Territory elite meeting, Cao Xing’s thoughts.

"It's already at Advanced Mastery, Big Brother!" Tong Chuchu replied without hesitation.

Cao Xing nodded.

Advanced Mechanics Mastery, plus the fact that she had already reached level 70, was just enough to meet the requirements for learning it.

Thus, he took out the skill book and handed it to Tong Chuchu.

"Go ahead and learn this skill book. Later, I'll see if there's a chance to raise your Mechanics Mastery level."

The little girl held the skill book in both hands, a happy smile appearing on her face: "Thank you, Big Brother."

"I'm also working hard to study Mechanics. I'm only halfway to reaching Expert Mastery."

Survivors can increase skill proficiency through constant practice and combat.

For instance, Cao Xing's [Advanced Ice Element Control], after a long period of combat, is now only one-third of the proficiency away from reaching Expert level.

Besides repeatedly casting skills, Mechanics can also increase this skill's proficiency by studying knowledge related to Mechanics.

Of course, there is an even faster method, which is to have a high-level skill book drop, allowing for direct learning.

Cao Xing ruffled her hair and smiled: "Little Chuchu is really amazing. Go play now."

"Mm-hmm!"

The little girl nodded, then skipped away happily.

After she left, Cao Xing stood up again and clapped his hands.

"Not bad. Now all the rewards have been checked."

"Now, let's go inspect the territory again."

Just as he was preparing to head to the territory's livestock area, a figure walked up to Cao Xing.

His body was straight, and he looked like a spear standing upright—powerful yet reserved.

It was Qinong.

"Mr. Qinong, is something the matter?" Cao Xing asked first.

The old man nodded slightly, then replied: "There is indeed something."

"This time, thanks to the efforts of Lord Cao Xing and several other powerhouses, the Watchers have been completely wiped out."

"However—my wife is still hidden by the Watchers somewhere, and I haven't found her yet."

Cao Xing was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered this matter.

Damn it! I actually forgot about this!

The incident back then happened too fast. After learning that Luo had activated the Blood Sacrifice Array, Cao Xing didn't hesitate at all and directly led his people to charge in!

It was the same during the subsequent battle; both sides had gone berserk, and everyone just wanted to kill the other as quickly as possible.

So, he hadn't considered things so comprehensively.

If he had known, he should have asked where Luo was hiding the families of these Watchers.

Cao Xing frowned and asked: "Mr. Qinong, do you know where your wife is?"

Qinong shook his head: "I don't know, but I can go search for her."

"I stayed with the Watchers for a while, and based on their habits, I do know a few places where they might be hiding people."

"However, the distances are quite far. If I search all of them, it might take a month."

Hearing that it would take so long, Cao Xing frowned again.

Because in a little while, it would be the day that the ancient ruin—the Lost Royal City—opens.

Qinong had been there once before, and his Champion Fighter title was obtained inside.

So Cao Xing had been thinking about taking him along again this time to see if there would be any other gains.

If he was delayed for a period of time, it might be too late.

Qinong seemed to know he had concerns and said slowly: "Lord Cao Xing, do not worry. Although I said a month, the actual time might not take that long."

"It is possible that I might get lucky and find my wife at the very first location I visit."

Hearing this, Cao Xing also laughed.

He nodded: "Alright, go ahead, Mr. Qinong. If you need any help, just let me know."

Qinong shook his head and said solemnly: "You have already helped me enough."

"The power you bestowed upon me alone has increased my strength several times over."

"Not to mention that you also saved me once."

He looked at Cao Xing, his eyes showing a complex expression.

It seemed he hadn't expected that the Otherworld Lord he met a few months ago had already grown to such heights.

After a pause, he looked up and said: "Then, I will set off now, Lord Cao Xing."

"Alright, go ahead." Cao Xing nodded slightly.

After speaking, Qinong gradually turned around, his gaze looking outside the territory, a look of determination appearing in his eyes.

The next moment, an invisible whirlwind swept past, and Qinong's figure disappeared from the spot.

Cao Xing also withdrew his gaze.

Then he began to continue inspecting the territory.

Soon, he arrived at the territory's agricultural area.

Walking past the busy villagers, he went straight to a corner of the greenhouse.

A young man was bent over, diligently planting crops.

It was that minor noble he had taken into the territory earlier—Yorun Green.

At this moment, Yorun was doing his work with great focus.

He didn't even notice Cao Xing's arrival.

Cao Xing called out, "Yorun."

Hearing the voice, the young man gradually put down what he was doing and slowly lifted his head.

He seemed a bit curious about who would be calling him.

And when he saw Cao Xing's figure, a look of respect immediately appeared on his face.

He walked up quickly, bowed slightly, and said in a humble tone:

"Respected Lord, may the radiance of the God of Wealth shine upon you."

Cao Xing nodded slightly and said in a calm tone: "I have something to discuss with you. Come with me."

Yorun was stunned for a moment, and the smile on his face froze.

