[CH399+ Continued] Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster's Power

Chapter 517

Over the next few days, the trade routes continue to expand further into the desert in both directions.

The trading posts, inns, shops, and restaurants outside of the Crimson barrier grow as the construction teams use up all of the remaining supplies available.

An outer ring of the city is built for those that do not wish to stay and be under the Flame Emperor's protection.

Sixteen more small villages are connected to the trade route, and over 300 more links of loyalty are created through my rising emperor's domain, bringing the total in my interface beyond 500 now. They are all integrated into the town and fit into place exactly where they fit best.

Some open shops with foreign goods that they'd like to sell, others farm in the dungeons to collect materials for the guildhall, and some just want a change of pace and reassurance that they're safe.

Villages out in the middle of nowhere get raided and pillaged often, so they migrate and seek safer lands frequently. Many come to a larger city when given the option to seek a more stable lifestyle.

However, many like the traveling trader's life and just see the Crimson City as another stop on their journey through the Dark Continent.

There are an additional 2000 individual travelers that come by from the surrounding villages to trade.

The number of individuals farming the dungeons to make their own stands in the outer village to sell loot increases dramatically. Anything people can sell to the guildhall, they do. My prices to buy loot are far higher than anything any smart buyer would be looking to pay.

This is because I am directly crafting it into select items; the raw materials could be bought from traders out of the city for far cheaper and sold to the guildhall for profit. I don't care if residents game the system this way; everyone makes money, so it's a win-win.

The only hunters that have access to the canyon of dungeons are those that have sworn their loyalty to me; the entire canyon is inside the crimson barrier. So, any overflow being sold in the ring of shops outside the city is mostly money that is coming back into the city to cycle through the economy in many ways in the future.

There is still room inside the inner city's residential district for at least three times as many people to come, and empty land where more housing can be built.

The trade routes haven't even stretched outside of Sector 2 yet, so I foresee even more growth in the future.

I place a new 100 platinum order for materials in Vice City to make room for a population that could be 10-20 times what I have now.

This is the cost of nearly all the 135 platinum profit from the trade deals I'm about to receive. However, it will be worth it. There's no need to hold back in investing in myself.

Just from the growth numbers I've seen in the city so far, this will be even more profitable than I first predicted.

As more people flow into the village, and my order for materials is processed, I continue farming containment stones and training the Elemental Elites.

With less than five days left on the countdown timer on Ember's isolation pod remaining, meaning four more days have passed, during a training session, one of the squad leaders finally hits level 1000 and gets the opportunity to rank up.

Throughout this day, more and more people hit the level 1000 threshold, and by the end of the day, everyone faces the final boss on the 39th floor enough times to rank up.

Dozens of white flashing lights fill the air on this day, and many unique ranked-up buffs come out of it.

Many of them are spirit animal energy manifestations and ultimate attack or defense techniques. A few awaken energy forms, but it isn't nearly as common as I thought it would be.