110: Chapter 110 The Underworld Lord Establishes His Authority and the New Area Unlocks

The reconstruction of the Fortress proceeded at a speed that transcended physical laws, fueled by the massive amounts of nether talismans Lin Chen poured into it.

It was no longer a simple repair, but a complete demolition and rebuild, with its scale expanding tenfold!

The Fortress, which originally occupied only a corner of the city center, now saw its walls stretching outward like the spine of a giant dragon, encompassing vast areas of former ruins, streets, and even parks. Brand new city walls shimmering with a metallic gloom rose from the ground, reaching heights of over fifty meters. Complex runes flowed across the surface of the walls, emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations. At regular intervals atop the walls stood ferocious Nether Talisman Turrets, their deep barrels ready to spit out flames of destruction at any moment.

Inside, the originally single-function areas were replanned. Living quarters, military zones, commercial districts, and even a leisure area simulating a natural environment were organized in an orderly fashion. Sturdy buildings with a unified style 'sprouted' like bamboo shoots after rain. The streets were wide, and underground drainage and energy supply systems were fully equipped. Most prominent was the main castle in the center, grander than before and built entirely of what looked like obsidian. Floating at its peak was a newly condensed soul suppressing pagoda core, even more powerful than its predecessor, overlooking this newborn land like a cold eye.

All of this, from breaking ground to initial completion, took less than half a day.

Tens of thousands of Yin Soldiers, like tireless worker ants driven by nether talismans, executed every construction command with precision and efficiency. The thousands of surviving humans were responsible for auxiliary work and internal organization. Looking at this miraculous construction speed and the magnificent Fortress—sturdier and more advanced than any city before the apocalypse—their shock was beyond words, and their awe of Lin Chen reached its peak.

This was no longer a man; this was a god! A being capable of instantly establishing a steel divine kingdom upon the ruins!

Zhang Hao, the newly minted 'half-human, half-ghost,' was especially busy, making full use of his 'new functions.' He would occasionally pass through walls to check if the internal structure met standards, or lean in next to working survivors to 'listen' to their inner thoughts, checking if anyone was slacking off or harboring resentment.

“Old Wang, muttering in your heart that the cement grade isn't high enough? Go change it now! If anything goes wrong with the city wall, I'll be the first to stuff you into a concrete pillar!” Zhang Hao pointed at a middle-aged man mixing concrete and spoke gloomily.

Old Wang trembled so hard he dropped his shovel. His face turned pale as he bowed repeatedly, “I wouldn't dare! Master... Master Zhang, I'll change it right away! Right away!” He scrambled to replace the materials, not daring to harbor any more stray thoughts.

Other survivors who saw this worked even harder, not daring to let their eyes wander. Since Zhang Hao died and was resurrected, he had become even more terrifying. He could actually know what people were thinking? Who would ever dare to say a bad word about Boss Lin behind his back now?

Su Qingyu sat in the temporary command center, methodically receiving reports from various locations, allocating resources, and scheduling personnel. The one hundred million nether talismans in her account were the best guarantee of her authority. Her orders were clear and decisive, and her efficiency in handling affairs was extremely high, winning everyone's trust. Below Lin Chen, the authority of 'Manager Su' was now firmly established.

At dusk, as the last rays of the setting sun were blocked by the brand-new, towering city walls, the reconstruction of the entire Fortress was initially complete. A massive energy shield, like an inverted bowl, enveloped the entire Fortress, emitting a soft glow that isolated it from the Bizarre Monsters and dangers outside.

All the survivors, along with the neatly lined-up Yin Soldier Legion, gathered in the central plaza. In front of the plaza was a temporarily constructed high platform.

Lin Chen slowly walked onto the platform, still maintaining his cold and stern appearance, but the invisible pressure he exuded was even greater than before. His gaze swept over the dense crowd and the grim military formation below.

No words were needed; simply standing there was enough to make everyone hold their breath.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd was the first to shout:

“Lord of the Underworld!”

This shout was like lighting a fuse.

Immediately following, a sound like a mountain tsunami echoed throughout the Fortress:

“Lord of the Underworld!”

“Lord of the Underworld!”

“Long live the Lord of the Underworld!”

The survivors waved their arms excitedly, and the Yin Soldiers struck the ground with their weapons, producing a unified, clanging sound that expressed absolute submission and awe. Su Qingyu looked at the figure on the platform with a complex expression, but ultimately followed the crowd and bowed slightly.

