I Became the Progenitor Vampire - Chapter 351

Chapter 351: Chapter 353: Your Majesty, Have You Seized the Divine Position of the Recovery Goddess? (5200 words) Chapter 351: Chapter 353: Your Majesty, Have You Seized the Divine Position of the Recovery Goddess? (5200 words) “A new plan?” Harrison looked at Lide with some anticipation, aware that the mind of his crowned head was filled with wisdom dazzling even to the Divine.

“Yes, I call it–the Endless Winter Project.”

Lide cracked a faint smile. “The harsh cold of winter makes it unbearable for everyone, yet the majority of Dawn City’s areas, even our factories, lack heating equipment.

With such a prolonged winter, the absence of heating will inevitably lead to a decline in work efficiency or even prolonged stoppages, which would be a substantial loss for the overall development of Dawn City.

Thus, we need to provide heating in all factories and public spaces, offering everyone a comfortable working environment.”

“But, Your Excellency,” Harrison interjected, “The cost of creating magic arrays for such a vast area, plus the operational expenses, are beyond our means.”

Lide shook his head. “No, Harrison, we don’t need the current magic arrays; rather, we should adopt a new method.”

“A new method?”

Harrison was puzzled. Could there be a more effective way to provide heating than magic arrays?

“Yes,” Lide nodded affirmatively, a hint of depth in his eyes.

“We start by creating heating channels similar to water pipes, then heat the water at one end of the inlet, and let the hot water flow through the pipes. That way, wherever the pipes pass, there will be sufficient heat.

This is the simplest form of heating.”

“Running water? But… Clan Leader, doesn’t running water have to be placed high up… are we going to burn boilers on the mountains?”

“Not necessary. We can replace hot water with steam. Under high pressure, steam can reach extremely high temperatures of two to three hundred degrees, providing enough heat…”

“But how can we get this steam into the pipes?”

Harrison wasn’t adept at these things, and he found this talk of steam heating rather confusing and hard to grasp.

Lide smiled slightly. “You don’t need to study that. Just supervising the process will be enough.

Delegate the task to the Magic Industry Research Institute, and just share the heating concept with them. Believe me, our Magic Industry Research Institute is smarter than you think.”

After a long period of integration, the Magic Industry Research Insitute had slowly begun to unleash the potential that comes from the fusion of several races.

Heating wasn’t too difficult; it could be understood with a bit of research–he was simply providing an idea.

Moreover, the heating would need to go through magical refinement and optimization, which he was not familiar with.

Having said that, he looked at Harrison with meaningful eyes. “Also, haven’t we trained hundreds of life-oriented mages?

We could have the Mage Tower research a Magic Array that would allow mages to input Magic Power to maintain the heating.

In the future, not only could heating help train mages’ abilities, but it could also save us a considerable amount of cost.”

The Magic World calls for Magic World solutions to its problems.

This ingenious operation even took Harrison by surprise. They could heat like this? Using people for heating??

Wasn’t heating by spellcasters for commoners a bit too ingenious?

There was no doubt about the importance of heating. Throughout the whole Frost Month, Dawn City was almost in a dormant state, and the same was true for the entire Glory, where it was virtually impossible to carry out work amidst the heavy snow and cold air.

With everyone idle for three months, all that idle labor was a loss. If heating enabled everyone to work during winter, how great would the benefits of those three months be?

Therefore, it was entirely worthwhile to make some initial investments.

This was like building roads. While it seemed like roads didn’t directly contribute to economic and social development, once the roads were built, they could save time and significantly improve efficiency.

One of the reasons Huaxia developed so rapidly was its highly convenient infrastructure–the invisible benefits might go unnoticed, but they profoundly affected everyone.

After discussing heating, Lide suddenly remembered another project perfectly suitable for winter–greenhouse vegetables.

After entering winter, Dawn City could hardly get any fresh vegetables; they were surviving on bread alone.

For a city to thrive, infrastructure was often key, and ensuring the basic food supply for residents was fundamental.

Now that Dawn City had escaped famine, it was natural to aim for better development.

“Harrison, besides heating, there’s another thing called greenhouse vegetables…”
“Greenhouse vegetables?” Hearing this peculiar name, Harrison was a bit perplexed.

