C24 Protection Period End and Reward

Wang Changqing had slept deeply and comfortably, convinced that without any interruptions, he could easily slumber for three straight days and nights. Alas, that uninterrupted rest was not to be.

An authoritative voice echoed in his mind, abruptly rousing him from his profound sleep. The disruption infuriated Wang Changqing, and he was determined to give whoever dared to interrupt his rest a piece of his mind.

But as he came to full consciousness, he realized the "person" who had disturbed him was not someone he could afford to provoke—it was the system's alert.

"Congratulations, you have successfully survived on the Initial Continent for seven days. Whether or not you've left your territory, your survival is cause for celebration! The Territory Protection Period of seven days has now concluded. This means, from this moment forward, there is no longer a safe haven for you! The protective barrier is gone, and at any time, natives, hostile forces, and wild monsters may attack your territory. Be ready! Lastly, may you continue to survive on the Initial Continent!"

"Survive? I plan to do more than just survive; I intend to thrive!" Wang Changqing grumbled to himself before receiving several more system notifications.

"Congratulations, you are among the top 10,000 Lords in your cohort. In recognition of your exceptional performance, you may select one of the following six rewards. Note: You have 10 minutes to make your selection. If a Lord fails to choose within this time, the reward will be forfeited. Please be aware!

Rewards:

- Upgrade any skill to Grade C

- One random Grade C Hero

- 10 million gold coins

- 10 million units of any standard resource

- One Rank Two Plane Teleportation Portal (Note: Only the top 100 Lords have this option, and it's the same Rank Two Plane for all. If someone secures the plane's core, the other Lords' portals will shatter after 24 hours)

- One random level 5 barracks from a specified camp

"Ah, how can I pick just one? Given my abilities, I should be ranked first or second among my peers. They're really pinching pennies here!"

The prospect of upgrading any skill to Grade C was tempting. Wang Changqing's current Grade G Mechanical Heart skill felt insignificant and lacked presence. He wondered how much of an enhancement upgrading to Grade C would bring. This option was shrouded in mystery, yet his gut told him that a Grade C skill would be immensely powerful. He decided to keep this option on the table.

Reward: One random Grade C Hero. At first glance, this might seem appealing, but in reality, it's pretty much pointless—at least that's what Wang Changqing believed. Yuh Chengye had once explained to Wang Changqing that on the Initial Continent, becoming a Hero was a coveted special occupation among the natives, second only to becoming a Lord, of course!

The unique aspect of being a Hero was that it was akin to a pared-down version of a Lord. They had no officially recognized territory and were unable to utilize Barracks. Their lord-like trait was the ability to gain experience and level up through combat, which is why the natives of the Initial Continent aspired to be Heroes.

There were many heroes on the Initial Continent, yet the mystery of their awakening remained unsolved. Some awakened in life-or-death situations, others during sleep, meals, walks, or even while using the restroom.

The system's reward of a C-level hero, which capped at level 50, looked tempting, but Wang Changqing felt it was an unaffordable luxury. Why pour so much experience into a hero when he could use it to elevate his own Lord Level to 50?

Investing in a hero?

Only a Lord without a lick of sense would do such a thing!

So, that option was swiftly dismissed.

10 million gold coins or 10 million units of any standard resource were equally dismissible. To Wang Changqing, resources were something you could get with a bit of effort—it was just a question of quantity. Simply put, 10 million was a pittance, hardly worth his attention.

Though an immediate windfall of 10 million resources could significantly bolster his Mechanical Legion's might in the short term, the long-term impact would dwindle. When weighed against other choices that could generate substantial ongoing returns, the 10 million resource options paled in comparison.

"If it were 10 billion resources, now that would be a no-brainer!"

The disdain for the nouveau riche stemmed mainly from their lackluster extravagance. Should their display of wealth be sufficiently grand, critics would fall silent in awe.

Wang Changqing coveted the bidirectional plane teleportation array above all else. The hitch, however, was that not only would he need to negotiate with the natives of the Rank Two Plane, but he'd also have to vie with a top 100 Lord of the Blue Planet for control.

The World Announcement Channel was abuzz with lively conversation, but that was only because there were no competing interests at play. Now, Wang Changqing found himself at odds with other Lords of the Blue Planet over a fundamental conflict of interest. Should they encounter each other on the Rank Two Plane, a fierce showdown would be inevitable, potentially leading to a fight to the bitter end.

Yet, the potential rewards of a Rank Two Plane were immense, particularly for a Mechanical Lord like Wang Changqing, who was heavily dependent on resources. A Private Plane with a consistent output of resources would guarantee a ceaseless supply of Mechanical Warriors.

The final option presented was intriguing: a random level-5 barracks from a specified camp. While choosing a specific camp seemed safe, the randomness introduced a fascinating twist. Opting for the Undead Camp, for instance, opened up a wide array of possibilities. Would it yield a Skeleton Tyrant or a Skeleton Warrior? An Undead Dragon or an Undead Sheep? This uncertainty made the last option easy to dismiss.

After some deliberation, the choices narrowed down from six to one: the C-level Skill or the Rank Two Plane's bidirectional teleportation array.

The decision was agonizing. He truly wanted both!

Unfortunately, reality doesn't bend to our desires. Despite Wang Changqing's longing for both options, the clock was ticking down, urging him to make a swift decision.

Finally, with just over a minute left in the ten-minute countdown, Wang Changqing reached a verdict.

He chose the Rank Two Plane's Dual-Plane Portal. He was convinced there had to be other means to enhance his skills; it was inconceivable for a Level 30 powerhouse to be limited to Grade G skills. His brief tenure on the Initial Continent meant he simply hadn't discovered them yet.

With his decision made, Wang Changqing wasted no more time. He confidently selected the Rank Two Plane's Dual-Plane Portal from the light screen before him.

"Congratulations, you have acquired a Rank Two Plane Transfer Gate. Please select a location for placement within the next thirty minutes. Once placed, the location is final and cannot be changed. Failure to place the gate within the allotted time will be regarded as forfeiture."

"Time restrictions for choosing and placing? What a hassle!"