Chapter 972: Half an Empire

After the inauguration ceremony of the Tower of Aixingge ended, Lei En and the guests teleported back to Gotham City, and that night a small banquet was held at the Highland Fortress.

A dozen representatives from the Empire's various factions were present.

Also present were several high‑ranking figures from Gotham City: Kuilu, Liflin, and Yizite, as well as five dwarf kings and three Kings of the Hills.

Although the banquet was modest in scale, its rank was high; Lei En chatted briefly with each guest. The reconstruction of Aixingge and the Friendship Treaty signed with the dwarves, after half a day of spreading, had already reached every corner of the Oruen Empire.

Everyone at the banquet was concerned about one thing: the Consul's East Coast expansion plan!

When Lei En spoke with them, the conversation always centered on that topic.

Now he can be forthright, telling everyone his ideas, using VijesCui's magical torchlight Ten-ring Spell as a foothold to recapture the Elf Empire's cities one by one, bringing the New Continent's East Coast under Empire control.

Everyone was stunned by the plan.

Each magical torchlight rune formation requires an Iola Core for support, and an Iola Core costs fifty million Gold Shields!

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes at Aixingge, or if it were someone else, everyone would merely scoff at the plan.

But it was Lei En who proposed it.

Lei En is the Empire's Consul, commanding the world's strongest legion; he is also the Empire's richest man, and today, through the Friendship Treaty, he obtained alchemical materials worth 500 million Gold Shields from the dwarves, guaranteeing the finances to realize this grand plan.

Not to mention five or six Iola Cores— even more than ten, Lei En could produce them.

His past successes and achievements give people strong confidence in Lei En.

The expansion plan will surely succeed!

Each guest and the forces behind them want to join in, to get a share of the epochal feast of the New Continent's expansion.

Some of them hinted to Lei En, while others spoke outright.

That is why Lei En held the banquet: he can seize the entire East Coast, but merely occupying territory is useless; there must be enough population to fill the land, rebuild cities, develop the economy, and create a prosperous nation.

Thus the Empire's various factions need to take part.

At the same time, he holds the greatest authority, allowing him to win hearts, bind them further to his ship through benefits.

Once aboard, don't even think about getting off.

The guests invited this time were mostly shareholder representatives of the Secondary Continent Trade Company, though their relationships varied; Lei En must weigh their loyalty and sincerity before allocating benefits, so he did not give an immediate answer at the banquet.

But after the banquet, there were more private meetings.

In the study of the Highland Fortress, Lei En's first audience was Kaidejia.

As soon as they sat, the white‑haired yet youthful‑faced Kaidejia said, "Lei En, the GrandSpeaker asked me to tell you that Weizelan hopes to have a city on the New Continent."

"Sure."

Lei En agreed without hesitation, smiling, "Which city does the teacher want?"

Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng is certainly different from others; the teacher may have no particular idea, but the Wizards inside the floating city would definitely refuse to give up such great profit. Considering the people below, the teacher felt embarrassed to speak directly, so he had Kaidejia convey the message.

Moreover, he has a secret agreement with the teacher: after becoming Emperor, he will grant the teacher a ducal fief.

That counts as an early fulfillment of the promise.

Of course, he cannot state it now; the ennoblement will wait until Weizelan has finished building the city.

Lei En's prompt agreement let Kaijade breathe a sigh of relief.

To be honest, in recent years he has worked hard to reach level‑19 Wizard, nearing the Legendary Peak, and is also a member of Weizelan's six‑person council, possessing power and status; yet before Lei En now, even though Lei En remains as easy‑going as before, seeming like the junior Wizard who first arrived at Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng, he feels an inexplicable huge pressure and an indescribable emotion.

This feeling is even stronger than when facing the GrandSpeaker.

To request on Weizelan's behalf, Kaijade actually found it hard to speak up, having spent a long time mentally preparing before entering.

Once he actually spoke, the mental burden lifted.

Kaidejia hadn't expected it to be so easy; after a pause he shook his head, "Any city will do; the teacher said it's up to you to decide."

