Global Coming: Farming with my sister-in-law in the end times

Chapter 664 Territory Elite Meeting, Cao Xing's Thoughts.

“I’ve already reached the advanced level, big brother!” Tong Chuchu replied without hesitation.

Cao Xing nodded.

With her advanced mechanical proficiency and her already high level of 70, she had just the right qualifications to learn.

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

"Learn this skill book. I'll see if there's a chance to improve your mechanical mastery level later."

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 learn about mechanics. I'm only halfway to reach the expert level of mastery in terms of durability."

Survivors can improve their skill proficiency through continuous practice and combat.

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

In addition to repeatedly casting spells, mechanics can also increase their proficiency in these skills by learning about mechanics.

Of course, there is an even faster way: you can obtain the corresponding high-level skill book by chance and learn it directly.

Cao Xing patted her head and laughed, "Little Chu Chu is really amazing. Now go play."

"Uh-huh!"

The little girl nodded, then skipped and hopped away.

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

"Good, all the rewards have now been reviewed."

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

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

He stood upright, his whole body like a straight spear, appearing powerful yet reserved.

It was Qinong.

"Mr. Qinong, is there anything I can help you with?" Cao Xing asked first.

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

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

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

Cao Xing was stunned for a moment, and then he suddenly remembered this as well.

Oh my god! I completely forgot about that!
The changes happened too quickly. After learning that Luo had activated the Blood Sacrifice Array, Cao Xing did not hesitate for long and led his men to attack!
The same thing happened during the later battles; both sides were bloodthirsty and wanted to kill each other as quickly as possible.

Therefore, such a comprehensive approach was not taken into account.

I should have asked back then where Luo had hidden the Watchers' families.

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 and look for it."

“I also spent some time with the Watchers, and based on their habits, I know a few places where people might be hiding.”

"However, the distance is quite far, and it might take a month to search the entire area."

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

Because in a little while, that ancient ruin—the Lost Royal City—will open to the public.

I visited there once before; that's where he earned his title as champion fighter.

So Cao Xing thought he would bring him along this time to see if he could gain anything else.

If we delay for a while, it might be too late.

Qinong seemed to know that he had some concerns, and slowly said, "Lord Cao Xing, there is no need to worry. Although it is said to be a month, the actual time may not be that long."

"I might have been lucky and found my wife at the first place I went."

Hearing this, Cao Xing laughed.

He nodded and said, "Okay, go ahead, Mr. Qinong. If you need any help, just let me know."

Qinong shook his head and said solemnly, "You've already helped me more than enough."

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

"Not to mention, you even saved me once."

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

It seems that no one expected that the otherworldly lord they met a few months ago would have grown to such a level.

He paused, then looked up and said, "Then, I'll be setting off now, Lord Cao Xing."

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

After speaking, Qinong slowly turned around, looking beyond the territory with a determined look in his eyes.

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

Cao Xing also looked away.

Then he continued to patrol the territory.

Soon, he arrived at the agricultural area of ​​the territory.

Walk past the busy villagers and head straight to a corner of the greenhouse.

A young man is bending down, diligently planting crops.

It was the same minor nobleman who had been taken into the territory earlier—Joren Green.

At this moment, Yoren was very focused on doing his own thing.

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

Cao Xing shouted, "Yorun."

Upon hearing the voice, the young man gradually put down what he was doing and slowly raised his head.

It seems a bit strange who would call him.

When he saw Cao Xing, a respectful expression immediately appeared on his face.

He strode forward, bowed slightly, and said in a humble tone:
"My esteemed lord, may the glory of the god of wealth shine upon you."

Cao Xing nodded slightly and said calmly, "I need to talk to you about something. Come with me for a moment."

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

He seemed surprised that the lord would actually come to him with something, and even come in person.

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

……

Yolen followed behind Cao Xing with some trepidation, his steps very light.

As I walked, I kept thinking back to myself whether I had done anything wrong recently.

Or perhaps I've done something to displease the lord.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, Cao Xing stopped in his tracks.

