Chapter 009: The Beginning of the Territory

Cough... When Laura once again seductively passed in front of him, Gaia coughed and called out to her: "Laura, tomorrow you will go to the adventurer's supply station to help Uncle Anderson, that's settled."

... ...

"This was entrusted to me for repair by a passing adventurer," Arendo said

However, the other person truly could not hold on any longer—Old Anderson

Several days later, on the road to Mainz, the frozen and rigid surface was crushed by the wheels of the cart, making creaking sounds. The honest Greenlandic boy Roy sat on the ox cart, occasionally flicking the whip, as two streams of white vapor puffed from the old ox's nostrils, causing the cart to sway.

Generally speaking, as only accommodation can be provided, there have been only six gold coins received to date

Strong immediately said, "Alendo, the lord has given an order, what are you hesitating for!" Gaia raised a hand to stop Strong, and with a gentle expression, looked at the blacksmith: "Alendo, I hope you understand that in terms of status, I am the lord and you are the subject, but in terms of business, we are in a partnership. Therefore, I am not forcing you; I assure you that the benefits you will receive will far exceed what you currently earn from repairing pots and damaged weapons, what do you say?"

In the realm of Moyuan, the people's understanding of advertising is limited to the signs hanging at the entrance. It is already quite rare for someone like Gaia to disseminate information in the neighboring town of Modo, and now, Gaia intends to release even more information in Modo, and even in Main City. This entails a considerable expense. The municipal officer of Strong calculated that it would cost a total of three gold coins. He immediately advised the lord against it, but Gaia was very stubborn. With no other choice, Strong had to comply.

Gaia explained: "I intend to have you produce and sell at our own supply station"

A faint blade-like beam of light sliced through the ground, raising a line of snow as it approached the ox cart head-on. Roy, who had never seen much of the world, was startled and had no idea what it was; he thought it might be some kind of monster lurking underground

The effects of the advertisement were quite evident; the low prices of supplies quickly attracted a large number of adventurers. Gaia sold these supplies at cost price, making them even cheaper in Greenland than in Mainz. There was no need for the traditional process of "one person tells ten, ten tell a hundred" in this era. All adventurers passing through Mainz and Modo Town learned of this news from the guild's information board. The once quiet Greenland became bustling in the blink of an eye.

Flakes of snow drifted down like scraps of paper carelessly torn by a deity, quickly blanketing the ground in a thick layer of snow. In the wilderness, near a large tree by the road, a few individuals hid among the branches, allowing the snow to fall upon them, their gaze fixed intently on the uneven road.

The most profitable venture in Greenland now is the Adventurer's Bar. Although young Julie's skills are quite lacking, the Adventurer's Bar is the only place in Greenland that can provide food, which means that one has to eat there whether they want to or not

He still remembers those clear big eyes on that snowy night ... Love is always the most worthwhile thing to reminisce about

I have long heard that the new lord is a magnanimous gentleman" Angelo said with a smile. Strong snorted, "So that's why you dared to defend yourself just now?" Angelo awkwardly scratched his head

Clearly, Gaia considers himself to be an older individual. When he passed away in his previous life, he was indeed not young.

"Arrow?" Alundo inquired tentatively

Knock knock knock

"How is the business of the star-rated hotels?" Gaia asked nonchalantly

Gaia was somewhat distracted by her; he was not an inexperienced fourteen-year-old boy. In his previous life, although he had been betrayed by more than one woman, he had also had countless sexual experiences in that world filled with material desires.

"Are you going to take action?" a companion inquired

Gaia had long anticipated this and sent Roy to assist him. However, Roy could only supervise from the sidelines, ensuring that the scoundrels among the adventurers could not steal anything from the supply station. As for the financial aspect, this uneducated young man was truly powerless.

However, after that flash of fire was repelled, there was no further pursuit; instead, it was suddenly withdrawn, evoking a sense of trepidation.

Gaia pushed open the car window and looked outside. The heavy snow covered all the ugliness of the earth, creating a pure white expanse between heaven and earth. This lifted his spirits, and he found himself reminiscing about that snowy night in his previous life. Despite being frozen and shivering, he mustered the courage to confess his feelings to his first love.

No wonder Arendo is anxious; Anchelo's recent actions have already constituted the crime of assassinating a lord. In the Abyss, this is a grave offense that could lead to being hanged and having one's body displayed in public

After Gaia finished speaking, he stood up and left. Laura was momentarily stunned, not understanding why he had suddenly issued this command

Arundor shook his head: "My lord, it is not that I do not respect your wishes, but this sword is forged from shattered pattern steel. Weapons made from this material cannot be quenched; they must cool slowly to achieve the best quality"

"Well, I understand. Accompany me to inspect the supply station," Gaia said as he stood up, contemplating the thoughts that had just crossed his mind. There are indeed very few people in Greenland who can be of use; such matters cannot be handled by that honest boy Roy. He glanced at Strang beside him: this upright and principled municipal official also does not seem to be a suitable candidate. Gaia felt helpless in his heart: it seems that he still needs to take matters into his own hands.

