Chapter 159: The Territory System

The establishment of the Harvest Altar was most shocking to Carina. As a Fourth-tier Warlock, only one step away from Legendary status, she clearly felt the power that altar had just released.

It was vast and magnificent, unstoppable like a tidal wave. Its mighty, celestial presence made it hard for her to breathe. Carina, who originally had little interest in the altar, suddenly felt a sense of awe. Su Lun seemed even more mysterious to her now.

She was already surprised that Su Lun had managed to subdue a Succubus as a servant. Now, this Harvest Altar made him even more unfathomable.

The Harvest Altar before her felt more like Divine Power. Only in the Temple of the Dark Maiden had she experienced anything similar before. But she was certain; though overwhelming, the altar’s power wasn’t Divine Power at all. Actually, what Carina sensed was the power of rules, a part of this world’s fundamental laws.

In truth, she would understand this power only after successfully advancing to Legendary herself.

When Su Lun built the Harvest Altar, its most important component, the Earth Crystal, contained a sliver of rule power. It was this rule power that granted the Harvest Altar its magical effects, transforming it into a Wonder Building.

With the Harvest Altar completed, Zhenbei City’s manpower was finally freed up. Earlier, Su Lun had used over 60% of the Territory’s workforce for its construction. Now, that workforce began building the Outer City.

Housing remained the first priority. Of the Territory’s six thousand people, nearly four thousand were slaves. They needed to work for five full years to earn their status as Freeman. The Points and money they accumulated through work would be given to them when they gained that status.

These Points and money could only be used to buy land and houses. Only any leftover amount could be exchanged for cash. Managing these slaves was easier too; men and women simply lived separately. Since few had families or spouses, five people could reside in one house.

The Refugees were more troublesome. Many came as families with dependents, so each family often needed its own house. This meant housing everyone in the Outer City required at least fifteen hundred houses.

Zhenbei City’s construction crews, having completed several major projects, were now very experienced at building houses. The city walls were finished, so the Brick Kiln’s bricks could be used for housing. So, the very next day after the Harvest Altar was complete, Zhenbei City launched another massive construction effort.

These new houses were stone and brick structures following a standardized design. The style resembled old rural brick-and-tile houses Su Lun remembered, each about forty square meters. The roof frame was simple: a triangular frame covered with tiles. Though Su Lun saw many flaws—old-fashioned style, small size—to the Refugees and Serfs, these houses were beyond anything they’d ever dared to dream of.

These houses were built near the southern gate. Similarly, the Goblin, Kobold, and Gnoll slaves were settled nearby. Housing slaves was much simpler: fences made of wood, walls of mud—quickly and easily built.

Fifteen hundred houses were arranged in ten rows with a hundred and fifty per row. Brick and stone were saved by connecting all the houses together. Su Lun also adapted the “ward system” he recalled from his previous world, dividing these houses into three Market Districts. Each district had its own assigned manager.

The ward system made managing people easier. It also simplified oversight and control of crime within the Territory. With the ward gate closed, it became a self-contained world. Strangers would be spotted quickly, greatly aiding the capture of spies or infiltrators. This was highly effective in a world whose civilization echoed the Middle Ages.

Furthermore, this system made tax collection much simpler. Though considered outdated in the modern society of his past life, here it worked perfectly. Sometimes, a system’s worth isn’t in its modernity, but in its appropriateness.

Large amounts of brick and stone were transported in. Thousands worked within the boundaries Su Lun set. A ward district took shape in record time. The entire district resembled a chessboard, with crisscrossing roads and houses set like pieces—a neat and orderly layout.

Just one week later, the first ward was fully completed.

Ward: Ward-style residential districts. As the poem says: ‘Hundreds and thousands of homes like a game of Go, twelve streets resemble vegetable plots.’ The ward system represents a major advance in feudal society; Orderliness +5, Popular Support +5, Stability +20, Comfort +5, Law +10, Crime -5, Prosperity -5.

After delegating tasks, Su Lun returned to the Inner City. As soon as he entered the Lord’s Castle grounds, a dark shadow swooped down from the sky—it was his own Frost Wyvern. Affectionately, it rubbed its head against his leg. In just a month, this Frost Wyvern had grown large enough to have a two-meter wingspan.

By now, the creature had become a notorious terror across Zhenbei City, frequently scaring the Territory’s slaves. Its current affectionate behavior likely meant it had just returned from causing chaos outside.

