Chapter Fifty-Three: It Has Arrived! (Vote and follow, thank you!)

“I sense the presence of a true powerhouse in the trading market—could it be that the master has made another move?”
“You’re mistaken. The master just upgraded his war vehicle; there’s no way he’d return so soon.”
“Exactly. It’s been just over two hours since last time. If Master Colin pulls off something big again, I’ll eat my war vehicle right here and now.”
Yet, as they chatted idly, a sudden notification appeared in everyone’s mind.
[Congratulations to survivor ‘Colin’ for becoming the first lord to construct a Level Three Territory.]
[Reward: ‘Hardened Black Bread x999’ will soon be distributed.]
[Reward has been distributed.]
[All survivors, let us strive onward together.]
“Damn, here it is again! So this is what a real master looks like. By the way, where’s that guy who said he’d eat his war vehicle? Still alive? Speak up!”
“I know the formula for synthesizing a Level Three Territory. Message me privately if interested!”
“Don’t trust the scammer above! I just got tricked by him!”
“Level Three Territories already? That was fast. Good thing I just finished upgrading to Level Two—I’ve got no money left for the next step…”
“Why is the food reward always black bread? Can’t the designers think of anything new? A little creativity, please!”
“To get rich, start mining! Brothers, get digging!”
“Damn, stone prices have shot up again! If these merchants keep pushing me, I’ll just dig my own!”
“Praise to Master Colin!”
…
Colin didn’t join the revelry in the chat channel; instead, he had already stepped into the courtyard of his territory, walking and discussing the next steps with a few lords and the captains of the Lanternbearers.
Outside the territory, nine war vehicles stood in a row with hundreds of people assembled behind them, their stance firm and unwavering, resembling a wall of stone.
“…Based on the behavior of that aberration, it shouldn’t be too difficult to deal with…”
“But to be safe, we’ll prepare several backup plans… There are still about five hours until nightfall, so time is sufficient. We’ll dedicate an hour to drills…”
“This operation must not go awry. I have a feeling something is being concealed, and only by destroying it will we know…”
After a long discussion, the drills began without delay.

An hour later, twenty-three teams, including Team One, stood before Colin, sweat still fresh on their brows, heads held high, awaiting orders.
A few meters away, Rog and the other lords watched in stupefaction.
If these were their own slaves—or if some used to be—their enthusiasm and loyalty would never reach this level…
Especially the five who had tried to stop a war vehicle with their bare arms—the display was moving beyond words.
While slave control is absolute and betrayal is impossible, without direct orders, they rarely act on their own initiative. They’re not like Colin’s followers… “lively.”
They serve the system’s loyalty, not their masters, while only Colin’s people are truly devoted to him, not just the system.
They believed that even without the system, Colin’s followers would remain loyal.
Rog recalled the four figures in the lamplight earlier. He was almost certain that without prior commands, his own slaves would have cowered in fear or shrunk away…
He could never match Colin in this regard.
Rog had tried to treat his slaves kindly, but his “ideals” failed to win their hearts.
He now realized he was out of touch—the slaves cared only for a full meal, not “ideals.”
These small details spoke volumes. He had to admit, Colin’s rapid expansion was no accident.
Of course, some still suspected Colin of cheating, convinced he knew and accomplished everything, and planned to ask him later, “Brother, do you sell your hacks?”
But Li Chou, a renowned name on the leaderboards, explained that these were the effects of mysterious items, not cheating, and revealed the principles of the resource rankings, earning everyone’s admiration—
So Colin truly wasn’t cheating.
Ignoring the whispers behind him, Colin surveyed his growing force and issued his command.
“Board the vehicles in order. The operation begins now!”
With a single order, twenty-one Lanternbearer combat squads swiftly boarded the nine war vehicles.
Colin and the others followed suit.
Within the vast Level Three Territory, most of the lords remained behind, along with two Lanternbearer squads and two hundred newly acquired slaves.
…
Soon, from the passenger seat, Colin once again glimpsed the forest. It was sparse, not dense—
Cold, desolate, and deathly still, every tree was reduced to withered, blackened branches without a single leaf.

“We can begin. I’ll lead the team myself.”
With Colin’s command, the rear doors of the vehicles swung open, and lanterns were lit once more.
Whether seated inside or hanging on the outside, every slave followed their captain in silence as the operation began.
The preliminary plan was straightforward: five elite squads would follow Colin into the withered forest to set explosives and lure out the aberrant lord.
Detonate and end it.
Of course, that was the ideal scenario—reality was rarely so perfect. Every misstep could mean casualties, so meticulous preparation was essential.
Under Colin’s lead, each squad carried three wooden barrels, each weighing a hundred pounds, and ventured about five hundred meters into the forest to lay the fuses.
Every ten meters, three barrels were linked together, creating blast points powerful enough for massive explosions.
This time, Colin had prepared more than two tons of black powder, intending to destroy the entire area and the aberration in one cataclysmic blast.
In Colin’s mind, the best outcome would be the enemy’s instant annihilation, avoiding any direct confrontation—
Even eye contact!
The first set of explosives was in place—a full ton’s worth—but just as Colin laid the second set of barrels, a heavy weight pressed upon everyone’s hearts, making it hard to breathe.
The next moment, a distant, ponderous, and bone-chilling footstep echoed through the woods.
Faint though it was, no one dared underestimate its gravity!
“It’s coming!”
That familiar terror surged back—its approach was far swifter than expected. Without hesitation, Colin made his decision:
“Abandon the third set of explosives—retreat immediately!”
Once you heard its footsteps, less than three minutes remained before it arrived!
Colin knew all too well that there was no time left for further preparations.