C23 Peaceful Fireworks

Moo Lieh, a Level-2 Wanderer from the Dawn Territory, once led the Hunter Team before Wang Changqing's arrival. With Changqing's coming, the need for dangerous hunts vanished, as residents could now simply work at quarries or logging sites to earn money and purchase food from the Lord's Mansion.

Post-dissolution of the Hunter Team, Moo Lieh turned to logging, where his Level-2 prowess allowed him to chop enough wood daily to comfortably support his family. He was content with his new life.

Yet, the growing proximity and clarity of beastly roars signaled an imminent attack by Wild Beasts on the territory, leaving Moo Lieh fraught with nerves and uncertainty.

In his anxious state, Moo Lieh's mind wandered to a harrowing memory from years past when a Level-3 Wild Wolf pack ravaged the territory after the previous Lord's disappearance, destroying farmland, breaching town walls, and reducing the population by a fifth.

Amidst his escalating anxiety, a projection screen materialized in the room, displaying a horde of beasts assaulting the Dawn Territory's protective barrier. Moo Lieh, seasoned in the ways of the Wanderer, recognized several formidable wild creatures that could have easily decimated his former Hunter Team.

On the screen, however, these fearsome creatures seemed like mere fodder, succumbing to mysterious, fatal wounds after mere moments of struggle.

Confusion reigned until Wang Changqing's voice cut through from the projection screen: "Residents of the Dawn Territory, I am your Lord, Wang Changqing. Outside our lands, tens of thousands of Level-5 and higher wild creatures seek our destruction, our demise."

"But fear not, for my mechanical army has been engaged in fierce battle with these beasts for some time. The conflict nears its end. Now, prepare to witness the grand fireworks display I have orchestrated for you!"

Fireworks? What are fireworks?

As the residents of Dawn Territory scratched their heads in confusion, the projection screen shifted. The view zoomed out until the wild creatures on display shrank to the size of ants.

Tens of thousands of them swarmed the protective barrier of Dawn Territory, a sight that would make anyone with a fear of crowds break out in goosebumps.

The residents were left wondering about the "fireworks" their Lord had mentioned, all while being awestruck by a spectacle they had never before witnessed. Yet, what unfolded next would be etched in their memories forever, solidifying their unwavering loyalty to Wang Changqing.

The level 10 Centaur Leader, in the midst of assaulting the protective barrier, was suddenly gripped by a sense of impending doom. His years of battling in the wilderness had honed his instincts for danger, instincts that had saved his life time and again. Without a second thought, he turned tail and bolted, summoning every ounce of his strength.

The level 9 wild creatures, taken aback by the Centaur Leader's abrupt retreat, hesitated in their assault. But before they could make sense of the situation, cataclysmic explosions rocked the land.

Explosions, one after another.

A sea of flames, scorching heat, billowing smoke, hellish landscapes, death, and apocalypse.

The ground shook, and the air itself seemed to scream.

As soon as Wang Changqing had realized that these wild creatures were amassing to attack his territory, he commanded his Mechanical Butler, Rafe, to mobilize all resources for the large-scale production of high-energy explosives.

Engineering Machinery got to work, constructing a factory for the explosives while carving out a vast underground space beneath the third line of defense, as designated by Wang Changqing. The ceiling of this cavernous area was reinforced to prevent collapse under any weight.

In the meantime, the factory operated at full capacity, churning out enough high-energy explosives to fill the newly created subterranean chamber.

Wang Changqing had barely finished his address when he nonchalantly pressed a button on his desk – the trigger for the high-energy explosives.

And so, the tens of thousands of wild beasts outside Dawn Territory faced their apocalyptic reckoning.

Wang Changqing had reached his last resort. He had been reluctant to employ this tactic, fearing it might compromise the integrity of the Dawn Territory's protective barrier—or worse, blow him sky-high along with it.

Rafe, the Mechanical Butler, had been tirelessly monitoring the barrier's strength from the moment the Wild Beasts launched their assault. After rigorous scrutiny, Rafe confirmed that the barrier hadn't weakened in the slightest, despite the relentless onslaught from tens of thousands of beasts.

Only with this assurance did Wang Changqing feel emboldened to unleash his apocalyptic maneuver. And the payoff was immense.

As he gazed at the notification popping up on the screen, a long-absent smile graced Wang Changqing's face.

Congratulations, you've advanced to Level 9!

Level: 9 (28,458,610/34,062,500)

At last, he had achieved Level 9 and lived to tell the tale.

Since the news of the impending Wild Beast attack, Wang Changqing hadn't taken a moment's rest, constantly strategizing for the imminent battle. Determined to maximize the odds of his final strike, he spared no expense, sacrificing every Defender Combat Robot at his disposal.

All his prior tactics were aimed at sapping the Wild Beasts' strength, draining their vital energy.

This time, fortune favored him. His strategy was a resounding success. On his seventh day on the Initial Continent, he obliterated over a hundred thousand Magic Beasts of Level 5 and above!

He was confident that no one else could have pulled off such a feat.

"Rafe, lift the citizens' confinement order, but forbid anyone from leaving the territory," Wang Changqing commanded.

"Direct the Mechanical Legion to skirt the blast zone and scour the wilderness battlefield. The beast meat, Magic Cores, and pelts—they're all mine."

"Bring everything back, or this battle will be a loss. We're just getting started; we can't afford to operate at a loss."

"Ah, poverty has truly frightened me!"

"But I swear, I'll secure an unshakable foundation for my children..."

With the weight of command lifted, Wang Changqing was suddenly overwhelmed by exhaustion. After issuing a few final orders to Rafe, he slumped into the steel chair and closed his eyes, succumbing to a deep sleep.

The chair in the Lord Hall gently reclined. Moo Qing, upon receiving Rafe's message, entered with a blanket and tenderly covered Wang Changqing. She stole a kiss on his cheek before reluctantly departing the Lord Hall.