Good

Anchelo remained kneeling on the ground, not daring to rise. Gaia chuckled silently and waved his hand, saying: "What happened just now is not your fault. In the name of the lord, I forgive you, young man. Get up."

With a loud bang, the car door was blown apart, and Gaia suddenly burst out, concealing his longsword beneath him. He dashed out at the fastest speed, as several figures descended from the sky. Without hesitation, Gaia chose one of them and charged forward. The person countered with a shield, deflecting Gaia's thrust, and in a flash, the broken sword in their hand was already in front of Gaia. He was taken aback; from the aura of the fighting spirit, he could tell that the enemy was powerful, but he never expected them to be this formidable. Any one of them could effortlessly neutralize his attack with a mere gesture and even counterattack with ease. The person countered with a shield, deflecting Gaia's thrust, and in a flash, the broken sword in their hand was already in front of Gaia. He was taken aback; from the aura of the fighting spirit, he could tell that the enemy was powerful, but he never expected them to be this formidable. Any one of them could effortlessly neutralize his attack with a mere gesture and even counterattack with ease.

Gaia broke through a gap, misstepped with both feet, and charged across the snowfield at full speed. These individuals were of high rank, appearing to be at least mid-tier silver warriors. Gaia could barely reach the level of a high-tier bronze warrior at present. Even disregarding his own physical condition, he could forcefully unleash his combat aura to kill one, but given his current physical state, he absolutely could not allow himself to erupt again. However, there were as many as three opponents!

However, at present, there is no one available, and Gaia can only deliberate for the long term. He sits in his own chair, contemplating how to resolve the current issues within his territory

In two days, the Adventurer Supply Station will officially open, along with the Adventurer Bar and the Greenland Star Hotel located just behind the Adventurer.

Gaia walked down the desolate street with his hands behind his back, occasionally greeted by passing citizens who offered their respects. Gaia waved his hand casually, appearing somewhat distracted: perhaps he could entrust all business matters to Laura, as she had her own master-servant contract and could never betray him

Gaia glanced at the wooden barrel beside her; the liquid inside was somewhat murky and emitted a foul odor

"Adult!" He only called out once, and the fierce blade of animosity was already before him. With a loud "whoosh," the bulky old cow was split in half from head to tail, its intestines, heart, and blood splattered everywhere. Roy was momentarily stunned.

Gaia nodded, contemplating: I truly underestimated the spending power of these adventurers. Just by drinking those cheap ales and home-brewed whiskeys, they can generate such substantial income... It seems that it is time to introduce some special services.

"The urine of the beasts is used for tempering. If we could have the blood of the beasts, that would certainly be better, but this is all we can afford," Arundo said somewhat helplessly.

It is indeed the coldest season of the year in the northern region, and by mid-afternoon, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky

Strong was delighted: "So we can still make a profit while ensuring price advantages?" Gaia nodded and looked at Alendo: "It all depends on whether the blacksmith agrees."

Lord's Town is the lowest level of recognition standard for a lord's territory by the Shenglong Dynasty. With a Lord's Town, one can apply to the dynasty to formally separate from their previous family and become independent

Strong was somewhat surprised: "My lord, I didn't expect your maid to be so capable..." Gaia was also a bit taken aback, thinking to himself: It seems I've stumbled upon a treasure. To avoid making a 'mistake,' I sent her here, but I didn't expect this girl to have a talent for business.

"Not just arrows," Gaia said, "but also armor, shields, and the like." Arendo did not understand what he meant and looked at him with some confusion.

All rooms in the extreme north are equipped with two layers of doors to withstand the severe cold outside. However, Arundo's blacksmith shop only has a single curtain door. As the two approached the entrance, they were greeted by a wave of heat. Strang lifted the curtain, revealing a roaring fire inside. Amidst the blazing flames, a cast iron pot was glowing red-hot. A half-orc man, standing at 1.9 meters tall, was pulling the pot from the fire, wielding a hammer and striking it with a clanging sound, sparks flying everywhere.

A shadow flickered before him, followed by a chilling gleam rushing towards him. Gaia instinctively raised the longsword in his hand to parry. "Clang, clang, clang..." A series of dense sounds of weapons clashing followed, and then he felt a sharp pain in both his shoulders and knees, unable to withstand it, his body softened and he fell onto the snow, leaving behind a trail of crimson marks

Unfortunately, his display of loyalty appears somewhat ridiculous, as the entire Greenland has no soldiers at all. Is he really expecting those "loyal" subjects to protect their lord?