Zhang Hao was so excited his ghostly body was trembling slightly. He shouted at the top of his lungs, wishing the whole world knew what a powerful thigh he had managed to cling to.

Lin Chen accepted all of this calmly. In the face of absolute power and strength, such an honorific was an inevitable result. He raised his hand, and the area below instantly fell silent, so quiet a pin could be heard dropping.

“The Fortress is only the beginning,” Lin Chen’s voice reached everyone’s ears clearly through an amplification array. “The old order has collapsed. The new order will be set by me. Here, my rules are the only truth!”

“We obey the command of the Lord of the Underworld!” Ten thousand people shouted in unison, the sound waves shaking the heavens.

Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, the long-absent system notification sounded in Lin Chen's mind once more. This time, it carried a sense of unprecedented solemnity and... temptation?

[Ding! Detected that the host has established a stable base and consolidated absolute authority, earning the title 'Lord of the Underworld'. Conditions met, hidden functions unlocked...]

[Underworld Development Zone, officially open!]

Following the notification, the system interface before Lin Chen's eyes underwent a world-shaking change. The interface, which originally focused on the real-world map, suddenly expanded at its edges, revealing a vast, dark, seemingly infinite void. Within this void were dotted countless points of light, some bright and some dim; some swirled like nebulae, while others were as dead as stones.

At the very top of the interface, several large characters emitting an ancient nether aura appeared—[Underworld Development Zone].

Below was a detailed introduction to the functions:

[Function 1: Resource Prospecting]: Can dispatch Yin Soldiers or special units into designated Underworld regions to prospect for mineral resources (Soul Crystals, Nether Iron), energy nodes, and even lost artifact fragments.

[Function 2: Region Occupation]: After prospecting is complete, nether talismans can be consumed to perform 'Sovereignty Certification' on the region, bringing it under your jurisdiction.

[Function 3: Infrastructure Construction]: Can build unique Underworld structures in occupied regions, such as [Reincarnation Office], [Eighteen Levels of Hell (Trial Version)], [River of Oblivion Scenic Belt], etc., to attract 'special guest traffic' and generate continuous revenue.

[Function 4: Investment Promotion]: Can lease or sell Underworld land parcels to other planes or powerful beings, or cooperate on development projects.

[Warning: The danger level of the Underworld regions is far higher than the current world. There exist unknown rules, ancient vengeful spirits, and coveters from other dimensions. Please act within your capabilities.]

Lin Chen looked at this brand-new system interface, and his eyes lit up intensely, particularly when he saw 'Investment Promotion' and those peculiar building names. The corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably.

How was this some dangerous development zone? This was clearly a massive, unowned... blue ocean of real estate waiting to be developed! It was a super market infinitely broader than the ruins of the real world!

He could almost see countless nether talismans surging toward him like rivers flowing into the sea.

“Hahaha!” Lin Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud. It sounded particularly abrupt in this solemn setting, but no one below dared to question him.

He closed the system interface and turned his gaze back to the crowd. The ambition and excitement in his eyes were almost tangible.

“Are you all ready?” His voice carried a trace of irrepressible excitement.

Everyone held their breath, not knowing what startling command this lord, who had just been honored as the 'Lord of the Underworld,' was about to give.

Lin Chen spread his arms as if to embrace the entire void, his voice resolute and echoing everywhere:

“Our next stop—”

“To the Underworld, for demolition and development!”

“We will establish a new order there, new industries, and a new... money printing factory!”

(Hook: System prompt indicates discovery of a new plane: 'God Realm', new dungeon can be opened.)

Almost as his words fell, the system notification sounded in his mind again, carrying a trace of even more eerie temptation:

[Ding! Detected that the host's authority has increased, plane map expanded... Discovered adjacent high-energy plane: 'God Realm' (Status: Extremely xenophobic, rich in resources, condensed power of faith). Prompt: Conquering or 'cooperatively developing' this plane will greatly accelerate the construction of the Underworld Development Zone. Set this plane as the next strategic target?]

Lin Chen looked at the 'God Realm' marker on the map, which emitted a holy (in his eyes, it smelled like money) light. Then he looked at his subordinates below, who were impassioned because he was going to develop the Underworld. The smile on his face became even more brilliant and... dangerous.

“Interesting,” he muttered to himself. “Xenophobic? Rich in resources? Perfect. What I'm best at is educating the xenophobic and then turning their resources into my nether talismans.”

Demolishing reality, developing the Underworld, and coveting the God Realm...

The journey of the Lord of the Underworld, Lin Chen, had only just begun!