Deep within Yucatan Island, in a tropical rainforest where the canopy blocked out the sun.

"Keep up! High-ranking warriors, guard our rear! Don't let anyone fall behind!"

A large group of natives, carrying their families and belongings, was leaving their city to hide deeper in the rarely explored jungle. Men and women, young and old alike, were all agile and adept, adapting to this environment far better than any outsider, even after leaving their city. An invisible "border" shrouded them, concealing their tracks so thoroughly that not even the birds in the sky could detect anything amiss.

Alvin, who had assumed a new human skin as "Falcon," walked at the front of the procession with a few high-ranking nobles from the city-state. Above his head floated an aged parchment: The First Overseas Expansion Order of the Great Nautical Age. Its first effect had been activated: *Where we stand, so lies the realm of our Kingdom.* An invisible, traveling "border" could be formed, invoking the Golden Law of his own domain. With it, those within the territory could receive various enhancements: stealth, rapid marching, not yielding an inch...

Cortes had originally used this magic item to shield his vast expeditionary army within his "territory," allowing a surprise attack on the Aztec Royal City. In the past, this Expansion Order was deeply bound to the Bull City Law. Even if "declaring war" represented Castilia, victory would further fortify the Royal Iron Law of the People of Castilia. No matter how much the executor profited, the Royal Iron Law and the King of Castilia were always the ultimate winners. Now, Byron had changed the source of the laws, binding them instead to his own Golden Code. Not just humans, but also Undead ancestors, gods, Nature Spirits... they all fell under its rule. In this tropical rainforest where All Things Have Spirit, it moved as seamlessly as a fish in water, rendering all surveillance attempts ineffective.

Falcon glanced at the migration map, which showed they were nearing their destination, and let out a slight sigh of relief. The Bizarre started from the heartland of the Aztec Empire at Lake Texcoco, spreading the smallpox virus all along this route. This group is the last city-state on that path, theoretically the last one destined for widespread infection and extinction. By moving these people out, my work here can also come to a close. According to the mortality curve and population extinction model provided by Miss Catherine, after massive deaths among their kind, the remaining 20%–30% of survivors wouldn't continue living in places filled with the corpses of innumerable friends and family. They wouldn't have the strength to maintain their vast cities and could only use Magic Potions made by shaman wizards to destroy their loved ones' corpses, to prevent a city full of corpses from breeding an even more terrifying Bizarre. Then they would return to live in the primeval jungle, leaving the city deserted. All of this is very logical. The 'cursed Gold' deliberately left behind in the city is an even sweeter bait. Only in this way will the Overlords of Castilia on the East Coast, the Star Moon Empire on the West Coast, and the Barbary Pirates it supports fight to the death over this land, their blood flowing like rivers!

Byron always remembered that the premise for the two Overlords to clash was the extermination of the Yucatan natives, forcing them to yield their land. If they knew the "smallpox virus" had been addressed with cowpox by the Father of Immunology, only a fool would choose to fight first against 13,000,000 natives. Only when the bait was alluring enough, giving them both a glimpse of a chance to monopolize, could they possibly set aside all reservations to fight a desperate battle. Thus, having united a large group of Pioneers through the International Port and obtained the ability to defend themselves, Byron also issued the battle directive to "show weakness to the enemy, to draw the snake from its hole." The two Overlords would not cast their falcons without seeing the rabbit, so he decided to release the rabbit. To avenge their dead relatives, the major city-states of the Tenor People cooperated very well.

"Eh, who's that person?" As Alvin led the group on, he spotted a solitary figure ahead, moving at a leisurely pace down the road. The figure wore a black, waxed-canvas shirt and a black hat. Its face was covered by a mask shaped like a bird's beak, designed to filter the air, with transparent glass set into the eyeholes. It wore white gloves and held a dirty wooden stick. A red-eyed crow perched on its shoulder. It was the very source of all the calamities: the Bird Beak Plague Doctor!

However, even at such close proximity, this normally inexplicable Bizarre had no effect on the group of natives. A mischievous teenager, passing by its side, even gave it a kick. THUMP! The appalling Bizarre was flung to the ground by the young boy's kick. More feet from the large group behind them, in a tacit agreement, took turns stomping on its body. Neither the intangible "Conceptual Smallpox" nor the Plague Aura was anything but a joke at that moment.

"Hahaha, this Bizarre has become useless!" Many laughed along, but as they laughed, they began to cry.

"Mom, can you see us from Heaven? We've beaten it!"

"Brother, we won't get smallpox anymore..."

