CHAPTER 552: CHAPTER 288: EXCELLENT STOCKING CULTURE, INNOVATION FROM THE SKELETON RACE_2

Shami looked quietly at Bone Frame.

"Because this kind of industry makes money quickly without responsibility... I mean, because there are already over a thousand skeletons, but the central grave area only has a few hundred graves, so it’s developed elsewhere to provide more living spaces... 99 gold coins isn’t much, after all, I personally found people to dig those graves... If it’s expensive you can take a loan... you’ll finish paying it off in 50 years..."

Bone Frame muttered quietly, soon having its head thumped by Shami, who then searched it, taking away all the nearly four thousand gold coins it had.

"My gold coins! Lord Shami!"

Bone Frame cried out pitifully.

"Alright, alright, gathering so many private reserves, huh. Bone Frame, if you continue like this, one day you’ll wander into Ghost Valley and be doomed if you see a street lamp. This is your punishment for monopolizing the skeleton grave industry. Develop the Skeleton Race properly!"

Shami said mercilessly.

"Oh..."

The person and the skeleton continued on, quickly arriving at the center graveyard, the main base of the Skeleton Race.

Just as Bone Frame mentioned earlier, the Skeleton Race currently numbers around fifteen hundred, and the Skull Graveyard was built on an old graveyard in the Demon Realm, dubbed the ’central graveyard’ within the race once completed.

The old graveyard had only a little over five hundred graves, and after being reconstructed, new graves were continuously dug on the perimeter to expand living space.

Today, looking towards the central graveyard, it’s clear that the graves closer to the center are older, while those on the outskirts are newly built.

"Lord Shami, actually our Skeleton Race is thriving, and every skeleton has a place to stay."

Bone Frame approached Shami, earnestly introducing and clearing itself of the suspicion of exploiting skeletons.

"That’s indeed true, but Bone Frame, tell me what is this?"

Shami questioned, pointing to each grave.

"Why is there a stocking hung in front of each grave, isn’t it usually a tombstone?"

"This is an era where the traditional tombstone is out of style. Stockings are, of course, the feature of the Skeleton Race, Lord Shami."

Bone Frame spread its hands.

"Since when did this happen? It looks rather eerie to me."

"That’s precisely the kind of memorable racial symbol we want! In the future, anyone who sees stockings would think of the Skeleton Race, keh keh keh!"

Shami was silent for a moment, took a deep breath and accepted reality.

After all, Bone Frame had a fondness for stockings from the start. If she can develop the Skeleton Race properly, then encountering a bit of strange habits that don’t affect combat capability along the way is acceptable.

"Then, explain to me why there are white stockings, black stockings, and fishnet stockings?"

Shami quickly calmed down, pointing to the three types of stockings prevalent in front of graves around them.

"Oh, these are marks of specific occupational divisions, with different kinds of stockings symbolizing the different occupations of the skeletons residing in those graves."

Bone Frame quickly introduced.

"For instance, the graves with white stockings house skeletons working within the Demon King Castle. The main occupations are maids, kitchen logistics, cleaners... White stockings easily get dirty, so you can judge if the inside of the Demon King Castle is clean depending on the stockings’ cleanliness."

"Graves with black stockings house skeletons working outside the Demon King Castle. The main occupations are gardeners, security, wild Slime feeders... Black stockings are durable, even when dirty it’s not easily noticeable."

"Fishnet stockings graves are inhabited by skeletons working in the Demon Realm. Main occupations include transporters, patrol teams, wilderness explorers... Wearing fishnet stockings reduces bone coverage, making mutual recognition easier."

"A profound stocking culture indeed."

Shami mused, somewhat convinced.

Seeing those skeletons emerging from graves donning different stockings and heading to their respective work areas, Shami suddenly felt it was oddly endearing.

Thinking carefully, there have been quite a few skeletons seen around the Demon Realm lately, engaged in various activities to maintain the basic operations of the Demon Realm.