The strong man looked at the heavy snowfall and nodded slightly, saying: "Kill the driver; we only need the people inside the vehicle"

Strong's face was frighteningly dark as he shouted angrily: "Ancelro, do you know what you have done? If the lord's strength were just a little weaker, just now..." He did not dare to continue, glancing at Gaia and seeking the lord's opinion with his eyes.

Gaia arrived at the entrance and casually glanced inside the supply station. To his surprise, everything was in perfect order. Standing outside, he carefully observed through the large glass window. At the checkout counter, there was only Laura, while Old Anderson and Roy stood near the shelves, occasionally chatting with each other, appearing quite relaxed.

Gaia looked at him. Although he did not speak, he had already gained an understanding of Alendo's craftsmanship through the sword. He returned the longsword to Anchelo, clasped his hands behind his back, and asked Alendo: "Are you able to forge standard supplies for adventurers?"

"I didn't do it on purpose; I was just trying out the sword, and I didn't expect them to come in at that moment..." The young man appeared somewhat aggrieved, but when the burly man glared at him, he obediently knelt down and, following the most basic etiquette of commoners, bowed three times to Gaia: "My lord, please forgive the unintentional offense of the humble Anchelo..."

Gaia, however, did not look at him; instead, she was fixated on the bright red longsword on the ground

Seeing old Anderson return to his lord's manor every day, exhausted and suffering from back pain, Gaia truly felt heartbroken

Hiss—

"How many projects are left to meet the standards of my territory from Lord's Town?" he asked

Time did not allow him to think much about why these people had targeted him. He suddenly turned to the side, pressing against the short sword as he charged forward, pulling it swiftly, causing the long sword to slash towards his opponent's throat. The opponent was forced to block with the short sword, and as their weapons clashed, a sharp metallic sound echoed, reminiscent of a painful note. Gaia's combat aura erupted suddenly, and with a loud bang, the opponent's short sword shattered. Gaia had been prepared; he quickly ducked, avoiding the flying shards. However, his opponent was not so fortunate. As his short sword inexplicably broke, he was momentarily dazed, and a shard pierced into his neck.

Gaia seemed very interested in the sword on the ground and pointed at it, saying: "Quench it and let me see what the quality is like"

After approximately half an hour of waiting, the long sword finally cooled down. The intricate patterns formed by the fractured steel were densely spread across the blade, with a cold gleam hidden within these cracks. A gentle shake of the sword produced a humming sound. Gaia could not help but exclaim, "Indeed, it is a fine sword!"

Whenever Gaia thought of the long sword made of shattered pattern steel in Anchelo's hand, a wave of envy surged within him. However, he also understood that shattered pattern steel was exceedingly rare; even though he had some wealth now, it was unlikely that he could acquire such materials.

Although he was younger than his opponent, his tone was filled with confidence and a sense of experience, to the extent that even Ancelotti himself did not feel any awkwardness. He respectfully bowed his head to Gaia and then stood up.

Originally, this sword was held in the hands of Anchelo, with two pieces of wood added to the hilt. After Anchelo knelt down, the sword was placed beside him.

He was originally going to walk over, but suddenly had a thought in his mind, turned around, and headed towards a blacksmith's shop: "Let's go and take a look at the books." "Sure."

The effects are immediate, but so are the troubles that follow

This is certainly something that other lords would be unwilling to do; who wouldn't want the support of a large family behind them? However, Gaia is different; he is eager to break away from the Gangro family.

Strong quickly took the lead in front

My lord, in the past, the average number of foreign visitors entering and leaving Greenland each year was thirty. Since the establishment of our adventurer supply station, according to my statistics, the floating population has now exceeded one thousand six hundred... The municipal administration of Strong City is thrilled; the arrival of people signifies business opportunities. To truly prosper Greenland, a large influx of foreign population is essential

Gaia sat in the car with his crystal card, and the purpose of this trip to Mainz was known only to him. It was not a dangerous matter, so he did not bring many people along.

Laura bent over, quickly running past while holding a cloth. Gaia thought to herself: This won't do, if I continue to stay here without knowing what I should do, after all, she is just a little girl

Beverages and food have become Gaia's only source of income at present, though limited, it is better than nothing

There is another one inside the vehicle. A robust man standing alone atop a tree clearly possessed strength that surpassed that of others, quickly discerning the reality within the vehicle.

