It was only the 2nd day and Zhao had already progressed higher than all other lords. The midday sun blazed high above Abyss, its golden rays bathing the territory in a warm, steady light that chased away the lingering chill of dawn. The air shimmered with heat, carrying the earthy scent of pine and the faint metallic tang of Central Land, an ever-present reminder of its alien nature. Zhao stood near the Lord's House, his focus sharp as he opened the Territory Management panel to review the requirements for the next upgrade. The workers—Marcus, Leo, Clara, and Finn—had replenished all resources during their earlier expeditions, ensuring Abyss was well-stocked and ready for his ambitious plans.
|Territory Management|
Name: Abyss
Territory Level: Black Iron 3-star
Area: 3km x 3km
Population: 43/50
Warehouse: 340 Exoskeletons, 1000 Golden Sand, 100 Diamond Tier 4-Star Monster Cores, 340 Gold Tier 5-Star Monster Cores, 420 * 1 million Poison Sacks, 210 * Legendary Tier 1-Star Monster Cores, 10000 Meat
Buildings: Lord's House (Black Iron 2-star), Elemental Training Centre, Warehouse, Residential Building (x3), Eternal Legion Stronghold, Eternal Guardian Bastion, Engineering Hub
Blueprint: Residential Building, Warehouse, Well, Watchtower, Resource Mill, Eternal Legion Stronghold, Eternal Guardian Bastion, Engineering Hub, Marksman Tower, Infinite Cannon
Resources: 2000 Wood, 2000 Stone, 2000 Leather
Requirements for Territory Upgrade: 200 stone, 300 wood, 50 leather, 100 iron, 7 residential buildings, population reach 25, Lord's House reach Black Iron Tier 3-star, construct 1 defensive structure, 1 Bronze Tier Territory Certificate
Zhao studied the panel, noting the replenished resources and the requirements for the next upgrade. The need for 100 iron and a Bronze Tier Territory Certificate stood out—items he didn't yet possess. His workers had secured wood, stone, and leather, but iron remained elusive, and the certificate was an unfamiliar requirement. As he pondered this, Brant approached, his rugged frame casting a shadow on the ground, his voice tinged with curiosity but laced with respect.
"My lord, why haven't you ventured beyond the barrier yet?" Brant asked, his tone careful but inquisitive.
Zhao turned to him, his expression calm but resolute, his eyes reflecting the weight of his decisions. "I'll go out once Abyss is fully prepared. We need a strong base to withstand the legion and any other threats. Exploring now would spread us too thin—our strength lies in fortifying what we have."
Brant nodded, his understanding evident as he absorbed Zhao's reasoning. Before Zhao could elaborate further, Acel descended from the sky, landing with a soft thud near the Lord's House. His spear gleamed in the sunlight, its blade catching the golden rays, and his expression was serious, a stark contrast to his usually composed demeanor.
"My lord," Acel reported, his voice steady but carrying an edge of urgency, "I've scouted the area. There's a monster hideout 5 kilometers north—Bronze-tier beasts in a cave, well-defended and numerous. I also saw a humanoid figure with glowing eyes, a lord from another planet, leading soldiers back to a territory 10 kilometers west. It had a smaller barrier, about 1km x 1km, and appeared fortified."
Zhao's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he processed the information. An other-planet lord and a monster hideout presented both immediate challenges and potential opportunities. The hideout could yield valuable resources, while the rival lord hinted at future conflicts or alliances. He turned to Elara, who was working at the Engineering Hub, her hands deftly adjusting a blueprint as her team hammered away at a nearby structure. "Elara, what's this Bronze Tier Territory Certificate?" he asked, his tone direct.
Elara stepped forward, wiping her hands on a cloth as she approached, her voice steady and knowledgeable. "My lord, Black Iron is merely a mortal level—nothing significant. It's from Bronze that the true adventure begins, where a territory becomes recognized by the world's will. As such, all territories require a certificate to upgrade beyond Black Iron. It's a mark of legitimacy, available in all Bronze and higher territories, often held by lords or found in significant locations."
Zhao nodded, his thoughts shifting to strategy as he weighed his options. "We need that certificate to upgrade. I'm planning an attack on the monster hideout—it's closer and could provide resources."
