October 15th, noon.
Richard watched as the yellow sand before him gradually dissipated while he stood before the Lord’s mansion. It revealed a magnificent building.
He was in a good mood.
Finally… Richard had leveled up!
[Ding~ The system has upgraded Twilight City level 3 medium-sized city. Fifty slots have expanded the Lord’s mansion. Five hundred and one thousand ninety-eight have expanded the territories.]
[Twilight City]
[Level: 3]
[City: Medium]
[Ten million units each of gold, wood, stone, and iron]
[One hundred thousand units each of crystals, gems, mercury, and sulfur]
[Population: 50,000]
[Technology: Five special-level]
[Hero Units: 20]
From the evening of the 13th to the afternoon of the 15th. It has upgraded Twilight City from a level 3 small city to a level 3 medium city.
The area of Twilight City had expanded several times if one looked down from the sky.
The original buildings were slightly crowded. But now, large empty spaces appeared outside these buildings.
What was worth mentioning was that when the system has upgraded Twilight, the city walls also expanded along with the city.
At this moment, they still firmly guarded the territory.
[City Wall]
[Level: Elite]
[Can level up with the territory level]
[Material Required to Level Up: 10 million units of stone]
[Characteristic: 25 meters tall, 12 meters wide, sturdiness 50]
[Skill: Endurance. Increases the strength and defense of the defending army by 30%.]
[Description: A city wall with good defense.]
The city wall was firmly bound to the territory.
There wouldn’t be an awkward situation where the territory area exceeded the city wall.
The only thing that gave Richard a headache was the requirements for upgrading a level 3 city to a level 1 city were too harsh.
Resources weren’t an issue with the current abilities of Twilight City.
Twenty champions were not difficult, but the last two were different.
Five advanced technologies, 50,000 people…
He knew how difficult it was to upgrade technology.
The consumption of resources was secondary. The time needed for research was the primary point.
It was still fine if it was ordinary to intermediate. But Twilight City would take a month or even longer to upgrade from advanced to special.
Moreover, there was a chance of failure.
It would take Twilight City at least four to five months to complete the five advanced technologies.
He arranged to conduct full-time research for Sam, the one-armed blacksmith.
He required Sam to cut the queue to a more urgent task if something unexpected happened midway. It would delay the time.
The population of 50,000 also made him speechless.
Where did so many people come from in the desert?
It had been half a year since he came to the “Shining Era”, but the Twilight City had only picked up two thousand people from the desert…
He simply did not have the strength to complain.
Those lords who lived in rich lands had at least 30,000 to 50,000 people.
The barren resources in the desert made the conditions that were not a problem for other lords extremely harsh for Twilight City.
Richard took a deep breath and calmed himself down before he thought of a solution.
“The population problem could not rely on the desert’s production.”
“Who would cross the desert all day for no reason?”
“The best solution is to import it from the outside world…”
“This world has no shortage of poor people the war has displaced.”
“The Violet Merchantile Association Chamber of Commerce should show its effectiveness.”
“However, there must be a limit. We couldn’t bring in several residents at once. Raising the people’s hearts will enormously promote the development of the territory.”
“The people’s hearts will scatter if there are too many of them.”
“I had solved the population problem. I can only let Sam work hard on technology.”
“I have to continue to find talents in this field in the future.”
“According to these conditions, if we want to upgrade the city in the future, we might still be stuck by technology.”
Richard’s thoughts cleared up. He soon found the crux of the problem.
However, this wasn’t something he could solve in a day or two. He could only do it gradually.
The development of Twilight City would encounter various difficulties.
He was mentally prepared for this.
He looked around after he recollected his thoughts.
It was time for him to upgrade the other buildings.
He still had plenty of resources on hand. He had left 20 million for Vale previously. So he still had 80 million on hand.
He immediately set up without hesitation the blacksmith shop, food workshop, brewing workshop, tailor shop, and barracks… He upgraded all five buildings.
Three hours later, five special buildings appeared before him.
Apart from the barracks, all had become four-story buildings.
He looked valiant.
Only the barracks remained the same. The only difference was that the railings outside had become a three-meter-high wall.
Barracks could train ordinary residents into soldiers and participate in wars.
They could even obtain treasures and train special troops.
However, the building practical for other lords was sparingly valuable in Twilight City.
Richard did not need ordinary residents to change levels. First, a few residents were more valuable than soldiers.
Second, the undead troops in his hands were more suitable for desert battles.
As a result, the only function of this building was to meet the upgrade requirements of the territory…
Richard was quite satisfied with his inspection.