"Weizelan obviously wants the best," Lei En chuckled lightly.

He took out a map and spread it on the desk; Kaidejia instantly recognized it as a New Continent map, marked with abundant information, most of it concentrated on the East Coast—Gotham City most prominent, also Aixingge, and Feili City, now renamed Friendship City, among others.

From Aixingge heading south, a city is marked every few hundred li.

Roli, Quinte, Igo, Morando!

To the northeast of Gotham City lies another city, precisely the Luobosite Lei mentioned at the inauguration—the former magical research city of the Elf Empire, excellently situated on the coast, renowned among spellcasters.

Each of these cities bears a torch icon, with a circle drawn around the torch of radius three hundred li.

Seven torch circles, spread along the eastern coast of the New Continent, interlink, covering the entire four‑thousand‑li East Coast!

Kaidejia understood immediately.

This map is Lei En's expansion plan, priceless; he may be the second person besides Lei En to see it.

His gaze fixed, intending to memorize all the map's contents.

Suddenly, Kaidejia's eyes lingered.

He saw other regions on the map: on the South Coast and West Coast there are three and four torch icons respectively, though no circles were drawn, making them less conspicuous. Clearly this is Lei En's next step—securing the East, West, and South coasts of the New Continent, then pushing inland!

That's an overwhelming amount of information.

Kaidejia looked up and said, "You showed me this map—aren't you afraid I'll leak it?"

"You won't."

Lei En laughed, shrugged, and said nonchalantly, "Even if the whole world knows my plan, so what?"

"Indeed…."

Kaijade sighed, "Only you can realize this plan; even if others know it, it's useless—they can't even stop it."

Lei En smiled confidently, his finger landing on the map, "I suggest you choose Morando."

Kaidejia looked closely; the spot Lei En pointed to was a peninsula jutting from the New Continent's southeast, its shape awkward, easily reminding one of a man's genitals. Though a peninsula, its area is huge, comparable to a medium‑sized province of the Empire.

Morando lies in the middle of the peninsula's east coast, where a magical torchlight formation will be erected, its spell range perfectly covering the entire peninsula.

The peninsula's climate is excellent; even in the coldest winter it remains relatively warm.

During the Elf Empire era it was named "Sunshine State," and the peninsula hosts several elf city ruins; the best and largest site is Morando.

Possessing Molangdu, awaiting the acquisition of Sunshine State.

Moreover, ships that come around from the West Coast must pass through Molangdu; its overall value on the East Coast ranks third, behind Getan and Aixing.

Kai Jiade was overjoyed and immediately replied, "Good!"

He couldn't help thinking that Lei En truly lived up to being a Wizard from Weizelan, so generous as to voluntarily cede such a favorable city.

"There is one matter I must clarify beforehand," Lei En's expression grew serious.

"Please, go ahead."

Lei En said earnestly, "I assigned Molangdu to Weizelan, but I am not granting it as a fief. I still retain sovereignty over Molangdu, merely handing it to Weizelan for reconstruction. Once the city is built, Weizelan may recommend a mayor, but the appointment requires my approval, and I retain the right to replace them at any time."

"Like Friendship City?" Kai Jiade understood.

"Yes."

Lei En said, "Tax revenue and city administration will develop; my people will partake, holding half the authority. Only Molangdu and Friendship City have these terms; all other cities will be under my sole control, with only secondary benefits allocated to the Empire's various factions."

"That's natural," Kai Jiade nodded, "After all, you invest an Iola Core in every city; without you, none of this would be possible."

If Lei En were harsher, he could keep all the benefits in his grasp, leaving others helpless.

Half of Molangdu is already enough to satisfy Weizelan.

"It's fine as long as you understand," Lei En smiled, tracing his finger across the map. "The East Coast of the New Continent is vast enough to support a third of the Empire; the land is fertile, resources abundant, capable of supporting far more than seven cities—hundreds of cities could fit, easily sustaining two hundred million people."

"Two hundred million people…"

Kai Jiade shook his head, "Lei En, you're trying to hollow out the Empire!"