Draven, overhearing the conversation, stepped forward from his position near the Engineering Hub, his voice gruff but confident. "If it's a Bronze-tier hideout, there may be a certificate there, my lord. Such places often hold them as rewards for conquest—especially if they're significant enough to house that many beasts."
"Good," Zhao replied, his tone decisive, his mind already formulating a plan. "We'll target the hideout. Valorn, prepare the Knights and Archers for an assault. Acel, you'll lead us there. Elara, Draven, and Brant focus on building the Marksman Tower and gathering iron while we're gone."
Valorn, standing nearby with his armor gleaming, saluted sharply, his voice resolute. "It will be done, my lord."
Elara nodded, already directing her team with a swift gesture. "We'll have the tower ready by your return, my lord, and start mining iron deposits Acel scouted."
"It seems I'll have everything ready for the next upgrade except iron by the time I come back," Zhao mused aloud, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. He turned his attention to the residential buildings, realizing he needed four more to meet the upgrade requirement of seven. With 2000 wood and 2000 stone at his disposal, he initiated the construction of four additional Residential Buildings, spending 400 wood and 200 stone. Golden beams of light descended from the sky, one after another, and four new sturdy houses rose near the existing ones, their simple yet practical designs adding to the territory's capacity.
|Residential Building (x4)|
With the residential buildings in place, Zhao checked the requirements for upgrading the Lord's House, knowing it was a critical step toward the territory upgrade, aside from the iron and certificate.
|Lord's House|
The place of beginning and end.
Provides increased comfort.
Increases mana, health, and stamina regeneration by 50%.
Rank: Black Iron 2-star
Upgrade Requirement: 100 wood, 100 stone, 50 iron
"What's with this iron?" Zhao couldn't help but scoff, his tone a mix of frustration and determination. After Acel and the others had scouted, they had not detected iron anywhere within the immediate vicinity of Abyss. The lack of this critical resource had forced Zhao to remain within the barrier, unable to upgrade the Lord's House or expand further. But now, with the territory upgrade requiring 100 iron and the looming threat of the legion, he had to act.
Suddenly, his eyes glowed with a spark of inspiration, and he clicked on the Lord's Shop interface, a feature he had overlooked amidst his rapid progression. The screen flickered to life, revealing a barren marketplace—most lords didn't have enough resources to spare, their own territories struggling to survive. Zhao, however, saw an opportunity. He quickly listed 1000 units of wood, 1000 units of stone, and 1000 units of meat in the store, setting the price at 5 units of iron per unit of resource, totaling 1000 iron for the 1000 units of each item. He confirmed the listing, and an announcement chimed through the system.
(Congratulations! You are the first person to list items on the market)
(You get the title "Smart Merchant")
|Smart Merchant|
Diplomacy +10%
Lord Shop earning +10%
Lord Shop cost -20%
(You are under the effect of titles "Smart Merchant" and "I Am Famous")
Lord Shop earning +50%
Lord Shop cost -50%
Zhao opened the chat interface, curious about the reaction to his listing. The screen buzzed with activity, quickly filling with messages about his bold move.
Chat
Alexis: Who's Zhao? 1000 wood for 5000 iron? He's got to be joking!
Scott: How's he got so much to trade? My warrior's barely gathered 10 wood!
Rita: This Zhao guy's loaded. I can't even trade—my builder's stuck at 50 stone.
Marcus: Please, Zhao, sell me some wood for free. My scout's useless!
Jade: 1000 meat? I've got 5 wheat and a lazy farmer.
Liam: He's exploiting us! 5 iron for 1 wood is outrageous!
Tomas: Zhao, I'll trade anything. My hunter's starving!
Elena: This is unfair to our planet. He's hoarding resources!
Vik: I'd trade, but my fisherman's got nothing but excuses.
Mina: I've got a D-rank cook who burned my only meat. Zhao, please, I need food!
Nero: My C-rank archer's loyalty dropped to 45%. How's Zhao got so much to spare?
Zoe: B-rank mage here, loyalty 60%, but no mana crystals. Zhao's got to be cheating!
Hiro: My E-rank trader's trying to sell me dirt. Zhao, trade me wood—I'll give you anything!
Lina: D-rank alchemist, loyalty 35%. My potions explode, and I've got no resources. Help, Zhao!
