Chapter 159: Finally Opening a New Map!

"So you don't have to be afraid; we're all good people, understand?"

Sitting on the long bench in the sanctuary, Moton absentmindedly tapped his empty head.

"Wait a moment, let me sort it out."

"Below the Dark Forest lies a place seized by the Demon King…"

"Soul·Spirit·Holy·Throne."

"Ah, right… the underground city occupied by the Soul·Spirit·Holy·Throne; you appear to be a doctor from Sunlight City, but you're actually their envoy sent to gather intelligence."

"Yes."

"Then I was killed by a rampaging beast; you pretended to cremate my remains, but actually took me to the underground city to resurrect me."

"Right."

Moton grinned and scratched his long beard.

"Then… can I still see my son, Charlie… and the others in the squad?"

"Of course you can."

Ji Ming conjured a wooden box out of thin air and weighed it in his hand.

"They're leaving Sunlight City tomorrow; at that time I'll forge a copy of your ashes, embed a tracking device inside, and once they get far enough, bring everyone back to the underground city."

"That way it's safest and most reliable; the group reunites, which is the best solution."

Moton couldn't refute it, but fell silent for a moment.

"But… you're just an envoy, right?"

"What I mean is, even if you are willing, would the elders in the Soul·Spirit·Holy·Throne agree?"

This is my Underground One-Man Rule; I say it's fine, and it's fine!

Ji Ming didn't say that; instead, he swapped the wooden box for a forging hammer.

"Moton, the elders once said we have no shortage of fierce warriors, but we lack talent skilled in a particular craft."

Moton took the hammer, suddenly felt it looked familiar, turned around to look, and realized it was his own.

"…You mean you want me to forge things for you?"

"Actually it's not just forging; basically everything… uh."

Ji Ming cleared his throat lightly.

"We don't keep idle people here; you and Charlie Bailey need to set up a blacksmith shop for us, and Si Tong and Anna also need to serve as instructors to train the incoming Pioneers."

"In return, we'll provide you with all kinds of raw materials, daily necessities, and the full dignity of a sentient being."

Moton didn't understand the latter part, but…

"Wait, Pioneers? What is that?"

Ji Ming smiled and patted his shoulder.

"You'll know in a week; actually the purpose of this underground city is to cultivate these lunatics."

Moton alone could never build a blacksmith shop, so Ji Ming took him to Gou Gou Village.

"Hey, Blacksmith Moton, why are you here too?"

"Huo Ke? So you left Sunlight City and ran here!"

As soon as they set foot, a familiar reunion scene unfolded.

"Hey, let me tell you, the underground city is far more comfortable than Sunlight City; the environment's a bit darker, but it's definitely a great place to enjoy life!"

"Is that so? Then take me for a tour quickly; I still have tasks assigned by the doctor to do…"

To establish a proper factory or workshop, location matters almost as much as technology.

Either the transport is well developed, making upstream and downstream access easy.

Or it's close to the source of raw materials, saving basic transportation costs.

So with Huo Ke's help, Moton quickly selected a few strong dogs among the villagers as assistants.

Then, without pause, he headed to the iron ore cave that Ge Ruise had already purified, planning to set up a workshop while prospecting.

I can only say that lousy parents are each lousy, but good parents are all the same good.

Such a diligent big beard must be eager to pave his son's future…

After a moment of reflection, Ji Ming arrived at Ge Ruise's Lake Center Island.

"Lord Supreme, regarding the covert reconnaissance device you mentioned, I've already created this."

A pea-sized emerald-green seed fell from the treetop into his hand.

"Though it's too far from my body to control, setting it to continuously emit a magical signal and report its position is still possible."

Ji Ming pinched it with his finger and examined it.

"How long can it operate?"

"Even as a first-generation product, three days is no problem at least."

"Very good."

Borrowing a few branches from Ge Ruise, they burned a goblin corpse into powder; Ji Ming scooped some, mixed it with the seed, and packed it into the box.

He removed his gloves and inspected it once, yet felt something was missing.

Then Ge Ruise extended a few vines, rolled the wooden box down, and scraped a knife-like hardwood across it for a moment.

When he returned it to Ji Ming, the side was already engraved with the phrase "Eternal Moton".