It seemed he hadn't expected this Lord to have business with him, and to even come over in person.

He hesitated for a moment, then replied in a low voice: "Yes—"

Yorun followed behind Cao Xing feeling a bit uneasy, his footsteps very light.

As he walked, he kept recalling in his mind whether he had done anything wrong recently.

Or if there was something about him that had caused the Lord's dissatisfaction.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, Cao Xing stopped.

Yorun also immediately stood still and looked around.

Only then did he realize that, unknowingly, he had arrived at the central area of the territory.

An old man was standing there, seemingly having waited for a long time.

Cao Xing looked at the two of them and said again: "Cao Yi, Yorun, the two of you come inside with me."

After speaking, he walked over first and pushed open the doors of the Lords Castle.

The two behind him exchanged glances and followed closely, walking into this magnificent building.

The first-floor hall of the Lords Castle was very spacious; the footprint of this building alone exceeded over a thousand square meters.

Hanging from the towering ceiling was a crystal chandelier that Cao Xing had scavenged from the Goblin Palace, the walls were hung with exquisite paintings, and the floor was covered with thick carpets.

It could be said to be the most luxurious building in the entire territory.

Then, Cao Xing came to the center of the hall and leaned back casually on the Shining Throne.

With a wave of his hand, he took out two chairs from his backpack.

"Sit."

Upon hearing this, the two sat down, feeling a bit nervous.

The atmosphere in the first-floor hall was somewhat silent; neither Cao Yi nor Yorun dared to speak.

Cao Xing broke the silence first: "You two should know why I called you here, right?"

The two exchanged blank glances, then shook their heads, their faces filled with confusion.

Cao Xing chuckled: "You don't need to be so nervous. I'm not here to give you trouble."

Hearing this, Yorun on the side clearly breathed a sigh of relief, his tense body relaxing slightly.

He stared at his Lord with confused eyes, waiting for what would come next.

Cao Xing said: "You are both talents in my territory, and you both possess some knowledge and experience in managing a territory."

"You both know that our territory is preparing to develop into a Giant City. I don't know, what are your insights on this?"

The old man and the young man exchanged glances, and finally understood the purpose of Cao Xing calling them.

However, neither of them spoke first, and the atmosphere in the castle hall became somewhat silent again.

Seeing this, Cao Xing directly called out: "Cao Yi, you speak first."

The old man nodded and said respectfully: "Lord, before I express my opinion, I have two questions that need to be confirmed."

"Go ahead."

"The first question: for our territory's upcoming expansion, what is the planned scale of expansion?"

"The second question: once our territory develops into a Giant City, will it remain in the same closed mode as it is now, or will it be in an open mode like other Giant Cities?"

Upon hearing this question, Cao Xing pondered for a moment, then replied: "The scale should be about the same as Merlind City, with a diameter of around seven kilometers."

"As for the closed and open styles later on, I want to combine both. What do you think?"

Cao Yi nodded upon hearing this and continued: "If that's the case, we must start from the territory planning."

"Lord, the currently planned territory diameter should be seven kilometers, which is about the scale of a medium-sized city."

"This city can accommodate at least several hundred thousand people, and the population explosion will also increase the difficulty of management."

"With the strength of our territory, we don't need to worry about public security issues."

"However, we need to clarify functional zoning, traffic planning, and other details first."

"Besides that, there is also the area of the territory's agricultural zone, commercial zone planning, and so on."

"This requires a lot of preliminary preparation work. When building the city, we must think clearly about how large to divide the areas."

Cao Xing leaned back in his chair, pondered seriously for a moment, and felt that what Cao Yi said made sense.

"Continue."

Cao Yi cleared his throat and continued: "Additionally, regarding what the Lord said about the coexistence of closed and open styles."

"I think this is also feasible."

"For example, designating the central urban area as the core zone, where only core members of our territory can enter and exit."

"And outside the central urban area, we can designate it as a common zone, allowing outsiders like mercenaries, wanderers, and merchants to move about."

"Besides this, we need to consider—"

Hearing this, a look of approval appeared in Cao Xing's eyes.

It was clear that Cao Yi had already made many preparations for this.

However, since he was saying so much at once, although Cao Xing could remember it all, there might be some discrepancies with his own ideas.

Thus, he raised his hand and interrupted: "Wait a moment."

"Yes, Lord." Cao Yi stopped immediately, respectfully waiting for Cao Xing's next instruction.

Cao Xing pressed the communication device by his ear: "Muxue, Edward, come to the Lords Castle."

At this moment, as if remembering something, he called another person's name.

"Victoria, you come too."

Hearing Cao Xing's summons, the three responded one after another: "Alright, we're coming right away."

Before long, three figures pushed open the Lord's door one after another.

Liu Muxue was still wearing the full set of Hymn of Light armor, and coupled with the aura unintentionally exuded by a Legendary powerhouse, she appeared both majestic and holy.

