42: Chapter 42 Level 3 Main Base, Heroic-level Combat Power!

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Japan Territory.

Tojo Injin saw the anonymous message, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.

Compared to open competitors, enemies hiding in the shadows were the hardest to deal with.

When events developed in the direction you expected, these people were the biggest variables.

If this information were true, the publisher likely possessed the strongest tier of troops in the early game!

The Heart of the Hive was difficult, but the command points it returned were equally abundant.

If they had mastered the correct method to exterminate the Insect Swarm.

Then the number one spot in this exploration ranking was uncertain.

Tojo Injin's eyes flickered, his thoughts churning rapidly.

Which country was it?

Bear Country? The United States? Or France...

The intensity of this Forbidden Ground competition was far higher than the previous two times.

"Continue exploring outwards; do not return before sunset!"

Tojo Injin further increased the exploration effort.

This exploration ranking was related to whether he could obtain oil in the early stages.

No mistakes could be made!

...

England Territory.

The Redcoats of the Victorian era were patrolling the crude city walls.

In the center of the territory, industrial factories were rumbling and spewing steam.

The lord's castle was located at the southernmost part of the territory.

Elizabeth sat upright in front of a rosewood table engraved with gold threads, checking the panel.

An anonymous message was like a pebble dropped into water, stirring up ripples.

The impact of this message was far more than what appeared on the surface.

A civilization capable of contending with the Insect Swarm in the early stages had appeared, and it was in an anonymous form.

This would bring panic and suspicion to all major countries that were not the information publisher.

It would even affect future alliances or hostile relationships.

Unlike other lords, Elizabeth held an optimistic attitude toward this message.

Because the Lord of Spain, who was located at the Heart of the Hive, was among the lords with the closest ties to her.

Since this anonymous lord wanted to help Spain, then they were on the same front.

In the future, it would be easy to connect with this anonymous lord through the Lord of Spain.

This was her advantage compared to other major country lords.

Although things had not gone very smoothly in Afghanistan, she already had her own circle of allies.

Making friends and expanding influence was her strategy for the early game.

Unfortunately, as oil was excavated, a batch of these allies would gradually be eliminated by the Forbidden Ground.

The most typical example was the Dragon country, which had chosen the Bronze Age.

While other countries achieved leaps forward using oil, their workers might still be hammering copper ore, with absolutely no possibility of catching up.

Elizabeth's thoughts gradually drifted.

It was a pity; this Qin Dynasty originally had a lot of potential...

...

After publishing the information, Su Yang logged out of the hall directly.

He did not want to know what reaction this message would cause.

The things were laid out there; whether it was true or false was up to them to judge.

Now, all he needed to do was devote himself entirely to territory defense.

Based on production capacity, the Rank 3 Main Base could be built by evening.

Afterward, by summoning hero-level units, the territory's defense and troop strength would enter a brand-new Realm.

Whether it was the gradually sweltering environment that made his heart restless, Su Yang felt that the time waiting for evening to arrive was exceptionally long.

A mere few hours felt longer than this entire week.

The sun gradually set, and the cold wind roared to take back this land.

Unlike the previous nights, this time, along with the cold wind, came a dense black fog.

The plants that had shone with fluorescence to illuminate the dense forest at night were all ineffective at this moment.

Darkness shrouded the entire land, and only with the faint moonlight could one barely see.

This was the first "Dark Night" in the true sense that Su Yang had experienced since coming to the Forbidden Ground.

Was this the Advent Day?

He had to admit that the atmosphere was indeed spot on.

Su Yang mused to himself.

As night fell, the copper ore stock in the territory finally reached 100 units.

Su Yang opened the lords residence upgrade panel without a second thought.

Hesitating for even a second more would be disrespectful to the hero-level units!

[Main Base: lords residence]

[Rank: 2 >>> 3]

[Unlocks: Level 3 resource devices, Level 3 defensive facilities, Level 3 Imperial Armor Camp, gains Hero Building (New)]

[Requirements]

[Coal resources: 100 units]

[Copper ore resources: 100 units]

[Stone resources: 200 units]

[command points: 4000 points]

[Time: 2d]

Upgrade!

Su Yang's thoughts flashed, and he poured nearly two-thirds of the territory's resources into the lords residence.

[Coal - 100 units]

[Copper ore - 100 units]

[Stone - 200 units]

[command points - 4000]

[Rank 3 lords residence is upgrading...]

[Time required: 2d]

The upgrade required two days.

Su Yang took out the rare-grade Heart of the Hive from his backpack.

This was obtained from killing the mother worm at the Insect Swarm Ranch.

Not only did it have a reduction time of up to 2 days, but it could also be applied to building upgrades.

It was perfect to use here.

[Used item: Heart of the Hive, shortened construction time required by 2d]

[Rank 3 lords residence upgrade complete]

It was finished instantly!

Rare-grade items were just that useful!

Boom—

With the upgrade complete, a drastic renovation began.

The Rank 3 lords residence was no longer an increase in height, but an expansion in floor area.

After Su Yang's approval, the residence expanded northward on the previous foundation, adding an extra section.

In addition to the lord's room where Su Yang lived, a row of new rooms was added.

Were these for hero-level units to live in? Su Yang guessed.

Perhaps hero-level units were no longer considered troops and required separate rooms.

Construction finished, and a more imposing and magnificent residence appeared before Su Yang's eyes.

It was not just a change in form; the exterior of the residence was no longer entirely made of blue-gray bronze.

Those newly appeared materials shimmered with a bright silver light under the moonlight.

Iron!?

Su Yang looked at those metals with some excitement.

If it really was iron, that meant the territory was about to enter a new period.

Entering the Iron Age from the Bronze Age!

Although Great Qin's research on copper could be said to have reached its peak.

But even the most powerful craftsmanship could not make up for the difference in material properties between copper and iron.

Conversely, Great Qin craftsmen could even use copper with such supernatural skill.

Once they entered the Iron Age, how much shocking technology would they create!

Calming the excitement in his heart, Su Yang opened the hero panel that had appeared for the first time.

Development matters could be discussed later; at this stage, he must obtain some immediate combat power!

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