruins, and the brightly colored patterns carved on the stone slabs had faded over endless ages.

"It's gold! Such big gold!"

"Oh my! Such a big piece of silver!"

"Enamel stone!"

"That's jade!"