Chapter 602.5: Zombie Catastrophe
Considering Bay Territory had already provoked the Cole Elves, and sea pirates were eyeing them covetously from the seas,
Bay Territory's demand for more professional armies naturally kept rising.
From recruiting 2,000 soldiers per month last year, it had risen to 5,000 soldiers per month.
The total army strength had reached as many as 180,000.
Among them, the number of Modified Warriors had reached 2,000.
Their strength information was not included in general statistics, and they enjoyed extremely high treatment.
After all, they faced the greatest dangers.
Elite units with an average Professional level of 8 had reached 80,000.
Except for a few recruits, most were nurtured by Bay Territory itself.
The number of ordinary soldiers also reached 80,000.
Their combat missions were fewer; their daily tasks mainly involved training and achieving transformations in physique and combat skills.
The number of new recruits was maintained at around 20,000.
They would hardly participate in any combat, focusing instead on learning how to become qualified soldiers and understanding Bay Territory's various enemies.
It took about 3 to 4 months to complete their training before being assigned to various units.
The increasingly large army required more and more supplies.
Fortunately, most supplies needed by the army could be produced by Bay Territory itself, with output continuously increasing.
Bay Territory industrial zone.
All factories were undergoing massive expansions, with bustling scenes everywhere.
Aside from production lines dedicated to training new workers, all others were being upgraded.
Most labor-intensive or rough processing tasks were now replaced by manpower-saving golem production machinery.
While saving a large amount of manpower and resources, they could also expand production lines, achieving leaps in production quantity and capacity.
Although lacking a real-world-like centralized intelligent remote-control command platform, Bay Territory's factories had already taken the most crucial step toward semi-automated production.
According to statistics from related personnel, production efficiency had improved by 3 to 5 times compared to before.
Such a massive improvement allowed them to absorb the resources transported back from various places.
Producing goods sufficient for 500,000 people daily.
Only then could Bay Territory meet everyone's material needs and maintain ever-improving training and living standards.
Of course, more than 70% of the products would be consumed by the Dwarven Kingdom and the Silverleaf Family, taking half of it.
The demand from the Gray Dwarf forces, southern nations' powers and families, and various caravans from the New Continent was steadily increasing.
Their demand was gradually surpassing the former trading giant, the Netheril Empire.
Even so, many supplies were still being stockpiled in warehouses, becoming Bay Territory's strategic reserves.
Roads and railways were being rapidly constructed.
They gradually connected the entire Bay Territory, linking strongholds, camps, and cities.
Although teleportation arrays were efficient, their massive consumption and spatial material demands limited their popularization and general use.
Bay Territory, now housing more population, transported large numbers of educated and reformed people to various strongholds, camps, and cities.
This drove rapid development in those areas, with larger scales, higher outputs, better environments, and richer resources.
Especially the last two transformations.
They were among the best research results from Bay Territory's Druid Research Institute.
By using several commonly found but transformative plants and organisms, they adapted deserts, wastelands, saline-alkali lands, and deserted islands to become habitable.
The area with the greatest transformation effect was, of course, the deep and dark underground world.
By improving luminous moss, they made it emit even greater brightness.
Thus, the regions around Bay Territory's fortresses and camps underground were illuminated like daylight.
This was also a good way to attract enemies and monsters from the underground world—provided they had enough strength not to become prey.
For this achievement, Old Li the Druid received a huge reward from the Will of Nature.
Rising from level 19 to the peak of Extraordinary at level 20.
Old Li had great confidence in breaking through his current limits and stepping into the Legendary rank.
"The next step is to implement even deeper transformations."
"Not only make these places habitable but also turn them into prosperous lands rich in resources!"
For the person with the greatest hope of breaking into Legend within the territory, Matthew naturally gave the fullest support.
He entrusted Old Li with full management of the entire underground control area, allowing him to fully display his talents.
Bay Territory's rapid development in all aspects greatly enhanced its overall strength.
Of course, it also brought considerable economic pressure to the territory.
Butler Ralph stared intently at the Lord, "introducing" all the major spending projects within the territory.