A flicker of amusement appeared in Lide’s eyes. “It’s a method of production, allowing us to eat vegetables in winter that would normally grow in spring.”

Hiss~
Harrison gasped in surprise, winter vegetables that grow in spring??

“Your Majesty, are you sure you’re not joking?”

This is, after all, a violation of the laws of Glory, even touching upon the Divine Positions held by Divines.

“Of course not.”

Harrison was somewhat disheveled, in this icy and snowy world; only Divines possessed the power to make plants grow from frost and snow.

Could it be that Your Majesty truly has become divine?

“Your Majesty, did you seize the Divine Position of the Recovery Goddess?? How else could you cultivate plants in winter that only grow in spring??”

Lide shook his head, amused and bemused, what was this guy thinking?

Although the Recovery Goddess’s Divine Power is merely weak, she is still a true Divine, and slaying a god is far from reach.

“Don’t overthink it, Harrison.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t seize a Divine Position, otherwise how could you grow plants in winter that can only grow in spring?

It’s inconceivable!! This is the domain of Divines!”

Looking at Harrison’s gaze, filled with difficulty in understanding, Lide still felt somewhat amused; this was purely a case of information dominance.

What are common things on Earth are considered miracles here, and that feeling is indeed very strange.

“Harrison, greenhouse cultivation is a form of Alchemy, unrelated to Divines.”

“Alchemy?” Harrison was stunned for a moment, then a hint of excitement appeared in his eyes, “Is it a legendary alchemy technique, like running water?”

Although the principle of running water is simple, in the word-of-mouth of the residents, it has long become a legendary alchemy technique, a magical creation bestowed by the great Kachar.

Although Harrison knew the principles of running water, he was clearly more shocked by the ability to grow spring plants in winter.

Lide also didn’t bother to argue and briefly outlined the basic principles of greenhouse vegetable cultivation.

After hearing this, Harrison’s face lit up with delight. As the speaker of the City Hall, he was well aware of the impact these kinds of civil construction projects could have.

The more prosperous Dawn City became, the more stable the rule of Bloodline would be; it was a virtuous cycle.

Moreover, to be able to cultivate crops that don’t belong to this season under the Dignity of the Ice and Snow Goddess, this alchemy had already reached the domain of gods.

It was truly shocking.

“Your Majesty, your wisdom is the most precious treasure of Dawn City. I think all residents will be proud to be your subjects.”

Harrison’s tone was full of deep admiration.

He is their sovereign, the great Holy Light Blood Clan Ancestor, an existence who can grow spring plants in winter. Although the greenhouse is not yet a reality, that doesn’t stop Harrison from expressing his admiration for Lide.

“I only know the general principle of these things; the Magic Industry Research Institute will need to conduct in-depth research.

I hope to see results before the end of this Frost Month.”

Lide looked at the increasingly fanatical Harrison, feeling somewhat helpless.

It was just greenhouse vegetables… what does it have to do with divines? Can’t we talk a little bit about science without always resorting to magic?

“Yes, Your Majesty. You have shown us the way; it is now up to us to follow it through.”

Harrison was still lost in his excitement, seemingly convinced that this alchemy was something unspeakably magnificent.

To Lide, growing vegetables in winter was all too common, but to people like Harrison, bound by the traditional knowledge of Glory, it was unimaginable.

Each season is governed by its corresponding divine, a domain that belongs to the divines. Now this greenhouse vegetable cultivation had already touched the Dignity of the Divines, and to even speak so in front of the Ice and Snow Temple would be to risk condemnation for blasphemy.

There are laws to all things; how can one defy them?

However, in Dawn City, no one would dare to say much to Lide. After saying this, Lide continued.

“The Half-Elves from Black Iron Castle will be arriving in mid-December; how is the preparation for the Research Institute’s site going?”

The collaboration with Black Iron Castle was not a decision he made on a whim; it was a well-considered conclusion.

Lide was well aware that Dawn City needed to absorb more outstanding things to grow.

And the Half-Elves were certainly a good choice.

During his time in Black Iron Castle, Lide had gained a further understanding of the Half-Elf archery and the bows and arrows produced by these natural archers were definitely exquisite.