The Oriense Empire's total population is hard to tally; there is no precise figure, but many agencies estimate around one billion.

Relocating two hundred million people to the New Continent would greatly ease the Empire's demographic pressure, yet it is a massive undertaking that would take a generation to complete.

Of course, if the East Coast truly reaches two hundred million inhabitants, it would amount to half a new Empire—such benefits are unimaginable!

And Lei En, as the architect of all this, wields supreme authority.

Even though Kai Jiade shuns fame and wealth, devoting himself to the pursuit of magical truth solely to become a Holy Soul Ascension Wizard, he cannot help feeling boundless admiration and envy.

That is the true hero, the ruler of the age!

Kai Jiade took his leave, satisfied.

After seeing Kai Jiade off, Lei En received several important guests.

Otiluk of Franlis, Andelo, a student of the Silver Star Duke, Alamanse, student and lover of the Storm Queen, a vice‑rector of Bruworz Academy, an alchemical sage sent by KangJieladeGreatSage, Akaland of the Mechanical Guild, and a dozen Empire senators.

Lei En promised each faction representative certain benefits, exchanging conditions.

The best ten‑plus cities on the East Coast of the New Continent have mostly secured partners; once the magical torchlight array is completed, reconstruction will begin immediately.

The big cake is now fully divided.

It wasn't until the next morning that Lei En concluded the meetings; after seeing off the last guest, he had breakfast with FranJia Sika and his daughter.

"Lei En, I have something to tell you," Liflin sent via magical transmission, "Come to my house."

Lei En smiled knowingly.

He gave his daughter to a maid, opened a portal and stepped straight into Liflin's residence, only to find a blood elf sitting neatly in the living room, his complexion solemn—not at all what he had imagined.

"What's the matter?" Lei En set aside his thoughts.

"The Regent wishes to see you," Liflin replied.

"Regent Asqiong…," Lei En raised an eyebrow, instantly grasping the blood elf's intent, and laughed, "Blood elves also want to join my expansion plan?"

Gotham City hosts many blood elf residents, and I command three thousand blood elf Holy Lance Knights; the news surely reached Yongge City yesterday. Though blood elves emerged after the Elf Empire's fall, they are still elves—once half the masters of the New Continent—and naturally refuse to be left behind while their ancestral lands are divided among humans.

Liflin nodded slightly, whispering, "I have pledged loyalty to you, no longer a part of Yongge City, yet I remain a blood elf, Lei En…"

"I understand; you need not explain," Lei En said, unruffled.

He considered carefully and said, "If blood elves wish to join, I do not oppose; we could even offer favorable terms, after all we are allies. But to be frank, blood elves lack sufficient strength—they struggle to hold Revenge Island, let alone have the capacity to develop new cities?"

Revenge Island hosts only a little over two hundred thousand blood elves; what can such a population achieve?

Although blood elves possess exceptionally high talent, far surpassing humans, and almost every blood elf wields extraordinary power, Yongge City still has several Saint Rank elites—Sword Saints and Grand Mages—with impressive combat prowess. Yet colonizing the New Continent and rebuilding cities demand massive populations above all.

What territory can two hundred thousand blood elves occupy?

Liflin understood this as well, sighing, "The Regent thinks the same, but he heard of Friendship City and hopes for dwarf‑like terms."

"Which city has he set his sights on?" Lei En asked.

"Lobost."

Lei En couldn't help humming, the blood elves have a huge appetite. During the Third Epoch, Polost was not only a famed city of magical research, boasting numerous mage academies and towers, but also a metropolis of over two million inhabitants.

"The Regent is being greedy," he shook his head. "Even if I gave Lobost to the blood elves, could they manage it?"

He had just finished speaking when Lei En noticed Liflin's expression had changed.

"Does Regent Asqiong have other moves?"

"Yes," Liflin nodded lightly. "He has made contact with Aoroan."

Lei En's complexion shifted instantly; beyond the blood elves, the Regent also had the Elf Kingdom of Aoroan behind him, a completely different matter.

He was about to leave, so he updated early.

(End of Chapter)