To summarize it in one sentence:
"Everything is developing well, but we're short on money!"
Matthew rubbed his hands helplessly, feeling troubled about the shortage of funds.
In fact, Bay Territory had recovered nearly 20 million gold coins by selling Cole Elf battle data and part of the spoils.
But to stabilize the Rocky Mountains' defense line and provide aid to settlers for early development, 3 million gold coins had already been spent.
The remaining balance was the only available liquid funds in the territory.
Under such circumstances, Butler Ralph naturally had to plan ahead.
The "Dragon Frenzy Disaster" caused by the Dragon Frenzy Lock had left the entire Northern Continent desperate for military supplies.
Seizing this opportunity, Bay Territory's massive military supply production had sold very well.
However, as the "Dragon Frenzy Disaster" gradually subsided,
and as major territories and kingdoms gradually recovered their production capabilities,
even though their products were inferior in quality and price compared to Bay Territory's,
they still seized a significant portion of the market.
Thus, Bay Territory's military supply sales entered a stagnation phase.
If not for the turmoil in Falxico, sales might have even declined.
Reflecting on Bay Territory's rapid development phase, it largely coincided with the activation of major storyline events.
Under Matthew's deliberate guidance, Bay Territory had prepared in advance.
When crises came, they not only withstood the pressure,
but also profited greatly from surrounding territories, organizations, and forces.
For Bay Territory, now progressing steadily,
crises had, in some ways, become "opportunities!"
Matthew, recalling the memories in his mind, glanced over the map around Bay Territory, raising his eyebrows when his gaze fell on Bloodmoon City.
It was now the year 131 of the Netheril Era, already October.
About half a year remained until Bloodmoon City discovered part of a goblin kingdom's underground ruins.
It was at that time that a sudden terrifying disaster greatly weakened Bloodmoon City's strength.
They not only failed to suppress the "riot" from the underground ruins but were also attacked by the orc and barbarian coalition...
Thinking about it now, Matthew felt that everything had happened too suddenly, too coincidentally, with a strong scent of the Cole Elves behind it.
A glint of sharpness flashed in his eyes as he rubbed his chin and said to Butler Ralph, who was looking at him expectantly:
"Assign some personnel to intensify research and production on machinery and golems..."
"Notify the intern priests to start mass-producing holy water..."
"Communicate with the Goddess Church to purchase large quantities of holy light spell scrolls..."
"Also, begin contact with the Earth Mother Church..."
Listening to Matthew's series of orders, Butler Ralph, as always, did not hesitate at all.
In his view, this was the Lord's talent, and a blessing for the entire territory.
All they needed to do was firmly seize it!
Thinking about the upheaval that would occur in a few months, Matthew hesitated for a moment and suddenly slapped his forehead.
He realized he might have overthought it.
The current situation in Bloodmoon City was completely different from what he remembered.
Although Bloodmoon City had suffered from the orc invasion, the loss of the Scarlet Fortress, and the impact of the Dragon Frenzy Disaster,
compared to the previous heavy losses, they were doing much better now.
After all, the Lord of Bloodmoon City was no longer short of money and could freely engage in various research projects.
Bloodmoon City had hitched a ride on Bay Territory's development, with teleportation arrays, magical items, golem materials, and parts selling like hotcakes.
Although not a massive fortune, they had at least returned to a path of development.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of the Knight of Harley,
Bloodmoon City had purchased large amounts of weapons and equipment from Bay Territory, retraining and reestablishing its standing army.
When facing the aftermath of the Dragon Frenzy Disaster,
Bloodmoon City easily repelled the dragon beasts skirting around from Bay Territory, making a small profit in the process.
Even the barbarian raiders, who had continuously drained Bloodmoon City and hindered its recovery in Matthew's memory,
were now firmly blocked north of the Silvermoon River by Bay Territory.
They were engaged in intense battles with Bay Territory soldiers stationed at riverside outposts and coastal fortresses.
Yes, that area had become one of Bay Territory's new recruit training grounds.