Beside her, Edward was still holding his sketchbook, with many ink stains on his body, looking as if he had just been painting.

Victoria was the last to enter; she was wearing a white robe today, tailored perfectly, outlining her proud figure to the fullest.

Her hands hung naturally at her sides, and her dark brown hair was tied into a neat single ponytail, making her look both elegant and capable.

This Qi Empress exuded a dignified aura at all times.

Victoria turned her head, her gaze landing on Cao Xing on the Shining Throne, a complex look flashing and disappearing in her eyes.

She nodded slightly, which counted as a greeting.

Cao Xing waved his hand, conjured three more chairs, and said: "Alright, you sit down too."

Hearing this, the three each found a chair and sat down.

At this moment, there were already six people gathered in the hall.

Cao Xing said: "Now, Cao Yi and I are discussing some matters regarding the construction of the Giant City, and we need your participation."

"Muxue is a professional in urban construction, so you can offer some suggestions on the side in a moment."

Liu Muxue nodded gently, a trace of seriousness flashing in her eyes: "Alright, Axing."

Cao Xing then looked at Edward: "Edward, you are responsible for recording our words."

"And after the discussion ends, draw up a blueprint based on the plan we all agreed upon."

The painter immediately straightened his expression and replied respectfully: "Yes, Lord."

Subsequently, Cao Xing's gaze fell on Victoria.

This Qi Empress sat up straight, her expression calm, as if such matters were very ordinary to her.

Cao Xing said: "Victoria, I know your past. As the former Queen of the Renoir Kingdom, managing a vast kingdom, you possess rich experience in governance."

"Currently, although my territory's scale is not yet large, it will definitely develop into something much bigger in the future."

"I hope you can offer some suggestions to help us better plan this Giant City."

Hearing this, the Qi Empress nodded slightly, her tone calm yet carrying a hint of emotion: "You flatter me, Lord."

"The past has long since become history, and the Renoir Kingdom no longer exists. I am now just a member of this territory."

"Moreover, truthfully speaking, even the Renoir Kingdom at its peak did not compare to even a fraction of this territory."

"It is my honor to be able to offer counsel for you."

During the time she had lived in the territory, Victoria had long since integrated into it.

She had witnessed Cao Xing's leadership and the territory's rapid development, and her heart was already filled with a sense of belonging here.

Cao Xing nodded.

Then, he turned to the old man and gestured: "Cao Yi, repeat what was just said briefly, for example, regarding the planning of our Giant City."

The old man nodded.

"Currently, our territory expansion plan is to directly expand to a diameter of seven kilometers."

"Because the Lord said he wanted to combine open and closed styles, I suggested dividing the new territory into an Inner City and an Outer City."

"Using the Lords Castle as the center, with a diameter of two kilometers, which is our current territory area, as the Inner City."

"Currently, the Inner City planning is already very complete; the positions of the buildings here can basically remain unchanged, and the walls and arrow towers will maintain their original positions."

"Including the agricultural and livestock zones, they can also maintain the status quo, because they contain some magical plants and magical creatures of astonishing value."

"Then, outside the Inner City, in the five-kilometer zone, we will build another wall, which will serve as the Outer City."

"The area of the Outer City will be much larger than the Inner City, and we will have sufficient land later to plan new agricultural and livestock zones."

"These areas in the Outer City will be used to grow ordinary crops and raise livestock like yaks and sheep."

As Cao Yi spoke, Edward recorded it quickly on the side.

Including everyone present, they were all listening carefully to his proposal.

Cao Xing tried to imagine the scene in his mind.

According to this plan, the entire territory would have two walls, used to separate the members of the territory from the outside population.

There are many benefits to doing this.

First, the most direct benefit is that the people in the Inner City will not be disturbed by the residents of the Outer City, and all order in the territory will remain unchanged.

Things will remain the same as they were before.

The second benefit: Because the Inner City serves as the center of the entire city, they can effectively monitor the Outer City.

No matter what happens in the city or what enemies are encountered outside, they can reach the scene at the fastest speed.

The third benefit: Since buildings with inherent auras like the Energy Tower, Pale Tree, and Lords Castle can affect the entire territory.

And the range of this territory is calculated according to the maximum heating range of the Energy Tower.

The current Energy Tower covers a diameter of eight kilometers around it, and as long as it continues to be upgraded later, it will continue to expand.

In other words, even the people in the Outer City can enjoy the heating effect of the [Energy Tower] and the plant growth acceleration of the [Pale Tree].

Of course, the expansion of the Giant City is not all benefits; there will also be many drawbacks.

For example, the population explosion will make the place a mix of good and bad people.

Also, with the expansion of the city area, the distance for transporting supplies will become longer, increasing transportation costs.

Besides that, there are many minor details that Cao Xing did not calculate one by one.

But regardless, after the Giant City expands, the pros will outweigh the cons.

Cao Xing nodded and said: "Cao Yi, continue."