There was still nearly half a day left before the Chaos Tide fully receded.
Yet the adventurers all looked drained, hollow-eyed, and deeply unsatisfied.
Because they had burned through all of their adventure stamina ahead of time, today's operations were forced to end early.
Blackstone Hammer King cursed loudly,"What the hell happened today? There's still almost half the opening window left. How did everyone already run out of stamina?!"
Wind in Slumber frowned."It really is kind of absurd."
Pig King grabbed his head."Ahhh! I didn't even get close to playing enough! I still want to slaughter zombies. I'd settle for just watching someone else play!"
Wool Warrior groaned,"Yeah, every second feels like a year. How am I supposed to survive this? I swear I'm already having withdrawal symptoms!"
Dull Goose nodded frantically."Same here. I'm completely hooked. I've never felt like this before."
White Fawn sighed dramatically."Miracle City's dungeon is absolutely toxic."
"…"
This group had developed a severe addiction to Miracle City.
Once the gaming itch kicked in, even a short break made their whole bodies ache.
Kanzaki Ren had been right not to increase the number of dungeon crystals immediately. Miracle City's current daily reception cap was only 160 people, and it had filled up the instant the gates opened. Once this batch of adventurers exhausted their stamina, calling in reinforcements wouldn't help at all.
Before long, the adventurers' pent-up addiction had nowhere to go.
And so, naturally, all their complaints turned toward Kanzaki Ren.
Nekomi Momo crossed her arms and scoffed,"Personally, I think Lord Ren is developing the dungeon way too slowly. With this pathetic capacity, does he even want to make serious money? Does he still plan on becoming a great lord?"
"Exactly!"
"Only 160 slots? That's a joke!"
"At minimum it should be 1,600!"
Blackstone Hammer King added,"I've heard powerful dungeons aren't just large, they also have facilities that help adventurers recover stamina. You've got nothing like that here. How is that acceptable?"
A group of adventurers began gearing up to collectively interrogate the lord.
At that moment, Wind in Slumber spoke up,"Everyone, calm down. Miracle City has existed for less than a week, and it's only been officially open for four days. Reaching this scale already is impressive."
"What?"
"Four days?!"
Several first-time visitors to Miracle City, unfamiliar with its background, were visibly shocked.
Bright Moon Reflecting Snow said calmly,"Building this much in four days is already incredible. Momo, you all shouldn't pressure the lord too much."
Lonely Blade nodded."I believe this dungeon will rise quickly. All the supporting facilities will follow soon enough."
To prevent a few hotheads from causing unnecessary trouble, several adventurers stepped forward to speak on Kanzaki Ren's behalf.
They planned to develop in Miracle City long-term and didn't want to sour relations with the lord over something so trivial.
Adventurers siding with a dungeon lord was rare.
After all, most adventurers came and went freely. Their relationship with lords resembled gamblers and the house, filled with open rivalry, suspicion, and constant attempts to outplay each other.
Blackstone Hammer King waved his hand."I was just venting."
"Yeah. As one of the earliest adventurers, how could we not understand this city's potential?"
Nekomi Momo smirked."We're just keeping Lord Ren on his toes, so he doesn't get lazy after making a little money."
"…"
"Buying alcohol and drinks! Buying chocolate and instant noodles! Buying all Miracle City supplies! Anyone looking to sell, come to me!"
"I got a premium cigarette today!"
"What?! That's the good stuff! You hit the jackpot!"
"Selling or not?"
"…"
After a round of noisy banter, the adventurers didn't leave the dungeon at all. Instead, they turned the hall into an impromptu marketplace, trading supplies.
To be honest, these seemingly ordinary items were one of Miracle City's greatest competitive advantages.
From cola, instant noodles, and chocolate to beer, premium liquor, and cigarettes, the quality far surpassed that of other dungeons. Even if someone didn't want to use them, selling to wealthy players provided a solid income.
"These guys finish playing and still refuse to leave. Just crowding around making noise."
Kanzaki Ren clicked his tongue in annoyance.
But there was nothing he could do. The dungeon wasn't closed yet, and forcibly kicking them out wasn't an option.
What Miracle City truly needed was expansion and better infrastructure, so adventurers would have things to do after dungeon runs and continue generating value.
Kanzaki Ren handed crowd control over to Nancy Lyria.
Then he opened the trading market and located Lord 0340.