"Now that's just right!"

He tossed the quest item "Moton's Ashes" into the warehouse and supervised the excavation progress throughout the underground city.

Ji Ming first went to a distant tavern for breakfast, then pretended to be very busy and rushed back to the Clinic.

AdaiEr, who escorted Si Tong and the others out, had already returned, sitting behind the counter with red-ringed eyes.

Ji Ming also had to restrain his expression and put on a look of "My friend died, I'm deeply sorrowful."

However, no matter what happened, life must go on, so patients soon arrived at the Clinic.

But Ji Ming noticed that although the Clinic's workload had increased these two days, the number of critical patients had actually dropped considerably.

It wasn't because of the rampaging creature Yasa Xi, but because they were too "Yasa Xi."

After an attack, one either survived with minor injuries or died on the spot; there was no middle ground of mercy, especially the "saving money" kind.

Moreover, from these patients, Ji Ming learned more about the rampaging creature attacks on East Street.

……One can only say that if Si Tong and An Na hadn't arrived in time, the Iron Chain Squad would have lost more than just one Moton.

"Humph, counting on this bunch of money‑collecting hounds is worse than counting on yourself!"

"If they had arrived earlier, the household next door wouldn't have been wiped out!"

"And those damn hospitals, especially An De Lu's, raise prices so brutally!"

Ji Ming listened to the patients' complaints all day with a smile, then went to a nearby shop and purchased another batch of raw materials and tools that Moton needed.

This time he didn't go to the Holy Seat or Dog Village, but went straight to the fringe of the Garrison Camp.

After the closed beta ended, while players were scrambling online, he still had many tasks to handle.

For example, exploring the entire Underground Plain and testing how deep the water is for the players.

For example, preparing over a thousand skeletons and a large amount of equipment, equipping all accounts and battle gear needed for the internal test.

For example, renovating the entire Underground City and handling the logistics required for the internal test.

And also…

He blew the thick layer of dust off the long table, and Ji Ming's breath reached three meters away.

—Players aren't as sloppy as Mad King; if they want to make the Garrison Camp a new base, they at least have to clean this up.

Of course, each of the above items either requires money, labor, or both.

Although Ge Rui Sen and Dog Village exist, and occasionally the little boss can help cheat, manpower isn't lacking.

But funding… relying only on a budget‑friendly, reputation‑grinding Wai Shu Clinic isn't enough.

Therefore, besides all that, Ji Ming still has the most important thing to do.

That is to make a trip to the home of An De Lu, the chief sponsor of the internal‑test phase of Code Name: Sun Moon, as he unilaterally determined.

Hand‑on, without disturbing anyone, very politely, and take about a hundred‑million‑plus bits of supplies.

However.

Right now the main manpower focus in the Underground City is still gathering skeletons; any renovation will probably take another two days.

So I won't go to An De Lu's house today; I'll first take a stroll around the Underground Plain.

It's unclear whether it's due to the great battle ten thousand years ago or later landslides, but the gate linking the Garrison Camp and the Underground Plain has been buried under a massive amount of earth and stone.

Fortunately, that's not a problem for Ji Ming.

Although it originally took him two full days to dig it in, now he can simply use his authority over the Underground City to carve a path.

Thus, a massive amount of piled earth and stone was teleported away, and the emptied cavern was quickly reinforced with sturdy planks and pillars.

Following this tunnel, Ji Ming passed through the thick mountain wall and stepped onto the Underground Plain's…

"Wow."

Unlike the ruin‑filled Underground City, the Underground Plain is much brighter and its vegetation coverage is far higher.

Consequently, on the opposite side of the death‑city‑like Garrison Camp lies a vast expanse of luminous grassland.

And the system promptly displayed a notification.

【Congratulations, Host, you have found a qualified internal‑test site!】

【The internal‑test site you discovered is: Underground Plain】

【The full map of this location has been revealed; please review】

The 3D holographic map, which originally covered only explored areas of the Underground City and Sunlight City, suddenly expanded dramatically eastward.

Ji Ming examined it carefully and found that the space here is indeed much larger than that of the Underground City.

Moreover, the species are truly numerous; countless Tribes of all sizes exist, and merely those considered combat‑capable number six or seven.