No matter what, Twilight City would go increasingly mightier.
However, Richard immediately looked at the residential area when he saw more than 70 million ordinary resources left on his attribute panel. He needed a large city with a population of 50,000 if he wanted to level up.
The number of residential buildings right now wasn’t enough.
Richard upgraded all 40 residential buildings to special level after he pondered.
He only lost a few million resources after such a crazy upgrade.
Richard was in a good mood as he looked at the numbers on his attribute panel.
The profits from the last attack on the underground world were indeed abundant.
Even now, there was still a surplus.
He couldn’t help but sigh. It was indeed a gold belt for murder and arson.
But it appeared sparingly embarrassed when it turned around.
It was because it could only upgrade two of the troop lairs to crown…
The two formed a strong contrast.
“Are you reminding me that the strength of the troop is everything?”
“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with it. No matter how well the people built the city, it’s still a wedding dress for others if there needs to be more power to protect it.”
“Other people store grain while I store guns. His house is my granary??”
Richard upgraded all the buildings in Twilight City with generosity to a special level.
The next level would require Twilight City to upgrade into a large city.
It made him lose interest.
It was a life-threatening situation with a population of 50,000 and five advanced technologies.
******
In the underground world.
An old dwarf stood on the towering walls of Fortress City. It looked into the gray distance with an inexplicable expression.
They headed toward Blood Hoof City.
It wasn’t looking for the barbarian city. But the figure who had once appeared as a savior.
Unfortunately, it had been half a month, and the other party had yet to appear…
“Rand Augustus…What are you doing up here? Damn bastard, if you fall again, I promise I will throw your corpse into the sewers and let those filthy saw-toothed rats devour it!”
The old dwarf turned around when he heard the curse behind him.
A gray-colored dwarf in a wheelchair appeared before the old dwarf. Anger engulfed its face.
Two mechanical puppets pushed the wheelchair behind the gray-colored dwarf. One of its arms, short as a bean sprout, was striking.
Congenital abnormalities.
The old dwarf smiled bitterly.
“Master Brown…”
The dwarf was Brown. The level 12 alchemist who had first joined Richard.
The gray-colored dwarf glared fiercely at the old dwarf.
“You fell from here last time. You still dare to come here?!”
The old dwarf was helpless.
“It was just an accident last time. I’m fine, right?”
“Accident? Listen, listen! Was this something a dwarf could say? Gods above, I promise the great lord that if he allows it, I will kick you down and let you experience what an accident is!”
Brown was exasperated.
The old dwarf decisively changed the topic when it saw this.
“Lord Brown, why are you looking for me?”
Brown snorted coldly and was too lazy to continue to argue. Its life was not his anyway.
He said stiffly.
“Lord returned to Twilight City three days ago and specifically asked to see you.”
“It is estimated that they will arrive at the underground world in two days.”
It said threateningly.
“Rand! If you’re lying and don’t have the bloodline of a god in your body… Believe me, I will throw all of you into the furnace without the lord getting angry!”
The old dwarf couldn’t hide the surprise on his face.
“Lord Richard is back?!”
“Praise the dwarf god!”
Brown pursed his lips.
“Dwarf god? That fellow had fell long ago. What is the use of praising it now… We’re all small races. Why don’t you let the dwarves follow me and worship the great god of the gray dwarves?”
The old dwarf glared at Brown indignantly and shouted.
“Stupid gray-colored dwarf! A great god will never fall!”
“My god is only sleeping! He will return!”
Brown sneered.
“Return? The legend of you dwarves? Could the moon resurrect it when it rises?”
Brown could not be bothered to say anything else and waved its hand as it looked at the angry old dwarf.
“Stop arguing. Hurry up and inform your clan. Don’t make any mistakes and offend the lord. When the time comes, I won’t forgive you!”
Brown seemed to have thought of something after it said that. It sat up straight and said with a hint of flattery.
“Sir Rand, I’ve recently encountered a few questions regarding alchemy. I wonder if you can answer them…”
The old dwarf looked at the other party’s shameless appearance, and its anger disappeared. The old dwarf didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
They were all of the same race, so why was there such a vast difference?
It could only open its mouth to ask the other party’s question after a long sigh and explain.
The old dwarf wasn’t familiar with alchemy technology, but for some reason, as long as Brown described the cause and effect in detail, Rand could always think of a way.
It was as if the knowledge hid in its mind.
The old dwarf took a deep look at the gray city wall and did not stay any longer after brown left in satisfaction. It turned around and left the city wall. The old dwarf headed toward the inner part of Fortress City.