The supply station for adventurers in Greenland is quite spacious—indeed, Gaia's territory is not small either. Approximately 1,000 acres of land surrounding this small town belong to him, which is larger than the territory of the lord of the nearby bustling town of Modo. After all, this is the far northern region of the Empire, where land is essentially worthless. Aside from the town, the other lands generate almost no income. Although the stonemason's skills are not particularly impressive, the size of the houses is quite large. The variety of goods at the supply station, while only comparable to that of a convenience store in his previous life, far exceeds the operational area by seven to eight times.

Gaia stopped him: "This is ... ... "

Someone has arrived! Suddenly, someone shouted, and his companions immediately became tense. Indeed, the sound of wheels approached, and a bullock cart slowly came down the road. On the cart sat a dull-witted young man, huddled against the wind and snow, occasionally waving the whip in his hand.

Despite the supply station adopting a supermarket management model, Old Anderson only needs to handle the checkout. However, there are simply too many people, and he cannot manage it alone.

Gaia expressed interest: "Oh, I haven't heard of this before." He waved to Strong and moved a small stool to sit down: "Your Excellency, the municipal official, are you interested in keeping me company while we wait?" How could Strong say he wasn't interested?

With a sound of "zi," a stream of fresh blood gushed out

Moreover, I have conducted a rough estimate, and in just half a month since its opening, the Adventurers' Tavern has already achieved a profit of thirty gold coins. In a dilapidated town where the annual tax used to be only five gold coins, it is no wonder that the municipal manager of Strong is so excited to see an income exceeding thirty gold coins in just half a month

"Sir, at present you need to construct a commercial street and ensure a resident population of one thousand people, after which you can establish the barriers of Greenland. That is all, and then you may apply for recognition from the dynasty," Strong said.

The person looked at Gaia with a sense of disbelief, staggered back two steps, covered their neck with their hand, shook their head, and sat down on the ground.

Alendo noticed Gaia's gaze and hurriedly moved the wooden barrel to the back, repeatedly apologizing: "I am sorry, my lord, I did not know you were coming; otherwise, I would have cleaned up in advance..."

The blacksmith Alendo hurriedly approached: "My lord, this is my son. He truly did not mean to, and I am willing to give everything I have, as long as you are willing to forgive him"

As the number of people increases, management issues arise. The municipal management of Strong City is somewhat overwhelmed, but he can still manage. However, the residents of Greenland Town are semi-barbaric half-orcs, and those adventurers who wish to cause trouble must think twice. Therefore, even if there are issues, they are merely minor frictions.

Strong was taken aback and shouted loudly: "There is an assassin! There is an assassin!"

Although the blade of fighting spirit was already at its limit, it effortlessly sent Roy flying out, his body being hurled over ten meters, rolling a few times in the snow before coming to a complete stop.

There is no need for Gaia to personally handle the remaining specific matters; Strang will naturally discuss them with Alendo.

He thought for a moment, then did not enter. Strong waved his hand and said, "No need to look, let's go." Strong quickly followed behind him

Strong then realized that the flash of fire he had just seen was actually a long sword, glowing red, held by the young man

The maid Laura had changed into a standard noble maid outfit and was currently mopping the floor. She wrung out the cloth after scrubbing it in the wooden bucket, pressed it against the ground, and pushed the cloth from one end to the other, then turned it around. With her back to Gaia, her petite hips were rounded and perky, while facing Gaia, her chest appeared heavy and somewhat concealed.

Gaia's policy has led to a several-fold increase in the floating population of Greenland, and prosperity is just around the corner

Scoundrel! Why don't you kneel and apologize to the lord! A burly man rushed over, slapping a young man in his twenties hard on the head.

Gaia revealed a smile

Although Gaia was somewhat concerned whether Laura could manage such a large responsibility on her own, he had no one else available and had to take the risk

It is said to be a star-rated hotel, but in reality, it is not luxurious. However, Gaia has plenty of laborers who have brought in a large amount of timber from the surrounding forests, fueling the hotel’s fireplace vigorously. In the cold, frozen wasteland outside, having such a warm hotel is undoubtedly a great temptation for those adventurers who have risked their lives in this frigid world.

Arundo appeared somewhat hesitant, but his son Ancelro seemed eager on the side: "Father, with your skills, it is indeed beneath you to only do this..." Arundo glanced at his son and reluctantly agreed: "Alright..."

A blazing red light rushed towards him, startling Gaia. Reacting instinctively with his body enhanced by magical energy, he raised his hand and drew his sword, concealing it outside his arm. With a clang, he blocked the incoming flame.

As they walked, a jingling sound suddenly reached Gaia's ears. She turned her head and asked in surprise, "There is actually a blacksmith in the territory?" Strang quickly replied, "The blacksmith Alendo moved here three years ago. His skills are quite good; he has repaired all the iron pots in the town." Gaia nodded, "That makes sense. No matter where you are, a blacksmith is always an essential profession."