As Bai Yi worked on crafting clothes and equipment, the battlefield outside Dongwu City was undergoing a thorough cleanup.
The remnants of battle—massive craters and deep pits—were left unattended. After all, the Grand Canyon stretched for tens of thousands of meters, with giant craters measuring thousands of meters in diameter. Repairing such extensive environmental damage would be a daunting task.
Even with magic divisions in the three normal legions, it would take months to restore the land.
For ordinary citizens, these terrains were no longer accessible. Adventurers, however, found such landscapes less daunting.
Consequently, no orders were issued to repair the land.
This war had not only showcased the city's military prowess but also cast a shadow over Dongwu City. Soldiers had families, and their sacrifices, while honored with pensions that would sustain their loved ones, could never replace the loss of life.
War is accompanied by pain, and there are no simple men on the battlefield. Various races—catfolk, elves, demons—often have matrilineal societies.
As anticipation turned to disappointment and despair among some, low sobs began to echo through the welcoming party.
The aftermath was harsh. While the outer city mourned, the inner city experienced a peculiar cheer. Goblins, dwarves, elves, and humans shared smiles of hope.
Just seven days after the war's conclusion, civilians had begun to engage in small businesses, with folk snacks popping up in the streets.
The army of 180,000 had dwindled to just 70,000.
The remaining 110,000 troops, particularly the 20,000 from the reformed legions, sparked excitement as the legion ring competition and online buzz began to gain momentum.
The Military Supply Office and Finance Department were swamped, with players eager to exchange their combat merits. In such a massive war, every player had accrued significant achievements.
Alongside various financial matters, the Finance Department was overwhelmed.
The news that followed sent shockwaves of excitement through Dongwu City.
Initially, Eric's attempts to provide opportunities had resulted in a bloated system within Tobu City. Eventually, the white epidemic streamlined these departments, leading to nearly 300,000 layoffs in the military alone.
Now that Tobu City had grown stronger, this major conflict had prompted scholars to assess the legion's shortcomings. With advice from these scholars, Tobu City's systems were optimized.
Many departments were reestablished, and troop numbers increased from 180,000 to 250,000.
The Whispering Army was promoted to 50,000, the Apocalypse Army to 20,000, the Storm Army to 50,000, and the Wucheng Army to 130,000.
In terms of combat power, the ranking was: Whispering > Apocalypse > Storm > Wucheng.
For potential, it was: Apocalypse > Storm > Wucheng > Whispering.
The Whispering Army could only upgrade through transformation. However, with 50,000 soldiers to transform, the white epidemic couldn't manage each one individually, leaving their potential stagnant.
This news amplified the praises for Bai Yi. Rumors spread that the transformation of the legions initiated by the capital and other key cities was a direct result of his influence.
Consequently, Bai Yi's reputation in dawn soared, particularly among civilians, who were eager to erect statues of him and Diane in their homes.
Extraordinary individuals who had ventured out to conduct business quickly returned to Dongwu City.
Furthermore, the monster corpses from their adversaries had become valuable magical materials. Complaints about Bai Yi diminished, and the reforms became an accepted reality.
Even those who had harshly criticized him were now flocking to Dongwu City, eager to join the selection for the legions.
After all, who wouldn't want a military salary?
That salary could be ten times greater than ordinary work. Currently, the legion benefits in Dongwu City were unparalleled.
Even as other border cities began to announce their own plans for building and transforming armies, many still aimed to come to Dongwu City for opportunities.
For a time, Tobu City, having just participated in a large-scale war, experienced unprecedented prosperity.
The number of extraordinary individuals had nearly reached five million.
Sabo seized this opportunity to start reforms in Dongwu City. He increased competition and added benefits for the extraordinary, ensuring that as many people as possible remained in Dongwu City while rapidly advancing construction efforts.
Labor was cheap and plentiful. With such a vast pool of extraordinary individuals, particularly those from outside without jobs, they eagerly lined up for the competition.
During this time, they were content to have jobs that wouldn't interfere with their business. After all, they could at least afford to eat and enjoy themselves.
Players operated similarly. Although they possessed significant combat merits, these achievements were primarily useful for exchanging equipment, skills, and transformations.
Thus, most players opted to exchange their combat merits for gold coins, which they then converted into real currency, continuing to engage in the game.
As a result, the price of players' gold coins dropped from 30 to 20.
After all, local tycoons had their limits, and with six million individuals, they couldn't completely reshape the players' economy.
However, this decline was inconsequential. Gold coins remained valuable, and as long as they didn't drop below ten yuan, the brick-moving parties would continue to thrive.
With the assistance of the players and the influx of extraordinary individuals, the outer urban area—which was initially expected to be completed by the end of 1539—was progressing rapidly.
Dongwu City was developing at an accelerating pace.
Not only Dongwu City, but also Chaoyang City, Wudu City, and Red Lion City experienced similar growth. Sabo proved adept at business, managing three cities effectively without needing to venture out.
The relationship between the Koman family and Tobu City had improved significantly, and they willingly accepted a 30% profit share, alongside Tobu City's 20% and Sabo's 10%.
After Bai Yi finished crafting clothing, he did not immediately create the exoskeleton mecha but instead focused on other priorities.
