The swirling portal behind Lin Lan slowly contracted, transforming into a beautifully square card.
The card had a substantial and textured feel, with the front depicting a simplified Ideal City and the back engraved with a red full moon.
[Dungeon settlement in progress...]
[Items acquired: Mass-produced smart coffee machine (White), RTXX9090 (White), Damaged mini nuclear battery ×3 (Gray)]
[Dungeon Card cooldown time: 48 hours]
The card gradually dissipated into flowing light as Lin Lan set down the coffee machine and glanced at the settlement interface.
"I've explored almost everything around the starting point."
Reflecting on his previous exploration routes, he murmured to himself, "I need to figure out how to get a better vehicle..."
The starting point of 'Ideal City' was fixed in the suburban outskirts of the city, where the terrain was flat and buildings sparse, making it safe to scrape the ground, though there weren't many intact valuable items.
To enter the city center, one had to climb over the colossal fallen circular overpass.
The problem was that dungeons have a set exploration time limit.
Although Lin Lan could successfully climb onto the overpass along the building debris, there wasn't enough time to return to the starting point; the several dozen-meter-high futuristic creation gave Lin Lan no chance to be greedy.
In his thoughts, he had already wiped the small, exquisite vehicle spotless.
Currently, Lin Lan's only ride was this tricycle he found in the residential area.
[Item: Home edition mini tool car]
[Quality: White]
[Description: A vintage collectible tool manufactured by Roser Production Company using Moon Steel Material]
Though small, this car was extraordinarily sturdy and durable, never deforming no matter how much was placed on it, and quite convenient to ride. Lin Lan had used it to transport back various dungeon items.
Positioning the tricycle in place, Lin Lan opened the door and walked through the dim underground tunnel, arriving in front of another secret chamber's door.
The original manor had three secret chambers, all interconnected.
Chamber number 3 was used to open dungeon portals, chamber number 2 was where Lin Lan stored collected items, and chamber number 1 was naturally where he currently lived.
Lin Lan usually stayed inside.
The young man opened the door, and soft light instantly flooded the dim underground passage.
The originally damp and chilly secret chamber was now equipped with a high-end air conditioner; during cold seasons, the room was as warm as spring.
Lin Lan used a water heater to take a quick shower, refreshing himself and dispelling all fatigue.
Next, he stood in front of the mirror and changed into a form-fitting noble attire, preparing for his daily task:
—To pretend to be Roland Howard.
The young man in the mirror had fair skin, slightly curly hair, and a handsome yet spirited youthful face, with deep gray eyes that conveyed a maturity and calmness uncharacteristic of a teenager.
At the moment of transmigration, Lin Lan received the memories from the former owner of the body.
In the past few days, he had sorted out the basic knowledge of the Otherworld in his mind.
To Lin Lan, the Lion Heart Kingdom he was in was a typical feudal hereditary realm.
Born noble, the Arthur Royal Family ruled this land and granted territories to various nobles, forming a rigid hierarchical system.
The Howard family, to which the former owner belonged, was a well-known noble family in the kingdom, following the Lionheart Royal Family for generations.
However, as time passed, the Howard family's past merits in following the late king to establish accomplishments had faded, and its influence had gradually waned.
At this crucial moment, the current Lion Heart Old King suddenly fell gravely ill and slipped into a coma.
Naturally, his offspring began to make moves and commenced a series of power struggles centered around the Royal City.
Seizing this opportunity, the former owner's father, Count Howard, placed heavy bets on the renowned Eldest Prince, pledging the entire family's allegiance to him.
Simply put, this generation's Count Howard desperately wanted progress.
However, the Count bet on the wrong side.
In just a few days, the previously unknown Second Princess suddenly gained full support from the Southern Alliance, and the power she held swelled to an almost unimaginable degree.
The nobles flocked to the Second Princess.
The Eldest Prince quickly fell from favor and was imprisoned by the Second Princess on charges of treason.
The Howard family naturally became implicated; the former owner's father was assassinated, and the family's assets were all divided by other nobles.
Perhaps out of consideration for the Howard family's past accomplishments, the merciful Second Princess did not eradicate them but expelled the Count's offspring from the Royal City.
Seventeen-year-old Roland was dispatched to the kingdom's remote area, Seagull Town, becoming the local minor lord.
How could the original spoiled master endure such indignity?
Falling from the bustling Royal City to the impoverished and struggling seaside town, the stark contrast shattered his fragile heart.
In Lin Lan's memory, the original Roland was just a spoiled brat.
He was violent, greedy, lustful, and mad in behavior, often venting his anger on the servants.
The residents of Seagull Town already led difficult lives, and having such a lord made it even worse; after all, no matter how downtrodden a noble was, they remained above the civilians' heads as far as they were concerned.
Occupying the body of such a scumbag, Lin Lan naturally felt no guilt.
He reached out and activated the secret compartment on the wall, arriving at the former owner's study; the bookshelf behind him slowly closed as Lin Lan quietly sat at the mahogany desk, flipping through a book, letting his thoughts wander.
During the Dungeon Card's cooldown period, he truly had little to do.
As a noble lord, even if idle, Lin Lan had no worries about sustenance, as the common folk of Seagull Town would supply most of the land's yield to the lord.
And the lord's return was to use noble authority to 'protect' the subservient civilians.
However, Lin Lan had no intention of aligning with these native nobles.
As a Transmigrator, he wouldn't foolishly oppress the civilians indiscriminately, risking a downfall of being pushed over by all.
But some things couldn't be done openly and blatantly.
If he treated the civilians well under the big nobles' scrutiny, breaking the rules, then the kingdom's elite knights would likely come knocking at his door.
For now, Lin Lan was just a fallen small noble, unable to resist the Lion Heart Knight Order's assault.
As he pondered, he heard footsteps in the corridor outside the bedroom, followed by a gentle knock on the door.
"Come in."
Lin Lan adjusted his expression slightly, speaking calmly.
The next moment, an elderly man with graying sideburns and wearing a tailcoat opened the door.
It was Mr. Berge, the housekeeper who had followed the former owner for years.
"I apologize for disturbing you, Lord Roland."
The old housekeeper bowed his head respectfully, saying, "A visitor has arrived, and I've arranged for him in the parlor. Please instruct the next steps."
A visitor...
In the resource-poor remote area, having a visitor was indeed rare.
Lin Lan narrowed his eyes, "Who is he?"
"He is a maritime merchant with a private fleet."
The housekeeper replied, "He sailed over the sea, bringing with him a batch of goods and slaves for you to choose from."