It seems that no matter in which outerworld, skeletons are the basic working units of demon realms.

"And what about this?"

Satisfied more than scolding, Bone Frame was still a decent leader.

Shami nodded appreciatively, pointing to several graves on the edge with no stockings hanging in front of them.

A dark brown skeleton slowly walked out of a grave.

"Is this left for maintaining the Skeleton Race’s own operations, responsible for internal skeleton affairs?"

Shami observed and speculated.

"No, it’s not."

Bone Frame shook its head.

"It’s black skeletons with a specific purpose. Once a full load is gathered, they are sent to various tribes to be exchanged for gold and production raw materials."

"Cut it out, Bone Frame! There are no such things as black skeletons, they are just not clean, rinse with water and they’ll be clean!"

Shami drilled her fingers into Bone Frame’s skull cap.

The Demon Lord gave Bone Frame a whole afternoon of ideological education before letting it go.

The Skeleton Race’s development is going quite smoothly at the moment, sustaining the basic operations of the Demon King Castle and the Demon Realm with over a thousand skeletons. When necessary, they can pick up weapons to become skeleton soldiers defending the Demon Realm. They are akin to worker ants in existence.

After leaving the Skull Graveyard, Shami was approached by a messenger goblin.

"Lord Demon King, our tribe leader wishes for you to visit the Goblin Tribe."

Shami followed the messenger goblin to the Goblin Tribe.

Buwana had been waiting for him atop a small hill in the plains for quite some time.

Before Shami could mention the goblin victory over the Esperian army, he was shocked and rooted to his spot by the scene before him.

The last time he was here, the area before the small hill was the goblin village.

Now, looking in the same direction, the small village had vanished, or to be more precise, it was integrated into the enormous city ahead.

Indeed, a huge Goblin City had appeared on the plains!

The towering city walls were flying goblin flags.

On a green background, the flag depicted a sharp-eared female goblin with celestial beauty, her hands held together before her modest chest as if in prayer.

This was the Goblin’s War Goddess, inspiring the goblin soldiers onward.

If Shami were to look closely, he would find this face incredibly familiar—it’s the goblin version of a smooth-haired golden retriever.

In front of the city, on the plain, lined up goblins were being trained, with numbers estimated above five thousand, forming small phalanxes, displaying formidable momentum.

Shami slowly widened his eyes at Buwana.

"Lord Shami, I know the change is a bit drastic."

"It’s more like a vast change! Not long ago it was a small village, now it looks medieval-era!"

"Perhaps this is the speed of the goblin race." Buwana sighed, then looked seriously at Shami.

"Lord Shami, I also know the current development speed of the Goblin Tribe is a bit fast. But under the pressing external circumstances, we can only strive to enhance our strength."

Shami pondered.

"Lord Shami, you should be aware of the ’Great Defeat’ event by now."

"Yes. It’s the first time goblins beat the human army in history. It’s already swept across the continent. Many media outlets are fueling the fire with this name."

"I’m sorry, Lord Shami, this time the goblins have pushed the demon race into the spotlight."

"It’s not your fault. Even if the goblins didn’t act, I would have."

Shami looked at the goblin city ahead.

"Buwana, you must have something important calling me here, right?"

"Yes."

Buwana never hid anything from Shami, always honest and straightforward like a knight to his lord.

"Lord Shami. Given the Goblin Tribe’s current development speed, soon goblins will appear throughout the Demon Realm. Goblins will occupy most of the living space in the Demon Realm. This is very undesirable. Not only will it affect other tribes’ development, but it will also interfere with the Demon Realm’s planning."

"Much like this city before us, it already requires a lot of resources to support."

The light reflecting in Buwana’s green goblin eyes showed resolution as he gazed at Shami.

"Therefore, I’m planning to build a Goblin City outside the Demon Realm, to develop outside the Demon Realm."