The blueprint of the giant city has been preliminarily determined, and there are hidden dangers of black magic.

The old man continued, "Since our inner city doesn't need much alteration, what we need to do now is to carefully plan the outer city."

"Regarding the outer city, I suggest we follow the model of large cities like Merlind City and Lake Doron City,"

"In addition to agricultural and industrial zones, we must also separate out commercial zones, residential zones, entertainment zones, and so on—"

"These plans are quite complex and the workload is massive, so I need to explain them in detail."

"First and most importantly, it remains our agricultural zone; this is the foundation for the entire territory to sustain itself."

"I suggest—"

After speaking for a full ten minutes, Cao Yi finally finished explaining the division of the agricultural and residential zones.

Edward had already filled two full pages of notes, and fine beads of sweat had even seeped onto his forehead.

Seeing this, Cao Xing comforted him, "Edward, no need to be nervous."

"If there are any parts you missed or don't understand later, you can continue to consult with Cao Yi."

"You don't need to do anything else for the time being; your main task is to complete the planning of the Giant City."

The young painter looked up and cast a grateful glance at Cao Xing.

Then he replied solemnly, "Yes, My Lord."

After saying this, he continued to earnestly record Cao Yi's words.

Meanwhile, Cao Yi spoke for another twenty minutes or so, finally finishing his detailed explanation of the commercial and industrial zones.

The old man let out a long sigh of relief and said respectfully, "My Lord, these are my thoughts; I have finished." Cao Xing nodded, then looked toward Liu Muxue beside him, "Do you have anything to add?"

Liu Muxue nodded slightly and said in a steady tone, "Mr. Cao Yi has basically clarified the framework of the Giant City and determined the direction for the third stage of the territory's development."

"I will just add a few details here."

"First, the city must build a complete canal system, including drainage and water supply channels, to ensure the city's hygiene and water usage needs."

"Besides that, I suggest building some welfare facilities in the residential zone, such as churches, orphanages, and free clinics, and so on."

"These facilities can serve as a feature of our territory, attracting more people to our city while further enhancing the sense of belonging among the residents."

"Of course, this is contingent upon our territory having sufficient resources."

Cao Xing listened attentively and inwardly expressed his approval.

A city's drainage and water supply system is indeed quite important; this not only concerns the city's image but directly impacts the quality of life and sanitary conditions of its residents.

One must know that many Giant Cities in this world have not built complete drainage systems.

Where do those residents dump their daily sewage and trash?

Either they dump it in a concentrated corner, or they just pour it against a wall corner.

Over time, these corners of the city become filthy and emit a thick, foul stench!

Just taking a single whiff is enough to make one retch.

This kind of environment not only seriously affects the residents' quality of life but also exacerbates the spread of disease.

The reason why large-scale plague outbreaks in history, such as the Black Death, were able to spread so severely was largely because the urban sanitary conditions at the time were extremely poor, providing a breeding ground for germs.

As for the second point she raised, building some orphanages and churches, it made Cao Xing's eyes light up.

With the strength of his territory, he still cannot take care of too many people, but helping a portion of orphans and the elderly is feasible.

Of course, this is not gratuitous.

Cao Xing knew deeply that free things might make them grateful at first, but later on, it would only make these people feel entitled.

Therefore, Cao Xing would also set some conditions.

For example, having those children join his territory in the future to contribute to it.

As for the elderly—never mind the elderly; it doesn't matter if they are supported without cost.

After all, there is a cruel fact in this world: the number of elderly people is very small, practically a rare species.

The average life expectancy of ordinary people is just over 40; those who live past 40 are considered elderly.

Where would you even find a large number of elderly people?

Take Cao Yi, for instance; he is only just over 50 this year, yet he looks like he is nearly 70.

Cao Xing looked at Edward beside him, "Take my wife's suggestions into account as well."

The young painter nodded, "Yes, My Lord."

Soon, Liu Muxue finished expressing her opinions.

Meanwhile, Cao Xing looked toward Yorun beside him.

"Tell us your insights."

Come to think of it, this was Cao Xing's first formal contact with this young noble.

Yet, right from the start, he was asked to participate in the territory's construction planning, which left the young noble feeling a bit bewildered.

However, he also knew that this was the opportunity he had always dreamed of!

He had to seize it!

Then, he gradually stood up from his stool, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Respected My Lord, My Lady."

"And to the few seniors of the territory, before I express my opinions, I would like to say one thing,"

"This is a prosperous and sacred territory, and it is also the place where I have always dreamed of pouring all my passion."

Yorun appeared very excited.

He took another deep breath and continued, "Now, I would like to talk about some of my thoughts!"

"A perfect city, besides the infrastructure and drainage systems proposed by Mr. Cao Yi and My Lady, also needs a complete management system and sufficient personnel allocation."

"Among these, the most important positions of City Lord and Vice City Lord need not be discussed; they are certainly My Lord and My Lady."