Su Lun patted its head. “Been off causing trouble again?”

The Frost Wyvern ducked its head, continuing to rub against his leg—an obvious attempt to curry favor. Just then, a Militia member rode up on horseback, dismounting swiftly upon seeing Su Lun.

“My Lord.”

“What happened?” Su Lun asked directly.

“A slave guarding the livestock reported a wyvern attack,” the Militia member glanced at the Frost Wyvern. “It killed a Zebra Antelope.”

“I see,” Su Lun nodded, dismissed the Militia member, then smacked the Frost Wyvern on the head. “If you cause trouble at the pastures again, I’ll have you locked in a cage.”

The Frost Wyvern whimpered in fear.

Among the eleven wyverns hatched, this Frost Wyvern grew the fastest. In less than a month, it had reached the size of a small calf. Astonishingly, it had already begun learning to hunt on its own.

Adult Ice Wyverns typically reached fifteen meters, females slightly smaller. Frost Wyverns grew even larger, up to eighteen meters. These Lesser Dragons possessed considerable strength. Wild wyverns usually began hunting independently only at around three years old and reached adulthood around ten.

An Ice Wyvern’s lifespan ranged from two to three hundred years. They had massive appetites, and Northern Lands Wild Oxen were their favorite prey.

“My Lord, I failed in my duty,” said the Drow Elf, Aydin, stepping forward.

“Hmm. Watch it closely next time,” Su Lun nodded without placing blame. “How are the other wyvernlings?”

“Advisor Carina has selected the finest Drow Elves to begin training them,” Aydin reported respectfully. “Knights need to develop a bond with their mounts from childhood, especially with draconic ones.”

“Draconic creatures are notoriously willful. Unless the bond is forged young, achieving true synergy between knight and wyvern is very difficult.”

“Also, my Lord,” Aydin continued, “These wyvernlings have grown for a month. To foster their training and well-being, we need purpose-built wyvern nests within the Territory.”

Su Lun nodded again. “I’ll ensure the nests are built promptly.”

After patting the Frost Wyvern’s head, sending it flying up to the Lord’s Castle towers, Su Lun walked towards the castle itself. He questioned Aydin as they went: “Any significant movements from other Wasteland tribes recently? What’s the state of the war between the Centaurs and those Orcs?”

“It seems unrest has flared up across the northern Wastes. The exact cause remains unclear. The war between the Centaur Tribes and Orc Tribe persists. Furthermore, the Orcs appear to have received aid. Currently, the Centaurs are being pushed back.”

“The Orcs became that strong?” Su Lun felt surprised. The equipment he’d supplied the Centaurs wasn’t top-tier, but it was good quality. If they were still struggling, that Orc Tribe must be formidable.

Su Lun’s Territory was still developing. Facing powerful tribes head-on wasn’t his desire right now.

“Send more scouts to keep a close watch on them. Notify me immediately if it seems the Centaur Tribes might collapse,” Su instructed after a moment’s thought.

“As you command,” Aydin bowed his head in acknowledgment.

The Drow Elves hadn’t skimped. The selected Wyvern Knights were indeed capable. Their leader was a Third-tier Professional. Unlike his typically slender kin, this Drow Elf stood two meters tall, powerfully built, his grey skin possessing a noticeable sheen.

Upon learning more, Su Lun understood: this Drow Elf had been trained as a Knight. Among their kind existed a powerful class known as Basilisk Knights. These knights rode Basilisks—fearsome creatures from the Underworld, each around eight meters long. Though called lizards, they appeared more like smaller cousins of Land Dragons.

These Basilisks were incredibly strong with impressive carrying capacity, making them the Underdark’s mightiest Cavalry. Moreover, the Basilisks wielded a Petrification ability. This innate Petrification Gaz surpassed even a Wizard’s Petrification spell, acting instantaneously.

Especially during close combat, its sudden use was nearly impossible to dodge. Anyone hit faced a Petrification Curse. If their resilience proved inadequate and their resistance failed, they were instantly turned to stone. If the petrification wasn’t reversed within two hours, it became permanent.

True Drow Basilisk Knights were all Fourth-Tier Professionals. This leader, at Third Tier by the Underdark’s standards, wouldn’t even have met the Basilisk Knight’s basic initiation requirements. It just reflected the desperate decline of this particular Drow Elf tribe, reduced to relying on Third-Tier fighters.