Alexis: Wait, he's selling 1000 stone too? How rich is this guy?
Scott: And 1000 meat? My warrior's eating grass! Zhao's sitting on a goldmine!
Rita: He's got to be hoarding. No one has this much on day 2!
Marcus: I'm begging, Zhao. My territory's falling apart—give me something!
Jade: This is unreal. I'd trade my farmer for 10 wood at this point.
Liam: He's a selfish bastard, taking advantage of us! Who does he think he is?
Kara: Stop whining, Liam. He's trading fairly—I'm buying 50 iron with my stone!
Tomas: Zhao, please, I'll trade my bow! My hunter's useless without food!
Elena: This is a disgrace! He's profiting while we starve!
Vik: Anyone got iron to trade? Zhao's prices are steep, but I need wood!
Mina: I've got nothing left. Zhao, have mercy on us!
Nero: He's probably laughing at us. How's he got so much already?
Zoe: This Zhao's a monster. No one should have this much power on day 2!
Hiro: I'll trade my trader's dirt pile! Please, Zhao, I need resources!
Lina: My alchemist blew up my hut. Zhao, trade me stone—I'm desperate!
What surprised Zhao was the speed of the transactions—within minutes, all 1000 units of wood, stone, and meat were sold, netting him 1000 units of iron from desperate lords who had managed to scrounge up the rare resource. "It seems there are a lot of poor people," he said aloud, his voice tinged with amusement and a hint of pity. He knew more than anyone what lay on this land, and he wasn't about to let sentiment sway his strategy.
Now that he had acquired 1000 iron, Zhao turned his attention to the upgrades. He initiated the upgrade for the Lord's House, spending 100 wood, 100 stone, and 50 iron. A golden beam descended, enveloping the structure, and when the light faded, the Lord's House stood taller and more robust, its walls reinforced with iron accents, its interior more spacious and furnished.
|Lord's House|
The place of beginning and end.
Provides increased comfort.
Increases mana, health, and stamina regeneration by 75%.
Rank: Black Iron 3-star
Upgrade Requirement: 400 wood, 400 stone, 200 iron, Lord reach bronze tier
With the Lord's House upgraded to Black Iron 3-star, Zhao returned to the Territory Management panel, ready to finalize the preparations for the territory upgrade, though the certificate remained a missing piece.
|Territory Management|
Name: Abyss
Territory Level: Black Iron 3-star
Area: 3km x 3km
Population: 43/50
Warehouse: 340 Exoskeletons, 1000 Golden Sand, 100 Diamond Tier 4-Star Monster Cores, 340 Gold Tier 5-Star Monster Cores, 420 * 1 million Poison Sacks, 210 * Legendary Tier 1-Star Monster Cores, 9000 Meat
Buildings: Lord's House (Black Iron 3-star), Elemental Training Centre, Warehouse, Residential Building (x7), Eternal Legion Stronghold, Eternal Guardian Bastion, Engineering Hub
Blueprint: Residential Building, Warehouse, Well, Watchtower, Resource Mill, Eternal Legion Stronghold, Eternal Guardian Bastion, Engineering Hub, Marksman Tower, Infinite Cannon
Resources: 1500 wood, 1650 stone, 2000 leather, 950 iron
Requirements for Territory Upgrade: 200 stone, 300 wood, 50 leather, 100 iron, 7 residential buildings, population reach 25, Lord's House reach Black Iron Tier 3-star, construct 1 defensive structure, 1 Bronze Tier Territory Certificate
With the residential buildings and Lord's House upgraded, Zhao turned his focus to the monster hideout. The certificate was the final piece, and the hideout was his best chance to obtain it quickly. He gathered Valorn, Balor, and Lyra near the Stronghold, his voice firm.
"Valorn, prepare the Knights and Archers for an assault on the hideout. Acel will lead us there. Elara, Draven, and Brant construct the Marksman Tower and try to gather more iron while we're gone. We'll need every advantage against the legion."
Valorn saluted, his tone resolute. "It will be done, my lord."
Elara nodded, her voice confident. "The tower will be ready by your return, my lord, and we'll secure additional iron."
As his subjects moved into action, Zhao felt a surge of determination. The Hell's 1987th Legion was approaching, but with his upgraded territory, ample resources, and a plan to secure the certificate, he was ready to face any challenge.