Lord of the Oasis

However, before completing these objectives, he had to deal with the current affairs of the local government.

For instance, the levelling up of a city.

Moreover, Kant had already stored enough honour points!

According to the rules of the system, 10 honour points enabled a village to become a stronghold or a town. With the addition of another 100 honour points, a stronghold could thereafter become a castle while a town would become a city.

Now that Kant had 100 honour points, it was enough for him to raise “Aaron” from a town into a city.

It was a must.

There were too many uncertainties in the lottery.

Even if there were a lot of good things he could draw from the lottery, Kant did not dare allow himself even a moment of reprieve. He was keenly aware that he was treading a fine line – one misstep and he would plunge into the abyss.

He truly was walking on thin ice.

Kant intended to speed up the development of “Aaron” and increase the level of safety in the future.

This was all part of a strategic plan of his.

In this world, Kant, who was alone, did not have any allies to speak of. He could only rely on himself, his efforts and his prudence, to ensure he would not make mistakes. Only then would he have sufficient clout to forge himself a path slowly but steadily.

Therefore, he chose to raise the level of his town.

[ Ding… System prompt ]

[ Aaron Town will consume 100 honour points to level up into a city. ]

[ Yes/No level up? ]

A dialogue box flicked into existence awaiting his choice.

“Level Up!”

Kant decided almost immediately. He chose to raise the level of his town.

Following his confirmation, a tremendous flux of data swirled around him. A mysterious power infused with the laws of the world descended from the sky and enveloped the mountain’s peak. With Kant as the centre, a brilliant transformation enveloped the town.

Streams of data fell like the torrential rains and soon the entire mountain peak was bathed in its glow.

It was a spectacular scene.

However, only Kant himself could see it.

Such was the power of laws.

Not even the Lion Knight, James, Ban Dake or the mage standing by their side could detect it.

In their eyes, regardless of the changes that occurred to the town, it was but a matter of fact. It was simply another miracle performed by Supreme Lord Kant. As such, they were not surprised and only a certain admiration lingered in their hearts.

[ Ding… Level up complete ]

A system notification echoed in his mind.

The data streams that filled the mountains and plains gradually disappeared.

It was not long before the changes in the surroundings stabilized. When Kant turned his head to look around, the town-level council hall that was originally built from stone and wood had already undergone an obvious change.

Kant sized it up from the inside. The exquisite decor filling the interior was nothing short of luxurious and the sight of which made his eyebrows rise in amazement. “Not bad.”

This was the governor’s official residence.

Although it did not have the same defensive capabilities as a castle, it was certainly more comfortable to live in.

The city-level council hall was supposed to be an official residence. It was where the governor and his or her officials lived and worked. It was thoughts that living and working in the same environment would facilitate both the coordination and operation of the entire city; thereby ensuring excellence in the city’s development.

Even military operations were decided from the governor’s official residence.

Though, it was mostly for the purposes of self-defence.

A city is different from a castle. It is the foundation of any military.

It is a melting pot of culture, industry, agriculture, commerce, and many other industries; providing all kinds of resources and support to the forces they belonged to. It was the backbone of the blood-making machine of the entire force, the source of victory.

..

[ Aaron ]

[ Generals: James, Ban Dake ]

[ Type: Luo Duoke City ]

[ Current population: 1,500]

[ Current army: 517]

[ Comment: “Aaron” is a newly established city. Its situation appears rather precarious at the moment. The city is too simple. Not only is its agricultural development lacking but it also shows weakness in the fields of animal husbandry and fishing. It is a city that might have bright future prospects though the specifics of which would depend on its further development. ]

..

A brief report made by the system, of the city’s current status, flashed across Kant’s eyes.

Presently, not all of the buildings in the city had been completely constructed. Nonetheless, this would not impede the city’s ability to upgrade itself. So long as he continued to raise the city’s level, it would eventually reach a point where further upgrades would become possible.

As for whatever had been left unbuilt, Kant decided to leave it up to Denar.

There was no need for him to do the rest in person.

James had it all well in hand.

Kant placed great importance on this general who was a doctor by profession. As a general hailing from the continent of Caradia, James was a highly competent individual whose worth extended beyond the field of medicine. Having journeyed across the lands, he had accumulated a vast store of knowledge and honed his skills through all sorts of trials and tribulations – his strength was unquestionable.

“James.”

After organizing his thoughts on the matter, Kant assigned, “You will be in charge of housing and infrastructure in the city.”

“Yes.”

James listened respectfully and solemnly.

“At the same time, you also have my permission to build and develop the industries of agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing and handicrafts. As long as you deem it feasible, you may develop the hills around the city in any manner you see fit such that it would give effect to this directive I am issuing you with.”

Kant said this all in a deep voice, “But remember to be careful.”

“I understand!”

James nodded in affirmation of the task he had been entrusted with, responding in a deep and solemn voice.

The city’s construction could not be handled carelessly.

The thousands of acres of land on the mountaintop was the bedrock of the newly established city. Though it may have seemed vast, it was a finite resource that would quickly be exhausted if mishandled.

Residential housing was first and foremost on their agenda. There had to be enough living space for people to ensure that the city could accommodate a rapid increase in its population.

With the city’s development geared towards agriculture and handicrafts, sufficient housing for a growing population was made all the more important.

Such labour-intensive industries relied on the support of the population.

Of course, with the backing of the continent of Caradia, Kant did not need to worry about the source of the city’s population.

As long as there were sufficient houses, refugees who could not survive in the continent of Caradia would flock towards his city in an endless stream; bringing with them the skills and tools of the trade his city was in dire need of.

While Castle Drondheim would stand as the seat of military politics, Aaron City would shoulder the heavy responsibility of developing its industries in the fields of farming, animal husbandry, and handicraft making.

Kant believed that James could handle the expansion of these various industries well. After all, it is much easier to build a brand new city than it is to rebuild and refurbish an old city.

Even if James was incapable of transforming a city overnight, it would not be a problem for him to lead this new city into an era of prosperity.

“That’s all.”

Kant dismissed James upon finalizing his arrangements.

During this process, Ban Dake had already marshalled his troops. This time, he would be accompanying them to the ancient passage. As the general who would be accompanying him this time, Ban Dake had taken stock and prepared all the necessary provisions for their upcoming expedition.

These supplies included food and water, some firewood, a load of high-quality carbon, as well as a large number of torches.

Ahead of their departure, Ban Dake had deployed 10 desert bandits on reconnaissance.

They rode light, carrying just a week’s worth of supplies. It was not a good idea to bring along too many troops – they would hinder more than help in the old tunnels winding into the depths of the ancient passage.

Besides, the distance between the ancient passageway and the city was negligible. They would not need much time to travel back and forth for their supplies.

Even if they were stationed there to search for the Sun Disk that might appear in the ruins, it would not take too much time. After all, the Lion Knights of Sarion possessed extraordinary powers. Although they did not completely understand what positive energy and negative energy were, it did not change the fact that, as an elite company of knights from the Pande continent’s Age of Chaos, they still retained their spiritual perception.

In this way, the time needed to search for the Sun Disk was shortened. After all, their spiritual perception allowed them to sense the positive energy contained in the Sun Disk and thereby presenting them with the opportunity to excavate it post-haste. It was practically the equivalent of a positioning system.