Yoren immediately stopped, raised his head, and looked around.

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

An elderly man was standing there, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.

Cao Xing glanced at the two of them and said again, "Cao Yi, Yue Lun, you two come in with me."

After saying that, he took the lead and walked over, pushing open the gate of the lord's castle.

The two people behind him exchanged a glance and followed him into the magnificent building.

The main hall on the first floor of the lord's castle is very spacious, and the building alone covers an area of ​​over a thousand square meters.

The towering ceiling was adorned with crystal chandeliers that Cao Xing had scavenged from the goblin palace, the walls were decorated with exquisite paintings, and the floor was covered with thick carpets.

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

Then, Cao Xing went to the center of the hall and casually sat down on the shining throne.

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

"sit down."

Upon hearing this, the two sat down somewhat nervously.

The atmosphere in the lobby on the first floor was somewhat silent, and neither Cao Yi nor Yolen dared to speak.

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

The two looked at each other blankly, then shook their heads, their faces full of confusion.

Cao Xing chuckled and said, "You don't need to be so nervous. I'm not here to cause you any trouble."

Upon hearing this, Yoren, who was standing next to him, visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense body relaxed slightly.

He looked at his lord with a questioning gaze, waiting for what he would say next.

Cao Xing said, "You are all talented people in my territory, and you all have some knowledge and experience in managing the territory."

"As you both know, our territory is preparing to develop into a megacity. I wonder what your thoughts are on this?"

The old man and the young man exchanged a glance, finally understanding why Cao Xing had sought them out. However, neither of them spoke first, and the atmosphere in the castle hall fell silent once more.

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

The old man nodded and said respectfully, "My lord, before I give my opinion, I have two questions that I need to confirm."

"You said."

"The first question is about the expansion of our territory. According to the plan, how large will it expand to?"

"My second question is, after our territory develops into a megacity, will it remain in a closed mode as it is now, or will it be in an open mode like other megacity?"

Upon hearing this question, Cao Xing pondered for a moment before replying, "Its scale should be similar to that of Merlinde City, with a diameter of about seven kilometers."

"As for the closed and open styles, I think we should consider both. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Yi nodded and continued, "In that case, we must start with the territory planning."

"My lord, the planned territory is about seven kilometers in diameter, roughly the size of a medium-sized city."

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

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

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

"In addition, there is the area of ​​the territory's agricultural zone, commercial zone planning, and so on."

"This requires a lot of preliminary work. When building the city, we need to decide on the size of the area to be divided."

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

"You go on."

Cao Yi cleared his throat and continued, "In addition, there's what the lord said about the coexistence of closed and open systems."

"I think this is also feasible."

"For example, we can designate the central urban area as the core area, and only core personnel within our territory can enter and exit it."

"Outside the central urban area, it is designated as a general area, which allows outsiders such as mercenaries, vagrants, and merchants to move around."

“In addition to that, we also need to consider…”

Upon hearing this, an approving look appeared in Cao Xing's eyes.

Clearly, Cao Yi has made many preparations for this.

However, even if Cao Xing could remember all of what he said at once, it might not be entirely in line with his own thoughts.

So he raised his hand to interrupt, saying, "Wait a minute."

"Yes, Lord." Cao Yi immediately stopped and respectfully awaited Cao Xing's next instructions.

Cao Xing pressed the communication device on his ear, "Mu Xue, Edward, come to the lord's castle."

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

“Victoria, come along too.”

Upon hearing Cao Xing's summons, the three responded one after another.

"Okay, we'll be right there."

Before long, three figures pushed open the lord's gate one after another.

Liu Muxue was still wearing the full set of the Hymn of Light armor, and the aura unintentionally revealed by the legendary-level powerhouse made her appear both majestic and holy.

Edward, who was standing to the side, was still holding the sketchbook in his hands, and his clothes were covered with ink spots, as if he had just been painting.

Victoria was the last to enter. Today, she was wearing a white robe, which was well-tailored and perfectly accentuated her stunning figure.