It was specifically used for letting new recruits from Bay Territory's Third and Eighth Corps gain real battle experience.
The current situation in Bloodmoon City, apart from losing many adventurers to Bay Territory, was far better than what Matthew remembered.
If the enemy still planned to scheme, it would take them much longer to prepare.
Unless external forces intervened...
Carefully studying the map, Matthew's lips curled up slightly as he muttered to himself decisively:
"Rather than letting those fools destroy the ruins and lose vast amounts of technology and wealth,"
"it's better for me to take over early and bring the entire underground ruins under control."
"I remember there were many Extraordinary-level war puppets and golem technologies in those ruins."
"If I can absorb and digest them, Bay Territory's golem and mechanical puppet production capabilities will undoubtedly advance to a new level."
"In the future, it might even be possible to mass-produce Extraordinary-level battle golems, maybe even Legendary-tier..."
After all, in Bay Territory's underground control area, there was still an unactivated Diamond Golem imprisoned deep below.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and Matthew quickly began making arrangements.
While Matthew was busy preparing to explore Bloodmoon City's underground ruins early,
Bloodmoon City itself was enjoying a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.
Although the expanding factories emitted thick black smoke, they provided many jobs for the surrounding residents.
With money in hand and cheaper goods from Bay Territory to buy, life naturally improved.
Of course, many people grumbled about the waste gas and wastewater from the factories, claiming they harmed health and needed to be shut down or relocated.
Others insisted
that even if the factories stayed, they must have proper waste treatment procedures like those in Bay Territory.
Only that way would the environment and everyone's health remain safe.
343, who was managing Bloodmoon City, ignored these complaints.
In her view, even if the waste caused some harm, a single holy water blessing ceremony could easily eliminate all hidden dangers.
The current priority was to strengthen Bloodmoon City's production capabilities to meet Bay Territory's upcoming production orders.
When they made more money and had a surplus of funds, they could then follow Bay Territory's example in proper waste management.
As long as the Lord had more gold coins to spend, residents' incomes rose, and territory revenue increased, 343's control would remain unshakeable.
As for the scheming "fools,"
343 was already making preparations to deal with them.
Taking them out wasn't difficult; doing it quietly required a bit more effort.
After realizing the benefits of a growing population,
although 343 dared not withhold those destined for Bay Territory, she did secretly absorb many refugees and commoners from the south and west.
She also reduced the scale of villages and towns around Bloodmoon City,
making them more centralized, easier to defend and manage, and also giving them development tasks.
While the surface Bloodmoon City, under 343's management, gradually changed due to Bay Territory's rise,
the underground ruins that once fueled Bloodmoon City's growth became even more silent and dangerous.
Many adventurers exploring the ruins vaguely noticed something was wrong.
The number of ruin monsters had decreased.
The number of broken corpses had increased.
And there were more mysterious adventurers.
Yet unlike Bay Territory's adventurers, they didn't immediately report abnormalities to the Adventurer's Guild staff.
Instead, they tried to investigate quietly, hoping to profit from the changes.
Their idea wasn't bad.
Unfortunately, they picked the wrong target at the wrong time.
"Ah...!"
A shrill scream echoed through the dark, complex underground ruins.
When the scream faded,
in a secret room covered with eerie blood-red patterns, blood from broken corpses flowed into a central blood pool.
A human with a deathly pale face and blood-red eyes chanted incomprehensible spells.
Watching outside the secret room, Lark observed his increasingly troll-like face and body, a strange smile spreading across his face.
Beside Lark, Bloodhand Karn, clad in bloody armor and exuding a savage aura of an Extraordinary Warrior, threw another unlucky soul into the secret room.
Beside Lark, Sora, rubbing her red, swollen eyes, said in a low voice:
"The Zombie Catastrophe can be unleashed now. Tell the Immortal Church to prepare!"
Lark respectfully nodded, then turned to look at the terrifying depths of the ruins, silently murmuring:
"This time, Bloodmoon City and Bay Territory are doomed!"
The Catastrophe is coming!