**Chapter 128: How to Upgrade the Territory Name**
The cargo ship drifted steadily down the river.
Standing on the bow, Su Yu enjoyed the cool breeze and discussed plans for their new territory with his two companions.
Wing Dragon ran a hand through her hair thoughtfully. "I have some experience in territory management. I've played just about every major game out there, both online and single-player, including lots of city-building games. In the last holographic game, *Magic Domain*, our [Yu-Gi-Oh!] guild actually owned a small town. I handled all the town's operations."
Sky Dragon jumped up, raising her hand with excitement. "I've got mobile gaming experience! When you're short on resources, just buy more. And if you want to speed things up, just buy [accelerator cards] until everything's maxed out!"
Su Yu chuckled. "You're both absolutely right! Well, let me give you management rights over the territory. How about we build this place together?"
"Yes, yes!" Sky Dragon's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
Wing Dragon, however, hesitated. As a high-level player, she worried that managing a territory could take too much time, potentially compromising her progress in leveling up and gathering high-grade equipment.
Su Yu noticed her concerns and reassured her. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you stay in the top 20 player rankings, and I'll also ensure you get top-tier priest equipment. Does that help ease your mind?"
"If that's the case, then I'm in!" Wing Dragon nodded, finally convinced. She trusted Su Yu, knowing he wasn't one to make empty promises.
"Me too! I want top gear too!" Sky Dragon raised her hand eagerly.
"Don't worry, I'd never forget you," Su Yu grinned, bending down to playfully tap her on the nose.
As they neared the territory, now only a few hundred meters away, a deep voice suddenly echoed around them:
"From the first life beneath the waters, to the mighty beasts of the Stone Age, to the dawn of humanity, you've journeyed far. Now begins your greatest quest: from the cradle of early civilization to the stars beyond."
Sky Dragon looked around in surprise. "Who was that? Where's the voice coming from?"
"Probably just the game's cinematic effects kicking in," Su Yu shrugged, taking it all in stride.
Just then, a system notification appeared before him:
**"Ding! Please name your territory."**
Turning to his companions, Su Yu asked, "We need a name for our territory. Any ideas?"
Sky Dragon put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Well, we're close to the sea and right by the river's mouth… How about 'Shanghai Shanghai'?"
Su Yu and Wing Dragon both blinked at her suggestion.
"Hmm, could work." Su Yu considered it. Using a familiar name could foster a sense of connection among players.
However, as he typed in "Shanghai Shanghai," another prompt appeared:
**"Ding! Real place names cannot be used."**
"Seems like real place names are restricted. Any other ideas?" Su Yu asked, glancing at Sky Dragon.
Sky Dragon thought for a moment before her eyes lit up. "I've got it! Since this is a Western fantasy game, what if we translate 'Shanghai Shanghai' into English as 'Upsea' and then use the phonetic transcription in Chinese?"
"Transliteration?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Yes!" Sky Dragon beamed. "'Shanghai Shanghai' in English is 'Upsea,' and we can transliterate that to 'Apuxi' in Chinese. Sounds perfect!"
"Apuxi," Su Yu muttered, grinning. "Well, my hometown would end up as 'Dafaguang' if I did the same, so it's foreign-sounding enough!"
And so, Su Yu confirmed the territory's name as "Apuxi."
The cargo ship soon docked along the rocky shore near the territory. Su Yu had chosen a small cargo vessel specifically because the territory lacked a proper dock; a larger ship would have struggled to land.
"Wing Dragon, you and Sky Dragon coordinate with the boatmen to unload the cargo. I'll head into the territory to set things up," Su Yu instructed.
They had brought plenty of supplies from Oran City: food, salt, clothing, logging saws, quarrying shovels, and more, all stacked high on the ship.
"Got it!" Wing Dragon replied as she and Sky Dragon began directing the crew.
Su Yu stepped onto solid ground and headed towards the modest thatched hut at the center of the territory.
As he walked, the territory's stats panel appeared before him:
**[Apuxi Village]**
- Level: Small Village
- Population: 4/200
- Prosperity: 55/100
- Livability: 47/100
- Resources: 0 food, 0 wood, 0 stone, 0 gold
Su Yu was well-versed in territory construction mechanics. In *Evolution*, the main factor influencing territory upgrades was population—specifically, the NPC population.
When the NPC population reaches certain thresholds, the territory advances in status:
- **200** NPCs: Medium-sized village
- **400** NPCs: Large village
- **600** NPCs: Giant village
- **1,000** NPCs: Small town
- **2,000** NPCs: Medium town
- **10,000** NPCs: Small county
- **100,000** NPCs: Small city
Population growth, however, wasn't as simple as buying NPCs. Some hired NPCs could work within the territory, but they didn't count towards its official population.
Every two hours (one day in-game), a few [Refugees] would appear near the territory's edges, depending on the area's prosperity and livability. When these refugees joined, they would add to the population.
Prosperity and livability reflected the overall development of the territory. Prosperity was a measure of its infrastructure, while livability represented the residents' quality of life.
Essentially:
- **Prosperity** increases with more advanced buildings and facilities.
- **Livability** grows as residents have more food, jobs, and access to cultural or recreational facilities like theaters, circuses, and parks.
Prosperity and livability were scored up to 100 points each. A territory's population would grow steadily if both were above 60 points, while above 90 would trigger rapid growth. Falling below 60 would lead to a population decline, and under 10 would essentially doom the territory.
If prosperity and livability scores were unequal, the lower score determined population growth.
Under normal conditions, attentive management and strategic development would keep both scores high. However, challenges like [Monster Sieges], [Bandit Attacks], [Natural Disasters], or [Crime Spikes] could lower these scores. Lords had to handle these threats and adjust policies wisely to maintain population growth and steadily advance their territory.
Thus began Su Yu's endeavor to turn *Apuxi Village* into a thriving community.
*(End of Chapter)*