"Besides that, we also need an Administrator, who will be responsible for basic administrative management, household registration, etc.—"

"Then there is the Justice Officer, to draft laws relevant to this city and ensure they are effectively enforced."

"Also, a Diplomat, responsible for diplomatic affairs with other cities and territories, signing agreements, handling disputes, etc.—"

Speaking to this point, he paused for a moment, observing the Lord's reaction.

Cao Xing listened while his brows furrowed slightly.

In his territory, there really weren't many talents in terms of management.

Those with even a little ability in this area were basically all here.

These positions—Administrator, Justice Officer, Diplomat—were all quite important, and for the moment, there really weren't any good candidates.

"Continue," Cao Xing signaled.

Yorun nodded and continued, "The above are positions in the administrative management category."

"Next are positions in the economic management category."

"If a territory wants to develop, the economy is the top priority."

"Therefore, we need a good Finance Officer, responsible for managing taxes, the city's budget, expenditures, and resource allocation, etc."

"Besides that, they must also carry out market supervision, combat fraud, monopolies, and illegal transactions, to create a good commercial environment for the city."

"However, the workload is too great; I suggest equipping this Finance Officer with at least three or four assistants, otherwise, they certainly won't be able to manage it alone."

"The other two relatively important ones are the Agriculture Supervisor, responsible for farmland management and food production,"

"And the Industry Supervisor, responsible for the territory's industrial development and resource allocation."

Cao Xing nodded again, signaling, "Continue."

Next, Yorun continued to speak eloquently; besides these basic positions, he added a whole bunch more.

This included positions in the military defense category, such as City Guards and the Guard Commander.

There were also Education Officers responsible for promoting the territory's culture, and various positions responsible for medical care, hygiene, and public facility maintenance, adding up to at least a hundred positions that needed to be arranged.

Beside him, Edward filled several more pages of notes, his brows remaining furrowed as if he were already exhausting all his effort.

A moment later, Yorun let out a long sigh of relief and said slowly, "My Lord, My Lady, I have finished."

Cao Xing nodded slightly, "Not bad."

"You have indeed considered things very thoroughly."

Upon receiving the Lord's approval, this young noble felt very gratified.

Gratified that he had met a Lord who could listen to opinions, and gratified that he finally had a place to display his talents!

At this moment, Cao Xing continued to lean against the Shining Throne, lost in thought.

These posts were all relatively important positions, each one relating to the normal operation and development of the future territory.

To find so many talents, it really was not a simple matter.

Although Cao Xing could ask the Ice Crystal King for help and have him directly transfer a batch of people from the various Giant Cities to his territory, and even the other kingdoms would be happy to help after hearing his request, Cao Xing was still a bit uneasy because these people wouldn't be his own.

At this moment, seemingly noticing Cao Xing's current worries, Victoria spoke up on her own initiative for the first time.

"The positions of City Administrator and Magistrate can be handed over to me."

Her voice was calm yet forceful, carrying a sense of dignity: "I can be responsible for the administrative management of the future territory and, based on the experience of the Renova Kingdom, quickly draft a set of relevant laws."

"This set of laws was implemented in the Renova Kingdom for a long time, proving its effectiveness and stability."

"Furthermore, combined with the powerful combat strength of this territory, it can ensure the enforcement of the law, making the territory more stable and prosperous."

Cao Xing's eyes gradually lit up after hearing this; he trusted Victoria's abilities.

As a former queen, she not only possessed rich experience in governing a country but also possessed excellent leadership and judgment.

If she were responsible for the territory's administration and justice, he could be completely at ease.

Cao Xing nodded and said: "Very well, then these two positions are yours. I will arrange a few assistants for you when the time comes."

Victoria nodded slightly and then continued: "Besides that, I have a few other suggestions."

Cao Xing looked on attentively, signaling for her to continue.

Victoria said in a steady tone: "Although our city building this time appears to be just an expansion of the territory, it actually has far-reaching implications."

"Currently, our territory possesses so many Legendary powerhouses, and even the power to contend with demigods."

"Among the surrounding major kingdoms, we are already a significant presence, if not quite at the hegemon level."

"Therefore, we can fully utilize this influence to showcase our strength and potential to surrounding kingdoms and factions, attracting more resources, talent, and allies."

After a pause, she continued: "Additionally, our territory has a Legendary Blacksmith and a Legendary Alchemist."

"In any faction, these are extremely scarce resources."

"We can use this as a foundation to create an Alchemist Association and a Blacksmith Association."

"Recruit more alchemy and blacksmithing talent to join the associations."

"Then select the outstanding ones from among them and absorb them into the territory."

"In this way, we can not only enhance the overall strength of the territory but also lay a solid foundation for future development."

After Victoria finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a brief silence.

Even the minor noble, Yorun, looked at her in disbelief.