If the bows and arrows produced by Dawn City scored a 60, then the Half-Elf’s bows would score an 80, a clear two grades higher.

Even using the same materials, the bows and arrows produced by Half-Elves were still superior to those produced in Dawn City.

This made Lide quite envious.

Whether it was airborne crossbows or ground siege crossbows, both required the technology to manufacture bows and arrows, and the Half-Elves clearly could make up for Dawn City’s lack of such technology.

Therefore, he insisted on forming a joint research institute with them to study and improve the design of bows and crossbows.

It was all to learn their technology and cover up his city’s weaknesses.

Although the military already had Alchemy Bombs, the role of crossbows in battle had not diminished at all.

Whether it was aerial combat or defending on the ground, powerful crossbows remained the best weapons.

After the battle with the Cave Spiders, Lide gained a new understanding of Dawn City’s combat capabilities, so he had been making various adjustments.

“Your Highness, you need not worry; we’ve already selected professionals from the Magic Industry Research Institute who are proficient and familiar with bow and arrow manufacturing. We will learn not only their bow-making techniques but also their methods of training archers. I am sure you will be satisfied,” Harrison said with a smile.

Lide nodded slightly, always having had full confidence in Harrison.

“How have you arranged the dispatch of mages to Black Iron Castle?” Lide inquired.

Harrison revealed a hint of a smile, “Your Highness, this is a rare opportunity.”

“Oh?” Lide’s interest was piqued, “Explain.”

“Dawn Sect has always preached only within our city and never ventured outside.

By helping Black Iron City train mages, we can take the opportunity to send some priests to spread Dawn Sect’s teachings and proclaim Your Glory.

There are many benefits to spreading the Sect externally, like gaining more believers, and being able to better recognize Dawn Sect’s own shortcomings, improving dealings and preaching methods in practice…

I believe with our methods of propaganda, the glory of Dawn will soon shine upon the Underworld.”

Lide nodded in satisfaction; this was why he had specifically fought for the right to proselytize in the terms with Black Iron Castle.

As time passed, he increasingly realized how important the Power of Faith was–even the Divines were desperately vying for it.

Especially since the Ancient Alchemy Magic Array was successfully constructed and his Divine Position could merge with the Magic Array, revealing the feature to transform other races into Bloodline,
the importance of the Power of Faith had been elevated to a new level.

Once the Magic Crystal Vein’s Ancient Alchemy Magic Array was successfully constructed, he would certainly transform other races into the Bloodline.

For example–Blood Double-headed Ogres, Blood Giants, Blood Elves, Blood Dwarves, Blood Centaurs… and so on.

Even captured giant dragons would be transformed into Blood Dragons, a spectacular scene to contemplate.

Moreover, Lide was curious about how much other races would improve after being transformed into Bloodline, and whether they could switch professions to Bloodline professions.

Of course, all of these premises required the support of the Power of Faith; without it, everything was just wishful thinking.

But the biggest problem for Lide at the moment was that the number of believers in Dawn City was almost fixed, the number of the population equaled the number of believers, with no possibility for explosive growth.

So he turned his attention to the Underworld–once the faith was spread there, it could bring a massive influx of believers.

Thinking of the Underworld’s millions of believers worshipping him made Lide quite pleased; he could then directly convert those two thousand giants into the Bloodline and transform tens of thousands of Beastmen into Blood Beastmen, undoubtedly resulting in staggeringly powerful attributes.

“Regarding the spread of faith, City Hall must coordinate well with Dawn Sect; this is a great experiment. If successful, we will reap huge rewards.

We could even try exporting Dawn Sect to the Human Country, marking a milestone beginning.”

Lide’s vision was never limited to a small corner.

He had no opportunity before and the timing was not right. Once everything met his standards, he would not hesitate to start proselytizing directly to humans.

Of course, all of this predicated on ensuring the safety of Dawn City.

The two discussed some specifics regarding proselytizing and cooperation with Black Iron City. Eventually, Harrison hesitated before saying,
“Your Highness, there is one more matter that requires your decision… it’s about the Divine Gifted Holy Armor…”

“Speak.”

“The Divine Gifted Holy Armor is now in full production; the first batch of Bloodline has already been equipped with this equipment that can isolate Holy Power, but… the cost is significant.”

