C17 Private Plane

Regarding the size of his forces, Wang Changqing's Mechanical Legion had already surpassed the 800 mark. With the arrival of dawn, they were poised to break the 1,000 threshold. Meanwhile, his fellow Lords of the Blue Planet, who had arrived alongside him, had managed to muster only about 80 soldiers each, with the luckier ones just securing their second barracks.

These figures were shared by the Lords themselves on the World chat channel, so the accuracy of their claims was uncertain. Nonetheless, it was safe to assume that their troop counts hovered around eighty.

As for the might of these forces, there's little need for elaboration. The formidable Camp, with all Level-7 soldiers, could effortlessly crush the entire armies of hundreds of Level-4 and Level-5 Lords.

When it came to territorial development, the Mechanical Butler had nearly completed its overhaul. The original humble mud dwellings had been razed, and all residents had been relocated into newly constructed homes.

Wang Changqing opted against erecting towering structures, choosing instead to build three-story buildings. Each family was allotted one such building free of charge, complete with fully operational water and energy systems. The productivity of the intelligent Engineering Machinery was undeniably impressive.

However, Wang Changqing's greatest concern was the population of his territory. People couldn't be cultivated like field cabbages; increasing their numbers wasn't as simple as wishing it so. Situated in the perilous wilds, the Dawn Territory couldn't feasibly expand its population by taking in refugees.

Yet, a conversation with Yuh Chengye from the Black Rock Chamber of Commerce had revealed a rapid method to swell the populace: purchasing slaves. The Chamber's operations included human trafficking, and while Wang Changqing had considered buying a group, he ultimately resisted the temptation due to one critical factor: food supply.

It would be unwise to import a large population without the territory's agriculture being able to sustain its current residents. Most of the territory's inhabitants were now breaking new ground for farming under the supervision of Moo Niu. Regrettably, the current Mechanical Creations lacked agricultural machinery. Wang Changqing intended to acquire a group of domesticated low-level Magic Beasts for farming from other lords, but his territory lacked the expertise to tame such beasts. Otherwise, the Great Horned Ox he had previously slain would have made an excellent addition to the workforce.

"I never imagined that in this alien world, even talented individuals would be a scarce resource to compete for..."

With a heavy sigh, Wang Changqing settled into his seat in the Lord Hall, remotely overseeing his Mechanical Legion as they hunted across the wilderness.

The thrill of avoiding the frontlines, remaining in the safety of his stronghold while watching notifications of experience gains pop up on the screen was truly exhilarating!

The only downside was the Lord Hall's steel chairs; as grand as they looked, they were quite uncomfortable to sit on.

"Moo Qing! Fetch me a cushion!"

"At once, my Lord!"

In no time, Moo Qing returned with a cushion crafted from the hide of a wild black panther, tenderly placing it on the steel chair. Her expressive eyes occasionally flitted towards Wang Changqing, causing him a bit of discomfort.

Wang Changqing was well aware of the affections of the four young women who had been attending to him for the past few days.

Yet, with the unknown dangers of the Initial Continent and the perilous wilderness weighing heavily upon him, he couldn't afford to let his guard down, leaving no room in his heart for matters of love.

For him, the priority was to grow stronger and to survive—that was what mattered most.

He gestured for Moo Qing to exit the Lord Hall.

The Mechanical Legion, directed by the Mechanical Butler Rafe, continued their successful hunt in the wilds. Wang Changqing didn't dwell on this, instead, he was engrossed in monitoring the World Chat Channel.

At that moment, the Lords from Blue Planet were abuzz with discussions about the rewards following the seven-day newcomer protection period. This information, which had cost Wang Changqing a few thousand gold coins just days prior, was now common knowledge in the World Chat Channel.

He didn't regret the expense; the value of timely information was immeasurable.

Being a day ahead of others meant being a day ahead in preparations, which could tip the scales in his favor.

"I've heard that only the top 10,000 Lords will receive the reward."

"I'm curious about what the reward actually is."

"Well, I've got some scoop. The Lord next door mentioned that the rewards vary each time. Some get a few levels boosted directly, others receive powerful artifacts, and there are even rewards of skills above Grade B. It's quite a mixed bag."

"I've heard that too, but I've also heard that the ultimate prize is a Private Plane!"

"Private Plane?"

"Yes, a Private Plane! But there's a catch—you must conquer the plane first before it can truly become yours."

"Conquer a plane? Are you suggesting that someone like me, a mere Level-4 Lord, could do that?"

"Rookies like you usually don't stand a chance. The rewards of a Private Plane can be a mixed bag. Some Lords have been wiped out by the natives while attempting to conquer their own plane."

Wang Changqing had heard about Private Planes during his conversation with Yuh Chengye from the Black Rock Chamber of Commerce. On the Initial Continent, Private Planes were quite common. Typically, Lords above Level-10 would have coordinates to one, but fully conquering it is another story.

Planes are categorized by levels. The lowest, with no capacity for cultivation or extraordinary systems, are deemed Rank 0 by the Initial Continent—essentially worthless.

A Rank One Plane has a maximum potential level of 10. Conversely, a Level-10 Plane's cap is Level-100.

The Initial Continent is widely recognized as a Level-10 Plane, although there are several suspected to be of the same rank, such as the Bottomless Abyss and the Light Plane, among others.

The Initial Continent's status is due to the presence of numerous dynasties, each led by a Level-90 Lord.

According to Yuh Chengye, a novice Lord's Plane Teleportation Gate would only access up to a Level-3 Plane. This doesn't faze Wang Changqing; with his Mechanical Legion, he's confident that given enough time, he could conquer a Level-3 Plane.

Should fortune smile upon him and grant a Teleportation Gate to a Level-1 Private Plane, his current prowess, nearing Level-8, would allow him to dominate within a Level-10 Plane.

The allure of completely conquering a plane is immense, particularly for a Mechanical Territory Lord like Wang Changqing. A Private Plane symbolizes a veritable ocean of machinery.

Even a Level-1 Private Plane is rich with untapped metal resources. If mined thoroughly, creating an army of a hundred million machines is not just a fantasy, but a tangible goal.

By then, I'll be able to leverage the vast sea of the Mechanical Legion to steamroll across the wilderness. Facing a level 20 powerhouse? No fear. If I can't outfight them, I'll wear them down to their demise.

Wang Changqing was so caught up in his daydreams that he couldn't snap out of it, oblivious to the fact that this very wilderness was a no-go zone for even the Level-60 Great Duke Huorong.