He sent a direct message.
"Friend, the zombie soul crystals you wanted have been sorted."
After waiting roughly two and a half hours, Lord 0340 finally replied.
"Sorry about that. Opening hours were chaotic, dealing with the locusts in my territory. I just saw your message. I'm ready to trade immediately."
No time was wasted.
Kanzaki Ren completed the transaction.
He exchanged 85 ordinary Zombie Soul Crystals for one Inn Blueprint.
An Adventurer Inn was an excellent asset. It instantly increased reception capacity by 100 and allowed a portion of adventurers to stay overnight.
However, construction costs were steep.
It required 300 Soul Crystals, 150 Spirit Power, and 150 Tier-One Material Essence.
Soul Crystals?
Spirit Power?
Those weren't a problem.
Materials, however, were insufficient.
Kanzaki Ren didn't want the blueprint sitting unused overnight.
Population increases from new buildings only took effect on the next opening day. Completing the inn one day earlier meant one extra day of increased revenue.
At least two options existed.
First, purchase material essence or Tier-One materials from the market to gather the required 150 units.
Second, after Miracle City closed, assemble a force and head into the outside world to gather materials directly.
The first option required a large Soul Crystal expenditure.
Miracle City's finances weren't exactly flush.
There were still many pending construction needs: upgrading the core, reinforcing walls, building warehouses, arrow towers, and other basic infrastructure.
So incremental resources had to be prioritized, while existing reserves were conserved whenever possible.
Kanzaki Ren knew the surrounding terrain well. While 150 units of material essence wasn't a small number, it certainly wasn't an impossible task.
Currently, he possessed:
Dozens of ordinary Zombie Soul Crystals.
And one each of Hunter, Smoker, Exploder, Jockey, and Tank.
Kanzaki Ren planned to recruit 25 Blast-Resistant Zombie temporary workers, plus one Hunter and one Smoker temporary worker, to form an expedition force.
However.
This target was far more troublesome than Red Claw Village.
That level of force wasn't enough.
The Tank Zombie Soul Crystal had to be used.
This soul crystal was extremely valuable. Kanzaki Ren didn't intend to use it as a temporary worker. Instead, he planned to place it into the Monster Barracks, converting it into a permanent combat unit.
A system prompt appeared.
[You are summoning "Tank Zombie". This summon requires Spirit Power ×100, Soul Crystals ×50, Tank Soul Crystal ×1. Proceed? Yes / No]
"Summon!"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Suddenly, the adventurers heard a familiar, violent roar.
A humanoid monster standing two and a half meters tall, its entire body wrapped in muscle like heavy armor, emerged from the Monster Barracks and stopped in front of the hall.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
"Tank!"
"It's a Tank!"
"Lord Ren summoned the Tank directly!"
"…"
Monsters summoned directly from dungeon buildings like the Monster Barracks were considered regular forces, unlike disposable day-hire workers. They could permanently station within the territory.
The cost was high.
But as long as it didn't die, it could be used indefinitely.
With the right buildings, Kanzaki Ren could even modify, enhance, and upgrade it.
The more regular troops a lord possessed, and the stronger they became, the greater the boost to the lord's own power. They formed the true foundation of a territory.
Stepping out of the manor, Kanzaki Ren stood beside the Tank.
The terrifying beast now behaved like a docile puppy.
All dungeon summons lacked intelligence, or more precisely, lacked independent will. They were absolutely loyal to their lord and followed commands without hesitation.
Raging Chick's eyes shone."So damn domineering! That's insanely badass!"
Blackstone Hammer King laughed."Lord Ren, why'd you bring the big musclehead out? Planning another nighttime brawl?"
"That's right."
Kanzaki Ren didn't bother with suspense.
He announced directly,"I've received intelligence. There's a goblin mine not far from Red Claw Village."
"I plan to seize it. This Tank will be the main force, and I'll also be recruiting 27 mercenaries. Anyone interested is welcome to sign up and contribute to the territory."
At the same time, every adventurer received a mission prompt.
[Mission Name: Mercenary Operation!][Mission Objective: Miracle City seeks to recruit 27 mercenaries, including 25 Zombies, 1 Hunter, and 1 Smoker!][Mission Reward: 5 Contribution Points!][Special Notice: Adventurers acting as Hunter or Smoker who die during this operation will receive no rewards.]