The streets bustled with mechanical puppets, and gray-colored dwarves shuttled back and forth.
The war that destroyed Fortress City seemed to have happened decades ago.
No one mentioned it again.
The lives of the underground world were always so pragmatic.
Survival came first.
It didn’t matter who ruled them as long as the other party could give them a chance to live…
Coincidentally, the management of the underground world in Twilight City allowed it to unleash its potential and find a suitable way to develop.
On the way, other than a few mechanical puppets that protected it, no one paid attention to it.
The old dwarf did not mind. Its pace became much faster with anticipation in its heart.
The old dwarf turned into a small manor after it went through two streets. It pushed the door open and entered. The old dwarf ignored the mechanical puppets that guarded it.
When the manor gate opened, dozens of pairs of eyes looked over in unison.
“Patriarch…”
“Sir Rand…”
All the gray-colored dwarves, old and young, looked at the old dwarf expectantly.
The old dwarf always felt a little ashamed of these gazes in the past. It knew what the gray-colored dwarves waited for.
However, the old dwarf could not reply.
It was different this time.
The old dwarf took a deep breath and said in a clear voice.
“Lord Richard had returned to Twilight City three days ago. He said that he would come to Fortress City in a few days. His name summons us! ”
These words immediately made all the gray-colored dwarves excited.
“It was finally here after a long wait!”
“Praise the dwarf god. I knew that we could obtain the recognition of the surface lord…”
“Hahahaha, those clansmen who didn’t come, let them regret it!”
Heated discussion continued.
The creatures of the underground world always had enormous respect for the strong.
Everyone respected the outrageous existence who had single-handedly turned the situation around and finally wiped out the underground gray-colored dwarf overlord.
Only a few people would have a psychological burden to rely on such an expert.
The rules of survival in the underground world were far simple than on the surface… Cruel.
The old dwarf waited until the heated discussion died down before it spoke again.
“Everyone else, go back and rest. Rest well for the next few days. Lord Richard may arrive at any time… ”
The old dwarf looked at two of the middle-aged dwarves after it said that.
“Come with me.”
“Yes!”
The old dwarf looked at the two middle-aged dwarves and said slowly when they entered the side hall.
“That thing… Are you ready?”
The two had complicated expressions.
“Patriarch, once we hand that thing over, we will have no way out.”
“That’s the only treasure left behind by our ancestors. It’s the key to unlocking our bloodline power… ”
The old dwarf fell silent and did not speak for a long time.
The air suddenly fell into a dead silence.
The old dwarf raised its head after a long time.
The hoarse voice said.
“Do we have a choice?”
“We have lost our power for too long since the great dwarf god fell into an eternal slumber.”
“Who can activate the key?”
Incomprehensible complexity shrouded its gaze as it spoke.
“The resources needed to activate the key… We couldn’t accumulate enough in ten thousand years with our current strength.”
“Meanwhile, Blood Hoof City has begun to encircle and suppress the other forces in the underground world.”
“It’s clear this will exterminate our clan if we don’t seize this opportunity.”
“Either show your worth and survive, or be treated like trash… We have no choice.”
Helplessness and pain engulfed the two middle-aged dwarves’ eyes.
The weak… It had always been like this.
“Then, why don’t we join the Bloodhoof City?”
The old dwarf sneered.
“Blood Hoof City? It’s just a dog that Lord Richard keeps…”
Even though Blood Hoof City was in charge of the underground world and had an enormous reputation, it was still the same.
However, clever people knew who was the true master of the underground world.
The old dwarf sighed.
“Right now, only Lord Richard can help us. We need to regain our strength.
“I can tell that Lord Richard is not a bloodthirsty person if I have to judge from his attitude toward the underground.
“We will get what we deserve.”
The old dwarf slowly extended its hand to the two middle-aged dwarves as it spoke.
“Take it out…”
The two looked at the old dwarf with a determined gaze and sighed softly. They did not say anything else.
The gray-colored dwarves had lost the power to decide their fate since their god fell asleep.
The two each took a short knife and slashed it across their palms.
Blood instantly flowed out, and the stench was pungent.
A shocking scene appeared in the next second.
The blood that flowed out seemed to have lost its gravity and floated in the sky. The blood of the two gradually fused.
It condensed in the sky a third of a fist-sized dwarf statue after a dozen of breaths.
The old dwarf looked at the statue that emitted a familiar aura, and tears streamed down its face.
“Before our god fell asleep, he once prophesied that the Crimson Moon would rise and that it would return… But now, we could not wait for that day anymore.”