In the face of a plague, some may fall. But those who survive the ordeal of life and death gain immunity to these viruses, earning the right to live on in this world. Every new plague's arrival is an opportunity for evolution. And with the protection of the Father of Immunology, they could adapt to the new world countless times faster than under natural conditions. As most of them stomped on the "weak" Bizarre, one after another, they still prayed in their hearts: "May the Father of Healing bless us!" "May the Father of Healing protect us."

After this epidemic, countless people among the various city-states of the Taya Empire had begun to worship Byron, the Father of Immunology, who possessed medical knowledge. The original Thirteen Crystal Skulls actually came about in this way. The Former Kings used their knowledge to make significant contributions to their tribes while alive. After death, their Spiritual Bodies merged with certain Nature Spirits and became Guardians. By this time, Byron had undoubtedly reached the stature of those thirteen Former Kings. All that awaited him after his death was for the shaman wizards to chop off his head with the most reverent rituals and enshrine it within the Pyramids. Although, Byron himself might, perhaps, possibly not be very fond of this kind of high indigenous honor.

Once Falcon had settled these people, he took a contract of franchise rights filled with gratitude and, transforming into an Eagle, soared into the sky. Two voices sounded in his ear one after another:

"Alvin, are you in position? The Barbary Pirates are about to dispatch reconnaissance personnel. If they see something they shouldn't, I'll have to clean up and kill them, which is far too troublesome."

"Same here. In the Kingdom of Castile, the number of old subordinates I can fully control is limited. When passing false Intelligence, it must at least appear flawless on the surface."

The three people communicating remotely using the Golden Law were Alvin, a Second Order Doctor from The Skinners' Church. Another was Cortes, a former Rear Admiral of the Castilian Navy, a Third Order Knight Commander, and now Emperor Aztec, known as the Conqueror. The third was Fat Dragon, a Gourmet whose status among the Barbary Pirates was just below that of the Third Order members. When Byron was not controlling their consciousness, all three Wild Hunt Servants were essentially normal people, free to act as they wished. Their conspiracy served as additional insurance for a plan that was already quite foolproof.

The natives of Yucatan are dying as expected, leaving cities abandoned everywhere. If only one or two people said this, the high-ups of the various powers might still be cautious. But when everyone said the same thing, and even cross-referencing captured enemy Intelligence led to the same conclusion, then there were certainly no mishaps. Expanding territory and founding a nation was set for today!

「At the same time.」

The Tayman Archipelago was still as calm as ever. With its beautiful scenery, it was a natural vacation paradise, with plenty of precious land even for many visitors. On a private beach, separated out by a National Border Lock and impenetrable to outsiders, azure waters undulated, where docile sea turtles, some larger than carriages, swam leisurely. On the white sandy beach, beneath the generous shade of coconut trees that had grown for decades, stood a small table, two beach chairs, and the island's two masters.

Catherine wore a silk chiffon maxi dress with spaghetti straps, exposing her milk-white, smooth shoulders and arms—spared by cowpox and now even more flawless. Adorned with a string of large Cymbidium orchids, resembling bells, in her hair, she held a green coconut, sipping the cool, sweet coconut water. Beneath her dress, her toes, painted ruby red, playfully dangled a teak sandal, radiating utter contentment. Byron sat beside her in large beach shorts handmade by his sister, sprawled out on his lounge chair. Between them was a set of animated chess, a gift from the merchant Michal. The stone-carved black and white chess pieces moved on their own. The black and white King, Queen, two War Chariots, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Guardians clashed fiercely on the small chessboard, sending stone chips flying.

A master of the Supreme Art of swordsmanship would surely be a chess expert too. Anyway, since childhood, Byron had never won a chess match against his sister. But as the game progressed, the smile on Catherine's face gradually shifted to Byron's. At this moment, another master of the Supreme Art of swordsmanship was remotely making moves for him.

"Castling! Check to the King!"

On the board, the black King and a wildly charging black War Chariot suddenly switched places. Byron had initiated "castling," a once-per-game maneuver, checkmating Catherine's King. This prompted the girl to exclaim in frustration, "Ah, how could this happen?"

Meanwhile, with the help of insiders, the scouts reported the "real situation" on Yucatan Island back to the high command of the two Overlords.

Hehe, although I'm just an unknown pawn now, at most a War Chariot driven by others, today, the pandemonium of the Bantaan Archipelago is mine to decide! Castling. How can one rightly claim to be a vanguard if always passively taking hits? What do you say, eh, you two Overlords?

Byron strategized a retreat for advancement, becoming a true puppet master himself, and wove a Big Vortex that would devour the two Overlords at once.

If recorded in the style of a Sailing Logbook, it might be presented as: Hidden: The Mystery of the Bantaan Archipelago's Unrest, Historical Impact 30.