Compared to the opinions raised by the others, which were mostly inclined toward the construction and planning of the territory, Victoria, due to her past experience and status, viewed things from a completely different perspective and height.

She not only considered the internal management of the territory but also thought about future diplomatic relations with other kingdoms.

She even thought about directly utilizing this city building to expand the territory's influence, thereby paving a brand-new path for the future development of the territory.

Cao Xing looked at Edward beside him and asked: "Have you recorded everything Victoria just proposed?"

Edward seemed to just snap out of it and hurriedly said: "I have remembered it, respected Lord!"

Cao Xing nodded, expressing his approval to Victoria.

Then he looked at the others and said: "Alright, let's continue our discussion regarding more details on building the Giant City."

The group exchanged glances and then began to voice their opinions again.

The six of them discussed in the Lords Castle for over two hours.

Except for Victoria, everyone else was a bit parched from talking, and they finally more or less finalized the direction for the Giant City.

Cao Xing said at this moment: "Alright, let's stop here for today. You all go back and rest."

"To truly build the Giant City, we still need to prepare for some time."

He paused, looked at the artist beside him, and said: "Edward, you'll have to work hard these next few days to organize these suggestions we've made."

"Then draw up a blueprint for me."

"If you need any help, you can bring it up to me."

Edward nodded solemnly: "Yes, Lord!"

"I will get the blueprint planned out as soon as possible."

Then, Cao Yi, Edward, and Yorun left the Lords Castle one after another.

In the hall, only he, Liu Muxue, and Victoria remained.

This Qi Empress still sat on the chair with her back straight, as if she had something she wanted to say to Cao Xing.

Cao Xing noticed the subtle expression on her face and asked: "Victoria, what do you want to say?"

She asked: "I want to say, last time you went into that forest, you made contact with soldiers from the Ostia Kingdom."

"And you killed a mage who also mastered Black Magic?"

Cao Xing nodded: "Yes."

"However, this mage should not be the one who destroyed your Renova Kingdom back then."

"According to my speculation, there are probably quite a few people in the Ostia Kingdom now who have mastered this evil power."

Hearing this, Victoria knitted her delicate brows, seemingly a bit worried.

"What's wrong?" Cao Xing continued to ask.

Victoria sighed slightly and slowly said: "Black Magic is an evil power. It allows one to obtain extremely powerful strength in a short time, but the price is the corruption and degradation of the soul."

"And the abuse of this power often leads to unpredictable consequences."

"If not curbed, it could bring about some extremely serious disaster."

She looked at Cao Xing seriously and said: "According to your speculation, there are still many people in this kingdom who have started to come into contact with this power."

"These are all ticking time bombs, the source of disaster!"

"If it breaks out completely in the future, the entire Ostia Kingdom, including the surrounding kingdoms, will be affected extremely severely."

"Even if it doesn't break out completely, the concentration of Black Magic might attract the covetous gaze of some evil and powerful existence…"

Cao Xing's brows furrowed slightly after hearing this.

Based on his last exploration, he roughly knew the situation around the Ostia Kingdom.

Near this kingdom, it was all vast swathes of uninhabited areas and forests.

The nearest kingdom was the Gray Mist King, which was about three thousand kilometers away.

In other words, if the hidden danger of the Ostia Kingdom were to break out completely, the only one affected would be the Gray Mist Kingdom.

But even so, it is still a huge hidden danger.

Cao Xing nodded and said: "I understand. I will contact the Gray Mist King later and have his side keep an eye on matters regarding the Ostia Kingdom."

Victoria nodded slightly: "I have nothing else."

"Then I will take my leave."

"Alright, go back and rest."

Then, Victoria also stood up and left the Lords Castle.

In the entire hall, only Cao Xing and Liu Muxue remained.

Cao Xing leaned back on the Shining Throne, thinking about the matter of building the city and the affairs regarding the Ostia Kingdom.

At this moment, a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

"Should I—just send people over to destroy this kingdom?"

According to intelligence, this kingdom only has the king as one Legendary powerhouse on the surface.

Relying on the current strength of Cao Xing's territory, he could completely destroy this country in a short time and thoroughly nip the hidden danger of Black Magic in the bud.

Moreover, he might even be able to take all of this kingdom's resources into his possession in the process.

However, Cao Xing quickly extinguished this thought.

"Although the Ostia Kingdom uses the power of Black Magic, they use it in secret and have not revealed it."

"If I suddenly dispatch powerhouses now, it would be equivalent to me actively initiating a war."

"Even if I could destroy them, it would have a negative impact on the surrounding kingdoms."

There was another more important reason: Cao Xing did not yet have the ability to fully take over a kingdom.

If he killed all the high-level officials of this country, the order of the entire Ostia Kingdom would collapse.

Those commoners would end up in the same situation as the commoners of the Velon Kingdom, falling into a state of chaos.

Countless commoners would die because of this.

If Cao Xing really did that, then what difference would there be between him and the leader of the Watchers?