"Now that's a real fantasy world; the Underground City is just too monotonous!"

【Are you sure you want to set this as the internal‑test site?】

【Confirmed】

【Loading】

In an instant, the rough game map was refined again, and the major Tribes that were once mere icons became searchable entries.

Moreover, unlike the now‑spacious Underground City, the vast Plain is dotted with countless stars, and everywhere there are active white dots.

White indicates "developable NPCs"; if you or a player seize them, they can turn into green friendly entities.

Ji Ming zoomed in on the map and checked each entry, discovering that the highest‑level one is a senior mage of forty‑one levels.

He is an almost‑naturally gifted cyclops giant, whose Demon Spirit Tribe is also the strongest in the Underground City.

Judging by the size and scale of the white dots, perhaps only the diagonally opposite Iron Hoof Tribe can barely contend.

Yet as Ji Ming dragged the map, preparing to assess the level of these Minotaur groups, he suddenly noticed that amidst the white, a few sparse red dots were interspersed.

???

Ji Ming furrowed his brow, clicked one, and realized he had wrongly accused the ancestors of the Weird Council for eighteen generations.

—They are not rampaging creatures, but…

Mountain‑people mercenaries?

If someone inside Sunlight City has already discovered the existence of this Underground Plain, why hasn't any news at all spread?

Ji Ming pondered for a moment and suddenly realized.

Even if the Merchants' Union is greedy, Cooper helps; even if the Adventurers' Association is chaotic, Boris backs them.

Only this Mountain Mercenary Alliance, from the first time he dealt with them, has been completely hostile.

Just like mercenaries in the real world, their sole purpose in coming to Sunlight City is to make dirty money for the nobles.

If we could develop the underground plain alone, swallowing all their demand and market, why would we share it with others?

……

Damn it! It probably won't just fast-forward… no, it's reversing into a slave society, where they'll surely engage in the triangular trade here!

Ji Ming slapped on a Breath-Sealing Talisman and teleported to beside that squad.

Though called a squad, there were actually only three of them, sitting in a circle under a tree, eating the wild fruit growing on it.

"Ptooey, so sour!"

The youngest among them took a bite, but immediately spat it out.

Often, an adult's breakdown comes in an instant.

Grievances had reached the breaking point, so he simply stood up and angrily poured out his bitterness.

"Damn it, the lord let us come to Black Forest Territory to make big money, why are we coming to this pitch-black place?"

The middle-aged mercenary beside him gave a cold smile, but did not comfort him.

"Sir Zog, or rather Mercenary Zog, drop your ridiculous childish temper—getting angry here is useless!"

Another, somewhat older mercenary remained silent, calmly chewing the fruit.

"Zog, that Lord An De Lu is a big shot whom even a baron lord would salute three times!"

Only after slowly swallowing it did he barely manage to say a couple of soft words.

"Think about it: if our mercenary squad can complete this task, making people willing to be allies of the lord in noble circles, we might even earn an extra reward!"

Upon hearing that there could be an extra reward, Zog's expression improved a little.

But even after he sat down again, he kept muttering, as if he had a bellyful of complaints that wouldn't subside.

Thus the middle-aged mercenary's expression also gradually turned grim, gritting his back teeth as he muttered a curse.

"Damn it, putting up with this godforsaken place is bad enough, but now we even have to bring a kid…"

"Hey! You…"

Zog's anger, which had just been doused, flared up again as he pointed at him, about to say something, but his tone suddenly rose.

"Watch out!"

However, that suddenly appearing figure had already struck the middle-aged mercenary on the back of the head with a shovel, and then moved close behind the elder brother.

Two clear clinks rang out, followed by a muffled thud like a body collapsing.

Zog was frightened until his face turned ashen; for a moment he didn't know whether to run or stay, and could only stiffly tremble in place.

"I just heard someone mention An De Lu?"

The black shadow gradually approached, the firelight illuminating his face—it was Ji Ming, who could no longer restrain himself from acting.

"Now, tell me all your tasks and goals, or else I… why are you covering your eyes?"

Zog fell to his knees with a thump, screaming wildly.

"My lord, I saw nothing! Nothing at all!"

……

He's still a smart person.