148: Chapter 148 Fifty Kilometers

When Yang Xu and his small territory "landed" in the open space on the eastern side of the inner city of Lintian City amidst a soft white light...

He, along with the two hundred Horned Lions behind him, seemed to have been struck by a freezing spell, standing frozen in place, unable to regain his senses for a long time.

He had originally thought that his territory, with its five-hundred-meter radius and proximity to a large river, was already a decent starting point in this peril-filled world.

But now...

He looked up, his gaze passing over his own low circle of wood-and-stone walls, only to first collide with that distant, gray giant wall that wound like a mountain range and towered into the clouds!

The wall was visually estimated to be nearly ten meters high, and its thickness was even more staggering. The stone used for the wall looked incredibly hard, its surface polished relatively smooth.

That wasn't even the point. The point was that every so often along the wall stood a ferocious-looking City Defense Giant Crossbow, shimmering with a dangerous magical luster.

The thick bolts glinted coldly in the setting sun, and runes on the crossbow bodies flowed slightly.

Such giant crossbows were densely packed, extending all the way along the city wall, with no end in sight!

Within the walls was an even vaster scene, one that almost made him think he was seeing things.

Countless drifters, dressed simply but cleanly, scurried like industrious worker ants through well-organized streets, plazas, workshops, and farm ridges.

The clanging of blacksmiths, the playful shouts of children, the sound of women washing clothes...

All sorts of noises filled with the breath of life mixed together, rushing toward him.

Further away, he could see neat Barracks, towering arrow towers, a dining hall with curling smoke, and a uniquely styled three-story villa...

How was this a "territory"?

This was clearly a rapidly developing, vibrant city!

Its scale was at least several hundred times that of his original territory!

"This... this..."

Yang Xu's mouth hung open, his throat dry. That last trace of reluctance and humiliation he had felt in his heart from being forced to become a vassal...

In this moment, it vanished without a trace, like snow melting under the sun.

It was replaced by a dizzying shock and...

Wild joy!

With such an ironclad giant city at his back and a powerhouse with such terrifying foundations as his backer, were those petty worries about being "found in real life" even an issue anymore?

This wasn't being a lackey; this was practically grabbing onto a golden thigh—no, it was a pillar that held up the heavens!

His sense of security and future prospects were instantly maxed out!

Just as he was still immersed in this massive impact, looking around like a country bumpkin...

Lin Tian's familiar voice rang out beside him, sounding a bit casual:

"Seen enough?"

Yang Xu jumped, quickly turning around to face Lin Tian, who had approached at some point. He bowed even lower, his tone filled with awe:

"Boss, Boss Lin! This place of yours... it's too, too incredible! I, Yang Xu, have truly had my eyes opened today!"

"Alright, cut the flattery."

Lin Tian waved his hand and pointed to the small territory that had just been "embedded" into the map of Lintian City and the large surrounding open space.

"From now on, you and your people will operate in this area. The inner city is the military and core zone, while the outer city is for civilian life and development. Your place will be... the 'Affiliated Special Administrative Region.'"

He paused, his tone casual, but the weight behind his words was significant:

"The outer city currently has tens of thousands of drifters, a mixed bag of people. Eating, drinking, hygiene, security management, production scheduling—it's a mountain of chores."

"In the future, the management of these drifters will be handed over to you."

"I only care about results: steady population growth, orderly production, sufficient food, and don't let any major chaos break out."

"Manage it well, and there will naturally be benefits for you—resources and equipment won't be an issue. But if you fail, or if I find you making any shady moves..."

Lin Tian didn't finish, merely giving Yang Xu a half-smiling glance.

Yang Xu, however, felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He quickly thumped his chest loudly, his voice booming:

"Rest assured, Boss Lin! I can't speak for other things, but I'm an expert at management! I guarantee I'll handle everything clearly and perfectly for you!"

"You just focus on leading the troops into battle and expanding the territory. Leave these trivial matters in the rear to me; there absolutely won't be any slip-ups!"

Seeing his pumped-up appearance, Lin Tian was somewhat satisfied. He continued his instructions:

"First, settle your people and territory. Then, immediately take over the management of the drifters. Compile a clear report for me as soon as possible regarding the current personnel situation, their skills and specialties, and the status of their resettlement. Also."

Lin Tian thought of the effects of the drifter signpost.

"Tonight or tomorrow, another batch of new drifters might arrive. Prepare for their reception and resettlement in advance so you aren't caught off guard when the time comes."

"Understood! Boss Lin, I'll get right on it!" Yang Xu was full of drive, feeling like he had found a new direction in life.

Having dismissed Yang Xu, Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the territory that could already be called a giant city, but his mind was already working on something else.

"With more and more people, the space is still a bit insufficient... especially since I'll need to raise horses, mass-produce soldiers, and continuously absorb drifters in the future..."

He rubbed his chin, and an "unpretentious" thought popped up.

Continue expanding!

"Anyway, I have plenty of Spirit Crystals now, and the mirror of replication can replicate stone at any time..."

"Then, let's make it even bigger!"

No sooner said than done.

He brought up the construction panel again, casting his gaze toward the outer city wall, which already had a ten-kilometer radius.

This time, he directly chose to draw an even more exaggerated circle further out and build a wall with a fifty-kilometer radius!

"Invest Spirit Crystals, replicate stone! Target: construct a new outer city wall, and simultaneously build city gates and City Defense Giant Crossbows!"

Hum!!!

Lintian City, which had just settled down, began to vibrate slightly once more!

Massive amounts of Spirit Crystals were injected into the mirror of replication and transformed into countless pieces of standard stone.

Under the dumbfounded gazes of everyone, including the newly settled Yang Xu...

A longer, more majestic, and though not as refined as the inner city wall, terrifically scaled super outer wall began to "grow" out at the edge of the horizon!

Like a boundary drawn by a giant god in myth, it pushed the map of Lintian City outward by dozens of kilometers once again!

Bringing even vaster lands, forests, and rivers under its protection.

This massive project lasted for nearly an hour.

When the outline of the new wall was basically formed in the twilight, Lin Tian finally stopped, satisfied.

By now, the overall scale of Lintian City had reached a jaw-dropping level.

Having finished the "land enclosure movement," Lin Tian remembered another thing he had been thinking about: mounts.

He strolled over to the militia recruitment altar in the inner city.

"Let's test the waters and see one first."

He invested a Spirit Crystal and selected the recruitment option for a [Dayuan Steed].

The altar flashed with light, and a warhorse about 1.5 meters tall at the shoulder, with a dark brown coat, long limbs, and a spirited appearance, appeared out of thin air.

It snorted and stomped its hooves somewhat uneasily.