Even with the Whispering Army being promoted to 50,000 soldiers, the mechanical transformation warriors were still only 10,000. During the war, 7,000 mechanical warriors had perished, and it would take a month to replace those exoskeleton devices.
After completing his arrangements, Bai Yi sought out a small family known for their honesty in Dongwu City.
He provided them with a cost-effective mobile phone manufacturing setup, sharing profits with them. These devices, purchased in silver coins, would soon become available.
When that happened, ordinary people would have access to information, and they could voice their opinions online.
Of course, this also carried some risks. For instance, in gaming, one couldn't be sure if their opponent was a top-tier boss. If they opened their mic and spoke passionately, they might find themselves in real trouble.
Following the law changes, the strong were punished severely, while the weak faced fines. Even in serious circumstances, fines were often overlooked.
Reform meant that all privileges could not be abolished, especially given the presence of an extraordinary world.
When ordinary people gain the same rights as the strong, the order becomes unjust to the powerful.
This explained why less than 20 million extraordinary individuals had perished during the law changes. If the white epidemic continued to alter civilians significantly or diminish the extraordinary, the resulting backlash could not be mitigated by mere monetary compensation.
City Lord's Mansion
Bai Yi gazed at the book before him, his thoughts swirling. He was studying the smallest laser cannon from the [Star Sea Battleship].
The power of this technology was formidable, far surpassing the city defense cannons utilized at dawn.
The manufacturing methods were remarkably innovative, representing knowledge from an era long past, yet still eclipsing many contemporary technologies.
However, after two days of research, Bai Yi reluctantly set aside his ambition to replicate it. There were concepts that eluded his understanding at present.
This realization highlighted his need for further knowledge in alchemy. The core of alchemy lies in its knowledge base.
Bai Yi had a wealth of knowledge to absorb, especially regarding divine bones, the manufacturing methods of divine evils, and the creation of A-series city protection mechas.
These were all areas requiring his attention.
As for the more advanced [Colossus] and [Star Sea Battleship], they could wait for later exploration.
He pulled out the forbidden book of alchemy and the transformation techniques for the divine bone. This would be his first focus, followed by skill point investments and subsequent evaluations.
He currently possessed six large soul crystal nuclei, over twenty medium ones, and a dozen small ones.
Thus, he had potions to enhance the soul, potions to increase luck, and resources for legion transformations. He also had micro-mechanical supplements and the trial of Irene, alongside the ongoing development of Dongwu City.
With so many matters accumulating, Bai Yi felt no urgency. Just as with alchemy, time was necessary for mastery.
At that moment, Zero's news took him by surprise.
Shortly after his response, a gray-haired old man with a crutch shuffled into the Huxin Pavilion, carefully followed by an L-type reform soldier.
The old man's eyes were cloudy, yet a bright light shone within them as he regarded Bai Yi with a mix of admiration, gratitude, and a hint of embarrassment.
He placed a hand over his chest, bowed with difficulty, and said with a shaky voice, "I never expected the city lord to know my name. It's an honor."
He paused for a long time, as if gathering his composure, before continuing. "However, I fear I was born in the wrong era. I've wasted a hundred years."
His voice was weak, reflecting the struggles of a 150-year-old man in this age.
Ordinary citizens consumed magical high-yield crops, which, while absent of negative effects, lacked nutrition and taste—akin to eating grass.
If they failed to break through to the extraordinary during their youth, such crops could accompany them for the rest of their lives.
The average lifespan for civilians hovered around 50 years.
"Now, I've witnessed the reforms in the Federation and the rise of arcane arts. I may not have the right to seek this, but I want to try. I don't want to die without seeing the Federation's future."
His voice grew weaker, the weight of his words evident. "I heard that the city lord has mastered the elves' source of life, and I wish to ask for a share."
As the surrounding space began to shift, Bai Yi perceived the turbulence of dimensional energy, sensing a trace of dimensionality.
"Yes."
At the moment Bai Yi spoke, his mental strength surged, enveloping the old man.
Unexpectedly, the dimensional turbulence beneath the spatial fluctuations was a realm even legends could not enter. Yet, this old man before him could easily unlock the door to dimensional turbulence.
Bai Yi quickly gathered information on the old scholar.
[Marshall: A spatial scholar with the ability to perceive spatial lines through knowledge and vision. He has aided Dongwu City in identifying various dimensions. Now, at 153 years old, he is the only nine-star scholar in Dongwu City.]
Bai Yi hurried to the laboratory. If these elderly scholars possessed arcane knowledge, their value could increase significantly.
While Marshall might not become a strong individual, he could achieve silver status with a lifespan of 300 years, potentially evolving into a powerful entity during those years.
If he could navigate the dimensional turbulence, his understanding of space would be exceptionally advanced.
He might even assist in researching the spatial folding of ships or the technology behind wormholes.
At this moment, Bai Yi was filled with ideas. The advancement of arcane arts in dawn surpassed his expectations.
Scholars were on the brink of resurgence, and the newly restructured Federation would soon experience turbulence again.
Bai Yi contemplated the implications. If the Federation fully recognized the strength of these scholars and sought to uncover more such antiques, Dongwu City's power would undoubtedly rise.
After a moment of hesitation, he decided against having Zero send a message to the parliament to gather information on these centenarians.
The Federation operated as a collective; there was no distinction between serving Dongwu City and serving the Federation.
(End of this chapter)