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 Nen Queen always exudes an aura of majesty.

Victoria turned her head and looked at Cao Xing on the throne, a complex expression flashing across her eyes.

She nodded slightly as a greeting.

Cao Xing waved his hand and conjured up three more chairs, saying, "Alright, you can sit down too."

After hearing this, the three of them each found a chair and sat down.

At this moment, six people had gathered in the hall.

Cao Xing said, "Now, Cao Yi, Yolen, and I are discussing some things about building the giant city, and we need your participation."

"Mu Xue is a student majoring in urban construction. You can also offer your opinions later."

Liu Muxue nodded gently, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes: "Okay, Xing."

Cao Xing then looked at Edward: "Edward, you are responsible for writing down what we said."

"Then, after the discussion is over, we will draw up a blueprint based on the plan that everyone agreed on."

The painter immediately straightened his expression and replied respectfully, "Yes, my lord."

Then, Cao Xing's gaze fell on Victoria.

The Nen Queen sat upright with a calm expression, as if this was a very ordinary thing for her.

Cao Xing said, "Victoria, I know about your past. As the former queen of the Kingdom of Renoir, you managed a vast kingdom and have extensive experience in governing a country."

"Currently, my territory is not very large, but it will definitely grow much larger in the future."

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

Upon hearing this, the Nen Queen nodded slightly, her tone calm yet tinged with emotion: "You flatter me, Lord."

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

"Moreover, to be honest, even the Renoir Kingdom at its peak was not as powerful as this territory."

"It is my honor to offer you advice."

During her time living in the territory, Victoria had already integrated herself into the community.

She witnessed Cao Xing's leadership and the rapid development of his territory, and she had long felt a strong sense of belonging to this place.

Cao Xing nodded.

Then, he turned to the old man and gestured, "Cao Yi, please repeat what you just said briefly, such as the planning of our giant city."

The old man nodded.

"Currently, our territory is being expanded, with the initial plan being to expand it directly to a diameter of seven kilometers."

"Because the lord said he wanted to combine open and closed systems, I suggested dividing the new territory into an inner city and an outer city."

"The inner city will be centered on the lord's castle, with a diameter of two kilometers, which is the area of ​​our current territory."

"The planning of the inner city is already very complete. The locations of the buildings here can basically remain unchanged. The city walls and arrow towers will remain in their original positions."

"The agricultural and pastoral areas can also maintain their current status, because they contain magical plants and magical creatures of incredible value."

“Then, build another city wall in an area five kilometers outside the inner city, and this area will serve as the outer city.”

“The outer city area will be much larger than the inner city area, and we will have enough land to plan new agricultural and livestock areas.”

“These areas outside the city were used to grow common crops and raise livestock such as yaks and sheep.”

As Cao Yi spoke, Edward quickly took notes beside him.

Everyone present was listening attentively to his proposal.

Cao Xing tried to imagine the scene in his mind.

According to his plan, the entire territory would have two city walls to separate the territory's members from the outside population.

There are many benefits to doing this.

First and foremost, 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.

What should have been done before, and what should have been done now.

The second advantage is that, because the inner city is 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 arrive at the scene as quickly as possible.

The third benefit is that buildings with their own auras, such as the Energy Tower, the Pale Tree, and the Lord's Castle, can affect the entire territory.

The extent of this territory is calculated based on the maximum heating range of the energy tower.

The current energy tower has a coverage diameter of eight kilometers, and it will continue to expand as upgrades continue.

In other words, even people in the outer city can enjoy the heating effect of the [Energy Tower] and the accelerated plant growth of the [Pale Tree].

Of course, the expansion of the megacity is not all good; it also has many drawbacks.

For example, a surge in the number of people can make this place a mixed bag.

Furthermore, as cities expand, the distances they need to transport goods will increase, raising transportation costs.

Besides these, there were many other minor details that Cao Xing did not calculate one by one.

In any case, the benefits of expanding the megacity outweigh the drawbacks.

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

…………

(End of this chapter)