At these words, Lide’s eyes immediately lit up.

The Bloodline had always been restricted by two major shackles–the fear of Holy Power and the reliance on human blood.

The shackle of needing to consume human blood had been lifted due to sustainable development strategies and Divine relics.

Fearful of the sun, terrified of the Holy Light, these were the Bloodline’s greatest enemies, and the Divine Gifted Holy Armor was the Sharp Blade that could slay these foes.

The research on the Divine Gifted Holy Armor had been ongoing for nearly two years, and they had said it was almost ready, yet there had been no further word.

At this moment, if this chain were to be broken, the Bloodline could truly be considered as having boundless potential, with a promising future.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as we can overcome the Bloodline’s weaknesses, any cost is worth it.”

Lide felt a surge of excitement in his heart, “Go fetch one for me.”

Harrison immediately instructed a guard to fetch one, but hesitation still lingered on his face.

“Your Highness, perhaps you should hear the cost before making a decision…”

When Lide heard Harrison repeat himself, a bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

“Go on.”

Harrison paused briefly, then uttered a figure in a somewhat lower voice–a figure that made Lide’s scalp tingle.

“Each piece of Divine Gifted Holy Armor requires the consumption of 1 pound of Mithril, and it also necessitates the purchase of a large amount of other Magic Materials from the Human Country, with an approximate cost of 5000 Gold Pucks.

Furthermore, if we want to produce even better Divine Gifted Holy Armor, this cost will multiply.”

5000 Gold Pucks, and that’s on top of an extra pound of Mithril??

Lide felt like he was being screwed over–how could this damn thing be so expensive??

“How much does Dawn City make a month in Gold Pucks?”

“Your Highness, including various trades, it’s roughly around 400,000 Gold Pucks, and this doesn’t include income from Mithril and Magic Crystal Veins.”

Mithril and Magic Crystal Veins were for personal use and couldn’t be sold, so naturally, they didn’t need to be counted in terms of Gold Pucks. It sufficed to consider them as special resources.

“400,000 Gold Pucks?”

After a moment of silence, Lide knew the amount was definitely substantial.

According to the purchasing power in “Glory,” one Gold Puck was roughly equivalent to 10,000 RMB,
Of course, if it were converted to Earth currency, due to the game’s recent launch and high exchange rate, it could reach 20,000 RMB.

That meant he was making 4 billion a month in Glory.

But this amount wasn’t spectacular, after all, he was supporting a city with a population of 100,000, and numerous armies hungry for resources.

City construction required expenditure, employees from various departments required salaries, important research units like Dawn Mage Tower, Dawn School, Alchemy Factory, etc., all required massive funds.

These were manageable, but the most crucial aspect was–military spending.

At present, Dawn City’s army consumed almost half of the city’s fiscal income. The forging of various weapons and equipment, the production of engineering machinery, even logistics and supply guarantees all required substantial outflow of Gold Pucks.

So while Lide was indeed a tycoon, when it came to supporting a city, he often felt like a landlord without surplus grain.

At this point, the exorbitant cost of the Divine Gifted Holy Armor gave him a feeling that he couldn’t afford it.

“I never thought that after farming for so long, I’d end up a pauper despite making 4 billion a month…”

He took a deep breath, “Why is the cost so extremely high? Wasn’t it said to be just a few hundred or a thousand Gold Pucks before?”

Harrison showed a bitter smile, “Your Highness, that’s because the previously made Divine Gifted Holy Armor was very crude; this is already the cost reduced to the lowest possible…”

“How much do we have on the books now?”

“870,000 Gold Pucks…”

870,000? Lide breathed a sigh of relief, thankful there was some surplus at home.

But to invest it all would only produce a little over a hundred suits of Divine Gifted Holy Armor–which was an exaggeration.

“Wait, I’ll decide how many to produce after I see the current attributes of the Divine Gifted Holy Armor…”

Harrison also knew the cost was astronomical, so he too remained silent.

Yet he was convinced that Lide would change his mind upon seeing the attributes of the Divine Gifted Holy Armor.

Ten minutes later.

The head of Dawn Academy, elder of the Risier family, the polymath Horn, walked into the office with a look of excitement on his face.

In his hand, he carried a Mage robe that caught Lide’s eye.